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ACBL District 2
Units 166, 181, 198, 212, 228, 238, 246, 249
NAP & GNT
Latest Kibitzer
District 2 Officials
Minutes/Bylaws
Goodwill & Charity Committee Members
Goodwill Committee:
These appointments recognize players in District 2 whose conduct both at the bridge table and away from the bridge table is commendable; who promote bridge as an activity among new players, at club and unit games as well as at tournaments and who contribute to a playing environment at these venues that is conducive to fun and learning. Following are the 2016 appointments.
Andy Risman, Toronto, ON
Born and raised Torontonian. Youngest of family of six. Post graduate education at York University. I went into the accounting profession. Started working for a small firm and branched off on my own after a few years. Life was just essentially work when I decided to take up bridge. My choice of hobbies was based on my love of cards, above average memory and logical mind.
I started out just playing once or twice a week at the local club. First major turning point is when my father passed away and I convinced my mother to play with me (played regularly from March 1996 to February 2003 at least once a week). She taught me my greatest lesson – that winning is nowhere near as important in making sure that everyone enjoys the game.
Next major turning point is when I joined a group of players who were at my skill level. They met once a week to ‘train’ to play in tournaments. Eventually some of them asked me to fill in on a team when one teammate couldn’t make the last round (I had no masterpoints so I was eligible). Even thought we were CRUSHED, I was hooked. I joined the ACBL. I started to go to more and more tournaments including a few times a year I would take a trip with some of my friends to see sights and play in out of country/province regionals and NABCS. I also started playing more and more often at the clubs.
These experiences have allowed me to make great friends, travel and even develop some business contacts. I have joined Unit 166 board as treasurer. They were happy enough with my work that I was recommend to join the NABC committee in the same committee. During my Friday night games at Cavendish, I was asked to join the executive committee. I have acted in the role of club manager, vice president, treasurer and now I run the club with Richard Sayers. I hope I have learned my mother’s lessons well and given back to the game that has given so much to me.
Jed Drew, Tillsonburg, ON
My wife and I have lived in over a dozen communities in five different provinces over the last 48 years as I pursued a career in the railway industry. As well, I have worked internationally in seven different countries. Being so involved with a career and the time constraints with working and raising a family, I forgot the little bit of bridge that I had learned while in university. But, when we moved to Tillsonburg in 2003, supposedly to retire (not very successful until the third attempt in 2015), I decided I needed a hobby. I had learned how to play bridge as a teenager, but had played so little since then I had forgotten almost everything I knew. So, I began beginner’s bridge lessons to learn again from scratch. I was fascinated by the game and went directly from beginner’s lessons into regular club play and joined the ACBL. Within a few months I started playing in tournaments.
I am a currently member of the Tillsonburg, St. Thomas and Simcoe Bridge Clubs, having served on club, Unit 249 and District 2 Boards of Directors since 2012. Additionally, I am an ACBL accredited club director and teacher.
The highlights of my bridge career have been representing District 2 in the Grand National Teams (C Flight) in 2007, and being appointed to the ACBL Goodwill Committee earlier this year. With the help and guidance of a number of talented and forgiving partners over the years, I have attained the rank of Ruby Life Master.
My goal is to enable the growth of bridge while respecting that we need to provide a wide range of events for players at all levels to enjoy the game. My specific interests are in fostering good sportsmanship and the development and encouragement of new players.
Chris Chambers, Thornhill, ON
I grew up in Jamaica and came to Canada in 1976 with my wife and two sons. My introduction to bridge was from my parents who played social bridge every Friday night. They never encouraged me to learn ,and I started playing bridge when a colleague at IBM Jamaica suggested it as a way to pass the lunchtime break. That developed into our own Friday night game, a great way to spend time with friends and even see the sun rise on Saturday morning. A few of us attended a duplicate session at a club but I remember being clueless about what was going on.
Bridge was sidelined for a few years after coming to Canada. A colleague at IBM Canada introduced me to duplicate and I was hooked. We played once a week in club games and went to tournaments that were within a few hours driving time. After retirement, my bridge games increased to a two or three evening games per week, and that has changed to primarily daytime games.
Hopefully my personality and natural inclinations have been reflected at the bridge table by showing respect for my partners and opponents, even under challenging circumstances. I have tried to have a calming effect when the situation appears to be getting out of hand.
My bridge goals are to continue playing for many more years while continuing to develop my bridge skills and knowledge, and to help make every game an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Charity Committee:
Members of the ACBL Charity Committee endeavor to promote ACBL Charity Program participation in the units and sanctioned club games of their respective districts. Each District Director appoints 2 members annually to this committee. District 2’s 2016 appointments are:
David Halasi, York, ON
David has been playing bridge for almost 25 years, with success at the local and national levels. He has also volunteered on the Unit 166 board of directors since 2010, and has held various positions on the Unit and District executive board. He was a tournament director and still directs at the club level, while chairing sectional and regional tournaments in Toronto.
When not involved in the bridge world, he balances his work as a professional accountant with the experience of watching his children grow. He enjoys attending farmers markets with his family, and travelling to new destinations.
Marlene Pontifex, Winnipeg, MB
My passion for bridge started by sitting on my parent’s knees, wanting to play bridge with them at their social bridge club. Trying to convince other friends, family, and later my 2 children to play at every opportunity was always a challenge. When I discovered duplicate, playing for few years around the age of 18, and then regularly after retiring and now a Grand Life Master, a whole new world opened up. When one of my 5 grandchild’s schools let me teach a small group in his school for a couple of years, I was thrilled! At some point, I chaired the local unit’s membership committee for a few years. When I retired as an Elementary Resource Teacher I rejoined our Unit 181’s Board of Directors as Vice President and Chair / Co -chair of Special Events and Tournaments. Little did I know that I started a new job organizing our Naps, GNTs, CNTCs ,Sectionals, and Regionals for the next 15 years. This involves scheduling, hospitality , phoning, meetings, decorating, cleaning up and endless paperwork. It was well worth the work though to be able to compete in all the events and share my love. It was also great mental stimulation. I love all my partners and friends and a chance to play bridge whenever I want. Our club’s mentoring program has been an opportunity for me to show others the intricacies of making the most out of every hand. Although I have other passions which include X/C skiing, wilderness canoeing, travelling, and a cottage life, bridge has outlasted all of them!
Copyright © 2019, all rights reserved. ACBL District 2, Units 166, 181, 198, 212, 228, 238, 246, 249
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French Nazi collaborators to be exposed as official reports published online
from the Mail Online:
Thousands of French people who collaborated with the Nazis are to be unmasked as secret files from 70 years ago are finally made public. The records, which include information passed on to the Gestapo by those who lived during the Occupation of 1940-44, will be published online. The archive will give survivors and their relatives an opportunity to discover what happened to their loved ones - and if any countrymen played a part in their betrayal.
Since the liberation of Paris, all documentation relating to the Second World War has been kept in cardboard boxes in the basement of the city's Police Museum. A museum spokesman said: 'They include notes from interrogations, as well as information passed on to the authorities willingly.' The archive includes every police log from stations across France, as well as details of every arrest, fine and interview.
In addition to shedding light on the work of the Gestapo across France, the files will illuminate the role of the Brigade Speciale, which tracked down resistance fighters and other 'enemies' of the Nazi regime.
Global trade union rebuffs Israel boycott
from the Jewish Chronicle:
An organisation representing trade unions in more than 150 countries and 176 million workers worldwide has rejected calls to boycott Israel and pledged its “universal recognition” of the country’s right to exist.
At its world congress in Vancouver, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) stated its rejection of “the extremist policies of Hamas”.
And in a defiant slap to the boycott movement, the leader of Israel's Histadrut, its umbrella trade union body, Ofer Eini, has been elected as one of ITUC’s vice presidents and given a place on its 25-member executive board.
Justin Raimondo's racism
Blogger Justin Raimondo has looked at Israel and figured out exactly what's wrong with it. It's filled with people who just aren't white enough for him.
It is often said, by Israel’s defenders, that the Jewish state is part and parcel of the West: that Israel, the only democracy in the region, must be defended because they are, after all, reliable allies who share our values, the heritage of Athens and Jerusalem. That has been the conventional wisdom – and it’s wrong. The Mediterranean Massacre underscores the wrongness of this assumption.
Israel is not a Western country, and hasn’t been for some time: helped along by this latest incident, the realization of this fact by Western governments and peoples will represent a turning point in the Jewish state’s relations with the civilized world, especially including Jews in the Diaspora. I have argued this for years: that the successful aliya program pushed by the Israeli government has displaced the old European-derived Israeli elites with a new,more Asiatic influence, one that is now – with the rise of the Israel far right – the dominant factor in Israeli politics.
Birthed by leftist Zionists who sought to build an egalitarian community in the midst of a desert, the modern state of Israel has taken on the characteristics of its neighbors – gone native, so to speak, both culturally and politically. The large scale infusion of North African and Asiatic populations has changed Israeli society irrevocably, so that, today, the rise of a thuggish fascist demagogue like Avigdor Lieberman, the former bouncer turned Foreign Minister, is all too believable.
I don't claim to understand that last sentence about "Asiatic populations" making Avigdor Lieberman's "rise" "believable". But I never did understand the ravings of racists.
Read the rest of his column here, if you must: The Mediterranean Massacre by Justin Raimondo --Antiwar.com. There he explains that Jews and/or "Asiatics" have a...
...savage mind... (which) works differently. Shorn of what we would recognize as a moral sense, the savage glories in his capacity for pitiless violence. It’s a survival mechanism: in his world, red in tooth and claw, instilling fear in your opponent means winning more than half the battle. As a survival strategy, it’s like the one inmate who mutters ominously to himself while exhibiting all the characteristics of a violent psychotic: the other prisoners give him plenty of space because they think he’s liable to do anything.
That bit about ignoring people who mutter ominously reminds me why I generally ignore Raimondo.
Eye-rolling headline of the day
Forbes originally headlined a column posted on their website today "Leave BP Alone". They've since changed it to Don't Forget The Fruits Of Freedom. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought their original headline was hysterically funny. Funnier still is the fact that the original headline accurately describes the contents of the column, which argues that regulating the oil industry means that it won't be able to learn by experience.
Freedom means responsibility. It also means failure, accidents and mistakes. This, in turn, leads to learning, which is why successes outweigh the failures. However, humans must be free to understand the consequences of their actions. Without consequences, there is little learning.
When freedom prevails, the ingenuity and inventiveness of people creates incredible wealth. This is the source of the natural improvement of the human condition. Capitalism is created by free people. Socialism, on the other hand, is what happens when people trade their freedom for the perception of safety. And when people trade in their freedom, they trade it in for a less dynamic, less safe, life.
So there you have it: regulation = ignorance. Paging George Orwell.
Having trouble reading this e-mail? Click here for mobile version.
FORBES.COM COMMENTARY NEWSLETTER JUNE 08, 2010
Leave BP Alone
Brian S. Wesbury and Robert Stein
When government tries to eliminate risk, it often creates even more.
Analyzing Altruism
Oren Harman
Is it an evolutionary inheritance or a cultural construction? We may never know.
BP's Endless Nightmare In The Gulf
Richard A. Epstein
Punitive damages and criminal prosecutions will only make matters worse.
The Government's Peculiar Assault On Profits
John Tamny
Why further fining oil companies and airlines will do more harm than good.
Turkey's Two-Faced Aid For Gaza
On real humanitarian relief, Erdogan talks big and gives small.
A partial retraction
Last week, I used this blog in a way I usually don't, to support a particular project: the proposal to build an Islamic center called Cordoba House in the neighborhood adjacent to the World Trade Center site. I described the imam who's behind the project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, as a moderate, a modernist, someone intent on building good interfaith relations. This assessment was based on my having heard him speak and on my knowing people who attended his small mosque in Tribeca, which is located 10 blocks uptown from the proposed Cordoba House site. I was also moved by his interview on WNYC's Brian Lehrer show, in which he made clear his opposition to violence in the name of religion and his desire to build bridges between his and other religions. Support for precisely those causes motivated me to support Imam Rauf's project.
I am sad to say that I must retract at least part of statement of support for the Cordoba House project, having learned that Imam Rauf has been reported to be on the board of the Perdana Global Peace Organization, a group led by former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir. (Read here.) This group, which purports to be pacificist, devotes itself largely to campaigning against Israel in ways which betray deep bias on that subject. The NY Post article that brought this to my attention focuses on Perdana's support for the Gaza flotilla, to which they were the largest donor. While that alone presents issues, the group's fundamental bait and switch -- it's deception -- is more troubling. It promotes hate in the name of promoting peace. Understand that I have no objection to peace organizations focusing attention on Israel, so long as they are truthful about their reasons. This group calls itself a campaign against all war, but acts very differently. For Mahathir, this organization is part of a strategic campaign of anti-Semitism, via which he has blamed Jewish financiers for Malaysia's problems and charged his domestic political opponents with working on behalf of Jewish interests. (Ian Baruma, writing in the New Yorker, had a great article on Mahathir which discusses this subject here. A brief interview about it is here.) Imam Rauf, who has roots in Malaysia, must know of Mahathir's troubling history (troubling for other reasons as well). In addition to misusing peace groups such as Perdana to demonize Israel, Asia Times Online reports that he has similarly used conferences designed to promote Islamic culture to promote anti-Semitism (read here).
Freedom of religion is the paramount issue in determining the government's role, if any, with respect to the plans for Cordoba House. Opponents of the project who advocate government interference must understand that it isn't the government's role in this country to determine what religious institutions can go where. That idea is repugnant. Moreover, Muslims are already fully part of the life of the community. Muslims were among the victims of 9/11 and were among the first responders. Muslims live and work in the area. Those who oppose a Muslim presence near "Ground Zero" are too late. It's been there all along. Sadly, the tone of much of the opposition to Cordoba House has been hateful and designed to create fear. (Read here for an example.) Those who have leveled charges that this mosque could be the home of a terror cell or would somehow dishonor by its mere presence those who died on 9/11 betray a bias that calls both their motivation and their conclusions into question. I feel much more comfortable honoring the memory of 9/11 by promoting peace.
That being said, I now have questions as to what Imam Rauf means when he says that he's moderate. I hope that he addresses those questions by addressing his role in the Perdana group and his connection with Mahathir. While I still strongly support the imam's constitutional right to build Cordoba House, I now need to be convinced that this will be a place where interfaith includes Jews like me who support Israel's right to live in peace with its neighbors. I hope that Imam Rauf addresses these questions and that Cordoba House lives up to its hype. I would like such a place to exist. But now I need to be convinced.
Posted by Adam Holland at 8:27 AM 14 comments: Links to this post
Ron Paul supporters react to Helen Thomas comments
Helen Thomas has been roundly criticized for her statement (subsequently retracted) advocating that Jews be ethnically cleansed from Israel. But this is not that case at the Daily Paul, the house organ of the the Ron Paul campaign. (Read here.) As you can read below, the Ron Paul supporters who commented on this subject at the Daily Paul expressed support for Thomas' comment that Israeli Jews "go back to Germany and Poland". (NOTE: I shouldn't have to point out, but I do, that more than half of Israel's Jews were born in Israel, and most of the rest were born in North Africa or the Middle East). The people who read the Daily Paul not only agreed with Thomas' bigoted comment, claiming her as a part of "the liberty movement", they went on to up the ante and use it as an opportunity to promote the myth of Khazar descent, then segue directly into Holocaust denial. They also took the opportunity to post links to several bigoted YouTube videos in the process. Nice crowd at the Daily Paul.
Submitted by JRG on Sun, 06/06/2010 - 00:13.
linked on the drudge report. The liberty movement is becoming more main stream every day.
Helen should have said: " go
Submitted by AttilasDaughter on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 20:13.
Helen should have said: " go back to Khazaria!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLbFXE6kGC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l430OuA7ck
Ooooh! They would flip out
Submitted by BigT on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 21:14.
if she ever said that.
They don't really want anyone to know about that.
I'm sure that it's really getting their goats that the word is getting out.
All they can do is scream their ad-hominem BS, and hope not many people catch on.
Submitted by cactus1010 on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 16:20.
For anyone who knows their history on how modern day Israel got to be modern day Israel...Helen is right.
If it weren't again due to the U S meddling via Harry Truman there would be no modern day Israel. It would still belong to the Palestinian people.
Instead the Palestinians have been pushed off their land and relegated to a small patch of earth controlled by the Israeli government who decide what they are allowed to have and what they are not allowed to have.
How many Americans would put up with this treatment?
The 6 was a planned #, part of prophecy
Submitted by RonPaulholic on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 16:33.
and they then determined million would be the right amount afterward. WW2 was not the first time it was attempted.
Be careful, if you are writing from certain EU countries, you can do felony prison time for what you just said. Did you know that? When they make discussing scientific evidence about the Holocaust a felony, you know they are SCARED about the truth getting out. So many lies were exposed after the Nuremberg trials, and Soviet controlled territory was the only thing that prevented the rest of the camps to be examined earlier and proven that the #'s were way exaggerated.
Oh why not, I know in my heart some of you are ready and can look beyond me and my antics, and I know the more learned of you knew before me. By the way, this video has Alex Jones and other names in it, but whomever posted the video must have put them there just for hits. Good research for anyone who hasn't seen the this, called "One Third of the Holocaust", and if you haven't seen enough evidence yet, I'm fairly sure you will after this. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9174186302325317179#
Important suppressed history:
http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/house-of-rothschild...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4071551301506215141#
correct me if I am wrong but
Submitted by stickles on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 17:30.
correct me if I am wrong but didn't the 6 million number get floated around after WWI along with the notions of human skin lamps and soap made of human fat?
I started watching your video though I don't know if I have time to watch the whole thing.
Posted by Adam Holland at 10:38 PM 3 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Anti-Semitism, Helen Thomas, Holocaust Denial / Historical Revisionism, Ron Paul
Headline of the day
from the Patrick J. Buchanan -- Right from the Beginning blog:
"VIDEO: Zionists are Vile, Hypocrites, They Are Repugnant!"
The Buchanan blog post consists of Neturei Karta members speaking. The text of the post, in its entirety, accurately sums up what they have to say, although *slightly* inflates their importance:
Top Jewish Rabbis condemn Israeli Flotilla Massacre – call upon all the world to unite against Israel.
This is an outrage and must be stopped
Facebook | execution MK Haneen Zoubi
That's a link to a Facebook page promoting the killing of an Arab Knesset member who was on board the Gaza flotilla. Do everyone a favor and report this to Facebook by clicking the "Report" button on the lower left margin of that Facebook page. Choose "Direct call for violence" from the drop down and click the "Submit" button. (I hope that, by the time you do this, that Facebook page will be gone, but try it just in case.)
(Hat tip: Joshua Holland at Alternet.)
Is BP committing environmental fraud on NYC streets?
Earlier today, I was walking into the local food co-op here in Brooklyn to buy some organic produce, and I was stopped by a college-aged guy holding a clipboard. He told me that he represented a group (he didn't use the word "corporation") that offered a cleaner alternative source of electricity to that provided by Con Ed. He gave me the hard-sell to sign up for the service, saying that I could only sign up via him, not on the internet. I asked him for a brochure so I could think it over, but he told me that they didn't have any because they're not environmentally sound. He held up some literature with a drawing of a windmill on it, which, of course, I didn't have time to read. He assured me that his "group" would provide my family with electricity from clean sources, and that I could pay via my usual Con Ed bill. He stressed that the only way I could sign up was with him, right there on the sidewalk. What he neglected to tell me was that the "group" he works for, Green Mountain Energy, is 1/3 owned by BP. (Read here.)
I wonder how many New York City environmentalists are being duped into signing up to have their electricity provided by BP as we speak. They might be a bit upset if they knew, don't you think?
UPDATE (June 4, 2010):
According to SiteMeter and Google Analytics, this blog post has gotten a large number of hits from ISPs in Austin and Plano, Texas. Some of these ISPs are registered to Green Mountain Energy. This group of readers all enter at this post, then look around at the rest of the blog to see what it's about.
Looks like I stepped on somebody's toes. My guess is that the management of Green Mountain Energy would rather not have their connection to BP revealed. Also, it's kind of interesting that Green Mountain Energy seems to have their corporate offices in Texas. With a name like "Green Mountain", I thought they'd be in Vermont. I guess that's what they wanted me to think.
Biden: Israel right to stop Gaza flotilla from breaking blockade
from Haaretz:
"you can argue whether Israel should have dropped people onto that ship or not -- but the truth of the matter is, Israel has a right to know -- they're at war with Hamas -- has a right to know whether or not arms are being smuggled in.'"
Thomas Friedman on the flotilla
from When America’s Friends Fall Out - NYTimes.com:
I have no problem with Turkey or humanitarian groups loudly criticizing Israel. But I have a big problem when people get so agitated by Israel's actions in Gaza but are unmoved by Syria's involvement in the murder of the prime minister of Lebanon, by the Iranian regime's killing of its own citizens demonstrating for the right to have their votes counted, by Muslim suicide bombers murdering nearly 100 Ahmadi Muslims in mosques in Pakistan on Friday and by pro-Hamas gunmen destroying a U.N.-sponsored summer camp in Gaza because it wouldn't force Islamic fundamentalism down the throats of children.
From the Council of Conservative Citizens website: Jewish Owned Monsanto Contaminating Food?
The CCC website has changed the headline to something innocuous. Don't they understand that people can still see the text of the original headline in the post's URL "http://cofcc.org/2010/06/jewish-owned-monsanto-contaminating-food/"?
Amoz Oz on how to defeat a bad idea
Read here: Op-Ed Contributor - Israeli Force, Adrift on the Sea - NYTimes.com
French Nazi collaborators to be exposed as officia...
Ron Paul supporters react to Helen Thomas comments...
Is BP committing environmental fraud on NYC street...
Biden: Israel right to stop Gaza flotilla from bre...
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The Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) in which AEP operates often determine upgrades to the transmission grid to address region-wide reliability, market efficiency and public policy needs. RTOs will then assign these projects to transmission owners such as AEP to build the lines and facilities.
We plan to invest $24.9 billion between 2019 and 2023 on transmission and distribution infrastructure to strengthen and modernize our network to address critical system reliability risks and protect the grid from physical and cyber threats. AEP will direct a large portion of this investment to improve local reliability issues, many of which are the result of our aging system. In 2018, AEP invested roughly $4.5 billion in these infrastructure improvements.
The primary direct benefit that customers receive from these investments is improved reliability and resiliency. To ensure every dollar we invest counts, we conducted a system-wide audit to identify our least reliable facilities and equipment at the greatest risk of failure and scheduled these for expedited upgrade or replacement. Based on a sampling of 14 completed transmission line rebuild projects, customer outage duration was decreased by 97 percent from pre-investment levels.
A more robust transmission grid also supports economic and job growth. According to an AEP-commissioned study, between 2017 and 2019, our planned $9 billion transmission investment will produce an estimated $12.7 billion in economic activity and support roughly 34,000 jobs. In addition, the new transmission developments will provide more than $600 million in additional state and local tax revenues.
In the same study on the direct and indirect impact of our transmission investments, we applied this historical effectiveness to a sample of 62 transmission local reliability upgrades targeted for completion in the 2012–2019 capital budget. The report concludes these investments will yield an estimated customer outage reduction benefit of approximately $75 million per year and a net present value of $1.4 billion of benefits over the lifetime of the investments.
AEP Texas submitted two major 345-kV double-circuit transmission lines for approval to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in October 2018. The new transmission lines are the Bakersfield to Solstice Project and the Sand Lake to Solstice Project in Pecos, Reeves and Ward counties. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) recommended both projects as critical to the reliability of the region’s transmission system, and we expect a decision to be made on the proposed projects in 2019. If approved, the projects are scheduled to be in-service by December 2020.
In 2018, AEP Transmission became a member of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) RTO, bringing to four the number of RTOs within which AEP has assets. A project mandated by MISO in northern Indiana was the $347 million Greentown-to-Reynolds Project, which went into service in 2018. The project was built by Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and Pioneer Transmission, a joint venture between AEP Transmission and Duke Energy. The 70-mile line links Greentown Station with NIPCSO’s Reynolds Station. The new line improves reliability in that region and assures access to regional sources of competitively priced power. The Greentown-Reynolds line is the first phase of Pioneer Transmission’s 290-mile plan to connect the Greentown Station to AEP’s Rockport Station, east of Evansville, Indiana.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is upgrading the electric transmission grid in McCurtain and Choctaw counties in southeast Oklahoma. The Hugo – Fort Towson – Valliant Transmission Line Rebuild Project upgrades the existing transmission infrastructure to provide a reliable flow of electricity to our customers. The project provides additional electric capacity to better serve local customers and accommodate future growth. The estimated investment on this project is $27 million.
AEP Ohio has more than 30 transmission projects in process to enhance reliability, replace or rebuild aging infrastructure and accommodate future growth across the state. For example, about 13 miles of 69 kV transmission lines between Flushing and Smyrna Stations in Belmont and Harrison counties in Ohio is being rebuilt. In the Findlay area, AEP Ohio is rebuilding approximately 30 miles of 34.5 kV transmission line to 69 kV. This Findlay area improvement project is an example of infrastructure that has reached an age where it needs to be replaced to improve reliability in that region.
Competitive Transmission
Transource® is a partnership between American Electric Power (AEP) and Great Plains Energy (GPE) focused on the development and investment in competitive electric transmission projects across the U.S. Transource is a member of three regional transmission organizations - the PJM Interconnection, the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) and the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) - which together serve all or part of 28 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and the province of Manitoba in Canada.
The Transource West Virginia Clendenin-Walton Area Improvements transmission line project is located in an area north of Clendenin, West Virginia. This project was identified in PJM’s 2014 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP) as key to ensuring continued reliable electric service in Kanawha and Roane counties in West Virginia. The project provides an interconnection with First Energy and brings a second 138kV power source into the Clendenin area. The project is scheduled to go in service by June 2019.
Transource is also developing the Independence Energy Connection (IEC), a new project to increase consumer access to more affordable power in the PJM region, including Pennsylvania and Maryland. The project will be built in two segments, with approximately 45 miles of transmission line in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The project also includes construction of two new substations in Pennsylvania and upgrades to two existing substations in Maryland.
The need for this project stemmed from transmission congestion impacting the delivery of electricity into the region. Following a competitive bidding process, PJM awarded construction of the project to Transource in August 2016. These new lines and substations are due to go in-service in November 2020.
Electric Transmission Texas (ETT), a joint venture between AEP and Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, is piloting an initiative to expedite the ability to interconnect generation with the transmission grid. In September 2018, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) issued a final order approving a new transmission line to serve the Foard City Wind Project in Foard County, Texas. Without the new line, the wind farm could not connect to the grid. ETT’s new approximately 2.7 mile 345-kV line will provide the interconnection needed and is expected to be placed in service in May 2019.
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Aerospace & Defence News
Firetrench Aerospace & Defence
HMCS Saskatoon arrives home after successful deployment
Posted on May 22, 2019 by newdesk
Members of the public who want to send their name to Mars on NASA’s next rover mission to the Red Planet (Mars 2020) can get a souvenir boarding pass and their names etched on microchips to be affixed to the rover.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
go.nasa.gov/Mars2020Pass
Although it will be years before the first humans set foot on Mars, NASA is giving the public an opportunity to send their names — etched on microchips — to the Red Planet with NASA’s Mars 2020 rover, which represents the initial leg of humanity’s first round trip to another planet. The rover is scheduled to launch as early as July 2020, with the spacecraft expected to touch down on Mars in February 2021.
http://adn.firetrench.com
The rover, a robotic scientist weighing more than 2,300 pounds (1,000 kilograms), will search for signs of past microbial life, characterize the planet’s climate and geology, collect samples for future return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet.
“As we get ready to launch this historic Mars mission, we want everyone to share in this journey of exploration,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in Washington. “It’s an exciting time for NASA, as we embark on this voyage to answer profound questions about our neighboring planet, and even the origins of life itself.”
The opportunity to send your name to Mars comes with a souvenir boarding pass and “frequent flyer” points. This is part of a public engagement campaign to highlight missions involved with NASA’s journey from the Moon to Mars. Miles (or kilometers) are awarded for each “flight,” with corresponding digital mission patches available for download. More than 2 million names flew on NASA’s InSight mission to Mars, giving each “flyer” about 300 million frequent flyer miles (nearly 500 million frequent flyer kilometers).
From now until Sept. 30, you can add your name to the list and obtain a souvenir boarding pass to Mars here:
https://go.nasa.gov/Mars2020Pass
The Microdevices Laboratory at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, will use an electron beam to etch the submitted names onto a silicon chip with lines of text smaller than one-thousandth the width of a human hair (75 nanometers). At that size, more than a million names can be inscribed on a single dime-size microchip. The chip (or chips) will ride on the rover under a glass cover.
NASA will use Mars 2020 and other missions to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. As another step toward that goal, NASA is returning American astronauts to the Moon in 2024. Government, industry and international partners will join NASA in a global effort to build and test the systems needed for human missions to Mars and beyond.
The Mars 2020 Project at JPL manages rover development for SMD. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for launch management. Mars 2020 will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
For more information on Mars 2020, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/mars2020
For more about NASA’s Moon to Mars plans, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars
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under Live Show Reviews, Metal, Rock
tagged 412 Days of Rock n Roll, AC/DC, Black Ice Tour, Brice Chanin, Cormac Neeson, Crystal Faye Photography, David Coverdale, DP, Eddie Van Halen, Frontiers Music, Girls Girls Girls, James Heatley, Joel Hoekstra, John Sykes, Jon Lord, Michael Devin, Michele Luppi, Micky Waters, Mötley Crüe, Napalm Records, New Horizon, Paul Mahon, Raise a Little Hell, Reb Beach, Rise, The Answer, The Cult, The Purple Album, Tommy Aldridge, Tommy Bolin, Two Frogs Grill, Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Whitesnake
Whitesnake And The Answer: Feeling The Burn At Verizon Theatre!! – Grand Prairie, TX
Posted on July 3, 2015 by Guest Contributor
It was a Monday night at Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, but the rock n roll charisma on display from THE ANSWER and headliner WHITESNAKE turned this into a Saturday fucking night! Hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland THE ANSWER falls into my category of “favorite bands that no one has ever heard of” and it is criminal that they aren’t HUGE! I saw these guys open for AC/DC on the Black Ice Tour and they also played a couple of surprise shows at a local eatery in Ardmore, OK in the winter of 2008-2009 (documented in their rockumentary 412 Days of Rock n Roll). These guys blew me away then and I have longed for them to come back to the U.S. since. In support of their new Napalm Records release, Raise a Little Hell, they opened their set with the bombastic, “I Am What I Am” from the aforementioned disc. In fact, four of the six songs in their set come directly from Raise a Little Hell.
Next, from 2013’s New Horizon, the band burst into “Spectacular”. Lead singer Cormac Neeson looked completely comfortable on this large stage even after admitting that the band got held up in customs by US immigration agents in Dublin, Ireland due to a freeze being issued on visas. Turns out, some of the customs agents were rock n roll fans and made an exception to allow this band that they “thought” was WHITESNAKE to enter the United States!
Next up was a song about a girl with red lips like strawberry wine, “Red”. The rhythm section of Micky Waters (bass) and James Heatley (drums) were solid as a rock all night and sounded as if they had been playing together all of their lives. The highlight of their set was a bit of self-proclaimed Northern Ireland Swamp Music – “Under the Sky”, from their debut record, Rise.
This has been my favorite song by THE ANSWER since I first heard them play it live at Two Frogs Grill in Ardmore, OK over 5 years ago. I suppose it is obligatory to have a shit-hot guitar player (or two) if you want to have a successful rock band. Paul Mahon is an absolute BEAST on the 6-string. For me, he conjures up images of THE CULT’S Billy Duffy with his rockstar pose and monster tone and sound, but this guy is *just a kid*!. Criminally under-rated guitar player…criminally underrated band.
The group closed their all-too-short set with the title track from Raise a Little Hell. Cormac Neeson jumped off stage and mingled with the crowd while singing the song and then promised that as soon as the set was over, he was going to walk straight out to the merch booth, drink a beer and try to convince anyone that he talked to to buy some of their shit! And he did it. He walked straight up the stairs from the stage to the venue’s foyer. I personally stood in line for about 15 minutes to get my picture with him. And he didn’t try to convince me to buy any of their shit because they sold out of their allotment for this show in 10 minutes!
I was concerned that I might miss the beginning of WHITESNAKE while waiting for my picture to be taken with THE ANSWER, but I made it back in time.
Midway through THE WHO’S “My Generation” the lights went down and I easily recalled the first and only time that I saw WHITESNAKE live. It was in 1988 as they opened for MÖTLEY CRÜEon the Girls, Girls, Girls tour. At the time they were supporting their most commercially successful release, 1987’s self-titled album. To see this band *opening* for the CRÜE seemed wrong, but it was a GREAT bill. On this night in June 2015 in Texas, WHITESNAKE was touring behind just-released The Purple Album, a celebration of the era when David Coverdale fronted the incomparable DEEP PURPLE some 40 years ago!
The boys opened their set with a DP classic “Burn”. Six guys on stage going absolutely berserk as they tore through this frantic number and then went right into “Slide it In” and “Love Ain’t No Stranger” from that classic 1984 release.
The dual guitar work of Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra laid down a wall of sound very reminiscent of the Guitar Gods that had played these songs before them. Did you know that June 22 was No Panties Day? Well, Coverdale knew this and expressed his gratitude in being in – of all places – Dallas, Texas on this wonderful occasion. The next song up, “The Gypsy,” includes one of the most monstrous riffs you will hear in the DP catalogue masterfully executed by Beach and Hoekstra. They then went immediately into “Give Me All Your Love”. This was a great sing-along song for the audience that Coverdale had eating out of the palm of his hand. The next DP classic was dedicated to the deceased Jon Lord and Tommy Bolin, keyboard and guitar player respectively. Reb Beach played a beautiful, acoustic intro to this song and the keyboards interlaced by the Italian Michele Luppi were flawless.
Bass player Michael Devin contributed some lead vocals to this cut just as Glen Hughes did back in the day. The pace of the music slowed during this part of the set, Coverdale acknowledging the frigid conditions in the Verizon Theater: “I could sign checks with my fucking nipples tonight! It’s COLD!” And then another acoustic intro, this one by Hoekstra, for the love song, “Forevermore”, the title track from the band’s 2011 release.
Obligatory guitar solos ensued with Reb Beach going first. His was reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen with a lot of finger-tapping on the neck of the guitar. It was loud, It was fast. It was Reb Beach getting it done! Next was Joel Hoekstra. I have to tell you that just looking at this guy he *looks* like Sebastian Bach! But he shreds like John Sykes.
His solo felt a little more classically inspired and he played the sparkliest purple Gibson Les Paul that I have ever laid my eyes upon. From here, the band tore into “Mistreated”, a heavy blues number from 1974’s Burn LP. Michael Devin came to center stage with his harmonica and started off “You Fool No One”. The ageless wonder Tommy Aldridge threw down the beat and the band jammed for a minute or two before he began his drum solo in earnest. I’ve seen him live about a half dozen times with different bands (OZZY, WHITESNAKE, TED NUGENT). During this solo, Aldridge dropped a drumstick, but you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t see it – he never missed a beat. About 4/5ths through the solo he launched BOTH of his drumsticks into the crowd and finished his solo WITH HIS BARE HANDS! What an animal!!! Bassist Michael Devin again assumed lead vocal duties as the entire band finished “You Fool No One”.
Coverdale then introduced the “Snakes”: Beach and Hoekstra on guitars, Devin on bass guitar, Aldridge on drums and Luppi on keyboards. Done with the DEEP PURPLE material at this point, WHITESNAKE finished with a fury on four straight songs from the self-titled record: “Is This Love,” “Bad Boys,” “Here I Go Again” and the finale, “Still of the Night.” The highlights for me at this show were the opener, closer, and everything in between! It was a unique opportunity for me to be able to experience the music of TWO different but influential bands from the 70’s and 80’s. David Coverdale’s parting words to the audience: “Be safe, be happy and don’t let anybody make you afraid!” Followed by his classic screech – YEEEE-OWWWW!!! I pondered these words as I made my way up the stairs to exit the venue. My thoughts trailed as I neared the exit doors and saw Cormac Neeson still there. Still meeting and greeting fans and taking photos. What a guy…
LIVE WORDS: BRICE CHANIN
LIVE PHOTOS: CRYSTAL FAYE PHOTOGRAPHY
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Posted in Live Show Reviews, Metal, Rock | Tagged 412 Days of Rock n Roll, AC/DC, Black Ice Tour, Brice Chanin, Cormac Neeson, Crystal Faye Photography, David Coverdale, DP, Eddie Van Halen, Frontiers Music, Girls Girls Girls, James Heatley, Joel Hoekstra, John Sykes, Jon Lord, Michael Devin, Michele Luppi, Micky Waters, Mötley Crüe, Napalm Records, New Horizon, Paul Mahon, Raise a Little Hell, Reb Beach, Rise, The Answer, The Cult, The Purple Album, Tommy Aldridge, Tommy Bolin, Two Frogs Grill, Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Whitesnake | 1 Comment |
on “Whitesnake And The Answer: Feeling The Burn At Verizon Theatre!! – Grand Prairie, TX”
One Comment on “Whitesnake And The Answer: Feeling The Burn At Verizon Theatre!! – Grand Prairie, TX”
August 3, 2015 at 8:48 am • Reply
A friend of mine recently turned me onto this band. I’ve never seen them in concert, but your article was so detailed that I feel like I was there. Thank you for showing me that I must run, not walk, to get tickets for the next THC concert.
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Leading Women’s Organizations Endorse Senator Stewart-Cousins at Rally Outside Federal Courthouse
(White Plains) – With the President of the United States and the US Supreme Court threatening the rights of women to make private health care decisions, and with every New York State Senate Republicans refusing to vote to protect women’s reproductive choices, New York’s leading women’s advocacy organizations came together to endorse Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for re-election. Senator Stewart-Cousins is on the ballot in the upcoming primary election on Thursday September 13th.
At a rally outside of the Federal Courthouse in White Plains, Planned Parenthood Empire State Votes PAC, the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund PAC, Eleanor’s Legacy, Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion PAC, NOW-NYS, and dozens of local activists and elected officials spoke out in support of re-electing Senator Stewart-Cousins and making her the majority leader of the New York State Senate. Advocates say this is a critical step towards standing up to President Trump and passing State laws that protect women’s choice like the Reproductive Health Act.
Senator Stewart-Cousins has been the leader of the Senate Democratic Conference since 2012 and if Democrats win the majority in the November elections, she will be the first woman majority leader in the history of New York State.
She has been one of the leading advocates in New York to pass the Reproductive Health Act, which would strengthen the State’s abortion laws by codifying the protections guaranteed in the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision into New York’s health code. The state laws permitting abortion are currently written into New York’s criminal code and were created in 1970, three years before the Roe vs. Wade decision. The Reproductive Health Act was one of the first bills Senator Stewart-Cousins sponsored when she first become a State Senator.
“I am grateful for the support from these outstanding organizations who are on the front lines of the fight for women’s rights. This is a pivotal moment for women in this country with President Trump and the US Supreme Court threatening our protections and the New York State Senate Republicans refusing to stand up for women. When New York created its abortion laws in 1970, 12 Republican State Senators voted in favor of women’s choice. But today, in 2018, not a single Republican Senator will cast a vote for the Reproductive Health Act. That’s why it is so crucial that we elect a Democratic State Senate in November. So, I am asking my constituents to please vote for me in the primary on September 13th so that I can continue my advocacy on behalf of women and girls and come next year, make history as the first woman majority leader in the history of New York State,” said Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
“Senator Stewart-Cousins has never backed up or backed down when it comes to fighting for our state’s women and girls. With endless attacks on reproductive rights on the federal level, we must have leaders like Andrea Stewart-Cousins who will fight for the freedoms essential to all New Yorkers. It’s time to elect a senate leader that will give a voice to the voiceless and fight for essential protections to shield us from federal attacks. We need Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins,” said Robin Chappelle Golston, President & CEO, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts.
“Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is a consummate champion for reproductive rights and abortion access. She embodies New York values, leading the charge to pass the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act, and fighting for the women and families of her district. The NIRH Action Fund PAC is thrilled to endorse Andrea Stewart-Cousins for State Senate,” said Andrea Miller, president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund PAC.
“At a time of real crisis in America, when the sitting president and anti-choice Republican-controlled Congress are committed to stripping women of all of our constitutional rights to control our own bodies; when the president’s nominee for the US Supreme Court is an outspoken opponent of abortion rights and committed to overturning Roe v. Wade, we must do everything in our power to protect the women of New York. We must stand united with Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins to make New York State a Reproductive Rights Sanctuary.” Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion PAC.
“NOW is proud to endorse Andrea Stewart-Cousins for State Senate. Andrea is a strong leader and advocate for the women and girls of New York and has NOW’s full support,” said Sonia Ossorio, President of NOW-NYS.
“Andrea Stewart-Cousins has never forgotten why she ran for office: to make a difference for the women and children of Westchester County. Andrea’s vision for New York, funding quality public schools, keeping streets safe with sensible gun laws, and protecting a woman’s reproductive rights, is a vision for a New York where we can all thrive, together. Eleanor’s Legacy is proud to endorse Leader Stewart-Cousins for re-election to the New York State Senate and to be the fearless leader for the women and children of Westchester,” said Brette McSweeney, Director of Eleanor’s Legacy.
Categories:Press Release
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Real Madrid vs Ajax
Tip: "Home win" recomendada pelo odds 1.60
EUROPE: Champions League
Previsão publicada pela : checu
Real Madrid vs Ajax - Previsão
Escolher: Home win
Liga: EUROPE: Champions League
100% of teams to have won 2-1 away from home in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout match have progressed to the next round (8 previous cases).
Real Madrid have won their last seven matches in all competitions against AFC Ajax (22 goals for, 3 against), the best ever run for the Spanish side against a single opponent in European competition. AFC Ajax’s last victory against the Merengues was back in November 1995: 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League group stages at the Bernabeu with goals from Jari Litmanen and Patrick Kluivert.
It’s 22 years since AFC Ajax progressed through a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie – in the 1996-97 campaign when the Dutch side prevailed against Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Juventus in the semi-finals.
Real Madrid have won the UEFA Champions League four times in the last five seasons. Juventus were the last team to eliminate Real in a UEFA Champions League knockout phase, back in the 2014-15 semi-finals.
Real Madrid have reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in each of the last eight campaigns, a record run in the history of the competition.
Real Madrid have lost two of their last five home matches in the UEFA Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 48 at the Bernabeu combined (W40 D6 L2).
AFC Ajax’s last away win in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages was in March 1997 – it was in Madrid, against Atlético (3-2).
11 of AFC Ajax’s 12 goals in this season’s UEFA Champions League have been scored in the second-half (92%).
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has either scored or assisted a goal in each of his six UEFA Champions League matches against AFC Ajax (4 goals, 4 assists). In the first leg, he became only the fourth player to reach the 60-goal tally in the competition after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Raul.
Four of Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio’s five UEFA Champions League goals have been scored in the knockout stages.
In the first leg against Real Madrid, AFC Ajax’s Hakim Ziyech scored his first UEFA Champions League goal with his 30th shot in the competition.
Propomos a previsão para o jogo Real Madrid vs Ajax, válido para o campeonato/taça EUROPE: Champions League, jogado no 05.03.2019 20:00 dia. Olhe para as chances de EUROPE: Champions League. Vote no seu previsões para ver o que outros usuários tenham votado. As previsões são de 90 minutos de jogo (futebol). Tempo extra e penalidades são excluídos.
Tipster: checu
About checu
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Michael L. Quinn, FAIA, Co-Founder of Quinn Evans Architects, Passes Away at Age 70
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 2:07 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
Michael Lee Quinn
March 19, 1947 - January 25, 2018
It is with deep sadness that the American Institute of Architects, Huron Valley Chapter announces the passing of one of our members and friends, Michael Lee Quinn, FAIA. Co-founder of Quinn Evans Architects and long-time champion of historic preservation and urban revitalization, Michael passed away on January 25, 2018. He was 70 years old.
Michael was one of the nation’s most accomplished and respected architects. His expertise in historic preservation and restoration was instrumental in the widespread growth and impact of this important field. Last September, the AIA Huron Valley Chapter presented Michael with our Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Honor Award Celebration. This award was in honor of Michael’s contributions to the profession. “Michael’s career of over 45 years has left indelible impressions not just through the buildings he helped to create, but through the lives of people he has inspired through his decades of mentoring and leadership.” (AIA Huron Valley Awards jury)
For a link to the Quinn Evans Architects’ tribute, to read about his distinguished career, and links to memorial contributions, go to https://www.quinnevans.com/news/remembering-michael-l-quinn-faia/ or https://www.quinnevans.com/team/mike-quinn
Services will be held on February 4, 2018 at 1 PM at Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI. Donations can be made to the Michael L. Quinn and David S. Evans Endowed Scholarship (at the University of Michigan Taubman School of Architecture), the Michigan Theater, and the Smile Train.
2018 Board of Directors, AIA Huron Valley Chapter
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BUSH ADMIN WANTS TO ALLOW LOADED GUNS INTO NATIONAL PARKS
by J.R. Pegg
Bush Wants Rollback Of Public Land Protection (2003)
(ENS) WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is taking aim at longstanding regulations that ban individuals from bringing loaded weapons into many U.S. national parks. New rules that would relax the firearm restrictions will be formally proposed by the U.S. Interior Department within the next two months, despite fierce opposition from current and retired park rangers who argue the changes are dangerous and unnecessary.
The proposal is "a terrible idea," said Doug Morris, a retired park superintendent and member of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. "These rules work and have long contributed to the indisputable fact that our national parks are among the safest places in America."
Firearms were first banned in national parks in the 1930s in a bid to curb poaching. The rules were eased in 1983 by the Reagan administration to allow visitors to national parks and national wildlife refuges to possess firearms so long as they are unloaded or "packed, cased or stored in a manner that will prevent their ready use."
Advocates of the regulations contend they fairly balance the rights of gun owners with the desire to preserve the fundamental character of the national park system.
The rules are an essential part of efforts to protect wildlife and prevent poaching, Morris told reporters during a conference call last week.
He added that relaxing the restrictions would also jeopardize the safety of park employees and visitors.
"Routine disagreements in camp grounds, parking lots, restaurants and lodges are more likely to turn lethal just as they often do in the cities and rural areas around parks where state laws provide for easy access to loaded firearms," said Morris.
Other park groups, notably the Association of National Park Rangers, the Ranger Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, and the National Parks Conservation Association agree with Morris and have urged the Interior Department to resist calls for the change.
Officials with the Park Service have also shown opposition to the revisions. A letter sent in January 2007 to a Virginia gun group by Karen Taylor-Goodrich, the Park Service's associate director of visitor and resource protection, said the agency does not support any change in the current regulation.
"This is not about guns or parks -- it is about politics," Bryan Faehner, legislative representative for the National Parks Conservation Association, said during the February 25 press call with Morris and other critics of the proposal. "The rules are working fine."
But a considerable number of lawmakers disagree, arguing that the regulations violate on the constitutional gun rights of U.S. citizens.
Lawmakers from both parties began openly pressuring Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on the issue late last year.
The rules "infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners" who want to transport or carry firearms within national parks and national wildlife refuges, a group of 47 senators said in a December 14, 2007 letter to the Interior chief.
The letter, signed by 39 Republicans and eight Democrats, noted that other federal land management agencies do not have the same restrictions on firearms.
The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service follow state laws on firearms, as do the 61 units of the National Park Service that permit hunting.
"These inconsistencies in firearms regulations for public lands are confusing, burdensome and unnecessary," wrote the letter's lead authors, Senators Michael Crapo, an Idaho Republican, and Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat.
On February 11, a group of four additional senators sent another letter to Kempthorne, echoing the argument that state gun laws should govern firearm regulations in all national parks and refuges.
The current rules "preempt state regulatory frameworks for transporting and carrying firearms, thus invalidating concealed weapons permits and other state laws that allow law-abiding citizens to transport and carry firearms," the senators wrote in the second letter.
Kempthorne appears to agree, informing the senators in a February 22 letter that the Interior Department would propose changes to the rules along the lines they have suggested.
"This administration supports the long-standing tradition of affording states the right to determine those who may lawfully possess a firearm within their jurisdiction," Kempthorne wrote.
He said a rule change would be proposed and put out for public comment by April 30.
The announcement was hailed by the nation's leading gun lobby, which has pushed lawmakers and the administration to relax the rules.
"Law-abiding citizens should not be prohibited from protecting themselves and their families while enjoying America's National Parks and wildlife refuges," according to Chris Cox, chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
"Under this proposal, federal parks and wildlife refuges will mirror the state firearm laws for state parks," Cox said. "This is an important step in the right direction."
Members of both the House and the Senate have introduced legislation to revoke the firearm restrictions. In addition, Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, has announced plans to try and add an amendment to a public lands bill to repeal the regulations.
Critics of the change hope to rally the public to keep the existing laws in place, arguing that the revisions seek to fix a nonexistent problem.
The idea that the current rules are inconsistent and hard to understand is "ludicrous," Morris told reporters. "What could be easier to understand than regulations which apply a longstanding single set of rules throughout our system of national parks?"
Critics of the proposed change note that if parks had to defer to state gun laws, individuals could carry loaded semi-automatic weapons in campgrounds and park trails in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
The efforts to change the rules show "a total disregard for how our society values our national parks," Morris said. "Experience tells us that park visitors, including hunters and gun owners, seem to understand that parks are special places and that loaded guns are not needed and not appropriate."
© 2008 Environment News Service and reprinted by special permission
Albion Monitor March 7, 2008 (http://www.albionmonitor.com)
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Home | Wire | Frank Fetter and the Austrians
Frank Fetter and the Austrians
Tags BiographiesHistory of the Austrian School of EconomicsOther Schools of Thought
09/20/2018Matthew McCaffrey
Although students of Austrian economics are familiar with Mises, Hayek, and the other major figures of the school, there are many economists who worked in and around the Austrian tradition—and made crucial contributions to it—whose writings are today neglected. One of the most significant of these is the American Frank A. Fetter, the “forgotten giant” of the Austrian school.
When I began studying the Austrians, I noticed that Fetter’s name often appeared on standard lists of economists who worked in the tradition. (For example, he receives a chapter in the excellent collection 15 Great Austrian Economists, now available in an abridged audio version here). But as I explored his work, I also noticed that almost every discussion of it focused mainly on drawing parallels between his theories and those of the Austrians, without mentioning any personal or professional relationships he had with them, or what they might have thought of each other.
Unlike Mises, for instance, whose personal manner and life story are preserved through audio recordings and first- and second-hand accounts, there are virtually no published records that describe what Fetter was like, or how he interacted with his fellow economists. And besides some positive remarks scattered throughout his works, there is almost no evidence that he ever met or seriously engaged with the Austrians, especially after the First World War. At first glance then, it seems as if his connection to the Austrians was more “spiritual” than practical.
However, a wealth of unpublished records in the archives of Fetter’s papers and correspondence tell a very different story, and I’m happy to say that after a great deal of research in the collection, I have been able to uncover this history for the first time. You can read the full details in a new paper that will appear shortly in the Journal of Institutional Economics (ungated version here). Below I will mention a few highlights of Fetter’s fifty-year relationship with the Austrian school.
Fetter’s Influence on the Austrians
Fetter’s most Austrian work is in the field of value, price, and distribution theory. Both his criticism and positive theory quickly attracted the attention of the Austrians, whom he met during trips to Vienna in 1910 and 1914, and also during their own visits in the US.
He became particularly close with Böhm-Bawerk, with whom he went climbing in the mountains of Austria. In economics, Böhm-Bawerk bestowed high praise on Fetter’s price theory, writing to him that,
The method that you follow… is Daedalian and original, and has led to a good number of insightful and unexpected results. Moreover, I rejoiced in many a fine use of terms that you incorporated into the analysis of your historical-statistical material. They definitely made a good and important step toward the improvement and standardization of that instrument of our scientific inquiries that we refer to as terminology.
Even though they diverged on interest theory (Fetter sharply criticized Böhm-Bawerk’s partial-productivity theory of interest), Böhm-Bawerk was still able to write that “Your work is so penetrated by a truly scientific spirit that I always enjoy reading it even if I cannot fully agree.”
Fetter’s pure time preference theory of interest was more in accord with Mises’s views. But beyond a few scattered references, Mises never publicly indicated that Fetter was a major inspiration for his writings on the subject. Once again though, the unpublished record puts things in a different light. In 1938, while drafting Nationalökonomie, the German-language predecessor to Human Action, Mises wrote to Fetter to express his appreciation, stating that, “In these last months I have reread your contributions on the theory of interest. It is my firm opinion that they are more important than any other contribution on the subject since Böhm-Bawerk. I am indebted to them.” Given Mises’s regard for Böhm-Bawerk and his parsimony with compliments, this is a great tribute.
Fetter remained in contact with the Austrians throughout the inter-war period, during which he befriended many young students of the Mises Circle who looked to him for both professional advice and guidance as an expert theorist. Oskar Morgenstern, for example, worked as Fetter’s editorial assistant on a multi-volume festschrift for Wieser, co-edited with Hans Mayer and Richard Reisch.
In fact, there were scarcely any Austrian economists in the period 1900-1950 who didn’t have some kind of interaction with Fetter. The list of those he influenced is a who’s who of Austrian economics: Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk, Gottfried Haberler, W.H. Hutt, Fritz Machlup, Hans Mayer, Ludwig von Mises, Oskar Morgenstern, Joseph Schumpeter, and Friedrich von Wieser. He was also friends with other US economists of interest to the Austrian school, such as Benjamin Anderson, John Bates Clark, Arthur Marget, and Frank Taussig. And although Fetter was not a liberal in Mises’s sense (Fetter was also influenced by early progressivism), he nevertheless was friends with liberals and libertarians like Henry Hazlitt, Garet Garrett, and John T. Flynn, and shared some of their views.
Fetter’s Place in the History of Economic Thought
Importantly, like Joseph Schumpeter (who quipped that “only fish go in schools”), Fetter was highly suspicious of attempts to conveniently label economists as members of one group or another. Not only do school labels make it easy to misrepresent opponents’ views without actually understanding them, they can also lead to blind devotion and intellectual stagnation. In Fetter’s own case:
[A]ltho my years of economic study were spent entirely under teachers of the historical school, yet I was early tagged as an adherent of “the Austrian school”, because of my recognition of their substantial contributions… [Yet] I have never been consciously an adherent of any “school” or sect of economic theory and have earnestly striven to prevent either pride of personal opinion or a mistaken sense of loyalty to the ideas of any writer or school from dimming my eyes to newly discovered truth. I have continued to believe that sharp differences of opinions among economists on intellectual issues is consistent with mutual respect and halting friendship, and that in such matters the one loyalty, is loyalty to the search for truth, not to some theoretical hero, living or dead, or to some cult, past or present.
These sobering words should challenge contemporary economists of all types. As Joseph Salerno explains in his essay “Economics: Vocation or Profession,” economics is a search for meaningful truths about the world. Yet whether labels are based on an individual or a school, they often take on lives of their own, in some cases even replacing sound arguments as standards of truth. Taking Fetter’s warning seriously is one good way to ensure that we do not fall into this trap.
Matt McCaffrey, former Mises Research Fellow, is assistant professor of enterprise at the University of Manchester.
Matthew McCaffrey
Matt McCaffrey, former Mises Research Fellow, is assistant professor of enterprise at the University of...
Matt McCaffrey: Revisiting Rothbard
Jeff Deist and Matt McCaffrey discuss Murray N. Rothbard's enduring legacy, plus the new Rothbard Reader...
Mises on Omnipotent Government
Jeff Deist and Matt McCaffrey discuss Omnipotent Government 's absolute relevance today.
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Beyond Efficiency empowers people to create enduring human-centered buildings.
Super-efficient buildings are critical to ensuring we hand off a planet ready to embrace future generations. When focusing on efficiency, it's important not to get blinded by isolated components and neglect the ultimate goal of optimizing the entire system—from the building to the site, community and beyond. After all, elements of a building are only as efficient as the larger systems they comprise.
Yet a truly successful building—one that's loved and stands the test of time—transcends efficiency. It is healthy, comfortable and filled with natural light; it feels good and improves people’s well-being. It has thoughtfully designed spaces that are smart and functional. It considers and connects to the community.
Efficiency is vital, but without these intangible and "beyond the lot line" human elements a building will not endure (so much for efficiency!). Buildings are for people, and they must be loved to endure. This is the premise of our philosophy and approach.
- Katy Hollbacher, Founder and Principal of Beyond Efficiency
Katy Hollbacher, P.E., Principal + Founder
Katy is a licensed civil engineer and founded Beyond Efficiency in 2009 to provide technical consulting services for high-performance building projects, something that was sorely lacking in the marketplace. She has twenty years experience in the A/E/C and green building industries and is passionate about educating clients and team members on building science and best practices.
Prior to founding Beyond Efficiency, Katy spent five years managing Build It Green's suite of technical information programs, including the Ask an Expert green building hotline and Best Builders technical assistance program. She was also an engineer at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, a national consulting firm specializing in the forensic investigation and repair of modern and historic structures. At home in the field as well as the office, Katy has pounded nails, hung drywall, and pulled wires on various construction projects.
She has presented for a broad range of clients including AIA, PG&E, ACI, West Coast Green, Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), and NARI as well as various public agencies, USGBC and Passive House chapters. Katy was a founding board member of the non-profit Passive House California and holds a Master of Science in Civil/Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Follow Katy on Twitter @a2green
Mrigesh Roy, Energy Engineer Manager
Mrigesh holds a Master of Science in Built Environment degree from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from University of Mumbai. With a focus on architectural engineering, efficient and sustainable systems, cost- and maintenance-conscious designs, Mrigesh thrives on identifying opportunities for increased resource efficiency and sustainability through informed, holistic building systems design.
Prior to joining Beyond Efficiency, Mrigesh led several significant projects while at Green Angle, including the first LEED Platinum certified building in Mumbai Suburbs. He interned at Integral Group and has over 8 years of experience as an energy analyst and team leader on numerous green building projects, retrofits and renovations, as well as with sustainability and energy programs. Mrigesh also guest lectured at University of Mumbai, educating the new generation about sustainability, climate change and human centered designs.
Justin Tatosian, P.E., Mechanical Engineer
Justin holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming and provides construction-ready engineering services through his company JTec based in Jackson, Wyoming. He has been both designing and installing HVAC systems for more than fifteen years. With a broad range of experience from single-family to large commercial and municipal projects, Justin isn't afraid to think outside the box and apply both creativity and common sense to solve the engineering challenges presented by low-energy, high-performance projects.
Prior to JTec, Justin worked at CN Engineers and Synergy Heating Systems in Jackson as well as Stantec in Seattle and Horizon Engineering in Portland. Beyond Efficiency has collaborated with JTec on numerous projects throughout the western U.S. and they work together as an integrated, cohesive team.
Theo, Zen Master (2001-2014)
Theo was with Beyond Efficiency since before its beginning. After spending a year in the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley in Hailey, Idaho, Katy brought him home to Wyoming in 2003, where he spent many months hanging out at a jobsite--the perfect place for a dog learning to be house trained. There, and later at Build It Green, and then at Beyond Efficiency, Theo's primary responsibility was office morale booster.
Theo believed that sun feels good and reminded us of the importance of bringing the outside in. And of getting outside to breathe fresh air, explore interesting scents, and run free through the woods and waves. In a nutshell, to enjoy every moment. Humans could learn a lot from wise old dogs.
Theo had a pure and gentle soul and made me a better person. I will miss you dearly, my sweet Theo.
Jennifer Love, Senior Sustainability Engineer
Jennifer holds a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Clemson University and has technical expertise in many facets of green building, from stormwater management and rainwater harvesting to indoor air quality and materials. She is especially interested in water conservation and quality and was involved in Water-Energy Nexus research at a prior job. Jennifer is a Certified GreenPoint Rater and Certified Energy Analyst and has completed an array of professional Passive House training courses.
Prior to coming on board with Beyond Efficiency, Jen worked on educational programs for the Pacific Energy Center for four years. She also worked at Build It Green, where she counseled building professionals through the Best Builders program, answered hundreds of Ask an Expert hotline questions, and contributed to the development of the now far-reaching GreenPoint Rated program over her four-year tenure.
Jose Rivero, Sustainability Engineer Manager
Jose holds degrees in Architectural Engineering and Engineering Management from the University of Colorado and Fort Lewis College. He is also a certified Passive House consultant and registered Engineer-in-Training (EIT).
After following around contractors as a child, Jose was swinging a hammer from a young age and developed a lifelong love of building. He has worked in most facets of design and construction for the past 20 years, from mechanical and electrical engineering design to construction management. His most recent achievement is the design and construction of two net-zero energy (NZE) homes in Berkeley, California.
Jack Kerby-Miller, Sustainability Consultant
Jack majored in Chemistry and Environmental Studies at Middlebury College, where he designed and built prefabricated zero energy and LEED Platinum homes through U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competitions. He has a passion for improving human interaction with our built environment and finding cost-effective ways to incorporate better, more efficient design into projects.
Prior to Beyond Efficiency, Jack led the LEED and sustainable design consulting practice at The Stone House Group in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, certifying more than 1.8 million square feet for projects in the commercial, institutional, and education sectors. He also worked with the venture-backed startup Acre Designs in the San Francisco Bay Area, pushing boundaries in the prefabricated housing space, bridging design and operations to deliver beautiful, economically effective zero energy housing solutions.
Jack is a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Passive House Consultant, and a PHIUS Multifamily Verifier.
Laken Allen, Operations Manager
Laken holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and brings a diverse background in event planning, customer relations, project management and interior design to the Beyond Efficiency team.
She enjoys streamlining processes and supporting the staff in creating enduring, human-centered buildings. In her role, she oversees day to day operations and administration to allow the technical staff to focus on the big picture. She coordinates recurring and special events and facilitates marketing efforts. She also manages the hiring process, on boarding and continued staff education.
Prior to Beyond Efficiency, Laken worked in interior design where she realized her affinity for problem solving and detail oriented project management could also serve her passion for sustainability. She is thankful for the opportunity to work with teammates equally as excited to create a better planet.
Dan Johnson, AIA, Sustainability Architect Leader
Dan is a licensed architect and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Washington, which included a Valle Fellowship to study building technology at the IVL Swedish Environmental Institute in Stockholm. Dan also earned degrees in conservation biology and anthropology from UW and is an alumnus of the International Honors Program for comparative foreign study. Dan is a leader that inspires camaraderie and team integration to meet project objectives. Recognized as an expert on sustainable buildings and early-design energy modeling, Dan enjoys creative problem solving and using his broad skillset to bridge gaps between architects, engineers, owners, and contractors.
Prior to joining Beyond Efficiency, Dan led projects through all phases of design in the K-12 Schools studio at Ratcliff Architects, and worked as a designer and project manager at Arkin Tilt Architects. With Dan's leadership, the firm undertook one of the first Passive House, net-zero-energy homes in the Bay Area, which used many reclaimed materials and received several design awards and green certifications. Dan also brings his experience from the Integrated Design Lab in Seattle, where he consulted on daylighting for commercial and educational buildings.
Katie Dahlgren, Project Success Manager
Katie holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Washington State University Honors College and brings 10 years of construction management experience to her role at Beyond Efficiency. She enjoys diving into the details and working with diverse teams to effectively meet client goals. Katie's core role is to support the team's project management needs and facilitate abilities of technical staff to efficiently and effectively fulfill contracted work scopes.
Prior to joining Beyond Efficiency Katie worked with Big-D Construction - Signature Group and McCarthy Building Companies, working with clients to build their vision with design-build teams. Key roles included cost estimator and project manager on projects ranging from parking structures in Southern California to high-end custom homes in Jackson, Wyoming. Katie has served as a board member of USGBC Wyoming and an advisory board member to Teton County Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling, contributing to the county's Zero Waste Resolution through input on facility planning.
Jayant Patil, Energy + Systems Specialist Manager
Jayant holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nevada and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM). He brings more than 12 years of diverse experience in energy efficiency, measurement and verification (M&V), and energy audits in commercial, small industrial, and K-12 educational facilities.
Jayant's primary role at Beyond Efficiency includes evaluating and recommending HVAC and electrical equipment measures including boilers, pumps, fans, chillers, controls, solar collectors, and thermal storage. He also provides energy modeling, data and financial analysis, and commissioning services.
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Comics tap into the real emotions of the world wars
May 7, 2014 ahrcww1 Leave a comment
Professor Jane Chapman (University of Lincoln) discusses the war in comics at The Conversation today.
In its new exhibition, the British Library celebrate the subversive history of the comic. As ever, such a complex heritage can hardly be covered in such a show. But it is a symptom of a more widespread movement: comics are starting to be recognised as far more than an ephemeral art form. They provide a rich source of cultural records of the past – a reflection, or projection of political and cultural feeling of the time.
“A few days rest in billets”. Courtesy of Cambridge University Library
This alternative cultural history provides particularly rich results in the case of World War I and II, which I have been researching in depth. Millions of people – children and adults – were avidly consuming comics at the time. Internal correspondence from The American Office of War Information (OWI) quotes Advertising Research foundation findings that approximate that 83% of Americans read at least one comic strip daily. And that:
Cartoons, advancing OWI campaigns, are distributed to an average of 1,000 newspapers weekly … Potential viewers are 60,000,000.
In situations of “total war” a range of organisations used comics to communicate with adults, not simply as a means of entertaining children. My research has searched for and recuperated thousands of different publications internationally, aimed at diverse audiences.
This article is by Jane Chapman, and was originally published on The Conversation.
Read the original article.
comicsheritagepublicationswars
Previous PostThe significance of the centenaryNext PostMinnie Pit, mine safety and the First World War
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Chief Global Insights & Analytics Officer & VP
Big Data & Marketing
Michael Schwartz is an accomplished industry executive with a proven record for building and leading Global Insight and Analytic organizations. He has worked with Global Fortune 500 companies and Top 100 Brands, providing insights to inform brand and business growth plans, innovation, and strategic planning.
Michael's latest assignment was as Chief Global Customer Insights & Analytics Officer for Sanofi. He created a Global Center of Excellence with focus on transforming capabilities across Data Management, Advanced Analytics, Customer Insights and Marketing Excellence.
Prior to joining Sanofi, Michael worked at Avon Products as the Senior Vice President for Global Consumer Insights, Marketing Science and Media Planning. He built and led a 70+ person team and was a member of Avon's Executive Committee.
Earlier in his career, Michael spent 18 years at Kraft Foods holding numerous Insight roles, eventually becoming the Global Vice President of Insights & Strategy managing the Worldwide organization. Michael played a critical role in overseeing the Insights and Analytics organization supporting nearly 20 billion-dollar brands. He also played a key role in the transformation of the portfolio including the integration of the acquisition of the Nabisco Corporation.
Michael also held the role of VP Consumer Insights and Analytics at Campbell Soup Company managing the Worldwide enterprise.
Michael holds a Master of Business Administration from Hofstra University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Montclair State University. He was on the Board of Directors for the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation. He also held industry board roles including the Advertising Research Foundation.
Michael is married and has two daughters. He and his family reside in New York, splitting time in Rockland County and Manhattan.
Contact Michael Now
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This book is an engagement with Gilles Deleuze and collaborative writing. We ask here: how might we think of collaborative writing if we think with the concepts that Deleuze has generated? And, how might we begin to write, together, on what Deleuze would call an immanent plane of composition? On such a Deleuzian plane, or plateau, it was not appropriate to make Deleuze external to us, as if he were the authority who might inform us on the correct way forward. Instead we sought to make Deleuze one of us, and to open up, with him, a new stream of thought, and of being, in order to explore our topic of Deleuze and collaborative writing.
So why an immanent plane of composition? Immanence derives from the Latin, meaning “to remain within”. In Deleuzian philosophy this does not mean within the bounded individual self, but within life; not just human life, but all life, organic and inorganic, which Deleuze refers to as Being. Deleuzian immanence indicates a conceptual space in which one seeks to dissolve all binaries, and the categorizations that divide one from another; and to locate the Divine in all things. On this immanent plane God and matter are not separable, any more than mind and body, interior and exterior, self and other, theory and practice, man and animal, organic and inorganic. The question is never this or that, but always this and that. “Or” becomes “and” in what Deleuze called stuttering: and and and. Deleuze struggled to find a way of bringing together this idea that we are all part of the same Being, and at the same time, that we are multiple and emergent. In opposing binary thought and categorisation, he was not interested in making us all the same, but in finding how to think the multiple singularities within what he called the One-All: “A single and same voice for the whole thousand-voiced multiple, a single and same Ocean for all the drops, a single clamour of Being for all beings” (Deleuze, 1994: 304).
On the immanent plane of composition we are all part of the same Being and, at the same time, the interesting aspect, the creative life-giving aspect, does not lie in sameness but in divergence. Deleuze drew from the creative evolution that Bergson (1998) had mapped out in 1910, where creative affirmations lie in new experiences, through which the not-yet-known, the not-yet-imagined, can unfold—can be composed. Divergence is not to be thought as a feature of the individual of phenomenology, whose conscious intentions lie at the centre of a somewhat narcissistic, bounded ego (Davies, 2010a). Deleuze is interested in multiplicity, not of multiple identities, but in an “ontology [that] merges with the univocity of Being” (Deleuze, 2004c: 179), where univocity is the creative voice of matter.
Deleuze does not thus seek to populate the world with anarchic, sovereign individuals, whose will or choice is paramount, as many have thought. His concept of the automaton, for example, “strictly precludes any idea of ourselves as being, at any time, the source of what we think or do. Everything always stems from afar—indeed, everything is always “already-there,” in the infinite and inhuman resource of the One” (Badiou, 2000: 12). Thinking and being on a plane of immanence in the Deleuzian sense is not a celebration of the autonomous individual of phenomenology, but rather, it “requires that you place yourself where thought has already started, as close as possible to a singular case and to the movement of thought. Thinking happens “behind your back” and you are impelled and constrained by it” (Badiou, 2000: 14).
Our challenge, then, in writing on an immanent plane of composition with Deleuze, has been to find our own way of mobilizing this resource of the One, of thinking and being where thought has already started – in this case thought about Deleuze and collaborative writing. But unlike Deleuze, who, as philosopher, could identify the multiplication of concepts as his way of approaching the problem of infinite divergence and creative evolution, we, as social scientists and educators, must find our own way of engaging in thought, and our own way of engaging in being, that opens up the not-yet-known within itself. We must work with experience, multiplying it, while also drawing on, or, more correctly, playing with Deleuze’s multiplicity of concepts.
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Extended deadline for applications – EPSO/AST-SC/03/15
Secretaries and clerks for administrative/ financial/ secretarial support roles The new deadline to apply is 17 February 2015, 12.00 midday (Brussels time). The Corrigendum to the notice of competition will be published in the Official Journal on 17/02/2015. Full information on this competition is available by clicking on the navigation bar above and at http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/eu-careers.info/assistants/assistants-2015/secretaries-and-clerks-for-administrative-financial-secretarial-support-roles/
By Emmanuelle - EU Careers • Secretaries and clerks 2015 • 0
Pre-admission results published for the fields 1 and 4 – EPSO/AST/133/14
Assistants (AST 3) in the field of information and communication technology Publication of admission results in candidates’ EPSO accounts: 02/02/2015 Number of candidates admitted to Talent Screener: Field 1 : 566 Field 4 : 418 Number of candidates non-admitted to Talent Screener (have passed the admission tests with the highest marks, but didn’t satisfy the(…)
By Emmanuelle - EU Careers • Assistants in information and communication technology • 0
Reserve list of successful candidates – EPSO/AST/129/13
Assistants in different fields The list of successful candidates for this competition was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 29/01/2015. Full information on this competition is available by clicking on the navigation bar above and at http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/eu-careers.info/assistants/assistants-2013/ast3-2013/
By Emmanuelle - EU Careers • AST3 2013 • 0
Reserve list of successful candidates (EPSO/AD/278/14)
Digital forensics / Operational analysis (m/f) The list of successful candidates for this competition was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 29/01/2015. Full information on this competition is available by clicking on the navigation bar above and at http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/eu-careers.info/administrators/administrators-2014/administrators-digitalforensicsexaminersandoperationalanalysts/
By Emmanuelle - EU Careers • Digital forensics examiners and operational analysts (AD7) • 0
Assistants (AST 3) Nuclear inspectors (m/f) The list of successful candidates for this competition was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 29/01/2015. Full information on this competition is available here.
By Emmanuelle - EU Careers • Nuclear inspectors (m/f) • 0
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Sep 11, 2018 Living For Change
Boggs Center – Living For Change News Letter – September 11th, 2018
What does it mean to be intelligent? How can we open doors to inclusive education and employment?
Come to a screening of INTELLIGENT LIVES with filmmaker Dan Habib this September.
NEW YORK CITY National Theatrical Premiere!
September 21-27, one week only: Village East Cinema, with an opening night Q&A featuring Director/Producer Dan Habib
Plus special free events on September 20 at LIU Post andWestchester Institute for Human Development
Free LOS ANGELES Special Events
September 12: California State University Northridge
September 13: University of La Verne
September 14: Los Angeles Theatre Center – with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media, Exceptional Minds, and Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation
Free WASHINGTON, D.C. Premiere
September 26: National Press Club with the Syracuse University Alumni Association in Washington, DC and The Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education
Get your tickets today before these events sell out!
Mourning Times
Daily life moves quickly. But some moments deserve reflection. This past week we had such a moment, with the funerals of Aretha Franklin and John McCain.
Detroit engaged in a week-long celebration. Neither the 6-hour concert, nor the 8-hour funeral could fully encompass the generous, soaring gift of the life of Aretha Franklin.
Former City council person JoAnn Watson said of her friend, “Listening to her music brings chills because there’s no voice like Aretha’s voice. She was a woman filled with a stirring soul that touched your heart, evoked passion, and a special insight. There’s just not another voice in the universe comparable to Aretha Franklin. She truly was our queen. She was a wonderful woman. A wonderful woman, more than a singer, more than an entertainer or an actress. She was a woman who felt deeply about causes. She was as committed to human rights and civil rights.”
She loved Detroit. And Detroit loved her back.
Throughout the funeral, much of America learned about the life of a woman who represented what is best in us: generosity, commitment, family ties, faith in people, and purpose. Hour after hour we heard about the qualities of life that matter, qualities missing in our public lives.
Franklin’s funeral was followed the next day by that of John McCain. The Senator orchestrated his own funeral to send a political message. Unable to defeat Trump in life, he made one last effort.
Former President Barack Obama captured the essence of the challenge. “So much of our politics, our public life, our public discourse, can seem small and mean and petty, trafficking in bombast and insult, in phony controversies and manufactured outrage,” Mr. Obama said. “It’s a politics that pretends to be brave, but in fact is born of fear. John called us to be bigger than that. He called us to be better than that.”
Funerals have long been focal points for political action. Whatever their contradictions, tyrants fear them. When public spaces become brittle and restricted, the democratic impulse finds new forms of expression. Historically funerals have been transformed from private grieving to calls for public action.
Consider the funeral of Emmett Till. In 1955, 14 year old Till was murdered in Mississippi and his body dumped into the Tallahatchie River.
Against the instructions of officials, Mamie Till Mobley, Emmett’s mother, insisted on an open casket, vividly displaying her son’s mangled body, only recognizable by the initials on a ring. She said, “Let the world see what I’ve seen.”
She wanted to “put that body on display for five days and people could walk by and see what racism had really generated.” Jet magazine and the Chicago Defender published the photo of Till’s body. Thousands of people walked by the open casket in Chicago. Most historians agree that this moment helped push America forward into the civil rights movement.
In the mid 1980’s as people in South Africa struggled for liberation, funerals of protestors became places for demonstrating against the Apartheid government. Decreeing a state of emergency, the white government banned outdoor services and said that the presiding minister “shall not at such a ceremony in any manner defend, attack, criticize, propagate or discuss any form of government, any principle or policy of a government of a state, any boycott action, the existence of a state of emergency or any action by a force or a member of force.”
Funeral routes were set by police and “public address systems and the display of flags or banners are outlawed.”
People defied the ban, ultimately toppling Apartheid.
Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s it was at the funerals of gay men that the queer community was forced to articulate the meaning of our lives and relationships, again, again, and again, often in the face of hostility.
Such moments require us to define values that matter, values we aspire to for ourselves and our communities. Far more than legal actions or anonymous letters, these moments, where we grapplewith the meaning of our lives, call upon us to reflect on who we are, who we want to become. They have the power to change us.
Tawana Honeycomb Petty Petty Propolis
Petty Propolis hosted its 1st Annual Art Festival and Artist Retreat in Historic Idlewild, Michigan this past Labor Day weekend. As an artist and social justice organizer, I understand that I stand on shoulders and that a lot of those shoulders believed in, organized in, loved on, and performed in Idlewild. Those shoulders include W.E.B. Dubois, Madam C.J. Walker, Della Reese, The Four Tops, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, our recent Ancestor Aretha Franklin, and many more. It was only fitting that we would watch portions of the Queen of Soul’s home-going ceremony at the start of the festival and retreat in Idlewild, at the Red Rooster, while playing her music on the jukebox.
It was an honor to be afforded an opportunity to bring 40 Detroit artists to experience what I experience whenever I have the opportunity to spend time in Idlewild. It is a soul growing and transformative experience each time.
During the retreat portion of the Petty Propolis Art Festival & Artist Retreat, the artists skill-shared through workshops, spent time mending fractured relationships, created new ones and meditated in the healing waters. During the festival portion, they performed for two days for the Idlewild community at the Robert Riffe Youth Center, also known as The Idlewild Lot Owner’s Association.
In addition to all the incredible talent that graced the stage in Idlewild, Dr. Gloria House (Mama Aneb Kgositsile) led two mornings of history workshops based on her book on Idlewild, Home Sweet Sanctuary. Baba Jamon Jordan of Black Scroll Network History and Tours, and Micala Evans of Historical Idlewild Tours led the artists on mesmerizing, physical journeys through Idlewild history.
Tylonn Sawyer and Sabrina Nelson live painted an incredible artistic tribute for the Idlewild community, based on a historic “Come to Idlewild” Brochure, ca. 1955 (Ronald Stephens Collection), that used to promo the Black resort.
It has been a dream of mine for many years to attend an artist retreat. It has been an even bigger dream to create one for others. I could not have imagined years ago that either would happen in Idlewild. This year with the support of the Radical Hope Fund and the New Economy Coalition’s regranting program, I was able to make both come true. New collaborations were fostered. New projects were innovated. Mental, physical and spiritual healing was realized, and we poured resources into Black owned businesses that valued our support, like the Historic Morton’s Motel. This was especially timely, as the Idlewild community and the surrounding areas had suffered a powerful storm and massive power outages, just days before our arrival. We were honored to offer our talents as a bit of relief at such an important time, in such an important place.
Look for more to come from Petty Propolis — a sponsored project of Allied Media Projects.
Watch American Gods
A message from our friends @ ROC
Seventeen years ago, I made a simple decision that saved my life. I was a cook at the Windows on the World restaurant, and my colleague Moises Rivas asked me to switch shifts with him. I agreed, and Moises took the morning shift. Along with 72 of our friends working in the restaurant that day, Moises perished when a plane struck the 92nd floor of the North Tower.On the day of the attack, I was with my wife who was 8 months pregnant. I received a call from the wife of one of my coworkers who was seeking my help to reach out to her husband in the building. Following the tragedy, I would visit the hospital every day, searching for him. I decided that I no longer wanted to work in a restaurant. I took jobs as a security guard and then as a cab driver.
Along with others who struggled with grief and financial hardship, I volunteered at a relief center that was formed by HERE Local 100 in order to support displaced restaurant workers. From this effort — and from the ashes of the magnificent Windows on the World restaurant that had been destroyed and all the lives that had been lost — Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC NY) was eventually born.
Co-founded by Fekkak Mamdouh, a former waiter at Windows on the World, and Saru Jayaraman, President of ROC United, ROC NY was formed to champion the rights of New York restaurant workers. In 2008, the team expanded into chapters in cities across the country and launched Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United, which has grown into a national organization with members who work in restaurants nationwide. I joined ROC in 2003 and now am proud to serve as its Executive Director.
As you know, ROC United’s mission today is closely aligned with its origins — promoting equality, financial stability, and safe workplaces for hard-working restaurant professionals nationwide. Women of color and immigrants are particularly vulnerable members of the population of 13 millions workers in the industry. Nearly 40 percent of female restaurant workers are women of color, while 23 percent of all restaurant workers are immigrants.
Since 2013, the organization has been leading the One Fair Wage campaign—a project that educates about and advocates for raising the exploitative subminimum tipped wage to the full minimum wage across 42 states, some of which still pay tipped workers an unimaginable $2.13 per hour. Just last week, Michigan became the eighth state in the Union to phase out its exploitative subminimum tipped wage, joining California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, and Minnesota and two municipalities, Washington, DC, and Flagstaff, AZ.
On this anniversary of 9/11 and of our founding, my colleagues and I invite all consumers, workers, and employers to pledge support for women, immigrants, and people of color working in some of the lowest paid occupations and to demand wage increases and fair labor practices across the restaurant industry. We are profoundly grateful to all of you.
In solidarity, Sekou Siby
Executive Director, ROC United
P.S. Pledge your support by clicking here.
Boggs Center Living For Change NewsLetter – September 3rd, 2018
Boggs Center Living For Change News Letter – September 17th, 2018
Boggs Center – Living for Change News – July 16th, 2019
Boggs Center – Living for Change Newsletter – July 8th, 2019
Boggs Center – Living For Change News – June 25th, 2019
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About the District Attorney
The Office of the District Attorney was established by the Constitution of the State of California, Government Code Section 26500, to provide prosecution and enforcement services in adult and juvenile criminal matters.
By law, the District Attorney is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. California law provides the District Attorney’s most essential duty is prosecuting criminal offenses on behalf of the People.
The District Attorney’s Office represents the people of the State of California in all criminal prosecutions in Mariposa County. The Office is responsible for filing criminal charges, appearing in court in all felony and misdemeanor cases, and representing the people in all trials and sentencing proceedings in the courts of Mariposa County.
Our mission as the Mariposa County District Attorney’s Office is to keep Mariposa County a safe place for citizens to live and work. To accomplish the mission of ensuring a safe community, the following goals have been established:
Ensure the fair, impartial, and expeditious pursuit of justice
Protect the rights of victims
Reduce crime by efficient enforcement of criminal laws
Our office works with every component of the criminal justice system and the community to protect the innocent, to convict and appropriately punish the guilty, and to protect the rights of victims and witnesses.
Bad Check Restitution Program
Walter Wall
Email the Mariposa County DA Office
5101 Jones Street
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People and roles (37)
Fine arts (35)
Victorian period (25)
Works on paper (21)
Portrait painting (19)
Art collections (11)
Oil Paintings (11)
Royalty (11)
Narrative painting (10)
H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark (9)
H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales (9)
Victorian (1837-1901) (26)
DUDLEY; ROBERT (1826 - 1900) (18)
EMERSON; Robert Jackson (1878 - 1944) (2)
KEMM; Robert (1837 - 1895) (2)
PERRY; Robert (1944 -); RBSA (2)
BARKER; Clive (1940 -) (1)
CRAFT; Percy Robert (1856 - 1934) (1)
FLEETWOOD-WALKER; Bernard (1893 - 1965); RA, RWS, RBSA, NEAC, RP, ROI (1)
GAILLARD; Robert (1722 - 1785) (1)
HIGHMORE; Joseph (1692 - 1780) (1)
HILL; Thomas (1878 - 1913) (1)
LESLIE; CHARLES ROBERT (1774 - 1859) (1)
LESLIE; CHARLES ROBERT (1774 - 1859) (After) (1)
OUTLAW; Dorette Gertrude (1892-1985) (1)
WHEELER; Charles Thomas (1892 - 1974); Sir; RA, PRA, PRBS (1)
YEAMES; William Frederick (1835 - 1918) (1)
Painted (12)
Wolverhampton Arts and Museums (37)
Showing 16 to 30 of 37 for EMERSON; Robert Jackson (1878 - 1944)
Gold Ornaments W832.27 1863 - 1864
Chromolithograph of Gold Ornaments presented by the Royal family of Hesse Cassel. A Memorial of the Marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark.
Old Church Street, Chelsea OP317 1856 - 1934
Oil painting showing a street scene. There is a row of shops with large awnings including a greengrocer's shop. There is also a garage with a man standing in the doorway.
The Village Cobbler (Codsall) OP178 1885
Oil painting showing a cobbler at work in his workshop. He is sitting, wearing a brown apron, surrounded by tools and shoes.
Francis Bacon Head 9 S70 1978
Brass box with a ribbed hose-like form and dentures emerging. Clive Barker made the mould for this work from a vacuum cleaner pipe and a set of false teeth, which he cast in brass. These ordinary, everyday items become a weird snake-like creature when the
Archimedes W1418 1734 - 1781
Portrait of a man (Archimedes) sitting at a table holding a pair of compasses and wearing an embroidered gown and turban style hat.
Snuff Box LP73 1825 - 1875
Rectangular wooden snuff box with hinged lid and a portrait of Jenny Lind. Box still contains snuff.
Trafalgar Square W832.6
Chromolithograpy of Trafalgar Square, it is commemorating the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark.
The Bridesmaids W832.13 1863 - 1864
Chromolithograph to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark, the print shows the bridesmaid that were present at the wedding.
Temple Bar W832.5 1862
A Chromolithograph of Temple Bar. The image shows a street descending into the background with buildings either side, littered with people. It is the celebration of a royal event. There are royal guards on horse back in the centre of the image.
Christening Of The Princess Royal W494
The royal family are gathered around watching the christening of the Princess Royal.
The Beggars OP327 1874 - 1885
Oil painting showing an elderly lady accompanied by a younger woman leaving a church. Both are well dressed and appear wealthy. A group of beggars are gathered outside the church.
Hyde Park W832.8 1863
Chromolithograph to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark. This print shows the princess passing through the lines of volunteers.
Waterloo Place & Pall Mall W832.7
Chromolithograph of Waterloo Place & Pall Mall. It is to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark.
The Signing of the Marriage Attestation Deed W832.15 1863 - 1864
Chromolithograph print of The Signing of the Marriage Attestation Deed ,the print is to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark.
The Rubens Room, Windsor Castle W832.14 1863 - 1864
Chromolithograph of The Marriage, in St George's Chapel, Windsor, March 10th 1863, The print is to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales and H. R. H. Alexandra Princess of Denmark, this particular print shows the wedding taking
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Government » Mayor & City Council » Past Council Members
Jump to a Decade
1880s 1900s 1950s
Term Start
Brendemuhl, A. 1 3/27/1881 3/27/1882
Partridge, Samuel 2 3/27/1881 3/27/1882
Lloyd, William 3 3/27/1881 3/27/1882
Erickson, John 1 3/27/1881 3/28/1883
Czizek, Peter 2 3/27/1881 3/28/1883
Holes, Andrew 3 3/27/1881 3/28/1883
Gould, W. K. 2 3/27/1882 3/28/1883
Note: Elected to two year term but resigned after one year. O. C. Beck elected to fill out his term.
Ambs, Frederick 1 3/27/1882 3/24/1884
Beck, O. C. 2 3/28/1883 3/24/1884
Note: Elected to fill out term of W. K. Gould who resigned
O'Hearn, John 1 3/28/1883 3/23/1885
Lamb, Patrick H. 2 3/28/1883 3/23/1885
Truett, J. C. 3 3/28/1883 3/23/1885
Larson, Nels 1 3/24/1884 3/22/1886
Note: Elected to two year term but elected Mayor and left Council after one year.
Remley, Frank X. 1 3/23/1885 3/21/1887
Bjorkquist, John L. 3 3/23/1885 3/21/1887
Note: Resigned. John O'Hern elected in special election to fillout his term.
Note: Elected to fill out term of Patrick H. Lamb who left office when elected Mayor after one year.
Finkle, H. H. 1 3/22/1886 3/26/1888
Wright, W. M. 2 3/22/1886 3/20/1888
Kiefer, Jacob 3 3/22/1886 3/20/1888
Lloyd, William 3 3/21/1887 11/6/1888
Note: Resigned. Leslie Welter elected in special election to fill out his term.
Hansen, Erich 2 3/21/1887 3/25/1889
Welter, Leslie 3 11/6/1888 3/26/1889
Note: Elected in special election to fill out term of William Lloyd, who resigned 11/6/1888.
Forsythe, A. N. 1 3/26/1888 3/24/1890
Drady, John 2 3/26/1888 3/26/1890
Holbeck, Christian 3 3/26/1888 3/26/1890
Anderson, Lars M. 2 3/25/1889 3/23/1891
Swanson, John 1 3/24/1890 3/21/1892
Edling, J. W. 1 3/23/1891 3/27/1893
Aahl, Ole E. 1 3/21/1892 3/26/1894
Van Vlissingen, Paul 2 3/21/1892 3/26/1894
Johnson, Louis 3 3/21/1892 3/26/1894
Overboe, Nels O. 2 3/26/1894 9/4/1894
Note: Resigned. Warren Onan elected in special election to fill out his term.
Finstad, Louis 1 3/26/1894 3/23/1896
Onan, Warren 2 9/4/1894 3/23/1896
Note: Elected in special election to fill out term of Nels O. Overboe, who resigned.
Martinson, Ole 2 3/25/1895 3/23/1897
Darrow, D. C. 4 3/23/1896 3/22/1897
Note: 2nd Ward split and 4th Ward created. Aldermen both elected to one year terms.
Davenport, Lewis C. 4 3/23/1896 3/22/1897
Perley, George E. 2 3/23/1896 3/21/1898
Clemdening, Albert 4 3/23/1897 3/22/1898
Note: Elected to one year term.
Note: 4th Ward Alderman, elected to two year term
Johnson, Henry 4 3/21/1898 7/7/1899
Note: Resigned. Lew A. Huntoon elected in special election to fill out term.
Wentzell, Martin O. 3 3/21/1898 3/26/1900
Daubner, Arthur E. 3 3/27/1899 3/22/1900
Note: Died in office. Replaced by Christian Holbeck elected in special election May 22 1900.
Huntoon, Lew A. 4 8/3/1899 3/26/1900
Note: Elected in special election to fill out term of Henry Johnson, who resigned.
Lally, John C. 1 3/27/1899 3/1/1901
Pederson, Ralph 2 3/27/1899 3/1/1901
Davenport, Lewis C. 4 3/27/1899 3/1/1901
Finstad, Louis 1 3/1/1900 3/1/1903
Bakt, Henry L. 2 3/26/1900 3/1/1901
Kuhfeldt, August 3 3/26/1900 3/1/1901
Huntoon, Lew A. 4 3/26/1900 3/1/1901
Holbeck, Christian 3 5/24/1900 3/1/1901
Note: Elected in special election May 22, 1900 to replace Arthur E. Daubner who died in office March 22, 1900. Took office May 24, 1900
Lally, John C. 1 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Burnham, J. H. 2 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Pederson, Ralph 2 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Euren, Emil 3 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Kiefer, Jacob 3 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Davenport, Lewis C. 4 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Huntoon, Lew A. 4 3/1/1901 3/1/1903
Pederson, Ralph 2 2/17/1903 2/21/1905
Zeller, William 1 3/1/1903 3/1/1905
Norby, A. J. 2 3/1/1903 3/1/1905
Holbeck, Christian 3 3/1/1903 3/1/1905
Ballard, C. A. 4 3/1/1903 3/1/1905
Huntoon , Lew A. 4 3/1/1903 3/1/1905
Pehrson, N. P. 3 3/1/1905 3/1/1907
Lamb, John 2 2/19/1907 3/1/1909
Melvey, Nels N. 1 3/1/1907 3/1/1909
Lamb, John 2 3/1/1907 3/1/1909
Fridlund, A. J. 3 3/1/1907 3/1/1909
Erdel, Thomas 1 3/1/1909 3/1/1911
Bodkin, William 3 3/1/1909 3/1/1911
Olson, L. S. 4 3/1/1909 3/1/1911
Stanford, H. M. 4 3/1/1909 3/1/1911
Morrow, W. D. 1 3/1/1911 3/1/1913
Wagner, William 2 3/1/1911 3/1/1913
Bodkin, Willia 3 3/1/1911 3/1/1913
Peterson, Charles 3 3/1/1911 3/1/1913
Merritt, W. H. 4 3/1/1911 3/1/1913
Bowman, Adolph W. 2 3/1/1913 3/1/1915
Olson, Martin 2 3/1/1913 3/1/1915
Pehrson, E. H. 3 3/1/1913 3/1/1915
Costain, A. H. 4 3/1/1913 3/1/1915
McGill, F. H. 4 3/1/1913 3/1/1915
Moe, L. T. 2 3/1/1915 3/1/1917
Swenson, Nels 3 3/1/1915 3/1/1917
Bachenheimer, Hugo 4 3/1/1915 3/1/1917
Emerson, John 1 3/1/1917 3/1/1919
Meland, W. B. 2 3/1/1917 3/1/1919
Sondrall, O. L., Sr. 3 3/1/1917 3/1/1919
Zervas, Gustav 3 3/1/1917 3/1/1919
Evenson, Clarence I. 4 3/1/1917 3/1/1919
Remley, Carl E. 1 3/1/1919 3/1/1921
Smith, J. T. 1 3/1/1919 3/1/1921
Jesten, P. 2 3/1/1919 3/1/1921
Briggs, W. R. 3 3/1/1919 3/1/1921
Johnson, Fred 3 3/1/1919 3/1/1921
Frimandslund, L. C. 2 3/1/1921 3/1/1923
Blakeway, H. 3 3/1/1921 3/1/1923
Reed, G. W. 3 3/1/1921 3/1/1923
Harris, J. W. 4 3/1/1921 3/1/1923
Wensel, J. A. 1 3/1/1923 3/1/1925
Westberg, S. O. 2 3/1/1923 3/1/1925
Gullickson, Theodore 3 3/1/1923 3/1/1925
Dommer, Carl 2 3/1/1925 10/5/1925
Note: Died in office. Replaced by A. W. Lund elected in special election November 17, 1925.
Gletne, R. A. 1 3/1/1925 3/1/1927
West, J. A. 1 3/1/1925 3/1/1927
Lund, A. W. 2 11/18/1925 3/1/1927
Note: Elected in special election November 17, 1925 to replace Carl Dommer who died in office. Took office November 18, 1925.
Lund, A. W. 2 3/1/1927 3/1/1929
Erickson, Jalmer B. 3 3/1/1927 3/1/1929
West, J. A. 1 3/1/1929 1/26/1931
Note: Resigned. No successor named. Seat remained open until regular city election February 16, 1931
Beck, Mel 2 3/1/1929 3/1/1931
Dwyer, P. V. 2 3/1/1929 3/1/1931
Nelson, A. T. 3 3/1/1929 3/1/1931
Erickson, Jalmer B. 3 3/1/1931 4/23/1931
Note: Resigned to become Police Chief March 9, 1931. Henry R. Peterson elected in special election April 21, 1931 to fill out his term.
Starr, W. R. 1 3/1/1931 3/1/1933
Miller, A. H. 4 3/1/1931 3/1/1933
Peterson, Henry R. 3 4/21/1931 3/1/1933
Note: Elected in special election April 21, 1931 to fill out term of Jalmer B. Erickson, who resigned.
Peterson, Henry R. 3 3/1/1933 3/1/1935
Swanson, Nels 3 3/1/1933 3/1/1935
Bailey, George 4 3/1/1933 3/1/1935
Litherland, H. 4 3/1/1933 3/1/1935
Britt, P. 4 3/1/1935 6/18/1936
Note: Moved out of city. F. Ralph Hollands took seat.
Peterson, E. S. 2 3/1/1935 3/1/1937
Verne, P. 4 3/1/1935 3/1/1937
Hollands, F. Ralph 4 6/18/1936 3/1/1937
Note: Took over seat of P. Britt who left the city.
Sandie, J. 2 3/1/1937 3/1/1939
Bosworth, M. 3 3/1/1937 3/1/1939
Malvey, Jay 1 3/1/1939 3/1/1941
Melvey, Jay 1 3/1/1939 3/1/1941
Munn, A. C. 2 3/1/1939 3/1/1941
Askegaard, G. 3 3/1/1939 3/1/1941
Larson, O. R. 3 3/1/1941 3/1/1943
Hollands, F. Ralph 4 3/1/1941 3/1/1943
Scheel, Fred M., Sr. 2 3/1/1943 3/1/1945
Reiersgord, O. 3 3/1/1943 3/1/1945
Anderson, A. H. 4 3/1/1943 3/1/1945
Melvey, Jay 1 3/1/1945 11/1/1947
Note: Died in office November 1, 1947. On December 8, 1947, John Douglas appointed to fill out his term, through December 31, 1947.
Malvey, Jay 1 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Starr, W. R. 1 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Munn, A. C. 2 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Scheel, Fred M., Sr. 2 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Euren, Paul 3 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Sondrall, O. L., Jr. 3 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Anderson, A. H. 4 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Hollands, F. Ralph 4 3/1/1945 12/31/1947
Douglas, John 1 12/8/1947 12/31/1947
Note: Appointed December 8, 1947 to fill out term of Jay Melvey who died in office November 1, 1947. Term ran through Decembeer 31, 1947.
Douglas, John 1 1/1/1948 12/31/1949
Wells, Thornley F. 2 1/1/1948 12/31/1949
Herreid, Grant 4 1/1/1948 12/31/1949
Townsend, Ralph 4 1/1/1948 12/31/1949
Knapp, John A. 2 1/1/1950 12/31/1951
Bjornson, Sig 3 1/1/1950 12/31/1951
Seaberg, Norris 4 1/1/1950 12/31/1951
O'Day, Henry 3 1/1/1952 12/31/1953
Matthees, Nick 4 1/1/1952 12/31/1953
Snyder, George 4 1/1/1952 12/31/1953
Haims, Carl 1 1/1/1954 12/31/1955
Wensel, Ruth M. 1 1/1/1954 12/31/1955
Note: First woman elected to City Council.
Sculte, Robert 2 1/1/1954 12/31/1955
Note: Alternate spelling of "Schulte".
Briggs, Harold 3 1/1/1954 12/31/1955
Knapp, Richard 2 1/1/1956 12/31/1957
Fougner, Gaylord 3 1/1/1956 12/31/1957
Benedict, Edwin 4 1/1/1956 12/31/1957
Jenkins, John 4 1/1/1956 12/31/1957
Kvamme, Richard 4 1/1/1958 7/24/1958
Note: Moved from Ward and resigned July 24, 1958. Replaced by Lawrence Haglund elected in special election September 9, 1958 to fill out his term, took office September 11, 1958.
Olson, A. C. 3 1/1/1958 11/9/1959
Note: Moved from Ward and resigned, November 9, 1959. City Council appointed Kermit Olstad to fill out his term, November 9, 1959.
Maxwell, Amos 1 1/1/1958 12/31/1959
Withnell, Robert 1 1/1/1958 12/31/1959
Haglund, Lawrence 4 9/11/1958 12/31/1959
Olstad, Kermit 3 11/9/1959 12/31/1959
Note: Appointed by City Council November 9, 1959 to fill out term of A. C. Olson who moved from the Ward and resigned November 9, 1959.
Note: Elected to two year term November 3, 1959.
Note: Elected to two year term November 3, 1959. Alternate spelling of "Schulte".
Olstad, Kermit 3 1/1/1960 12/31/1961
Bjornstad, Orris 4 1/1/1960 12/31/1961
Nelson, Robert J. 1 1/1/1960 9/25/1962
Note: Elected to four year term November 3, 1959. Moved from Ward and resigned September 25, 1962. Replaced by D. J. Birmingham, elected in speical election November 6, 1962 to fill out Nelson's term.
Nielsen, Carl Sr. 3 1/1/1960 12/31/1962
Haglund, Lawrence 4 1/1/1960 12/31/1963
Sjolander, Glenn 2 1/1/1962 12/31/1965
Bjornstad, Orrin 4 1/1/1962 12/31/1965
Birmingham, D. J. 1 11/7/1962 12/31/1962
Note: Elected in special election November 6, 1962 to fill out term of Robert J. Nelson, resigned. Took office November 7, 1962.
Birmingham, D. J. 1 1/1/1964 12/31/1967
Thompson, John S. 2 1/1/1964 12/31/1967
Jacobson, Howard 3 1/1/1964 12/31/1967
Hoberg, Dwaine 4 1/1/1964 12/31/1967
Nelson, Lyle 3 1/1/1966 12/31/1968
Note: Moved from city and resigned as of December 31, 1968. Replaced by William Palma elected in special election Feb 11, 1969 to fill out Nelson's term.
Wohlwend, Neil 4 1/1/1966 12/31/1969
Haarstad, James 1 1/1/1968 12/31/1971
Kiefer, Bruce 2 1/1/1968 12/31/1971
Palma, William 3 2/13/1969 12/31/1969
Note: Elected in special election February 11, 1969 to fill out term of Lyle Nelson who moved from the city and resigned. Took office February 13, 1969
Paseka, Gary J. 3 3/1/1969 12/31/1971
Palma, William 3 1/1/1970 7/6/1971
Note: Resigned July 7, 1971. Replaced by Willis Dokken.
Dokken, Willis 3 8/20/1971 12/31/1973
Note: Elected in special election August 1971 to replace William Palma, who resigned. Took office August 8, 1971.
Paseka, Larry 3 1/1/1972 12/31/1975
Perry, Richard 4 1/1/1972 12/31/1975
Pinkney, Martin 1 6/1/1972 12/31/1973
Lucier, Rod 4 2/1/1973 12/31/1975
Note: Elected in special election February 1973 to fill vacant seat.
Lanning, Morris 3 1/1/1974 12/31/1977
Onsgard, Phyllis 4 1/1/1974 12/31/1977
Note: Left office approximately May 1977. Replaced by R. S. Gilderhus in special election May 1977.
Perry, Richard 4 1/1/1976 1/9/1978
Note: Moved to Fargo and resigned approximately January 9, 1978. Replaced by Vic Fergen in special election approximately Feb 21 1978.
Eldred, Leo 1 1/1/1976 12/31/1979
Marcy, James 2 1/1/1976 12/31/1979
Gilderhus, Richard S. 4 5/1/1977 12/31/1977
Note: Elected in special election May 1977 to replace Phyllis Onsgard.
MacLeod, Mildred 4 11/8/1977 12/31/1977
Note: Left to become Mayor 1/1/1978. Replaced by Lyle Usgaard in special election approximately March 11, 1980.
Sipson, Barbara 2 1/1/1978 12/31/1981
MacLeod, Mildred 4 1/1/1978 12/31/1981
Fergen, Vic 4 2/21/1978 12/31/1979
Note: Elected in special election February 21, 1978 to fill out term of Richard Perry who moved to Fargo and resigned approximately January 9, 1978.
Glasrud, Clarence 2 1/1/1980 12/31/1983
Davies, Mary 3 1/1/1980 12/31/1983
Fergen, Vic 4 1/1/1980 12/31/1983
Usgaard, Lyle 3 3/11/1980 12/31/1981
Note: Elected in special election approximately March 11, 1980 to replace Morris Lanning who left office.
Usgaard, Lyle 3 1/1/1982 12/31/1983
Stenerson, John 4 9/8/1982 12/31/1993
Moen, John 1 1/1/1984 12/31/1987
Arett, Brian 2 1/1/1984 12/31/1987
Goodno, Kevin 3 1/1/1986 12/31/1989
Voxland, Mark 3 1/1/1988 12/31/1991
Overby, Vern 4 1/1/1988 12/31/1991
Note: Left office to run for Minnesota Legislature in fall 1990. John Thomas appointed to fill his seat until election in 1991.
Peterson, Gary 2 1/1/1990 12/31/1993
Thomas, John 4 1/1/1991 12/31/1991
Note: Appointed to fill term of Kevin Goodno until City election in fall 1991.
Thomas, John M.M.D. 3 1/14/1991 12/31/1991
Overby, Vern 4 1/1/1992 8/3/1992
Note: Left office in 1992 or 1993. Replaced by John Stenerson elected to two year term in November 1993. Overby took office 1/1/1994.
Note: Elected to two year term to fill open seat of Kevin Goono, who left office to run for Minnesota Legislature ca fall 1990.
Thomas, John M.M.D. 3 1/1/1992 12/31/1993
Nicholson, Larry 2 1/1/1992 12/31/1995
Note: Elected to two year term November 1993 to fill seat left vacant when Vern Overby who left office.
Kelsven, Morrie 1 1/1/1994 12/31/1997
Palmer, Cindy 2 1/1/1994 12/31/1997
Rowell, John 2 1/1/1998 12/31/2001
Seljevold, Larry 3 1/1/1998 12/31/2001
Frider, Jeff 4 1/1/1998 12/31/2001
Otto, Nancy 1 1/1/2000 12/31/2003
Dentinger, Brian 4 1/1/2000 12/31/2003
Lemke, Greg 4 1/1/2002 12/31/2003
Gramer, Brian 2 1/1/2002 12/31/2005
Winterfeldt, Lauri 3 1/1/2002 12/31/2005
Danielson, James 4 1/1/2002 12/31/2005
Wray Williams, Diane 2 1/1/2004 12/31/2007
Hunt, Dan 3 1/1/2004 12/31/2007
Bohmer, Daniel 1 1/1/2006 12/31/2009
Hintermeyer, Mark 4 1/1/2006 12/31/2009
Wray Willaims, Diane 2 1/1/2008 12/31/2011
Stueland, Luther 1 1/1/2010 12/31/2013
Altenburg, Mark 2 1/1/2010 12/31/2013
Elmer, Brenda 3 1/1/2010 12/31/2013
Durand, Heidi 2 1/1/2012 12/31/2016
Hulett, Mike 3 1/1/2012 12/31/2016
Gehrtz, Steve 4 1/1/2012 12/31/2016
Haney, Jim 2 1/1/2014 12/31/2016
Note: Resigned a after being elected to Clay County Commission
Dailey, Mari 1 1/1/2014 12/31/2018
Hendrickson, Chuck 4 1/1/2014 12/31/2018
Note: Re-elected in 2018
Fabian, Melissa 2 1/1/2017 08/15/2018
Note: Appointed to fill Jim Haney's vacant seat after he was elected to Clay County Commission; moved out of Moorhead and resigned
Watson Curry, Sara 1 1/1/2017 12/31/2020
Paulsen, Joel 3 1/1/2017 12/31/2020
Dahlquist, Shelly 1 1/1/2019 12/31/2022
Carlson, Shelly 2 11/13/2018 12/31/2022
Note: Took office at the first council meeting following the election to fill seat vacated by Melissa Fabian
White, Deb 3 1/1/2019 12/31/2022
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Status and Signifiers: Costume in There Will Be Blood
1 Apr ’14 1 Apr ’14 Lord Christopher LavertyClothes from 1837-1919, Clothes from 1920s, Clothes from 1930s, Girls in Films, Guys in Films
Costume designer Mark Bridges described There Will Be Blood (2007) as his most challenging film, referring to the difficulties he faced in transporting costumes to the remote location in West Texas, after director Paul Thomas Anderson called for a new concept three days before a re-shoot. However these challenges seem to channel the themes of the film itself: hardship, isolation, and the determination to overcome any obstacle to fulfil a goal.
Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a turn-of-the-century prospector, who receives a tip about a giant oil deposit under a family farm in California. The family includes Eli Sunday, a zealous preacher and faith healer who wants the money from the sale of the property to finance his church of the Third Revelation. The two men clash repeatedly as both refuse to give in to the will of the other. Through betrayal, anger and violence, they both ultimately become victims of their ambition, finally losing all the things that gave them strength. Eli desperately admits to a crisis of faith, and Daniel, once he has killed Eli, states, “I’m finished.” The man who defined himself through competition has beaten his last opponent. The challenge of costuming this film lies in creating strong identities for these characters in a time and place when the luxuries of clothing were heavily restricted. In the democratised dress of 1910s California, variations of class, occupation, character and motivation are displayed through a “world of nuances and details.” In the absence of explanatory dialogue, Bridges also utilises the strong visual significations of certain items of dress to show developments in narrative. This combination of subtle details and immediate impact creates characters that are boldly idiosyncratic, yet grounded in the gritty realism of the story.
The film starts with two scenes from the earlier stages of Daniel Plainview’s career in 1898 and 1902, before moving to 1911, the year in which most of the story is set. In 1898, Daniel is seen working alone at the bottom of a pit, wearing the typical clothes of the manual labourer. Brown nondescript cinchback trousers, suspenders (braces), a soft felt hat with a wide brim to block the sun, union suit or ubiquitous blue smock shirt with baggy sleeves. This outfit, and variations of it, will be repeated throughout the film as stock clothes for Daniel’s workers. The fact that we first see him dressed this way tells us that he is from the same background, and that it is through his own strength and determination that he was able to rise to the level where he no longer has to undertake physical labour. The rise becomes evident in 1902, when Daniel, now able to hire a few workers, travels on a train with his adopted son HW. Men with socio-economic aspirations tried to emulate the respectable dress of the middle class and Daniel’s dark sack suit and hat with tall crown and short brim signals his ambitions and growing status. Its shabbiness however indicates his still relatively humble status, contrasting sharply with his suit of 1911.
Bridges described Daniel’s 1911 suit as being one of his few luxuries on the film, as he was able to have it custom-made, and the fabric custom-woven. Though this is perhaps not obvious on film, the fact that the suit is tailored to Daniel’s tall, lean frame, as well as being in a fabric that no other character wears helps to differentiate Daniel as uniquely important. The suggestion that he may have custom-ordered this suit indicates his wealth, and the ‘completion’ of his suit from 1902: a waistcoat, tie, stiff-brimmed hat and pocket watch concludes an impressive appearance of respectability. A white shirt also suggests that Daniel can now afford not to get dirty in his work. In addition to his suit, Daniel’s need to impress is evident in Bridge’s costume for the young HW. Daniel uses HW as a showpiece, to create sympathy in others and convince them of the ‘family’ nature of his business. The clothes are very smart, with a double-breasted coat, white shirt and shorts. There is no hint of labour or hardship, suggesting the success of his father’s business.
The suit’s importance as a tool for projecting power and status is emphasised by the fact that Daniel only wears it at business meetings (such as the one with Standard Oil), important events (the opening of the new drill) and in church. By eschewing the suit and white shirt for more everyday wear, it shows that despite his success he is still willing to be involved in hard work. The suit therefore does not signal a desire to achieve a more leisurely, middle class lifestyle, but instead is viewed merely as another tool for business. Daniel’s independence and pride in his work can be seen particularly in the detail of his collar and tie in the meetings with Standard and Union Oil. Unlike the other businessmen who wear detached, starched collars and silk ties with a pin, Daniel continues to have unstarched attached collars on his shirts and a plain black tie. This indicates that he is a man of function and efficiency who has little time or want to deal with the non-essential elements of smart dress. The sweat stains on the band of his hat also indicate not only hard work, but also Daniel’s lack of shame in showing this.
When not in a suit, Daniel still retains authority on the drill site through a combination of accessories that are both necessary and indicate his status in the chain of command. A pocket-watch on a chain as well as at least two fountain pens are always present, which act both as a signal of wealth and as useful items for Daniel in managing the business. The importance of being immediately recognisable from a distance is shown through the creation of an idiosyncratic silhouette, the combination of jodphurs and calf-length tightly laced boots emphasising the actor’s dimensons. The sense of purpose and control that the boots convey is displayed in their close-up during the meeting with Union, which cuts to show Daniel standing on the table, hammering a metal pike into a map to indicate success. The fact that Daniel almost never removes his hat is also significant. Common codes of etiquette often dictate that hats should be removed indoors, or when others have removed theirs’, such as the meeting with Standard. However Daniel refuses to do so, indicating his need to appear as the one in control of any situation. The only territory in which he is obliged to relinquish control and remove his hat is in that of Eli’s church.
When Eli first meets Daniel, he is wearing long underwear, suspenders, and baggy black trousers that are too short and flap around the ankles. There is nothing to suggest that this character is a threat or in any way different to his twin brother. This lack of signification means that Daniel is caught off-guard when Eli challenges him about the purchase of the land and states that the money should go to his church. Eli’s dress in his capacity as a pastor consists of black trousers, a black waistcoat, and white shirt with a small round collar that suggests a dog collar. The slightly ill fitting nature of Eli’s clothes belies the authority that he tries to convey, particularly in the presence of Daniel in his tailored suit. It also echoes Bridges’ idea that Eli received clothes as donations from some of his parishioners, being too poor to purchase them himself.
The dialectic of new clothes vs. old in reference to power and wealth is particularly emphasised when the drill is opened. Daniel ignores Eli’s request to bless the well and instead makes a speech whilst inviting Mary, Eli’s younger sister, to stand by him. Mary is in a bright white dress, a stark contrast to the faded, dirty pink dress she usually wears. It is later revealed that Daniel has bought this dress for Mary, mentioning this in front of Mary’s father, whom he knows beats Mary. His veiled assertion of ‘no more beating’ acts as a subtle threat towards the father, anchored by the purchase of the dress, which suggests wealth, power, and Daniel’s interest in the wellbeing of Mary. It is also acts symbolically as a snub towards Eli, emphasising his disregard for the money Eli is requesting.
Mary’s costume is used again near the end of the film to signify a considerable time shift, as well as the development of narrative. The scene cuts from Mary and HW playing together as children, to an adult woman in a white dress and veil. Because of the strong symbolism associated with these clothes, we immediately understand that this is a grown Mary marrying HW. HW himself is shown to be slowly filling his father’s shoes, wearing a dark functional suit without a tie (despite the obvious wealth that the large house signifies) and a few pens in his pocket. This becomes sharply contrasted to the appearance of Daniel himself, when we seem him shooting bottles in his house in his underwear and a shawl neck cardigan. The success of his business means that his work has been reduced to sitting at a desk signing papers. His identity had been defined by his work, and the dishevelled nature of his costume displays his inability to deal with this excess of leisure time. The cardigan is the antithesis of Daniel’s fitted dark suit, suggesting both his boredom and the lack of anyone to impress. This disregard for appearance is then contrasted with that of Eli’s. Eli wears a black suit and tie with large white collar, his hair fashionably slicked back and a large crucifix hanging around his neck.
However this appearance of success quickly crumbles when Daniel forces Eli to reveal that he has lost his money and is suffering a crisis of faith. On closer inspection his clothes appear slightly shabby, and trousers have clearly been taken up several times. The chain of the crucifix seems quite small, so hangs awkwardly over his collar. The absurd size of the cross can also be taken as a form of compensation for Eli’s spiritual problems.
By the end of the film, both Eli and Daniel have lost control over their ambitions. Even Daniel’s boots are un-laced, their flapping tongues suggesting indifference or clear direction. What Mark Bridges managed to achieve in There Will Be Blood is design costumes that respect the stark realities of the period whilst utilising the details available to signal developments in status, motivation and mental state. Understanding the symbolic difference between laced and unlaced boots, the cut of a jacket and the brim of a hat helped Bridges create a rich semiotic language that allow viewers to instantly read characters and scenes set in an era when all men supposedly dressed the same.
1. Cane, D. Fashion and its Social Agendas: Class, Gender, and Identity in Clothing (The University of Chicago Press, USA, 2000) p. 5.
By Maria Bruder
Maria is an MA Costume Design student at the London College of Fashion, specialising in film. Spends too much time analysing the clothes of fictional characters and too much money on vintage sunglasses.
NOTE: Images have been screencapped from Blu-ray edition and cropped to better highlight costumes.
© 2014, Lord Christopher Laverty.
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Tagged 1902, 1910, boots, braces, cardigan, class, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Plainview, hat, jacket, jodphurs, Maria Bruder, Mark Bridges, sack suit, shawl neck, smock shirt, soft collar shirt, stiff collar shirt, suit, suspenders, tailored suit, uniform, waistcoat, white dress, wide brim
Costume Stories, This Week: Yves Saint Laurent and Mad Men
Costume Stories, This Week: Noah and Hannibal
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Cape May County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff, Robert A. Nolan
Executive Undersheriff, John D. Maher
Undersheriff, Frank H. Sippel
Warden, Donald J. Lombardo
Welcome to the Cape May County Sheriff's Office Website. We are proud to provide this website of expanding information to assist the Citizens of Cape May County and inform the community of the Sheriff's Office's numerous duties and responsibilities. As Law Enforcement Professionals, the Cape May County Sheriff's Office strives to constantly improve our services and dedication through teamwork and partnership with the community. We hope you find this information useful as well as interesting as you journey through our website.
We are pleased to offer programs to the public such as TIP411, Child Car Seat fittings, Project Lifesaver, Explorer Post 1692, Crime Stoppers and school programs like Eddie Eagle's Gun Safety and McGruff the Crime Dog's Dangerous Strangers.
The Cape May County Sheriff is a member of the National Sheriff's Association and the New Jersey Sheriff's Association.
The Cape May County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Division is Accredited by the New Jersey State Association of Chief's of Police. See our Accreditation page for more.
The Cape May County Correctional Center is PREA approved. See the PREA page for more. The Correctional Center Medical Unit is Accredited by The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the Correctional Center is annually inspected by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC). See our Accreditation page for more.
The Cape May County Sheriff's Office is an equal opportunity employer. Please go to the Employment page for details.
The Sheriff's Annual Reports and PREA Reports can be seen on the Reports page.
Civil Service Law Enforcement Test Announcement
Have a Question?, maybe our FAQS Page can help or go to the Contacts Page to contact someone specific.
Have a tip? Please use our TIP411 Service. (If you are reporting an EMERGENCY, DIAL 911 )
Problems with our website, please e-mail the webmaster.
Revised on May 20, 2019
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Comet’s Brush With Mars Offers Opportunity, Not Danger
"A Swing and a Near Miss - Comet Siding Spring Clears Mars' Satellite-Filled Outfield" - Astrobiology
UMD astronomers study “fresh” comet’s first approach to the sun
Comet Siding Spring will brush astonishingly close to Mars later this year – close enough to raise concerns about the safety of a fleet of spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet. But after observing Siding Spring through a satellite-mounted telescope, University of Maryland comet experts found that it poses little danger to the Mars craft. The spacecraft will be able to get an unprecedented close look at the changes happening to this “fresh” comet as it nears the sun – as well as any changes its passing may trigger in the Martian atmosphere.
Fresh comets like Siding Spring, which have never before approached the sun, contain some of the most ancient material scientists can study. The UMD astronomers’ observations are part of a two-year-long research campaign to watch how the comet's activity changes during its travels.
"Comet Siding Spring is making its first passage through the inner solar system and is experiencing its first strong heating from the sun," said UMD assistant research scientist Dennis Bodewits, lead researcher on the UMD astronomy team that used NASA’s Swift satellite to estimate the comet’s size and activity. “Comets like this one, which formed long ago and remained for billions of years in the icy regions beyond Pluto, still contain the primeval building materials of our solar system in their original state.”
The solid part of a comet, called its nucleus, is a clump of frozen gases mixed with dust and is often described as a "dirty snowball.” As the comet moves toward the sun and becomes heated, different gases stream from the nucleus, carrying with them large quantities of dust that reflect sunlight and brighten the comet. By about two and a half times Earth's distance from the sun (2.5 astronomical units, or AU), the comet has warmed enough that water becomes the primary gas emitted by the nucleus.
Between May 27 and 29, Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope captured a sequence of images as Siding Spring cruised through the constellation Eridanus about 2.46 AU (229 million miles, or 368 million km) from the sun. The satellite cannot detect water molecules directly, but it can detect light emitted from the fragments of the water molecules formed when ultraviolet sunlight breaks them up. The UMD team measured that light and used it to estimate the comet’s size and activity. The team concludes that the icy nucleus of Siding Spring is at least 2,300 feet (700 meters) across, which makes it a small to average-size comet.
"We calculate that at the time of the observations the comet was producing about 2 billion billion billion water molecules, equivalent to about 13 gallons or 49 liters, each second," said Tony Farnham, a UMD senior research scientist in astronomy. At this rate, comet Siding Spring could fill an Olympic-size swimming pool in about 14 hours – a modest output.
The comet, formally known as C/2013 A1, makes its closest approach to Mars on Oct. 19, passing just 83,000 miles (132,000 km) away. For comparison, the closest recorded approach of a comet to Earth was within 1.4 million miles (2.3 million km) in July 1770. During its Mars flyby, comet Siding Spring will pass more than 16 times closer than that.
Around the time of the encounter, five research spacecraft are expected to be orbiting the Red Planet. The UMD team found the spacecraft will not be harmed by the comet’s dust, so they won’t have to depart from their regular orbit. Instead some of the spacecraft will be pressed into service as a comet observation fleet to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity for studying a new comet at close range. These observations of the cometary gases’ interaction with Mars may help scientists learn more about the Martian atmosphere, which is thinner than Earth’s.
Bodewits and his colleagues use the Swift telescope to single out faraway new comets at distances where they are mostly emitting gases other than water vapor, and observe them as they course through the inner solar system. They are learning how comets’ activity changes as they make repeated orbits of the sun. The research will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the evolution of the solar system and the comets that formed in its cold, distant reaches some five billion years ago.
This composite image merges Swift UVOT images of comet Siding Spring taken between May 27 and 29, 2014. Sunlight reflected from the comet's dust, which produces most of the light in this image, appears yellow. Violet indicates ultraviolet light produced by hydroxyl (OH), a fragment of water. Credit: NASA/Swift/D. Bodewits
Heather Dewar, 301-405-9267, hdewar@umd.edu
Francis Reddy, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Heather Dewar, UMD College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
2300 Symons Hall
College Park, Md. 20742
www.cmns.umd.edu
About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 7,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college’s 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $150 million.
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Stephen Steffens
Stephen Steffens (Leandro in La Cifra) recently made his Long Island Opera debut singing Camille in The Merry Widow. He also made his Maryland Lyric Opera debut singing Kaspar in their December 2016 production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. His other recent credits include singing Belmonte in The Abduction from the Seraglio, Fenton in Falstaff, and Don Ramiro in Cinderella. Stephen was a member of the 2015 Fargo-Moorhead Opera Young Artist Program. In 2014 he made his Canadian opera debut singing Lysander in Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” His other engagements include singing with Brooklyn Summer Opera Festival as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, New York Opera Exchange as Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus; President Chester Arthur in The Ballad of Baby Doe with Opera Bozeman; Ecclitico in Haydn’s Il Mondo Della Luna, and Ernesto in scenes from Don Pasquale. In 2009 he won First Prize at the NATS competition Northwest.
http://www.stephensteffens.com/
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Mockingbird Director Robert Mulligan Dies at 83
By Richard Corliss Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008
Gregory Peck, Brock Peters in To Kill a Mocking Bird, 1962.
The obit headlines have it right. For all of Robert Mulligan's impressive credentials in his 40-year career as a director of television and movie dramas, his signature achievement was the 1962 film version of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The picture which won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Gregory Peck, and earned Mulligan his only Oscar nomination had an immediate and lasting impact. Back then it provided a Hollywood echo of the civil rights agitation that had roiled the South and seized the nation. But Peck's role as Atticus Finch, a crusading attorney who is also a gentle single dad to his two young kids, had staying power. In 2003 the American Film Institute chose Atticus as the top hero in U.S. movie history. (See TIME's All-Time 100 Best Movies.)
Mulligan, who died Saturday at 83 of heart disease, had been Finch's gentle shepherd, and deserved at least a share of Peck's Oscar both for casting him and for eliciting the actor's best work. But the director's heart, here as in so many of his films, was with the Finch children. If Mulligan had an abiding interest, it was troubled youngsters on the cusp of discovering themselves by confronting the world around them. This theme occupied him from his first feature film to his last. The 1957 Fear Strikes Out gave Anthony Perkins his first lead role as Boston Red Sox star Jim Piersall, reduced to bipolar rage by a domineering parent (sort of a Psycho in Center Field). In The Man in the Moon, Mulligan's swan song in 1991, Reese Witherspoon made her film debut as a 14-year-old wracked with first love for a 17-year-old boy who covets her older sister.
Born in the Bronx in 1925, Mulligan served in World War II and attended Fordham University before entering the TV industry in its New York infancy. He was a prominent member of that first generation, the so-called Golden Age of Television, that birthed directors who would win Oscars (Sydney Pollack, George Roy Hill, Franklin J. Schaffner, William Friedkin) or be nominated for them (John Frankenheimer, Norman Jewison, Arthur Penn, Arthur Hiller, Robert Altman). Directing scripts by such comers as Gore Vidal, Reginald Rose and Horton Foote, he learned a reverence for the word and for the midcentury liberalism it embodied and ratified. Solid, non-Communist, arguably paternalistic, this was a liberalism more social than political. A better word would be humanism. That was the tone and worldview that Mulligan's best films would radiate.
From the start he was skilled in finding young actors and locating their emotional acuity. Mulligan directed Paul Newman in his second TV appearance (Suspense, 1952), and three years later in the Vidal TV play The Death of Billy the Kid, which Newman replayed on the big screen as The Left Handed Gun. Steve McQueen, Sidney Poitier, Walter Matthau, Rosemary Harris and George C. Scott did potent early TV work under his guiding hand. Scott made his Broadway debut in the only play Mulligan directed, the 1958 Comes a Day. He was no slouch with veterans either, winning an Emmy in 1960 for directing Laurence Olivier (in his first TV production) in The Moon and Sixpence.
Moving to the big screen, Mulligan found a happy partnership with producer Alan J. Pakula. Together they made seven films, most of them centered on young people with the will to rebel but not always the means. In Love with the Proper Stranger (1964), Natalie Wood is an Italian Catholic shopgirl who becomes pregnant in the one-night-stand immaculate conceptions familiar in movies of the '60s (and today; see Knocked Up). But since she had the good fortune to be impregnated by McQueen, true love is assured. The plot is Hollywood hokum with a patina of New Yawk grit, but Mulligan was always an ace at revealing the subtle starlight behind the Kleig lights.
Once Mulligan and Pakula found a congenial performer, they wanted to do it again. They reunited with McQueen for a Horton Foote drama, Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965), about an ex-con singer who has problems staying out of criminal or domestic trouble. And in Inside Daisy Clover (1966), Wood is a thornier soul: a '30s waif who becomes a movie star. (The young man in her grim life was played by Robert Redford, again at the beginning of a big career.)
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Posted on January 26, 2005 July 20, 2017 by Rick Eyre
Cricket community in the Australia Day honours list
At least four members of the cricketing community have been awarded medals in the 2005 Australia Day Honours List.
Keith Miller has posthumously been awarded an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) “For service to sport, particularly to cricket as a player, journalist and commentator.” He had previously been named an MBE before British awards ceased to be given to Australians in the 1970s.
Mark Waugh has also been named an AM “For service to cricket as a player and to the community.”
Rita Artis, who is a long-standing scorer for the SACA at the Adelaide Oval, is awarded an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) “For service to sport, particularly cricket administration as an official scorer, and to the community.”
Gordon Schwartz, who wrote about a range of sports for the Adelaide daily “The Advertiser”, including cricket, receives an OAM “For service to journalism and sport in South Australia.”
There are four main categories to the Order of Australia, the highest, the AC (Companion) is roughly the equivalent of a knighthood, and has only been awarded to one cricketer – Donald George Bradman.
Congratulations to all the 2005 Australia Day honourees. The official website for the Honours list has the rather corny title of itsanhonour.gov.au
Categoriesnews Tagshonours list, keith miller, mark waugh
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Electronic Hot Sale > Blog > Electronics > Turkey attacks: Deadly violence in Istanbul and Sirnak – BBC News
Turkey attacks: Deadly violence in Istanbul and Sirnak – BBC News
A wave of violent attacks hit Turkey on Monday, with four police officers killed in the south east and a bomb blast in the largest city, Istanbul.
Separately, two assailants opened fire outside the US consulate in Istanbul, but no one was injured or killed.
The four police were killed by a blast on a road in Sirnak province. Shortly after, gunmen opened fire on a military helicopter, killing one soldier.
Tension between the Turkish government and Kurdish militants has been rising.
Turkey also recently announced it was taking a more active role against Islamic State militants.
It is not known whether the two attacks in Istanbul are connected.
The car bomb attack was carried out on a police station in the Sultanbeyli area of the city
The US consulate attackers fled when police shot back, but one of the two assailants, possibly a woman, has now been arrested, reports say.
The consulate said in a tweet that it was closed until further notice.
Two suspected militants have been killed in clashes with police in the district of Sultanbeyli where the attack on the police station took place, reports say.
Exchanges then continued throughout the night as other militants fired on the police station.
One policeman was also killed in the clashes, reports say.
The explosion in Silopi, in Sirnak province, left four police officers dead and one seriously injured.
One soldier was killed and another injured when their helicopter, also in Sirnak, came under fire.
Turkish helicopters have also been bombing PKK targets.
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Immigration Debate (Law Essay Sample)
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Immigration is the act of people moving from their country to live in other foreign countries; during immigration, the people intend to live there permanently. Such people are known as immigrants until their citizenship is confirmed. There are various reasons that make people emigrate from one country to another. Such as manmade calamities like civil war causes people to migrate from their country to another. Other calamities that cause immigration include earthquake, storm and flooding among many. Immigration can be caused by the level of poverty that hit a country making people to migrate in search of better place (Isbister, 1996). This mostly occurs where people migrate from poorer country to much richer country in such of employment. Nevertheless, people from developed country may decide to migrate to a poorer country in search of good environment as they carry on with their business. Immigration can also be brought about by marriage where a person marries somebody from a foreign country therefore making him or her moving in as an immigrant.
To ensure that immigrations are regulated, laws are formed. Otherwise, these laws depend mostly with the country one is immigrating to. The laws vary from country to country depending to their foreign policies. Therefore, it is advisable for anyone willing to immigrate to be aware of the immigration laws of that country. These laws can be gotten in the countries embassies or in their website if they have been posted. In some instances, the immigrant is tested on the knowledge of the language that is used in that country through an exam (Smith, & Edmonston, 1998). Therefore, it is very vital to comply with these rules or one is liable of meeting the consequences of illegal immigration that ranges from deportation to other severe penalties. In this research paper, we will look at the immigration debate that has ranges for a number of years in United State of America that host the largest immigration.
Immigration debate in US
In the ranging immigration debate in United State of America, that has taken several years, there has been a thing that has been so antagonistic in the process. Free marketers have been squaring cultural conservative and the political issue. On the other hand, the civil right personnel have been opposing the whole move to ensure that environment and job in America has been protected. In 1994, the debated over the immigration issue focused on the issue of illegal aliens especially who get in the country through the Mexican border (Isbister, 1996). These illegal alien has turned to be so many thus, INS has raised this concern. The other group that has been brought by the issue of the immigration is the one that overstay with their invalid visas. Therefore, the debate provoked documented and undocumented immigrants. These debate targeted backlashes like that of the California preposition 187. This preposition barred undocumented immigrants from participating in the basic social services.
All the same, immigration, in US and all over the world has been a cause of disagreement. In US, those who support the present level of immigration are corporate who get benefit from the cheap foreign labor, political fraternity who lobby for increased political base, religious as well as humanitarians, civil libertarians and human right activist who seek for human rights ethnical concern (Smith, & Edmonston, 1998).
Those who gave been in the opposition side in the debate include, native people. They see immigrants who do not come from Europe to a threat to American culture, environmentalist who argue that this will increase the population and the labor advocates who says that the immigration is making the native are deprive off the jobs in their countries as they are taken by other people as well depressing wages. Free marketers in the side of politics they refuse the whole idea in the ranging debate, as they believe that immigration makes cultural conservativeness. However, civil rights as well as ethnic advocacy people have been opposing environmentalists and job protectionist.
To ensure that a balance is stroked, policy had to be put in place. The policies that are currently in place emanates from Immigration Act of 1924. The policy was meant to reduce the number of the immigrant in the country. The policy ensured that the visas were allocated based on the country that people come from. This developed quota system regarding the number of people in America. Therefore, European countries were favored as they had more population in US as Asian countries were not due to their low population level. Otherwise, this policy of quota system was later abolished in 1960. This was done on equity grounds. The idea of immigration focused mostly in family reunion. This made immigration to shift making more Latin American, Caribbean and Asian immigrants to come to the country.
Because of this, refugee became more immigrant in the US as a throng of them arrived from countries such as Cuba in the later 1960 and 1980. At around 1970, Southeast Asia also brought more of them in the country after the government of their country that was supported by US collapsed according to Healey, 1997. The country offered an automatic immigration acceptance to refugees who run from communist countries. However, the immigration from Vietnam and Cuba rises exponentially bring the whole idea to a stand still.
To ensure that economic incentives were reduced to curb illegal immigration according to Greenblatt (2008), Congress passed Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) in 1986 to ensure that employers who hire undocumented employers are punished. To ensure that this was adhered to, they offered amnesty to illegal immigrants who have been living in the country for a long time. otherwise, this was met with a lot of opposition from the immigrant right group who brought an out cry to the continuing debate about the discrimination that the was imposed to undocumented immigrants. On the contrary, the anti-immigrant group was on the debate. At this time, they were opposed to the idea of offering employers mandate to enforce the laws as they argued that they will prejudice the whole process by ensuring that the new arrivals are given amnesty by forging their documents.
In following the policies that were placed for regulation of immigrants, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in 1996 authorized more than a million immigrants including the one who received amnesty. This was 30% increase from the previous year where in 1995 only 716,000 immigrants were initialized. Recently, United State of America has recorded the highest legal immigration from Asia according to Greenblatt, (2008), that counts for 37 %, Central America that include Mexico and Caribbean counts for 32% while the Europe immigrants are 18%. The numbers of the people who apply for political asylum in the US are approximately 150,000 annually. This has brought a big political asylum application backlog that get o almost half a million per year.
Due to this high volume of application of immigration in the country, there has been a problem of illegal immigration in the country as regulations become stricter. Therefore, in 1994 the debate of immigration has been focusing the type of immigrants who INS call illegal according to Greenblatt (2008). The most focus was on the border of Mexico where many people got into the country through. Others, who came from especially the same part, overstayed their visas yet they are in the category of the undocumented. Nevertheless, the debate was influenced by the politics very much and INS decided to launch high profile campaign against that. These campaigns were Operation Blockade in El Paso and Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego. This ensured that most of the points that illegal immigrants got in the country through were blocked. However, this made the illegal immigration to shift their entry point to mountainous and desert places. Unfortunately, they fall prey to robbers, rapist and extreme weather conditions.
The regulation of the illegal immigration and the number of the immigrants who entered in the country were strictly checked. Documented and undocumented immigrants are a target of such policies as that of California Preposition 187 backlashes. This regulation that block undocumented immigrants from participating from social services were barred by courts. Otherwise, some of the legislation in the federal government are reducing the undocumented immigration participation or enjoying certain benefits. The debate to ensure that immigration has been regulated continues through raising the motion that in future people who are born in us should not be given an automatic citizenship regardless of their parent status.
Though the immigration debate should address various economic, ethical and humanitarian issues, they have been met with political centered debate. This has brought ideas that are differing towards the idea of the immigrant's right to be with their families, seek better living standard as well as security from their political instability in their original country. There has been collision over the rights of the native to have the capability of who should be legalized to live, work and have certain benefits from the public services of their country (Gonzalez, 2000).
The differences that have been emerging in the country are mostly due to the insecurity that the American community has been faced with. This is due to the high demand that the foreign immigrants has brought in the economic sector. Due to immigration, there has been highly interconnected global economy that has been brought due to cheap labor that has been brought in the country. This immigration has also caused increase in crime rate and drug trafficking across the border.
Problems with the current U.S. policies
The main problems with the policies that U.S uses currently to regulate the immigration practices make it strict border control. This strictness in the border has been proved futile making them to increase human rights abuse and victimization of the border immigrants who uses other risky places to cross the border.
Another problem that has been brought by immigration that has been contributed by the policies used in the country is decrease of job availability in US. This is because of the pressure created in the labor market as more labor force is gotten. This is more to certain economic places than others are. Many refugees who become immigrants as results of political upheavals in their country mostly find themselves rejected by the society in the country.
However, according to the economist, they have realized that immigration has increased the U.S net economy. This because, immigrants will be able to take the jobs most of the US people wont take. They also help the country to be in the competitive edge globally economic wise. Immigration also acts as stimulant to creation of job to the most oppressed people in the neighborhoods. Otherwise, though this brings a benefit in the net economy, it is a disadvantage to the overall population of the native US people as they are deprived off their vacancies (Massey, et al. 2003). The reason for this is that the corporation ranging from small enterprise to bigger corporation will rather employ foreigners who will worker and for lesser pay than the Americans can. Therefore, this ahs was a center of the immigration problem in US.
Towards new immigration policies
To ensure that there has been eased debate about the people to be offered legal immigrant permits, new policies are required too address a distinct definition of the family unification policy that has been resulting to stream of immigration. There should also be restriction to spouses and children as well as reduction of immigration of skilled labor to the country. This will ensure that they balance the issue of unemployment of the Native American due to increased immigration. When a humanitarian admission is to be considered, national preferences should be eliminated and immigration be permitted to these people who shows high level of individual persecution. According to Waters & Reed (2007), labor advocates and policy makers should emphasize on the national worker identification card that will ensure that it will deflate the political pressure has been contentious especially in the Mexican border.
The implication that has been raised in the immigration debate is troubling. The rights to the immigrants have been put especially to the lime light as they have been wrangles surrounding the whole process. High living standards, employment opportunities with good pay have been luring immigration practices. Nevertheless, the American citizen has been antagonistic in the whole idea of ensuring rights of immigrants are put in place as they see it as prejudicing their rights. This has made a leeway for the politician to attract votes in promising to curb illegal immigration especially in the Mexican border where in real sense, only imposition of expensive measures can be put in place whereas illegal immigrations are shifted to other places. Therefore, this makes the immigration debate to be a delicate and crucial issue to be handled with care to ensure that either way; American as well as immigrants human rights are not taken for granted.
Introduction to Business Law
Intro to Law Paper
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Luis Rubio
All governments blame their predecessors for the woes that they find or for those with which they cannot deal. No novelty here: this is not my problem, but that of my predecessor. AMLO is an exception to this in not reproaching a government, but instead an entire generation –three decades of presidents and functionaries- for what he does not like. His problem today is that, after a prolonged campaign to destroy whatever existed, he is now the one and, however much he finds faulty with others, the responsibility is his.
Candidates are measured by their promises and intentions; presidents are responsible for the results. AMLO vowed to change the reality and now finds himself confronted with the dilemma inevitably present in everyday affairs: from insecurity to economic growth. His electoral victory was due to that he focused his campaign on things that bothered the electorate –such as the corruption, the incompetence, the violence and the unequal economic performance- all of these matters that plagued his antecessors and that, it is evident, they did not resolve. Now AMLO, who is government, has no excuse: the ball is in his court.
The era we live in adds an additional level of complexity because of the inexorable tension that exists between the decisions of the electorate and the instruments within reach of a government to act in the real world, particularly in economic issues. The voters responded to the pledges of the candidate and hoped that he would comply with them, but complying in the globalization era is highly intricate because it requires the support of the population as a whole.
By nature, candidates guarantee the moon and the stars: some do this with strident rhetoric, others with irreducible oaths; still others attack their antecedents and make the electorate believe that it’s all is a matter of will and conviction. But, in the last analysis, they all end up facing the same challenge: in the digital era, no government controls all of the variables and the performance of the economy because the world is interconnected, technology advances at the speed of sound and provides access to all of the population to information sources that exceed the capacity of the government to control. Worse yet, as much as a government amasses sources of control, centralizes power and imposes itself because of the diverse interests and power factors in its society, nothing ensures the favorable economic outcomes that are the most immediate parameter for measuring success or failure for the citizenry.
The dilemma is real and is not limited to Mexico: how to render compatible the population’s legitimate claim to see the problems afflicting them, that is, the reasons for which they voted for a determined candidate to solve, before a globalized, integrated and interdependent world in which decisions do not respond to the logic of the internal politics. This latter results in the fact that investment is, in the words of the lawyers, fungible: one can go to any part of the world and it’s the same whether one decides to live in Morelia, Shanghai or New York.
There are presidents who manage the dilemma and adapt in order to advance as much as possible, while others stubbornly cling to their positions, at whatever cost. The greater the obstinacy, the worse the results because promising is easy, but achieving results and satisfying voters is difficult. This phenomenon is magnified when the president creates and multiplies the number of enemies each morning.
The AMLO style of governing is not conducive to improvement. The time for acting jarringly, generating conflict and confrontation, culminated July 1st, 2018 for the simple reason that campaigns call for pettiness, but the exercise of the government demands acting equitably for all, in that only with the collaboration of everyone it is possible to go forward. However, AMLO is devoted to systematically increasing (and terrifying) those who appear on his black list of guilty parties and adversaries; discrediting members of his cabinet and ignoring his own advisors, in addition to exploiting resentments and frustrations, without building anything that could come to satisfy the population’s demands, protestations or necessities.
It is evident that only with actions likely to solve the existing problems would it be possible to respond to his base with results. He is not engaging in any of that.
What is important to the electorate –the same for his as for that of that he loathes as “conservative”- is the result of the daily operation of the government. As illustrated by the gradual diminution in the numbers of the President’s popularity, one thing is the election and another, very distinct, is the exercise of power. His quandary is whether to continue employing the pulpit to attack those branded as “adversaries” or to build with them to achieve results.
To win an election it is necessary to attack, but to exercise power generosity and competence is indispensable. In reference to Alan Greenspan, the central banker blamed for the 2008 crisis, a politician in his country summed up the dilemma bluntly, applicable at present to AMLO: “If you get credit for the sun, you can’t bitch when you get blamed for the rain.”
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@lrubiof
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Hassan Lakkis: The Man Who Broke through Palestinian Skies
Hajj Hassan Lakkis
Featured - Lebanon - News - Top
It has been 5 years since the assassination of a key Hezbollah figure and commander Hajj Hassan Lakkis. Hajj Hassan was a dreamer but with a special trait…determination. He had tried hard with all his spirit to make his dreams come true. His dream was a vision that motivated him to shape his thoughts into a powerful reality.
Citing a close friend of Hajj Hassan and other sources, Al-Akhbar Lebanese daily published on Saturday, December 8 (2018), a lengthy article that disclosed some of Hajj Hassan’s character traits that made him “a man like no other”.
Background on Martyr’s Life
“He returned from Africa in 1978, and since that time we were friends,” the fifty-year old friend said recalling the beginning of his relationship with Hajj Hassan.
“He was distinguished at all levels, whether for his academic excellence, his good manners or his lifelong ambition. I remember that day, after we finished high school, when Hassan learned about an institute in Gefinor (in Beirut’s Hamra) for studying computer. He didn’t hesitate to register there although that domain was not known at the time. He liked to keep pace with the growth and development of technology, since he was a young, so much that he preferred to buy technology magazines and newly developed equipment at the expense of his own needs.”
Lakkis was not only a senior commander in Hezbollah, he was also a life-long friend of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.
“He has always been a brother, a loved one, an amiable young man and family,” Sayyed Nasrallah said during a memorial ceremony for Lakkis.
Sayyed Nasrallah and Hajj Hassan Lakkis started out together as youngsters in Baalbek where they attended religion classes delivered by Sayyed Abbas al Mousawi, according to Lakkis’ friend. Later, in 1980, when Sayyed Nasrallah became the cultural official of Amal movement in Baalbek, Hajj Hassan joined him and stayed close to him during that period. When Sayyed Nasrallah got death threats, as a result of the public stances he took on the platforms of Baalbek, Hajj Hassan insisted to be by his side on all occasions. Since then, Sayyed Nasrallah and Hajj Hassan have built a special, profound bond of friendship which lasted through the years and everything else, Hajj Hassan’s friend said, according to Al-Akhbar.
With the arrival of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon, Hajj Hassan was the first to enroll in the military courses they organized to resist the Israeli occupation. Subsequently, he moved to the Revolutionary Guards’ Staff Office where he was in direct contact with most Iranian officials. Hajj Hassan was a fast learner and a very intelligent young man, that he immediately acquired Farsi language. Given his position, Hajj Hassan was present in almost all the meetings Sayyed Nasrallah had with the leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which provided him with high experience and a broader set of relations.
Following the Israeli withdrawal to southern Lebanon and western Bekaa, the Israeli occupation had become concentrated in the area and all resistance operations had been limited there. At that time, Hajj Hassan participated in many of these operations that involved mounting raids on Israeli sites, one of which was in 1988 on “Tomat Neha” site.
Fighting the enemy helped him detect some of the obstacles faced by resistance forces in battlefield. He sought solutions to overcome these problems. He first began adjusting and updating the Signal Weapon to stay abreast of new developments. He kept pace with everything new that would benefit the resistance. As a result, he became the primary technological reference to the entire resistance leadership. He was a diligent and hard worker. He took part in choosing the resistance’s missile arsenal and developed it. He expanded his research in this field until he became the first advisor to the military leadership every time it was presented with new weapons.
Amid all the growing challenges and the enemy’s more complex and preventive tactics, Hajj Hassan had persistently sought ideas and solutions to overcome the challenges of land confrontations. He tried to figure out a way in which he could rely on the sky to overcome land challenges.
“I used to make fun of him,” says Hajj Hassan’s friend, adding: “Every time I paid him a visit, I would find him trying to assemble wooden pieces and install them on a small motor. I would ask him, ‘do you expect these pieces to take off?”
“It won’t only take off. I’ll make it capture images as well. I might make it carry a weapon in the future, who knows!” Hajj Hassan would answer with extreme confidence, according to his friend.
That ambitious young man, who believed that nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it, decided in 1988 to break through the sky from his small room. He bought a chipper, collected small motors, stuck them to wooden pieces then tried to make them fly. After several unsuccessful attempts, Hajj Hassan eventually succeeded in making one of those prototypes fly. This is how he turned his simple designs into what’s known as the “unmanned aircraft” or “drone”. Hajj Hassan continued to work on the development of drones. For this purpose, he visited the aircraft factories in Iran. He attended several workshops there and met with many specialists in this field to benefit from their experience in developing domestic Iranian aircraft.
Panic Strikes into Enemy Lines
Hajj Hassan’s accomplishment made Israelis more cautious of his forthcoming projects. They even tried to assassinate him in the early 1990s. They planted a bomb near his house in Baalbek, but it was through God’s will that he survived. Israel’s desperate attempt to assassinate Hajj Hassan, who posed an imminent threat to Israeli presence, hadn’t weakened his determination. He, instead, became even more determined to continue his work in both missile and aerial fields.
Following Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, Hajj Hassan’s work expanded and several laboratories, managed by him and his team, were set up for drone manufacturing. Sayyed Nasrallah used to visit these laboratories regularly to be brought up to date on developments in the field.
The Loss of his Son
During July 2006 war, Israeli enemy was still plotting against Hajj Hassan who had raised its concerns for the past years, and took advantage of 33-day war to try to assassinate him again.
“I was busy at work,” said his close friend.
“Hajj Imad Mughniyeh called me and said that he had just seen Hajj Hassan on television during a live coverage to an Israeli airstrike on a building in Shiyah. He asked me to go and tell him to leave the area,” Hajj Hassan’s friend said, referring to Hezbollah senior commander who was assassinated by Israeli Mossad in Damascus in February 2008.
“As soon as I arrived, I learned that Hajj Hassan was trying to search the rubble for his 18-year-old son Ali Rida who was in the building before the strike. Hajj Hassan later told me that he went to the building to give his son a bag. But shortly after he left, an Israeli aircraft struck the building and destroyed it,” his friend added.
“Hajj Hassan showed bravery and courage despite the loss of his son,” his friend said. “He left the crime scene and went back to work. When he went to see his martyred son in the hospital, three days after the attack, he showed a great firmness. He quickly bid him farewell and went back to his work with complete determination that lasted till the end of the war (in 2006).”
Post-War Period
After July 2006 war, in light of war’s outcome, work on drones continued and, as a matter of fact, was accelerated. Hajj Hassan took advantage of the scientific developments and the resistance’s capabilities to make new prototypes and meet post-war needs. The drones operated in Lebanon and Syria as well; they had helped in most of the confrontations that took place in al-Qusayr battle during the Syrian war.
The martyr’s friend told Al-Akhbar that the latter had showed him a video how these drones were operating during the battle. They took pictures which were directly sent to the command room. The command room in return contacted the field group and informed it about the details of the place and the positions of the militants. The drones eventually helped save lives of Hezbollah fighters.
“Following the battle of al-Qusayr, the martyr informed me of a new plan that aimed at arming the drone, enabling us to use it in filming and bombing. He reminded me of the time when he told me about this goal,” Hajj Hassan’s friend said.
“Indeed, after a short period of time, he came back to me to show me a video of the successful maneuver in which the former plan was carried out,” the friend added.
The Third and the Final Assassination Attempt
The Zionist intelligence service hired 12 Israeli Mossad agents, two of which were the shooters and the others took over the operation by planning, supervising and implementing at field level, to kill Hezbollah commander in Beirut suburb around midnight on Tuesday, December 3, 2013, according to Al-Akhbar.
“As I arrived home, I was told that Hajj Hassan had called me minutes ago. I was about to call him back when his bodyguard called me and said that the janitor at Hajj Hassan’s apartment complex had called to inform him that someone had shot Hajj Hassan,” the friend recalls with a deep sense of anguish and distress.
“I got there that night to find him leaning on the door of the car, smiling and the blood running from his head. When I came near him, I found the pistol in his hand,” he added.
Hajj Hassan was martyred; yet, his unique thinking and innovative approaches will never fade away. The fruits of his hard work will live on forever, as well as his determination. Until this day, Hajj Hassan has not really been known neither by an enemy nor a friend. However, some of his achievements will be revealed in the coming war through air forces and drones of the Islamic Resistance- Hezbollah.
Source: Al-Akhbar Newspaper (translated and edited by Al-Manar Website team)
Hassan Lakkis Hezbollah Zionist entity
14:31 Russian Defense Ministry: New shipment carrying S-400 components arrives in Turkey
14:28 24 dead in suspected arson attack on Japan animation studio: AFP
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Palestinians Open Al-Aqsa Gate Sealed by Zionist Enemy since 2003
Live News - Middle East - News - Palestine - Top
Palestinian worshipers and activists were able to break the seal off imposed on al-Rahma Gate (Gate of Mercy) in the eastern part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, on Friday noon, which has been sealed off since 2003 by an Israeli decision.
Palestinians raised the Palestinian flag as they called slogans in support of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Hundreds of Palestinians performed Friday prayers inside the al-Rahma Gate building and in the compound.
Israeli occcupation forces detained at least four Palestinians, on Thursday night, while dozens performed prayers in the compound in rejection of the seal off.
The four detainees were identified by the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) in Jerusalem as activist Fadi Matwar, Jihad Qaws, Murad Misk and Hijazi Abu Sbeih.
The al-Rahma Gate is a big building that lays to the east of the Al-Aqsa, the Israeli authorities sealed the building in 2003 as it was the headquarters of the Islamic Heritage Committee; ‘Israel’ had said at the time that the building was being used for political activities. In 2017, an Israeli court ordered that the building be closed until a further notice.
Earlier this week, Israeli forces had previously assaulted Palestinian worshipers performing prayers at the gate in protest of the seal off.
Palestinian cause Zionist entity
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Global Carbon Standards Set for Commercial Aircraft
Posted by News Editor in Air/Climate, Latest News, RSS, Transport on February 10, 2016 12:29 am / no comments
MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada, February 9, 2016 (ENS) – The first global carbon standards for commercial aircraft were set on Monday in Montreal by the 22 nations on the environmental protection committee of the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations with 191 member countries.
Expected to reduce carbon pollution and save on fuel costs, the new standards will apply to aircraft manufacturers once formally adopted by the ICAO Council.
When fully implemented, the standards are expected to reduce carbon emissions more than 650 million tons between 2020 and 2040, equivalent to removing over 140 million cars from the road for a year.
A KLM Boeing 747 passenger jet emits carbon dioxide in clouds of exhaust as it lands at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. (Photo by Pieter van Marion)
Globally, commercial aircraft emit 11 percent of carbon emissions from transportation.
The new carbon standards address commercial planes that are responsible for more than 92 percent of aviation emissions. Without action, emissions from the aviation sector are projected to grow by nearly 50 percent.
The new environmental measure was unanimously recommended by the 170 international experts on ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection, CAEP, paving the way for its adoption by the UN agency’s 36-State Governing Council.
ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu of Nigeria said, “It is particularly encouraging that the CAEP’s recommendation responds so directly to the aircraft technology improvements which States have forged consensus on at recent ICAO Assemblies.”
“Every step taken in support of ICAO’s full basket of measures for environmental improvement is an important one, and I am sure the Council will be deeply appreciative of the this latest CAEP achievement,” Aliu said.
The 22 countries currently on ICAO’s environmental committee are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdomand the United States.
The observer nations are: Greece, Indonesia, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
CAEP undertakes specific studies, as requested by the Council. Its scope covers noise, air quality and a basket of measures for reducing international aviation CO2 emissions, including: aircraft technology, operations improvement, market-based measures and alternative fuels.
The move to limit emissions from commercial airliners follows the Paris Climate Agreement reached by world leaders last December.
It demonstrates the international community’s continuing commitment to
The standards will apply to new aircraft designs. And, in a first for any type of ICAO aircraft standards, will also apply to aircraft types currently in production.
The standards for new and in-production commercial airplanes will promote fuel efficiency improvements, with commensurate carbon pollution reductions of more than 650 million tons between 2020 and 2040.
In the negotiations, ICAO members were considering a range of stringency options (SO) from 1 to 10. The new standards were finalized in the upper end of the range for large aircraft at SO8.5 and SO7.
Recognizing that aircraft technology and fuel efficiency will continue to improve over time, ICAO will complete a review of state-of-the art aircraft technology and projected improvements before 2019, to inform further tightening of the standard to keep pace with aircraft fuel-efficient technology improvements.
“The goal of this process is ultimately to ensure that when the next generation of aircraft types enter service, there will be guaranteed reductions in international CO2 emissions,” said President Aliu.
“Our sector presently accounts for under two percent of the world’s annual CO2 emissions, but we also recognize that the projected doubling of global passengers and flights by 2030 must be managed responsibly and sustainably.”
The new aircraft standards are part of a comprehensive approach by the United States and other ICAO countries to reduce carbon emissions from aviation through technology development, air traffic improvements, alternative fuels, and market mechanisms.
The agreement on carbon emission standards is the first of two major opportunities this year to reduce carbon emissions from aviation.
The second is reaching an ICAO agreement on a market-based approach to ensure carbon-neutral growth in the global aviation industry after 2020. If agreed, this has the potential to offset several gigatons of carbon through 2035.
The White House views the carbon standards agreement as “an important signal that the international community is well-positioned to rise to the challenge of implementing a global market-based approach to reduce aviation emissions later this year.”
PHOTO: A KLM Boeing 747 passenger jet emits carbon dioxide in clouds of exhaust as it lands at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. (Photo by Pieter van Marion)
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home // News // Bihar village gears up to own water treatment plant //
Bihar village gears up to own water treatment plant
Source: Zeenews.India.com | August 15th, 2015 | By Ashok Kumar/OneWorld South Asia
Khaira, a small village of Bihar, is all set to launch a community owned Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Purification Plant for providing clean water to the villagers. Khaira is located in Kharagpur Block of Munger, one of the two districts in Bihar that are enlisted as both arsenic and fluoride contaminated.
In its attempt to get rid of fluoride and arsenic-rich water, Khaira Panchayat is all set to launch the water purification plant which would be collectively owned by the village. The ground water of Khaira village and its adjoining areas do not contain arsenic but has fluoride above tolerance limit.
The Bihar Technical Assistance Support Team (BTAST) has facilitated and supported commissioning of the upcoming water treatment plant. The plant is currently under trial and will soon start providing safe and treated drinking water to the rural populace. BTAST is an initiative of Bihar Government supported by DFID-UK to implement the Sector Wide Approach to Strengthen Health (SWASTH) in Bihar.
Though Khaira has local water bodies in the form of lakes, inhabitants of the village are mostly dependant on hand pumps to meet their daily household needs.
With the village having a limited number of fluoride-
safe drinking water sources, villagers are forced to either depend on fluoride contaminated sources or to travel long distances to fetch clean drinking water that is free from fluoride contamination.
The BTAST supported Khaira water treatment plant would be managed by a ‘committee’ comprising of ten members chosen from the users and cater to the demand of about 706 families in the village. The committee will be headed by the village head ‘Mukhiya’ and will charge a nominal fee from the beneficiaries and maintain the accounts for its sustainability.
According to a study conducted by B-TAST, Patna, out of a total of 272 hand pumps, 213 revealed fluoride content more than the permissible limit. The study titled ‘Integrated Approach to Fluoride Management in Khaira Village’ was conducted between October 2012 and April 2013.
In addition, a dental survey was also conducted on 143 children in the age group of 8 – 16 years of 3 schools in the village. The survey revealed that out of a total of 143 children, over 28 (20%) were affected by mild fluorosis, 28 (20%) by moderate fluorosis and 21 (15%) by severe fluorosis. Apart from these figures, 21 (15%) of those surveyed were categorised as suspected cases, who in later years may develop clear symptoms of dental fluorosis.
The importance of Khaira water treatment plant is due to the fact that this, if successful, has the potential of being replicated in other needy areas of Bihar. This piloting may be considered as a ‘yard stick’ towards long term mitigation measures for fluoride contaminated ground water in the state.
Prabhakar Sinha, Director, WATSAN, BTAST, believes that the Khaira project is a demonstration of the first community owned water treatment plant in the state with the potential of having the multiplier effect in the region. “The water from this plant will be sold to the community at the nominal rates decided by the local panchayat,” he informed.
Initially, for a period of five months, BTAST would support for the operation and maintenance of the plant and distribution of treated water to user families.
Beyond this period, BTAST will support the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) of the plant for one year. Thereafter, the Gram Panchayat of Khaira village will manage the plant and the entire cost for running the plant will be earned through selling treated water leading to the sustainability of the project.
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Home » Misc » Brees played his high school ball in Austin
Brees played his high school ball in Austin
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Brees played his high school ball in Austin,cheap nike free run, Texas at Westlake High School. Throughout his senior season Brees led his team to a 5A Division II State Championship. They finished the season undefeated; the only time that the school has ever accomplished this feat.
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Ooty which is also known as Udhagamandalam, is a town, a municipality, and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 80 km north of Coimbatore. It is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills. Ooty is situated deep within the Nilagiri hills (which can be literally translated as The Blue Mountains). It is unknown whether this name arises from the blue smoky haze given off by the eucalyptus trees that cover the area or from the kurunji flower, which blooms every twelve years giving the slopes a bluish tinge.
Ooty features a subtropical highland climate (Cwb) under Köppen climate classification. Despite its location in the tropics, in stark contrast with most of South India, Ooty generally features pleasantly mild conditions throughout the year. However, nighttime in the months of January and February is typically cold. Generally, the town appears to be eternally stuck in the spring season. Temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the year; with average high temperatures ranging from about 17–20 °C (63–68 °F) and average low temperatures between approximately 5–12 °C (41–54 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Ooty was 25 °C (77 °F), which by South Asian standards is uncharacteristically low for an all-time record high temperature.The rainy season in Ooty is generally very cool and windy with high humidity. The windchill may fall to as low as 5 °C during the day time. Wind is always high throughout the year. The lowest temperature was −2 °C (28 °F). The city sees on average about 1,250 mm (49 in) of precipitation annually, with a marked drier season from December through March.
Check the places to see in Ooty
How to Reach Ooty ?
From Coimbatore - 80 Kms
From Coonoor - 18 Kms
From Mysore - 155 Kms
From Calicut - 187 Kms
From Cochin - 281 Kms
From Chennai - 535 Kms
Nearest Railway Station - Mettuppalayam (52 Kms)
Nearest Airport - Coimbatore ( 80 Kms )
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You are here: Home / Archives for data breach
IT experts say foreign actors, human error biggest threats to health record security
September 26, 2017 by Paul Clark
Foreign hackers and human error are two of the most significant threats to protected health information (PHI) and other health records that providers and health care entities must prepare for, according to four information technology experts speaking at a conference sponsored by Becker’s Hospital Review. They all agreed that breaches and cyberattacks will continue, so health care institutions must be diligent about security systems, audits, training, insurance, and adequately responding to breaches to mitigate punishment and quickly recovery from an attack..
Weakest link
Aaron Miri, chief information officer for Imprivita, and Michael Leonard, director at Commvault, both noted that regardless of the tools and systems put in place to ward off breaches, malware, ransomware, and other cybersecurity threats, people will always be the weakest link. Leonard noted that when it comes to an institution’s cybersecurity program, “people training has to be continuous and repetitive.”
Katherine Downing, senior director at the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), highlighted one type of “insider threat”—physicians who do work arounds that bypass the security features of electronic health record (EHR) systems (like texting PHI about patients to each other). Although David Miller, CEO of HCCIO Consulting, LLC, was blunter when asked what the biggest threat was to PHI and other health records—”Russia and China.”
Miri noted that providers must deal with a “wide disparity of laws” regarding the security and privacy of health information, not just federal and state laws, but, starting in May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) issued by the European Union. The GDPR replaces a framework of different information security measures that mainly affected just European companies with a national network and information security strategy that will impact American life sciences and healthcare entities that collect and/or use any data concerning health, genetic data, or other types of protected health information (PHI).
Miller expressed amazement at how many health care institutions have not had a HIPAA audit in the previous two years. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reviews organizations’ compliance with the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules and looks for documentary proof that entities have conducted risk assessments and created and implemented policies and procedures governing areas including the shielding of PHI. Miller noted that providers must continually educate and re-educate staff on policies related to HIPAA. But he added that providers can also “take advantage of a breach situation to talk to senior management to increase security measures.”
In addition to protecting PHI, health care entities have to make decisions about destroying records after record retention periods have ended. Katherine Downing, senior director at the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), noted that entities “can’t keep everything forever.” Downing noted that health care entities already have the expense of saving, backing up, and securing required health records; doing the same for older records that no longer have to be retained is just an added expense.
In the end, Miri noted that these are the questions that health care entities have to ask: What are they willing to spend to avoid a breach? What are they willing to risk regarding their reputations?
Filed Under: Cybersecurity, Electronic Health Records, News Tagged With: audits, cybersecurity, data breach, HIPAA, PHI
Preparation is key to HIPAA compliance for health IT vendors
July 24, 2017 by Sheila Lynch-Afryl
Health IT vendors are not breach proof but should be “breach ready,” according to a Health Care Compliance Association webinar entitled, HIPAA: Marketing and Contracting Solutions for Health IT Vendors. William J. Roberts, partner at Shipman & Goodman LLP, discussed strategies for vendors to incorporate compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (P.L. 104-191) into negotiations, agreements, and policies.
HIPAA landscape
HIPAA privacy continues to grow in importance for the health care sector, for both covered entities and their vendors. Roberts said that health IT vendors face two challenges: managing covered entity customers that have concerns about HIPAA compliance, a “major undertaking” when a vendor has thousands of covered entity customers, and a regulatory and enforcement landscape that is shifting its focus from covered entities to vendors (see 2017 OCR resolution agreements off to a strong start, June 30, 2017; Business associates no longer second to covered entities as OCR increases focus, November 22, 2016). He pointed out that 60 percent of business associates have suffered a data breach, and in 2016 HHS imposed a $650,000 penalty in the first HIPAA enforcement action against a business associate (see $650K payment, 6 year CAP resolve nursing home ePHI loss, July 1, 2016).
A vendor should already have developed a formal HIPAA compliance program before reaching out to potential customers, and HIPAA compliance should be at the forefront of a vendor’s pitch or response to a request for proposals. The vendor should provide a summary of its HIPAA compliance policies, including its establishment, review, security, and training. A policy summary, said Roberts, is preferable to disclosing the policies themselves, which would be a “roadmap to being hacked.” Roberts also advised vendors to highlight certifications and set forth clear expectations for the privacy aspects of the proposed relationship.
Business associate agreements
The business associate agreement is a vendor’s first opportunity to make a good impression regarding its commitment to privacy. Vendors should have at least one template agreement, or more than one for different types of customers. Roberts advised knowing what a vendor can and cannot agree to before a negotiation and educating the sales team to avoid later back-pedaling on a promise. He also suggested empowering the customer by providing a “menu” of choices that are acceptable to the vendor—for example, barebones breach notice within five days or a more thorough notice at 15 days.
If customers are or might someday be substance abuse treatment providers, the vendor should consider this same approach for qualified service organization agreements. The vendor should review its customers and potential targets for the application of the “Part 2” confidentiality rules and include a provision in the agreement requiring the customer to notify the vendor of the customer’s status as a Part 2 program.
Data breach response
No human or service is perfect, and a vendor will probably have a data breach at some point, said Roberts, which makes a detailed data breach response plan “vital.” He identified the following elements of a breach response plan:
Develop an incident intake procedure.
Identify the leaders and members of the response team.
Rely on standard templates and standard works.
Consider a “playbook” and/or a breach reporting decision tool.
Develop a customer relations strategy before the breach occurs.
Have support vendors ready to act.
The vendor should not simply notify the customer that a breach has occurred; it should have a plan and proposal that it can offer the customer. The process should:
provide the covered entity the information it needs to fulfill its own legal obligations;
reassure the customer that the situation is under control and being handled properly;
inform the customer of steps the vendor has taken and is willing to take on behalf of the covered entity;
provide a “menu” of services available to the customer; and
create a plan for the future—a holistic look at what the company is doing, not just boilerplate language.
Filed Under: Electronic Health Records, Health Care Compliance, News Tagged With: business associate, data breach, EHR, HealthIT, HIPAA
OCR shows no signs of slowing HIPAA enforcement
February 16, 2017 by Sarah Baumann
The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is on pace to have another record-breaking year for enforcement actions against covered entities (CEs) and business associates (BAs) accused of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (P.L. 104-191) violations. As of February 13, 2017, it had already entered into two resolution agreements with CEs and imposed civil monetary penalties (CMPs) on another for only the third time in its history. Prior to 2016, the OCR had not entered into more than six resolution agreements with CEs or BAs in single year. As of December 2016, the OCR had entered into twice that number. As of February 13, 2016, the OCR had just imposed its second CMP, but had not yet entered into any resolution agreements.
The agency kicked off the year by entering into a $475,000 resolution agreement with Presence Health. Unlike past agreements that settled potential violations of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, the Present Health resolution represented the OCR’s first agreement to resolve potential violations of the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule. Presence failed to notify the OCR, affected individuals, and the media that paper-based operating schedules containing the protected health information (PHI) of 836 individuals had gone missing in the statutorily-required 60-day timeline for breaches affecting more than 500 individuals; instead, it waited more than 100 days.
Eight days later, the OCR announced a $2.2 million resolution agreement with MAPFRE Life Insurance Company of Puerto Rico for Security Rule violations affecting the data of 2,209 individuals. The OCR determined that MAPFRE failed to perform a risk analysis, implement risk management plans, and encrypt data stored in removable storage media led to a breach caused when a thief stole a USB data storage device containing electronic PHI (ePHI).
In early February, the OCR announced that it had issued a final determination and imposed a $3.2 million CMP on Children’s Medical Center of Dallas due to a pattern of noncompliance with the Security rule. Children’s suffered a breach in 2010 due to the loss of an unencrypted, non-password-protected BlackBerry device containing the ePHI of 3,800 individuals. It suffered a second breach in 2013; despite the first breach, Children’s had failed to encrypt a laptop containing the ePHI of 2,462 individuals that was later stolen. The agency determined that the CMP was merited based on Children’s failure to implement risk management plans, in contravention of prior recommendations to do so, and its failure to encrypt mobile devices, storage media, and workstations. The OCR also imposed CMPs against Lincare, Inc., a home health company, in 2016 and against Cignet Health in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 2011.
The agency stepped up enforcement efforts in 2016, in part due to negative reports regarding its performance from the HHS OIG and the Government Accountability Office (GAO). It began the Phase 2 audit process, targeting both CEs and BAs, and announced its intention to allocate resources for the first time to investigate complaints of breaches affecting 500 individuals or fewer. It appears geared to continue, if not ramp up, its enforcement efforts, but the impact of newly appointed HHS Secretary Thomas E. Price, M.D.–who will appoint a new OCR director–remains to be seen. Price, a physician and former Congressional representative has historically opposed government regulatory activity of physicians. However, Adam H. Greene, Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine, suggests that, although Price the physician may dislike HIPAA, “his personal views will [not] necessarily lead to a significant change in enforcement.”
Filed Under: Cybersecurity, HHS, News, Privacy Tagged With: breach notification, CIA, civil monetary penalty, CMP, corporate integrity agreement, data breach, ePHI, HIPAA, ocr, Office for Civil Rights, PHI, protected health information
Hackers to focus on hospitals in 2017
January 4, 2017 by Sarah Baumann
Hackers will target the health care sector above all others in 2017, with their focus shifting from insurers to hospitals, predicts Experian® Data Breach Resolution. The company’s fourth annual Data Breach Industry Forecast also indicates that ransomware will be an increased threat to hospitals. It suggests that “nation-state” cyberattacks will increase, with at least one significant incident in 2017, and that passwords will be phased out in favor of two-factor authentication.
Hospital focus
In 2015, four of the six data breaches reported to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) affecting more than one million individuals targeted health care insurance companies. As a result, Michael Bruemmer, vice president of Experian Data Breach Resolution, noted that many insurers “doubled down on defenses.” Protected health information (PHI) remains a lucrative source of data for hackers, but the report suggests that hackers will seek this information from hospitals, in lieu of insurers, in 2017. Bruemmer noted that hospitals “tend to be more decentralized, making their cybersecurity defenses easier to penetrate.” Electronic health records (EHRs), in particular, are targeted because they are accessible by various entities and individuals. The report predicts that ransomware–which encrypts data, effectively preventing providers from using data unless they pay a ransom–will increase, and may shift from simply locking systems in exchange for money to actually stealing data. At any rate, recent OCR guidance on ransomware makes it likely to be a more publicized topic in 2017 (see Data for ransom: OCR offers ransomware guidance).
Nation-state attacks
The report also anticipates an escalation in cyberattacks between nation-states in 2017, noting that both U.S. presidential candidates discussed the issue in 2016. Although Bruemmer noted in December that the incoming Trump administration’s cyberweapons policy is unclear, he anticipates “a publicly observable action in the near future” and thus recommends that the administration “shor[e] up its defense mechanisms and identify[ ] vulnerabilities.” Amidst heated discussions on both sides regarding Russia’s alleged interference with the recent U.S. presidential election, President-elect Trump appointed Thomas P. Bossert as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. Bossert indicated, “We must work toward cyber doctrine that reflects the wisdom of free markets, private competition and the important but limited role of government,” and noted, “The internet is a U.S. invention,” that should reflect the nation’s values “as it continues to transform the future for all nations and all generations.” The president-elect, recently reflecting on cybersecurity, noted “no computer is safe.”
Death of the password?
The report also predicts that individual passwords will be phased out, in all industries, in favor of two-factor authentication, which requires secondary authentication to allow access to systems and networks. It lists tokens, geo location confirmation, and biometrics as examples of secondary authentication. Individuals’ use of the same passwords for various accounts can lead to “aftershock” breaches, which occur when a password compromised in one breach is used to break into another network in the future. Experian Data Breach Resolution suggests that health care organizations will be forced to use two-factor authentication to protect against aftershocks.
Filed Under: Cybersecurity, Electronic Health Records, News, Privacy Tagged With: cybersecurity, data breach, Experian, hacker, hacking, password, PHI, protected health information, two-factor authentication
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Workers' Strikes and the Battle for Public Opinion
Created: Monday, 18 July 2011 08:07
Ah, so we have the strike season with us again. And with every story goes the same tiresome media refrain: “intimidation.” This, of course, is bolstered by every tame economist saying what they are so well paid to say: “The strikes are bad for the country. Labour laws are too rigid and strikes will only scare off investors and drive up joblessness. The demands being made are way above necessary, and therefore, certain to fuel inflation.”
This is the kind of journalism akin to the millionth re-enactment of a long-running play – Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap, for instance, where the script has long ago been written and it’s only the casting of the central characters that gets adjusted.
Where radio and TV presenters bring on a trade union leader or spokesperson, it’s only to grill them about intimidation and how they can dare to ask for above-inflation wage increases. By way of contrast, corporate and government spokespersons are asked what the effect on their businesses are and what they think the consequences for South African’s economy are. Whereupon they, on cue, repeat what the economists usually say, intimidation, inflation, investors, etc.
And in all this, there is a build up of public opinion that is uniformly hostile to trade unions and striking workers. It’s a strange one this. The struggle for democracy gave rise to a Constitution and a Bill of Rights, which is uniformly praised and regarded as sacrosanct and the very touchstone of our democracy. However, in the midst of the preamble about non-racialism and non-sexism, in the letter and spirit of the right to life, to education and to property, one also finds the “right to strike.”
Imagine the media routinely stigmatising people exercising their right to housing or freedom of speech and hauling out economists to present figures telling us how unreasonable the right to assembly or vote is for investors. What would we say about that?
Similarly within the business media and amongst economists, it is entirely legitimate to argue that an investor, not satisfied with the returns on his/her investment, has every right to withdraw that investment. A customer, not satisfied that he is getting value for money, is able to withdraw his custom. Yet it is reprehensible for a worker to withdraw his/her labour when not satisfied with wages.
In the case of investor withdrawal, this is no abstract hypothesis. South Africa today is severely constrained by the consequences of the withdrawal of its largest monopolies – Anglo American, Gencor/Billiton, SA Mutual, SAB, Liberty – giving rise to a balance of payment deficit, as billions of Rands flow out of the country in the form of profits and dividends, and as the fiscus is denuded by strategies of transfer pricing practised by these South African transnational corporations. This amounts to a capital strike – which unlike the case of workers – is lauded by the business media as instances of our companies becoming “world class.”
As always the reporting of the current strike wave is really a battle for public opinion and in this battle, the first casualty is the truth.
On the one hand there is something perfectly regular, even routine about the current wave of strikes (as there is with the routine round of media condemnation of striking workers). The strikes are a direct result of wage negotiations scheduled for this period (which are deadlocked with employers not prepared to go more than 4 to 5 % and workers demanding in the region of 13% wage increases).
The strikes involve unions who negotiate centrally through Bargaining Councils that bring together almost all firms in one negotiation structure. The engineering and mining sectors have had such centralised bargaining arrangements for many years. The public sector, similarly, has such an arrangement, and they were joined over the last five years by the chemical sector.
The regularity and predictability of this round of wage negotiations is even something that big employer associations have been requesting for many years, as it helps with long-term planning and budgeting.
Over the last 20 years, employers, including the state’s negotiators in the public sector bargaining councils, have pushed for multi-year wage agreements whereby wages are adjusted automatically annually, giving them precisely the certainty they want in contrast to the wishes of the unions who generally favour annual rounds of negotiations (so that they could win more bites at the cherry).
So, for example, in the case of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s (NUMSA) negotiations with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA), these appear to be on schedule, as employers won their demand for multi-year agreements and these just happen to be coming up for review now.
However, while there is something familiar and predictable about the current strikes and the industries involved; there is something different too, which points to a changing landscape that is largely happening beneath the public discourse radar.
Firstly, within the negotiations themselves, there are changes.
It is noticeable how much of a discrepancy there is between what the employers are prepared to offer in relation to what the workers are demanding. In the case of the engineering sector, the difference is between 4% and 13% and already the workers are out on strike. This makes an easy, “honourable” settlement difficult.
This is something shared with the 2010 public sector worker demands. There is an increased emphasis on non-wage issues where both engineering and chemical workers want labour brokers banned while seeking better social rights, like maternity leave. In the case of the public sector strike of 2010, a key demand was a housing allowance.
The fact that workers have been prepared to strike over these issues shows how defined they are by the “quality of life issues” affecting the working class.
For decades workers were well aware of the relationship between nominal wage and what economists call a “social wage” (housing, health and public services in general). Traditionally they would trade off dropping the social wage demands for a higher nominal wage or agree to a lower nominal wage if the employers upped the benefits. But in neo-liberal South Africa, as so patently demonstrated by the ongoing township service delivery revolts, there are almost no public services, so no trade-off is possible.
So workers are, in a sense, forced into going for broke. In other words, they are forced to seek a living wage and demand that employers carry the cost of the non-existent social wage. This is the price to be paid for what is so glibly referred to as the “lean and mean state.”
Nevertheless, the strikes are not only taking place with service delivery protests acting as a backdrop. They are also signs that the sphere of service delivery struggles – which have in the main been community confined struggles up to now - are finding their way into the industrial sphere.
This is something that demands our attention.
Secondly, the employers who are the chief architects of the current multi-year agreements are reaping the worst of the very thing they so desired. The effect of multi-year agreements is that they have the effect of a build-up of expectations and pent-up frustration. Workers have to wait for a number of years before they have the next chance to put their demands on the table and so they are likely to pitch these demands higher.
This was the case with the big public sector strikes in 2010 when the parties who met after the 2009 negotiations agreed (at the employer’s insistence) that they should have a multi-year agreement, which happened to fall in the World Cup year.
Thirdly, the difference between routine strikes and the current strikes – including the 2010 public sector strike – is that they are occurring despite the most unfavourable circumstances for workers.
Strikes are not events that can merely be conjured up by even the most dynamic or progressive of trade union leaders. They don’t happen at the mere whim or discretion of this or that leader, nor are the striking workers mindless rabble or mere followers of some leader’s decision. To be sure we do have a tradition of “one-day stay-aways” – around some issue of state policy or some campaign called by COSATU and other national movements, which are decisions from above, but taken with due regard to leaders’ reading what their membership is concerned about.
But these events are fundamentally different to the indefinite showdowns, which mass wage strikes are. In this instance, as every trade union organiser knows, the obstacles militating against a strike are enormous. Workers, already poorly-paid and with extended families to support, know they will lose wages and that their wage demands may not be successfully achieved.
Although our labour laws protect workers on procedural strikes against dismissal, there are hundreds of ways that employers can punish or even dismiss striking workers without formally making the link between the strike and the dismissal. Even contesting an unfair strike-related dismissal, with the law on a worker’s side, can take months to resolve through the CCMA, and is a huge disincentive to workers risking their jobs by going on strike.
In South Africa, unlike many other countries, there is no provision for a “strike fund” -- the kind of money that can at least tide workers’ families over the dark days of near starvation during a protracted strike. Unlike employers who know well in advance when a protected strike is due and can and do take measures like stockpiling and extra orders in advance to mitigate the effects of the strike, there is no preparation that workers engage in to offset the loss of earnings and the consequences for their families, children’s education and so on.
So every trade unionist knows that protracted strikes have to be driven by the ordinary members, by their decisions to risk all and face the consequences, by their sense of desperation and the support of their families. Such that immediately before and during strikes, every union organiser and leader knows how much they become – however temporarily – servants of their members; how they have to report back to members after their meetings with employers; how much they have to ensure that they act in terms of their mandate and how much the future relations within the union depend on respect for that process.
In normal times, trade unions are not exempt from the degeneration into bureaucracy and the top-down routine-ism that all large organisations suffer from. But strikes are the real expression of workers’ decision-making and passion and, and such, they are important sources of re-vitalisation and democracy for unions.
On a larger societal canvass, strikes also form part of a public referendum on the state of people’s well being at any given time.
So what does this tell us about South Africa today?
This is a country proud to trumpet its democratic credentials in the midst of a global crisis, with an unemployment rate of anything from 26-40% with levels of personal debt exceeding people’s earnings. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people are willing to risk all in the hope that they can recoup some of the losses they experienced since the last round of wage negotiations.
In the context of declining living standards and the crude display of opulence by South Africa’s wealthy, poor people are beginning to forge links between the different moments of their lives in the township and in the workplace. The wage negotiation forums simply serve as a build up to the next round of unfulfilled expectations.
This article was first published online here:http://www.sacsis.org.za/site/article/708.1
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General information for former Appointees
Former Appointees have the same access to the library and to I Tatti’s information technology resources as current Appointees, however a keycard for access outside of public hours must be obtained from the Security staff.
For all appointees, current and former, the only access to the library is through the main entrance and reception area.
If Former Appointees wish to show the collection to visitors (at most one or two at a time), they must arrange this in advance. Please remember that the house and the garden are closed to everyone on weekends.
Everyone who enters the library or house must check their bags, regardless of their status, the reason for the visit, or the length of their stay. Please understand that if someone inadvertently enters with a bag, the guards are expected to examine this when the visitor leaves.
The Library’s collections (Fototeca / Photograph Archive, Archives, etc.), services, and regulations are described in detail in the Library section of this website. Former Appointees must request and present a Berenson Library ID card to use the library and to borrow books and other materials (for onsite use only). From the Library or I Tatti network, former Appointees may access all Harvard Library electronic resources, but a Harvard ID is required for off-site access.
After the first full week of September, former Appointees are welcome at the lunch table every day except Thursday. Please check with reception to sign-up and for indications about availability of space.
The first lunch each year is “on the house” while subsequent lunches cost €12,50; please pay in advance at the reception desk.
Reservations must be made before 10:15 a.m by calling +39 055 603 251
The Granaio is always open to those who bring their own lunch.
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Mary Berenson
Germantown, Pennsylvania, 1864 – Villa I Tatti, Florence, Italy, 1945
(Art Historian, Art Critic, Writer and Lecturer)
Mary Berenson, a scholar of Italian Renaissance art, was the collaborator and wife of Bernard Berenson, whom she often assisted with his research, writing, lecturing, and business affairs. Born Mary Whitall Smith, she was the daughter of two well-known Quaker preachers, Hannah Whitall and Robert Pearsall Smith. She attended Smith College from 1882-1884 and the Harvard Annex (later Radcliffe College) from 1884-5. She left the United States to marry Irish barrister and political hopeful B.F.C. "Frank" Costelloe in 1885, which also necessitated her conversion to Catholicism. Mary and Frank had two daughters, Rachel (Ray), born in 1887 and Karin, born in 1889. Mary's family followed her to England and became deeply involved in social, literary, and cultural circles there. In 1888, Bernard Berenson was introduced to Mary through a mutual friend, Gertrude Hitz-Burton. Having already become dissatisfied with her marriage, Mary followed Bernard to the continent to study art under his tutelage where a passionate but clandestine romance blossomed. Although her rapport with Frank initially remained cordial, they soon began to battle over custody and the religious upbringing of their daughters, and Mary eventually separated from her husband to live and travel with Bernard. In December 1900, a year after Frank's death in 1899, Mary and Bernard were married in a small chapel on the estate of Villa I Tatti, where the couple had recently moved and where they spent the rest of their lives.
At Smith and Harvard, Mary focused on philosophy and studied government, history, and economics. She grew up in an intellectual climate, her parents frequently hosting scholarly and artistic guests such as Walt Whitman, with whom she developed a lasting friendship. It was through her family that she met William James, whose lectures at the Concord School of Philosophy she later attended. Rigorous debate and conversation were the norm in the Smith household, as was contemplation of religious questions. Along with her brother Logan, Mary was passionate about literature and poetry. Her interest in these "cultural" subjects, as well as the study of art, was stimulated in the Harvard environment. Encouraged by her feminist mother, during this period Mary became involved in the women's movements in the United States and England, publishing articles and making speeches on topics such as suffrage and women in politics. After marrying Frank and moving to England, she also used her capacity as an orator to help him with his campaigns for political office.
As the initial fervor of her personal and professional relationship with Frank waned, Mary's dormant, college interest in art and culture rekindled under the influence of Bernard Berenson. She worked closely with Bernard on his projects, frequently writing reviews defending his publications and lecturing about their ideas. She established herself as an art authority with journal articles and in particular a long pamphlet, Guide to the Italian Pictures at Hampton Court: with Short Studies of the Artists, published under the pseudonym Mary Logan in 1894. That same year she played a major role in the writing of the Venetian Painters of The Renaissance, which listed Bernard as the sole author due to the social delicacy of their association. Although she published less as she devoted more of her energy to supporting Bernard's work, in 1908 she published a small article, "A Tentative List of Italian Pictures Worth Seeing." Her books include A Modern Pilgrimage (1933) and A Vicarious Trip to the Barbary Coast (1938).
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Common Rudd
By Angela Han Fish 0 Comments
A bentho-pelagic freshwater fish that is commonly found in Europe and middle Asia is the common rudd, also known as Scardinius erythropthalmus. This fish can be found all around the basins of the Aral, Caspain, Black, Baltic, and North Seas. It has also been introduced into Spain, Canada, New Zealand, Tunisia, Madagascar, Morocco, the USA,
The Marlin is a fish that is famous for its elongate body, its long rigid dorsal fin which almost forms a crest, and its spear-like bill. Its common name is thought to be derived from a sailor’s marlinspike. These animals are very fast swimmers which reach speeds of up to 110 km per hour. A
Goldband fusilier
Also known as the Blacktipped fusilier, the Goldband fusilier belongs to the genus Pterocaesio. This fish is a forager which can be found in tropical reefs, between the latiitudes of 30°N and 27°S and between the longitudes of 40°E to 157°E. In other words, it can be found around reefs in the west Pacific Ocean,
The silky shark is a type of requiem shark that is named after its silky smooth skin texture. It is one of the most abundant pelagic sharks in the world that can be found in tropical waters. This shark was first described and published by the Johannes Muller and Jakob Henle in 1839. These German
Pallid sturgeon
The Pallid sturgeon is a species of ray-finned fish which is endemic to the waters of the Missouri and the lower Mississippi River basins in the USA. It is an endangered species, which is named after its pale color. It is closely related to its more common cousin, the shovelnose sturgeon. The differences between these
Oceanic whitetip shark
The oceanic whitetip shark is a large pelagic shark that lives in tropical and warm temperate seas. This shark goes by many common names in English, such as brown shark, whitetip shark, nigano shark, whitetip whaler, and Brown Milbert’s sand bar shark. It was first described by the Naturalist, René-Primevère Lesson in Louis Dupprey’s world
Also known as the offshore hake, the haddock is a marine fish found in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a very popular fish which is caught for commercial purposes. The haddock can be easily recognised by its black lateral line that runs on its white side. It also has a distinctive dark mark above
Forming the Gobiidae family, gobies are one of the largest fish families with more than 2,000 species in 200 genera. Despite its massive family size, they are actually rather small in size as most are less than 10 cm long. Some goby members also are the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as the Pandaka
Yellow Tang
One of the most popular aquarium fish in the world is the yellow tang. It is a type of saltwater fish species that comes from the surgeonfish family. They are commonly found in shallow coral reefs, between 2 to 46 metres deep in the Indian Oceans and Pacific Oceans, ranging from eastern Japan to western
Humphead Wrasse
Also known as the Maori wrasse, Napoleonfish, So Mei, Mameng, or Napoleon wrasse; the humphead wrasse is found mainly in the coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It is the largest living member of the Labridae family, as males reach up to 2 metres long and females can grow up to 1 metre long. However,
By Angela Han Fish 1 Comment
Wrasses is a large family that belongs to the Labridae type of marine fish. There are one of the largest marine fish families, with 500 species in 60 genera. They are famous for their bright colours. It was first described by Cuvier in 1816. The name, wrasse, derives from the Welsh word of ‘gwrach’, which
Antarctic Cod
Also known as the Antarctic toothfish, the Antarctic cod is famous for many reasons. One of which, is that its name is actually a misnomer as it actually is not even related to a cod, as it is not even in the same order. In fact, it it is more closely related to the Patagonian
One of the most well known members of the sunfish family that is native to North America is the largemouth bass. Also known as a black bass, bigmouth, widemouth bass, bucketmout, Florida largemouth, green bass, Florida bass, green trout, Oswego bass, linesides, southern largemouth, and northern largemouth; it is the state fish of Alabama, Georgia,
Australian Bass
The Australian bass is a highly predatory native fish found in streams along the east coast of Australia. As an iconic fish, they are extremely popular among anglers as they respond to all methods of angling. They are also known as the local’s answer to trout. The Australian bass are often found far upstream in
Nishikigoi, also known as just “koi” in English, is a domesticated type of brocaded carp. Also known as the Japanese carp, they are kept for decorative purposes, as they add life and colour to water gardens or outdoor koi ponds. There are many varieties of Japanese carps, which can be distinguished by the colours or
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Perfume River
August 22, 2017 / Jeffrey / 0 Comments
By Robert Olen Butler
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press; 1st edition (September 6, 2016)
Of all the modern writers I admire and who have inspired me the most, Robert Olen Butler would be at the top of the list. Butler’s latest, Perfume River is a literary tour de force. Beautiful, haunting, and evocative, I have never been moved by a novel as much as I have been moved by this one.
The story about two brothers, Bob and Jimmy, and their strained relationship with their father is the story’s critical mass. The story moves seamlessly back and forth through time as both brothers come to terms with their dying father and the spiritual wounds of the Vietnam War which split apart the family. What’s so moving about the relationship between the father and his sons, is how Bob and Jimmy represent the polarity of the war: Bob the one who goes off to fight to win his father’s favor and Jimmy who wants nothing to do with the war and runs off to Canada. Butler could have stopped here, and the book would have been a fine one as the two brothers in later years reconcile those differences. However, Butler doesn’t. Instead, he takes it to the next level with the real story here: laying to rest the ghosts of war.
One early scene that resonated most for me was on the eve of the Tet Offensive, and the older Bob tries to get back to the compound, and he hides in a banyan tree. It reminded me of this Buddhist statuary at a temple in Ayuthaya, Thailand, where the roots of a banyan tree had grown around it. This moment in the story was both gripping as it was almost surreal the way Butler described it. For Bob, this was a defining moment not only for trying to survive Tet but also the deep, dark secret he will carry with him through life.
The story is also a microcosm of the nation coming to grips with the war and the wounds that still exist. Even more, is the significance of the character of the other Bob, himself a veteran of Afghanistan. As America continues to find itself ensnared in that conflict, the character of the second Bob is a grim reminder of another generation of young men and women sent into harm’s way.
For many of us, who were not in Vietnam, we come with our own perceptions of the war from the movies and documentaries we have seen and the literature we have read, which is good and bad. But my read of Perfume River…there’s this human element with the two Bobs and Jimmy that again, and this is just my perception of the story, has really helped me understand the war and the lives it took…physically, mentally, and spiritually.
It’s hard to say if a novel could provide some semblance of closure for the men still fighting that war, but I believe Perfume River does just that. If anything it serves to remind us of the generation of young men who still carry the scars of war with them. If we are ever truly going to heal as a nation and lay to rest the ghosts of war, it takes authors like Butler to remind us that it can be done.
The New Koreans: The Story of a Nation
By Michael Breen
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (April 4, 2017)
When it comes to writing about Korea—its people, culture, and history—there is no one better up to that onerous task than Michael Breen who has devoted most of his life observing and writing about the country. In his latest book, The New Koreans: The Story of a Nation, Breen does what he knows best. Sorry, if I seem a little bias, but I have known Breen since 2000, when I started writing feature articles for the Korea Times. In all those years, there is no else who can come up to his level when it comes to talking and writing about Korea.
However, this is more than just an outsider’s take on Korea. To be sure, Breen with journalistic flair and cultural sensitivity offers an in-depth look at modern Korea that is unrestrained and honest. This is more than a history of modern Korea, though. Breen endeavors throughout this impressive tome to help readers understand who the Koreans really are through anecdotal musings and historical evidence.
Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the opening chapter which talks about the Sewol tragedy when a ferry sank off the southern coast of the peninsula in the spring of 2014. This was a rather bold on the part of Breen to lead off with this tragedy, but this chapter and his delicate, cultural understanding set the tone for the rest of the book when he tries to make sense of why something like the tragedy and its aftermath could happen. I remembered when this tragedy happened and immediately on Facebook, foreigners in Korea started to chime in about “their take” on the accident and the “culture” that allowed it to happen. Breen, though, the acute observer of Korea that he is, can analyze something critically without being shackled by his deep appreciation for the country. In the process, he helps the reader understand the Korean psyche and character without running the risk of being bias.
One of the things that I liked most about the book were all of his personal anecdotes and his loving attention to detail. Even for this old Korean hat who has lived and worked in South since 1990, I learned some new things about my adopted home. Whether it’s talking about why there’s a wastepaper basket next to a toilet in a public restroom or the manner in which Koreans number and name their streets (one of the first things I learned when I came to Korea and took a taxi—in the days before GPS—was always to make sure I could tell the taxi driver a landmark to help with navigations) Breen’s observations and analyses make for some very enjoyable and insightful reading.
Another thing I liked about the book was how he divided the sections and named the chapters, which helps readers develop a better understanding of Korean than by saying this happened, and then this happened because something else happened. We want to know why it took Korea as long as it did to finally rise from the ashes of the Korean War and become the nation that it is today. We want to know why the Chaebol continue to have a stranglehold on the Korean economy and culture. We want to know why men like Park Chung-hee and Kim Dae-jung played pivotal roles in South Korean politics and their legacies that remain until today. We want someone to explain why K-Pop has become an international phenomenon. And yes, we want to know why something like the Sewol incident could happen.
If there was one book that I would recommend to anyone thinking about coming to Korea to work, study, or simply visit, I would recommend Breen’s book hands down. There’s no one writing about Korea these days more knowledgeable and understanding of Korea than Michael Breen.
August 5, 2017 / Jeffrey / 0 Comments
The first batch of Bureau 39 arrived in Daejeon today, and in the immortal words of Ed Grimley (Martin Short) what a thrill it was to open the box to see all these copies, if I must say. This is one book that readers are going to love holding in their hands. As much as eBooks have given me the chance to read more books, there’s no better thrill a new book gives you when you hold it in your hands and begin to read it. And not just a new book.
I remember it was the summer of 1975 and I was hanging out with my friend David Walther. After he had broken both of his wrists, thanks to a movie I wanted to do (in the movie he had to jump from a train trestle–a story for another time) there wasn’t a lot we could do. Both of us expressed an interest in joining the Air Force after graduation from La-Salle-Peru Township High School the following year. One hot summer day, we walked to the Air Force Recruiting Station on Fourth Street in Peru, Illinois to get some information about the Air Force with David’s father who had served in the Air Force in the 1940s.
On the way back to David’s house, we walked down Fourth Street and stopped at a used book store in the old Turnhall Building. Although very hot, the inside was cool; the smell of all those old books was sweet and musky, like some exotic perfume. We all bought a couple books, and if my memory serves me correctly, I bought a collection of Rod Serling stories. But it was the first time I understood the thrill of holding a book in my hands and thinking not only about the people who might have read it before me, but the author’s life–the sweat and toil that went into its creation. It was that physical connection to other readers and the author which made me realize then, as it does now, the value of the written word and something that all of us writers strive for when we sit down and write.
I loved that feeling. I want to feel it more.
“Jeffrey Miller captures the terror and agony of war up front—not just any war but the “forgotten” Korean War that lives on in the hearts and minds of those who lived through it and the loved ones of those who died. He alternates between images of horror and friendship on historic battlefields with scenes of the warmth, love, longing and sadness of a middle-American family on the home front. Overall, the plot is imaginative, a portrayal of the suffering of war from vivid action to endless waiting and longing. His book is a welcome addition to the scant literature of a war whose significance intensifies with awareness of the threat still posed by North Korea—and the dangers of a second Korean War.” - Don Kirk author of Korea Betrayed: Kim Dae Jung and Sunshine and Korean Crisis: Unraveling of the Miracle in the IMF Era
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Caught! Media Organized Sex Allegation Storm For Political Reasons! Featured
fake narrative
SEx allegations
Caught!Media Organized Sex Allegation Storm For Political Reasons!
Sacrificed "Expendables" In Order To Go After Bigger Fish
By: Jake Fogg
In recent weeks, the mainstream leftist establishment has engaged in a self-eating frenzy, purging many of its own lieutenants.
From the likes of Harvey Weinstein, media legend, Charlie Rose, and Senator Al Franken, the list of those who paid publically for accusations of sexual harassment is long.
The left has long held a contradictive narrative of “women’s rights” that only seemed to be wielded when that man who supposedly violated those “rights” was someone who disagreed publically with leftist ideas. By this standard there are only two of the recent countless accusations being leveled at these so-called molesters who are not leftist progressives thinkers.
Roy Moore and President Donald Trump have both received high-profile public accusations. Of the two, Moore, who lost the bid to replace the Alabama senate seat is the typical Republican that leftists go after in a frenzy to shut down with these types of allegations. However, it is likely that the inability of the media to destroy President Trump up to now is the cause for all of the other allegations.
That is to say that the “good progressive thinkers” that have come to make up the many males purged from the media, Hollywood, and the government were seen as expendable in the battle to take down Donald Trump.
Some see the onslaught of accusations of these men as nothing more than the militant feminist faction taking more control over the entire progressive establishment. It is true that feminists in general, have declared war on society, promoting hatred of certain males, creating issues where none existed before, and trying to confuse the public in general with new standards of gender identification.
But, it is more likely that this progressive male purge is a coordinated effort to prevent critics from arguing examples similar to Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and many others who received a free pass from the feminists within their ranks. In essence, if it weren’t for the need to destroy Donald Trump, the accusations may never have been leveled in the first place.
For decades the mainstream progressive types have worked with the assistance of the media to destroy anyone whose ideology disagreed with their own. The Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings in 1991 are a clear example of this. A known sexual harasser(and likely murderer), Senator Ted Kennedy sat on the committee that questioned Thomas. The same committee leaked false reports to the media, and smeared Thomas’ reputation.
The contradiction of Ted Kennedy versus Justice Thomas is exactly what the deep-state media complex is trying to avoid moving forward, it seems. Whereas in the past, leftist Democrats were aided by the leftists in the media, they are now being lead by the media to create a frenzy in which Donald Trump becomes entangled and eventually ousted.
The mainstream media has mounted a continuous attack against the President that has never been witnessed in the history of the United States. While President Trump has emerged largely unscathed, it is likely that this whole ordeal is nothing more than another scheme in the never-ending assault by the media.
With so many allegations being made, it is almost impossible to discern the real from the false. The establishment heads of the mainstream media know this. For them, overwhelming the news cycle with so many new allegations only gives them more power to convince the viewers that “something needs to be done about this”. Many will be more than happy to help in the takedown of everyone being accused.
Sadly they know that perpetuation of this hysteria will cause lives to be destroyed with very few having the opportunity to prove themselves in a court of law, and fewer yet, the ability to regain their reputation in public.
As far as media figures like Joe Scarborough, Don Lemmon, or Wolf Blitzer are concerned, taking down the President and maintaining control of the narrative and ideology are much more important than preserving a free society where the accused are innocent until proven guilty.
In fact, their dangerous behavior seeks quite the opposite. Whoever the media complex says is guilty doesn’t deserve a trial, but should pay a price even if the accused may be innocent. Often many other lives are destroyed in the crossfire of its so-called reporting of staged “victims”.
Another indication that the allegation storm is a fallacy is the presence of well-known activist and feminist attorney, Gloria Allred. Allred has a history of going after high-profile cases or circumstances for a chance to cash in financially or politically. She has also been used to help destroy political opponents with trumped up allegations that are never proven.
In 2012, presidential candidate, Herman Cain was accused of sexual harassment by mystery women who happened to come out from nowhere to make accusations. At the head of the accusations was Gloria Allred. Herman Cain was polling well as a potential for the Republican nomination until the Allred’s smear campaign which caused him to drop out of the race.
After dropping out, it was found that one Allred’s “accusers”, Sharon Bialek, had a questionable past with ties to the Obama administration, specifically campaign manager, David Axlerod. It was also found out that Bialek had never told a single person of allegations that had happened many years earlier.
Herman Cain was never tried in a court of law and no charges were ever filed. In fact, all the allegations simply disappeared along with Gloria Allred, once Cain dropped out of the race.
But, 2012 was not the only political campaign that fame-seeker appeared in. During the month before the general election in 2016, Gloria Allred made several appearances with other supposed accusers, including Jessica Drake, who claimed that Donald Trump hugged her tightly and kissed her.
More recently, Allred publically appeared with Beverly Young Nelson, who accused Alabama senate nominee, Roy Moore of sexual assault. Allred refused to submit evidence to Moore’s attorneys who questioned its authenticity, possibly violating the California State Bar. It was later found out that portions of the evidence had been forged by Nelson to appear to be from Moore. .
Gloria Allred is partnered with Brave New Films who released a video last month titled “16 Women and Donald Trump”. An obvious cut-and paste endeavor, the video has several images and video clips, mostly from the 2016 presidential campaign. Not to be left out, feminist Allred makes an appearance in the film as an accompanying attorney, posing with one of the accusers over a year ago, prior to the election
.The 16 Women and Donald Trump video as well as the site offers more evidence that the sexual assault meltdown is another premeditated attempt to take down Donald Trump. The video was posted to You Tube on November 15 of this year, a full month after the assault leftist feeding frenzy commenced; and almost a full month prior to renewed allegations leveled at the President.
Moreover, the Brave New Films is an extreme leftist activist organization that is against any and all points of view counter to its own. The organization’s web site is no more than a social justice media center that advances ideas that are counter to freedom and liberty.
A notice on the site reads “Please share this video to remind the nation that Hollywood isn’t the only place abuse happens and that our current president isn’t immune to being held accountable.” This call to action, being posted almost a full month prior to the renewed allegations against Trump, shows clear premeditation with mal intent.
All attempts by InternetDeputy.com to contact the offices of Gloria Allred and Brave New Films were met with defiance to answer any questions.
Feminist activism is tearing apart the fabric of several nations including the UK, France, Germany, and The United States. It has progressed far beyond the plight of women’s rights and into a movement that seeks to destroy men and restructure nations in general. The movement relies on accusations instead of fact, and emotions instead of empirical data.
Extreme feminism is used to silence the opposition in countries that have traditionally enjoyed freedom of speech. And, combined with the mainstream media, it is now attempting to topple the President of the United States who was elected in accordance to the laws of this country.
Feminism, traditionally being one of the contradictions in the leftist movement, has its own contradictions from within that call into question the validity of its motives and the values it promotes. For example, these feminist extremists claim women are unique and undervalued by men in society, but also say that gender doesn’t exist at birth.
If, as they say, a man can call himself a woman or a woman can decide she is a man, then how is it possible that women are unique?
The very notion that feminism supports wo
men is laughable to critical thinkers who also see many successful conservative-libertarian type women, such as Sarah Palin or Ann Coulter, being publically castigated and even prevented from engaging in free speech by the movement’s activists.
In addition, the bizarre support for the hard line Islamic idea of Sharia Law by high-profile feminists as Linda Sarsour should also damage severely the “women’s rights” concept of the feminist movement. Sharia law, by nature maintains that women are no more than slave property to be controlled by males in society. In some cases, Sharia even prevents women from enjoying sex, relegating them to the status of a tool to be used for male sexual enjoyment only.
The Council of American Islam Relations (CAIR-Hamas), a terrorist front group that promotes Sharia, supports the feminist movement by teaming up with women like Sarsour. Together they intentionally mislead hundreds of thousands of feminist believers under the guise of “social justice”, down a path to their own destruction and loss of liberty.
In the endless news cycle it is unknown just how many accusers are real and how many are fake. However, the attempt to rehash allegations from the 2016 campaign is an indication that the deep-state media complex is getting desperate and will stop at nothing to take down the President. After all, many of these allegations were discredited more than a year ago, having little to no impact on the election process as intended.
False Russian Collusion stories, continuous attacks against Trump on all fronts, and now repackaged questionable allegations of sexual harassment, are more about chipping away at a President’s reputation in order to increase the chances of impeachment later on.
Even with the election defeat of Roy Moore looming in the background, it is highly likely that this will, once it blows over, have little impact on the current status of President Trump. Those who voted for Donald Trump seem to be relatively unaffected in their ability to identify and call out the media for its use of fake news in order to promote a narrative.
There are two very different Americas inside the United States. Not to be fooled, one side seeks to preserve freedom and liberty as intended by the founders. The other seeks to use social issues to rally the uninformed to causes with the
underlying motive to steal the liberty and force all citizens to live under the control of elites.
The misleading actions of leftists and the deep-state media complex have and will continue to test the strength and resolve of the informed, who see what is happening around them. To them, this is not only an attack on the President they put in office, but more importantly an attack on the freedoms they so desire to maintain.
Read 2135 times Last modified on Thursday, 14 December 2017 19:50
More in this category: « Trump's FCC Rolls Back Communism Caught! Reason Behind Allegation Storm Revealed! »
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Just A Song
Thoughts on songs and songwriters.
Steve Earle: Mercenary Song
SONG Mercenary Song
WRITTEN BY Steve Earle
PERFORMED BY Steve Earle
APPEARS ON Train a-Comin' (1995), Heartworn Highways (2006)
Story songs generally propagate the exploits of mythic figures or relate the adventures of larger-than-life characters. The story of John Henry is one of the oldest and most famous American story songs, one that school children still learn today. The fun thing about them is that they invite the listener to identify with the protagonist: Thus, for a few minutes, any of us can become a "steel drivin' man" stronger than anyone around.
Steve Earle's "Mercenary Song" combines the tradition of the story song with the masculine ideal of a laconic man who "does what he's best at" regardless of the danger or personal cost. In this case, the unnamed mercenary finds himself not only alienated from the comforts and familiarity of his home state of Georgia, but from his country as well ("Been called mercenaries and men with no country"). The unsavoriness of his profession will always make it difficult to "go back to Georgia" and "settle down quiet."
At the same time, there's an undeniable romantic lure to being "soldiers in search of a war." The pursuit takes the mercenary to exotic locales such as Durango, Mexico, and Chile, and allows him to rub shoulders with the likes of Pancho Villa. And, he's able to march to his own beat "under the flag of the greenback dollar or the peso down Mexico way." Earle sings "Mercenary Song" song with such skill that he evokes both the allure and fatalism of this sentiment, especially given the prior line "we'll fight for no country but we'll die for good pay."
"Mercenary Song" is one of the Steve Earle's first songs and remains one of his best. You can hear an early version on Heartworn Highways (recorded and filmed around 1980) or check out the version below on his outstanding album Train A-Comin'. Train was the first of a run of five superb albums released by Earle between 1995-2000, culminating in Transcendental Blues (2000), arguably his finest work.
Me and ol' Billy we both come from Georgia
Met Hank out in New Mexico
We're bound for Durango to join Pancho Villa
We hear that he's payin' in gold
I guess a man's got to do what he's best at
Ain't found nothin' better so far
Been called mercenaries and men with no country
Just soldiers in search of a war
And we're bound for the border
We're soldiers of fortune
And we'll fight for no country but we'll die for good pay
Under the flag of of the greenback dollar
Or the peso down Mexico way
When this war is over might go back to Georgia
And settle down quiet some where
I'll most likely pack up and head south for Chile
Heard tell there's some trouble down there
And we're bound for the border...
Mercenary Song (Album Version) - Steve Earle
Posted by K. at 5:50 PM
Labels: John Henry, Mercenary Song, Steve Earle
Roy June 3, 2009 at 9:02 PM
I think I've heard this before; at least, it was ringing bells while I listened.
The story song doesn't get much play these days, but we all grew up on them back in the 50s and 60s. My favorite has to be "Charlie On the MTA": "Well did he ever return? No he never returned, and his fate is still unknown. (Poor old Charlie)..." Even though it's a satire on public transit, it still has all the elements of the story song. What a versatile form!
And if you posted this Monday why am I only just now seeing it? Is Blogger hiccupping?
Premium T. June 3, 2009 at 9:03 PM
Love this song. I want to play it loud in the car with the windows rolled down, foot to the pedal.
K. June 3, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Roy: No problems with Blogger. I assembled some of the entry on Monday and forgot to change the posting date.
T.: Ditto! And singing it at the top of my lungs!
About Just A Song
After a hiatus, I want to revive Just A Song. My move east has exposed me to all kinds of new (to me) talent who have inspired me to take pen in hand. As always, all entries will include the name of the artist and song, the albums it appears on, miscellaneous notes, the lyrics, and an audio and/or video of the song. Some entries will also feature annotations and/or a brief essay about the song. I'll also include links to official web sites and reviews.
Palabros Como Rosas Award
Killian Good
RGG
stupid and contagious
Christy Moore: Viva La Quinta Brigada
Jackson 5: That's What You Get For Being Polite
Judy Garland and others - Over the Rainbow
Greg Brown and Jimmy Lafave: I Want My Country Bac...
Dan Seals and Cheryl Wheeler: Addicted
Los Lobos: Will The Wolf Survive?
Teena Marie : Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)
Ronee Blakely: Dues
Woody Guthrie: Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)...
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A Moral Case for Strikes against Syria? Part I: Humanitarian Intervention
By Sara Van Goozen
On 23 April, 2018
In International, War
Early on Saturday, 14 April, it was announced that the US, UK and France had conducted targeted strikes on three targets in Syria – a chemical weapons and storage facility, a research centre and a military bunker – in response to Assad’s (alleged) use of chemical weapons in Douma. The reaction to this news was mixed. One key problem that was highlighted was the question of the legality of the strikes, under both domestic and international law. However, although these are of course very important issues, a different one has remained relatively unexplored: could these strikes be permissible from a moral perspective? Given that international law is largely customary, and given that law doesn’t exhaust the limits on our behaviour, this is a crucial question.
There are a number of ways in which the resort to strikes on regime targets in Syria could be justified. The common moral framework for thinking about the morality of war, just war theory, recognises a number of reasons for legitimate use of force: self-defence against aggression, defence of another state against aggression and, increasingly, intervention to alleviate humanitarian suffering. In this post and the next, Anh Le and I will consider whether the strikes could be justified according to the standards set by just war theory. Here, I will consider possibly the most controversial just cause: intervention in order to stop severe suffering. In the next post, Anh will investigate whether the strikes can be considered morally legitimate as forms of punishment.
According to the UK government, the strikes constituted “military action to alleviate the extreme humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people by degrading the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons capability”. The government argues for the legality of the strikes by appealing to the international legal standards for humanitarian interventions (HIs). The strikes were legitimate, it claims, because they satisfied the conditions of a legitimate HI. Legally speaking, this argument is shaky to say the least. But from an ethical perspective, it could be claimed that the current legal rules on interventions are too strict. Theresa May suggested as much when she claimed that, had they waited for UN approval (as the law requires), the action would surely have been vetoed by Russia. This raises the question: could the humanitarian intervention argument constitute the best moral case for these strikes?
Both legally and morally, the standard, mostly undisputed, instances in which HI is permissible are genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The UK’s position appears to be that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime constitutes a war crime. The first question that needs to be raised here, is why? Though horrific, the number of casualties caused by chemical weapons is dwarfed by the casualties Assad’s forces have caused by conventional means. What is it that makes the former so much worse than the latter?
One possible difference between chemical and conventional weapons is the way in which they kill people. Eye-witness reports from Douma described victims who “were twitching, others [who] had abnormal pupils, and some were foaming at the mouth”. The moral problem with such chemical weapons compared with conventional weapons, it could plausibly be argued, is that they kill or harm in an unnecessarily painful way. Especially when you consider that modern weapons are becoming increasingly precise and discriminate, the suffering caused by chemical weapons is excessive and necessarily disproportionate.
The other reason why chemical weapons (as well as biological weapons, landmines, or cluster munitions) could be considered worse than other weapons is that the effects of their use are very difficult to contain. As a result, there is a sense in which these kinds of weapons are by their very nature indiscriminate. As I’ve argued here before, the use of indiscriminate weapons is practically always wrong.
So it seems reasonable to think that there is a moral difference between chemical weapons and (many) conventional weapons. But does this mean that it was morally permissible to intervene against the Syrian regime because they used chemical weapons? This doesn’t necessarily follow.
The reason I am hesitating here is less to do with the question of whether preventing the use of chemical weapons is a just cause, but with the other necessary conditions for a legitimate humanitarian intervention. In order for any military action to be morally permissible, just war theory suggests it needs to satisfy a number of requirements, known as jus ad bellum. These requirements typically include: just cause, legitimate authority, reasonable chance of success, right intention, proportionality, and last resort.
Assuming for the sake of argument that stopping the use of chemical weapons constitutes just cause, my view is that there remain important issues regarding the success, proportionality, and last resort requirements. Jeremy Corbyn, UK Leader of the Opposition, suggested that non-violent ways to try to prevent the future use of chemical weapons had not been fully exhausted, effectively questioning whether the strikes satisfied the last resort requirement. The condition I’m most interested in, however, is the requirement that HIs have a reasonable chance of success. This requirement is moreover closely linked to the requirement of proportionality – the requirement that any harm caused is proportionate to the good achieved. If use of force is very unlikely to be successful, then it will struggle to meet the proportionality requirement.
These two requirements raise a number of issues. First, proportionality is notoriously difficult to determine. For instance, what should the harm caused be proportionate to? Should it be proportionate to the harm that has already been caused, or to the harm that would counterfactually have occurred had the intervention not taken place? And if, as seems plausible, proportionality requires the latter baseline, how can we estimate this? In a conflict as intractable, and with an adversary as difficult to read as Assad, these questions are especially difficult to answer.
Second, we need to consider what “success” really means in the context of HIs. This is both a general issue with the success condition in the context of HIs, and with the humanitarian justification for these strikes in particular. In general, it seems that when interventions are considered permissible, “success” would involve either effecting a significant change in a state’s policy, or, more likely, regime change of some sort. Achieving these goals would likely require a combination of tactics, including a significant presence on the ground. The 1999 NATO intervention in Kosovo was, to some extent, effective and conducted exclusively from the air. However, as the situation in Libya makes clear, there is no reason to think that this is something interveners can safely assume.
In other words, if the goal of the Syrian strikes was to alleviate the suffering caused by Assad’s use of chemical weapons, then the intervention should have been conducted in a way that could be considered to have a reasonable chance of achieving its aim. Previous strikes by the US didn’t discourage Assad, and there is no reason to think that these strikes will achieve their intended aim. This means that the use of force was disproportionate. The strikes appear mostly symbolic – but symbolism won’t alleviate overwhelming humanitarian suffering and so the UK Government’s appeal to the humanitarian intervention paradigm can only be considered insincere.
Sara Van Goozen
I am an associate lecturer in political philosophy at the University of York. My research interests are in global ethics, just war theory and global justice, but I also like to read, and intend someday to write, about international (humanitarian) law, international relations theory, security, and other such topics. I’d probably have more time to do the latter if I didn’t spend a lot of time watching videos online featuring inter-species animal friendships.
Values in Science & Science in Normative Theorising
A Moral Case for Strikes against Syria? Part II: Punitive Strike
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ETS Launches New TOEFL® Customer Support Center in Turkey to Accommodate Growing Number of Test Takers
origin: ETS Launches New TOEFL® Customer Support Center in Turkey to Accommodate Growing Number of Test Takers (http://www.ets.org)
Princeton, N.J. (April 21, 2011) —
In response to increasing interest from Turkish students regarding the TOEFL® test, Educational Testing Service (ETS) has announced a new, toll-free customer support center to serve test takers in that country.
The TOEFL Customer Support Center in Turkey offers guidance and timely information for students regarding the TOEFL test. Services include multi-lingual support and assistance to students in identifying test preparation materials, locating test centers, obtaining score reports, ordering additional score reports and other pre- or post-administration inquiries.
The new center is accessible by phone toll-free directly from Turkey, Monday—Friday from
9 a.m.—5 p.m. EET, at 00-800-1420-32020. In addition, student inquiries can be sent via e-mail to TOEFLSupport4Turkey@ets.org.
"We constantly explore new ways to make the testing process easier and more efficient for TOEFL test takers," said Teresa Sanchez-Lazer, Executive Director of the TOEFL Program. "We believe the customer support center will foster new opportunities to directly engage with the growing number of Turkish test takers and address their questions pertaining to the TOEFL test. We look forward to the launch of this new channel of communication with test takers from Turkey."
Students should still contact the Regional Registration Center at 31-320-239-540 to register for the TOEFL test or to cancel a test registration.
For more information regarding the TOEFL test, including sample test questions, registration, and study tips, visit the TOEFL® Go Anywhere website at www.toeflgoanywhere.org.
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Elle Perez
Jagdeep Raina
From Issue 33 — FW18/19
Having grown up in the underground Bronx punk community, and gaining a public stage at a time when transgender and gender-nonconforming people are fighting to see their rights acknowledged, Elle Pérez talks with Jagdeep Raina about the process of making a portrait—an open conversation with the subject, carrying the traces of the artist’s diasporic experience.
JAGDEEP RAINA The first time I encountered your work was through a series depicting underground spaces and nightlife. You told me that nightlife for you was not only a subject of interest, but a part of your identity formation as well, particularly growing up in the Puerto Rican diaspora within the Bronx. This really resonated with me in many ways. Coming from diasporic communities myself, I’ve often turned to the archive to imagine what radical realities must have looked like.
ELLE PÉREZ I feel so lucky to have grown up within the underground Bronx punk community during the 2000s. I can tell that it’s affected the way that I conceive of myself, my community, others, and what is possible in ways I can’t fully understand. At the same time, I think I’ve always known how important that experience was and would be, even while it was happening. I knew I needed to photograph it because it was special, and I wanted to do. I was so taken by the people, the situation, the urgency, the passion, the sweat and the physicality of it, while also being aware of the historic possibility of what it was we were doing. I knew I was doing something for posterity, to mark what once was so that others would know that it, and we, had existed. I don’t know how I knew this, but I knew that it might take a while for people to “get it.” I recently put those photographs back on my website. They’re some of my favorite photographs to go back to.
JR What does it mean for you, when you reflect on older bodies of work knowing that you have truly captured a historic moment in time?
EP The artist Simon Leung said something recently that stuck with me, which is that an archive is made primarily for the future. The passing of time allows for the images to engage with history, in that I’m able to track what has happened (personally, politically, socially, environmentally) since their making. For example, the body of work that I did in 2011, “Outliers,” consisted of portraits of genderqueer and gender-nonconforming queer people. In 2011, people were still realizing the potential of Tumblr and Instagram to connect people and affirm and create community, and “genderqueer” was only starting to become popularized online as a term for a particular transgender or trans-adjacent identity.
Now in 2018, gender-neutral pronouns in major cities and media outlets are common-place and growing in acceptance. There are a growing number of non-linear trans narratives available in media and art; I can talk to my doctor at Planned Parenthood about being gender nonconforming and still receive hormone therapy. All of this was unimaginable in 2011. And of course, there is what has not changed. The epidemic of violence against transgender women (the majority of those being black women), the restrictive medical gatekeeping, the extreme rates of homelessness, joblessness, poverty and suicide among transgender and gender-nonconforming people. All of these things can be measured with and against not only my photographs, but the photographs of other image-makers like Mariette Pathy Allen, who were making work that empathetically chronicles trans life long before me.
I think this impulse to create a photographic ledger partially comes from desiring to understand my own and my family’s history, but having that be inaccessible to me. I can trace my family back to my great grandparents, and then it stops. Both my parents’ families are from Puerto Rico, which only did its first census in 1899. Before that, the Spanish did a terrible job of keeping records, and my families were of mixed races, farm workers, domestic workers, and from the rural mountains, so they were not likely to have recorded histories anyway. The great-grandparent I know the most about was a judge in Arecibo that raped my great-grandmother and then paid for her ticket to New York as a way to cover up what he had done. And “what he had done” made my grandmother. He and his family refused to recognize her and my father as relatives for the rest of his life. And yet, she asked me in 2012 to try to find his grave in Barceloneta to make an image of it. I go to the cemetery there every time I’m in Puerto Rico and have never found his grave, but have made many photographs over the years in that cemetery during my search efforts. How do you pick up these pieces? I guess you just start.
JR In many ways, I find that your older work has already started to develop this special historical importance, because of your gifted ability to capture such breathtaking moments in time. I was recently thinking of the words of John Akomfrah, who said that the archive is one of the few spaces and reservoirs of memory for diasporic subjects, and being in New York last week, getting to see his exhibition at the New Museum followed immediately by your work at MoMA Ps1… To say that it was an emotional experience for me is definitely an understatement!
Spending time with Diablo, a collage board you presented at PS1, I was really moved to experience the power of active listening and introspection. I took my time, read all of the writings, and looked at the weaving of photographs that were both by you and by other artists. In what capacity do these collected materials exist alongside the photographs you make?
EP I have always made this kind of image collection, even as a kid. I had this entire wall collage in my childhood bedroom that was really intense. I was surrounded by these images and pieces of text for years. It really hurt to take it down when my dad had to repair the leaking walls, more than anything else I’ve ever dismantled in art. After that, I’ve made one in every studio I’ve had. So when we were discussing the show at PS1, and Klaus and Jody were interested in doing something that evoked the feeling of being in my studio, this piece came along as a kind of evolved version of one of my foundational impulses.
JR What also inspires me in your work—as someone who is not a photographer, but relies on photography as a conduit for creating paintings and drawings—is your ability to take the frozen moments of distance and documentation, and inject them with tenderness, care and intimacy. I believe this quality also comes with the investment and ethics you have with building relationships and working with people over time.
EP It’s funny, because I am a photographer who has come more and more to rely on the language of painting to explain what it is I am doing. The way that time happens in both the making of the painting and the image itself; the way time wrestles with itself between timelessness and the urgency of the mark; the way space is rendered, created, alluded to, or flattened; the role of opacity and transparency; the gesture, the pose and the convention of the portrait; the relationships between colors; the haptic. Simon Leung, who I am lowkey obsessed with at the moment, recently said that painting was fundamentally about a desire to touch the subject. I about lost my shit when he said that, because it rang so true for the way I was working in photography.
I don’t really think of these images as “documentation.” I think of them more like one would think of painted portraits done from life, like those done by Angela Dufresne or Alice Neel. You know the image is the result of an encounter, and you also know it’s the result of an interpretation. The photographs are also made with an understanding of what will be lost upon translation into a photograph—all context, all discursive identity, all feeling from the moment of making—and that loss for me isn’t mourned. I accept the terms of photography, and prefer to think about it more in regard to form. Form is perhaps the thing I think about that has the closest connect to queerness for me, because “form” necessarily cannot be something that is rigidly or finally defined; it is relational and always re-inventing itself.
JR I am interested in what happens when time moves forward. When relationships and people grow and change, evolving from what they initially were when you created an artistic and photographic bond, how do you negotiate and reflect on those changes?
EP The thing about photographing people is that it’s always an open conversation. It’s not the same with all photographers, but for me, the image has always been a contract of care. The process of photographing is a slow one—no rush, more like the development of a relationship. There were a few times when I almost photographed someone, brought my camera and everything, but it wasn’t time yet. A question I’ve been trying to figure out for myself is, “What makes it time?” Perhaps an intimacy, or a trust finally being achieved. There is a difference in how quickly different people can get there—some people have the walls down immediately, while for others it takes a long time. This sensitivity to trust is something I am proud of myself for, and I consider it a formal strategy of the work. Formal distance also helps make the image become compelling to others.
There are a handful of people I have photographed over many years. Of course, as time moves on, people change. There have also been times where in very real human ways, the relationship changes or ends, and to honor that contract of care, I’ve pushed those photographs to the background or stopped showing them at all. This of course has been majorly complicated by the Internet. Not only do I have to contend with the object(s), but also with the JPEG, and how endless unknowable and untraceable copies of that image exist out in the world. I am very careful now about putting an image on the Internet, because at the moment, it is an unretractable gesture.
JR Stepping away from your portraits of people for a moment, can you talk about the role that urban space and landscape—whether it is Baltimore, the Bronx, or elsewhere—continues to play in your work?
EP When I was growing up in the Bronx, I deeply felt that where I was could only be the periphery. There’s lots of ways I can think about this or analyze the reasons and the wrongness of that thought, but what I’ll say instead is that I am incredibly grateful that I have an opportunity to image it now. The mental and literal distances that I’ve traveled in order to understand myself and the places that mean a lot to me have allowed me the privilege of being able to hold the Bronx or Puerto Rico at a distance while always feeling familiar. And that familiarity is not just visual—it’s how the space feels, how it smells, and an awareness of the layers of life on top of a place.
I’m still trying to find a mode of thinking about place in the work. For a long time, I had been trying to shed some of the conventions of photography—the idea that a narrative has to be tied to a place, or that a project had to have recurring characters or a recurring location. I think it was coming from doing art school during Alec Soth’s meteoric rise, and how extremely influential his work was to how so many of us thought about photography. He revealed a new paradigm, with his ability of addressing the soft malleable space between fiction and nonfiction, documentary and directorial. I had to do a lot of work to move away from that approach that was popular in mid-2000s photography and influenced my earlier work, which I think has a way of reifying, exoticizing or reinforcing mythologies about places.
So I thought the more honest thing to do was just let place be something incidental in the photographs. I wanted to be able to make a picture anywhere, and what it ended up revealing was the network of locations I live my life in (Maine, Virginia, New York, Puerto Rico, the Bronx, rural Massachusetts), the privilege of being mobile, the pattern of seasonal moving for jobs. Maybe it has to do with trying to figure out how to image in a diasporic way. It ends up being more about the traces, surfaces, visual patterns and echoes, what travels, what remains true, what is brought from place to place, how do different things mean something new or the same in each context, and putting that all together.
Elle Pérez (American, b. 1989 ) lives and works in New York. They currently teach photography at Harvard University and serve as Dean at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.
Jagdeep Raina (canadian, b. 1991) is an artist who studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.
All images courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, New York.
Wu Tsang
Interview by Venus Lau
Words by Matthew Linde
Interview by Charlie White
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Officer Involved in Shooting in Hollywood Division NRF048-17fp
The officers involved in the below incident have been identified as follows:
Police Officer III Brenda Castor, Serial No. 35368, Lance Perkins, Serial No. 36787, Abel Torres, Serial No. 39070, Police Officer II Nestor Escobar, Serial No. 40031, Victor Gone, Serial No. 41712, Jonathan Gundell, Serial No. 41806, Xiuhnenetl Lopez, Serial No. 40826, Jeffri Norat, Serial No. 41444, Miguel Nunez, Serial No. 36181, Alejandro Pineda, Serial No. 39942,
Police Officer II Jose Rivera, Serial No. 42137 and Thomas Zizzo, Serial No. 41603.
**The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department's understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**
Hollywood Hills: On June 22, 2017 at around 11:00 p.m., Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood uniformed patrol officers responded to a battery radio call in the 7200 block of Hillside Avenue. The officers were met by a male who appeared to have been battered. The victim advised officers the suspect Santino Cesar Trevino, in his twenties was his roommate. The officers were directed to the fourth floor of the apartment complex. The officers, while standing by the front door, observed Trevino inside the apartment, Trevino produced a handgun, resulting in an Officer-Involved-Shooting (OIS). Trevino retreated further into the apartment, concealing himself from the officers. The officers remained at the door of the apartment and requested Help via communications. When additional officers arrived, they observed Trevino standing on a balcony facing the street pointing an object at them, resulting in an additional OIS.
Trevino sustained a gunshot wound and fell to the floor of the balcony where he was taken into custody. Los Angeles City Fire Department Paramedics responded and pronounced Trevino deceased at scene. A loaded handgun was recovered and no officers were injured.
LAPD's Force Investigation Division (FID) responded to the scene and began interviewing witnesses and collecting forensic evidence. A representative from the Office of the Inspector General and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office responded to the scene. The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police and the Board of Police Commissioners to determine whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD's policies and procedures. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office will also review the evidence collected during the investigation to determine whether any criminal laws were violated.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is urged to call the LAPD at any of the following numbers:
• During business hours at (213) 486-5230;
• During non-business hours or on weekends at (877)-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247);
• Anonymously 24-hours a day to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or by texting "LAPD" and your tip to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S); or
• Online at www.lapdonline.org and click on "Anonymous Web Tips.
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Kentish Football
Vanarama National League & Vanarama National League South
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Kent County League
Erith and Belvedere
Kent League
Erith Town
Lordswood
Thamesmead
We have to be challenging for promotion again next year, says Dartford boss Tony Burman
DARTFORD manager Tony Burman says it’s getting harder and harder to win a League title.
The Darts finished in third-place in the Vanarama National League South table having collected 84 points from their 42 match campaign, having finished in the top eight with 59 points in the bag the previous season.
However, Maidenhead United claimed the league title after bagging 98 points, while runners-up Ebbsfleet United banked 96 this time out.
Dartford suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to fourth-placed finishers Chelmsford City, who will travel to Ebbsfleet United for Saturday’s Promotion Final.
It took Rod Stringer’s direct side 160 minutes to break the stalemate in the tie when former Bromley striker Louie Theophanous buried Chris Dickson’s cross after a mistake by the corner flag by Tom Bonner.
Striker Dickson scored a cracking goal on the counter-attack with five minutes remaining, before Dartford scored a last-minute consolation through Duane Ofori Acheampong’s tenth goal of the season.
“I start talking to all of the players whether they’re here for next year or not and then we’ll have a go next year but we have to be challenging again for promotion,” said Burman.
“It hasn’t quite worked for us this year but we’ve improved on the year before. It’s been a good season and it’s been a privilege to work with all of the players that I’ve had.”
Burman has been surprised that his side – whom reached their 84 points target – did not win the league title this season.
“You have to live with disappointment,” said Burman, who took over from Tommy Sampson back in 2005.
“You learn more with the disappointment than what you do when you’re winning. I’ve gone through two relegations (from the Conference, now called the National League), that people keep reminding me about but you have to life with that.
“I’ve probably leant more in those relegations than you do when you’re winning but it is football and at the end of the day you try to improve again next year.
“We’ve had 84 points this year from 42 games. It’s a brilliant total of points and that used to win it. Last year 64 points finished fifth (Sutton United won the title with 90, Ebbsfleet United finished runners-up with 84).
“It’s getting harder to win it and it’s getting harder to avoid relegation and people have got to realise that in the league above you’ve got to get over 50 points to survive. It’s unbelievable really but that’s the way it is and that’s what we have to do.”
Visit Dartford’s website: www.dartfordfc.com
ADVERTISE HERE FOR FREE DURING
JULY AND AUGUST 2019.
FIRST TO RESPOND GETS FREE
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Created by Red Dragon I.T. Ltd
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Emily Ratajkowski in a Pink Suit Was Spotted Out in NYC 06/17/2019
June 19, 2019 Ethan
The 28-year-old model and actress Emily Ratajkowski, who made her runway debut in 2015, walking for Marc Jacobs, in a pink suit was spotted out in NYC.
Emily Ratajkowski in a Printed Dress Was Seen Out in NY 07/11/2019
Emily Ratajkowski in a Red Blouse Takes Her Dog for a Walk in New York City 07/08/2019
Emily Ratajkowski Attends 2020 Jacquemus Spring Summer Show in Valensole 06/24/2019
Emily Ratajkowski in a Green Pants Walks Her Dog in New York City 06/20/2019
Emily Ratajkowski Attends the Lying and Stealing Screening at Cinepolis Chelsea in New York City 06/17/2019
Emily Ratajkowski Attends the 73rd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York 06/09/2019
Emily Ratajkowski in a Beige Suit Was Seen Out with Her Puppy in New York City 06/03/2019
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Public Bodies Bill – the continuing debate
by Lord Norton • 05/02/2011 • 7 Comments
I agree with Lord Knight’s assessment of the Public Bodies Bill. It is making slow progress through the House. This is in part because of time being taken by the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill and also because peers are keen to discuss the bodies included in the different schedules of the Bill. A number are proving especially controversial. The attention given to the Bill’s provisions are entirely appropriate.
The Bill raises signficant constitutional issues, not least because of the provisions of Schedule 7. This constitutes a Henry VIII provision, a point I have developed in a previous post. It enables ministers to repeal primary legislation by order. In other words, a body established by statute – having been considered by Parliament in some detail – can be removed by an order moved by a minister, which may receive little or no debate in Parliament – possibly no debate in the Commons and debated but not voted on in the Lords.
The Constitution Committee, as Lord Knight, mentions issued a critical report on the Bill, one that largely shaped debate on Second Reading. Schedule 7 has few friends in the House. I have given notice of my intention to oppose it remaining the Bill. I have support from all parts of the House. Not only does it appear largely friendless in the House, it does not appear to enjoy glowing support from members of the Govermnment either. When Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, Kenneth Clarke, appeared before the Constitution Committee last month, we asked him about Henry VIII provisions. He made clear that he rather agreed with the criticisms of them expressed by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and he referred to the quasi-judicial bodies included in Schedule 7 which the Government have now agreed to remove. However, not only did he concede that they should come out, but added: “I have already said that we have taken out of Schedule 7 a whole raft of bodies in my area that really should never have been there in the first place.”
For good measure, he also said: ” I would have thought that to put something in the schedule just in case some future Government wants to vary the statutory powers, with the wisdom of hindsight I would have said that you’ll never get that through the House of Lords. But there we are.”
With friends like that… Like Lord Knight, I suspect the Government may be close to conceding that the Schedule (and Clause 11, which gives effect to it) should be removed from the Bill. In respect of this Bill, I think the House is doing exactly what it should be doing.
Tags: Henry VIII powers House of Lords Constitution Committee Kenneth Clarke Lord Judge Public Bodies Bill Schedule 7 of the Public Bodies Bill
← An axe to the Public Bodies Bill?
What you can watch in the chamber…. →
7 comments for “Public Bodies Bill – the continuing debate”
Lord Blagger
You’ve passed Ermächtigungsgesetz acts in the past.
Why are you getting upset about the current acts as a consequence?
If you’ve failed in the regulation of parliament in the past, what’s your problem now?
Gareth Howell
Schedule 7. This constitutes a Henry VIII provision,……. It enables ministers to repeal primary legislation by order
And I agree with neither.
The above was itself only a matter of received opinion.
The schedule does not seem controversial at all, just thoroughly ill worded, for whatever purpose.
Gareth Howell: Schedule 7 is a Henry VIII provision – as detailed by the Constitution Committee – and certainly is controversial, as witnessed by the comments of former Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, the current Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and acknowledged by Ken Clarke; which is why the Government has moved already as far as it has to amend the Schedule. The wording of the Schedule is such as not really the issue.
I have given notice of my intention to oppose it remaining (in)the Bill.
Certainly for professorial tidiness that is wise to do.
The wording of the Schedule as such is not really the issue. No! and it would make a useful philosophical study to examine the real meaning of them (the wording)and noble Lord Woolf and Judge’s response to them, and their purpose in doing so.
It can not be the purpose of legislators to discuss the totally confused meaning of the parliamentary draftsmen’s words, only to delete the Schedule itself.
Oops sorry
The wording of the Schedule as such is not really the issue.
No! and it would make a useful philosophical study to examine the real lack of meaning of them (the wording)and noble Lord Woolf and Judge’s response to them, and their purpose in doing so.
Carl.H
It certainly appears the Government does not have a lot of faith in Quango’s, possibly correctly I don’t know, but then you can find this:
“Any institution wanting to charge more than £6,000 per year will have to negotiate an annual access agreement with the Office for Fair Access (Offa).”
“Offa, which was set up in 2004, had never imposed any such sanctions thus far, which begged the question whether it would be sufficiently robust with universities in the future.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12409428
Lib-Dems = Candy from kids.
What tangled webs you do weaave !
However, spanking-new and up-to-speed Caroline Lucas (Lower House, Greens) speaks for us shut-outs as well as for all those be-layered sideways and upwards members around and above her there:
1. Give the People a pre-explanation, in the Peoples’ language, of each Issue and Matter as you come to it;
and de-mystify rather than further-fog matters, as you go along.
(JSDM’s paraphrase).
…was appointed Professor of Government at the University of Hull in 1986 at the age of 35. In 1992 he also became Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies. In 1998 he was elevated to the House of Lords as Lord Norton of Louth. He chaired the Conservative Party’s Commission to Strengthen Parliament. He is co-chair of the Parliamentary University Group and chair of the Commission on Higher Education. From 2001 to 2004 he was Chairman of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution. He is the author or editor of 32 books. He has been described in 'The House Magazine' as "our greatest living expert on Parliament".
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The first rule of a trade war: know thine enemy
When tackling China over subsidies, countries might reflect on which comparable industry support they might forgo.
Workers lay rails for the Beijing-Xiong'an Intercity Railway (Photo: Jia Tianyong via Getty)
Published 17 Apr 2019 10:00 0 Comments
If the US and China do manage to reach agreement on their current economic dispute, what happens next?
Forebodingly for the government that Australia elects on 18 May, all of four recent US think-tank papers* on the US economic quarrel with China urge that America organise a coalition of its like-minded allies to press China for major changes to its economic system. Prime Minister Scott Morrison may believe, as he has said, that Australia “does not have to choose, and won’t choose”. Many Americans clearly think otherwise.
Before America can successfully recruits allies, however, it must convince them that China’s economic arrangements are the threat to the global economy the Trump administration believes them to be.
A case in point is industry subsidies in China. According to the Financial Times’ Gideon Rachman, “China’s system of state subsidies for industry” is “the most fundamental way in which Beijing disadvantages foreign competitors.” Cutting “rampant” subsidies to Chinese industry is said to be a key US goal, in the current talks and beyond.
So how big are these subsidies, which industries benefit from them and what impact do they have on global trade?
As to how big they are, the US administration seems to know surprisingly little. The US Trade Representative’s office Report to Congress on China’s WTO Compliance published in February is very indignant about China’s industry subsidies. It is also unspecific about their size, incidence or impact.
(Photo: Soheb Zaidi/Unsplash)
What we do know suggests the subsidies to state-owned industries are very big. An International Monetary Fund paper in 2016 estimated that subsidies and support of all kinds to state owned enterprises may be as big as the equivalent to a whopping 3% of China’s GDP.
But according to by US economist Nicholas Lardy in his recent book The State Strikes Back, around 85% of industrial production in China is from the private sector. Other analysts estimate that 90% of China’s exports are from privately-owned businesses rather than state owned businesses. So as far as China’s exports are concerned, the key issue is the extent of subsidies to the private sector, not the state sector.
For the private sector, subsidies appear to be much smaller. Lardy examines data from the reports of publicly listed firms in China. They disclose direct subsidies of RMB 157 billion for 2015, the year Lardy examined. Of that, two thirds or RMB 111 billion went to 966 listed state-owned companies, leaving RMB 46 billion for 2000 or so listed privately-owned businesses. RMB 46 billion is US$6.9 billion (AU$9.5 billion). At an average of US$3.45 million per listed company that is quite substantial help, but not the kind of money that makes a difference to the global export performance of a large business.
For comparison, Australia’s Productivity Commission estimates that on-budget and tax concession support for Australian industry in 2016–17 was around $12.5 billion. This is around one third more than the support the Chinese government gave publicly listed privately owned listed businesses in China, though China’s economy is more than 11 times the size of the Australian economy.
Nicholas Lardy’s analysis also suggests that most of the subsidies to private businesses in China are of a kind frequently provided in Europe, the United States, and other advanced economies such as Australia.
Lardy’s analysis also suggests that most of the subsidies to private businesses in China are of a kind frequently provided in Europe, the United States, and other advanced economies such as Australia. They are not, he finds, provided to support loss-making businesses. Instead they support research and development spending, encourage the use of energy efficient technology, and in other ways support government policy objectives, just as they do in Australia and the US. (Another relevant comparison – according to the OECD’s Science, Technology and Industry Scorecard for 2017, US government support for business research and development as a share of GDP in 2015 was around twice the ratio in China.)
This data is not at all complete. There are millions of privately-owned businesses in China that are not publicly listed, although listed businesses are likely to account for most exports. Presumably subsidies for private unlisted businesses are, like those for listed private businesses, akin to those provided in advanced economies.
Subsidies to Chinese industry, privately or publicly owned, may also hinder the competitiveness of foreign imports, and no doubt do. A complete picture, were it possible to make one, would have to take that into account. A comparison would also be neeed between subsidies in China to import competing industries with those elsewhere, for example in the US and Europe.
There is little doubt that subsidies to state owned businesses in basic industries such as steel, aluminium, cement, ship building and glass sustain higher production and lower prices than a private market would permit. They unfairly impact on commercial production elsewhere. Those subsidies and others in China could well be addressed by a coalition of World Trade Organisation partners. Last year the US, Japan and the European Union discussed just such an approach. Before it could become a concrete proposal to China, however, the parties would need to reflect on which of their own comparable industry subsidies they were prepared to forgo.
The recent USTR report suggests the US is more concerned with what might happen with subsidies rather than what has happened. It is particularly concerned with the China 2025 high tech industry plan. There is, it warns, a danger of “disastrous consequences of severe excess capacity in the world of the future” from state support of high tech industry.
As to the level and incidence of subsidy, however, the report is not informative. It repeats several times that “by some estimates” government support for China 2025 could be as high as RMB500 billion. It notes elsewhere “some” subsidies “appear to be prohibited” under WTO rules (while also pointing out that the US can and does impose countervailing duties if complaints by American businesses are upheld). The USTR has evidently not made its own assessment.
If indeed the US is to successfully enlist its security allies in pressing China to change what former USTR deputy Wendy Cutler describes in her recent report as China’s “state-led economic model” and what Charles Boustany and Aaron Friedberg label as China’s “mercantilist Leninist” economy, the US will first need to assemble a compelling set of facts.
* Asia Society Policy Institute April 2019; Brookings and AEI policy brief February 2019; Asia Society Center on US-China Relations February 2019, National Bureau of Asian Research February 2019.
A question of faith: future Coalition foreign policy under Morrison
Indonesia’s elections: the foreign policy challenges that await
Cornelia Tremann 20 Dec 2018 06:00
The new US Africa strategy is not about Africa. It’s about China
A US Africa strategy should focus on US-Africa relations, not on China-Africa relations.
Alastair Davis 5 Jun 2019 06:00
The Pacific’s social politics
Damaging rumours might flash across phones, yet the answer to social media trouble lies not in bans but engagement.
Ben Bland 11 Jul 2019 10:00
Australia-Indonesia ties: escaping the beefs about boats or Bali
Don't jinx it, but a few promising signs suggest bilateral ties could be entering a new period of relative stability.
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Betelgeuse
The supergiant star Betelgeuse as it was revealed thanks to different state-of-the-art techniques on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, which allowed two independent teams of astronomers to obtain the sharpest ever views of the supergiant star Betelgeuse. They show that the star has a vast plume of gas almost as large as our Solar System and a gigantic bubble boiling on its surface. These discoveries provide important clues to help explain how these mammoths shed material at such a tremendous rate. The scale in units of the radius of Betelgeuse as well as a comparison with the Solar System is also provided.
Credit: L. Calçada/M.Martins
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Kandy Anand
Krishnan Anand
Chief Growth Officer of Molson Coors since: October 2016 Molson Coors Brewing Company
Prior to his current role, Mr. Anand served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Molson Coors International from December 2009 to October 2016. Before joining Molson Coors, Mr. Anand held a variety of positions at The Coca Cola Company, most recently as president of Coca Cola’s Philippine business from 2007 to 2009. He also served as vice president of Coca Cola’s Global Commercial Leadership from 2004 to 2007 and prior to that as vice president of global brands strategy. Mr. Anand served on the board of directors of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. (NASDAQ: PLKI) from November 2010 to 2017. He also served in various senior marketing strategy roles with Unilever in India from 1980 to 1996. In August 2018, Mr. Anand was appointed to the board of directors of Wingstop, Inc. (NASDAQ: WING), a publicly traded restaurant chain with more than 1,200 locations worldwide.
Mr. Anand holds an M.B.A. degree from the Indian Institute of Management.
Sergey Yeskov
President and Chief Executive Officer of Molson Coors International since: January 2018
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By Dan Rosenbaum
Why Muir Woods Needs to Be Added to Your San Francisco Bucket List
Just beyond the steel bridge of the Golden Gate and the Victorians of San Francisco lie 554 acres of protected, untouched Sequoia sempervirens, otherwise known as coastal redwoods. These trees range from 400 to 800 years old and can grow up to 250 feet high, which can make for a spectacular Instagram photo or two. Whether you are an adventure-seeker, an avid photographer or you want to just do what comes naturally, Muir Woods is the perfect addition to your San Francisco trip. Whether it's your first or fifth, it never fails to be memorable in every way.
Named after John Muir, the famous naturalist who founded the Sierra Club, Muir Woods National Monument is "the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world," said no less an expert than Muir himself. Originally purchased by William and Elizabeth Kent to preserve its natural beauty, the forest was protected in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Today, Muir Woods National Monument is home to several tree species, more than 50 species of birds and a critical spawning and rearing habitat for several threatened species, including coho or silver salmon.
Hiking trails vary in the level of difficulty and distance. Regardless, you are sure to see gorgeous vistas and be among century-old trees. Here are a few trails:
The Main Trail (2 miles) - The most popular trail follows a stream along a canyon lined with redwoods.
The Sun Trail (4.7 miles) - Offering a little more variety than the Main Trail, the Sun Trail leads to the Tourist Club, a chalet-style building that doubles as a beer garden and has superb views of the redwood-covered valley below.
The Ben Johnson Trail (5.2 miles) - A loop perfect for an all-day hike.
There are plenty of tours available if you want to take in the scenic beauty in a group. Here are the tours that go there:
Big Bus Tours
Big Bus is the largest privately-owned open top sightseeing company in the world. In addition to classic city tours, Big Bus offers convenient and hassle-free tours to iconic attractions Muir Woods and Alcatraz.
Extranomical Tours
Extranomical Tours is a sightseeing company leading unique tours to the most popular tourist destinations in San Francisco and the Bay Area, as well as some lesser known but equally exciting places most people don't get to see, including Muir Woods National Monument and Sausalito.
Gray Line of San Francisco
Gray Line of San Francisco offer tours to Muir Woods and Sausalito.
Incredible Adventures
Incredible Adventures offers activity-based tours to a variety of destinations such as Yosemite, wine country and white water rafting.
Tower Tours
Tower Tours of San Francisco has been a most popular sightseeing tour company for more than 20 years. They feature the sights of beautiful San Francisco and surrounding area destinations including Muir Woods and Sausalito.
The Tourist Club
What's a national monument without a beer garden? Nestled at the end of the Sun Trail, the Tourist Club is a famous private club that offers a snack bar and overnight accommodations to its members. Although it's private, on "guest weekends" (typically the first weekend of the month), non-members can stop here, buy a beer and relax on the lower deck.
Regardless of what you do at the Muir Woods, please keep in mind that there is no cell phone service in Muir Woods.
HOW TO GET TO MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT
Beginning in early 2018, the National Park Service instituted a parking and shuttle reservation system at Muir Woods National Monument. Reservations are required for all vehicles and shuttle riders in order to enhance the visitor experience and ensure the protection of park resources. Driving will still be an option, as will booking with any of the tour companies mentioned above; but we advise visitors to plan carefully and plan early. For more information about the new system, visit GoMuirWoods.com.
FIND A HOTEL NEAR MUIR WOODS
How I See San Francisco: LPGA Player Christina Kim
Professional Squash Returns to San Francisco with the Oracle NetSuite Open 2019
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(December, 2002) - Don Conoscenti is a remarkable musician. Conoscenti merges acoustical instruments, voice, and soul, when performing. Conoscenti's voice and guitar become one instrument, forming a union that entices listeners into a lyrical journey of multi-capo compositions.
Conoscenti demonstrates brilliant artistry, and evokes an honest appreciation for what music can be. His music is written, and performed, from the heart. He's a musician that genuinely explores artistic expression, moving beyond compositions merely penned in proven formula.
I talked with Conoscenti after an October 2002 appearance on the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour in Lexington, Kentucky. Our conversation began with Conoscenti saying, "It was a magical evening." In December of that year, our schedules provided an opportunity for an extended interview...
- Mark D McKinley [Mark's Online Music Source]
mogswebsite.com: What age did you start traveling and how many shows do you perform a year?
Don Conoscenti: I started to travel when I was seventeen. I'd been out of high school for the summer and saved up some money, and started hitchhiking around the country, hopping the occasional freight train, and it was a couple of years of that before I actually bought my first guitar, and started writing songs. So, I had started to write songs somewhere in 1975, and then I started to perform and record. Later in 1976, I did lots of performances and recording sessions and whatnot, but I didn't really have my act, so to speak, together until 1978 or so, when I had my first band in Vermont, and I've kept at it ever since.
mogswebsite.com: You switched from playing rock music to performing acoustic music-- what brought about that switch?
Don Conoscenti: Well, people wouldn't notice that I started off in folk music and acoustic music, including playing around the folk scene in Chicago in the mid-seventies when Steve Goodman was still alive, and playing a place called the Hootenanny then, but basically open mic. Then, when I was in Vermont I got involved in rock and roll, and then from that, that lead to funk and R&B and jazz. I just kind of burned out on that challenge of keeping bands together and quit playing music for a few years. When I came back I decided to start again. I had an interest to go back and revisit acoustic music, and I did that, started to record and write and really focus on that, starting in about 1990 or 1991.
mogswebsite.com: The rock music scene kind of lends itself to a high-octane situation, doesn't it?
Don Conoscenti: Yeah, for a while that was a lot of fun. There was a lot of energy in it and I still miss that to some extent. I hope to go back to some of that. But keeping bands together and dealing with the clubs in that genre, it was kind of tough. It's really hard to deal with musicians, to be honest with you. (Laughter) They tend to be a scattered bunch. Not very focused. Not terribly organized.
mogswebsite.com: (Laughter) The typical artist mind, huh.
Don Conoscenti: Yeah, you don't see as much of that in acoustic music. People are forced to be a little bit more organized to survive. But having a band and having people play in the band, that was a tough entry. Those things don't last too long. You're always reinventing your wheel. Every six months to two years, you've got to start over again, and that got pretty difficult after a while.
mogswebsite.com: I can certainly understand that.
Don Conoscenti: You're much more self-contained as an acoustic artist. To play various instruments on a recording, or to do a project, I tend to do it myself at this point, because I can. I play a lot of instruments. That cuts down the number of people involved in any given project, which has been very helpful.
mogswebsite.com: When you're on stage it's as though you become the song you're performing and nothing else exists. Are you pulling from an inner strength or are you simply absorbing the audience?
Don Conoscenti: I would say both are true, plus I'm watching the characters in the song act out that little chunk of life that the song is conveying. And for me, a lot of times also, I'm trying to channel the voices of the characters, or ancestral spirits, depending on the content of the song. To conjure up the landscape as well, because it's a very visual thing for me. I see it. I'll often times close my eyes in order to see it better.
mogswebsite.com: Would you share the inspiration behind the song, The Other Side?
Don Conoscenti: It was a convergence of several things. One, was the desire to write a song about the death experience from an eastern point of view, with a western vernacular. That idea had been incubating for two or three years after reading Ram Dass' book. A book about dying. And then some friends of mine had a son named Jack, and Jack lived for nine days and went back. And when they let me know about that, they inquired if that was something I'd be moved to write about, and I said well, I don't really know. I'm definitely moved by your experience, but I don't know if I'd write about it. But sometime, shortly thereafter, the poem came to me while I was driving through the desert in New Mexico. And the music followed about two weeks later. Two to three weeks later, I was in Boston. I picked up my steel guitar and the music kind of jumped out pretty much the same way the lyrics did. I mean, I don't know, poems, lyrics, how ever you want to describe it, it just flowed right out. In twenty minutes it was all done. The music was the same way. It came later.
mogswebsite.com: And it just seemed right?
Don Conoscenti: Yeah. I guess it knew I had a desire to help and it came, and I was ready for it.
mogswebsite.com: Where did you write the song Beautiful Valley?
Don Conoscenti: I actually wrote it in Mew Mexico, but it's about the valley I live in. In southern Colorado. And it was the first thing I wrote on my banjo. I got my banjo at a festival in Colorado, and then we had a couple of concerts in New Mexico right after the festival, so I drove down there, and then I went home. By the time I got home, I had this song written. You know, I was so happy about it. It's just a sweet little tune about my, Beautiful Valley.......beautiful valley in southern Colorado.
mogswebsite.com: You've had the pleasure of performed with Nils Lofgren. I've been a fan of Nils since the early seventies. How did the two of you meet?
Don Conoscenti: Well, it was a happy accident, and I, like you, have been a big fan of Nils for decades, and his voice has been bouncing around in my psyche for all that time. The club that this happened in was the Ramstead, in Annapolis. [They] asked me if I would open those shows. Nils was doing four shows in an attempt to record a live record in film before he went back out on the road with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. So I ended up, by the club's request, opening those shows and spent four afternoons and evenings with Nils and his band. It was such a pleasure, and very inspiring. Really inspirational, to see him work and to be that close to it. To meet him, and talk to him, have conversations with him and his wife and his band. A real pleasure.
mogswebsite.com: What other working musicians and songwriters do you most admire?
Don Conoscenti: Well there's a pretty broad range. I would say that I admire a lot of writers and performers. I admire Kevin Welch quite a bit. Eric Taylor, Ellis Paul. I set my sights a little higher in terms of the people that influence me a lot. I look at people like Bob Marley, Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder, Sting. I'm really impressed with the work that Michael Franti is doing with the band called Spearhead. Some of the R&B and rap artists are doing some really inspirational stuff as well. And I know it's controversial, but I admire it when they do, I like the art form, but I especially dislike the stuff that's so negative and really like the stuff that speaks about reality and tries to expose what's wrong and sheds some light on the possibility of making it right.
mogswebsite.com: I think that's a good point, they're getting their message across, and yet they have something positive to offer as a solution.
Don Conoscenti: Spike Lee has been a real inspiration for me, not only for his film making, but for the music that he uses in his films. Some of the rap stuff that he's used in some of his movies has been phenomenal, powerful, and Inspirational.
mogswebsite.com: You have a very unique finger picking style and you're quite creative in your use of capos. Would you enlighten us as to your techniques?
Don Conoscenti: Cindi Craven in Atlanta, showed me the first capo trick I used. When I lived in Atlanta, some friends from North Carolina turned me on to this idea of using partial capos. Capos placed in a way that left a string open. Later on, somebody showed me a partial capo. In fact, somebody who I admire greatly, one of the people that showed me this, was a guy named Jim Infantino. I think Jim is a brilliant artist. He's in Boston. And some other guys that I knew called The Billys, who I worked with pretty closely. They had all gotten it from a guy named David Wilcox. I've kind of traced it back, and found that it leads all the way back to Harvey Reed. About twenty something years ago, Harvey Reed and Rick Shubb were experimenting with partial capos and developing partial capos. I've just taken it and used it across the board with everything I do, whether it's electric guitar work, session work in the studio, live performance, guitar arranging. I use multiple and partial capos to simulate open tunings without actually using the open tuning. I keep my guitar in straight tuning, and I use the capos to create alternate tunings by just placing them at different intervals and different combinations on the neck of the guitar. That way, I get the best of both worlds. I get the very lush open voicing, with lots of suspension, or if I arrange my fingers just so, I can have the regular voicing that you'd be accustomed to hearing otherwise. Then, by using my right hand technique of sometimes finger-picking, sometimes frailing, and sometimes strumming with my thumb, using a thumb-pick and two metal picks and also tapping, I can get a range of percussion, bass, melody, and rhythm at the same time.
mogswebsite.com: It's definitely a very unique sound. I mean, the richness to your music is just incredible.
Don Conoscenti: I appreciate that. Thanks for noticing.
mogswebsite.com: Would you explain the theory behind playing nine strings on your 12-string guitar?
Don Conoscenti: It's because a lot of my right-hand work is rotating. Having that paired string on the bass end of the 12-string guitar can get a little redundant. It can get very, very repetitive. Sometimes it affects the voicing of the instrument in a way that I hear. By leaving that string off, it gives me more options phonically. Although the last couple of shows, I've experimented with a wound pair of strings down there. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it, how long I'm going to keep it on there. I kind of go in and out, but I'll use anywhere from 10 - 12 strings on the 12-string guitar. Depending on what I want to hear and how the strings are responding to the capos and whatnot.
mogswebsite.com: You've performed at numerous venues. In your opinion, what venue provides the musician with the greatest inner rewards?
Don Conoscenti: There's a number of venues that do that for me and the two that come to mind most immediately are The Blue Door in Oklahoma City, because of the lack of pretension and the natural ambiance of the place in the way it sounds, and the attitude of the owner, Greg Johnson. And the history of the place, there's definitely a history of amazing music being made by artists that I really admire. The other club that comes to mind is the club that I sort of cut my teeth in, during the years that I lived in Atlanta, and that's Eddie's Attic. The sound in there is incredible. The engineer is fantastic. The staff completely supports that kind of performance, that kind of artist that I am. They're trained to support that kind of music and work the room in that manner. The room sounds great. It feels great. It was designed for songs to be performed. It was designed for singer/songwriters. Not just for singer/songwriters, but for Eddie, who founded and built that club, he loves good songs. He loves good music, acoustic music in particular. He really created an incredible atmosphere to perform it in and the audiences are amazing there. I'll be playing there this weekend. It's always something I look forward to. There's always a great crowd and it always fires on all cylinders. It's great!
mogswebsite.com: I think your CD, Live at Eddie's Attic, backs up everything you said as far as...
Don Conoscenti: Yeah, I recorded it by accident on a night very much like I just described. I did not know they were recording it. They just captured a typical performance in that club for me and it's always fun.
mogswebsite.com: Can we expect a performance from you in Lexington, sometime in 2003?
Don Conoscenti: You know, I would love to perform in Lexington. The only thing really going in Lexington is The WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour. That's not the only thing, but it's typically the thing that brought me there. They've been really generous to me, but until I get a new record together I really shouldn't bother them again. I probably will not get around to a new record, well, I don't know, I can't say. I've got a couple of projects cooking, I just don't know when I'm going to get to them. I guess the short answer to that [question] is, I don't really know, but I sure would love it!
mogswebsite.com: If you get another project together, Lexington would certainly welcome another visit.
Don Conoscenti: I love playing there, I've made a lot of friends in Lexington. If there was another thing that didn't conflict with The WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, and I could come on in and do a concert, I'd sure be up for it! That town has been great to me. I really enjoy coming down there. The WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour is one of my big loves in the music world. Aw man, and those guys are great!
mogswebsite.com: Considering the phenomenal success of WoodSongs, maybe Lexington will someday offer additional concert venues. We finally managed to arrange our schedules and get this interview done. (Laughter) I think both of us being persistent has paid off.
Don Conoscenti: Well, I appreciate your persistence. I really apologize for how our schedules have kept us from getting this done.
mogswebsite.com: I wish you safe in your travels.
Don Conoscenti: Thank you.
Official Don Conosenti Website Don Conoscenti Photo
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It’s been a big month for legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The electric guitar he played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival sold at auction in New York for a record $965,000. A London gallery hosted an exhibition of seven wrought-iron gates that he sculpted. He was awarded France’s highest cultural award, the Légion d’Honneur, which puts him in the company of honorees such as Victor Hugo and Steven Spielberg. And to top it off, he found himself hit with criminal charges in that country for racial hate speech.
Just two days prior to France’s culture minister presenting Dylan, 72, with the Légion medal and calling him “a hero for young people hungry for justice and independence,” French magistrates pressed preliminary charges of public insult and provocation to racial or ethnic hatred against Dylan. The allegations stem from a complaint by a Croatian organization in France, which objected to comments by the singer in a 2012 Rolling Stone magazine interview.
According to an attorney quoted in the Wall Street Journal, convictions for such charges usually amount to fines of a few thousand euros, so Dylan’s not going to be guillotined for this; but nonetheless, it’s a serious and unsettling accusation for someone who was an iconic figure in America’s civil rights movement in the 1960s. In fact, he was discussing race relations in America in the Rolling Stone interview when he uttered the offending comment: “If you got a slave master or Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that,” he had said. “That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood.”
Oops. This rather unflattering comparison of all Croatians to Nazis and the KKK didn’t sit well with Vlatko Maric, general secretary of the Council of Croats in France, who filed charges. “I am surprised a man like Bob Dylan would make such comments,” he said, adding that his group would withdraw the complaint if Dylan apologizes (as of this writing, Dylan has made no public statement about it).
The demand for an apology is rather bold considering that Croatia has never to my knowledge offered an apology for massacring hundreds of thousands (the figure is disputed) of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and others while allied with Nazi Germany during World War II. Rather than acknowledge that responsibility, they simply sought to punish Dylan for bringing it up.
It’s easy for Americans to take our freedom of speech for granted. We forget that the latitude we have to spout even our stupidest and most hateful opinions is greater than anywhere else in the world, and thank God for that. In many places, openly expressing yourself can lead to a midnight visit from the secret police. We’re accustomed to expressing what we think, no matter how offensive, without legal consequences – social consequences perhaps, but not legal ones.
When actor and short-lived talk show host Alec Baldwin let loose yet again with what Salon calls his “homophobic rage,” he was excoriated in the press and his MSNBC show was cancelled. But he wasn’t brought up on charges for inciting hatred against gays – nor should he have been. Once we begin criminalizing opinions and expressions that are repugnant to some or unpopular, free speech is over. This is one of the problems with enforcing speech codes – accusations of hate speech are too often used as bludgeons to silence politically incorrect ideas.
For decades Americans have been conditioned to exercise greater and greater sensitivity to causing offense, so that now one hears this quite often among young people: “I believe in free speech, but I don’t believe in offending people.” I have news for them: if you can say, “I believe in free speech, but –” then you don’t believe in free speech.
Does Bob Dylan owe the Council of Croats in France an apology? That should be between him and the Council, but thanks to Europe’s stringent speech restrictions, it’s in the hands of a court that has the power to punish him with a fine and a conviction of racism. That’s heavy, as they said in the 60s.
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August 21st
New Class Starts 1/28/14
Hello Labbers and Friends of The Lab,
Can you believe it's already 2014
A new session of The Lab, with six brand new experiments, starts 1/28.
Here are some more details and links to places with even more details:
The Lab :: Writing Classes with Matthew Clark Davison :: January 2014 Session
When: 6 consecutive Tuesdays, starting January 28th, 2014.
What time: 7-9:30pm.
Where: A cozy salon in Pacific Heights on Bush and Fillmore.
Matthew is a writer, teacher, and writing coach. He teaches or has taught at at Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Performing Arts Workshop. His writing has been published in numerous places, including Mississippi Review and The Atlantic Monthly.
He says about The Lab:
"I wanted to create a learning environment that was at once experimental and technically useful. Where people are welcome and encouraged to bring all of their personal experiences, desires, fears, wants, needs, and passions to the group and to their pages."
So he started "The Lab" as "a place to experiment with prose" for "people who love words."
This turns out to be a broad and lively community.
At The Lab we take our commitment to writing, not ourselves, seriously. People who are also gardeners and lawyers and bookkeepers and web designers and writers come together to write. We open our minds to every single thing (visual art, architecture, music theory, and brain science have been a few of the topics offered to ponder in previous sessions of The Lab) that can deepen our writing and our way of seeing the world.
While The Lab focuses on Fiction and Memoir, it has also been populated by plenty of people experimenting in poetry, playwrighting, and with genre-defying prose.
Class Size: 10-15 people.
Enroll here.
The Lab on Facebook.
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A Complicated Kindness
Symbolic Representations of a Complicated Kindness
Miriam Toews’ A Complicated Kindness tells the story of a Mennonite teen, Nomi Nickels, and her response to the rise of conflict and tragedy in her family. This novel, however, explores not simply the life of a fictional coming-of-age young woman, but also of the author herself. The novel exists symbolically as representation of Miriam Toews and her past experiences, specifically the disintegration of her family. Writing this novel was both therapeutic, and an attempt to understand and reimagine her past life. The parallels between the story of fictitious Nomi Nickels, and that of her creator, Miriam Toews, are effectively illustrated in the similarities of narrator’s voice, fatherly figure, and many aspects of setting.
Firstly, parallels between the author and the protagonist she created reveal not only that authors may lend their own voice to that of their narrator, but also that Miriam Toews purposefully created Nomi Nickels as symbolic representation of herself. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Miriam Toews stated, “I have a problem with beginnings… and endings… and middles. I find it very, very difficult to write. It takes everything.” Similarly, A Complicated Kindness begins with Nomi Nickels introducing herself through a brief commentary of her writing. “I’ve got a problem with endings,” she explains. “I feel that there are so many to choose from. I’m already anticipating failure” (1). Furthermore, throughout the novel, Nomi Nickels refers to her desire to leave her Mennonite town for the larger cities of New York or Prague, building a strong theme of dissatisfaction with community. Miriam Toews was similarly eager to leave behind the confining values and way of life of her hometown; upon her graduation, she travelled around Europe as a self-described ‘punk’ for three years before settling in downtown Toronto. In addition, the representation of Miriam Toews in the protagonist and narrator of A Complicated Kindness is further strengthened by the presence of a similar parallel in her other novels. For example, when asked about All My Puny Sorrows, a novel following the story of two sisters – one’s struggle with depression and suicide, and the other’s battle to keep her alive, – Miriam Toews openly speaks about the inspiration she took from the same battle with her own sister, publically placing herself as the protagonist. These examples clearly illustrate that beyond coincidence, Miriam Toews created her protagonist, Nomi Nickels, as an image of herself.
It can be said that A Complicated Kindness was an attempt to reunite a family permanently estranged at the hands of depression and the confinement of religion. The writing of this novel could be seen as an opportunity for Toews to revive her father’s existence and recall the quirks of his personality. On May 13, 1998, Melvin Toews, father of Miriam Toews, stood upon a railroad track near his Mennonite community, waiting for an incoming train (Winnipeg Free Press, 2010). This marked the end of his life, therefore also ending a lifelong struggle with mental illness. However, Melvin Toews made a re-appearance to the world, brought back by his daughter as Ray Nickels, a character in A Complicated Kindness. In the novel, Ray Nickels lovingly supports his youngest daughter, Nomi Nickels, in an attempt to hold loosening strings of a once happy family, years after hope has been lost with the departure of his eldest daughter and wife. This character, unlike Melvin Toews, is not openly suicidal or expressive of the presence of a mental illness, but hints of such a similar struggle do appear throughout the novel. For example, Ray Nickels spends much of his time “sitting in his yellow lawn chair by the front door staring off at the number twelve highway,” (27) as Nomi Nickels observes with curiosity, also commenting on the hopelessness and despair in this act. Moreover, the parallels between Miriam Toews’ and Nomi Nickels’ father are further strengthened by the similarities in their personalities, careers, and relationships to family. In Swing Low, Miriam Toews’ memoir of her father, Melvin is described as “a much loved and respected teacher, known especially for his kindness, exuberance, and booming voice” (4). Ray Nickels was a similarly dedicated and praised schoolteacher at the local high school. “He never talked about his past, even his childhood, and often he simply didn’t speak at all,” Miriam continues in description of her father. The father of Nomi Nickels was likewise relatively silent; when he did have interest in communication, it was often through writing. Ray Nickels brings the story to an end in his ambiguous disappearance; his daughter is troubled by the uncertainties surrounding his departure, but thinks it best to leave this undefined and open to possibility. The death of Melvin Toews, however, was foreshadowed by years of battle with depression and bipolar disorder; it was clear that he had indeed committed suicide. The ambiguity of Ray Nickels’ disappearance was perhaps the ending Miriam Toews had preferred to the reality. Ray Nickels was created in an attempt to both capture and recreate memory; his story is symbolic of the life of Melvin Toews, as Miriam chooses to remember it.
Although the Mennonite town of “East Village” in which A Complicated Kindness takes place is fictional, many of its elements have been taken directly from Miriam Toews’ hometown of Steinbach. Both the real and fictional Manitoban towns are of Mennonite background, populated mainly by Mennonites, or as Nomi Nickels calls them, “the most embarrassing sub-sect of people” (5). Moreover, despite Toews’ claims that the book is entirely fictitious, and only its texture is paralleled with her own early life, those familiar with both her other works and the town in which she grew up reveal otherwise. On his way to Steinbach, Manitoba, Reverend Moon, a close friend of Miriam Toews, invited a Guardian reporter to join him. “Why don’t you come along?” He asked, “you can see all the places from the book, [A Complicated Kindness].” Furthermore, “Highway Twelve” is mentioned multiple times by Nomi Nickels as a major route cutting through the town of East Village; upon observing her father gazing out over the road, she mentions it as the path chickens take after meeting their fate on iconic ‘assembly lines of death.’ A similar highway, Provincial Trunk Highway Twelve, runs through the town of Steinbach. “There’s a blinding white light at the water tower at the end of it,” (47) Nomi explains in description of “Main Street”. A Main Street also exists in Steinbach and similarly has a water tower at its end. As much as Miriam Toews tries to deny it, more than the mere ‘texture’ of her book was borrowed from her own life, family, and hometown.
A Complicated Kindness serves as a symbolic representation of the childhood and family history of its author, Miriam Toews. This is illustrated in the parallels between narrator’s voice, fatherly figure, and many aspects of setting. Miriam Toews created this fictional coming-of-age story as an opportunity to reinvent her own life. “In writing fiction I can be free. I can use my life. The raw material is my experiences. But in fictionalizing it, I can set the tone, the voice, the pace. I can embellish. I can exaggerate. I can create,” explains Miriam Toews. Her words reveal characters as an image of their creators, shedding a light on the writing of many other novels.
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Falling out of Line: Conformity in A Complicated Kindness
Rollo May once argued that the opposite of courage is not cowardice, but conformity. In a society which constantly pushes one to fit an ideal, remaining true to oneself is the greatest sign of bravery. Miriam Toews’ A Complicated Kindness illustrates a population of two conflicting behavioral extremes. According to the narrator, Nomi Nickel, in the Mennonite community of East Village, Manitoba, “[there is] no room for in between. [You are] in or [you are] out. [You are] good or [you are] bad … You fall into line or you fall” (Toews 10). With this idea, Toews asks a compelling question: is it better to compromise one’s self in order to be a part of one’s society or to assert one’s self and become the outcast?
Conformity becomes especially difficult when the expectations of one’s society are overblown or unrealistic. Mennonite values are rooted in modesty and abstinence, which many members of the community find difficult to follow. Some bans include: “the media, dancing, smoking, temperate climates, movies, drinking, rock n’ roll, having sex for fun, swimming, makeup, jewellery, playing pool, going to cities, or staying up past nine o’ clock” (5). The banning of these common practices demonstrates how East Village is trapped in a traditional lifestyle, isolated from the outside world and alienated from present-day ways of living. These restrictions on entertainment and pleasure directly correlate with the deteriorating mental state of the townspeople, which cause many of them to crave these taboos all the more, and to rebel to an extreme extent as a result. The community possesses a strong loathing of the world and a sour attitude towards life. From a young age, the village’s children adopt this cynicism. The elders believe “that it [is] better for little children to listen to the names of dead people being read out in a terrifying monotone than the Beatles singing all we need is love” (39). During a time of one’s life which should be filled with innocence, the children are brainwashed as they are encouraged to pursue behavior that enforces a sad, pessimistic perception of life. Because this behavior is encouraged from childhood, it becomes all the more difficult to overcome this mentality. This becomes particularly challenging once these children grow older and struggle to find out who they are outside of a religious framework. Those who are able to find confidence are actively shunned for this mentality. The narrator recognizes that “It [is] the biggest sin in [her] town to be sure of yourself” (65). The rejection of self esteem indicates that East Village places little value on the well-being of their inhabitants, and instead prioritizes worship and devotion over happiness. Because the beliefs of Mennonite society are so strong and heavily enforced, one is likely to abandon these beliefs in order to regain their identity. Though, the heavy enforcement of these values may also urge one to stay so that they may continue to hold on to the sense of belonging.
Those who do choose to conform face numerous emotional and psychological challenges due to the erosion of their individuality. As humans, one possesses a natural desire for freedom. When free will is abolished, Nomi’s sister, Tash, loses sense of who she is and inevitably spirals out of control due to the overwhelming pressure she experiences from being judged by the ‘pushers’, that is, those who impose these beliefs so strongly. Shortly before she flees and outcasts herself, she exclaims, “I think I’ll go crazy. I can’t stand it. It’s all a fucking lie. It’s not right and it’s killing me. It’s killing me!” (146). After living so many years attempting to conform to an image that is untrue to herself, Tash rightfully erupts in frustration. Had she decided to abandon her society in order to find herself, she would be able to express herself unapologetically. There is a significant evolution in character when Nomi’s uncle Hans devotes himself to religion. He easily adopts the nickname “The Mouth of Darkness” (46) once he becomes a preacher, as Nomi often wonders “what happened to the happy little boy before he turned into The Mouth” (50). He is a sad man who drowns his sorrows in worship. He feels as though it is so important to devote himself completely because he is, at his core, insecure. The Mouth needs an outlet through which he can apply himself and feel as though he is doing some good for the world. Before Nomi’s mother, Trudie, rebels, she suffers substantially because she must keep her pain internalized in order to not disrupt her character’s image of goodness and compliance. Nomi knows that her “silent raging against the simplisticness of this town and her church could produce avalanches, typhoons and earthquakes all over the world” (46). While she decides to conform, she is too consumed by the community to recognize that the apparent ‘horrible’ outcome of rejection is, in reality, better than the restrained torment of conformity. These individuals face such dramatic repercussions simply because conformity cannot truly be forced. One must willingly apply themselves to a society in order for it — and for the person — to function without chaos. Their sole motivation in following the societal norms is the insecurity of not being part of a community and the fear of rejection. This fear overpowers one’s innate need to express oneself and ultimately leads to the destruction of character.
Those who decide to oppose the beliefs of East Village face outward consequences — the judgement of others —though they are rewarded internally, with the satisfaction that they can be their true selves. The worthiness of this sacrifice relies solely on whether or not an individual prioritizes their relationship with others over their relationship with themselves. Many choose to rebel because these strong values become overwhelming. The pressure to conform accumulates and opposition becomes a simple escape from compliance. Tash demonstrates a consistently negative attitude throughout the novel, though she is seen smiling for the first time when she leaves the community to be free. Before her departure, she wears a “really tender genuine smile … She’d freed herself. That’s what a smile really meant” (147). As important as it is to feel like one is a part of something greater than oneself, this desire is overruled by Tash’s eagerness to express herself without the limitations of her society. Trudie experiences an equally vital change in attitude before she is excommunicated. In her last moments with Nomi, “she [smiles] the same kind of smile that Tash had smiled just before she left … It’s a smile that means that there is nothing left to lose. That you are free” (189). One may think that it is ironic that Trudie smiles when she is banished, though her rejection from the society is ultimately the best outcome, because her identity as an individual is more imperative than her identity as a Mennonite. Though, the true irony exists because Trudie is punished by her community for rebelling, even though it is the community’s fault that she does so. Trudie resists out of grief from the loss of her daughter, which occurs because of the unrealistic expectations that East Village places on the members of their society. Had Tash not been pressured to conform to the society of the straight and narrow Mennonites, she would not be excommunicated and Trudie would not be so inclined to resist. The only way Trudie is able to be liberated from her pain is through escape. Although Nomi does not physically escape the village, she finds her escape by defying Mennonite beliefs. She is one of the few individuals who is able to find a thin light beam of freedom within the cloudy restrictiveness of her society. The only time she feels free is when she is in the pit with the other rebels, “drinking, dropping, smoking, swearing, screwing, fighting, swimming, home-made-tattooing, passing out and throwing up right up until an hour or so before church the next morning” (34). Unlike other characters, such as her father, who conforms, she is able to find happiness within the village, despite being judged by others for rebelling. Toews clearly illustrates that the only way for East Village’s inhabitants to experience joy is to isolate themselves from the community and to reject the lifestyle that has been integrated so thoroughly into their lives.
The sole reward for conformity is being liked by everyone, except oneself. The author proves that this is not a worthy price to pay. Conformity presents the person with a job to do; it is rules to follow, a common procedure and a blueprint framework to build oneself around. Anyone can do this job. In fact, there will always be someone who is able to do this job better, faster, and more efficiently. But remaining true to one’s character: that is the one thing in which no person can ever be outdone. Although being part of a society is important, being the outcast arguably leads to a more fulfilling life, granted that one is allowed to assert their individuality. In A Complicated Kindness, Miriam Toews presents a variety of ideas surrounding conformity and tradition, though there is one that peaks as most prevalent: it is no use contributing to a society if one is not first whole, as a person, on their own.
Toews, Miriam. A Complicated Kindness: A Novel. Toronto: A.A. Knopf Canada, 2004. Print
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Gay erotik filme. 50 Best Gay Movies 2019-04-10
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Student and teacher at a Roman Catholic school fall for each other. I knew we had to create a story representing characters that are underrepresented and in turn speak to all people underrepresented. John Cameron Mitchell wrote, adapted, directed and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch as title character Hedwig Robinson, a transgender punk-rock girl from East Berlin. Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975 A cult classic of the highest order. Check out 25 of the best gay films to snuggle up to with your bae.
12 of the Best Gay Films You Missed in 2017
Cultural theorists have spent many hours debating the answer to that question, with some suggesting that it's simply a matter of camp and others digging deeper and equating the black-and-white conservatism of the film's Kansas scenes to repression and even homophobia, and the colour and energy of Oz to being out and proud. Whatever the reason, somehow it just makes sense. The meme got almost as much attention as this period drama starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. The influence of religion in the family's life is also crucial — though that nice new girl at church doesn't exactly turn out to be the straight-and-narrow influence Mom had in mind.
Yes or No 2010 Even if you despise subtitles with every fiber in your being, you gotta see Yes or No. Hepburn was sold as the movie's star — she's the dainty, glamorous one with the macho boyfriend James Garner. The backstory behind the movie is pretty interesting. Expanded from a short film with the help of executive producer Spike Lee. We knew we had to send a message to all people.
The Ultimate List of the 25 Best Gay Films
By watching films we are introduced to experiences different to our own. As you can guess, drama ensues in and outside of the courtroom. This Thai film made waves with its co-protagonist upon its release in 2010. We take no responsibility for the content on any website which we link to. I remembered sitting in the back of a New York theatre alone, I might add and crying because I felt seen and related so much to this humans struggles.
Two boys in South London fall for each other, with quirky peripheral characters who keep the film from being your run-of-the-mill coming-out story. Or we can take action. Whatever your take, it's hard to deny the power of his portrait of falling in love — time itself seems to stop in scenes of the pair's early courtship. The movie even has a sequel for those eager to know what happens to Pie and Kim after the credits roll. The drag queens and gay characters I see on television do not represent what I see at Folsom Street Fair, or at a Brooklyn gay warehouse party on a Saturday night or any of the Eagles in the country.
Tall, lunkish Texan Joe Buck Jon Voight, in his best ever role comes to the city with dreams of becoming a gigolo to society ladies, but gets more attention in the lonelier corners of the gay community. Beautiful Thing 1996 When it comes to sweet and witty coming-of-age stories, Beautiful Thing takes the cake. The story that follows is almost impossible to summarise, as Almodóvar takes us on a virtuoso spin from camp to noir. Ask any lesbian what the Lily means and she can tell you. Warning: this movie is not for the faint of heart.
Initially a student project, it surveys with acuteness and sensitivity the underground scene that facilitated community and expression for many who were disenfranchised by their sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity and poverty. That in itself, is a beautiful thing. MacLaine and Hepburn play the proprietors of a prestigious all-girls school who are forced to close when an especially psychotic little brat claims she saw them kissing. It also gave the world vogueing, as demonstrated by the legendary likes of Pepper LaBeija, Willi Ninja and Angie Xtravaganza, who are among the revelatory interviews. This song was written about love to say: 'You're not alone, I'm not alone,' to the one you love.
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Hedwig tours the States with her band as they pursue her ex-lover who stole her songs. It's one of the best coming of age queer movies I've ever seen. Thumbnails are automatically generated from the videos. The film manages to be irreverent and poignant at the same time, with an awesome soundtrack to boot. Hedwig and the Angry Inch 2001 A botched sex-change operation, rock music and the search for stardom.
Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux give performances for the ages as Adèle, a schoolgirl, and Emma, a slightly older art student, who meet and fall in love. The list of related phrases is also based on surfers search queries. All models are 18 years of age or older. Who better to tell these stories than ourselves. It also became a Broadway musical that earned two Tony Awards.
Howard plays trans man Shy while Dodge is butch dyke Valentine. The true beauty of Weekend lies in the fact that nothing wild happens. And she is so horny and active too. Need more reason to see it? PornTube® is a registered trademark of Tenza Trading Ltd. Maurice 1987 James Wilby and Hugh Grant star in this period drama about two gay lovers in Edwardian society.
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Pat Condell; Just A Little More Common Sense On The Mosque At Ground Zero (Full Transcript)
Islamic Jihadists Progressives Terrorism World News
By Logistics Monster / June 4, 2010
Editor’s Note: The Protest against this mosque at Ground Zero is on Sunday. More information at the end of this article.)
Meet Pat Condell, one of Britain’s top comics who espouses “Godless Comedy” has done a very serious YouTube video about the Mega-Mosque at Ground Zero and the true ramifications of said mosque in said place.
Mr. Condell is an internet celebrity with his YouTube rants about religion, but this particular video involves no comedy at all. In fact, the seriousness of the topic and the common sense put forward is pertinent enough that I have transcribed it. I recommend that you send this post or copy and paste the transcription into your email lists and help put a stop to the terrorists’ symbol of supremacy over America; Cordoba House – the mosque at Ground Zero.
No Mosque At Ground Zero
All you Americans that have been following the islamization of Europe from afar, with horrified incredulity, if any of you are still nursing the cozy illusion that it could never happen in your country, it’s time to wake up and rub those sleepy eyes because the moment of truth has arrived.
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a plan afoot to build a thirteen story islamic center and mosque a few yards from Ground Zero in New York. A plan that’s been enthusiastically welcomed by politicians and civic leaders, eager to show how tolerant they are at other peoples’ expense. Is it possible to be astonished but not surprised?
Apparently, it’s not enough that nearly 3,000 innocent people had to lose their lives in a hideous act of religious mass murder, but now their memory has to be insulted as well, and the religion that murdered them allowed to build a towering triumphalist mosque on the ground where they died.
Is America losing it’s mind?! It says alot about the people behind this scheme that they have the bad taste even to propose building a mosque in such a place, but to describe it as they have as a tribute to the victims is beyond bad taste, and shows a profound contempt for those who died. It would be hard to imagine a more provocative gesture short of standing on their graves and burning the American flag. Yet, how typical of Islam, with it’s own hair-trigger sensitivity to the slightest imagined insult, to do something so arrogant and so insensitive.
It’s gonna cost $100 Million dollars to build this thing, but nobody is prepared to say where the money’s coming from. We do know that the Saudis fund alot of mosque building in the West, when they are not busy trying to stamp out free speech at the United Nations or telling Fox News what to broadcast, so I guess we’ ll all be paying for it every time we start the car.
You know, it seems to me a much more appropriate place for a mosque in New York would be the United Nations building itself, because that organization has become so islamofriendly in recent years that frankly I’m surprised it doesn’t already have a minaret.
You know, I’m not even American but it makes me sick to my stomach to think that Islam is going to be allowed anywhere near Ground Zero, because 9.11 could never have happened if not for Islam and it’s teachings and it’s doctrine of jihad, and it’s false promise of an impossible afterlife without which none of those gullible lunatics would have been persuaded to carry out such an insane act. And also because, it wasn’t just an attack on America, but on all of us in the civilized world. As were the bombings in London, in Madrid, in Barley, the shootings in Mumbai, and everywhere else that the religion of peace decides it doesn’t like the way people do things.
Any religion that endorses violence is incapable of delivering spiritual enlightenment. How obvious does that have to be? And it has no right even to call itself a religion. Without the shield of religion to hide behind, Islam would be banned in the civilized world as a political ideology of hate, and we have no obligation to make allowances for it anymore than we do for Nazism. It’s a bigger threat to our freedom than Nazism ever was. Yes, both are totalitarian, and both divide the world unnecessarily into us and them, the pure and the inpure, and both make no secret of their desire to exterminate the jews, but we were all, more or less, on the same side against the Nazis, whereas the islamo-nazis have got plenty of friends among people in the West, who ought to know better.
American politicians now regularily make the kind of dhimmi noises about diversity as an excuse for islamization. The same kind of thing that we’ve become so depressingly familiar with in Europe. It’s true that diversity has been good for America; it’s been the making of that country, but American diversity has always been grounded in respect for the values, the individual liberties that make America what it is. Islam rejects those values and that’s the difference, and it’s a very important difference.
Islam despises what America is; it rejects everything America stands for, including freedom and diversity, and any muslim who denies that, is a liar.
The organization behind this scheme is called “The Cordoba Initiative”, and the building is to be called “Cordoba House”. And this is because Cordoba or Cordo-ba is the city in southern Spain where muslims built their first great mosque at the start of, and as a symbol of, their conquest of Spain. The Ground Zero mosque is intended to serve the same purpose in America.
Building mosques on conquered, sacred ground is standard practice. It’s what Islam has always done to assert it’s supremacy, and that is what’s happening here. And, of course, they know how insulting it is, how offensive it is. Are you kidding? Why do you think they chose a site as close as possible to Ground Zero, or do you think that that was just an accident? And they also know that once it’s built, it’ll be there forever as a permanent affront to all Americans, gloating in triumph and a major bridgehead in the ongoing stealth jihad. That’s how the muslim world will see it, and that’s how they will be encouraged to see it, and to be fair to them, that’s exactly what it will be, confirming what they always suspected, that America is a soft country, a decadent country, crippled by political correctness, confused and guilt ridden with no backbone and no pride.
They plan to open it next year on September the 11th, the tenth anniversary of the atrocity. Is that tasteless enough for you? I’m surprised they haven’t organized a 757 flight past.
But you know, it doesn’t have to be this way. Here in London, we had a similar situation just recently where they wanted to build a gigantic mosque to overshadow the Olympic Games. Public Opinion put a stop to that, and Public Opinion can put a stop to this disgraceful plan as well, and it can tell this group, and the politicians that support them that enough is enough, and that this is one insult too far, and that America is a big country and there is plenty of room for them to build their offensive mosque if they have to; somewhere else. Somewhere perhaps more appropriate to the spirit of their religion, like the Arizona Desert, or Death Valley.
Peace, and God Bless the Kafa(?)
From Atlas:
Rally to Protest the Ground Zero Mosque Pamela Geller, Human Events
Since I wrote in HUMAN EVENTS on May 14 about the plans to build a giant 15-story mosque and Islamic Center next to Ground Zero, the deceptions and Islamic supremacist intentions of the mosque organizers have become more obvious. Yet Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York and the New York political establishment refuse to listen to the will of the people.
This why the Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) June 6 rally against the proposed mega-mosque is so important. The Islamic supremacists must not be allowed to do a victory dance on the hallowed burial ground of Ground Zero. They must be exposed and shamed until they withdraw their plans for the mosque.
Bloomberg framed it as a freedom of religion issue: “I think it’s fair to say if somebody was going to try, on that piece of property, to build a church or a synagogue, nobody would be yelling and screaming. And the fact of the matter is that Muslims have a right to do it, too…. What is great about America and particularly New York is we welcome everybody, and if we are so afraid of something like this, what does that say about us?… If you are religious, you do not want the government picking religions, because what do you do the day they don’t pick yours?”
While I agree that that the government should keep its nose out of religion, also believe that if the mayor really believes government should stay out of it, he shouldn’t publicly take one side. But the mayor already has chosen sides, before plans for this mosque became public.
SIOA has called on Bloomberg many times to remove Omar Mohammedi, a lawyer tied to the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), from New York City’s Human Rights Commission. Bloomberg keeps him on. And before Times Square jihad bomber Faisal Shahzad was caught, Bloomberg offered his opinion: that the would-be car bomber was probably a right-winger who was upset about Obamacare.
This is why I believe petitions to the mayor are a waste of time. But the June 6 rally will show him that he is on the wrong side of the will of the people because the people of New York know that the mayor is wrong.
This mosque is not about freedom of religion. It’s about insulting America and the victims of 9/11 and establishing an international symbol for Islamic supremacism in New York. The mega-mosque will be the rallying cry for the universal caliphate—a shrine to jihad at the cherished site of Islamic conquest.
And Ground Zero mosque imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is an open proponent of Sharia, Islamic law, a system that denies free speech and the legal equality of all people.
Rauf has also lied about his intentions. First he said that the planned Islamic Center at Ground Zero would contain a mosque; then he claimed it wouldn’t; then he said it would contain a “prayer space.” His wife Daisy Khan admitted that the “prayer space” would be a mosque.
Why the lies? And there’s more. Although he claims that the Ground Zero mosque will become a place for dialogue with Jews and Christians, Rauf has told the Arabic press: “I don’t believe in religious dialogue.” He has told the American media that money for the mosque will come entirely from Muslims here. Then he told the Arab media that funding for the mosque was coming from many Muslim countries. Daisy Khan has insulted the victims of the 9/11 jihad attacks and their families by saying that the mosque is intended to “make something positive out of 9/11.”
SIOA is rallying this Sunday, June 6 (and again on September 10), to call on the mosque organizers to withdraw their plans of the Ground Zero mosque in the interests of mutual understanding and mutual respect.
Read the whole thing and be at Ground Zero — we cannot stop a mega mosque at the burial ground of Ground Zero without you. Stand up for our fallen brothers and sisters.
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Tags: Atlas Shrugs, Cordoba House, Dhimmi Politicians, Ground Zero, Mega Mosque, Pat Condell
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8 thoughts on “Pat Condell; Just A Little More Common Sense On The Mosque At Ground Zero (Full Transcript)”
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Americans really need to listen to those where Islam has already taken a strong hold. They know what will happen here if we allow it. I do believe there are enough awake and I hope this rally makes the difference.
Certainly Islam never thought there would be the push back from Americans that there has been, and I am sure that is partly based on the fact that they rolled over other countries who are now trying to warn us.
God willing we will be able to make the difference that is needed.
LanceThruster says:
“Americans really need to listen to those where Islam has already taken a strong hold.”
Returning to see if my previous comment was posted, I noticed something in your reply I had not considered before. It is a warning against the undue and unwelcome influence of those with an agenda or allegiance not beneficial to the host country.
Islam is certainly not seen as a substantial player in the various circles of US power, whether government, media, industry, academia, or the religious life of the nation. When they do come up, it’s over concern of them wanting special rights (as opposed to equal rights), or radical professors or clerics, or charities funding terrorism, or sleeper cells, or the like. And it doesn’t take but one or two isolated cases of any circumstance for concern to have the patriotic faithful rally against the concerted efforts of radical Islam to infiltrate and conspire to take control and destroy what is good and worth defending about America.
Yet look at where the power is wielded. And the disproportionate representation, and the conflicting interests, and the ability to misdirect or attack outright when someone tries to point out that a strong hold is already in place and places our republic in jeopardy because those wielding the power seem to place the outside interest ahead of American interests, even going so far as saying the interests of both countries are one in the same…always. How can this be? How can American interests always be in lockstep with this other country’s and if the power is so disproportionate, would you be able to tell, or even do something should it become clear, that went against the interests of this country that had such entrenched power? Look at all the forces it could rally in its support telling you the reality you see is not true…government, media, industry, academia, and religious leaders and institutions.
How would you go against this tide? You would be ridiculed, shouted down, or accused of bigotry of the worst sort. Yet that is how the power breaks down. Wildly disproportionate. Acting in unison for the benefit of the outsider nation as opposed to that of America an Americans.
The Muslim menace is a misdirection. Whatever dangers they pose from the outside are nowhere near as perilous as those from the inside.
Keep that in mind as you light your torches and prepare to go forth to seek vengeance. Sometimes the villagers are bamboozled.
LogisticsMonster says:
Lance,
Are you nuts? Nobody is lighting torches and going forth to seek vengeance. Now that would be silly. The liberals are very much about ‘monkey see, monkey do’.
They certainly are metaphorically when this sort of histrionics comes into play (and literally as the high explosives and incendiaries rain down on Muslims that had no part whatsoever in 9/11). As an atheist I
reject the superstitious twaddle of Islam as much as any religion’s. But that doesn’t mean that they can be unfairly demonized wholesale to the detriment of those expressing their faith in a peaceful manner. I see the hatred that comes from delusions of superiority all religions have in laying exclusive claim to truth. Islam needs to catch up with
reformtion ideals but xian and Jewish history is just as blind, violent, and bloody. Their “revealed knowledge” gave them no higher morality and they did not surrender their power voluntarily.
If one felt that Israel might have had a hand in 9/11, would it be appropriate to want to forbid synagogues near ground zero?
Yes! But let’s face the facts and reality, shall we? Terrorists driven by Islamic principles attacked America on 9/11 (and are responsible for countless other attacks on the infidels worldwide). A mosque built near the location of that attack would be a poke in the eye of every American every day, reminding us of that attack and who was responsible!
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Dolphins Save the Whales
has nothing to do with astrology, but it’s wonderful nonetheless and shows the interconnectedness of all life:
THEY famously attempted to warn mankind of the Earth’s impending destruction in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, only for their behaviour to be dismissed as playful acrobatics.
But now, solid evidence has emerged of the dolphin’s altruistic nature. In a act of selflessness which has astounded experts and confirmed the friendly nature of the species, a bottlenose came to the rescue of two whales stranded on a beach in New Zealand.
The dolphin – nicknamed Moko by local residents, who said it spent much of its time swimming playfully with beachgoers – helped two pygmy sperm whales, facing imminent death after becoming stranded on a sandbar, swim to safety.
Until Moko’s arrival, rescuers feared the mother and calf would have to be put down to prevent them suffering a prolonged death on Mahia beach, about 300 miles north-east of Wellington.
Malcolm Smith and his team from the New Zealand Conservation Department had tried in vain to rescue the animals for an hour-and-a-half. With their effort faltering, it seemed only a matter of time before the operation was called off.
“They kept getting disoriented and stranding again,” Mr Smith said yesterday. “They couldn’t find their way back past (the sandbar] to the sea.”
Just as it seemed all hope was lost, Moko appeared. The dolphin approached the whales, leading them 200m along the beach before navigating them out to the open sea.
Mr Smith believes the dolphin heard the whales’ distress calls and came to their aid.
“It was looking like it was going to be a bad outcome for the whales … then Moko came along and fixed it,” he said. “They had arched their backs and were calling to one another, but as soon as the dolphin turned up, they submerged and followed her.
“I don’t speak whale and I don’t speak dolphin, but there was obviously something that went on, because the two whales changed from being quite distressed to following the dolphin willingly and directly along the beach and straight out to sea.”
Another rescuer, Juanita Symes, added: “Moko came flying through the water and pushed in between us and the whales. She got them to head toward the hill, where the channel is. It was an amazing experience. The best day of my life.”
By lokasiwisata.info|2008-03-18T11:05:00-04:00March 18th, 2008|Miscellany|Comments Off on Dolphins Save the Whales
I’ll be on Matthew’s radio show tonight
2 million views!
April Fool’s Day!
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Americans Are Coming Together to Pay Off School Lunch Debts
For many of us, a $2 or $3 lunch isn’t much of an imposition. But even with reduced-price lunch programs at schools, those prices can still feel like a burden to struggling families. And when parents fall behind on cafeteria debts, students can suffer. Some districts offer kids with high balances alternate meals, and it was only recently that New Mexico outlawed the practice of so-called “lunch-shaming”—that is, calling out those students who owe the school money, or even making them work in the cafeteria to pay off their debts.
You may not be able to make school lunches permanently affordable for these families, but you can help in a smaller way: by helping pay off overdue school lunch balances in a district near you. In December 2016, New York City-based writer Ashley C. Ford managed to raise thousands of dollars with a single tweet that urged people to donate the cost of overdue lunch balances to school districts near them. As the Associated Press reports, two months later, people had clearly run with the suggestion. In Minnesota, donors had raised $100,000 to pay off lunch debts in Minneapolis schools and $28,000 for schools in St. Paul’s. Schools across the country received thousands of dollars from good Samaritans to pay off kids’ lunch debts.
Similar crowdfunding efforts are still ongoing. In the Houston-area Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, volunteers are trying to raise $15,500 to pay off student lunch debts. In Austin, an online fundraising campaign collected more than $20,000, enough to pay off all lunch debts in the city’s public schools—and then some. The Loudoun Education Foundation in Ashburn, Virginia is planning to raise $13,000 to cover lunch debts at the county’s public schools.
Those surely won’t be the last fundraisers, because student lunch debt is a strikingly common issue. Around 75 percent of the 1000 schools in one survey from the School Nutrition Association had unpaid lunch debt at the end of the 2015-2016 school year, costs the school usually has to cover with its own budget [PDF]. Some critics of school lunch programs suggest that we shouldn’t be charging kids at all—every student should get a meal, no matter how much money they do or do not have.
That’s already a reality in some places. In New York City, a pilot program began offering free lunch to all students at certain public middle schools, regardless of their financial situation, starting in 2014. Other cities, like Chicago, Dallas, and Boston already offer universal free lunch to all public school students. Advocates argue that these universal programs ensure that all students are adequately fed and eliminate the stigma of receiving a free or reduced-priced meal.
Many school districts can’t afford to offer free lunches to all students, though, meaning that donations can make a huge difference. Students don’t have to worry about being shamed about not having enough money, and school districts can spend the money that would otherwise go to covering those balances at the end of the year on something else.
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"I never told her that. However, then next time, I remember going to Gujarat is when the floods hit the state in the year 2005. I went with the Red Cross Society team to Anand. We were seeking the Muslim pockets to find out whether the Muslims were getting state support in a natural disaster. I was delighted when Muslim families came to me and said that they had gotten compensation, in fact they had gotten it earlier. I also met them in Baroda saying the same thing. In a way it kind of takes the wind out of your sails because you are riding on the wind of anger, and then you find out that your anger is based on the memory of 2002. Now there is something else on the ground, the ground says that these guys have been given the ration and support like anyone else. I remember telling Rajat Sharma, ‘please do tell Mr. Modi that I have personally gone to the ground. In 2002, I saw a complete break down of law and order in Ahmedabad, and the Muslims were living in terror. This time, I saw a very hopeful image of Muslims during a natural disaster, being dealt with compassion and care by the establishment. I thought that that was an important development. That gave me a view that you may not have a total revolution there, but some kind of a beginning was being made. The river was changing its course, if that was any indication…
“Unfortunately, there are some conflict entrepreneurs who live off conflicts. Like, the war industries would cease to exist if human hatred evaporated. They have a tremendous investment in this hatred, so to keep the demon alive is to keep their God alive. They draw sustenance from this hatred. Those who talk of secular values need to go back and study the Mahatma because in the pages of Mahatma, there is no concept of the kshatru (enmity).”
“The charge that Modi hates Muslims or that he engineered the riots to win election has been proved to be bunkum by the enquiries of the highest court. Due to decades of recurrent politically engineered communal riots during previous regimes, Gujarat police and administration were also heavily communalized. Most of these riots took place under Congress regimes which ruled Gujarat almost without a break till 1995. And yet Modi managed to mobilize all the forces he could to restore normalcy within 3 three days.
"Despite the High Court and Supreme Court exonerating Modi of the charges levelled by Citizens for Justice and Peace and others regarding his role in the riots as well as relief and rehabilitation measures, some of these NGO’s go on and on attacking Modi for keeping Muslims in camps under sub-human conditions. People don’t know the real picture about those relief camps. They have only been fed on partisan propaganda. Our team went recently to the refugee camps in Assam. My brother said: I have not seen Muslims anywhere in India in such a pitiable condition as in Assam’s refugee camps. Even today 2.5 lakh Muslims are still in refugee camps- that too under the Congress regime. He said the conditions are squalid beyond imagination. My brother had run refugee camps in Gujarat so he could compare. Gujarat relief camps were far better run and the government was cooperative. This is not to say that refugee camps can ever be a pleasant or comfortable place to live in. But the government made arrangements for food, medical care and all the rest better than most governments in India do. Assam’s Muslims are in the most pathetic condition but there is no mention of them anywhere. No one goes to enquire after them. Neither Teesta nor a Shabnam Hashmi has much time for them. Hundreds of thousands are still in those camps but do you hear any discussion in the media about those camps? They are already forgotten but these same people keep ranting about the plight of Muslims in Gujarat relief camps even though those folded within 4 months because we saw to speedy rehabilitation.
"As far as government support for rehabilitation is concerned, the compensation packages in any riot are nothing compared to the losses suffered by the people. The Government gave prompt compensation to families who suffered losses. But nowhere in India do riot victims ever get close to what they lost. You barely get a couple of lakhs in compensation from the government. Our loss was of Rs 5 crore, so we didn’t even go to collect the compensation. 1 or 2 lakh means a lot to the less privileged people, they did get the money. But for someone like me, collecting Rs 2 lakh is not worth the effort.
The good thing that Muslims did here, and I think this should be a lesson for everyone in the country, was that they did not wait for anything to come from the government. Organisations like the Jamiyat-e-Ulema-e Hind, Jamat-e-Islamia, Imarat-e-Sharia, some Muslim NGOs from Hyderabad, Bihar and several other non-Muslim NGOs worked together to build homes for riot victims. We got very little help from NRIs. If a man has 1 crore and gives you only Rs 10 in charity, what will you say? Compared to the financial standing of the people in England or America, we got very little help. But Muslim organizations and Indian NGOs both Hindu and Muslim, whichever way they got their funds, constructed or rebuilt a total of 15000 houses."
I checked this with Gujarat government records. Details provided are available at …..Various aspects of the relief and rehabilitation of victims by the Gujarat Government were agitated against in various forums. All such petitions were rejected by both the Gujarat High Court and Supreme Court of India – with the courts in fact appreciating the Relief and Rehabilitation steps taken by the Government. The Gujarat High Court appreciating (and advising the petitioners to appreciate) the steps taken by the Government in the management of the camps, made the following observations among others:
“it must be said that since the State has already appointed Mr. S.M.F. Bukhari, a retired I.A.S. Officer, as Chief Coordinator for looking after the relief and rehabilitation facility at various camps… , the Court is of the opinion that the State has also taken care to some extent in trying to sort out the problem, which is ventilated by the petitioners in this petition, and the said gesture on the part of the State is required to be appreciated. The efforts put in by the State Government in this behalf, as indicated above, are required to be appreciated” [Gujarat High Court Order - Special CA No: 3773 of 2002, (3 May 2002)]
The Amicus Curie’s suggestion in the Supreme Court to constitute a cell to reopen relief and rehabilitation matters through [Cr. MP 3742 in WP 109/2003] was not accepted by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also disposedof petitions alleging negligence in relief and rehabilitation along with various other allegations - directing the petitioners (Mahasweta Devi - [WP (Crl.) No.530/2002] and Mallika Sarabhai - [WP (crl.) No. 221/2002]) to approach the Guj High Court, where these issues are being monitored. [Supreme Court of India - WP (Crl.) No.530/2002 & WP (crl.) No. 221 of 2002, (17 Aug 2004)].
I hope to follow up on this issue in the coming months and get first hand accounts of other people who worked in relief camps.
“These NGOs can’t face the truth unlike some of us who work for and with the community; they have made lucrative commerce out of it. Just like an unethical doctor prays, ‘Allah send more and more illnesses, these people pray that there should be disasters and people should be wretched. They are running a business. I sometimes feel I am a fool to run an agency selling BMWs. If I had opened an NGO, I would have gotten huge amounts of money pouring in from all over the world and would be getting endless awards, honours and jet setting around the world at other people’s expense."
Are those Guilty of Gujarat Riots Being Punished?
An oft repeated allegation against Modi is that his government has obstructed fair trails of those guilty of riots. Teesta Setalvad had taken this matter to the Supreme Court which got the charge investigated by the SIT. The impression remains the Gujarat Government is protecting the guilty. Here is Zafar’s take on it.
"I am very closely following all the cases, it’s not like we’re from Norway or Scotland. What we insiders know about the condition of Muslims here, the outsiders don’t know. And Teesta is an outsider who comes in only to create mischief. They don’t have a clue, we are directly involved. There is absolutely no evidence of Modi trying to obstruct justice and protecting the guilty. Just see the number of people who have been sent to jail. Has this happened in any previous riot anywhere in India? In fact, the reason VHP/Bajrang dal and a section of his own party have turned against Modi is that he is refusing to help them escape justice or prison terms. Why do you think they made common cause with the Congress party in recent elections? Why do you think Bajrang Dal leaders joined hands with Tehelkateam and try to put the blame on Modi in that phoney expose in which they boasted of brutal killings as though they were doing it at Modi’s behest. That was a strategy to curry favour with the Congress because for the Congress anyone who can target Modi is a dear friend and ally.
"Whether the matter was before the SIT or the Supreme Court, cases were filed based on the basis of charge sheets filed by the Investigating Officer. Secondly, the public prosecutor was also from the State government. Thirdly, over 200 persons have been convicted and 152 have been awarded life imprisonment. Many more are in the pipeline. An important aspect of these convictions is that they have been on the basis of the testimony of eye witnesses. Tell me, do eye witnesses normally live to give their testimony in India’s legal and political system?
"Read the judgements and you will see that all the convictions have been on the basis of testimonies of eye witnesses. There were other corroborative evidences but the basic evidence was that of the eye witnesses. That means the Government must have protected the eye-witnesses. They came and gave evidence against Babu Bajrangi – it is not easy to live in Naroda Patia and give evidence against people like Babu Bajrangi. Will you not give credit to the Gujarat Government for this at least?
During 2002, there were nine major incidents of murders and the rest were relatively minor. More than 90% of these cases are going on in Gujarat courts. In 2003-04, like any other Muslim I too believed that Muslims cannot get justice in Gujarat, but as matters progressed, we saw that the courts were convicting the guilty. Now all the cases are going on in Gujarat except two cases of Bilkis Bano and the Best Bakery case. The rest of the trials are going on in Ahmedabad, Anand and Mehsana in the courts of the judicial magistrates. These are local magistrates and even the investigating officer in each case was from the local police."
I have not yet looked into details of these trials and convictions. I hope to do so in the coming months. However, a senior bureaucrat also corroborated Zafar’s version about Modi’s policy of letting the courts do their job without fear or favour even though NGO’s keep accusing him of shielding the guilty. To quote him:
“Despite political pressure from the Centre, the courts could not find any evidence against him. Please check out for yourself a simple fact: most of those sent to jail were indicted by courts on the basis of complaints filed by the Gujarat Police. These include a minister in Modi government and other BJP leaders. The SIT investigations added very few new names to the list of those already booked by the Gujarat government. The 3 day riots in Gujarat 2002 have been dealt with in the most bizarre manner by the Central Government and the Supreme Court. Law & Order is a state subject. All previous and subsequent riots and massacres in India have been dealt with by the state government. This is the one and only riot in which the Supreme Court has taken over full charge of investigations and thus encroached on the functions of the state government. Teesta knows very well that there is not a shred of evidence against Modi but all she and the Congress party want is to somehow have some strictures passed against Modi by the courts through means fair or foul. But despite a Supreme Court Bench that gave Modi a very tough time, they have not succeeded in getting Modi implicated or playing a collusive role in even one single incident during the riots. This is because Modi did his damned best to control the riots with all the means available to him. This at a time when he was new to his role as CM. He neither had a grip over his Party nor over the administrative machinery.
“Mr Raghavan along with two other members of SIT was appointed by the Supreme Court. However, the state government has to pay for all the expenses of the SIT. When Teesta found that she could not get Raghavan to implicate Modi in false cases, she attacked Raghavan and filed the most banal complaint against him. He is known to be an exceptionally upright officer. Look at the absurd low level charge she made against Raghavan. After retirement Raghavan is based in Chennai. So he travels to Gujarat or Delhi from Chennai. On one occasion, he was in England for some lectures when the Supreme Court called him for some urgent work. Even though he is entitled to business class travel, he bought an economy class ticket in order to avoid the heavy expenditure involved in buying business class ticket from London. Had he travelled from Chennai on business class ticket, it would have cost the government Rs 72000 for return ticket. But he bought a London-Delhi return ticket for Rs 40,000. Teesta filed a complaint against him on the absurd charge of buying a London-Delhi ticket when he is entitled only to Chennai-Delhi ticket. But if the court summons him when he is lecturing in London, is he supposed to fly at his own cost?
SIT was to investigate nine cases of riots. Out of nine, four cases are awaiting judgement. None of those against whom additional charge sheets were filed by the SIT have yet been convicted. But most of charge sheets filed by the Gujarat government have led to convictions. What does that tell you about Modi administration? One thing very exceptional about Modi is that he keeps political party work and administration absolutely separate. He does not let his own party men take undue advantage of BJP being in power. If Modi had been involved in the riots, he would not have distanced himself from Zadaphia who was the Minister of State for Home at the time of riots. But have you ever heard Teesta and Co target Zadaphia who as minister in charge of home was directly responsible? Similarly, Ashok Narayan, the Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department was bypassed by Modi for the chief secretary’s post despite his seniority because it was felt that despite his best efforts the Home Department was unable to do a competent job of controlling riots. By all accounts, Ashok Narayan is a good human being but could not prove his competence in meeting the challenge of those gory days. So even though Modi gave him chief secretary’s rank in deference to his seniority and sincerity, but did not give him the crucial portfolio of chief secretary of the state. Modi would have protected these guys had he any role in the riots. The truth is that Teesta only played dilatory tactics by bringing in the Supreme Court whose enquiries halted the cases being heard in the Gujarat courts because she kept getting stay orders. The ease with which she can get stay orders from the Supreme Court on absolutely flimsy grounds is truly amazing.”
Exactly, similar sentiments were expressed by Rais Khan Pathan, an erstwhile colleague of Teesta Setalvad that she acts as though she knows in advance what orders she will get from the Supreme Court. Conversations with two other senior bureaucrats confirmed that many of Modi’s political problems, including within his own party stem from the fact that he is not willing to shield any wrong doer. Earlier the Congress and BJP used to be in riots together and so they dutifully protected each other. Modi has severed the umbilical chord that connected anti-social elements within both the BJP and the Congress. To continue with Zafar’s account:
"An important aspect of this riot was that it was not as simple as BJP vs. Muslims or just VHP vs. Muslims. Lot of Congress workers were equally involved. I personally know of so many Congress people who took an active part in the riots. Even outside Ehsan Jafri’s house there were a lot of Congressmen in the murderous mob. Some of them have been found guilty of murders in Gulberg society.
Some Congressmen who were involved in the riots have also been convicted. The most famous one here is Himmat Singh Patel who was the Mayor, the one who built a road over the mazar of Wali Dakkani and was responsible for Jafri’s murder. It is a travesty of justice that he has escaped punishment. Teesta will never name him!"
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51. Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's second film "Izgnanie (The Banishment)" (2007): A director challenges the intelligent viewer
Andrei Zvyagintsev's second film The Banishment, if evaluated closely, could arguably be as interesting as his first film The Return, if not better. Both relate to related concepts "Father" and "Love/Absence of Love." In both films, there are few words spoken. In both films nature plays a major role as any of the characters on screen--streams that dry up come back into life, winds lap the tree leaves to a sing a song of their own making, mists and rain provide graphic punctuation to the tale. Towards the end of the film, again we find nature providing a harvest of grain. In The Banishment, the camera constantly captures the wedding rings of Alex and Vera, husband and wife, but shows brother Mark does not wear one. The photographs and the conversations bring Alex's father into perspective. Thus, the film introduces three crucial relationships--husband and wife, brother and brother, father and son (Alex/Kir and Alex/Alex's father).
Evaluating The Banishment is akin to completing a challenging crossword puzzle. You would agree with this unusual comparison if you have seen The Return. To begin with, The Return was not based on a novel. This one is. That, too, a William Saroyan novel—The Laughing Matter. Yet the director is not presenting us with Saroyan's novel on the screen. He develops the wife as a woman "more sinn'd against than sinning," while in the novel she is mentally unstable. Understandably, the director decides to drop the Saroyan title. Thus the words "I am going to have a child. It's not yours" provides two utterly distinct scenarios depending on whether the woman who speaks those words to her husband is a saintly person or a mentally unhinged woman. The change in the character of the wife by the director opens a totally new perspective to the Saroyan story—a tool that contemporary filmmakers frequently use, not to wreck literary works, but creatively revive interest in the possibilities a change in the original work provides.
Viewers, familiar with the plethora of Christian symbolism in The Return, will in The Banishment spot the painting on which the children play jigsaw is one of an angel visiting Mary, mother of Jesus, to reveal that she will give birth even if she is a virgin. This shot is followed by a black kitten walking across the painting. Soon the forced abortion operation at the behest of the husband begins on Vera, the wife in Zvyagintsev's film. By the end of the film, the viewer will realize that the director had left a clue for the viewer—not through conventional character development using long conversations. The Banishment is representative of contemporary cinema provoking viewers to enjoy cinema beyond the story by deciphering symbols strewn around amongst layers of meaning structured within the screenplay.
As usual, the cinema of director Zvyagintsev is full of allusions to the Bible. This is the third famous film that refers to a single abstract chapter in the Bible on love: 1 Corinthians Chapter 13. In The Banishment the chapter is read by the neighbors' daughters. In Krzysztof Kieslowski's Blue, the musical score is linked at the end of the film to a choral musical piece that uses the words "If I have not love, I am nothing" from the same Biblical chapter commenting indirectly on communication breakdown between husband and wife and the slow and painful reconciliation with the husband's lover. Ingmar Bergman's Through a Glass Darkly is a phrase on taken from the same chapter of the Bible, a film also on lack of communication and love between father and son, husbands and wives. The banishment alludes to the banishment of Adam from the Garden of Eden represented in the film by the anti-hero's tranquil family house, far from the inferred socio-political turbulence elsewhere. The jigsaw puzzle depicting an angel appearing to Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, alludes that both Vera's child and Virgin Mary's child are not born out of sin. It indicates to the viewer that wife was innocent. Even to the selection of classical music Bach's Magnificat or the Song of Virgin Mary is not out of context.
While the story and structure of The Return is easier to comprehend, The Banishment is more complex. The first half of the film entices the viewer to reach the wrong conclusions. The Father is correct, the wife is wrong. The second half of the film surprises the viewer as all assumptions of the viewer made from the preceding episodes are turned topsy-turvy. Men are arrogant, egotistical and father children without love. There is no love in the silent train journey of the family while the wife is looking at her husband with love. Like Kieslowski's Blue, the woman, though having less screen time in the movie, appears stronger than the man—and in an apt epilogue it shows women (harvesting a field), who are singing a song of hope and regeneration.
A supposed major flaw noted by critics is the lack of character development. In this film, Zvyagintsev progresses from the earlier film to develop characters using silent journeys (lack of communication) and misconstruing reality ("child is not ours"), recalling the basic structure of the storyline of the director's first film. Actually Zvyagintsev progresses in this second film by extending the relationship of "Father and children" in the first film, to "Father and Mother" in the second. In the first film, children do not understand the father; in the second, the father does not understand his wife. When he does it is too late, just as the kids in the first film of the director. This is a film that requires several viewings to savor its many ingredients of photography, music (of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt) , and screenplay writing. Zvyagintsev is not merely copying legendary directors Tarkovsky (sudden rains, the winds, and the similar choice of music), Bergman and Kieslowski (theological inquiries)—he is exploring new territories by teasing his viewer to "suspend his/her belief" and constantly re-evaluate what was shown.
The lead actor, Konstantin Lavronenko, playing the role of Alex deservedly won the Best Actor award at Cannes Film Festival in The Banishment. Director Zvyagintsev's fans will recall the same actor had played the father of the two young boys in Zvyagintsev's first film The Return. This Russian director has proven that he is one of the finest living filmmakers with a modest tally of just two films that has won him over 20 international awards, including the Golden Lion at Venice, already. What an achievement!
P.S. The films The Return, Blue, and Through a Glass Darkly were reviewed earlier on this blog.
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 5:06 AM 2 comments : Links to this post
Labels: Cannes winner , Russia
50. Iranian director Hana Makhmalbaf 's "Buda as sharm foru rikht/Buddha Collapsed out of Shame" (2007): Using kids to discuss adults' shameful acts
This is an unusual film, though not one that can be considered a major work of cinema. It gains importance because it shows how children can be used as a tool to discuss serious social and political issues. The film is about a young Afghan girl who yearns to read and write as the boys of her age. The film provides a chilling account of the Taliban’s intolerance of girls attending school, of women using lipstick and stoning of women to death for trivial reasons—all reprised through games of children imitating the disturbing adult actions.
The Iranian film is shot on Afghan locations very close to the spot where the fundamentalist Muslim Taliban destroyed the centuries-old rock hewn gigantic statue of Buddha. Had it existed today, it could have been a modern wonder of the world. Hence the title--Buddha collapsed from shame. The film's location, Bamyan, probably does not have not a single Buddhist--at least officially. It is habited by gentle, peace loving Muslims terrorized by fundamentalist Muslims. Women are forced to wear burkhas--to cover their hair. If the women use lipstick, they are brutally punished, even stoned to death, after being given water to drink before they die! Girls are not allowed to attend school, while boys are. The film begins with the documentary footage of the destruction of the Buddha statue.The film is an interesting film for several reasons.
It is directed by a 19-year-old girl--daughter of a famous Iranian director. For a teenaged Iranian Muslim woman to take on the powerful Taliban while living in a theocratic state of Iran is commendable. It is the first known Muslim filmmaker's attempt at criticising the Taliban. Like Sofia Coppola, her famous filmmaker father must have encouraged her at every step.
The most valuable part of the film is that the criticism is indirect as perceived from a child's perspective. A lovely, persistent, young girl child wanting to learn to read and attend school, makes intelligent use of her mother's lipstick and four eggs taken from her home to attain her aim in life. Her mother is away, working. (I guess here shades of director Hana Makhmalbaf's personal aspirations are mirrored, though she led a much better life than the Afghan girl.) The film is a wonderful example of use of kids in world cinema. What credible performances!
However, there are problems with the film. Many sequences seem to remind you of Lord of the Flies. Then there is a sequence where the girl child ties a baby with a rope and leaves for school--but this scene is never followed up. There is another scene where the girl rings the school bell, and no one in the school seems to be bothered by her action. Pleasant humour takes its toll on credibility. Yet Hana needs to be commended for her brave and intelligent work. The film was chosen to open the 12th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala, India, to drive home the point that cinema today can be effective without sex and violence and be able to provoke a viewer to reflect on grave issues affecting lives today in remote places.
Young Hana's achievement in cinema makes you think about the increasing use of children to deal with adult issues. In this film, the story is almost entirely seen from a children's point of view--making the film agreeable to the viewer, instead of employing shrill adult views on the brutal and non-secular Taliban. Mark Twain did it, and we laughed and enjoyed his work. Some would say children ought to be left to Peter Pan type of stories...or should they be used to discuss what adults are afraid to discuss?
Late news 16 Feb 2008: The film won the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival 2008 in the Generation section.
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 5:37 AM 1 comment : Links to this post
Labels: Afghanistan , Berlin winner , Iran
49. Swiss filmmaker Stefan Haupt's "Ein Lied fur Argyris/A Song for Argyris" (2006): A thought-provoking documentary on grief and historical guilt
Here is a powerful 106 minute documentary all of us need to see and then reflect on dealing with grief and the touchy subject of historical guilt swayed by the waves of current European politics.
While most of the world believes that the horrors of the Nazis targeted only Jews, this documentary provides the viewer first hand narration from Greeks, some who now have Swiss citizenship, of the incredible sadistic acts of the German army as they mutilated and tortured hundreds living in a Greek village called Distomo before killing them. None of those killed were Jews, they were all Greek Orthodox Christians. Swiss director Stefen Haupt proves the incredible power of documentary cinema, with the use of old photographs, music, fine narration and seamless editing.
The main narrator is Argyris Sfountouris, who was a Greek child orphaned in the brutal massacre. His house was set on fire. Overnight he lost all. As he was found to be intelligent among the hundreds of other orphans he was picked by the Swiss Government along with few others to grow up in Switzerland. Today he is an astronomer and a scientist. One of his statements is "When will reconciliation begin and hate end? How can one forget what we experienced and forget those who died? When will we learn to forget our memories and move on?"
The strength of the pivotal narration is its low-key account, honest but sad. Argyris is confounded that a country that produced the soothing music of Beethoven could centuries later produce savage brutes.Another narrator is the famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis of Zorba the Greek fame. He recalls the German soldiers were interested in art and Parthenon. Yet the same soldiers would break the arms of hungry Greek children stealing bread. These are some of the contradictions in human behavior, the Swiss director Stefan Haupt highlights with remarkable effect.
Theodorakis also recounts a horrible account of the Greek Orthodox Priest and his family being stripped naked, mutilated in a horrible manner, forced to do unthinkable acts and then killed.
The more jarring facet is that when the Greek village survivors appealed for compensation from Germany, the German government refused to acknowledge guilt until a few years ago when the German Ambassador to Greece finally visited the village and apologized. Even today the German official stance is that Germany and Greece are now NATO allies and compensation is ruled out. Argyris tries to forget his loss and hate by working for the underprivileged in Somalia, Nepal and Indonesia. But can one forget what one remembers in childhood?
This film is powerful—only Hans Jurgen Syberberg's Hitler-A film from Germany (a 10 hour long documentary that provoked essayist Susan Sontag to write so many essays on it) was superior to this film on a linked subject. More people need to see the Stefan Haupt film so that similar horrors are not perpetrated elsewhere in the world. Haupt offers open-ended options to deal with grief, which makes you think how you ought to deal with personal grief. These are documenatries that offer more value than some feature films!
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 5:57 AM No comments : Links to this post
Labels: Greece , Switzerland , Thessaloniki winner
48. US director and actor Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade" (1996): A minor 'Citizen Kane'
It would be missing the forest for the trees to merely state that the story of Thornton's film and/or the performances were stunning.
No doubt the screenplay is good, if not captivating, in structure. The prologue before the credits balances the measured calmness that follows the remainder of the prologue of the film. Both segments have an uneasy and unreal muteness that is deafening to the viewers' sensibilities. The chair dragged by J.T. Walsh makes a noise that irritates you, while preparing you for the rest of the movie. The deliberately darkened room for the interview with the school girl seemed out-of-place for an inmate about to be released into the sunny world of freedom. The screenplay does seem to dig at a layer beyond the obvious—a corrections system that is far from perfect. The response of the lead character to J.T. Walsh at the end of the movie offers more for the viewer to re-evaluate what has preceded in the film. Having viewed Lars von Trier's Dogville, within hours of viewing Sling Blade, I could not but the see the parallels that emerge in both films—the vigilante element in the best among us and a critical appraisal of society we live in. Is it the sick person that takes the center stage or is the sick framework in our society taking the spotlight? Neither film is religious but both are asking humanistic and theological questions of the viewer.
Thornton's performance is interesting and in many ways comparable to Malkovich's performance in Of Mice and Men or Duvall's performance in To Kill a Mockingbird. Are the viewers mesmerized by the actor's performance or by the writer Thornton's character? In my view the character Karl in Sling Blade is more interesting than the performance of Thornton. The director Thornton exploits the physical imperfections of the actor Thornton. Unlike Giullieta Masina in La Strada or Sir John Mills in Ryan's Daughter, the rare examples the performances outdid the character, Thornton, Malkovich and Duvall have all presented powerful imperfect characters that interest the viewer more than the performers. Thornton was able to gain the viewer's attention with his gait (with crushed glass in his shoes), his voice, and his facial contortions. In my view, Thornton was more impressive as an actor in Monster's Ball because the character was less "attractive" to the viewer.
Thornton's cast weave a quilt of outstanding brief performances: J.T. Walsh in the hospital, Duvall as the father, and Ritter as the endearing gay character.
More than the performance or the screenplay, the finest part of the film was the music. Now Thornton himself is a drummer and musician. Thornton, the director, was able to get top-notch strains of music from Daniel Lanois that embellished the film. I think the film would have been a lot less impressive without the music which was evocative and yet not intrusive. This includes the singing during the baptism sequence. It is a film that cajoles a sensitive viewer to pay attention to the intelligent management of the soundtrack.
Thornton needs to be commended for his care in managing the sound throughout the movie. Apart from the dragging of the chair at the start of the film, the sound department did a marvelous job (you see this in films of Michael Mann, Terence Mallick and Julie Taymor among contemporary US filmmakers).
All in all, the movie belonged to Billy Bob Thornton—director, screenplay writer, and actor. An amazing effort indeed, almost recalling the more sophisticated effort of Orson Welles in Citizen Kane!
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 9:52 PM No comments : Links to this post
Labels: Oscar winner , USA
47. Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" (1954): Opening new windows to reflect on the classic thriller
After viewing the film three times over a span of 20-odd years, the film urges a keen viewer to go beyond the appreciation of the cinematic challenges that Hitchcock sets for himself to overcome. For instance, one need not merely appreciate that this film is one of the rare instances in cinema where all the sounds are "diegetic"— recorded on the soundtrack are sounds from within the visual world captured by the camera. Further, one need no longer be intrigued by the amoral perspective of the voyeur, represented by L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart), the good, average American bachelor with a robust, modest, creative career and a rich doting girl friend, Lisa, trying to rope him into marriage. After three viewings you are no longer wide-eyed about the blending of the viewer's perspective with those of Jefferies' perspective, historically a major feat of Hitchcock.
Newer perspectives of the film crystallize if you have seen over 20 Hitchcock films as I fortunately have.
First, Rear Window is one of the rare films of Hitchcock where women emerge smarter and stronger than men—the last scene has the hero with two legs in a cast and his lady love switching reading material to what she prefers to read over what the hero would prefer her to read, even though for the first time she has switched to trousers to humor her future husband's vision of his kind of wife. Similar ends were obvious in Family Plot, Spellbound, Rebecca and, by inference of the final choice, in Marnie. The final shot in Rear Window is a sexual reversal of the final shot of Mr and Mrs Smith.
Second, Rear Window is yet another film on marriage—a recurring theme in the Hitchcock films. Jefferies and Lisa do not tie the knot but the end inferred this would eventually happen. But the switching of the reading material gives the viewer a clue who among the duo would rule the marriage. In another perspective on marriage, within the film a husband kills his wife. A wedding ring is stolen of all objects. Other perspectives in the film reflect on the sex in marriage and another looks at a woman dreaming of a virtual husband, a dream to which Jefferies involuntarily raises his own glass!
Third, this is a film on photographers, photography and voyeurs. Only the photographer looks out of the window, when all have windows open, except when a dog or housebreak is involved. Four decades after Hitchcock made the film, the Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski in his Dekalog no. 6 /A short film about love explored the same theme with even more astonishing results. Recently, Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke's Cache presented videos of an anonymous voyeur as the pivotal essay on racial interaction. All the three films infer that the crime is in watching other people commit crime. The watcher and the watched emerge as flip sides of an individual or alter egos. The magic of Hitchcock enamors more and more later geniuses of cinema even today...
For a mature viewer, there is more entertainment in the film than the obvious story-line woven around a wheelchair-bound voyeur suspecting a murder has been committed close to his apartment.
P.S. Cache is reviewed earlier in this blog.
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 4:32 PM 1 comment : Links to this post
Labels: UK , USA
46. Swedish maestro Ingmar Bergman's "Nattvardsgasterna" (Winter Light) (1962): Stunning cinema for some, dreary for others
Winter Light is simply stunning cinema. Ingmar Bergman realized this was the film (with the arguable exception of Fanny and Alexander) that satisfied him most among his entire body of work. And this was not a casual remark made by a director to promote his film soon after he made it, it was instead a written statement he made 25 years after the film was made. Viewing the black-and-white film a few days after Bergman died, I could not but agree with his view. It is a great film from a great director. It is a film that average audiences might never appreciate. Even Bergman’s wife (at that time) found it dreary. It would make sense to viewers familiar with theology (Bergman was the rebellious son of a Lutheran priest) and much of the gravity of the film will be lost to those unfamiliar with the issues presented in the film. Yet it is a film that would provide adequate material to atheists and believers alike in equal measure. It’s a thinking-person’s film.
If the rules of aesthetics of Aristotle’s Poetics were to be applied to cinema, Winter Light would be perfect cinema. It begins and ends in a church (though the churches are different ones close to each other with the same organist and the same sexton). It begins and ends within a 24-hour period. Much of the action can be correlated (mimesis) to Christ’s Last Supper leading up to his death on the cross. Catharsis abounds both for a believer and non-believer. The main character undergoes anagnorisis or self realization through the accusatory statements of his lover. There is arguable peripeteia (reversal of circumstances) as non-believing lover prays by kneeling with folded hands in the penultimate shot soon after the organist who also attends Free Mason rituals exhorts her to leave the Church and her love, the widower Priest.
Most critics bypass this particular work of Bergman for good reasons. It is totally devoid of music, if you discount the church bells and the organ played in the church. It does not have the hypnotic visual allure of The Seventh Seal or of Sawdust and Tinsel. It has unusually long sequences of actors speaking into the camera. Its actors are all ugly, anti-heroic, and stunted (even the beautiful blonde Ingrid Thulin appears here in major role as a homely brunette destined to remain a spinster). It’s a film about suicide, about physical suffering, and about cold Scandinavian winters. Like David Lean’s Ryan’s Daughter and John Huston’s fascinating adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana, the film is populated with anti-heroes, cripples and losers. Finally, the film is overtly theological. All these are facets of cinema that rarely makes viewers sit up these days.
Why then is this movie stunning?
It has an absolutely flawless structure for its screenplay. It begins and ends with a church service. The number of worshippers seems to diminish towards the end of the movie but the few believers are stronger in faith. The scene after opening service and the scene before the final service are both in the vestry. The middle sections take the action out of the church. This structure would have pleased the ancient Greek playwrights and Shakespeare alike.
Every scene, every sequence is carefully created. You remove one and the whole film collapses. The use of light and shadows is awesome in each and every scene (see the scene above). Each scene provides fodder for reflection. Take the scene where the priest and his lover stop at a level crossing. The line spoken by the priest is that he entered priesthood because his father told him to become one. An innocent statement, if you do not know Bergman was the son of a priest and that Through a Glass Darkly the previous work in the trilogy ended with a crucial conversation on God between father and son. Through a Glass Darkly ended with the son (Minus) asking his father (David): “Give me a proof of God.” His father answered: “I can only give you an indication of my own hope. It’s knowing that love exists for real in the human world. . . . The highest and lowest, the most ridiculous and the most sublime. All kinds. . . . I don’t know whether love is proof of God’s existence, or if love is God. . . . Suddenly the emptiness turns into abundance, and hopelessness into life. It’s like a reprieve, Minus, from a sentence of death.” Visually, too, the stop at the railway crossing offers food for thought. Some critics aver that the railway wagons passing by the stopped car have remarkable similarity to coffins.
The spoken words throughout are intense and often interlink this film with Bergman’s previous film in the trilogy Through a Glass Darkly, where the leading lady having a nervous breakdown has visions of God as a spider. In Winter Light, the connection is made with the words of the priest: “Every time I confronted God with the realities I witnessed - he turned into something ugly and revolting. A spider god, a monster. So I fled from the light, clutching my image to myself in the dark.”
Similarly, the link to the next film in the trilogy The Silence, is made by the words: “When Jesus was nailed to the cross -and hung there in torment - he cried out -"God, my God!" "Why hast thou forsaken me?" He cried out as loud as he could. He thought that his heavenly father had abandoned him. He believed everything he'd ever preached was a lie. The moments before he died, Christ was seized by doubt. Surely that must have been his greatest hardship? God's silence.”
Doubt about the existence of God is the underlying theme of the Bergman trilogy. It is not a coincidence that the main character is called Rev. Tomas after Thomas the doubting Apostle who refused to believe in Jesus' resurrection until he put his finger in his Jesus’ nail wounds.
The film’s end offers both a comforting interpretation to non-believers and another one to believers. When Bergman wrote the script, he was rebelling against his father who was a devout believer. The end of the film was crafted by Bergman after he saw his old father insisting on all the prayers said in a church when the regular priest was too ill to say them.
Existential non-believers will argue that in the final scene of Winter Light, the priest who knew he could not honestly help a man about to commit suicide, lamely continues his vocation without conviction. Believers will interpret the same scene to mean that the wretched priest realizes that silence from God does not mean that God does not exist but that he has to toil and suffer with added conviction and begin once again with a single worshipper to populate the near empty church. We can surmise that the priest will marry again because his new wife will now not be struck by his “indifference to (his) Jesus Christ” and that the crippled sexton finds a new supporter for his viewpoint that physical pain is easier to bear than loneliness.
For those viewers familiar with an Indian/Malayalam national-award winning film Nirmalayam, (directed and written by M T Vasudevan Nair in 1973), the end of the two films are worthy of comparison. The major characters in both films suffer psychological stress. Both characters are priests and religious (though practising different religions). Yet the final action of both are interestingly different. Both are interesting screenplays and worthy films. Both movies give ample room to the viewer for thought.
Either way, the two films offer considerable options of interpretation for a sensitive, intelligent viewer.
P.S. Through a Glass Darkly was reviewed earlier on this blog. Winter Light is one of the 10 movies that director Andrei Tarkovsky listed before his death as the best works of world cinema.
Labels: Sweden
45. British director John Boorman's US film "Point Blank" (1967): Alienation at its best surfaces in a Hollywood action film
The toast of the Cannes festival awards ceremonies on three occasions, director John Boorman has made films best forgotten and films that are unforgettable. Point Blank belongs to the latter category. Many critics have dismissed it as a Hollywood B-grade action film. Evaluate it closely and you will spot a gem. Arguably Boorman has made three other major films--The General, Deliverance, and Hell in the Pacific, but this film had material--visual, aural and philosophical--that made it stand out among the Hollywood productions of its day. The film was remade recently as a Hollywood action film Payback, a version that did not urge the viewer to think beyond its gripping action.
I first saw this movie when I was in college in the Seventies. I viewed the film again in 2001. The power of the film was the same on my senses. Several reasons come up: British Director John Boorman was at his best trying to outdo Don Siegel's The Killers (1967)-which also stars Marvin and Angie Dickinson in somewhat similar roles, and was based on an Ernest Hemingway story. I will really be surprised if Boorman denies that he was not influenced by the Siegel/Hemingway movie.
Why did Point Blank make an impact on me? Was it Lee Marvin's raw machismo? No. It was Boorman, who gave cinema a brilliant essay on alienation. When Dickinson's Chris asks Marvin's Walker `What's my last name?' after a bout of sex and gets a repartee `What's my first name?' you can argue the alienation is embedded in the dialog. It goes beyond the dialog, it is present in the entire plot and the open ending that urges the viewer to think as he or she leaves the theater. The screenplay was developed on a novel by American Don Westlake (whose large body of work is not noteworthy), by three intriguing Englishmen who I suspect made the difference--Alexander Jacobs and two brothers Rafe and David Newhouse. The Newhouses' only other screenplay was Where's Jack? an impressive British musical that desperately needs to be appraised beyond the obvious. My guess is that Point Blank owes much to the team of British screenplay writers and the British director for the film blossomiing into a thought-provoking work in the in the garb of an action film. And probably the stony look of Lee Marvin helped even more. Further, this was one of the early works of Boorman made while the flow of his creative adrenalin was peaking.
But Boorman's cinema includes the loud footsteps of a determined Walker on the soundtrack, very similar to the effect Jean-Luc Godard achieved in his Alpahaville, contrasting bright wide open spaces for the exchange of money that goes according to plan and closed dimly lit confines of Alcatraz for those that go wrong. There is laconic humour without laughter, pumping bullets into an empty bed, guards who narrowly miss Marvin going up the lift, the car salesman's interest in an attractive customer than in his job, the sharpshooter's smug satisfaction not realizing that he has got the wrong man…The list is endless.
The camerawork of Philip Lathrop is inventive, but was it Lathrop or was it Boorman that made the visual appeal of the Panavision format of this film come alive? If you look at Lathrop's body of work, my hunch is that the unusually fascinating visuals were prompted by the director. The use of shadows, open spaces, stairs, almost deserted streets, enhances the isolation and alienation of the main character, Walker.
Viewing the film in 2001, after a gap of decades, many aspects of the film were underlined and reassessed. Getting back his $93,000 was important to Walker (Marvin), nothing more nothing less. But was it money he was after or was it the value of an agreement among thieves? The open-ended finale runs parallel to the end of an Arthur Penn film (also built on alienation) called Night Moves made some 10 years later. What surprises me is how a good movie like Point Blank never won an award or even an Oscar nomination.
There is a strand of despair that links all the major Boorman films. The main characters are somehow isolated from the larger crowd. This clever amalgamation of alienation, humor, action and intrigue makes Point Blank remarkable. Reflect on what the film states--you are alone, you have fight for what is yours, and options in life are open-ended for you to choose. There is no black and white, only grey.
44. Swedish maestro Ingmar Bergman's "Through a Glass Darkly" (1961): A truly remarkable, ageless film that makes you think
This film's title is taken from the Bible: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Cor 13:12).
The film is a major work of cinema and a major work of Bergman. If one looks at the body of Bergman's films he was probably approaching his peak of artistry, which he would achieve in his next work Winter light, a film that Bergman himself called perfect. The reason most viewers do not grasp the importance of the magnificent "Man-God trilogy" or "the Silence trilogy" or "the Dark/Faith trilogy" (three films: Through a glass darkly, Winter light, and the Silence) is that the trilogy deals with the theological question of God's existence. It is essentially a thinking person's film. If you can reflect on what you see, these three films are a treasure—a treasure that influenced major directors several decades later, specifically Kieslowski who made Three Colors: Blue also almost entirely based on 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, Tarkovsky who seems to have borrowed some ideas like the sudden baptismal rain from this film that he employs in Solyaris and Stalker and finally the exciting new talent from Russia Andrei Zvyagintsev (director of The Return, where the Russian director took a leaf from the Bergmanesque son–father relationship of this film). All these films seem to have been influenced by this seminal work of Bergman.
To those viewers, who are not spiritually inclined, the film could be reduced to the obvious action of Harriet Anderson's character Karin insisting on wearing goggles as she steps out of her home to live the rest of her life in a hospital. It could easily be interpreted as a study of mental illness, a film that gives credence to the theory that god does not exist. The film can equally be interpreted as a film on mad people who feel they are in communion with god, who at other times are slaves to dark forces (voices).
On the other hand one can argue the intensity of the light is a metaphor for a sign that God exists—the basic question that troubled Bergman, the son of a priest, in real life. Even the young Minus kneels down to pray to God as the rain (baptismal?) falls suddenly. A keen viewer will note that there is no sign of rain on the island or of rain drenching the two men in an open boat after the event. Only Karin's hair is wet. All three films seek an answer that God exists from a silent, "inscrutable" (to quote a word from this film) God to whom millions pray. The spiritual troubles of Bergman are not far removed from those of Mother Teresa, who according to her recently revealed letters to her confidant, a priest, was also troubled by a silent God for over the 40 years she spent working for the poor. Through a glass darkly opens with a shot of the almost still, dark waters of the sea mirroring the sky. The film ends with several references of light. For the cynical, Bergman was disillusioned and felt that God was a "spider" (the intriguing image for the DVD covers of the three films), a reference to Karin's outburst towards the end of the film. If Bergman, was truly disillusioned, would he have added the final epilogue where the father tells his son "God exists in love, in every sort of love, maybe God is love." These last words make the son say my father has "talked to me" the penultimate words of the film—a seemingly spiritual response even Jesus on the cross wanted ("Father, father, why hast thou forgotten me?") before he died.
It would be ridiculous to see this work merely as a film seeking answers to God's existence. Like Three colors: Blue, this is a film on love. There is the undiluted love of an atheist husband (shades of Bergman?) for his ailing wife (note the film is dedicated to Kabi, Bergman's wife at a point when divorce was looming large). There is love of a father for his daughter, son and son-in-law triggered by a failed suicide attempt (only recalled in the film). There is love between siblings.
The film is also about marriage (the film is dedicated to Bergman's wife Kabi, with whom he is supposed to have had a 'non-communicative' marriage and, more importantly, he adds two words "my wife" after Kabi in the dedication). Visually, the film emphasizes the wedding ring in the scenes involving husband (the camera captures the wedding ring on the finger several times) and wife (she puts it on after she washes her face). The son asks with an innocent cockiness of the father who has recently divorced his second wife Marianne (never shown on screen) if "he has lost all stability, spiritually"? Structurally Bergman doffs his cap to Shakespeare by adding a one act play within the film on the lines of Hamlet to drive home a point to the father and his illusion of love for his perfect work of art at the expense of depriving love for his near and dear.
In more ways than one, this is a thinking person's film. After viewing the film several times, one is in awe of this filmmaker so prolific, so perfect and so sensitive. What he has written for cinema can be compared to the output of great writers like Tolstoy and Shakespeare. He was truly a genius. I do agree with Bergman when he avers that the three films in the trilogy are not connected and are stand alone films. The only common link among the three films is Bergman's personal quest for a response from a silent God that his father believed in and in whom Bergman was brought up to believe in. These are not films of an atheist but works from a genius "flirting with God" to quote from the film itself.
Many years after he made the film, Bergman was uncomfortable with the final scene. The doubting Thomas in Bergman had resurfaced. Yet he never reworked on the film. The film has much to offer for a student of cinema: it is made of fine photography, art direction, acting, scriptwriting, editing and sound (Bach plus the horn of the lighthouse). Undoubtedly one of Bergman's finest works, it anticipates the perfect Winter light, the next film that Bergman wrote and directed.
Labels: Berlin winner , Oscar winner , Sweden
43. South African filmmaker Mark Dornford-May's "U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha" (2005): Different strokes of Bizet's opera 'Carmen,' and the best is....
There are examples of cinema when music can provide fodder for thought. Great directors have always chosen music to communicate viewpoints, not merely to soothe our aural cravings. Bizet's Carmen can be appreciated as a musical work without much thought. It can also be appreciated in the context in which the musical work is used on celluloid.
I had seen two of the most fascinating film versions of Carmen in the mid-Eighties: (a) Francesco Rosi's Italian version that won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award with two of the most accomplished tenors (Placido Domingo and Ruggero Raimondi) playing leads roles that had spoken dialogs to punctuate the singing, and (b) Carlos Suara's Spanish version with flamingo dancers that won a Prize at Montreal film festival and a Bodil award for the Best European film. It was difficult to conceive that another production could be made to outshine either of these. Yet here was a South African director making a version of Carmen (his debut at that) in South Africa's tongue clicking Xhosa language capturing all the elements of accomplished filmmakers Rosi and Suara with a felicity of a veteran filmmaker to walk way with a Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival in 2005.
A bullfight in Cape Town shantytown suburbs? Director Mark Dornford-May suggests the bullfight with a single shot of a bull in a paddock, an actor holding a dagger, and the sound of an animal in pain—nothing else. Sex is suggested off-screen, never shown. The story and music of the opera Carmen is retained religiously with local color thrown in: a Bible-reading police sergeant who had earlier killed his own brother and glibly lied to his own mother and police about the incident, women who taunt men in almost equal terms, and the singing talent of black South Africans.
There are two ways to enjoy the film: (a) Imbibe the variation of presenting the famous musical work in an unusual setting and (b) savor the film as a documentary of modern-day urban South Africa without the music/operatic songs. Either way you will have a treat. I have been to South Africa and what is shown is very close to reality.
The film belongs to the lead actress Pauline Melafane who exudes sensuality, without having to take off her clothes and is the epitome of the opening line: " ..for every fault she had a quality that came out from the contrast…" Her screen presence is incredible and outshines all Carmens on screen to date that I have seen. She is able to blend tragedy and cocky image of a college going student (forget that she is playing an illiterate shantytown dweller!).
Director Dornford-May achieves two objectives with this work: he proves Bizet's Carmen is universal not a mere European work and that the opera can be well produced in obscure languages, if there was a will and talent. Bizet would have been proud of this film. The red (the primal color of bullfights) color comes to the fore only in the finale as the color worn by the women and the sheet covering the dead. To win a Golden Bear for a debut film is no mean achievement—more so when the experiment has been attempted by others in the past. The director injected realism in this film, not being limited to mere romance and gallantry—in fact Carmen's lover in this film is an anti-hero, a liar, and a modern-day Cain seeking forgiveness. Rosi and Suara need to take a back seat!
P.S. This powerful film overshadowed Fateless, the remarkable Hungarian film discussed earlier in this blog, at the same edition of the Berlin Film Festival. It shared honors with another remarkable film, the Chinese Kong que, also reviewed earlier.
Labels: Berlin winner , South Africa
42. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Trzy kolory: niebiesky" (Three colors: Blue/Trois couleurs: Bleu) (1993): Not merely an essay on grief
A film on I Corinthians Chapter 13, just as Kieslowski's Dekalog was based on The Ten Commandments of the Old Testament! The later works of Kieslowski never cease to amaze me. Here is a film that made me read more (this time, the Bible!) after seeing the film. A choral rendering of the chapter in Bible towards the end of the film and its link to the films entire musical score--provide the clue.
Here is a film so spiritual in content with no obvious markings of being a cinematic essay based on an entire abstract chapter in the New Testament—-a chapter that could fit into the holy books of any religion and is not strictly limited to Christian theology but universal philosophy that could find equal acceptance by, say, a Sufi scholar or a Hindu mystic.
But then Kieslowski made 10 marvelous short films called Dekalog each loosely based on one of the Ten Commandments. But if the viewer is not well versed with theology or philosophy, the film can be viewed as a story far removed from such lofty heights. Blue would be a mere story of grief and reconciliation to loss of kin (but then Ingmar Bergman did a better job of this subject in the little known 1971 film The Touch (Beroringen) with Bibi Andersson and Elliot Gould).
Kieslowski, was a product of Communist Poland but a Christian in spirit and upbringing. He is reputed to have professed atheism but his later works negate this. It is possible that his collaborator on the screenplay Krzysztof Piesiewicz was more religious than Kieslowski. Both of them knew that all of us had to make difficult moral choices in life constantly, more so in a once Communist environment. Interestingly, Ingmar Bergman made another film taking a leaf from the very same Biblical chapter—Through a glass darkly. In Blue, the moral choice the lead character makes is to love. Love whom, one may ask? Love the boy who makes a great effort to return the stolen necklace with a cross, the husband who cheated on her marriage, the mistress of her husband with his unborn son in her womb, the husband's colleague who seeks fame from adding final touches to another person's unfinished masterpiece, the unfinished musical work that needs a loving inspired end, love the neighbor who is a prostitute, the servants of the house, the mother in the old age home (most of the images are reinforced towards the end of the film, as excerpts from the Biblical chapter are sung). Ms. Binoche was able to allude to a faint smile at the last frame, the actor's contribution to the film after her understanding of the end of Anton Chekov's play The seagull. Kieslowski retained the contribution of the literate and sensitive actor.
Blue--one of the three colors of the French flag. It is the color that defines melancholy in the English language. Blue is the "untrue" reflective color of water in a swimming pool—a cathartic venue where the lead actor swims to rid her fear of rats, a venue that suggests purging of her past fears and marital shackles, a venue where she curls up like fetus in a womb to be reborn.
There were unresolved passages in the film—-the despondent face of the daughter staring out of the car, the lead actor's obsessive interest in her dead husband rather than the loss of the daughter and why the mattress was the only furniture left behind in an otherwise empty house. Wish Kieslowski was alive today to explain these loose ends! The film is a superb example of sound editing, music composition and camera-work—each technical department competing for top honors. Blue was made for Venice Festival just as White was made for Berlin and Red for Cannes—the three top film festivals. Venice Festival loves such subjects as Blue presented—Blue was designed for it, each shot from the dunking of the sugar cube to epiphany of the street flute player to the laceration of the hand (spiritual reference to shedding of blood?) on the stones in self mortification.
In the final evaluation it is product of teamwork—making a swansong triptych of a talented director who probably knew his time in this world was limited. If I had not seen Bergman's works mentioned earlier, I would have voted this film as the best of the trilogy. My vote therefore is for the later work White, as it is more original in style and more complex of the two. Yet each of the "three colors" is a work of a master of cinema. I consider it a privilege to have met Kiesolowski briefly and talked to him, through an interpreter, in 1982 in Bangalore, India, much before he had bloomed into a great filmmaker in the early Nineties. At that time he had only made Camera Buff with Jerzy Stuhr—a film that impressed me but clearly lacked the maturity of his later works. Poland should to be proud of its great son.
P.S. Three Colors: White and two episodes of Dekalog (5 and 7) have been discussed earlier on this blog.
Labels: France , Poland , Venice winner
41. Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni's US film "Zabriskie Point" (1970): A film that lost its shine over the years
When I saw the film for the first time in the early 1970s, I was in awe of this film. Visually, it was stunning and the events on campuses in Europe and USA made you relate with what Antonioni was trying to say so well visually in the final 15 minutes of the movie: blowing up in your mind the "tyrannical" establishments and big business interests. It was a not so veiled comment on American values. Antonioni was probably affected by the popular French student uprising in the Sixties, led by Daniel Cohn-Bendit.
The repeated blowing up of the beautiful house in the middle of a desert, the lead female character enjoying the natural stream of cold water, painting an aircraft in psychedelic designs (even the staid British Airways did it a few years ago) are some of the images that were copied by advertising personnel all over the world for decades. Even Pink Floyd increased their fan following after the film was released.
You see this film some 30 years later and you begin to wonder why the same film has lost its sheen. Today, anti-establishment films have more substance--facts, documentation, fine performances, and superb screenplays. Antonioni seems to be out-of-date; a flawed genius. Even viewing Antonioni's Blow Up today gives you the similar feeling that this genius of the 60s and 70s is passe. Filmmakers have learnt a lot from his cinema over the years and brought forth more complex and mature works over past few decades.
Zabriski Point needs to be evaluated for what it was when it was released. It was a great film if you were to see it on a wide Panavision screen as opposed to the dwarfed TV screens. The visual and aural (Mick Jagger, Kieth Richards, Pink Floyd, et al.) allure of the film still remains. The lead pair were not great actors but they were cute and natural. One of them (Mark Frechette) died in prison in USA extending the reality of the non-conformist values he personified in the film. Today, Antonioni seems out of "sync." But watch carefully and you will appreciate the muted sounds of the regular actors--Rod Taylor, G.D. Spradling, the ladies at the swimming pool, the cops at the air-strip. The realistic sounds that you hear well, by contrast, are from the non-conformists. Antonioni was relevant 30 years ago but his grasp of the medium cannot be questioned even today. He knew what he was doing.
Antonioni's screenplays were laconic but loaded with meaning. In Zabriskie Point, his leading lady character Daria says these lines about a river: "There's a thousand sides to everything - not just heroes and villains. So any way... so any way... so any way... so "anyway" ought to be one word. Like a place or a river. So 'Anyway River.' " Interestingly in this film, US playwright and actor Sam Shepard and another interesting screenplay writer Clare Peploe (collaborator and spouse of director Bertolucci) contributed to Antonioni's screenplay.
He passed away this week. R.I.P, Mr Antonioni your contribution to cinema cannot be denied.
Labels: Italy , USA
40. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Dekalog, siedem (Decalogue 7)" (1989): Stealing as a metaphor
The brilliant Polish director--whom I had the good fortune to meet in Bangalore at an International Film Festival in 1982--made a series of ten 1-hour long short films, each dedicated to one of the Ten Commandments, handed down to Moses from God. These are commandments given to a man venerated by Christians, Muslims and Jews. Decalogue 7 naturally deals with the Seventh Commandment--"Thou shall not steal." (This is often listed as the Seventh commandment for Roman Catholics and Lutherans, while it is listed as the Eighth commandment for the Jews and Orthodox Christians). Kieslowski and his co-scriptwriter Krzysztof Piesiewicz (both Roman Catholics, and hence Decalogue 7, not 8) weave a modern day story that entertains, while asking disturbing and provoking questions--theological, social and psychological--of the viewer.
The film can be evaluated at several levels. It offers several layers of meaning, teasing the viewer as it progresses.
Kidnapping your own daughter from the ownership of your mother is a bizarre situation. Two women want to own a young child--the biological mother and the grandmother who yearned to "suckle" another. Interestingly the script looks at three generations of the same sex. The males seem to be the outsiders, yet balanced in comparison to the females in the movie.
"Thou shall not steal" is the commandment that is apparently broken. The film leads you to believe that the mother has "kidnapped" her own child. The film seems to argue quite elegantly that the real thief is the grandparent not the "kidnapping" mother. The "kidnapping" is symbolic--the police is mentioned not seen. The law presented in the film is moral one, not a civil one. In the end, it is the natural affection the child yearns for that is stolen, not by an individual but by circumstances (the state?).Is this a veiled criticism of Poland, the effect of communism on the young emerging democracy? What would have happened if the "stealing" within and without the movie did not take place? The film begins with the sound of the child crying that can be heard outside the walls of the house; the film ends with the silent cry of the child in the open, without walls and yet the cry cannot be heard, only seen (harking back to Rod Steiger's silent cry at the end of The Pawnbroker). Is fleeing to Canada (read: Western capitalism) a better option than staying back in the overgrown, ummowed gardens (with dilapidated merry-go-rounds) of Poland? Is making teddy bears a better life than taking care of your child? Is he making an argument for "stealing" becoming honorable for the cause of freedom?
The film leaves you with more questions than answers, yet providing a mature level of entertainment for the intelligent viewer. Having met Kieslowski in Bangalore, India, in 1982, soon after he made Camera Buff, a film that did not have the sparkle and maturity of his later works, I could never guess that he would go on to make the Three colors trilogy and Decalogue. These later works make you wonder at the ambiguity of his later work--the beguiling smile of a Mona Lisa as he deals with religion, politics, morals with a twinkle in his eye.This episode may be seem to present an unusual story but what a masterful way to present it. Innocence is limited to one character in the entire film: the child. Just one word describes the episode, brilliant in philosophy and in cinema, thanks partly to cinematographer Dariusz Kuc.
Theologically analyzed, the film offers more for reflection. The subject of stealing goods is arguably covered by the 10th commandment "thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goods" and the seventh commandment is often subtly interepreted as "thou shalt not kidnap" (read Wikepedia on "Ten Commandments" quoting a Jewish Rabbi, Rashi). This is probably the reason why the film is all about kidnapping and not about stealing goods which is dealt by the director and screenplay writer in Decalogue 10--which is all about stealing goods and about "coveting thy neighbor's goods"--confusing many critics who missed the distinction being made on screen. This is a fine example of cinema that invites you to read more after seeing the film (and revise your own judgement). Pieseiewicz and Kiesolwski had done their homework!
P.S. Decalogue 2 and 5 has been reviewed on this blog.
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 2:17 PM 2 comments : Links to this post
Labels: Poland , San Sebastian winner , Venice winner
39. US director Richard Brook's "Lord Jim" (1965): Conrad's treatise on fear, heroism, cowardice and death
Imagine a movie where the hero turns into a coward and switches back to a hero. You begin to question your own yardsticks of what makes a hero and what makes a coward.
I have seen th is US-British co-produced film three times over the past 30 years and each time I loved it and wanted to see it once again. What has attracted me each time are the spoken words and depth of the subject (you could say it was the screenplay) more than the direction. The subject of the film must have attracted director Richard Brooks who was essentially a screenplay writer who later became a director. He knew the merits of a strong script with philosophical lines taken from Joseph Conrad's book Lord Jim. Coppola was to use the related original material (Conrad's Heart of Darkness, another related tale narrated by Conrad's fictional character Marlow) in his Apocalypse Now for the Brando scenes several decades after this film was made and mostly forgotten.
What Brooks does not realize is that lines like "it only takes a split second to make a coward a hero or turn a hero into a coward" and "every sinner wants a second chance at redemption, without realizing he is damned for ever" are philosophical lines that one expects to hear from very literate individuals. Here, in Lord Jim, the lines are often spoken by the dregs of society. Jim, of course, we are told by the narrator (Jack Hawkins' Marlow) was philosophical, dreamed of heroism, and was a gentleman.
The film is made up of three distinct segments: 1. The "sinking" of SS Patna 2. The liberation of Patusan ("Patna" + "us" make up the name Patusan, remarks Jim to his love) and 3. The battle with a group of scoundrels (led by James Mason's 'Gentleman' Brown) with some fine speeches on honor, death, and fear.
Each segment could stand alone but together the film adds considerable worthiness that exceeds the action and plot, the elements that most viewers use to judge a movie. The lesser characters in the film add color and counterpoints to the script. Christian Marquand's French Captain who defends Jim's "cowardice" with the words "fear can make us do strange things" or Paul Lukas' Stern who compares his dead butterfly collection with the "wonderful, perfect human beings that God created" or the native who wonders why some pray to one god instead of a host of Gods are a few examples of dialogs that force you to reflect on what you heard.
The film's subject covers several religions. The fervent Muslims on the way to Haj survive the storm. The Christian Jim prays to his God. The Buddhists pray to Buddha. And the natives pray to their array of gods (a touch of Hinduism?). Yet, the film is not a religious film. But faith in God is underlined at every stage.
Conrad was Polish and a seaman before he became a writer. Brooks is an American. O'Toole leads a cast that is predominantly British. Daliah Lavi is Israeli, Marquand is French, Jurgens is German...The film is truly international.
Brooks not only wrote and directed the film but this was the first film that he produced. The film proved to be ideal for O'Toole reprising his roles of Lawrence of Arabia and Becket, roles that draw thin lines between cowardice and heroism and consequent attempts to redeem oneself. The film is not great cinema--but will remain for me a major literary work (Lord Jim, with many ties to Heart of Darkness, both works of Joseph Conrad) adapted for the screen with some delightful performances from O'Toole, Mason, Wallach, and Marquand and commendable photography by Freddie Young.
Posted by Jugu Abraham at 11:08 PM 6 comments : Links to this post
38. Spain's Alejandro Amenabar's "Mar Adentro" (The Sea Within) (2004): The depths to explore within the film and varied human relationships
I have seen Whose life is it anyway? (1981) and now Mar adentro (2004). I loved both films while they unspooled their entertaining sexist jokes in the morbid background of a male quadriplegic requesting euthanasia. Evaluated for their witty content, the American film wins outright over the other. Evaluated for philosophical content, the Spanish film is an outright winner in contrast to the Hollywood product. The American film entertained for the duration of the film; the Spanish film entertains you by requiring you to reflect on the various segments of the film, long after the film ends.
People who know Spanish aver that the correct translation of the title would be “Into the sea”. If you have seen the film, the deep philosophical, theological and social undercurrents of the screenplay make the less accurate title “The sea within,” more appropriate.
What were the aspects of the film that made me reflect on it?
The unflinching support of a small family to care for a cripple for 27 years is unusual in Western society. This is powerfully understated throughout the film. The viewer is witness to mute actions of love from the family for the quadriplegic but only on a few occasions is the subject discussed.
This brings up the strengths of the awesome screenplay (Amenabar and Mateo Gil) that reverts time and time again to the hills visible from the quadriplegic’s bed while the memories of the quadriplegic are those of the sea. The sea is within the mind of the quadriplegic—and quite appropriately the first shot is of the sea, which is soon replaced by the hills.
Suicide is theologically a no-no for many. A repentant Judas is not forgiven by the Church because he commits suicide, while all other repenting sinners the world over are supposed to be absolved if they repent. The film, set in Catholic Spain, takes a bold step in including the loud debate between two quadriplegics—one a priest who wants to live and another, a lay man, who does not—separated literally and figuratively by a floor.
The power of media is underlined: the role of TV programs and publishing of books. Yet the real outcome is nurtured through love between individuals through direct contact. The end of the film would not be the same in the absence of love. The bonding between the sick and the crippled (physically with Julia and psychologically with Rosa) are contrasted with bonding of the physically whole near family—Manuela and Gene.
This is my second Amenabar film—the first was The others. While Mar adentro deals with a thought provoking subject, the brilliance of the young director is underlined in The others--a fabulous ghost story, elegantly told. Amenabar and Andrei Zvygintsev (The Return, discussed in this blog earlier) are the most promising and talented young filmmakers (both Europeans) today. Amenabar has proven that he can direct great movies, elicit great performances from his actors (Javier Bardem, here. and Nicole Kidman in The Others), write good music and pick fine appropriate music of established composers (Puccini, Beethoven, Mozart and Richard Wagner). Like good cognac, the film is best appreciated by reflecting on all its attributes after the repast of the film viewing.
Labels: Golden Globe winner , Nantes winner , Oscar winner , Spain , Venice winner
37. Hungarian director Lajos Koltai's "Sorstalansag (Fateless)" (2005): A thought-provoking film on the Nazi horrors
Many directors have made acclaimed movies on the horrors of the Nazi perpetrated holocaust, the gas chambers, and the concentration camps. This work stands out as one of the very few intelligent films reflecting on the effect of the atrocities on those directly and indirectly affected, rather than a clever film milking the pathos of the tragic events. Here is a film that telescopes the tragedy beyond the World War II for the main character a teenage Jewish boy (and the viewer) to the post-war human interactions. Here is a film that does not stop as a celluloid memorial for the Jews, but makes one reflect on human behavior worldwide while facing similar horrors—the Pol Pot genocide in Cambodia, the tragic ethnic cleansing of Muslims in post-Tito Yugoslavia, the genocides in Rwanda and Darfur…the list goes on.
How does this film end up being different? The Nobel prize winning story alludes to camaraderie of the oppressed in concentration camps, prisons and other unusual bonding of strangers for survival. The 'free' world rarely provides that bonding. The film and the story are thus made up of two parts: the incarceration and the freedom. In the free world, a German asks the survivor if he ever saw the gas chambers and the honest answer is "no." And that comforts the guilty suspicion of the non-Jewish German.
Much of the film centers on the capturing the emotions of the boy, without spoken words. This might appear unusual but study the gradual use of shadows, the dirt, and the evidence of tears. The controlled bleached color prints add to the visceral visual power of the film. These are images that you will not forget even after you leave the theater (or switch off the Indian TV channel, as in my case)
There are sequences that suggest more than what is shown on screen. A guard takes an odd liking for the young boy and keeps staring at him instead of others, once in the suburbs of Budapest and then again in the concentration camp. The special care in the infirmary could allude to Nazi medical experiments. Delving on those details would have reduced the real strength of the film. It is easy for many whose fate was death in the camps. There are half dead men who refuse to accept their fate as they are carried away to the gas chambers. And there are young men fated to live and survive in a difficult inhospitable world and accept this as their fate and move on. They are the "fateless" few.
This work turned out to be remarkable because of the outstanding team behind it. The story and screenplay is by 2002 Nobel prize winner Imre Kertesz who won the prize a few years before the film was made. The story is semi-auto biographical The acclaimed Hungarian cinematographer turned director Lajos Koltai and Italian Ennio Morricone team up once again after the two weaved celluloid magic in The legend of 1900 (reviewed earlier in this blog). The camera is not with Koltai but Gyula Pados this time, but Koltai would have contributed to the photography. Another marvel of the film are the vocal renderings of Australian Lisa Gerrard (of Dead can dance) that alternate with pan pipes conducted by Morricone.
Three remarkable films on the Nazi atrocities evoked similar feelings for me: the outstanding 10-hour cinematic docudrama by Hans-Jurgen Syberberg Hitler-A film from Germany that led essayist Susan Sontag to write an equally outstanding critical essay on the film, Zoltan Fabri's The Fifth Seal (referring to the Bible's Revelations) the finest Hungarian film that needs to be seen more widely also based on a major Hungarian novel (by Ferenc Santa) and Istvan Szabo's touching mystical and allegorical Budapest Tales that said everything about the Nazi occupation without a shot of the concentration camps by portraying dislocated Jews, strangers to one another, coming together to put a symbolic trashed Budapest tramcar back on the rails far away from the city. Arguably these three films along with Fateless constitute the finest and the most accomplished body of cinema on the subject. If you prefer straight easy tear-jerkers try Steven Spielberg's films on the subject, Polanski's The Pianist, Benigni's Life is Beautiful or even Louis Malle's Au revoir, les Enfants—all good, acclaimed films but not quite in the same league.
P.S. At the Berlin Film Festival, Fateless lost out to two remarkable films I have seen that won the major awards: U-Carmen e-Khayelitsha from South Africa and Kong Que (reviewed earlier in this blog) from China. Like Fateless, the Chinese film was also the first directorial effort of an accomplished cinematographer.
Labels: Copenhagen winner , Hungary
36. Italian Frederico Fellini's "Le Notti di Cabiria" (Nights of Cabiria) (1957): Christian Marxism of Fellini and Pasolini
It would be far too simplistic to feel that the film merely presents an optimist's commitment to live and enjoy life in an imperfect world. Nights of Cabiria has always intrigued me among the many Fellini films that I have seen—-it is great cinema that asks more questions than it provides answers. It's a fascinating cocktail of Christian Marxism of Fellini and Pasolini—an elegiac social and religious commentary. Noted director Pier Paolo Pasolini wrote the screenplay of the intriguing film. Years after it was made, one realizes that the film was not as simplistic as it appears. It offers considerable questions for the viewer beyond the obvious.
Question one—who is the altruist who provides alms in the night to the wretched of the earth? The only reason for the addition of this character seems to be that Fellini wants a contrasting figure who works in the night—one who gives sustenance to others in a commendable way—a way Cabiria would have preferred to live her life if she had an option. It was amusing for me to find out that this entire sequence was deleted in earlier released versions of the film. My guess is that this sequence was an addition of screenplay writer Pasolini, as it would fit into his style of Christian Marxism, more than the neorealism of Fellini. Interestingly, this is one of the three males in the film (others being the actor who invites Cabiria home, and Brother Giovanni) who seem to have a pure heart and good intentions—all the others seem to have a predominant evil streak.
Question two—-Brother Giovanni leaves a profound effect on Cabiria. Confessing to him (she thinks he is a full fledged priest) and having Mass celebrated by him was Cabiria's wish but the cold response she receives from Giovanni's colleague, who is apparently a full-fledged priest, seems to be Fellini's/Pasolini's comment on the Church—otherwise why have the scene? Question three-—Cabiria's eyebrows change their shape as she contemplates a married life. This is not in line with Fellini's Cabiria, who would think about the effect eyebrows will make as she switches gears in her personal life. Or is Fellini suggesting that as Cabiria steps on the threshold of marriage, the personality of Cabiria changes to a more calculating woman, in contract to the earlier simple, waif like personality.
Apart from questions such as these, it is unquestionably one of Fellini's finest films. I preferred La Strada, another Fellini film with his wife Guilietta Massina in the lead role, and his later less talked about Orchestra Rehearsal, made some 20 years later, in which social commentary takes center stage and storyline the backstage.
I am surprised that most Fellini viewers are taken up with performances and the story each Fellini film offers. The more poignant world of Fellini revolves around the commentary on the divide between the rich and the poor, the honest and the dishonest, the religious and the agnostic. The allure of Fellini to me remains his social commentary—-he underlines this with Cabiria, in the final shot looking at you the viewer, bringing up the nexus between the character and the viewer. In fact, this final shot ought to wake up the sensibilities of the laid-back cinema viewer.
Labels: Cannes winner , Italy , Oscar winner , San Sebastian winner
35. US director Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" (1978): Seeing heaven by twilight on earth
Director Terrence Malick strides the world of cinema as a colossus in the company of Soviet directors Andrei Tarkovsky (www.nostalghia.com), Sergei Parajanov (www.parajanov.com), and Grigori Kozintsev. After viewing Days of Heaven for the third time in 20 years, the film touches me the same way as did the works of the three aforementioned Soviet filmmakers.
The title is from Deuteronomy 11:21:
"That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth."
Technically the movie can be appreciated by each of the three elements that build the final compound product. First, there is a pristine innocence in the images of this movie that few Hollywood movies have been able to record on celluloid. Nestor Almendros richly deserved the Oscar for filming Malick's requirement in the magic hours of twilight. Haskell Wexler contributed "additional photography". Wexler and Almendros are giants among cinematographers; this movie is a testament to both their creative abilities. One of my favorite takes is the final shot of Richard Gere falling in the water!!
The second major contribution is the music of the brilliant Ennio Morricone. After every viewing, I am convinced Morricone contributed as much or more to the film than the cinematographers. It is easy to spot the visual artistry, but being able to pick the aural artistry of composer's four or five connected but distinct pieces of music is exhilarating. Compare this with Hans Zimmer's work in The Thin Red Line and we see the importance music plays in Malick's cinema (as is also the case with Tarkovsky, Parajanov, and Kozintsev).
The third is the writing and the direction. A casual viewer would see the movie through events surrounding the adult characters and wonder where the 'Heaven' was in a story woven around deception, anger, jealousy, pestilence, murder, sickness, etc. A closer appraisal of the film will take you to the perspective of the young narrator (as in The Thin Red Line) which is at times all play and at other times a distant impersonal observer of events. What is 'Heaven'? Perhaps heaven is far away from industry, perhaps you glimpse it when you are playing with your friends. Malick's days of heaven seem to be limited to a short period sandwiched between long months of hell. The film invites us to look at a slice of life in each of us that prepares us for the rest of our existence. The amoral world is lovely to behold (young Gere and Adams) and tragic but the moral world is weather-beaten (Robert Wilke's face) or sick (Shepard) but true--a contradiction similar to the beautiful close-up of the locust, a pest. Malick is forever inviting the viewer to reassess and reflect on our accepted norms.
The lack of dialog and the abnegation of a conventional story lifts up the film far above the average Hollywood fare to a cinema where dialogue is muted by sounds and visual splendour. Malick's celluloid poetry enmeshes nature with human actions that seem to be out of synchrony (as it is inThe Thin Red Line as well) not far removed from derelict spaceship of Tarkovsky's Solyaris, the visual violence of Parajanov's Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors or the flowers in a otherwise barren landscape of Kozintsev's King Lear.
Malick has won the top honors at Cannes, Berlin, Montreal, and San Sebastian for his cinema but has been denied an Oscar. A prophet is never acknowledged in his own village.
P.S. Malick's The Thin Red Line and The Tree of Life have been reviewed on this blog.
Labels: Cannes winner , Oscar winner , USA
34. Canadian David Cronenberg's "Spider" (2002): What is real? Detection within the world of the insane mind
Insanity has been captured on cinema in myriad ways. David Cronenberg leads the viewer into the world of the unsettled mind in a manner few directors have been able to do in the past. And the film from a medical standpoint is rather accurate… Many of my friends swear by A beautiful mind, which though based on a real living person, I find to be the typical Hollywood dose of wide-eyed awe of a personality with capabilities that tower over the ordinary—in this case a mathematician tottering on the thin line between madness and genius.
Luciano Salce's El Greco (1966), with Mel Ferrer, Fernando Rey and Adolfo Celli, based on the real life painter El Greco was a similar cinematic tale, only far better in quality—thanks to contribution of the European filmmakers. Canadian director David Cronenberg's Spider invites the viewer into the world of madness leading the viewer to enter the deranged mind with compassion as the story is unraveled from the viewpoint of the deranged mind. Cinematic clues are liberally strewn by the director throughout the film—but will the viewer catch on? For instance, the camera shows the diary is not even made up of sentences or words but writing that resembles sentences. The number 29 on the door of the house, the present and past tenants, the broken glass give the viewer more clues that all is not what it seems. Miranda Richardson's triple role in the film gives further clues to the viewer to unravel the real story. The sequence of the body being carried out of the house, revealing who was actually killed, is a very creative twist provided by the director.
Thus the film while presenting an intimate portrait of an individual returning to normal life after drug therapy and the effect of not continuing the medication, with the help of stark and drab exteriors that reflect the state of the mind, slowly engages the viewer to realize that the story can be as lively as a detective story—with the viewer as the detective.
This work of Cronenberg pales in comparison to The Fly, which provided a fascinating sci-fi angle. Here, the viewer is limited to the world of insanity, where past and present have to be viewed clinically—not by emotions. Science helps the viewer to put a finger on what is real.
Great performances abound but the unforgettable line in the film for me was: "Clothes maketh the man; and the less there is of the man, the more the need of the clothes." The line referred to the protagonist wearing six shirts, one over the other—but that could also be symbolic. The line is in an odd way the film's story.
Labels: Canada , Toronto winner
33. Pasquale Festa Campanile's Italian film "La ragazza e il generale" (The girl and the general) (1967): Can neo-realism mix with humor?
Virna Lisi gives an impressive neo-realistic performance
(The film, with dollops of satire, was made in lush technicolor, unlike the still above)
This film will unfortunately not be remembered for Rod Steiger's performance. There are very few films that Steiger has not dominated--this is one of them. It will be remembered for the story and the direction, an interesting performance by Virna Lisi, and a somewhat creditable score by Ennio Morricone.
The director, Pasquale Festa Campanile, one should should recall has written scripts for and collaborated with great Italian directors such as Pasolini and Visconti. I do not know much more about Campanile but he must have been very good at writing screenplays for Visconti to work with him on The Leopard which is not an easy novel by any consideration. According to the opening credits in the English version of the film The Girl and the General, the director is one of the two authors of the original story.
This is not a war film. It is film that uses war as a backdrop to evaluate human values and what money means to the wretched and the poor. A bumbling soldier played convincingly by Umberto Orsini captures a General, not for heroics, not by design but by mere chance. The soldier is illiterate while the General is an understandably a well-read individual. Thus the Geneva convention and the city that Julius Caesar built is of little significance to the soldier. Yet, what is significant for him is that few Generals die on the war front and what the soldiers were given to drink before they clashed with the enemy at the front and met their death.
Neorealistic Italian cinema used the post-War scenario to examine study the human condition. Hunger is a great leveller: the General and soldier are the same when they are hungry. The soldier grudgingly shares his food with the General; the General steals a frog caught by the soldier. The writer-director clearly states where his sympathies lie. The soldier as an honest individual may appear stupid, but earns the respect of the viewer with his tenacity to come up with great ideas of making a General look like a cow to gain a few hours of sleep. His use of the word "sir" to address his prisoner over the length of the movie is a fine aspect of the character build-up by the writer.
The film moves into top gear with the arrival of the illiterate girl played by Virna Lisi. For her, too, taking the captured General back is simply for the the 1000 Lire split between two individuals that will allow for a good life. Her character is benign, honest and rustic. For a few potatoes she bares her breasts and the humiliation of the act is wonderfully portrayed without histrionics.
The sexual arousal of the soldier, the importance of sleep over the need for sex, the urinating General whose one arm is useless are vignettes of superb cinema. The simplicity of the film, as in most neo-realist Italian cinema, is disarming. The film even goes on to make a hero of a donkey, while conversation revolves around tasty donkey-meat.
The film reverses the traditional concept of heroism by presenting a woman being superior to a man (the General), a honest foot soldier superior to a General.
I am surprised the film has been glossed over by casual viewers. I will be looking out to catch up with Campanile's work. I am pleased to note that Virna Lisi has finally been accepted as a serious actress in the Nineties for her work in La Reigne Margot.
Ennio Morricone's score in this film is very close to the music he provided for the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone. His score, like the performance of Steiger, is reigned in by the director to emphasize the role of the soldier and the girl. My only problem with the title of the movie is the lack of importance provided to the soldier, who is the central figure.
When I saw the film, the film brought back memories of de Sica's Bicycle Thief. Campanile's film, which provides equal importance to hens and donkeys as it does to human characters, is as real as they come and yet far removed from the values of Hollywood's screenplays, then and now.
32. Iranian director Amir Naderi's "Davandeh" (The Runner) (1985): A gem of neo-realist cinema
Davandeh (The runner) is a cinematic ode to the spirit of Amiro, a young orphan boy who seeks to excel in what ever he does, to know more and look beyond his present boundaries, and to seek this knowledge through formal education that has eluded him thus far in life. Without a doubt, the movie is a treat to watch. This is the second Amir Naderi film discussed on this blog.
The opening shot is of the young boy yelling out a greeting at a distant sea vessel. You wonder what is wrong with the kid. As the film progresses you learn that he is an orphan. He is a normal kid, yearning to know more about the world beyond his immediate boundaries—the big ship and aircrafts symbolize this quest.
But then Amiro is not a normal kid. He also wishes to excel within his known boundaries. He tries to collect more floating bottles in the sea than other orphan boys of his age so that he can earn more and buy magazines with colorful pictures of aircrafts. He is a loner (he lives alone in an old grounded ship) but likes to prove his ability to run with his peers, and beat them in marathon races chasing moving trains. The film is called "The runner" as Amiro's running ability is underlined three times in the film—first he runs behind the train and wins a psychological race over his peers, then he runs after a cyclist who tries to avoid paying him for the cool water and catches up with him, and finally running with a block of ice that he has bought while others try to rob him of it, against a backdrop of oil fires. But then aren't we all "runners" of some sort in real life?
Naderi's Amiro becomes larger than life in his next quest. He is persistent in his efforts to learn the alphabet by literally knocking on the doors of the nearest school. By the end of the film Amiro is reciting the alphabets he has learned in school while looking at the symbols of his quest to reach the unknown distant world, beyond his physical vision. It is a literal and figurative quest.
Having seen Amir Naderi's film Aab, Baad, Khaak (Water, wind, dust) also with Majid Niroumand (Amiro of Davandeh) only a day before, Davandeh's power as great cinema was a trifle diluted.
Amiro leads the pack
What did Naderi's Aab, Baad, Khaak present that Naderi's Davandeh could not?
1. Davandeh totally excludes women, which Aaab, Baad, Khaak does not. Even in the latter they are marginal. 2. Davandeh revolves around an individual, while Aaab, Baad, Khaak is critical of society as seen through the eyes of a boy. 3. Davandeh captures temperatures (ice block vs. burning oil wells) but Aaab, Baad, Khaak is able to capture all the elements of nature (water, wind, dust) that affect the average Iranian living on the fringes of society. 4. Amiro of Davandeh was somewhat larger than life in his quest for knowledge unlike his realistic role in Aaab, Baad, Khaak. 5. Davandeh leans towards veiled political criticism, while Aaab, Baad, Khaak is a pure social and psychological essay without obvious political undertones
Why is Naderi avoiding female characters? Why is Davandeh underlining that foreign lands offer more than one's own (apart from financial disparities)? It is not surprising that Naderi having made these films in Iran, won accolades at international film festivals and now lives in the US far from his native land that provided fodder for his creativity.
P.S. Amir Naderi's next feature, a more abstract and universal film, Water, Wind, Dust (1989) is reviewed earlier on this blog.
Labels: Iran , Nantes winner
▼ December 2007 ( 3 )
51. Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's second f...
50. Iranian director Hana Makhmalbaf 's "Buda as s...
49. Swiss filmmaker Stefan Haupt's "Ein Lied fur A...
48. US director and actor Billy Bob Thornton's "Sl...
47. Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" (1954): Openi...
46. Swedish maestro Ingmar Bergman's "Nattvardsgas...
45. British director John Boorman's US film "Point...
44. Swedish maestro Ingmar Bergman's "Through a Gl...
43. South African filmmaker Mark Dornford-May's "U...
42. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Trzy...
41. Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni's US f...
40. Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Dekal...
39. US director Richard Brook's "Lord Jim" (1965):...
38. Spain's Alejandro Amenabar's "Mar Adentro" (Th...
37. Hungarian director Lajos Koltai's "Sorstalansa...
36. Italian Frederico Fellini's "Le Notti di Cabir...
35. US director Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven"...
34. Canadian David Cronenberg's "Spider" (2002): W...
33. Pasquale Festa Campanile's Italian film "La ra...
32. Iranian director Amir Naderi's "Davandeh" (The...
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Analysts Reveals Updates on Transocean Inc (RIG)
On 22 September 2017, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) stock price started the day at $13.33 and moved between $13.27 - 13.39 to finally close at $13.39. This volatility measure use for multipurpose in judging the underlying price momentum as well as the rate of change in RIG's price. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is now at 69.56.
The UK economy is at its most competitive for a decade
The latest ranking also revealed that Malaysia has overtaken Ireland and Qatar, while remaining ahead of economies such as South Korea, Iceland, China and Estonia. The country has stable institutions (27th), good-quality infrastructure (29th), and the largest market in the Arab world (15th). The body that organises the annual gathering of the global elite in Davos each January used its annual league table of competitiveness to stress that the failure to push through growth and ...
Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FOLD) Stock Traded Over Its 50 Day Average
Tower Capital Limited Liability (Trc) owns 35 shares or 0% of their U.S. portfolio. Valuation Ratios of Amicus Therapeutics, Inc . (NASDAQ: FOLD ) in a report issued on Monday morning. Amicus Therapeutics, Inc is a biotechnology company. (NASDAQ: FOLD ). Balyasny Asset Mgmt Lc, a Illinois-based fund reported 225,314 shares. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.34) EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of ($0.37) by $0.03.
Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc (ALDR) Analysts See $-1.21 EPS
Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $27.00 target price (down previously from $39.00) on shares of Alder BioPharmaceuticals in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY NOTICE: This piece was originally posted by StockNewsTimes and is owned by of StockNewsTimes. The legal version of this report can be read at https://www.truebluetribune.com/2017/09/26/alder-biopharmaceuticals-inc-aldr-now-covered-by-analysts-at-cowen-and-company.html.
Raytheon Company (RTN) Shares Bought by Highstreet Asset Management Inc
Matador Resources Company (NYSE:MTDR) had a decrease of 2.13% in short interest. The shares were sold at an average price of $151.53, for a total value of $5,558,423.46. Raytheon Company now has $53.65 billion valuation. It has a 29.85 P/E ratio. The Company's activities are focused primarily on the oil and liquids-rich portion of the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas.
Brokerages Set American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) Target Price at $14.58
Outstanding shares refer to a company's stock presently held by all its shareholders, counting share blocks held by institutional shareholders and restricted shares owned by the company's officers and insiders. If you are reading this piece of content on another domain, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of United States & worldwide trademark and copyright law.
Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) Earns News Sentiment Rating of 0.17
Lazard Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.08% of Kinder Morgan worth $35,308,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of KMI. The stock declined 1.05% or $0.2 reaching $19.32 on the news. Noting its average daily volume at 9.79 million shares each day over the month, this signifies a pretty significant change over the norm.
Eaton Corporation, PLC (NYSE:ETN) Position Raised by Financial Counselors Inc
Eaton Corp Plc now has $34.74 billion valuation. The stock decreased 1.11% or $0.05 during the last trading session, reaching $4.45. In other Eaton Corporation, PLC news, Director Deborah L. RI increased its holdings in shares of Eaton Corporation, PLC by 168.8% in the 1st quarter. Edinburgh Partners Ltd stated it has 0.02% in Eaton Corporation, PLC Ordinary Shares (NYSE:ETN).
E&G Advisors LP Purchases 2400 Shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL)
Oregon Employees Retirement Fund owns 295,706 shares for 0.27% of their portfolio. About shares traded. Verizon Communications Inc. Qualstar Corporation (NASDAQ:QBAK) has risen 114.97% since September 27, 2016 and is uptrending. This is a positive change from Delta Air Lines's previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Heritage Investors Management Corp increased Verizon Communications Inc (VZ) stake by 5.88% reported in 2017Q2 SEC filing.
Sell-Side Sees Upside & Positive Growth in Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE:VNO)
Standard Life Investments Ltd sold 263,124 shares as the company's stock declined 10.71% while stock markets rallied. Financial Bank Of Montreal Can owns 78,614 shares. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,126,678 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $199,694,000 after buying an additional 1,881,473 shares in the last quarter.
Fed Survey: Americans' Financial Well-Being Improved in Mid-2010s
The income shares of the bottom 90% fell to 49.7% in 2016. However, "The distribution of income and wealth has grown increasingly unequal in recent years", according to the survey, which queried almost 6,300 Americans. Despite that improvement, more educated families continued to have higher incomes and wealth overall. The median net worth of white households grew 17 percent to $171,000 in the latest three years.
Stock In Spotlight: United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UAL)
Susquehanna Llp, Pennsylvania-based fund reported 49,084 shares. The Maverick Capital Ltd holds 43,080 shares with $3.24 million value, up from 29,060 last quarter. Therefore 35% are positive. Quantitative Investment Management LLC's holdings in United Continental Holdings were worth $3,589,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Analysts' Report Recap: Hecla Mining Company (HL)
The measure is commonly used to compare the performance of businesses within the same industry, since it is very hard for someone to obfuscate the cash flow figure. The original version of this report can be viewed at https://baseballnewssource.com/markets/hecla-mining-company-hl-given-hold-rating-at-bmo-capital-markets/1665570.html.
Numeric Investors LLC Increases Stake in ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG)
ConAgra Foods has set its FY18 guidance at $1.84-1.89 EPS. Mcf Advisors Llc invested 0.04% of its portfolio in Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG). Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company.
TriCo Bancshares (TCBK) EPS Estimated At $0.55
The 7 months bullish chart indicates low risk for the $878.72M company. It was reported on Sep, 27 by Barchart.com. We have $41.81 PT which if reached, will make NASDAQ:TCBK worth $54.25M more. Therefore 33% are positive. TriCo Bancshares had 3 analyst reports since January 29, 2016 according to SRatingsIntel. On Friday, July 29 the stock rating was downgraded by Keefe Bruyette & Woods to "Market Perform".
'Some progress' made as contract talks resume between GM and striking workers
Canada wants enforceable, progressive labour standards to be included in a rewritten NAFTA that would force Mexico to pay workers higher wages and do away with so-called "yellow" unions that represent employers rather than employees. Borthwick also declined to expand on the contents of Unifor's proposal to the automaker, other than to say it focused on three long-standing issues - job security, economic concerns and contract language.
Blazing Stock Climbs To New Heights: The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD)
Dominion Energy had a net profit margin of 17.48% and a ROE of 14.04%. the firms for the quarter end, revenue was upwards of 8.3% compared with the same period in the prior year. Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD) (TSE:TD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 31st. Corda Investment Management Llc increased Ishares Ibonds Dec 2019 Corp Etf stake by 36,883 shares to 621,351 valued at $15.55M in 2017Q2.
Streetwise Investors Taking Note of Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD)
The stock increased 0.63% or $0.92 during the last trading session, reaching $147.58. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,556 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,970,445.72. only 33 funds opened positions while 79 raised stakes. Lmr Prtnrs Llp has 0.05% invested in Citrix Systems, Inc. (NYSE:RMD). Moreover, Her Majesty The Queen In Right Of The Province Of Alberta As Represented By Alberta Management Corp has 0.05% invested in ResMed Inc.
KNOT Offshore Partners LP (NYSE:KNOP) QI & Valuation Watch
The RSI oscillates between zero and 100. KNOT Offshore Partners LP (NYSE:KNOP) opened at 23.70 on Wednesday. It represents a security's price that, if achieved, results in a trader recognizing the best possible outcome for his investment.
Cubs Look to Clinch Central Title vs. Cardinals
St. Louis hosts Chicago again tonight. Martinez gave up four hits and three runs (two earned), walking four and whiffing six. Both those hits are home runs. But it definitely gave me a lot more respect for the team. "Last night was pretty bad". I was confused. The nausea went away. "We were hopeful when we got him that he could fill in on the back end", St.
CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) Closed Higher Than Its 50 Day Average
CalAmp Corp. (NASDAQ:CAMP) has risen 30.70% since September 26, 2016 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 8.65% the S&P500. Edgewood Management Llc increased Cme Group Inc ( CME ) stake by 6.13% reported in 2017Q2 SEC filing. It also upped Vanguard Index Fds (VUG) stake by 12,968 shares and now owns 56,649 shares. Steadymed Ltd was raised too. Therefore 100% are positive. Cme Group Class A (NASDAQ:CME) had a decrease of 9.74% in short interest.
What Are Analysts Suggestions On Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD)
The number of shares now owned by investors are 56.11 mln. (NYSE: BKD ) has an average volume of 2.71 Million. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. increased its stake in Brookdale Senior Living by 27.3% in the third quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial For Lutherans acquired a new position in Brookdale Senior Living during the first quarter worth about $201,000. (NYSE: BKD ).
Donald Trump: I will go to Puerto Rico next Tuesday
Trump said Monday he will visit Puerto Rico, which he described as "literally destroyed", next week. Six days after Hurricane Maria hit, millions are struggling for basic necessities like adequate food, water, fuel and electricity. The White House earlier denied it had been slower to act following Hurricane Maria in overwhelmingly Hispanic Puerto Rico than in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey on the U.S.
A referendum in Ireland to extend the conditions of access — ABORTION
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the vote will take place next May or June, with voters deciding if abortion should be made legal "in nearly all cases". Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (pictured below) announced the vote on changing the Republic's Constitution would be held in May or June 2018, before the pope stages an worldwide event celebrating marriage and family life.
East West Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:EWBC) Position Boosted by WBI Investments Inc
The stock has a market capitalization of $8.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.40 and a beta of 1.43. The count of Hold ratings in that period was 1. Wells Fargo upgraded East West Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:EWBC), 6 have Buy rating, 1 Sell and 4 Hold. The firm has "Hold" rating given on Friday, July 14 by Deutsche Bank.
Encana Corporation (ECA) - Technical Watch
The firm presented substantial 200-days simple moving average of 5.49%. Waking on tracing line of previous stocks, Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) [ Trend Analysis ] also making a striking appeal, share price swings at $44.54 with percentage change of 0.66% in most recent trading session.
Investors Set Sail on Valuation For Red Hat Inc (RHT)
Many equity investors may be wondering if the stock markets will find renewed energy and continue higher , or if a major correction is on the horizon. Stifel Nicolaus now has a buy rating on the open-source software company's stock. Whereas 7 of them predict the stock is a hold. As per Thursday, July 27, the company rating was maintained by Oppenheimer.
NZ cenbank holds rates at 1.75 percent, says lower NZD would help
We think that this morning's RBNZ OCR review should pass without much market reaction, with the Bank's key policy message likely remaining unchanged, suggesting that "monetary policy will remain accommodative for a considerable period". "Growth is projected to maintain its current pace going forward, supported by accommodative monetary policy, population growth, elevated terms of trade, and fiscal stimulus", the bank said in its statement.
Amkor Technology, Inc. (AMKR) Upgraded to B- at TheStreet
The semiconductor company reported $0.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.03. The value of the company's investment in Amkor Technology, Inc . A number of research analysts have issued reports on AMKR shares. Investors wait Amkor Technology, Inc . (NASDAQ: AMKR ). Jefferies Grp Inc Lc owns 0% invested in Amkor Technology, Inc .
Jabil Inc. Setting The Table For Earnings
The company is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings report after the market closes on Wednesday, September 27th. (NYSE: JBL ) shares have recently been behaving interestingly to keep investors awake. Jabil Circuit, Inc. (NYSE:JBL) COO William D. Muir, Jr. sold 10,000 shares of Jabil Circuit stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. Vanguard Group Inc.
Does The Data Supplment Energy Transfer Partners, LP (NYSE:ETP) Movement?
If Energy Transfer Partners , L.P. (NYSE:ETP) shares can stay above the price resistance around $19.09 a share, that could help propel Energy Transfer Partners , L.P. Alphamark Advsr Limited Company owns 495 shares or 0% of their United States portfolio. Envestnet Asset Management Incorporated invested in 21,261 shares.
Palm Beach County school district to consider 3 make-up days for Irma
Also, Oct. 4 and December 6 will no longer be professional learning early release days. Students will attend school on October 4 and December 6 as a full day. 20 and Tuesday, Nov. 21. - Thanksgiving break will begin on Wednesday, November 22, 2017. The Lancaster County School District has set October 9, 2017 as the make-up day for students.
Brokerage Overview of: Twilio, Inc. (TWLO)
Drexel Hamilton reissued a "buy" rating and set a $47.00 price target on shares of Twilio in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. J P Morgan Chase & Co reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Twilio in a research note on Thursday, May 25th.
Revenue Approximations Analysis: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Sterling Bancorp (STL)
It has outperformed by 6.09% the S&P500. (NYSE: JPM ). Commercial Bank Of America De has 0.96% invested in JPMorgan Chase & Co. With the amassed value of the company based on its existing stock price alongside the total amount of outstanding stocks, today's market cap for JPMorgan Chase & Co.is valued at 334.41B.
Technical Scrutiny: Synchrony Financial (SYF), Macy's, Inc
BTIG Research maintained the stock with "Buy" rating in Thursday, May 25 report. On Wednesday, June 15 the stock rating was maintained by Jefferies with "Buy". Analysts on average have given a price target of $36.55 to Synchrony Financial (SYF ) stock. It has underperformed by 27.05% the S&P500. Ci Investments Inc who had been investing in Synchrony Finl for a number of months, seems to be bullish on the $23.69 billion market cap company.
San Francisco Sues Equifax Over Massive Data Breach
The chief information officer and chief security officer left the company on September 14. Meanwhile, the city of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against Equifax on behalf of the state of California. Despite resigning, Smith will be compelled to front Congress and explain how the cyber-breach occurred, what, if any, electronic safeguards the company had in place, and what it plans to do besides offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
Vanguard Group Inc. Buys 1201394 Shares of Western Digital Corporation (WDC)
The stock declined 0.27% or $0.23 reaching $86.25 per share. 3,735,851 shares of the company's stock were exchanged. The EBITDA Yield for Western Digital Corporation (NasdaqGS: WDC ) is 11.80%. Its revenue totaled $4.81 billion up 3.51% from the previous quarter. More interesting news about Western Digital Corp (NASDAQ: WDC ) were released by: Bizjournals.com and their article: "Final vote on Toshiba chip sale is now days away" published on September 18, 2017 as well as Reuters.com's news ...
Stock In Spotlight: The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
Looking at some ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) numbers, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Waters Parkerson & Communication holds 1.05% in The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) or 254,127 shares. The company now has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $46.12. The company's stock is now moving with a +ve distance from the 200 day SMA of approximately 4.51%, and has a solid year to date (YTD) performance of 9.91% which means that the stock is constantly adding to its value from the previous ...
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Achieve New Highs
First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 3,037 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $256,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company.
Marathon Patent Grou (MARA) Ended after Adding 22.42%
Similarly, we can see that the stocks recent action has come on a historical volatility score of 130.80%. A total of 6.74 Million shares exchanged hands, whereas the company's average trading volume stands at 2.54 Million shares. Some investors may look for consistency, while others may be interested in unusual activity. Consensus earnings estimates are far from flawless, but they are watched by many investors and play an important role in measuring the appropriate valuation for a stock.
Betting On IHS Markit Ltd. (NASDAQ:INFO) ?
Geode Capital Ltd Llc accumulated 149,883 shares. In terms of design, there might be stark similarities between the last and this year's iPhone models but as it turns out, the total cost to make an iPhone 8 Plus comes out to be $17.78 (roughly Rs.
Cantor Fitzgerald Reaffirms Buy Rating for Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (CLDX)
On average, analysts expect that Celldex Therapeutics will report full-year sales of $1.17 million for the current financial year, with estimates ranging from $1.60 million to $8.60 million. Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The total amount of shares outstanding is 118.68 million, giving the company a market capitalization of about 356.04 million.
At least 4 hospitalized after 2 buses crash in San Francisco
One bus collided with several vehicles on Fremont Street before going onto the sidewalk and hitting the scaffolding of one building. The green AC Transit bus crashed into the rear of another AC Transit bus making a turn onto northbound Fremont.
What Are Analysts Suggestions On Fortress Investment Group LLC (FIG)
A total of 4.47 Million shares exchanged hands during the intra-day trade compared with its average trading volume of 980.63 Million shares, while its relative volume stands at 4.56. Fortress Investment Group LLC is an investment management firm. Coe Capital Mgmt Limited Liability owns 96,995 shares. Mixing up the portfolio with stocks from different sectors, market caps, and growth potential, may be the right move.
TEGNA (NYSE:TGNA) Getting Somewhat Favorable Media Coverage, Analysis Finds
During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.50 EPS. TEGNA (NYSE: TGNA ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thurs, Sep 7th. this indicates a $0.28 annual dividend and a payout of 2.18%. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc.
Kite Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:KITE) Sees Significantly Higher Trading Volume
The stock was sold at an average price of $120.09, for a total transaction of $750,682.59. The Firm serves the medical and biotechnology, military and aerospace, and industrial and commercial markets. Rock Springs Capital Management Lp now holds 67,500 shares with a value of $6,998,000. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 4,292 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $445,000 after acquiring an additional 638 shares in the last quarter.
Working Mother magazine releases list of best companies for working moms
The Working Mother Research Institute ranks data provided on a detailed application of more than 400 questions in the following clusters: paid time off and leave, workforce profile, benefits, women's issues and advancement, flexible work and company culture and work life programs.
Analysts Give These Stocks Mix Nod: KT Corporation (KT), GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK)
New England Research & Management Inc. now owns 10,506 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $443,000 after buying an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. The business also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 11th will be given a $0.491 dividend.
How Does Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (UCTT) Stack Up Right Now?
The 6 month volatility is 53.1184, and the 3 month is spotted at 51.8772. Also, CFO Sheri Brumm sold 20,512 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 1st. The Value Composite One (VC1) is a method that investors use to determine a company's value. 04/11/2014 - Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc . was upgraded to "underweight" by analysts at EVA Dimensions.
LSV Asset Management Has $25.70 Million Stake in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC)
Northrop Grumman Corp ( NOC ) now has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 116.85. The company was initiated on Friday, August 26 by Rosenblatt. Northrop Grumman Corp ( NOC ) now has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 110.98. 03/01/2017 - Northrop Grumman Corporation was downgraded to "neutral" by analysts at Citigroup.
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Thursday, 4 October, 2001, 12:25 GMT 13:25 UK
The UK's Bin Laden dossier in full
This is the full text of the document, entitled Responsibility for the terrorist atrocities in the United States, released by Downing Street on Thursday about the evidence against Osama Bin Laden.
This document does not purport to provide a prosecutable case against Osama Bin Laden in a court of law.
Intelligence often cannot be used evidentially, due both to the strict rules of admissibility and to the need to protect the safety of sources.
But on the basis of all the information available HMG is confident of its conclusions as expressed in this document.
1. The clear conclusions reached by the government are:
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the terrorist network which he heads, planned and carried out the atrocities on 11 September 2001;
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda retain the will and resources to carry out further atrocities;
The United Kingdom, and United Kingdom nationals are potential targets; and
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda were able to commit these atrocities because of their close alliance with the Taleban regime, which allowed them to operate with impunity in pursuing their terrorist activity.
2. The material in respect of 1998 and the USS Cole comes from indictments and intelligence sources. The material in respect of 11 September comes from intelligence and the criminal investigation to date. The details of some aspects cannot be given, but the facts are clear from the intelligence.
3. The document does not contain the totality of the material known to HMG, given the continuing and absolute need to protect intelligence sources.
4. The relevant facts show: Background
Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organisation with ties to a global network, which has been in existence for over 10 years. It was founded, and has been led at all times, by Osama Bin Laden.
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda have been engaged in a jihad against the United States, and its allies. One of their stated aims is the murder of US citizens, and attacks on America's allies.
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda have been based in Afghanistan since 1996, but have a network of operations throughout the world.
The network includes training camps, warehouses, communication facilities and commercial operations able to raise significant sums of money to support its activity.
That activity includes substantial exploitation of the illegal drugs trade from Afghanistan.
Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda and the Taleban regime have a close and mutually dependent alliance.
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda provide the Taleban regime with material, financial and military support.
They jointly exploit the drugs trade. The Taleban regime allows Bin Laden to operate his terrorist training camps and activities from Afghanistan, protects him from attacks from outside, and protects the drugs stockpiles.
Osama Bin Laden could not operate his terrorist activities without the alliance and support of the Taleban regime.
The Taleban's strength would be seriously weakened without Osama Bin Laden's military and financial support.
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda have the capability to execute major terrorist attacks.
Osama Bin Laden has claimed credit for the attack on US soldiers in Somalia in October 1993, which killed 18; for the attack on the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998 which killed 224 and injured nearly 5000; and were linked to the attack on the USS Cole on 12 October 2000, in which 17 crew members were killed and 40 others injured.
They have sought to acquire nuclear and chemical materials for use as terrorist weapons.
In relation to the terrorist attacks on 11 September:
5. After 11 September we learned that, not long before, Bin Laden had indicated he was about to launch a major attack on America.
The detailed planning for the terrorist attacks of 11 September was carried out by one of Osama Bin Laden's close associates.
Of the 19 hijackers involved in 11 September 2001, it has already been established that at least three had links with al-Qaeda.
The attacks on 11 September 2001 were similar in both their ambition and intended impact to previous attacks undertaken by Osama Bin laden and al-Qaeda, and also had features in common. In particular:
Suicide attackers
(a) Co-ordinated attacks on the same day
(b) The aim to cause maximum American casualties
(c) Total disregard for other casualties, including Muslims
Meticulous long-term planning (a) Absence of warning.
6. Al-Qaeda retains the capability and the will to make further attacks on the US and its allies, including the United Kingdom.
7. Al-Qaeda gives no warning of terrorist attack.
Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda
8. In 1989 Osama Bin Laden, and others, founded an international terrorist group known as "al-Qaeda" (the Base). At all times he has been the leader of al-Qaeda.
9. From 1989 until 1991 Osama Bin Laden was based in Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan.
In 1991 he moved to Sudan, where he stayed until 1996. In that year he returned to Afghanistan, where he remains.
The Taleban Regime
10. The Taleban emerged from the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan in the early 1990s.
By 1996 they had captured Kabul. They are still engaged in a bloody civil war to control the whole of Afghanistan. They are led by Mullah Omar.
11. In 1996 Osama Bin Laden moved back to Afghanistan. He established a close relationship with Mullah Omar, and threw his support behind the Taleban.
Osama Bin Laden and the Taleban regime have a close alliance on which both depend for their continued existence.
They also share the same religious values and vision.
12. Osama Bin Laden has provided the Taleban regime with troops, arms, and money to fight the Northern Alliance.
He is closely involved with Taleban military training, planning and operations. He has representatives in the Taleban military command structure.
He has also given infrastructure assistance and humanitarian aid. Forces under the control of Osama Bin Laden have fought alongside the Taleban in the civil war in Afghanistan.
13. Omar has provided Bin Laden with a safe haven in which to operate, and has allowed him to establish terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.
They jointly exploit the Afghan drugs trade. In return for active al-Qaeda support, the Taleban allow al-Qaeda to operate freely, including planning, training and preparing for terrorist activity.
In addition the Taleban provide security for the stockpiles of drugs.
14. Since 1996, when the Taleban captured Kabul, the United States government has consistently raised with them a whole range of issues, including humanitarian aid and terrorism.
Well before 11 September 2001 they had provided evidence to the Taleban of the responsibility of al-Qaeda for the terrorist attacks in East Africa.
This evidence had been provided to senior leaders of the Taleban at their request.
15. The United States government had made it clear to the Taleban regime that al-Qaeda had murdered US citizens, and planned to murder more.
The US offered to work with the Taleban to expel the terrorists from Afghanistan.
These talks, which have been continuing since 1996, have failed to produce any results.
16. In June 2001, in the face of mounting evidence of the al-Qaeda threat, the United States warned the Taleban that it had the right to defend itself and that it would hold the regime responsible for attacks against US citizens by terrorists sheltered in Afghanistan.
17. In this, the United States had the support of the United Nations.
The Security Council, in Resolution 1267, condemned Osama Bin Laden for sponsoring international terrorism and operating a network of terrorist camps, and demanded that the Taleban surrender Osama Bin Laden without further delay so that he could be brought to justice.
18. Despite the evidence provided by the US of the responsibility of Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda for the 1998 East Africa bombings, despite the accurately perceived threats of further atrocities, and despite the demands of the United Nations, the Taleban regime responded by saying no evidence existed against Osama Bin Laden, and that neither he nor his network would be expelled.
19. A former Government official in Afghanistan has described the Taleban and Osama Bin Laden as "two sides of the same coin: Osama cannot exist in Afghanistan without the Taleban and the Taleban cannot exist without Osama".
20. Al-Qaeda is dedicated to opposing 'UN-Islamic' governments in Muslim countries with force and violence.
21. Al-Qaeda virulently opposes the United States. Osama Bin Laden has urged and incited his followers to kill American citizens, in the most unequivocal terms.
22. On 12 October 1996 he issued a declaration of jihad as follows: "The people of Islam have suffered from aggression, iniquity and injustice imposed by the Zionist-Crusader alliance and their collaborators...
"It is the duty now on every tribe in the Arabian peninsula to fight jihad and cleanse the land from these Crusader occupiers. Their wealth is booty to those who kill them.
"My Muslim brothers: your brothers in Palestine and in the land of the two Holy Places [i.e. Saudi Arabia] are calling upon your help and asking you to take part in fighting against the enemy - the Americans and the Israelis.
"They are asking you to do whatever you can to expel the enemies out of the sanctities of Islam."
Later in the same year he said that "terrorising the American occupiers [of Islamic Holy Places] is a religious and logical obligation".
In February 1998 he issued and signed a 'fatwa' which included a decree to all Muslims: "...the killing of Americans and their civilian and military allies is a religious duty for each and every Muslim to be carried out in whichever country they are until Al Aqsa mosque has been liberated from their grasp and until their armies have left Muslim lands".
In the same 'fatwa' he called on Muslim scholars and their leaders and their youths to "launch an attack on the American soldiers of Satan".
And he concluded: "We - with God's help - call on every Muslim who believes in God and wishes to be rewarded to comply with God's order to kill Americans and plunder their money whenever and wherever they find it.
"We also call on Muslim...to launch the raid on Satan's US troops and the devil's supporters allying with them, and to displace those who are behind them."
When asked, in 1998, about obtaining chemical or nuclear weapons he said "acquiring such weapons for the defence of Muslims [was] a religious duty".
In an interview aired on Al Jazira (Doha, Qatar) television he stated: "Our enemy is every American male, whether he is directly fighting us or paying taxes."
In two interviews broadcast on US television in 1997 and 1998 he referred to the terrorists who carried out the earlier attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 as "role models".
He went on to exhort his followers "to take the fighting to America."
23. From the early 1990s Osama Bin Laden has sought to obtain nuclear and chemical materials for use as weapons of terror.
24. Although US targets are al-Qaeda's priority, it also explicitly threatens the United States' allies.
References to "Zionist-Crusader alliance and their collaborators," and to "Satan's US troops and the devil's supporters allying with them" are references which unquestionably include the United Kingdom.
25. There is a continuing threat. Based on our experience of the way the network has operated in the past, other cells, like those that carried out the terrorist attacks on 11 September, must be assumed to exist.
26. Al-Qaeda functions both on its own and through a network of other terrorist organisations.
These include Egyptian Islamic Jihad and other north African Islamic extremist terrorist groups, and a number of other jihadi groups in other countries including the Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and India.
Al-Qaeda also maintains cells and personnel in a number of other countries to facilitate its activities.
27. Osama Bin Laden heads the al-Qaeda network.
Below him is a body known as the Shura, which includes representatives of other terrorist groups, such as Egyptian Islamic Jihad leader Ayman Zawahiri and prominent lieutenants of Bin Laden such as Abu Hafs Al-Masri. Egyptian Islamic Jihad has, in effect, merged with al-Qaeda.
28. In addition to the Shura, al-Qaeda has several groups dealing with military, media, financial and Islamic issues.
29. Mohamed Atef is a member of the group that deals with military and terrorist operations.
His duties include principal responsibility for training al-Qaeda members.
30. Members of al-Qaeda must make a pledge of allegiance to follow the orders of Osama Bin Laden.
31. A great deal of evidence about Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda has been made available in the US indictment for earlier crimes.
32. Since 1989, Osama Bin Laden has conducted substantial financial and business transactions on behalf of al-Qaeda and in pursuit of its goals.
These include purchasing land for training camps, purchasing warehouses for the storage of items, including explosives, purchasing communications and electronics equipment, and transporting currency and weapons to members of al-Qaeda and associated terrorist groups in countries throughout the world.
33. Since 1989 Osama Bin Laden has provided training camps and guest houses in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Sudan, Somalia and Kenya for the use of al-Qaeda and associated terrorist groups.
We know from intelligence that there are currently at least a dozen camps across Afghanistan, of which at least four are used for training terrorists.
34. Since 1989, Osama Bin Laden has established a series of businesses to provide income for al-Qaeda, and to provide cover for the procurement of explosives, weapons and chemicals, and for the travel of al-Qaeda operatives.
The businesses have included a holding company known as 'Wadi Al Aqiq', a construction business known as 'Al Hijra', an agricultural business known as 'Al Themar Al Mubaraka', and investment companies known as 'Ladin International' and 'Taba Investments'.
Osama Bin Laden and previous attacks
35. In 1992 and 1993 Mohamed Atef travelled to Somalia on several occasions for the purpose of organising violence against United States and United Nations troops then stationed in Somalia.
On each occasion he reported back to Osama Bin Laden, at his base in the Riyadh district of Khartoum.
36. In the spring of 1993 Atef, Saif al Adel, another senior member of al-Qaeda, and other members began to provide military training to Somali tribes for the purpose of fighting the United Nations forces.
37. On 3 and 4 October 1993 operatives of al-Qaeda participated in the attack on US military personnel serving in Somalia as part of the operation 'Restore Hope'.
Eighteen US military personnel were killed in the attack.
38. From 1993 members of al-Qaeda began to live in Nairobi and set up businesses there, including Asma Ltd, and Tanzanite King.
They were regularly visited there by senior members of al-Qaeda, in particular by Atef and Abu Ubadiah al Banshiri.
39. Beginning in the latter part of 1993, members of al-Qaeda in Kenya began to discuss the possibility of attacking the US Embassy in Nairobi in retaliation for US participation in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.
Ali Mohamed, a US citizen and admitted member of al-Qaeda, surveyed the US Embassy as a possible target for a terrorist attack.
He took photographs and made sketches, which he presented to Osama Bin Laden while Bin Laden was in Sudan.
He also admitted that he had trained terrorists for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, and that those whom he trained included many involved in the East African bombings in August 1998.
40. In June or July 1998, two al-Qaeda operatives, Fahid Mohammed Ali Msalam and Sheik Ahmed Salim Swedan, purchased a Toyota truck and made various alterations to the back of the truck.
41. In early August 1998, operatives of al-Qaeda gathered in 43, New Runda Estates, Nairobi to execute the bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi.
42. On 7 August 1998, Assam, a Saudi national and al-Qaeda operative, drove the Toyota truck to the US embassy. There was a large bomb in the back of the truck.
43. Also in the truck was Mohamed Rashed Daoud Al 'Owali, another Saudi.
He, by his own confession, was an al-Qaeda operative, who from about 1996 had been trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan in explosives, hijacking, kidnapping, assassination and intelligence techniques.
With Osama Bin Laden's express permission, he fought alongside the Taleban in Afghanistan.
He had met Osama Bin Laden personally in 1996 and asked for another 'mission'.
Osama Bin Laden sent him to East Africa after extensive specialised training at camps in Afghanistan.
44. As the truck approached the Embassy, Al 'Owali got out and threw a stun grenade at a security guard.
Assam drove the truck up to the rear of the embassy. He got out and then detonated the bomb, which demolished a multi-storey secretarial college and severely damaged the US embassy, and the Co-operative bank building.
The bomb killed 213 people and injured 4500. Assam was killed in the explosion.
45. Al 'Owali expected the mission to end in his death. He had been willing to die for al-Qaeda.
But at the last minute he ran away from the bomb truck and survived. He had no money, passport or plan to escape after the mission, because he had expected to die.
46. After a few days, he called a telephone number in Yemen to have money transferred to him in Kenya.
The number he rang in Yemen was contacted by Osama Bin Laden's phone on the same day as Al 'Owali was arranging to get the money.
47. Another person arrested in connection with the Nairobi bombing was Mohamed Sadeek Odeh. He admitted to his involvement.
He identified the principal participants in the bombing. He named three other persons, all of whom were al-Qaeda or Egyptian Islamic Jihad members.
48. In Dar es Salaam the same day, at about the same time, operatives of al-Qaeda detonated a bomb at the US embassy, killing 11 people.
The al-Qaeda operatives involved included Mustafa Mohamed Fadhil and Khaflan Khamis Mohamed.
The bomb was carried in a Nissan Atlas truck, which Ahmed Khfaklan Ghailani and Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, two al-Qaeda operatives, had purchased in July 1998, in Dar es Salaam.
49. Khaflan Khamis Mohamed was arrested for the bombing. He admitted membership of al-Qaeda, and implicated other members of al-Qaeda in the bombing.
50. On 7 and 8 August 1998, two other members of al-Qaeda disseminated claims of responsibility for the two bombings by sending faxes to media organisations in Paris, Doha in Qatar, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
51. Additional evidence of the involvement of al-Qaeda in the East African bombings came from a search conducted in London of several residences and businesses belonging to al-Qaeda and Egyptian Islamic Jihad members.
In those searches a number of documents were found including claims of responsibility for the East African bombings in the name of a fictitious group, 'the Islamic Army for the liberation of the Holy Places.'
52. Al 'Owali, the would-be suicide bomber, admitted he was told to make a videotape of himself using the name of the same fictitious group.
53. The faxed claims of responsibility were traced to a telephone number, which had been in contact with Osama Bin Laden's cell phone.
The claims disseminated to the press were clearly written by someone familiar with the conspiracy.
They stated that the bombings had been carried out by two Saudis in Kenya, and one Egyptian in Dar es Salaam.
They were probably sent before the bombings had even taken place.
They referred to two Saudis dying in the Nairobi attack. In fact, because Al 'Owali fled at the last minute, only one Saudi died.
54. On 22 December 1998 Osama Bin Laden was asked by Time magazine whether he was responsible for the August 1998 attacks.
He replied: "The International Islamic Jihad Front for the jihad against the US and Israel has, by the grace of God, issued a crystal clear fatwa calling on the Islamic nation to carry on Jihad aimed at liberating the holy sites.
"The nation of Mohammed has responded to this appeal. If instigation for jihad against the Jews and the Americans... is considered to be a crime, then let history be a witness that I am a criminal.
"Our job is to instigate and, by the grace of God, we did that, and certain people responded to this instigation."
He was asked if he knew the attackers: "...those who risked their lives to earn the pleasure of God are real men. They managed to rid the Islamic nation of disgrace. We hold them in the highest esteem."
And what the US could expect of him: "...any thief or criminal who enters another country to steal should expect to be exposed to murder at any time...
"The US knows that I have attacked it, by the grace of God, for more than ten years now...
"God knows that we have been pleased by the killing of American soldiers [in Somalia in 1993].
"This was achieved by the grace of God and the efforts of the mujahideen... Hostility towards America is a religious duty and we hope to be rewarded for it by God.
"I am confident that Muslims will be able to end the legend of the so-called superpower that is America."
55. In December 1999 a terrorist cell linked to al- Qaeda was discovered trying to carry out attacks inside the United States.
An Algerian, Ahmed Ressam, was stopped at the US-Canadian border and over 100 lbs of bomb making material was found in his car.
Ressam admitted he was planning to set off a large bomb at Los Angeles International airport on New Year's Day.
He said that he had received terrorist training at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and then been instructed to go abroad and kill US civilians and military personnel.
56. On 3 January 2000, a group of al-Qaeda members, and other terrorists who had trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan, attempted to attack a US destroyer with a small boat loaded with explosives. Their boat sank, aborting the attack.
57. On 12 October 2000, however, the USS Cole was struck by an explosive-laden boat while refuelling in Aden harbour. Seventeen crew were killed, and 40 injured.
58. Several of the perpetrators of the Cole attack (mostly Yemenis and Saudis) were trained at Osama Bin Laden's camps in Afghanistan.
Al 'Owali has identified the two commanders of the attack on the USS Cole as having participated in the planning and preparation for the East African embassy bombings.
59. In the months before the September 11 attacks, propaganda videos were distributed throughout the Middle East and Muslim world by al-Qaeda, in which Osama Bin Laden and others were shown encouraging Muslims to attack American and Jewish targets.
60. Similar videos, extolling violence against the United States and other targets, were distributed before the East African embassy attacks in August 1998.
Osama Bin Laden and the 11 September attacks
61. Nineteen men have been identified as the hijackers from the passenger lists of the four planes hijacked on 11 September 2001.
At least three of them have already been positively identified as associates of al-Qaeda.
One has been identified as playing key roles in both the East African embassy attacks and the USS Cole attack.
Investigations continue into the backgrounds of all the hijackers.
62. From intelligence sources, the following facts have been established subsequent to 11 September; for intelligence reasons, the names of associates, though known, are not given.
In the run-up to 11 September, bin Laden was mounting a concerted propaganda campaign amongst like-minded groups of people - including videos and documentation - justifying attacks on Jewish and American targets; and claiming that those who died in the course of them were carrying out God's work.
We have learned, subsequent to 11 September, that Bin Laden himself asserted shortly before 11 September that he was preparing a major attack on America.
In August and early September close associates of Bin Laden were warned to return to Afghanistan from other parts of the world by 10 September.
Immediately prior to 11 September some known associates of Bin Laden were naming the date for action as on or around 11 September.
Since 11 September we have learned that one of Bin Laden's closest and most senior associates was responsible for the detailed planning of the attacks.
There is evidence of a very specific nature relating to the guilt of Bin Laden and his associates that is too sensitive to release.
63. Osama Bin Laden remains in charge, and the mastermind, of al-Qaeda. In al-Qaeda, an operation on the scale of the 11 September attacks would have been approved by Osama Bin Laden himself.
64. The modus operandi of 11 September was entirely consistent with previous attacks.
Al Qaeda's record of atrocities is characterised by meticulous long term planning, a desire to inflict mass casualties, suicide bombers, and multiple simultaneous attacks.
65. The attacks of 11 September 2001 are entirely consistent with the scale and sophistication of the planning which went into the attacks on the East African Embassies and the USS Cole.
No warnings were given for these three attacks, just as there was none on 11 September.
66. Al-Qaeda operatives, in evidence given in the East African Embassy bomb trials, have described how the group spends years preparing for an attack.
They conduct repeated surveillance, patiently gather materials, and identify and vet operatives, who have the skills to participate in the attack and the willingness to die for their cause.
67. The operatives involved in the 11 September atrocities attended flight schools, used flight simulators to study the controls of larger aircraft and placed potential airports and routes under surveillance.
68. Al-Qaeda's attacks are characterised by total disregard for innocent lives, including Muslims.
In an interview after the East African bombings, Osama Bin Laden insisted that the need to attack the United States excused the killing of other innocent civilians, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
69. No other organisation has both the motivation and the capability to carry out attacks like those of the 11 September - only the al-Qaeda network under Osama Bin Laden.
70. The attacks of the 11 September 2001 were planned and carried out by al-Qaeda, an organisation whose head is Osama Bin Laden.
That organisation has the will, and the resources, to execute further attacks of similar scale.
Both the United States and its close allies are targets for such attacks.
The attack could not have occurred without the alliance between the Taleban and Osama Bin Laden, which allowed Bin Laden to operate freely in Afghanistan, promoting, planning and executing terrorist activity.
Shoe bomber 'helped'
'Al-Qaeda scout'
Who is Richard Reid?
The hijack suspects
'Most wanted terrorists'
US military tribunals
War on al-Qaeda
Prisoners' conditions
Camp in pictures
Life at Camp X-Ray
The ICRC's role
Prisoners of war?
Q&A: What next for detainees?
Airline security options
America's Day of Terror
Anthrax alert
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Australia Day: the least we can do is accept our own history
By Andrew Bartlett - posted Monday, 25 January 2016 Sign Up for free e-mail updates!
The debate about whether or not January 26 is a suitable date to mark Australia Day has become almost as omnipresent around this time of year as references to beer and BBQs. Personally, I think Martin Flanagan is right when he says it is hard to think of a worse date than January 26. Even on the most basic point of historical accuracy, the date marks the founding of the colony of New South Wales. Other colonies were established on the Australian continent on other dates, and they only came together as the federated nation of Australia on January 1 in 1901. Of course, if we were to use January 1st, we would have to acknowledge that a significant part of the drive for federation was driven by political leaders stridently promoting racism and xenophobia. Apart from the indecency and the individual human hardship which resulted, this also - as George Megalogenis details in his most recent book - left Australia significantly weakened economically, socially and internationally for the best part of half a century.
Having said that, we wouldn’t have to acknowledge this clear and crucial fact - and I’d say chances are we would work very hard to ignore it. I say that because our society as a whole already puts a lot of psychological energy into ignoring other very unpleasant parts of our history which are undeniably intertwined with the January 26 historical narrative – namely the callous and cruel treatment of the original inhabitants of the Australian landmass which flowed out of that settlement.
The fact that Stan Grant’s compelling speech on the ferocious racism experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has gone viral shows just how deeply this refusal to accept the reality of Australia’s history resonates with so many people.
Whether we stick with January 26, or move to a different date, the core of the problem is a refusal – what seems to me to be a wilful refusal – to acknowledge central aspects of the formation of Australia as a nation. This will never be fully addressed until there is a treaty or treaties with the descendants of those who were already here when colonisation unfolded. The window of opportunity to act on a Treaty was clearly there in the 1980s, but the Labor government of the time failed to take it. This can and should still be done, but it will take some time to do it properly (and unless it can be done properly, it shouldn’t be done at all).
But one other far more simple and clear cut thing which could be done in the meantime at both state and local government level would be to provide recognition of and memorials to the many battles and mass killings of Aboriginal people which occurred as part of colonisation (also often called ‘settlement’). Not all of the deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people during settlement were due to direct killings. Plenty came from disease – whether incidental, neglectful or deliberate – as well as starvation. But despite disputes about the exact numbers, there is undeniable evidence of plenty of massacres, battles and direct killings - as well as widespread forced removals. All of this highlights that the land was taken by force, and that the original inhabitants provided continuing resistance to this occupation. The ‘settlement’ process in my own state of Queensland is often stated as being the most violent of any Australian colony, and there are plenty of sites that the state government and/or local Councils could place memorials at.
Formally acknowledging and commemorating the fighters and casualties of the frontier wars won’t stop the debates about what date is the best one to mark Australia Day, but it will at least make us more aware of the reality of Australia’s history and more fully acknowledge the first peoples’ part in it.
Andrew Bartlett has been active in politics for over 20 years, including as a Queensland Senator from 1997-2008. He graduated from University of Queensland with a degree in social work and has been involved in a wide range of community organisations and issues, including human rights, housing, immigration, Indigneous affairs, environment, animal rights and multiculturalism. He is a member of National Forum. He blogs at Bartlett's Blog.
» Indefinite detention causes serious harm - February 20, 2014
» The Gillard and Hanson accord on 457 visas is a dangerous development - March 20, 2013
» On the topic of 'giving preferences' ... - August 18, 2010
» Lacklustre electioneering - July 27, 2010
» Inside the Indonesian 'solution' - November 9, 2009
All articles by Andrew Bartlett
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Life after graduation: a free-schooler’s perspective
by Tay Parker, Open School staff
I graduated from Sudbury Valley School in 1996. Like The Open School, Sudbury Valley School is a democratic free school where students can spend all their time however they like.
People often wonder how graduates from this kind of school fare in life afterwards. I decided to find out, so I interviewed a few of my old friends: Robin, Sam, and Cameron. Here’s what they said.
Tay: You attended Sudbury Valley School for three years. What led you to that type of school?
Robin: Traditional schooling didn’t agree with me. I was a “problem student” from grade one, and wasn’t motivated to participate in class at all.
Tay: Sudbury Valley worked out for you, though?
Robin: It did! I really enjoyed my time there and I learned a lot.
Tay: Why do you think it was so much more effective for you than traditional schooling?
Robin: I think traditional schools often have oppressive environments. They focus on negative reinforcement and discipline, which caused me to sort of shut down mentally. It made me feel like I was a bad kid.
Tay: Did you ever picture yourself running a business when you were a teenager?
Robin: I knew I wanted to work for myself, but it took me some time to figure out exactly what that meant for me.
My first job after Sudbury Valley School was at Peet’s Coffee and Tea. It was a lot of fun. I felt like I wanted to stay in the coffee industry forever. But as I learned more about coffee, I came to the conclusion that Peet’s was kind of subpar. I decided I could do a better job of it myself — so I opened my own shop!
As I learned more about coffee, I came to the conclusion that Peet’s was kind of subpar. I decided I could do a better job of it myself — so I opened my own shop!
Tay: How is business going?
Robin: It’s going really well!
Tay: What did you most want to improve about Peet’s?
Robin: I wanted to have better equipment to treat the coffee with more care. Our recipes are much more precise, and we make everything in house by hand. The coffee itself comes from a company that’s focused on direct trade and collaborating with the coffee farmers.
Our drinks are also smaller and more coffee-focused. And our specials menu features drinks invented by the staff. We really encourage creativity and trying new things.
Tay: Do you feel like you brought anything in particular from your school experience into the workplace you created?
Robin: Definitely. My school experience taught me that everyone’s opinion has value, and all of our staff are valuable. Our decision-making process is very collaborative and democratic.
Tay: What would you say to people involved in Sudbury model schooling, who might be worried about whether they’re choosing the right type of education?
Robin: The skills I picked up at Sudbury Valley School helped me learn how to be a functional, self-sustaining person in a community. I learned how to make meaningful connections, how to stand up for myself and what I believe in, and how to be self-motivated and get things done. And I learned how to never, ever be bored!
Tay: How long did you attend Sudbury Valley School?
Sam: 12 years, from the age of 5 to 17. I graduated in 2011.
Tay: So you’re a “lifer”?
Sam: Oh yeah. Lifer and proud.
Tay: Do you think there’s an advantage to starting at this type of school when you’re young?
Sam: Generally yes. That doesn’t mean people who start later in life can’t succeed, but from what I’ve seen, more people succeed, and become more involved in running the school, if they start younger. The more connected they become to the community, the more the community fosters their growth.
Tay: Did you ever leave Sudbury Valley School for a while to try another school, as some people do?
Sam: No. I came close once when I thought someone stole my Nintendo DS, but it turned out no one stole it — I just misplaced it, and the JC (Judicial Committee) did a good job at putting me at ease. They made me feel comfortable that they would resolve my situation, which they did.
Tay: Did you ever feel envious of traditional school experiences, like there was something important you were missing out on?
Sam: I think you always feel envious of an experience you never had, but I don’t think I ever felt like I should be at public school.
I think you always feel envious of an experience you never had, but I never felt like I should be at public school.
Tay: What have you been up to since you moved on?
Sam: I took a year to get some money together. I worked at a deli. It was a pretty good job. Then I went to New Zealand for 5 months to be an organic farmer, which is what I thought I wanted to do. But I realized it wasn’t.
When I came back to the states I started going to a community college. I ended up getting my associates degree in liberal arts, and now I go to Salem State University. I’m a senior majoring in communications with a focus in public relations and a minor in recreation management.
Currently I work for the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts.
Tay: How is that going? Do you like it?
Sam: I really love my job and college is actually really fun. I think going to Sudbury Valley School and not really having a class experience has helped me stay motivated when people I know who have been in class their whole lives have lost some motivation.
Tay: Is there anything you’d want to say to parents who are considering this kind of school for their young kids?
Sam: You should send you child to a Sudbury School if you believe in your children. They have the ability to succeed, and if you believe that, they will do well at a Sudbury-model school.
Tay: You went to Sudbury Valley School for 4 years while you were a teenager. What drew you to that kind of school?
Cameron: It was my brother that brought me there. He’d been having a difficult time in public school. My uncle had attended Sudbury Valley School, so my mother thought it might be a better alternative for my brother. As he got involved, I learned more about the school, its system, and its people. I decided I wanted to attend Sudbury Valley too.
Tay: Was there a point at which you felt like it was a challenging place for you to be, because of how different it was?
Cameron: At times it felt challenging, but it was mostly because we were working on difficult social skills. We had the space and time to really develop these through natural life experiences. It would later help me in adult life, having honed my social skills at an earlier age than most people.
Tay: Did you feel like you missed out on stuff like academics and pep rallies?
Cameron: Sometimes. Looking from the outside in, media and society really glorifies those events and experiences. Not being able to relate to others about those experiences can be disadvantageous, but I don’t think it devalues the experiences I did get.
Tay: What did you get out of Sudbury Valley School that you couldn’t have gotten in a more traditional setting?
Cameron: I learned at an early age what passion I wanted to follow into higher education and as a career. Also, the friends I made in this setting have lasted through college and beyond, which is not typical of traditional school friendships.
Tay: How did you move from the school into your career?
Cameron: I did research at Sudbury Valley School for university programs in my desired field, audio recording. Fortunately, there was a university nearby with a strong, technical program. However, the minimum requirements for the program were above my academic level at the time.
I don’t blame this on Sudbury Valley School, but rather my own work ethic. I decided to go community college to further my academics. I’ve become a big supporter of community college and think it pairs very well with an alternative education.
I directed my studies at community college towards what would be useful at the university program in Audio. I eventually transferred and earned a Bachelor’s degree from a four-year program. So college took six years, longer than most, but it earned me a career and position in a field I’ve dreamt about since I was fourteen.
Tay: So even though your college path took six years, you feel like you saved time because you knew what you really wanted to do?
Cameron: I don’t know if I saved time or money. In hindsight there were probably better ways I could have done it. What I’m proud of is that I did it by my own means. I knew how to direct myself to get to where I’ve gotten.
In hindsight there were probably better ways I could have done it. What I’m proud of is that I did it by my own means. I knew how to direct myself to get to where I’ve gotten.
My parents have always helped me, but never directed me. So while I’ve made mistakes trying to get to where I have, those mistakes were learning experiences. This is how education works at an alternative school.
Tay: So ultimately it’s about your sense of responsibility for yourself and how that self-determination got you to where you wanted to be?
Cameron: Yeah. I think that’s a very important life skill, and one that’s not easily taught. It has to be discovered. Alternative schools are conducive to helping children and young adults make this and other important discoveries.
That sounds pretentious, but I think if you grow up being told what to do, you’ll eventually run out of people telling you what to do and you won’t understand what it is that you want. Taking responsibility into your own hands also lends itself to owning up to mistakes and learning from them.
Failure isn’t a thing to be ashamed of, or to be punished for. Failure is how humans learn best and I don’t think traditional school systems are modeled with that in mind.
Tay: Can you think of a failure that taught you something you’re glad you learned?
Cameron: Always respect a system, but don’t forget to question it as well. It’s good to be skeptical.
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Why do state bar associations routinely oppose adoptee rights bills? In New Jersey, the answer seems quite clear -- to promote the business interests of attorneys. In 1992,
the New Jersey Legislature passed bills S685 and A1418, measures that in effect deregulated the adoption industry and allowed many more privately-arranged adoptions to take place. The main advocate for the change in law was the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA).
In New Jersey, attorneys often assist in completing private domestic adoption arrangements. When mediating and/or completing such transactions, attorneys apparently feel it is in their best interest to assure adoptive parents that they need not be too concerned about birth families. Not surprisingly, they express little interest in the rights of the human beings actually being adopted.
The NJSBA has published a booklet for prospective adoptive parents entitled "What You Need to Know about Adoption." The most telling words, in my opinion, appear in this section:
"In New Jersey, all records relating to adoption proceedings, including the complaint, judgment and all petitions, affidavits, testimony, reports, briefs, orders and other relevant documents, are sealed by the court clerk, and may not be opened to inspection or copying without a court order, which almost never occurs."
So much for the testimony of NJSBA representatives in public hearings, where they have been telling legislators for years that adoptees can receive their medical records simply by petitioning the courts.
Another illuminating portion of the NJSBA handbook for prospective parents is this paragraph:
"An open adoption is when the birth parents continue to have some contact with the child after the adoption. This contact can be as minor as a simple letter or card on the child's birthday, or as intimate as visitation. While open adoption is a legal option in some states, it is not legally enforceable in New Jersey. In other words, while adoptive parents may agree to permit some form of contact between the child and the birth parents, they are not legally bound by these promises, even if they are made in writing."
If I were to paraphrase these two sections of the NJSBA handbook, I might say something like this: As prospective adoptive parents, you hold all the cards, and you need not worry about the rights or interests of the original parents, or for that matter, the rights of your child to know who she actually is and where she comes from.
Once we get the papers signed for you, you can be assured that you don't have to have any contact with the birth parents -- ever.
The only part of the handbook that refers, somewhat indirectly, to the child's best interest, is this lone sentence: "In some cases the court may choose to provide an adopted child with medical information without releasing information about the birth parents."
Naturally the NJSBA conveniently leaves out the fact that the Child Welfare League, along with countless other reputable adoption organizations, has maintained for decades that secrecy in adoption does not serve the best interest of the child. The child's "best interest," obviously, is not the NJSBA's top priority.
When they appear publicly to oppose bills that would grant adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates, NJSBA representatives tell us that birth mothers have been assured of anonymity from their own offspring.
Tom Snyder, the former chair of the family law section of the NJSBA, has questioned whether adoptee rights bills are fair to birth mothers, who he says were "assured of confidentiality." And "what about the rape and incest victims?" he asked in the first minute of a 2010 National Public Radio interview with Diane Crossfield, a founding member of the Adoptee Rights Coalition.
In making such pronouncements, Snyder omits a number of key facts. (1) Historically, the promise of anonymity was made to adoptive parents, not to original parents. (2) Rape/incest victims comprise a tiny minority of mothers who have placed their children for adoption, by some estimates less than one percent. (3) A birth parent right to privacy does not exist in the NJ Statutes, as Snyder himself admitted to Senator Loretta Weinberg under questioning during a 2006 public hearing. (4) The vast majority of original parents neither asked for nor desire anonymity from their own children.
As for Snyder's reference to rape and incest victims, Pennsylvania adoptee Amanda Woolston responds, "When people use their shame-ridden arguments to further their own cause, they forget one thing -- there are adoptees and First Mothers who actually live this reality who are impacted each and every time rape/incest is brought up in a shameful context. Shame on anyone who does such a thing to these mothers and adoptees."
A product of rape herself, Woolston, an incredibly articulate mother of two, says, "I am not ashamed." For the record, Woolston's first mother is not ashamed of who her daughter is either.
In its efforts to thwart adoptee rights bills, the NJSBA has repeatedly asked for birth mothers desiring secrecy to allow their attorneys to testify on their behalf. Consider this letter sent out by the NJSBA on January 5, 2007:
"Dear Family Law Section Member:
We are once again, requesting that anyone who has a client who is a birth mother, who would be willing to let you testify on their behalf in opposition to S-1087 (an adoptee rights bill), please contact ...
So far, only one person has come forward willing to have their attorney testify on their behalf. This legislation has already passed in the Senate and is poised for Assembly vote in the near future. We desperately need others."
The letter, I believe, speaks for itself. Birth mother privacy is simply the smokescreen the NJSBA uses to promote its own agenda: to present adoption to prospective adoptive parents as an arrangement that "establishes the same relationship between the child and the adoptive parent or parents that would exist if the child had been born to them." ("What You Need to Know About Adoption," NJSBA)
While the NJSBA may just be referring to legal reality here, it's evident to me that this is the rosy picture that adoption attorneys in New Jersey want to paint. In the NJSBA literature, there is no mention about the complexity or the psychological realities of adoption.
In its handbook for prospective adoptive parents, the NJSBA comes closest to describing current adoption reality in its final sentence: "The New Jersey Legislature has been considering legislation for several decades that would open adoption records."
This sentence is not quite accurate since the adoptee rights bills under consideration would not have "opened" adoption records: they would simply have allowed an adult adoptee, at age 18, to apply for and secure a copy of his or her original birth certificate, just as any other citizen is able to do.
Of course, the NJSBA doesn't mention that during every legislative cycle, it does everything in its power to defeat these civil rights measures, opting instead for mutual consent registries, which have a documented failure rate of over 90 percent, or unworkable confidential intermediary systems, which are unfair, expensive and demeaning to the adoptee.
We adult adoptees, original parents, and adoptive parents who have educated themselves on their own, must do our best to educate prospective adoptive parents about the challenges and realities of adoption, because it is quite clear that the NJSBA is not going to do it. Their representatives will continue to "sell" adoption to birth and prospective adoptive parents, even as they oppose the very reforms that would make the practice more ethical and humane for all parties involved.
Sealed Records -- A Secret the Industry Would Like to Keep
Labels: Adoptee rights, Adoption ethics, New Jersey State Bar Association. opponents to adoptee rights
Money and Power Stymie Adoptee Rights Bills
Adoptee rights bills are a hard sell in state legislatures, because their main opponents come from two powerful and moneyed groups: the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, and trade associations representing adoption practitioners, whose income depends on their success at "selling" adoption as a simple, win-win solution to complex societal problems.
We'll never know exactly why New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie "conditionally" vetoed an adoptee rights bill last year that had been approved by both the State Senate and Assembly. But we do know that he received considerable pressure from the NJ Catholic Conference of Bishops and the NJ State Bar Association to do exactly what he did -- replace a simple civil rights bill with an unworkable and unacceptable system of state-appointed confidential intermediaries.
Shortly before he issued his directive last June, Gov. Christie received a letter from Newark Archbishop John J. Myers, president of the NJ Catholic Conference of Bishops, asking him to "conditionally" veto the bill. Expressing concern for "birth mother privacy," Myers wrote, "Reunion between adoptees and birth parents should only be after mutual consent."
Now to the uneducated reader, such a statement might seem logical. But studies have shown that mutual consent registries have a failure rate of over 90 percent. Confidential intermediary systems are expensive, obstructive and demeaning to the adopted adult, who is asking only for what every other citizen takes for granted: access to his or her own legal document of birth.
Not all adoptees search, and not all seek reunions, but most would like access to their own truth. One would think from the Bishops' and the NJ Bar Association's position that original mothers live in dire fear that their grown offspring might someday contact them. However, DYFS Adoption Registry statistics show that 95 percent of original parents welcome contact, and in Oregon, where adult adoptees have had access to their original birth certificates for 11 years, fewer than a quarter of one percent of original mothers have filed "no contact" preferences.
Whatever reason the Catholic hierarchy has for opposing adoptee rights bills, it would seem that "birth mother privacy" is not really the issue. One has to wonder at this point just what it is that the Catholic Church is so eager to hide. Is it their unsavory adoption practices of the past, which profoundly hurt so many young, vulnerable women? Or is it their desire to shield the Church from any scandal or controversy at all costs?
Recently, I came across a most interesting website entitled "Children of Catholic Priests." Possibly, at least some of the Bishops' motivation for opposing truth in adoption can be uncovered there.
Ronald A. Sarno, Esq., has published a paper entitled "A Legal Guide" for mothers or expectant mothers of the children of Catholic clergy. In it, he cautions the women explicitly not to seek any help from the Church itself.
"Be wary of attorneys who represent the Catholic clergy," he writes, "who offer to tell you what legal rights you and your child have; they are being paid to help the institution and to save it as much money and scandal as possible."
Later, he explains, "There is no point in using any canonical procedure to seek help. No matter what the canons say in theory, in practice canonical courts and/or inquiries have as their sole purpose the protection of the Church from financial responsibility, and to keep embarrassing facts out of the media."
Sarno wants women to know that the Church currently "discourages any showing of parental responsibility on the part of the 'celibate' official who has fathered children and frequently handles the situation by seeking "settlements" and transferring the father out of the state where the mother resides.
A settlement offer, Sarno explains, is an agreement in which the parties pledge not to go to trial. "The father and the Church want secrecy," he writes to expectant mothers, "and a promise from you not to continue a lawsuit or to go to the media."
The terms of a settlement may require the Church to make regular money payments to the mother until the child is "emancipated," or financially independent. In some cases, says Sarno, the mother may be prohibited by a court order or settlement agreement from telling her child who the father is. If she does disclose the truth, she may be in danger of losing her financial settlement.
While none of this information is surprising, given what we know about the Catholic hierarchy's history, it does offer some insight, I believe, into the Bishops' position regarding adoptee rights.
What I would like to know is this: Why doesn't the media further explore these issues? Why are the lame objections to adoptee rights that the Bishops and the Bar Association make year after year not subject to more scrutiny? "Birth mother privacy" is not the issue, and these groups would not fight for so long and so hard if it were.
Truth, transparency and accountability are good values, and ones we should be striving to incorporate into every area of life. Why should adoption be the lone exception? The answer, sadly, is quite simple. In the world of politics, money and power tend to speak louder than established facts.
Posted by Susan P. at 7:15 AM 7 comments:
Labels: Adoptee rights, Adoption ethics, Children of Catholic Priests, NJ Catholic Conference of Bishops, NJ State Bar Association
Why Adoption Experts Sometimes Irk Adult Adoptees
Kudos to blogger Carlynne Hershberger for recently linking to the Psychology Today article: "Beyond Blood: Stigmas about Adoption Remain, and Hurt Families," by Abbie Goldberg, Ph.D. To date, the article has generated 151 comments, many of them critical about the story's emphasis on stereotypes and stigmas as experienced by adoptive parents. While a few adoptive parents and adoptees became defensive and lashed out in what I would consider a non-constructive way, many commenters had valuable information to share, and I'm hopeful that adoption "expert" Ms. Goldberg has learned a great deal as a result.
The article generated so much interest, I think, because like so many articles about adoption, it focuses on the feelings and problems of adoptive parents rather than the feelings and problems of adoptees themselves, or of original mothers who relinquished their children.
The story starts with an excerpt from the movie "The Avengers," in which a comment is made inferring that adoptees are "damaged goods." Ms. Goldberg cites the example to support her theme, that "adoption stereotypes and stigmas are pervasive."
Those of us involved in adoptee rights movements would agree that adoption stigmas are pervasive and that they undermine our efforts to restore our right to secure our own legal documents of birth. We hoped to see Ms. Goldberg dispel some of the most common adoption stereotypes, such as the wide-ranging belief that original mothers were promised anonymity, or the myth that open adoption has fixed all the legal inequities in the adoption system.
The article, however, quickly becomes all about the challenges of adoptive parents, what they should reply to adoption questions, and how they should educate others about the realities of adoption. At one point, Ms. Goldberg even asks: "What can adoptive parents do to preserve their sanity?"
This focus, once again, on the experiences of adoptive parents rather than the experiences of mature adoptees who have lived the adopted life for decades, created quite a firestorm. One commenter sent in an exhaustive list of adoptee blogs and encouraged original mothers to do the same. "It's infuriating that more isn't known about these voices," she concluded.
That, I think, is the source of frustration. While adoptees and original mothers struggle to get their stories into the mainstream press, the views and feelings of adoptive parents seem to be welcome everywhere. Add to that reality the fact that the voices of adult adoptees are largely ignored in the political arena, where the decisions blocking adoptee rights bills are made, and you can see why there are some mighty angry voices out there.
In response to Ms. Goldberg's article, one commenter chastised an adoptive parent who suggested that an adoptee critical of the business side of adoption "seek counseling ASAP." Explaining why adoptees so often feel disenfranchised, he said, "You have the entirety of a billion-dollar industry supporting everything you say and do. You have the legal, governmental, medical, religious, and media-based systems of support at your back."
Then there is this comment from an original mother: "This article doesn't even begin to address the myths surrounding the mothers who lose children. As is typical in articles discussing adoption, it becomes all about the adoptive parents."
Another original mother reinforces the point: "There's another myth ... mothers were promised anonymity in regards to the children they 'gave up.' It's a lie! Most mothers want to be found by the children they lost. I'm sick and tired of the industry hiding behind my skirts on this issue. It's not about reunion. It's about civil and human rights being equal."
Naturally, the on-line conversation eventually comes to focus on the travesty of sealed records and other ethical problems in adoption. "The issue of falsified records alone can be a monumental challenge," says one adoptee. "We are treated as children and second class citizens while being denied our rights to our own personal birth records."
That adoption as it is now practiced has ethical problems is very clear, as evidenced in this excerpt from an adoption website by blogger Ms. Hershberger:
"The following is a range of total costs and the minimum budget we require to work with us. It does not include your home study, adoptive parent travel costs, and some states birth mother medical expenses, but does include our fee, travel costs for the birthmother, living expenses, social work and legal fees."
Caucasian: $25K - $40K Min. Budget of $25K
Biracial: $18K to $25K Min. Budget of $18K
AA: $15K to $20K Min. Budget of $15K
As you can see, babies are priced according to their skin color. Ms. Hershberger correctly asks, "Can you read that and tell me that children are not commodities in this industry?"
How do we fix a system that is this broken and that has strayed so far from its intended purpose to serve the best interest of children? Sealed records are perhaps the tip of the iceberg when it comes to adoption reform, but they do present a logical starting point.
Here's what I wrote in response to the Psychology Today article by Ms. Goldberg:
"Sealed records are so abhorrent that it is amazing to me that there is still so much institutionalized opposition to adoptee rights bills. As a 61-year-old adoptee and cancer survivor, I was unable to participate in a medical protocol because I had no access to medical history. And my story is not unusual. The response in the legislative arena seems to be, "Oh, well." Or "We'll let some of you have access to your own legal certificate of birth if your natural mother approves," or "We'll let a state-appointed intermediary search for you," etc., etc. Such treatment is demeaning, discriminatory and unethical. When year after year, decision-makers, the adoption industry, and some adoptive parents refuse to listen to what original mothers and adult adoptees are saying, people get angry. You can only keep the truth bottled up for so long. Ms. Goldberg, we need adoption "experts" to focus more on the adoptee voice -- it has been ignored in the world of power for decades, while adoptive parents have had plenty of spokespeople all along the way."
The subject of adoption engenders a lot of anger, and understandably so. That's what happens when the voices of those affected by adoption are routinely ignored by those in positions of power. Sealed records are an abomination and a stain on all of adoption. They are indefensible, and there are so many of us who can tell you why. It is time for all the "experts" and for adoptive parents too to take note and to make the issue a top priority. Surely we can all agree and speak with a unified voice about the clearly unjust practice of sealing an adoptee's birth record for life.
Labels: Adoptee rights, Adoption ethics, adoption experts, sealed records, stigmas about adoption
Sealed Records are Wrong. Period
Raising an adoptive child is not the same as raising a biological child. It's not better, it's not worse, it's just different, and it requires from prospective adoptive parents a prepared and educated mindset. Why is this simple truth so hard for some people to understand?
I suppose it boils down to the fact that people really want to believe the simple concept that "love conquers all."
Certainly the adoption industry and attorneys who place babies for adoption want to promote that concept -- it's good for business to present adoption as an uncomplicated and "beautiful way to build a family."
Adoption can be an appropriate way to build a family, if all other options have been exhausted, and if all members within the adoption circle are treated fairly and with respect. But adoption is rarely simple, and someone is almost always treated unfairly and without respect. It is all too easy to strip identity rights from infants, who cannot speak for themselves. And it is all too easy to placate the desires of adoptive parents, the paying customers, without educating them about the psychology of adoption in a responsible way.
Adoption is a complex process that demands extra empathy and understanding, and for adoption to become a respected institution, free of the scandal and controversy that now plague it, that complexity and the inequities of the system as it is now practiced must be acknowledged.
First Mother Forum just ran a beautiful commentary on this issue from adoptive mother Gale Thompson. Many adoptive parents in her church, Thompson relates, do not want to face the fact that raising adoptive children presents some unique challenges. Thompson says her views are too often discounted when she attempts to share what she has learned as the mother of two older, adopted youth. Other adoptive parents, she finds, want to believe that "their kids won't have issues because their love will be 'enough.'"
The myth that "love conquers all" in adoption dies hard. As Thompson so eloquently explains, "An adoptive mother has to accept that her child's desire to reconnect with his or her birth mother has nothing to do with her personally."
This is a key point that every adoption practitioner should be addressing. But instead many practitioners -- the National Council for Adoption and state bar associations representing adoption attorneys -- continue to advocate for sealed records, to "protect the privacy of birth parents," they say.
Many original parents have come forward to say that they were never promised anonymity from their own children and that they do not desire it. A thorough academic study of the history of sealed records has revealed that the sealing practice began to protect the adoptive family from "unwarranted intrusion," not the original parent from later contact from her offspring. In states that have released original birth certificates to adopted adults, fewer than one percent of original mothers have signed contact preference forms saying they prefer to remain anonymous.
Yet business professionals in the adoption field continue to use the privacy argument as their rationale for denying adopted adults access to their own legal documents of birth. Their real motive, I think, is this: They want adoptive parents to believe that adoption is an uncomplicated and beautiful way to build a family. They want them to believe that if they love the child enough, the identity of the original parents will never be relevant or important. They want them to believe that in adoption, "love will conquer all."
What a disservice such attitudes render to everyone affected by adoption! For those of us who have been denied access to our medical history and the most basic information about ourselves, love has not conquered all the inequities of the adoption system. The adoption industry has not served my "best interests" well. And it hasn't served the best interests of adoptive parents, either, when it has insisted that raising adopted children is just the same as raising biological children.
As adoptive mother Gale Thompson writes, "Knowing that your love alone isn't 'enough' can strike at a woman's core values (as a nurturer) and sense of identity." Why set adoptive parents up for a sense of failure by refusing to inform them that adopted people will most likely want to know who gave them birth? Why not share that that desire is perfectly normal and in no way diminishes a child's love for her adoptive parents?
Sealed records throughout an adoptee's lifetime are demeaning, discriminatory and wrong. Period. All the love in the world can never undo that basic fact.
Posted by Susan P. at 5:35 PM 10 comments:
Labels: Adoptee rights, Adoption ethics, adoptive mothers, sealed records
The Media and Adoption Issues
Usually, I am deeply disappointed with the media's coverage of adoption issues. Editors and writers often repeat the claims of those who would continue to seal birth records without challenging their logic. After all, a number of states have restored the civil rights of adult adoptees to know their own identities, and we now have public records to show the effects of such laws. The data clearly shows that there was never any legal guarantee of anonymity for original parents; it clearly shows that very few original parents desire anonymity, as well.
The same is true for that emotional red herring: the abortion argument. Not one coherent fact has ever been produced in support of the contention that abortions will increase if a woman cannot be guaranteed secrecy. Plenty of evidence has been advanced, however, to show that more openness in adoption actually decreases the likelihood that an expectant mother would choose abortion over adoption.
Unfortunately, the data that supports the right of adult adoptees to have access to their own original birth certificates rarely shows up in the mainstream media. While it loves to tell sentimental reunion stories, the media seems to be most reluctant to cover the factual and more complex issues about discriminatory adoption law.
The 2010 ABC News article entitled "Graying Adoptees Still Searching for their Identities" was a welcome exception to the rule, in that it covered the history of why records were sealed in the first place and how the continuance of that practice has impacted the people directly involved. Some of the comments to the article were so illuminating and perceptive that I'd like to repeat them here. (I have highlighted key points on my own.) Here is powerful testimony from an original mother who placed her son for adoption:
"Of course I, in the 1960's, did not want the secrecy forced by agency and law when I gave up by baby son for adoption It was simply the only way I could, I -- believing another social fantasy -- thought, give him a chance for a good family life. For years I felt loss so much that I could not even recognize its source, and it was many years before I had another child. When my firstborn son grew up and searched and found me was one of the happiest times of my life. And for him too this was joy -- for both of us the beginning of a firmer wholeness, though he grew up well loved by his adoptive parents. I think we all need to recognize it is criminal to prevent people from knowing who and how their mother or child is; and we need to remember the effects of not knowing extend beyond mother and child to siblings, partners, and on and on. Open the records; not to is pointless and hurts people."
Also offering thoughtful commentary on the article was this adoptive parent:
"I adopted my son at birth, and am in an open adoption with his first mom. We know each other's names, extended family members, have been in each other's homes, e-mail one another, are Facebook friends, etc. But still, because of the law, my son will never be able to access his original birth certificate. It is a document that is his, and relates directly to him and his birth, but he cannot have it. Instead he has a birth certificate that says, in effect, he was born to us. Seems a little silly, doesn't it? All of that 'protection' of all of us going on. I know that is not the case for everyone, but it does seem that there are a whole lot of people being 'protected' that don't want to be, there are a whole lot of people with great reasons for wanting to find information about their family history, and something needs to happen so that people, ADULTS, are able to do so (contact one another) if they need to or even want to."
Here is a grown adoptee's perspective on the lack of logic that promotes the practice of sealing records:
"To keep a little perspective on this matter for those who see the release of original birth certificates as putting adoptees at risk for disappointment -- or worse: Over half of marriage licenses issued to 'happily-ever-after' in-love couples will one day share courthouse archives with divorce papers, which spell out every imaginable maltreatment between the parties. Does this mean we should ban access to marriage licenses? Or ban divorces? Or take it upon ourselves to decide who should get marriage licenses or divorce decrees? Terrible things happen in marriages -- case in point, the O.J. Simpson murder. Our laws don't obliterate the identities of the brides when they become part of a new family. But when a child, born into one family, becomes part of another family, states take it upon themselves to obliterate his identity and create falsified documentation to support it. Not only that, but he will be forbidden to see, much less obtain a copy of, his authentic document of birth. This atrocity is totally out of synch with all other aspects of our democratic system."
Here are a few more words of wisdom from mothers who relinquished their children and grown adoptees:
"Adoptees who want to know the truth should not be kept from their own truth by a handful of people that think they know what's best for everyone. How dare the government think that they have any say or part to play in people's personal history or birth records."
"Never did I want to be anonymous to my own child. I am so sick of the 'experts' (churches, ACLU, NCFA) speaking for me and other birthparents, trying to protect our privacy, privacy that we never asked for! For the 1 or 2 percent of birthmothers out there that truly do not want contact, then just say 'no thanks.' But this subject is really not about contacts and reunions! It's about the civil rights of a portion of US citizens who are treated as perpetual children, never being trusted with growing up and making their own choices regarding what is truly theirs; their truth about who they are."
"No one has the right to make an agreement on behalf of a child that they will be bound to past the age of majority that will violate that person's civil rights -- NO one. Adoption is not another 'form of abortion,' it is not the witness protection program."
"This legacy of secrecy and shame has cost us so much. We've lost the right to heritage, history and quite possibly to know our natural families. And what's worse: we the 'graying' adoption generation are largely ignored as important, experienced voices in shaping today's adoption best practice."
I encourage all legislative decision-makers to read both the 2010 ABC News article and the 68 comments that follow. Of the nearly 70 comments, just five were negative, and several of those writers were clearly misinformed. For example, one commenter opposing adult adoptee access claimed: "More people are protected than they are punished by current adoption law." What a nonsensical statement considering the fact that in Oregon, which has allowed adult adoptee access since 2000, fewer than 1 percent of original mothers have indicated that they would prefer to have no contact with their relinquished children, now adults. Other states that have reinstituted adult adoptee access have similar results. You can see the data here.
Legislators, editors and writers have a responsibility to be better informed about adoption issues than the general public. Too many decision-makers and media professionals are relying on biased lobby groups -- groups that have idealogical agendas or that profit financially from placing children for adoption -- for their adoption information.
ABC News Writer Susan Donaldson James is to be commended for her article spelling out the realities of adoption law. Her piece and the responses should be required reading for anyone involved with the adoptee rights movement or considering the merits of an adoptee rights bill.
For further information, see:
Graying Adoptees Still Searching for their Identities
American Adoption Congress Statistics on Adult Adoptee Access
Labels: Adoptee rights, graying adoptees still searching for their identities, media coverage of adoption
Deborah Jacobs, the executive director of ACLU-NJ for the past 13 years, is leaving her post in early July for another job opportunity. We can only hope that under new leadership, the New Jersey chapter of ACLU will come to better understand the adult adoptee movement for equal rights and equal access.
Under Ms. Jacobs' leadership, ACLU-NJ's disrespect for adopted people has been nothing short of stunning. Its consistent opposition to Adoptee Rights Bills has not only contradicted the decisions of district and state court judges in Oregon and Tennessee; it has even contradicted the national ACLU position statement on maintaining and releasing government data.
Perhaps the NJ chapter's misguided stance stems from the views of the late Jeremiah Gutman, a former ACLU director, who wrote this in 1999: If a birthmother "cannot rely upon the adoption agency or attorney, or the law to protect her privacy and to conceal her identity for all time, her choice to go the abortion route may be compelled by that lack of confidence in confidentiality."
Gutman's opinion is just that -- an opinion. It has not been supported by any factual data. In fact, statistics suggest just the opposite, that with more openness, abortion rates tend to decrease, yet ACLU-NJ has continued to disseminate this information.
ACLU national's inability to relate to the adoptee perspective can also be seen in the dynamics of its most recent membership drive. For donating $35, a contributor can receive a T-shirt embroidered with this noteworthy slogan: "Sue the Bastards." In some states, the ACLU rejects the use of words like "Indians" or "Redskins" to describe sports franchises for fear of causing offense to minority groups. Yet it has no problem using the word "bastard," which according to one dictionary means (1) an illegitimate child, or (2) something that is spurious, irregular, inferior, or of questionable origin. Since some adoptees are indeed bastards, you would think that the ACLU might fear causing some offense in this area. But unfortunately, the feelings and rights of adult adoptees aren't yet on its radar screen.
The ACLU's use of the word "bastard" in its marketing campaign is nothing compared to the hypocrisy of the New Jersey chapter's recent positions on adoptee rights. It insists that adult adoptees be treated differently than all other Americans. They cannot apply for their original birth certificates like any other citizen. They are a special class, and special rules must be devised just for them. They must pay extra fees and employ state-appointed confidential intermediaries to try to secure what rightfully belongs to them: their own documents of birth, ancestry and genetic imprint. It would seem that in ACLU NJ's view, adoptees really are inferior to all other people, as the label "bastard" suggests -- because in its opinion, they are not entitled to the same rights as the rest of the population.
ACLU-NJ claims that a birthmother must have an absolute right to privacy, even from her own child, even though recent court decisions say clearly that no such right exists. The ACLU's 2005 Draft Policy on
Adoption Records reads: "Birth parents should be able to choose whether to keep their identities confidential when relinquishing their children for adoption because that choice is one of the panoply of intimate personal decisions about marriage, family and reproduction protected by the right to privacy under the US and NJ constitutions."
You would think that when the ACLU states there is a constitutional right to privacy, it would cite some pertinent cases. But it doesn't, most likely because the courts have ruled otherwise. Here's what the Oregon State Court of Appeals decided in 1999, after a small group petitioned the courts to overturn the law that would grant adult adoptees equal access to their original birth certificates: The state may release original birth certificates to adoptees "without infringing on any fundamental right to privacy of the birthmother who does not desire contact with the child."
If that decision isn't clear enough, the U.S. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit) said this in 1997, after another group petitioned the courts in Tennessee to overturn the law that would grant some adult adoptees access to their own birth certificates: ..."If there is a federal constitutional right of familial privacy, it does not extend as far as the plaintiffs would like." The Sixth Circuit Court further explains: "A birth is simultaneously an intimate occasion and a public event -- the government has long kept records of when, where, and by whom babies are born. Such records have myriad purposes, such as furthering the interest of children in knowing the circumstances of their birth."
So according to several court decisions, there is no constitutional right to privacy for original parents, yet ACLU-NJ has consistently insisted that there is. The ACLU's opposition to adult adoptee access is also difficult to understand in light of ACLU national's views on the management of government data.
In its Policy #272 on Government Data Collection, Storage and Dissemination, ACLU states that "personal information should not be collected from individuals without their informed consent." What adopted individual has ever given her permission to have her true and legitimate birth certificate amended by the state and then sealed for all time?
Later, the ACLU policy paper reads: "The ability of an individual to exercise control over the collection, maintenance, and use by the government of his or her sensitive personal information is central to personal integrity and human dignity." Exactly! How is an adult adoptee expected to have that sense of "personal integrity and human dignity" when she is not even permitted to view her own legal certificate of birth?
And consider this statement by the ACLU: "Government should not use data privacy rights as a pretext to prevent data access; ..." Doesn't the ACLU constantly cite "privacy rights" as its justification for preventing adult adoptees equal access to their own legal documents?
A final example demonstrating the inconsistencies in ACLU's position towards adoptee rights can be found in this ACLU statement: "All persons should have equal rights of access to information maintained by public agencies. The identity or status of the party requesting disclosure should not affect the decisions as to what information is actually disclosed." We adoptees agree! We deserve equal access to our legal documents and do not understand why we must be considered a special exception, particularly in light of the fact that original parents were never granted an absolute right to privacy from their own offspring.
In her public appearances and communications, ACLU-NJ Executive Director Ms. Jacobs has shown a profound misunderstanding about the complexities of adoption. In a position paper urging Assembly members to reject an Adoptee Rights Bill last year, the Coalition in Defense of Privacy in Adoption, in which ACLU-NJ participated, said: "In many cases, the right to confidentiality was at the crux of the (woman's) decision to choose adoption." I would like to see the data supporting this assertion, since original mothers have told us again and again that they didn't choose confidentiality -- rather, it was forced upon them.
And then this troubling statement by the Coalition: "More women may choose to keep babies that would be best cared for by an adoptive family." Is the Coalition saying here that confidentiality is the key that encourages women to relinquish their babies? If so, the data screams otherwise. And who are they to say that a child would be better served in an adoptive rather than in an original family?
Before claiming that a confidential intermediary system is the answer to the adoptee rights dilemma, Ms. Jacobs in another advocacy letter makes one more deeply problematical statement: "Our coalition members have statewide and national experience which shows that a non-confrontational approach is an essential element of successful reunions."
Here, Ms. Jacobs makes the leap that the Adoptee Rights Bill was all about reunions, even though it was a carefully-crafted civil rights bill that simply granted to adult adoptees the same right that every other American citizen enjoys -- the right to apply for and receive their original birth certificates for a nominal fee. By using the word "non-confrontational," Ms. Jacobs seems to imply that those adoptees who search on their own will use confrontational methods.
This assumption is insulting and unfounded. We adoptees have plenty of experience tip-toeing around other people's feelings, and in my experience, tend to be more sensitive than the average person. Ms. Jacobs also seems to imply that coalition members are better suited to navigate the complexities of adoption than I myself am: a mother, grandmother and educated professional who has lived for 61 years as an adoptee.
I can assure you that coalition members -- the NJ Catholic Conference, State Bar Association, Right to LIfe, National Council for Adoption, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ, and ACLU-NJ -- are not better equipped than I am to manage my own life. They are better equipped only to defend their own ideologies and business practices.
We in the adoption reform movement are not sorry to see Ms. Jacobs move on, as her stance on adoptee rights was not grounded in data or adoption reality. We hope that her successor will be open to the facts and will come to the same conclusion that the Florida chapter of ACLU reached long ago:
..."Careful scrutiny of adoption statutes and practices has indicated that legal changes are necessary, and that civil liberties of adopted adults are being violated in the absence of any state or national policy on this matter, and with the belief that adopted persons should be treated no differently than other citizens, the Southwest Florida Chapter Board has voted to endorse the following policy:
Numerous states have laws or procedures which impede the ability of adopted adults, their birthparents and other relatives to ascertain each others' identities. The ACLU believes that as long as state and/or local governments choose to maintain birth records, such records must be maintained and accessible without discrimination by virtue of adopted or non-adopted status."
Equal rights and equal access for adult adoptees -- such a simple concept, and one that the ACLU, of all entities, should be embracing nation-wide.
Labels: ACLU, ACLU stance on adoptee rights, ACLU-NJ, Adoptee rights, Deborah Jacobs
Where do Family Ties and Adoptee Rights Intersect?
I've been doing a lot of babysitting lately, so not so much blogging. Memorial Day week-end my husband and I had all six of our grandchildren down at the shore along with one set of their parents -- the other set was attending a wedding in California. This past week-end we were in charge of our two-year-old grandson while the rest of his family were off on a camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. I watch three of my grandchildren every Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 A.M. until 4 P.M. while their mother teaches school in Philadelphia. I see all of my grandchildren often, a fact for which I'm extremely grateful. In the long run, what really matters except for our love for each other? Pictured above are five of my grandchildren -- I couldn't get all six to cooperate for a family photo!
Here's the other little guy -- he's 17 months old.
The two oldest, Grace and Emma, are eight and seven.
Unlike many adoption bloggers, I am not in reunion with any of my original family. When I approached my natural mother ten years ago, she did not wish to meet, although she did share medical and some family history with me. Her decision hurt, but I've moved on. She is 87 now and lives in a continuing care facility. I have a great family, and I feel as if she has missed a great deal by not electing to meet them.
One of my daughters is a physician, and I am proud of all she has accomplished, but even prouder of the type of person she is -- compassionate and family-oriented, quick to laugh and fun to be with. My other daughter is a high school teacher at a city magnet school for talented kids. She too is a giving soul, sensitive and talented. Both daughters are happily married, and their children and families are the center of their lives.
My husband is my best friend. We have lived many years together now through happy and sad times, and we feel blessed to have each other. I believe that my original mother would have been proud of the person I've become, if she had been able to open herself up. But we are both adults, adoption is what it is, and I have to accept that she relinquished in a different era that presented different challenges.
I often think I am a good one to speak out about adoptee rights because there wasn't any Norman Rockwell-type reunion in my case. From my perspective, that's not the point. I had loving adoptive parents and a stable upbringing. For people looking in from the outside, I'm sure my adoption story looked like a total success.
What was always missing, however, is the fact that I had no control over the most basic elements of my life. I wasn't entitled to know who gave birth to me or how I spent my first few months. I never thought that this was a fair scenario, and I felt so much more empowered once I knew the truth about my life and history. Whether or not a reunion is successful has nothing whatever to do with a human being's civil right to know the truth about her own personhood.
In the future, I will have other decisions to make, but at least they are my decisions, and no one else's. My original mother had another daughter, five years old, when she relinquished me. For now, out of respect for my natural mother's wishes, I have elected not to contact this half-sister. My original mother is in fragile health and does not want to disrupt her life. She never told anyone else about me except for her own mother.
When my natural mother passes away, however, I may contact my half-sibling. She too has grandchildren, and we may have something in common. We may not. But I am proud of my family, and I think she has a right to know that they exist.
Labels: Adoptee rights, Adoption ethics, adoption reunions
Why do State Bar Associations Oppose Adoptee Right...
Where do Family Ties and Adoptee Rights Intersect?...
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Your VisitExperience the Anzac LegendAnzac Albany Heritage Sites
Download the Anzac Albany Heritage Sites Map here:
Anzac Albany - Heritage Sites Map.pdf
Albany War Memorial
Corner York Street & Peels Place
In 1919, Albany Mayor W.J. Day proposed to erect a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the district. The cenotaph of local granite quarried from Mount Melville was built by A.J. Hartman. The monument is 7 metres high including the obelisk of more than 3.5 metre.
The Albany War Memorial was unveiled by the Governer, Sir Francis Newdegate in 1921.
St John's Anglican Church
St John's Anglican Church was consecrated in 1848. The tradition of the first Dawn Service began at the Church when Reverand Arthur White led parishioners to the summit of Mount Clarence on Anzac Day 1930.
Nurses Rose Garden
Proudlove Parade
The RSL Memorial Gardens opened in March 1937, recognising the sisterhood of all women and nurses who served in the Great War.The area, planted next to the Soldier’s Institute, a building formerly the Lands Office, transformed the railways owned wasteland and disused tennis court.
Anzac Peace Park
Princess Royal Drive
The park is designed as a landscape of peace. It is an iconic location connecting city and harbour, endowed with multiple symbolic associations. A number of the ANZAC stories have been integrated into seats located through the park. The intention is to slow the pace of visitors, provide rest points and allow time to reflect and investigate the stories as they move through the park. The seats are set into a widened section of the path to create a comfortable ‘place’. Local granite, timber and cast concrete panels using the local crushed granite assist in making the interpretation local, a place that inherently belongs to Albany.
Lone Pine Grove
According to research, two Australian soldiers souvenired pine cones back to Australia from the Lone Pine Ridge in 1915. From one, taken back to Inverell in NSW, two seedlings were propagated. In 1934 the Duke of Gloucester planted one at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and today it stands over 20m in height.
The Lone Pine Grove in Albany provides a major focus for the theme of Peace within Anzac Peace Park. It expresses a direct and living connection between ‘Gallipoli and Albany” and the idea of peace across time, place and people.
The Lone Pine Grove (Aleppo pines, Pinus halepensis) is contained by a curved granite wall with a long integrated timber seat. Both the granite and timber are local to Albany.
Pier of Remembrance
The pier is a slender stretch of boardwalk, which gently curves into Princess Royal Harbour and offers visitors an opportunity to move beyond the edge of the bay that bounds the park, and over the water. It provides a site for respite and reflection of those lost in the war and will also enable visitors as they walk out along the pier to enact in a physical and symbolic way the process of ‘leaving’ much as was done by the troops departing for war in 1914. The names of the ships comprising the first and second convoys are inscribed along the pier.
182 Grey Street West
The building known as The Rocks was constructed by the Knight family in the early 1880s. It was sold to the state government in 1913 to become the vice regal summer residence.In 1915, the governor offered it as a hospital for convalescing servicemen, becoming No. 8 Australian General Hospital for a period.
Albany Memorial Park Cemetery
Middleton Road
One of the first cemeteries to be consecrated in the state, early burials took place on the lower section of the Middleton Road site. The reinterment in 1840 of colonial surgeon Dr Alexander Collie, was amongst the earliest gravesites to be established there.
Albany Senior High School - WW2 Rose Garden
Original Avenue of Honour
The Albany Avenue of honour was originally planted in Middleton Road in 1921 to honour those from World War One. At the time of the planting Mrs A. M Bird penned a poem in commemoration of the planting. The last verse of the poem:
May every leaf on each green tree,
As changing seasons come and go,
Whisper our pride and sympathy
To name plates on their boles below,
And murmur one unending song,
In praise of those who marched along
Our Avenue of Honour
Published in the Albany Advertiser, Saturday 23 July 1921.
The trees, Albany red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia,) started dying soon after being planted. Many were replaced over the years but in the mid 1940’s several trees died with plaques having been removed or lost.
Discussions were held about the relocation of the Avenue of Honour in the late 1940’s to Mount Clarence and in 1955 the Apex Club and RSL carried out the necessary work to complete the Apex Drive and the new avenue.
Today there is a plaque commemorating the position of the last tree which was removed in 2017.
Dog Rock Boulevard Shopping Centre Mural
St Werburghs Lane
The Mural is a dedication to all those Men and Women who have served in the Australian Armed Forces in all theatres of war and peacekeeping operations. And all future Service Men and Women who will continue to protect what our War Veterans fought and died to defeat.
The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial commemorates Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died in service or were killed in action in Egypt, Palestine and Syria during World War I. Following the First World War, soldiers from Australia and New Zealand contributed one day’s pay to commission a monument to the fallen. The statue, featuring two mounted soldiers, was toppled in 1956 during the Suez Crisis. After much lobbying its remnants were returned to Australia. The new Desert Mounted Corps Memorial was unveiled in 1964 and now stands proudly on the summit of Mount Clarence.
Padre Arthur Ernest White is a revered character in Albany’s history. It is recorded in the St John’s Anglican Church service register that at 6am on April 25 1930, Padre White celebrated a dawn Eucharist commemorating Anzac Day. After wreaths were laid at the nearby war memorial, Padre White led some of his congregation up a bush track to the top of Mount Clarence where an observation took place of a boatman laying a wreath in King George Sound. Today the Padre White Lookout is the region’s most visited lookout and serves as an enduring place of reflection; a lasting monument to Ernest White and what many regard as Australia’s first Dawn Service.
Avenue of Honour
Mout Clarence
An immersive art installation by Bruce Munro, Field of Light: Avenue of Honour pays homage to the Anzacs with 16,000 shining spheres at Mount Clarence marking the last sight of home for 41,000 troops who departed from Albany for the Great War. The internationally renowned UK artist’s ephemeral landscape installation references the national flowers of Australia and New Zealand; honouring 100 years since the First World War’s end and celebrating Albany’s unique biodiversity with thousands of lights shining in the whites, yellows and golds of the wattle and the kowhai.
Forts Road, Mount Adelaide
The National Anzac Centre is the centrepiece attraction of Albany Heritage Park. Opened on 1 November 2014, the Centre is Australia’s foremost award winning facility dedicated solely to honouring the Anzacs of the First World War. Visitors are offered a deeply personal connection to the Anzacs through interactive multi-media displays, unique artefacts, rare images and film, and audio commentary.
Princess Royal Fortress
Ataturk Statue
Ellen Cove Boardwalk
In a reciprocal agreement in 1985 the channel leading into Princess Royal Harbour was officially named Ataturk Channel, whilst the Turkish Government named the beach at Gallipoli where the Anzacs landed Anzac Cove. In 2002 a statue of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk was erected overlooking the channel bearing his name.
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newswire article reposts global 08.Aug.2006 22:53
Israeli war crimes aimed at cleansing south Lebanon
author: By Bill Van Auken
On Tuesday, Israeli warplanes struck the southern Lebanese town of Ghaziyeh, killing at least 14 people. Missiles demolished civilian homes just as some 1,500 mourners were participating in a procession to bury 15 of their relatives and neighbors slain just the day before. The explosions sent the crowd running in panic, dropping shrouded corpses in the street.
Ghaziyeh's normal population of 23,000 has reportedly been swelled by a wave of refugees. It is a predominantly Shiite town near Sidon, a region where most of the population is composed of Sunni Muslims. Many people from further south had fled there to stay with relatives and friends.
There was no indication that the town was used to launch rockets against Israel or had any intrinsic strategic significance. The objective was merely to further terrorize people who have already suffered the loss of their homes and seen members of their families massacred in the relentless Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon. The aim is to force them to flee further north, or kill them.
Israeli planes have dropped leaflets on southern Lebanon announcing an open-ended curfew, violation of which is punishable by death from the air. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has warned that any vehicles on the roads will be struck. Anyone disobeying these orders will be considered a terrorist and a target for Israeli bombs, missiles and shells.
This threat, combined with the escalating air war against the south, has effectively shut down attempts by the International Red Cross and other relief agencies to bring desperately needed food, water and medical supplies into the ravaged south. The bombing of roads and the destruction of the last bridge crossing the Litani River into the southern city of Tyre has cut off the region from rest of Lebanon and the rest of the world.
The head of the International Red Cross, Jacob Kellenberger, accused Israel of violating the Geneva Conventionsthat is, committing a war crimeby threatening aid convoys with military attack. Kellenberger dismissed Israel's claims that its leaflets warning of imminent air strikes somehow justified violent attacks on civilians. "By letting down leaflets, you cannot get rid of your responsibilities under international humanitarian law," he said.
The Israeli practice is akin to a serial murderer telephoning death threats to people before killing them and then blaming the victims for their own deaths, because, after all, "they were warned."
This is the real context in which the United Nations Security Council is going through the motions of considering a US-French resolution designed not to end the fighting, but to allow it to continue until US-Israeli objectives are met. This document demands that Hezbollah disarm, while it allows the 10,000 Israeli troops occupying Lebanese territory to remain and permits Israel to continue "defensive" air strikes and artillery bombardments.
It essentially demands that Hezbollah, a mass movement of Lebanon's impoverished Shiite population, commit suicide and that the government of Lebanon accept the status of an occupied protectorate. By presenting an utterly unacceptable proposal, Washington aims at provoking Lebanese rejection and then using this supposed opposition to "peace" as a justification for continuing the month-old war.
In a further indication that it has no intention of compromising on the terms of its UN diktat to the Lebanese people, the Bush administration Tuesday dismissed a Lebanese proposal to send 15,000 Lebanese troops to the south to take control of the area from the Israeli army. A State Department spokesman declared that the Lebanese army is not "a robust enough entity to be able to, on their own, exercise total control of that southern area of Lebanon."
This word "robust" is endlessly repeated to describe a proposed multinational force to be sent into the region. It is a euphemism for an occupation army that will utilize murderous force against the local population to achieve US and Israeli war aims.
In a rare moment of candor at the UN, the Qatari foreign minister told the Security Council on Tuesday: "It is most saddening that the council stands idly by, crippled, unable to stop the blood bath which has become the bitter daily lot of the defenseless Lebanese people."
He warned that adoption of the US-French resolution posed the "danger of civil war in Lebanon." This is no idle threat. The proposed smashing of Hezbollah would be seen by the Shiite population as an attempt to disenfranchise and oppress them, reversing the results of Lebanon's previous civil war and restoring the power once wielded by Israel's traditional ally in the country, the Maronite Christian right.
Such social reengineering of the countrycarried out under George Bush's slogans of "freedom" and a "new Middle East"would undoubtedly ignite a new round of bitter sectarian warfare.
What the US-Israeli offensive aims to accomplish as its immediate goal is the thorough ethnic cleansing of southern Lebanon.
This is a term that never appears in the mainstream media in relation to the present war in Lebanon. It appears only in the occasional stories following the continuing tensions in former Yugoslavia, where US-led NATO forces intervened in 1999 with a savage bombing campaign against Serbia, which was carried out under the pretext of halting ethnic cleansing in the province of Kosovo. The end result has been a thorough ethnic cleansing of the Serb population at the hands of the Kosovar nationalists whom Washington supported.
In the Israeli offensive against south Lebanon, the media invariably refers to air strikes and ground assaults against "Hezbollah strongholds," a formulation meant to conceal the fact that the real target is the Shiite population as a whole. Missiles, cluster bombs and artillery shells are employed to massacre men, women and children in order to terrorize the entire population and send them fleeing north.
Unlike the wave of moral outrage generated by the US media over the alleged ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, which was critical in conditioning public opinion and providing a pretext for Washington's war against Serbia, there is no similar condemnation of Israel for the mass expulsion of a population.
One major television network, the ineffable Fox News, expressed more concern for the lost dogs of northern Israel than for the Lebanese women and children buried beneath the rubble of buildings demolished by US-supplied Israeli bombs.
The IDF has had little success in defeating Hezbollah or even halting its rocket attacks against Israel, but its strategy against the civilian population has proven effective. While more than 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and approximately 3,500 woundedthe majority of them women and childrenone million Lebanese, fully a quarter of the national population, have been turned into refugees, most of them driven from their homes in the south.
Ethnic cleansing is nothing new for Israel. The very foundation of the Israeli state was bound up with the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and farms. The Zionist leaders employed massacres and terror to drive out the native population.
As the well-known Israeli historian Benny Morris acknowledged in a 2004 interview with the Israeli daily Haaretz, "A Jewish state would not have come into being without the uprooting of 700,000 Palestinians. Therefore, it was necessary to uproot them. There was no choice but to expel that population. It was necessary to cleanse the hinterland and cleanse the border areas and cleanse the main roads."
In 1967, with the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, military terror was once again utilized to drive hundreds of thousands of Palestinians off their land, paving the way for the Zionist settlements in the occupied territories and Israel's claims over all of Jerusalem.
There is no reason to believe that anything different is being planned for Lebanon. Once again Israel, in the name of "security," is driving an Arab population off of its land. Where does this process end?
There is every indication that the IDF is now being deployed to conquer Lebanese territory between the Israeli border and the Litani River, 18 miles to the north. A new senior officer known to favor a far more extensive ground assault, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky, has been placed in charge of the Lebanon operation. Haaretz reported that his mission would be "to coordinate land, air and sea operations in case of a widescale offensive."
There is more at work in the current Lebanon war, however, than Israel's campaign of ethnic cleansing against the country's Shiite population and the potential annexation of Lebanese territory. Prodding the Israeli government to intensify its attacks is the Bush administration. It sees the IDF offensive as a means of furthering its own objective of setting the stage for new wars of aggression in the Middle East, to achieve "regime change" in Iran and Syria and bring the extensive oil reserves of the entire region under uncontested US control.
This is the reality behind the Bush's rhetoric, casting the conflict as one between "freedom" and "democracy," on the one side, and "Islamic fascism," on the other.
If anything in the present war recalls the crimes of fascism, it is not the Lebanese, who are fighting an Israeli army that his invaded their land, but rather the regimes in Washington and Israel, which are utilizing overwhelming military force to conquer an oppressed people.
Like the one-sided wars waged by fascist regimes that shocked the world's conscience in the 1930sfrom the rape of Ethiopia to the incineration of Guernicathe destruction of Lebanon contains the seeds of a global conflagration.
-World Socialist Web Site
homepage: http://www.wsws.org
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What are Factory farms?
Pigs are inquisitive, and affectionate animals. Yet, hidden away in factory farms, it's easy to forget that each of these animals is an individual, with their own story.
This mother is pregnant. She can legally be locked in a crate so small she cannot even turn around.
Pigs have the intelligence of a three year old child. But factory farms condemn them to a 'lifetime' of perpetual boredom, stress and depression.
Mothers, like this one are forced to give birth on a metal or concrete floor. Trapped in this crate she will be unable to reach out to her babies or protect them.
Most piglets will have their tails cut off, their teeth cut with pliers, and if they are male, they may be castrated. All without pain relief.
If someone did this to a puppy, they could be prosecuted for animal cruelty. But our law makers have deemed it acceptable for factory farmers to cut bits and pieces off conscious baby animals to fit them into cruel systems.
Within weeks of being born, her piglets will be taken away to be fattened up for slaughter. From as young as 4 months old, they will be killed and turned into pork, bacon and ham.
By then, their mother will have been re-impregnated — the cycle of suffering repeating again, and again, until she can no longer physically cope. Then she too will be sent to slaughter.
Factory farming has only thrived because it is hidden from public view. But we have the power to change that.
If you believe in a world without factory farming, then by spreading the word and by making kind choices when you shop, you can free animals from factory farms. Together we can Make It Possible.
When you wake up in the morning, what's the first thing you see? What if it was a cage? What if every morning it was a cage?
It takes a hen, like this one, up to 30 long hours in a battery cage to produce just one egg. This is the true cost of cage eggs.
She cannot stretch her wings. She cannot go outside, or feel the sun on her back.
One of a hens most fundamental desires is to build a nest and lay her eggs in private. But in factory farms, they are forced to eat, sleep and lay their eggs in a crowded cage.
At hatcheries, most chicks destined for factory farms have part of their beaks cut off. Birds' beaks are filled with nerves. Yet this is done without pain relief.
Male chicks cannot produce eggs and do not grow fast or large enough to be raised for meat. So on their first day of life they are gassed or dropped into grinders, whilst still alive. Every year, millions of male chicks meet this fate across the entire egg industry.
Ultimately, their sisters' lives are cut short too. Chickens can live up to 12 years. But from as young as 18 months of age, when their egg production wanes, hens across the egg industry are gathered up and sent to slaughter.
Cage eggs have become symbolic of the suffering caused by factory farms. Tomorrow this hen, and millions like her, will wake up again to life in a cage.
But it's within our power to free them.
If you believe in a world without factory farming, then by spreading the word and making kind choices when you shop, you can free hens from factory farms. Together we can make it possible.
They say knowledge is power. So you need to know this...
One simple choice you make has the power to reduce pollution, save resources, combat world hunger, improve your health and create a kinder world. Want to know how? Then keep watching...
What contributes more to climate change than all of the world's planes, trains and automobiles combined?
Farm animals. According to the UN, raising animals for food is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. And that's only the beginning...
As demand for animal products has grown, animal agriculture has gobbled up more and more water, energy, crops and land. Over recent decades, vast expanses of native habitat around the world have been cleared to grow crops to feed to animals — most of them in factory farms.
Animals are fed about 6kg of plant protein to produce just 1kg of animal protein. The numbers just don't add up. Factory farms use more food than they produce, which leaves less food for everyone else.
At a time when globally, nearly 1 billion people are suffering from malnutrition, one third of the world's edible cereal harvest is being fed to farm animals. That cereal would be enough to feed about three billion people.
Everyone from leading water and climate scientists, to Oxfam and World Vision, and even the United Nations agree that by eating less meat we can reduce pollution, save resources and combat world hunger.
But it's not just others who see the benefits. Leading health experts agree that we need to reduce the amount of animal products we eat, in order to reduce our risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
And ultimately, the choices we make at the dinner table affect someone else as well.
We are at a critical point in human history. Our choices no longer have just a local impact. Their effects are felt globally — on animals, people, and the environment.
By choosing to eat fewer animal products, or going meat-free, you can protect the planet, your health, and save living beings — both human and animal from suffering.
Source: www.makeitpossible.com
This Guy Exposes Factory Farms Using A Drone. This Is What ...
The Brutality of Factory Farms: An Inside Look (VIDEO)
Chipotle Takes Stab at "Factory Farms"
Auckland Animal Action (AAA) was formed in August 1996 by a small group of people seeing the need for a grassroots activist group that promoted direct action against all forms of animal abuse. Since then, AAA has run campaigns against all forms of animal abuse, most...
An American Trilogy: Death, Slavery, and Dominion on the Banks of the Cape Fear River is a 2009 is a non-fiction work by Steven M. Wise about the pig industry in North Carolina. Wise is an American legal scholar who specializes in animal protection.
Wise discovered...
Free Livestock
Farm animals breeds
Define Factory farming
Waste Management Meridian MS
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Independent Author Reviews
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“Wall of a Thousand Tears” – by Julian Mok
Posted on December 21, 2013 by Caleb
Dale Marshall is a US senator who receives top secret information about his government. Hunted by assassins, he flees to Cuba where he discovers the world he thought he knew was a lie. His life, declared forfeit, and his eyes opened by an unexpected revelation, Marshall finds himself drawn into escalating hostilities that can only lead to one thing – global conflict.
Wall of a Thousand Tears is the first book of a series, The Apocalypse Chronicles, that documents the lead-up to global warfare. This is Earth in the distant future, having suffered from two cataclysmic events: one called the Catalyst, the second called the Burning. This is an amazingly ambitious work, especially considering the author was only 13 years old when he started to write it.
The book begins in what is supposed to be the known world: the former US, Cuba and Mexico as one united country after multiple apocalyptic-style natural disasters. It’s not evident what these disasters are in the first part of the novel. The information is conveyed via an info dump or two at a later stage of the book.
The world is a pretty interesting one and the author has certainly been imaginative in its creation. However, it wasn’t terribly well painted. For example, I can’t recall now what the events were that jeopardised life on earth. I think there might have been something about a solar flare at one point, but the details are hazy. Additionally, I never felt that I inhabited any specific place throughout the novel. I have to draw the conclusion that immersion in any environment was not a priority of the author. I believe the only real interest of the author was in creating battle scenes – which brings me to the plot.
The scale of the story in Wall of a Thousand Tears is immense. However, the plot itself barely existed. This isn’t because there wasn’t a story to be told, but because the author didn’t seem particularly interested in telling it. There is no real progress from one point to the next. The story doesn’t develop, it jumps. To what? Well, to the action scenes. Unfortunately, action scenes by themselves don’t make a plot and, without a strong context, they are usually quite messy. In fact, it’s extremely difficult to write an action scene well, and there must have been 30 or 40 very large and messy action scenes in this book.
There are probably two ways I can describe the story and both are fairly accurate to how the plot is constructed:
Anyone familiar with big action computer games is probably aware that there is a token plot, delivered in periodic cut scenes, strung between game play sequences. These sequences often involve a character moving forward a small distance before being beset by foes. Once the enemies are vanquished, the character progresses to the next battle. The story is there in the cut scenes and occasional moments of clarity during the game play, but the details are seldom obvious and the majority of the game is spent in button-mashing chaos. This is one way I could describe the plot of this novel.
The second is a reference to a simpler time, when two kids would lock themselves in a room to play with plastic soldiers. Imagine that along with the soldiers, the kids have He-Man and Skeletor, a number of Transformers, Star Wars characters, plastic demons, X-Men and dinosaurs along with some creatures that go bump in the night. Now imagine the kids inventing a totally outrageous story involving non-stop ‘battle royales’. Soldiers are trampled by dinosaurs, which are pulled apart by Transformers, which are cut into metal chunks by the awesome power sword of He-Man, whose brain is melted by the mind-bending dark arts of a demon, who is disintegrated by the sacred rosary beads of the Pope, who is a holy warrior of such incredible capability that several paragraphs of hyperbole are required to adequately describe his attributes.
Unfortunately, any attention to a coherent plot is brought undone by a barrage of inconsistencies. A senator rolls out of bed as his door is broken down by assassins but manages to get away wearing the $900 suit that he obviously wore to bed. He marches into the airport with nothing but his suit and a gun which is apparently check-in luggage. He flies to Cuba to a conference where people are waiting to lift the lid on a conspiracy perpetrated by his government. However, the trip itself was an event presumably planned by the same government. He is taken to a UN-style organisation that places him as a combatant into a number of highly dangerous battles, even once being criticised for cowardice, before an attempt is made to retrieve the precious information he managed to intercept. Later, we find out there is a need for him to return home to collect the remainder of this vital intelligence after involvement in several other dangerous missions.
Despite there being quite a bit of focus on senator Dale Marshall, he really doesn’t feel like the protagonist of the story. It’s hard to stand out in a crowd and this book is certainly crowded. I was introduced to hundreds of characters in the course of the book with new names still being thrown at me in the last 10% of the story. Admittedly, some of the characters only last a couple of pages, but the noise actually prevents any characters from establishing themselves. Characters were referred to by first name, or last name, or sometimes by either – but at different times, which maximised the confusion. In the end, although I encountered Senator Marshall frequently, I knew very little about him.
The writing is somewhat as expected for a high school student; it is overwritten. It was probably the slowest I’ve read a book in the last two or three years. At around 370 pages, it felt like well over 1000 pages. There were too many adjectives and adverbs, not enough clarity and an abundance of misused words and expressions. There was no sense of how time actually passed throughout the story. At times I thought perhaps we had jumped several months, but it wasn’t terribly clear and the frequent shift to different locations, often without any visual cues, became tiring. It was a tough slog, but at the same time, I think it could have been a lot worse and the author should be commended for the effort, which I think brings us to my conclusion.
I informed the author in advance that if I were to write a review of this book, then it had to be an honest opinion of the work. As such, I thought the novel was far too ambitious in scope and it lacked anything with which the reader could make a connection. It needed to be drastically simplified. I watched a presentation from the author where he hinted at the amount of research that went into the story, but in my opinion, the research did not actualise into any conveyed message. If there was supposed to be an undercurrent, it was obscured by the chaos and it didn’t help that the novel ended without any resolution. However, in a way, this is all far less interesting than what makes this book a triumph – that it exists at all.
I don’t know how many people slave away for two or so years between the ages of 13 and 16 on an epic novel. Perhaps there are figures out there somewhere, but I’m assuming that the number is quite low. The achievement itself puts this author ahead of the curve in my opinion. The imagination is there and the drive and enthusiasm is obvious. The craft of writing can be learned and improved upon over time. Drive? Not so much.
Although I would not agree that this book is a success in its own right, once it’s contextualised appropriately it becomes a promise that Julian Mok is making – that he is going to be a writer. And I hope that my critiques and my rating are less important to him than the fact that I believe him.
Price at the time of review: $3.99 US
Available: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, iTunes and more…
Author site: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6615534.Julian_Mok
GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16230199-the-apocalypse-chronicles
This entry was posted in 2.5, Novel, Reviews, Science Fiction and tagged Action, Dystopian, Post-apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Series. Bookmark the permalink.
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One Response to “Wall of a Thousand Tears” – by Julian Mok
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says:
If I owned a 900 dollar suit, you better BELIEVE I’d wear it to bed. To dinner. Everywhere but the shower because it would be the only thing I could afford to own… :>)
The plot/premise sounds very interesting. I always find it amazing to discover if an author concentrates most on characters, plot, action or details/world building. It’s only the best that can weave all of those things seamlessly. You did a great job of analysis of all the parts–that’s actually kind of rare for a reviewer too. Most of the time reviewers give you the vague “well, I liked it, but…there was just something…” And maybe an example or two of what didn’t work or what did work. This was very thorough.
The author sounds like he has the talent. Now if he analyzes as well as you do, he can probably really put together a great story!
Leave a Reply to Maria (BearMountainBooks) Cancel reply
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Republican Senator Announces He Will Not Support Trump – Even If He Is The Nominee
Filed under: General — Dana @ 6:30 am
[guest post by Dana]
Republican senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who said back in January, ““I am not endorsing anybody in race and being pro-constitution just makes me anti Trump,” stuck to his guns when he announced this weekend in an open letter to his supporters that he would not be supporting Trump, even if he were the nominee:
The Trump coalition is broad and complicated, but I believe many Trump fans are well-meaning. I have spoken at length with many of you, both inside and outside Nebraska. You are rightly worried about our national direction. You ache about a crony-capitalist leadership class that is not urgent about tackling our crises. You are right to be angry.
I’m as frustrated and saddened as you are about what’s happening to our country. But I cannot support Donald Trump.
Please understand: I’m not an establishment Republican, and I will never support Hillary Clinton. I’m a movement conservative who was elected over the objections of the GOP establishment. My current answer for who I would support in a hypothetical matchup between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is: Neither of them. I sincerely hope we select one of the other GOP candidates, but if Donald Trump ends up as the GOP nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option.
Sasse then goes on to explain that he cannot support a candidate who lacks a fundamental understanding of how government works, as well as the dangers of Trump’s apparent belief that he is running to become the king rather than a public servant of the people.
He also suggests a Trump presidency could put the First Amendment at risk:
So let me ask you: Do you believe the beating heart of Mr. Trump’s candidacy has been a defense of the Constitution? Do you believe it’s been an impassioned defense of the First Amendment – or an attack on it?
Which of the following quotes give you great comfort that he’s in love with the First Amendment, that he is committed to defending the Constitution, that he believes in executive restraint, that he understands servant leadership?
Statements from Trump:
***“We’re going to open up libel laws and we’re going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before.”
***“When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it. They were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak…”
***Putin, who has killed journalists and is pillaging Ukraine, is a great leader.
***The editor of National Review “should not be allowed on TV and the FCC should fine him.”
***On whether he will use executive orders to end-run Congress, as President Obama has illegally done: “I won’t refuse it. I’m going to do a lot of things.” “I mean, he’s led the way, to be honest with you.”
***“Sixty-eight percent would not leave under any circumstance. I think that means murder. It think it means anything.”
***On the internet: “I would certainly be open to closing areas” of it.
***His lawyers to people selling anti-Trump t-shirts: “Mr. Trump considers this to be a very serious matter and has authorized our legal team to take all necessary and appropriate actions to bring an immediate halt…”
***Similar threatening legal letters to competing campaigns running ads about his record.
And I’ll just throw in this portion:
Given what we know about him today, here’s where I’m at: If Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee, my expectation is that I will look for some third candidate – a conservative option, a Constitutionalist.
I do not claim to speak for a movement, but I suspect I am far from alone. After listening to Nebraskans in recent weeks, and talking to a great many people who take oaths seriously, I think many are in the same place. I believe a sizable share of Christians – who regard threats against religious liberty as arguably the greatest crisis of our time – are unwilling to support any candidate who does not make a full-throated defense of the First Amendment a first commitment of their candidacy.
Coming on the heels of Alabama’s Sen. Jeff Sessions surprising announcement that he would be supporting Trump, Ben Sasse’s unwavering stand for true Conservatism provides a welcome reminder that the surrender is not across the board.
Read his letter in its entirety.
127 Responses to “Republican Senator Announces He Will Not Support Trump – Even If He Is The Nominee”
Dana (86e864) — 2/29/2016 @ 6:30 am
Ben Sasse for president.
either orr (19a286) — 2/29/2016 @ 6:48 am
sasse has no classe i think
i haven’t even had my coffee yet and look at me I’m tearing it up
happyfeet (831175) — 2/29/2016 @ 6:59 am
oh shocker
if you ask the googles they tell you ben sasse is both a yale boy AND pure grade-A harvard trash
man these ivy league trashbabies are in a tizzy to beat the band
advantage: Mr. The Donald
The popular is the easy choice.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:05 am
Maybe Sasse won’t vote. Right?
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:08 am
nonono ivy league trash will vote for their own
ivy league uber alles
and that means by the end they’ll all be pulling the lever for that nasty incontinent old woman with the yale all up in her ying yang
even if the voting booth smells like pee
First they came for the Mexicans and when I protested the Chicago cop flicked his reins and his horse nudged me with its fetlock* and knocked me down.
Then they came for the Muslims and when I protested I was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon but the charge was dismissed because a walking cane, having a lawful ordinary use, is not a deadly weapon according to People v. Hyde.
Then they came for the pikachus and I just laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
*Horses do that. They’ll nudge you with their fetlocks when they don’t feel like kicking you.
nk (dbc370) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:20 am
so he’s endorsing cruz, is there something I’m missing?
narciso (732bc0) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:23 am
Great post. I felt obligated to post almost exactly this post, and was very pleased to bring up my site and see that it was already there, without my having had to lift a finger. I love when that happens.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:33 am
9.so he’s endorsing cruz, is there something I’m missing?
He is willing to stand against the establishment that is NOW Trump. If Trump/Hillary as they are one in the same becomes president he is putting himself at harms way from the Gestapo. I don’t think even Trump realizes the danger all will be in when he will be forced to cut deals with the DC Cartel.
Trump is not that smart to see where one tangle will lead to the next. He will be cutting deals in DC and not even realize. He is not trained and far too old to learned the rules of parliamentary procedures and will be lost. Having to depend on others to cut his deals. The US will become one hit mess if Trump wins.
narciso, apparently since he stated: ““I am not endorsing anybody in race and being pro-constitution just makes me anti Trump”, you’re missing that he didn’t endorse Cruz. Which to me indicates he favors Rubio.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:44 am
Did Sasse support Romney or McCain? Both are big government statists.
NJRob (a07d2e) — 2/29/2016 @ 8:02 am
And what’s Trump, Rob?
Leviticus (efada1) — 2/29/2016 @ 8:32 am
Does not this way a Democratic win come?
Do we not want to avoid a Democratic win at all costs?
Im for cruz, but if Trump wins my reaction is not going to be to split the republican vote and throw the win to the Democrats.
Gil (4e1585) — 2/29/2016 @ 8:37 am
A vote for Trump is a vote for fascism and the end of the Republic.
Sean (221079) — 2/29/2016 @ 8:44 am
He’s the same. Just anti illegal immigration.
That’s my point. Thanks.
Whats a vote for Hillary then?
What is inaction in the face of a Democratic win?
Would Trump and a republican congress be better or worse than Hillary and a republican congress?
Would he nominate a better supreme court judge than would Hillary?
It’s not that black and white is it?
That happened 8 years ago. It was called voting for Obama.
I can’t go that far. Hugh Hewitt spells out the case today:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/six-reasons-trump-is-still-better-than-clinton/article/2584476
The counter-argument is essentially “Look at what Arnold Schwarzenegger did. Sure, he was a bit less leftist than a Democrat, but WE REPUBLICANS got the blame. At least if the Democrat is in office, the Dems will get the appropriate blame.”
The counter-counter-argument is Supreme Court Justices. I’d rather have Trump appointing a slew of O’Connor/ Kennedy squishes who MIGHT support the Constitution than Clinton or Sanders appointing young Sotomayors who won’t.
Mitch (341ca0) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:07 am
I see no evidence whatsoever that either has the disdain for the constitution that Trump does.
McCain actually compiled a pretty conservative fiscal voting record over the years, which he never gets credit for. He voted against Bush’s Medicare drug expansion for example. But this post isn’t about spending anyway.
Gerald A (945582) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:12 am
If Trump were to get the nomination then it would be an election of two democrats. Cruz will not endorse Trump. He will wash his bands of the hit mess, and time will tell itself as it always does.
I will never vote for Donald Trump.
Patterico will never vote for Donald Trump.
Adj Dana will never vote for Donald Trump.
Hoagie said he will never vote for Donald Trump.
My Iraq vet daughter will never vote for Donald Trump.
My police officer son-in-law will never vote for Donald Trump.
And for you false-dichotomy fools, my nearly-graduated Math Major daughter will tell you, Zero does not equal One.
John Hitchcock (f3ad73) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:19 am
I’d rather have Trump appointing a slew of O’Connor/ Kennedy squishes who MIGHT support the Constitution than Clinton or Sanders appointing young Sotomayors who won’t.
I believe those are the kind of judges Trump would appoint. Don’t expect any Scalias out of a Pres. Trump. They are better than Sotomayor or whatever. Kennedy has a good record on guns and is fairly good on abortion. His SSM decision was absurd and he was the fifth vote to give the EPA the power to regulate green house gases, where they largely took the issue away from Congress where it belongs.
Do not buy a MS surface…….terrible keyboard processing
24.I will never vote for Donald Trump.
a vote for Trump is a vote for a train wreck. The general election would be between two democrats.
Stupid voters gave us nearly a decade of BO , and they will now give us a decade worse than BO…
I would suggest that every person who opposes Trump drop a note to Jeff Sessions
http://www.sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff
with the single word: SHAME!
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:38 am
I’m thankful that somebody stood up.
One spark in simply a cloud of laundry lint can cause an explosion.
MD not exactly in Philly (deca84) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:38 am
No. Not at the cost of a Trump win.
Milhouse (87c499) — 2/29/2016 @ 9:39 am
Definitely worse.
and they will now give us a decade worse than BO…
Trump is only 69. He could rule for several decades. Just look at Mugabe (92).
now he will be president for life, like cliff robertson in that horrible escape from new york sequel?
I’m getting a bit tired of the puerile, obnoxious and generally idiotic bits of fascist feces-flinging that seem to pass for comments from certain quarters.
(this was repeatedly toned down)
To paraphrase Mark: For what shall it profit us, if we shall gain the presidency, and lose our soul?
Enough with the “president for life” fantasies. Bush didn’t stay a minute past his allotted time, 0bama will be gone in exactly 325 days, 23 hours, and 5 minutes, and if God forbid Trump is elected he too will leave when his four or eight years are over. The reason is simple: the moment a president’s — any president’s — term expires the military stops obeying his commands.
No. He is calling — in the event of a Trump nomination — for an open party split, with an independent small-government constitution-abiding candidate. Perry, Walker, etc.
It probably cannot be anyone who has competed in the primaries thankfully or not, as too many states have sore-loser* laws. It is not clear however, that these would necessarily affect a Presidential candidate as the law is murky, but the lawfare would be terrible.
* (probably unconstitutional: U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton)
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:08 am
Milhouse, you assume that the Constitution remains unchanged, and that future changes are done without coercion.
the point i’m making if he is a constitutionalist, he should support cruz, yet he does not.
narciso (732bc0) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:11 am
We have here a man who ADVOCATES government control of speech, civil and criminal penalties for badspeech, firewalling the Internet from badspeech outside government control, ruling by decree, torturing people in the medieval sense, an unspecified force of jackboots to get rid of undesirables and generally running amok.
But surely he would not stoop to amending the Constitution eleventy-seven times to make it more to his liking?
Maybe he wants to simply make an anti-Trump statement to highlight how bad Trump is,
rather than be written off by those saying,
“You’re just saying that because you are for Cruz“.
MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (deca84) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:16 am
Cruz has trouble including people.
The president has no role in amending the constitution.
Milhouse (87c499) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:24 am
Of course he doesn’t know that.
The reason is simple: the moment a president’s — any president’s — term expires the military stops obeying his commands.
Until the one time they don’t. D’oh!
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:34 am
So you don’t support the reconstruction amendments?
njrob (6689f2) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:34 am
with a single word: SHAME!
I like it… “putz shaming”…
Colonel Haiku (b6b19d) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:37 am
My point is simple.
If Trump was pro illegal immigration there would be nothing differentiating him and the GoPe ruling class.
This is their line in the sand. Romney being the father of Obamacare, a Mass republican, pro abortion, squishy on all issues… it didn’t matter.
But stop the influx of slave labor… that’s war.
And just a reminder, I’m for Cruz because he’s the only conservative option. But let’s not pretend this establishment revolt is about anything other than their power and gravy train being threatened.
Do you think that the University of Pennsylvania is some public university with a powerhouse football team and a huge undergraduate program in Family Studies? ‘Cause it’s not. You many need to reacquaint yourself with the Ivy League members, happyfeet.
JVW (05e1e2) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:43 am
NJRob –
> If Trump was pro illegal immigration there would be nothing differentiating him and the GoPe ruling class.
In this very post, the author talks about how Trump has called for opening up libel laws to make it easier to sue for libel; how Trump thinks the Chinese government was right to put down Tian An Men square protests the way they did; how Trump thinks the editor of the National Review should not be on TV; how he would be open to closing parts of the internet; and how he thinks Obama’s use of executive orders is a good precedent which should be followed.
And yet you say that there’s nothing differentiating him and the GOP’s ruling class.
So from what I can tell either,
(a) you think the GOP’s ruling class believes all of these things,
(b) you think that Trump doesn’t believe them and is just saying them for some reason,
(c) you think the report that Trump has said these things is a lie.
Which is it?
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:57 am
Trump is a true, modern day Fellatio Alger story… you gotta give him that.
I’d be expecting Saul Goodman and Tom Hagan myself.
NJRob–
Would you support a military coup to deport the illegals? If not, there are limits. Now, clearly you do not find electing someone who has expressed contempt for [dimly understood] rules of law and the Constitution — not to mention a history of bribery tactical contributions and backroom dealing — to be over the line, but some of us do.
Now, he doesn’t.
I think Trump says a lot of bombastic stuff because that’s his brand.
I think Trump has done business with China just like we have as a nation and hasn’t done the research into the evil they have pushed.
I think most politicans want to muzzle their political opponents but we fortunately have an inalienable right to speak out and petition the government for redress of grievances.
Any more?
njrob (6689f2) — 2/29/2016 @ 12:31 pm
Did you vote for McCain or Romney? Because if you did I’m calling you a liar on your purity claim.
You don’t need a military coup to deport criminals who are illegal aliens. But it is a pretty straw man anyway.
Enforce the law. They are breaking the law by being here illegally. They are breaking the law by either not paying taxes, working under the table, or stealing government documents to fake a real identity. They are breaking the law, period.
How about we let them stay at your house without permission. You pay for their food, kids’ education, Healthcare and they will cook, clean and garden for you?
So that’s (b): you think that Trump doesn’t believe what he is saying and is just saying them because bombastic rhetoric is his brand.
So the next question is: how can I as a voter distinguish between the things Trump says that I should take seriously and those things he says which are just bombastic rhetoric?
I’m asking because as far as I can tell from Trump’s supporters the rule seems to be “the things he says which I like should be taken seriously while those which I don’t like are just bombastic rhetoric”, which doesn’t really work for me.
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 2/29/2016 @ 12:37 pm
A president who refuses to enforce the law of the land should be impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate. If one political party prevents the constitutional removal of an illegitimate president, it is the duty of the military to remove him by force and hold open elections for a replacement.
ropelight (de8a32) — 2/29/2016 @ 12:37 pm
52.Trump is a true, modern day Fellatio Alger story… you gotta give him that.
You can bet I’ll be quoting that one, Colonel.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/29/2016 @ 12:49 pm
To reiterate, I’m a Cruz supporter and I know you won’t support him.
I don’t trust Trump at all. I do think he would receive a ton of public pressure to get a wall built since that agenda has fueled his populist candidacy. As for the rest, I have no idea.
What conservative values do you support and who would you support over Hillary this November?
njrob (6689f2) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:09 pm
Those pesky oaths of loyalty to run as a Republican,mean what,again?
mike191 (4c004d) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:13 pm
njrob,
aphrael’s not a conservative. He’ll be voting for Hillary. He believes voter ID is an imposition upon people’s “liberty.”
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:19 pm
“If one political party prevents the constitutional removal of an illegitimate president, it is the duty of the military to remove him by force and hold open elections for a replacement.”
– ropelight
The more you say things like this, the more your support for Il Douche makes sense.
Leviticus (efada1) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:20 pm
ropelight, the duty of the military is to obey the commands of the Commander-in-Chief. It is not to remove the Commander-in-Chief if they don’t like him.
That’s the CIA’s job.
nk (dbc370) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:27 pm
ropelight (de8a32) — 2/29/2016 @ 12:37 pm
Respectfully ropelight, it is the duty of the People to remove politicians who refuse to do their duty, not the military. If the People fail, then the country fails regardless of what the military does.
Pons Asinorum (49e2e8) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:34 pm
It is not to remove the Commander-in-Chief if they don’t like him.
Where does it say that? Because the Declaration states: “A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” Then they banded an army and overthrew the King. They didn’t vote the King out, they bombed him out.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:40 pm
Did you vote for McCain or Romney?
I voted for both of them, as well as Bush Jr twice. I did not vote for Dole or Bush Sr the second time. In the case of Romney, I did so proudly and would do so again, and if you don’t like it GFY.
Because if you did I’m calling you a liar on your purity claim.
Did Romney not understand the Constitution? Did he brag about giving bribes? I fear I miss your point. That I voted for the GOP nominee, as such, was contingent upon them being actual GOP members, unlike Trump. I admit some ambivalence about McCain — a poor choice*. Romney would have won that election and McCain would only have been marginally better than Obama. But that’s retrospect; an easy game to play.
The military coup thing is that you seem to think that electing Trump is just a change in degree from what people have done before. This tells me you have completely lost the plot — Trump is running for KING. For Caesar. He’s quite open about it if you have the willingness to listen. He wants to be an egg-breaking trains-on-time-making strongman of the Mussolini variety and God help anyone who gets in his way.
So, no. Whom anyone voted for before doesn’t matter at all. Just “do you side with the wannbe dictator, or not?” Choose carefully.
* and one brought about by letting casual voters participate in GOP primaries, which I rail about elsewhere, and which Trump is using again. The GOPe has made every attempt to disenfranchise GOP voters over the years, and this year is the reducio ad absurdum.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 2/29/2016 @ 1:51 pm
– Rev. Hoagie
“They” went on to write a pretty remarkable Constitution. One that provided mechanisms beyond “armed insurrection” for the removal of wannabe tyrants (like Donald Trump).
A president who refuses to enforce the law of the land should be impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate.
But this would make them responsible for passing stupid and unenforceable laws, or not funding enforcement while demanding it happen. So they don’t.
McClellan would have marched on Lincoln. Maybe that’s what you would have wanted. God only knows what Custer or MacArthur or (God help us) Curtis LeMay would have done.
“They” went on to write a pretty remarkable Constitution.
Jefferson was out of town.
#68 — Rev, please note:
President ≠ king
Constitution ≠ Declaration of Independence
Our country is an experiment in self-government. We do not have a king or Politburo or ayatollahs or military coups or three wise-men, or any kind of training wheels. Nobody is going to hold our hand and take care of us: We’re it.
The instant we impose or accept such an authority, our experiment terminates.
Um, what the f*ck? If you weren’t already insane, this would be absolute proof that you’d become so.
The constitution is very clear that the military obeys the president and only the president, and has no role whatsoever in politics. If Congress, for whatever reason, will not remove a president then he remains the military’s commander in chief.
the Declaration states: “A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” Then they banded an army and overthrew the King. They didn’t vote the King out, they bombed him out.
Wrong. The Continental Congress, as people’s representatives, voted to rebel against the UK. They then raised an army to do so. Had the congress voted against rebellion, no army would have had the right to rebel, at least according to the principles in the Declaration.
Milhouse (87c499) — 2/29/2016 @ 2:15 pm
The revolution was against the UK’s elected government.
NJRob, at 61: I’m not a conservative. I think I’ve been pretty consistent about that in the thirteen years I’ve been a commenter at this blog.
That said, I live in a state where it’s trivially easy to switch parties, and I am (reluctantly) coming to the conclusion that (a) insofar as I find Trump to be a serious threat to the country, (b) I have a responsibility to switch parties and vote in the Republican primary for *whichever* candidate has the best chance to defeat him – including Cruz, if he happens to be the man in that position. So: I might very well be voting for Sen. Cruz, at least in the primary.
(I’m also very likely to vote for a Republican in the open primary for Senate, as I have serious objections to both AG Harris AND Rep. Sanchez).
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 2/29/2016 @ 3:07 pm
Ropelight, at 59:
did you seriously just say that if the leadership of the US military believes the President is not enforcing the law, and the Congress has not impeached the President, the US military has a moral obligation to remove him?
Cruz Supporter, at 63:
I am still undecided about how I would vote in a general election where Sen. Clinton was on the ballot; it would really depend on her opposition.
I am on the record (quite vociferously) as refusing to vote for her in a primary in both 2008 and this year.
I have serious concerns about the concentration of political power implicated in electing as President the spouse of a former President. I think it violates the *spirit and intent* of the 22d amendment even as it doesn’t violate the lettter, and I would support a constitutional amendment to forbid it.
Against Mr. Trump, I would certainly vote for Sen. Clinton. Against Sen. Cruz I would likely vote third party.
I’m not sure my vote in a general election for President matters in the slightest, though. I’m a registered voter in the state of California, after all.
@ Milhouse:
Re President ≠ king: It means a President is not the same as a king.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Leviticus, at 64: this kind of rhetoric coming from Trump supporters is at least part of why Trump’s candidacy disturbs me so much – because I’m convinced that if he *does* attempt to destroy the system after being elected, he’ll have lots of support in doing so.
Long-term I think we need to do *something* to address the problems which are giving rise to that support.
Donnie will be a big draw for every conscience-free opportunist in DC, as well as the crony capitalists and plain old four-flushers.
Good chance to take notes on who’s who, I say.
mojo (a3d457) — 2/29/2016 @ 3:44 pm
Oh, PS:
Did I mention the Bolivarists?
Pons Asinorum, you don’t seem to understand that the UK was a democracy, and that the differences between a president and a king were irrelevant to the revolution. The people of the American colonies rebelled against the people of the UK and their elected government, not (except in a strictly formal sense) against the king, who was the people’s employee.
I do not know the mechanism involved,
but I assume military take a pledge to uphold the Constitution,
just like Obama did.
So if Obama, or any President, said, “No, I’m not going”, whose responsibility would it be to do what first? Are the Secret Service people supposed to still say, “Yes Mr. President?” Is the, I assume military pilot, who flies the presidential helicopter supposed to say, “Where to, Mr. President?”
Obviously, it would need to be something more direct and specific than making deals with the Iranians to give them the atomic bomb.
MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (deca84) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:00 pm
Yeah, Ropelight has gone around the bend. I doubt he’s salvageable. And Papertiger has been a lying liar who lies a lot for quite some time now.
John Hitchcock (f3ad73) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:00 pm
MD in Philly – oh, sure, if the President refuses to leave office after being impeached, then I’d accept the military removing him.
But ropelight was not describing that scenario; he was describing the scenario where the Legislature had not acted.
Yes, the military would have no role on taking the place of the president, or say who the president is,
but a soldier is under the obligation to refuse to follow an illegal order, correct?
Yes, far fetched.
MD in Philly, Ropelight claimed if a political party refused to oust a President who is unfit (by whose standards, he didn’t say), then the military was required to oust the President, without the due course taking place.
The Military Oath is to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and ropelight. Also, to obey all lawful orders of our superiors. And you can’t get much superior than CinC.
So you’d count whoever was the president’s spouse for the majority of a term as having been president for that term? What if they weren’t married?
obey all lawful orders
aphrael, if you believe the spirit of the 22nd amendment is being flaunted by the Clintons, then doesn’t that belief hold regardless of who is running against her in the general election?
What do you mean by “not going”? Why should he go anywhere? I’m going to guess that you mean after his term is over, in which case the answer is that the moment that happens he’s no longer the president, and neither the military nor the secret service are under his authority. At that point they would not be ousting a president, they’d be removing a trespasser from the White House.
But if you meant that the military’s oath to uphold the constitution could include removing a president who was acting contrary to the constitution, then no, it doesn’t. Of course they must not obey an illegal order, but they must still obey all legal orders of the officer who made the illegal one.
R.I.P. actor George Kennedy
Icy (38ffb0) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:11 pm
Of course, but what point are you trying to make by pointing that out? How can that be construed to support ropelight’s contention that the military have a role in ousting an unfit president?
Cruz Supporter – yes. HOWEVER, at the same time, if i’m presented with a choice between flaunting the spirit of the 22d amendment and something *even worse than that*, then I have an obligation to stand against the something worse – to make common cause with the lesser evil against the greater evil.
I believe that Mr. Trump is far more of a threat to our republic than the concentration of power represented by Sen. Clinton, and will vote accordingly.
Actually ropelight didn’t even say an unfit president, but one who merely refuses to enforce the law of the land. So according to him if the president defers to state law on marijuana, and declines to send however many federal agents are needed to arrest everyone who grows, buys, or sells marijuana in a state that has no laws of its own against it, not only does congress have a duty to remove him, but if they don’t the military should mount a coup.
Mihouse, at 89: interesting questions.
I wouldn’t count the spouse as having been President, because that’s clearly not true; ultimate responsibility always lies with the President, after all. But I think spouses have *massive* influence over each other, and *should*; and so I *do* consider a spouse as having been too close to the levers of power.
A spouse for part of the term would still count, in my mind.
A non-married effective spouse? I’d probably have the same issue.
flaunting the spirit of the 22d amendment
Flouting.
Also, voting for someone who is ineligible, let alone someone who merely should be ineligible, is not itself against the constitution.
He is no longer in command. They refuse to obey him or protect him. They have no duty to; on the contrary, they would be violating their duty by following the orders of a person without lawful authority. Nature, a rope and a lamp-post take their course. It’s not complicated.
But how would you write an amendment against it?
aphrael, would you also prohibit the president from being married, de jure or de facto, to someone who is not a natural born citizen, or who has not lived in the USA for 14 years?
What about being married someone who is a member of a foreign country’s legislature, as is the case with the Danish prime minister?
Thanks for the clarifying replies.
MD not exactly in Philly (deca84) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:24 pm
@ Milhouse (87c499) — 2/29/2016 @ 3:59 pm
Haha, okay Millhouse, have fun.
Milhouse, at 101: marriage to a non-NBC doesn’t bother me. Marriage to a citizen who has spent a lot of time living abroad does not bother me. Being married to someone who is a member of a foreign country’s legislature would be enough to get me to vote against on conflict of interest grounds, sure.
aphael, I certainly ascribe to the philosophy that we must choose the “lesser” of two evils. We do that most days of our lives.
But I think you’re failing to delineate between someone (Hillary) whom you believe would be violating the spirit of the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment be merely occuping the Oval Office VS someone who you oppose ideologically. (Trump).
At least with Trump, we have to wait until he violates the Constitution before we can accuse him of such—but his mere occupation of the office doesn’t violate the (spirit) of the Constitution, as you believe Hillary’s would—right?
In other words, shouldn’t the Constitution take precedence over our political ideology? I’m just asking, that’s all.
It’s not that I oppose Trump ideologically. I mean, hell, I oppose *Sen Cruz* ideologically and yet i’m talking about voting for him.
It’s that I look at Trump and listen to what he says and am forced to conclude that either (a) he is a bald liar whose true intentions cannot be discerned in any way, or (b) he is a serious threat to the integrity of the Republic. Look back at the quotes at the top of this post – he is either a bully who does not believe in freedom of speech and assembly, or he is pretending to be one.
(b) means just about anyone is a lesser evil by comparison to him.
Don’t you realize? The sleazy harvardtrash Republican establishment, they want the best of stuff for us. But right now, they got to do what’s right for them. Because it’s their time. Their time! Up there!
Down here, it’s our time. It’s our time down here with Mr. The Donald. That’s all over the second we ride up Troy’s bucket.
Y’all need to pause and reflect.
happyfeet (831175) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:35 pm
shouldn’t the Constitution take precedence over our political ideology?
I don’t see what you find amusing about the information I gave you, of which you were clearly unaware.
WWI was started by three (or four?) of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren. Comparisons to Europe’s incestuous practices are noncupatory. America is not Europe.
78.Cruz Supporter, at 63:
you really need to go to you tube and watch: Hillary, The movie…..
I haven’t heard of one person not being paid by her that would vote for her? How can anyone live with themselves and think Hillary is a good person.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/29/2016 @ 5:37 pm
> I haven’t heard of one person not being paid by her that would vote for her?
You need to get out more. Unless you honestly think that a majority of people voting in Democratic primaries are paid shills.
Honestly, this comment reminds me of the famous reporter who was baffled when Nixon won because she didn’t know anyone who was voting for him.
jrt, nobody thinks Clinton is a good person. But what’s that got to do with it? aphrael said he’d vote for her only if the alternative was Trump. What’s your objection to that?
aphrael, the ‘reporter’ you’re probably thinking of who made the remark about Nixon Vs McGovern, was the late Pauline Kael, film critic then of The New Yorker.
Anyone, but particularly a non-liberal Republican or quasi-Republican (and therefore not a staunch liberal like Aphrael), who says he (or she) is so bothered by Donald Trump that he’d instead vote for Hillary Clinton has no ground to stand on. As far as I’m concerned, such a person is analogous to someone saying he picks prospective friends based on whether they are or aren’t running credit-card scams at the local mall, but ignores whether they’re tricking old ladies into giving up their life savings.
Ben Sasse, however, does takes an honest, principled position that I can totally respect.
Mark (6c93d5) — 2/29/2016 @ 6:27 pm
I agree with Sasse and Cruz but until you guys figure out that gets you 12.5% of the electorate (25% of the Republicans) ….. You better find ways of wielding that sliver to get power and using it right.
Fact is Trumpster has shown that what passes for the right in the Repblican Party is not conservative but single issue voters whose issues happen to overlap with true conservatives. So for example being anti open borders does not make you conservative even if you vote for Consevatives. It just makes you Anti Democrat. For too many years we all confused them for Conservatives when in reality they were not … Which explains Trump’s support.
25% of the Rep are truly RINO
25% of R are truly Conservative
50% of R just hate Democrats and are all over the place on issues though they trend Conservative in how they self identify.
Rodney King's Spirit (3adc86) — 2/29/2016 @ 7:58 pm
Randy Barnett suggests getting a third party in place to contest the election against Trump-Clinton.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/02/29/donald-trump-republican-party-elections-2016-third-party-column/81102918/
there’s no such thing as Randy Barnett
Mark – Trump is an open bully. Sen. Clinton is not. Furthermore, Sen. Clinton is an establishment figure and more or less a known quantity; her actions are predictable – Trump’s are not.
I think you can argue that Sen. Clinton represents the worst of the establishment and that electing her would continue all of the bad choices of the last generation of politicians. But I think it’s reasonable to argue that Mr. Trump represents a revolution against the establishment, led by the bitter and resentful, and that it’s impossible to tell what the outcome of that revolution would be.
I also think that Sen. Cruz wants to lead a revolution against the establishment – but I have enough of a sense for the man’s principles that I can predict the outcome of that and, while I don’t *like* it, I’d rather the known revolutionary quantity than the unknown revolutionary quantity – and I’d *certainly* prefer the predictable establishment quantity over the unknown revolutionary quantity.
I don’t think this is a liberal vs. conservative thing, incidentally.
aphrael (3f0569) — 2/29/2016 @ 10:39 pm
Milhouse (87c499) — 2/29/2016 @ 4:37 pm
President ≠ king quickly illustrates the point about self government. I did not go into detail as I might with a child because most regular readers here know the founding principles of our country and do not need an explanation of such a basic tenant.
That is what is so amusing, you missed the whole point then flew off into a tangent about something nobody was taking issue with — and then making assumptions anyone is arguing with you. Lol, nobody was.
If you still do not understand why President ≠ king is a true statement, try this:
pres·i·dent
/ˈprez(ə)dənt/
1. the elected head of a republican state: “the Irish president”
synonyms: head of state, chief executive, premier, prime minister
/kiNG/
1. the male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth
synonyms: ruler, sovereign, monarch, crowned head
Pons Asinorum (49e2e8) — 3/1/2016 @ 11:37 am
Pons Asinorum, the differences between a president and a king were irrelevant to the USA revolution, and thus to the topic of discussion.
Milhouse (87c499) — 3/1/2016 @ 12:18 pm
Milhouse, no doubt you know that the American presidency as a head-of-state did not even exist at the time of the Revolution, neither did the Constitution, so of course nobody was fighting for the President (or the Constitution, for that matter), all of which is quite obvious.
Our country was founded as a self governed nation. I was using the inequality of President ≠ king as a quick means of illustrating that point without getting all wordy (perhaps too quick, lol.) That’s it.
Nothing to do with why who fought who.
Self government speaks to the reason why the military should not have the duty to remove the President, which was the topic of discussion I was trying to to have with Rev Hoagie.
(The expression Constitution ≠ Declaration of Independence was a way of quickly illustrating that these two founding documents have different functions; for example, one is law the other is not.)
The idea of self government, in direct opposition to tyrannical government, is the larger point of the Declaration of Independence. The difference between those concepts was what the Revolution was about. One can read that in the words of the Declaration; note the references to the “current King of Great Britain,” “a Prince,” and “the British Crown,” and how the first two references were related to tyranny, explicitly.
One of the great things about this document was not so much a declaration of independence to Great Britain specifically, but rather a declaration of independence to tyranny entirely. This was the sounding of a people determined to form a self governed nation.
No “king or Politburo or ayatollahs or military coups or three wise-men, or any kind of training wheels.”
aka: President ≠ king
Pons Asinorum (49e2e8) — 3/1/2016 @ 8:57 pm
Our country was founded as a self governed nation.
As was the UK at the time.
One can read that in the words of the Declaration; note the references to the “current King of Great Britain,” “a Prince,” and “the British Crown,” and how the first two references were related to tyranny, explicitly.
George III was not in any way a tyrant, and whatever tyranny the colonies rebelled against was that of the people of the United Kingdom and their elected government. That is what you don’t seem to understand.
I understand the point you were trying to make, and I’m telling you it’s incorrect. Hoagie claimed that since the British administration of the colonies was ousted in a military coup, it’s appropriate for today’s military, in extremis, to oust a bad administration again. Your reply is that that was all good and well for a king, but the USA administration is a different kind of creature, which it is not appropriate for the military to oust.
That reply depends on the incorrect assumption that the UK was not self-governing but ruled by a king with no democratic mandate. The truth is that the UK was self-governing, the revolution of 1688 had established the principle that Parliament, not the king, is sovereign, and in 1701 Parliament drove that home by conducting an executive search for a successor to Queen Anne, just as any modern company searches for a new CEO. Parliament chose to hire Sophie of Hanover, and negotiated a contract with her, and that contract was the basis for George III’s incumbency, as it is for Elizabeth II’s today. You can’t get much more democratic than that.
Elizabeth is queen today not because her ancestors murdered the previous incumbents, or conquered a country and imposed their rule on an unwilling populace, but because her ancestress applied to an elected legislature for a job and was hired; and she remains in that job only so long as the elected legislature decides not to fire her. And the same was true of George. A military coup to remove him would have been as inappropriate as one would be today to remove a US president.
More to the point, a military coup to remove the elected UK government would have been just as inappropriate then as it would be today. The US revolution was not a military coup but a political decision by the elected legislatures of the colonies. If they had declined to act, then the revolution would have been illegitimate. Today too, it is up to the elected legislature to remove a misbehaving president, and if it declines to do so then the military has no right to countermand that decision.
Now do you see what my point is?
Milhouse (87c499) — 3/2/2016 @ 8:09 am
Lol, nice try, but no. Self government is more than just a form of democracy. It begins with the ideals so well expressed by Thomas Jefferson:
“We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness; …”
Without these Rights being first and foremost protected by the Law, there can be no self government.
To have a self government, there can be no political classes (the House of Lords should be your first clue that there is a problem, lol.)
To have a self government, the powers of the local government must be protected against the powers of the central government (this idea would find expression by the Founding Fathers in federalism and the Bill of Rights.) The British crown often negated local laws passed by the colonists.
There is so much more:
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1462&context=eandc
http://www.ushistory.org/gov/2.asp
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-self-government-definition-lesson-quiz.html
Hmm… believe Milhouse, believe the Declaration of Independence…believe Milhouse, believe the Declaration of Independence…
I’m gonna go with the Declaration. The authors explicitly (and cleverly) addressed all the tyrannical grievances done to them under the authority of the crown. Can’t miss it — the big list that follows the second paragraph, uses the pronoun “he” quite a bit. Feel free to argue that they were in error, lol:
“He has refused his …”
“He has forbidden…”
“He has dissolved…”
“He has obstructed…”
Note, I never mentioned King George III by name, and neither does the Declaration of Independence (you might want to ask yourself “why.”) I quoted verbatim the king references in the Declaration of Independence. You are the only one mentioning old George by name. (Kinda like the differences between King and king.)
The Revolution was, at a minimum, about the governed ousting an unelected government – the colonists did not elect the British officials who ruled over them, IOW, tyranny; see Declaration of Independence.
That reply depends on the incorrect assumption that the UK was not self-governing but ruled by a king with no democratic mandate.
No assumption necessary — the colonists did not elect the British officials who ruled over them, ie, tyranny; see Declaration of Independence. That document expresses it far better than I can; and for all ages, for all peoples, and not just against the British crown, but against all forms of tyrannical government.
Yes, I just disagree with your reasoning — hey, it happens, lol.
(yes, I know; the feeling is, no doubt, mutual, lol.)
Without these Rights being first and foremost protected by the Law, there can be no self government […] To have a self government, there can be no political classes
Says who? You’re just making s**t up.
To have a self government, the powers of the local government must be protected against the powers of the central government (this idea would find expression by the Founding Fathers in federalism and the Bill of Rights.)
Really?! In which state are local governments’ powers protected against those of the state? None. And so it has always been. Local government is a creation of the state, and completely subject to it. State-Federal relations are different precisely because the states created the federation, not the other way around. That isn’t the case in the UK, and wasn’t then. Nobody expected it to be.
The authors explicitly (and cleverly) addressed all the tyrannical grievances done to them under the authority of the crown.
By the way, the crown is the government, not the king. But yes, the declaration did blame the king for lots of things. Dishonestly. Much of the declaration was a load of cr*p. It’s propaganda, not philosophy.
The Revolution was, at a minimum, about the governed ousting an unelected government – the colonists did not elect the British officials who ruled over them,
Indeed it was, in the sense that they didn’t elect it. The people of the UK did. The revolution was against them, not against the king. Therefore the differences between presidents and kings are irrelevant to its legitimacy.
If the people of DC or Puerto Rico should one day rebel against the USA, would they be rebelling against a king? No. But would there be any recognizable distinction between their rebellion and that of 1775? No. They’d be doing exactly what the colonies did, rebelling against a government that was elected by other people. The fact that it’s headed by a president and not a king would make no difference.
What does make a difference is that the rebellion was carried out by the people’s elected representatives, not by the military. Therefore it cannot serve as a precedent for a military coup.
Milhouse (87c499) — 3/3/2016 @ 4:31 pm
Haha, you didn’t read the links did you: Purdue U, Standford U, T Jefferson, J Locke. You have no idea about what self government is, worse you choose to remain ignorant. There is enormous material about self government and what that means, from world class scholars to famous philosophers. All you had to do was just look it up for youself, lol.
Really?! In which state are local governments’ powers protected against those of the state?
Heh, you are really lost. You may want to read the Bill of Rights, 10th amendment. Also you may want to educate yourself on what a Federalism is. Hint: learn what the federal part of “Federal Republic” is.
All of which was explained in the sources I cited above (I even referenced federalism and 10th amendment, which you ignored.) In fact, one of the sources goes into great detail about why local power must be protected, and what the proper balance between local and central powers are, and why that is required to have self government.
Oh, that’s right, you are not a big fan of scholarship and sourcing — you don’t read them. Heck you don’t even use them. It’d be nice if you could, I dunno, link a source to one of your “facts.”
Lol, guess you missed the Federalist Papers and what the brew-ha was all about. I’d link it, but since you are not a big fan of reading citations, what’s the point.
Indeed it was, in the sense that they didn’t elect it.
Not sense, but actuality. The colonists did not elect the British officials who ruled over them. Really it’s true, just read the Decla…. . Oh yeah, forgot, you think most of the Declaration of Independence is, how’d you put it…”a load of cr*p” … Hahahahaha, Hahahaha, sides hurt! You went there!
Milhouse (87c499) — 3/3/2016 @ 4:31 pm
Oh no, stop……hahahahahahahahah. Sides hurt!
The Declaration of Independence is wrong!
Okay, genius. What did they know anyway. Lol!
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You are here: Home / Uncategorized / The Soap Myth Off Broadway: “Unreliable Memories” & the Holocaust
The Soap Myth Off Broadway: “Unreliable Memories” & the Holocaust
April 18, 2012 by Lisa Grunberger Leave a Comment
— by Lisa Grunberger
Although I saw it over 48 hours ago, The Soap Myth, playing in New York City at the Black Box Theatre, through April 22, continues to haunt me. This is the theatre of witness at its best – provocative and morally ambiguous that raises more questions than it answers. Playwright Jeff Cohen and director of the National Jewish Theatre, Arnold Mittelman’s The Soap Myth explores the claim that the Nazis made soap out of Jewish bodies.
Greg Mullavey is brilliant in the role of Milton Saltzman, a Holocaust survivor who bears personal witness to the production of the alleged soap. The play explores the “inherent conflict between the eyewitness survivor memories and the evidentiary standards demanded by scholars.” It explores too what role, if any, Holocaust deniers play in this issue. To what extent ought the Holocaust deniers, who figure prominently in the play, affect Jewish museum exhibits? More than you would like to think.
“All history is speculative” says Annie Blumberg, the young journalist (played admirably by Andi Potamkin) reporting on the soap myth for a magazine. The denier, played brilliantly by Dee Pelletier (who also plays the museum director) gives a disturbing lecture, based on actual facts, delivered to a university audience, where she casts doubt on the number of victims who perished during the Shoah. “Must the Jews be greedy even in this” — referring to her claim that Jews have egregiously exaggerated the number of victims who died.
In exploring the politics of memory, The Soap Myth asks uncomfortable questions about what constitutes enough evidence to make it into a museum exhibit. When the museum gatekeepers reject Milton’s repeated requests to include the soap in their exhibit, they are effectively denying this survivor’s testimony as purely anecdotal. The dramatic struggle of The Soap Myth is Milton’s attempt to get somebody to listen to his painful story.
The Soap Myth is presented as part of the National Jewish Theatre Foundation and Holocaust Archive initiative, directed by Arnold Mittelman. Mittelman is the Former Producing Artistic Director for over two decades of the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Florida. Mittelman founded the National Jewish Theatre in 2007. Its mission is to celebrate the “genius, creativity and history of the Jewish people.” NJT produced the Soul of Gershwin, the Musical Journey of an American Calmer, Sholom Alechem: Laughter Through Tears with Theodore Bikel as author and actor. Future plans of the NJT include plays and musicals such as: The Rothschilds, Joseph Vass’ Words By, Mark Saltzman’s Rocket City Alabam and Hannah by John Wooten.
NJT’s latest initiative is to create the first comprehensive research and production oriented around the Holocaust Theatre Archive. According to Mittelman, the NJT is filling an unfortunate void that has occurred by the loss of many professional resident English-speaking Jewish theatres, in major cities, including New York.
It is worth a ride to NYC to see this provocative, haunting play which will have you thinking about the nature of memory and how a survivor survives these memories for a long time. The Soap Myth is not to be missed.
The Soap Myth: Black Box Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in NYC. Click here for tickets.
Remaining Showtimes
Special Holocaust Remembrance Day performances, Today, Thursday, April 19, 2012 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Friday, April 20, 2012, 8:00 PM
Final performance, Sunday, April 22, 2012, 3:00 PM
Black Box Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, 111 W. 46th Street, New York, NY 10036
Ticket Price: $50-$60; $20 student rush
Ticket Information: 212-352-3101
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: arnold mittelman, Art, Grunberger, Holocaust, Jewish, off broadway, soap myth, theatre
About Lisa Grunberger
Lisa Grunberger, joined the Philadelphia Jewish Voice as the arts and culture editor in 2011. She holds a doctorate in Comparative Religion from the University of Chicago. She is an Assistant Professor in English at Temple University. She has published two books: a collection of poetry, Born Knowing and Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love, Loss and the Lotus Position which she is adapting as a stage performance. Contact Lisa Grunberger at [email protected]
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Creative Commons goes mainstream
Please chip in to support rabble's election 2019 coverage. Support rabble.ca today for as little as $1 per month!
When I started this column, I wanted to find a way to both make it free and easy for bloggers, small non-commercial publications, and individuals to share it, whilst also giving syndicating publications something they can stake a claim in. Luckily, I was aware of a new copyright licensing system called Creative Commons that enables such a hybrid model of media production. Not only is it a useful tool for media producers, it's also an important part of the larger trend that is blurring the lines between producers and consumers of media.
Established in 2002, the Creative Commons (CC) license system allows artists, both professional and amateur, to copyright their work with as many restrictions as they choose -- including the ability to un-copyright works completely. According to their website, "Creative Commons provides free tools that lets authors, scientists, artists and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry." Creative Commons allows cultural producers to easily add an individually defined copyright badge to their work (usually a small graphic). These badges provide a clear indication of the specific copyright restrictions (or lack thereof) for other cultural producers and users.
Big corporate media organizations use synergies and joint ventures to bring in larger audiences. Independent and online media need to create their own synergies by building and sharing audiences using their own unique strengths. So I figured what better chance to experiment than with a column focusing on the intersection between media, culture and technology.
The Creative Commons license I use asks each organization that publishes the Media Links column to post a statement at the end of each article acknowledging and linking to all the other syndicating publications. Creative Commons and the open Internet enable this, and other new forms of collaboration and synergy.
Are we all produsers?
Some people consider Creative Commons to be a key element of a new category of media content producers/users called "produsers." According to Axel Bruns, who coined the term "produsers," the "traditional value chain of producer-distributor-consumer has condensed to a singular point, the produser, interacting with and potentially enhancing existing content." Thus, we now have produsers with "fluid roles" and perpetually unfinished media.
While media production has always been a collective process involving production ingredients from our collective cultural heritage, Creative Commons further enables (or perhaps re-enables) and encourages a more remixing friendly media system and culture. Rather than conceiving and distributing media items as commodities, Creative Commons encourages the production, circulation and reception of media as a continuous and shared process.
Enabling sharing
While the open sharing elements of Creative Commons license system are voluntary, according to a 2007 survey of CC users, over 80 per cent of the CC-licensed works permit derivatives -- meaning they allow others to build upon their media. While many medial producers and users do not yet use Creative Commons, it is becoming more popular. As of 2007, there were an estimated 60 million Creative Commons licensed cultural artifacts on the Internet, and CC use is still increasing. In an unprecedented move, Yahoo! announced plans in 2007 to allow users to employ Creative Commons licensing in their huge menu of online spaces and tools. While it doesn't appear that their plan has come to full fruition, it has at the very least meant that its popular photo sharing service Flickr has remained Creative Commons-friendly.
Creative Commons licensing is not limited to media production. There is also the ever-expanding open-software movement, and in the U.S., the Creative Commons group also recently launched a new project called the 'Legal Commons' that will "collect and make available machine readable copies of government documents and law."
Where it goes from here is anyone's guess -- lets just share the idea and see where it leads us.
Steve Anderson is the national coordinator for the Campaign for Democratic Media. He is a contributing author of Censored 2008 and Battleground: The Media and has written for The Tyee, Toronto Star, Epoch Times, Common Ground, rabble.ca and Adbusters.
Reach him at: , http://www.facebooksteve.com , http://www.steveontwitter.com, http://medialinkscolumn.com Media Links is a syndicated column supported by CommonGround, The Tyee, rabble.ca, and VUE Weekly.
Media Links by Steve Anderson, Common Ground, rabble.ca, The Tyee, VUE Weekly is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License. You must attribute this work to Steve Anderson, Common Ground, rabble.ca, The Tyee, VUE Weekly (with link).
Free speech vs. surveillance in the digital age
Tools of mass communication that were once the province of governments and corporations now fit in your pocket. As these tools have developed, so too has the ability to monitor, censor and block them.
Twittering in Tehran and how small is the new big
This weekend thousands of Twitterati, flooded with live Twitter feeds from Iran, switched on CNN to see video of the protests. Instead they got a rerun of Larry King learning about motorcycles.
Michael Jackson's death 2.0: The modern mourning of an icon
Our response to his passing has been as iconic as Michael Jackson was. In this era of e-communications, is it any wonder the death of this superstar would incite such a profound public exchange?
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Attention Residents of Greece: Your Sh*t Does Stink!
All too often, I'm told that I need to move to the suburbs once I have children. "School district is the one thing to remember when choosing where to live," I was recently informed. Many of these apparently concerned citizens live in places not exactly known for their brilliance: Irondequoit, Penfield, and of course, Greece. Therefore, I know I'm not alone amongst City residents, and future parents of City School District students, when I say that I'm getting a kick out of the pathetic Greece Central School District's Superintendent debacle. While it's not quite on the level as the disgraced Palmyra-Macedon School District's William Nichoporuk episode, it's all the more humorous because it is happening to the second-largest district in Monroe County and home of many of Rochester's most staunch detractors. The irony is delicious.
For those unfamiliar with the events there, I'll provide a brief summary. Margaret Keller-Cogan, the Greece Superintendent of Schools for a whopping 45 days, is under investigation by the EEOC for discrimination while she was the Vice-Superintendent. Rather than face the music, she opted to resign and rather than face lawsuits, the Greece School Board granted her resignation with a handsome severance package. That's right, their elected school board decided to allow their failed Superintendent to retire with a full years pay plus additional benefits rather than stand up for what's right. What an embarrassment. It's bad enough that Greece Athena High School makes the news every few months, not for educational achievement, but for some brawl or a kid bringing a weapon to school. Now they lavish their departed "leader" with a golden parachute worthy of a Tyco executive. How proud of their schools are they now?
I've never understood the attraction to Greece. Other than the lakeshore and the neighborhoods closest to the City, Greece is a dump. It is Nowheresville, USA. As an example of why I could never live there, besides the fact that it is populated by closed-minded Republicans, their relatively-new Town Hall has a tacky, non-functioning lighthouse even though it is miles from the waterfront. I typically understand and even encourage kitsch in the design of new buildings, but that design crosses the not-so-fine line between fun and utterly stupid. Maybe the lighthouse is to help cars navigate their way through the sea of parking that surrounds the building. Their Supervisor, John Auberger, is an absolute buffoon. In the name of progress, the Town demolished historic neighborhood commercial buildings in the Barnard area in favor of an Eckerd and its oversized parking lot. That Eckerd closed down less than one year later and now sits vacant and unusable.
I could go on and on about why Greece is an awful place to live. But I won't. I'll just smile contentedly with the knowledge that the City's Wilson Magnet High School is the top-ranked school in the Rochester area (and one of the best in the nation), that the City's Superintendent Manuel Rivera has been named the best Superintendent in the state (and one of the best in the nation), and that the RCSD is soon to embark on a nearly $1 billion capital plan to ensure that the City has some of the best facilities in the state (and the nation). Maybe I should be advising suburbanites on where to raise their children.
My Raison-d'Etre
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TITLE 8. EDUCATION
Licensure Regulations for School Personnel
Notice is hereby given in accordance with § 2.2-4007.01 of the Code of Virginia that the State Board of Education intends to consider repealing 8VAC20-22, Licensure Regulations for School Personnel, and promulgating 8VAC20-23, Licensure Regulations for School Personnel. The purpose of the proposed action is to promulgate new standards for the licensure of school personnel. The new regulation will address (i) license types, (ii) professional studies requirements, (iii) alternate routes to licensure, (iv) specific areas of endorsement and possible additional endorsement areas, and (v) other areas of licensure as needed. The entire regulation will be examined.
The agency is seeking comments on this regulatory action, including, but not limited to (i) ideas to be considered in the development of this proposal, (ii) the costs and benefits of the alternatives stated in this background document or other alternatives, and (iii) potential impacts of the regulation. The agency is also seeking information on impacts on small businesses as defined in § 2.2-4007.1 of the Code of Virginia. Information may include (i) projected reporting, recordkeeping, and other administrative costs; (ii) the probable effect of the regulation on affected small businesses; and (iii) the description of less intrusive or costly alternatives for achieving the purpose of the regulation.
Anyone wishing to submit comments may do so via the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website (http://www.townhall.virginia.gov), or by mail, email, or FAX to Dr. Mark Allan, Director of Licensure and School Leadership, Virginia Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120, telephone (804) 371-2471, FAX (804) 530-4510. Written comments must include the name and address of the commenter. In order to be considered, comments must be received by midnight on the last day of the public comment period.
The agency intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed action after publication in the Virginia Register. Notice of the public hearing will also be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website (http://www.townhall.virginia.gov) and on the Commonwealth Calendar website (http://www.virginia.gov). Both oral and written comments may be submitted at that time.
Public Comment Deadline: January 16, 2013.
Agency Contact: Patty S. Pitts, Assistant Superintendent for Teacher Education and Licensure, Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-2522, or email patty.pitts@doe.virginia.gov.
Regulations to Assure the Rights of Individuals Receiving Services from Providers Licensed, Funded, or Operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services
Notice is hereby given in accordance with § 2.2-4007.01 of the Code of Virginia that the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services intends to consider amending 12VAC35-115, Regulations to Assure the Rights of Individuals Receiving Services from Providers Licensed, Funded, or Operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services. The purpose of the proposed action is to revise the regulations to be simpler, easier to understand, and more user friendly. Additionally, the revisions to the regulations will eliminate duplicate or redundant activities. These actions will result in enhanced individual protections for individuals receiving services including those under the U.S. Department of Justice settlement agreement.
The board is seeking comments on this regulatory action, including but not limited to (i) ideas to be considered in the development of this proposal, (ii) the costs and benefits of the alternatives stated in the agency background document or other alternatives, and (iii) potential impacts of the regulation. The agency is also seeking information on impacts on small businesses as defined in § 2.2-4007.1 of the Code of Virginia. Information may include (i) projected reporting, recordkeeping, and other administrative costs; (ii) the probable effect of the regulation on affected small businesses; and (iii) the description of less intrusive or costly alternatives for achieving the purpose of the regulation.
Anyone wishing to submit comments may do so via the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website (http://www.townhall.virginia.gov), or by mail, email, or fax to Margaret Walsh, State Human Rights Director. Written comments must include the name and address of the commenter. In order to be considered, comments must be received by midnight on the last day of the public comment period.
The agency intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed action after publication in the Virginia Register and notice of the hearing will also be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website and on the Commonwealth Calendar website (http://www.virginia.gov). Both oral and written comments may be submitted at that time.
Public Comment Deadline: February 18, 2013.
Agency Contact: Margaret Walsh, Director, Office of Human Rights, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Jefferson Building, 1220 Bank Street, 13th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-2008, FAX (804) 371-2308, or email margaret.walsh@dbhds.virginia.gov.
TITLE 24. TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES
Policy and Procedure Manual
Withdrawal of Notice of Intended Regulatory Action
Notice is hereby given that the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program has WITHDRAWN the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action to repeal 24VAC35-20, Policy and Procedure Manual, and promulgate 24VAC35-21, Policy and Procedure Manual, that was published in 25:9 VA.R. 1678 January 5, 2009.
Agency Contact: Charlene Motley, Field Services Supervisor, Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, 701 East Franklin Street, Suite 1110, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-5895, FAX (804) 786-6286, or email cmotley.vasap@state.va.us.
VA.R. Doc. No. R08-733; Filed November 15, 2012, 2:34 p.m.
VASAP Case Management Policy and Procedure Manual
Notice is hereby given that the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program has WITHDRAWN the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action to repeal 24VAC35-30, VASAP Case Management Policy and Procedure Manual, and promulgate 24VAC35-31, VASAP Case Management Policy and Procedure Manual, that was published in 25:9 VA.R. 1678 January 5, 2009.
Certification Requirements Manual
Notice is hereby given that the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program has WITHDRAWN the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action to repeal 24VAC35-40, Certification Requirements Manual, and to promulgate 24VAC35-41, Certification Requirements Manual, that was published in 25:9 VA.R. 1678 January 5, 2009.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1671; Filed November 15, 2012, 2:39 p.m.
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Arbitration Agreements
What, if any, are the legal requirements of an arbitration agreement under the laws of your country?
Arbitration in Bangladesh is governed by the Arbitration Act, 2001 (“the Act”). Section 9 of the Act sets out the necessary elements to be contained in an arbitration agreement and states that it may be in the form of an arbitration clause in a contract or in the form of a separate agreement. An arbitration agreement that would be recognized by the court includes written documents signed by the parties, exchange of letters, telex, telegrams, fax, e-mails or other means of telecommunication providing a record of the agreement or an exchange of statement of claim and defence in which existence of the agreement is alleged by one party and not denied by the other.
What other elements ought to be incorporated in an arbitration agreement?
The Agreement should contain all the ingredients of a usual agreement that would make it enforceable, i.e. the wordings of the agreement should be free of ambiguity, and should state the disputes to which the arbitration agreement would be applicable. It should also include the governing law for resolution of the dispute.
What has been the approach of the national courts to the enforcement of arbitration agreements?
Since the enactment of the Arbitration Act, 2001 there has been positive response both from the business community as well as from the Government. A specific Bench of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has been vested with the jurisdiction to appoint arbitrators in respect of an international commercial arbitration as defined in the Act.
What legislation governs the enforcement of arbitration agreements in your country?
As stated earlier, the Arbitration Act, 2001 governs the enforcement of arbitration agreements in Bangladesh. Does the same arbitration law govern both domestic and international arbitration proceedings? If not, how do the law differ? The Arbitration Act, 2001 governs both domestic and international arbitration proceedings. However, there are different procedures and Courts involved in enforcing an arbitration award depending on whether the award is domestic or foreign.
Is the law governing international arbitration based on the UNCITRAL Model Law? Are there significant differences between the governing law and the Model Law?
The Arbitration Act, 2001 is based on the UNCITRAL Model Law. However, on certain aspects the provisions of the 2001 Act differ and some of the major differences can be stated thus: Section 11 of the 2001 Act deals with the number of Arbitrators and mandates that, unless otherwise agreed between the parties, the number shall not be even. The Model Law permits the parties to approach a Court or Authority for appointment of a third Arbitrator or Sole Arbitrator as the case may be, in cases where the parties fail to reach an agreement. Under the 2001 Act, this power in the case of the domestic arbitration is vested with the District Judge and in case of international commercial arbitration this power is given to the Chief Justice or any Judge of the Supreme Court designated by him.
– Matters which are dealt with by the 2001 Act on which the Model Law is silent are:
– Award of interest by the Tribunal (Section 38(6))
– Costs of arbitration (Section 38(7)).
– Enforceability of an award in the same manner as if it were a decree of a Court under Section 44 in situations where the award is not challenged within the prescribed period or the challenge has been unsuccessful.
– Appeals in respect of certain matters (Section 48).
– Fixing the amount of deposit as an advance for the cost of arbitration (Section 49).
– Non-discharge of arbitration agreement by death of a party (Section 51).
– Rights of a party to an arbitration agreement in relation to insolvency proceedings (Section 52).
– Identification of Court having exclusive jurisdiction over the arbitral proceedings (Section 53).
– Applicability of the Limitation Act, 1908 to arbitrations as it applies to proceedings in Court and related issues.
Are there any subject matters that may not be referred to arbitration under the governing law of your country? What is the general approach used in determining whether or not a dispute is “arbitrable”?
Section 54 of the Arbitration Act, 2001 states that the Act is not applicable to the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1968 or to any other law making special provisions for arbitration. The Arbitration (Protocol and Convention) Act, 1937 and the Arbitration Act, 1940 have been repealed by section 59(1). The saving clause provides that the repealed enactments shall be applied in relation to the proceedings which commenced before the Act came into force. Section 10(1) of the 2001 Act makes it obligatory on the part of the judicial authority to refer the parties to arbitration if action brought before it is a matter which is covered by the arbitration agreement, provided such request is made not later than submitting to the Court the first statement on the substance of the dispute. Pursuant to Section 10(2), the Court, if it is satisfied that an arbitration agreement exists, refers the parties to arbitration and stays the proceedings, unless it finds that the arbitration agreement is void, inoperative or incapable of determination by arbitration. Decisions under the old Arbitration Act, 1940 would have a bearing on this issue. Under the old Act a Court decided on the facts of each case whether sufficient cause had been made out or not for the dispute to be referred to arbitration and in doing so, the Court was not limited to the kind of causes referred to in the Arbitration Act. When the dispute required investigation into the charge of fraud the court could have refused to refer the matter to arbitration. When the dispute between the parties raised difficult and complicated question of law which required a decision by the court, it could have refused to refer the dispute to arbitration. The Court also considered the conduct of the applicant and considered whether such conduct was sufficient cause for not making the reference. Moreover, undue delay could be sufficient cause for not ordering the reference.
Is an arbitrator permitted to rule on the question of his or her own jurisdiction?
Under what circumstances can a court address the issue of the jurisdiction and competence of the arbitral tribunal?
Section 20 of the Arbitration Act, 2001 states that the High Court Division may, on the application of any of the parties to the arbitration agreement, after serving notice upon all other parties, determine any question as to jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal if it is satisfied that the determination of the question is likely to save substantial cost, the application was submitted without any delay and there is good reason why the matter should be decided by the Court. The application will have to state the reasons on which the matter should be decided by the High Court Division. However, even if such an application is pending before the Court, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the arbitral tribunal is expected to continue the arbitration proceedings and make an arbitral award.
Selection of Arbitral Tribunal
If the parties chosen method for selecting arbitrators fails, is there a default procedure?
If the parties fail to select arbitrators, section 12 of the Arbitration Act, 2001 sets out the default procedure for such selection and states that the District Judge in case of arbitration other than international commercial arbitration and Chief Justice or a Judge of the Supreme Court designated by the Chief Justice in case of international commercial arbitration would select arbitrators. In order to invoke section 12, either party may apply to the Court for appointment of an arbitrator.
Can a court intervene in the selection of arbitrators? If so, how?
A court intervenes in the selection of arbitration if the parties fail to select arbitrators or if the arbitrators selected by the parties fail to select the chairman of the tribunal.
What are the requirements (if any) as to arbitrator independence, neutrality and/or impartiality?
The Act requires the arbitral tribunal to deal with any of the disputes submitted to it fairly and impartially and for this purpose each party would have to be given reasonable opportunity to present his case orally and/or in writing; each party shall be given reasonable opportunity to examine all the documents and other relevant materials filed by another party or any other person concerned. The arbitral tribunal is not bound to follow the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and the Evidence Act, 1872 in disposing of a dispute under the Act. An arbitral award need not state any reason if the parties agree that reasons are not to be given.
Procedural Rules
Are there laws or rules governing the procedure of arbitration in your country? If so, do those laws or rules apply to all arbitral proceeding sited in your country?
Generally the procedure of arbitration is governed by the Arbitration Act, 2001. The only exceptions are those stated in 3.1 above. The Act, however, empowers the Supreme Court to frame Rules. There have not been any Rules framed as yet. A Rules Committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
In arbitration proceedings conducted in your country, are there any particular procedural steps that are required by law?
Although the parties have freedom to lay down the procedure to be followed by the arbitral tribunal for conducting the proceedings, there are procedures suggested by the 2001 Act that the parties would have to follow in the absence of any other agreement between them. For instance, Section 29(1) requires the claimant to state the facts supporting the claim, the points at issue and the relief or remedy sought, and for the respondent to state his defence in respect of these particulars. Subsection (2) of Section 30 requires the parties to be given sufficient advance notice of any hearing and of any meeting of the tribunal for the purposes of inspection of documents, goods or other property. Sub-section (3) of Section 22 states that an arbitral award on agreed terms should be made in accordance with the requirements provided in Section 38 of the 2001 Act and should state that it is an arbitral award on agreed terms. Section 38 sets out the form and content of arbitral award and requires, inter alia, the award to be written, that it contains signatures of majority of the members of the arbitral tribunal along with a valid reason for the omitted signature, to state the date and place of arbitration and to deliver signed copies of the arbitral tribunal to each party. Mandatory provision set out in section 41 provides for the precise point of time at which the arbitral tribunal gets terminated and states that the proceedings can be terminated by the final award or in the event of withdrawal of the claim by the claimant or by agreement of the parties to terminate the proceedings or upon the finding of the tribunal that the continuation of the proceedings for any other reason(s) becomes unnecessary or impossible. Under Section 40 the parties may request the tribunal, within a period of fourteen days from the receipt of the award, unless otherwise agreed, to correct any computation, clerical, typographical or similar errors, give an interpretation of a specific point or part of the award or make additional award as to the claims omitted from the original award.
Are there any rules that govern the conduct of an arbitration hearing?
No. The arbitral tribunal follows the procedure agreed on by the parties. In the absence of any such agreement, the tribunal decides on the procedure to be followed.
Do the national courts have jurisdiction to deal with procedural issues arising during an arbitration?
The Court’s power to intervene is restricted to the following:
– Appeal against the decision of arbitral tribunal challenging arbitrator (Section 14(4)).
– Power to decide on termination of mandate of the arbitrator in the event of his inability to perform his functions or failing to act without undue delay (Section 15(2)).
– Powers of High Court Division in deciding jurisdiction (Section 20).
– Power to enforce interim measures taken by arbitral tribunal (Section 21(4)).
– Power to issue summons upon the application of the arbitral tribunal (Section 33).
Power to direct determination of any question in connection with insolvency proceeding by arbitration under certain circumstances (Section 52).
Preliminary Relief and Interim Measures
Under the governing law, is an arbitrator permitted to award preliminary or interim relief? If so, what types of relief? Must an arbitrator seek the assistance of a court to do so?
Yes. The arbitral tribunals have been endowed with the power to pass an interim award which is enforceable as a final award by the Court. Under section 21 of the Act, the arbitral tribunal may, at the request of a party, order a party to take any interim measure of protection as the arbitral tribunal considers necessary in respect of the dispute and such an award is not appealable. The interim measures covered by Section 21 are not exhaustive and may include preservation, custody, sale, protection of goods, protection of trade secrets, maintenance of machineries, works, continuation of certain works. A tribunal may also grant specific performance of part of a contract or injunction. The interim orders must, however, be in respect of subject matter of dispute. An order of the tribunal may be enforced by the Court on an application made by any of the parties.
Is a court entitled to grant preliminary or interim relief in proceedings subject to arbitration? In what circumstances? Can a party’s request to a court for relief have any effect on the jurisdiction of the arbitration tribunal?
Under the old Arbitration Act, 1940, the Court had wide powers to grant interim relief. Though these provisions have been omitted, it can be reasonably anticipated that the Court may grant some interim relief in aid of the arbitration proceedings. A party’s request to a court for relief will have no effect on the jurisdiction of the arbitration tribunal, subject to any order made by the Court.
In practice, what is the approach of the national courts to requests for interim relief by parties to arbitration agreements?
It is yet too early under the new Act to generalize about the approach of national courts to requests for interim relief.
Penitentiary Matters
What rules of evidence (if any) apply to arbitral proceedings in your country?
Section 34 of the Arbitration Act, 2001 provides that unless otherwise agreed by the parties, evidence may be given before the arbitral tribunal orally or in writing or by affidavit. The arbitral tribunal may also administer an oath or affirmation to a witness subject to his consent.
Are there limits on the scope of an arbitrator’s authority to order the disclosure of documents and other disclosure of discovery (including third party disclosure)?
The only limit to the scope of the arbitrator’s authority with respect to ordering the disclosure of documents is set out in Section 33(2) of the Arbitration Act, 2001 which states that a person shall not be compelled under any summons to produce any document or material which that person could not be compelled to produce at the trial in an action before the Court.
Under what circumstances, if any, is a court able to intervene in matters of disclosure/discovery?
The arbitral tribunal or a party to the arbitration proceedings may apply to the Court for issuing summons upon any person necessary for producing or submitting materials. If persons fail to comply with the summons, they may be subject to punishments by order of the Court as they would incur for like offences in suits tried before the Court.
What is the general practice for disclosure/discovery in international arbitration proceedings?
As stated in 7.3 above.
What, if any, laws, regulations or professional rules apply to the production of written and/or oral witness testimony? For example, must witnesses be sworn in before the tribunal? Is cross-examination allowed?
The rules of procedure to be followed by the tribunal are those agreed by the parties or decided by the tribunal. Unless otherwise agreed between the parties, the tribunal decides whether to hold oral hearings for the presentation of evidence or argument or whether the proceedings should be conducted on the basis of documents and other materials.
Making an Award
What, if any, are the legal requirements of an arbitral award?
Section 38 sets out the requirements relating to the form and content of an arbitral award and requires the award to be written and to contain the signatures of the majority of the members of the arbitral tribunal along with a valid reason for any omitted signature. The date and place of arbitration should be stated and signed copies of the arbitral tribunal should be delivered to each party. The Act does not require reasons to be given by the arbitral tribunal if the parties have agreed that no reasons are to be given or the award is an arbitral award on agreed terms (Section 38(3)).
Appeal of an Award
On what bases, if any, are parties entitled to appeal an arbitral award?
Section 43 of the Act provides the grounds for setting aside arbitral awards. Fraud, corruption or conflict with public policy of Bangladesh, violation of principles of natural justice, acting beyond the terms of the submission and deciding on matters which are legally not arbitrable are the grounds on which an award can be set aside.
Enforcement of an Award
Has your country signed and/or ratified the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards? What is the relevant national legislation?
Bangladesh has acceded to the New York Convention on Enforcement of Arbitration Agreements and Awards. The Arbitration Act, 2001 provides for direct enforcement of foreign arbitral awards as provided in the New York Convention.
What is the approach of the national courts in your country towards the enforcement of arbitration awards in practice?
An arbitral award is taken to be final and binding on both the parties and on any persons claiming through or under them. It is enforceable under the Code of Civil Procedure in the same manner as if it were a decree of the Court.
Are arbitral proceedings sited in your country confidential? What, if any, law governs confidentiality?
Arbitral Proceedings sited in Bangladesh are not confidential, subject to any agreement between the parties, and there is no law governing confidentiality in Bangladesh.
Can information disclosed in arbitral proceedings be referred to and/or relied on in subsequent proceedings?
An admission before an arbitrator is admissible evidence. It is for the court dealing with the facts to attach whatever weight it thinks proper to such an admission.
In what circumstances, if any, are proceedings not protected by confidentiality?
Refer to 11.1 above.
Damages/interests/costs
Are there limits on the types of damages that are available in arbitration (E.g., punitive damages)?
There are no formal limits, but it is unlikely that punitive damages will be enforceable especially in commercial disputes.
What, if any, interest is available?
The arbitral award may include interest in the sum for which the award is made at such rate as the tribunal deems reasonable, on the whole or any part of the money, for the whole or any part of the period between the date on which the cause of action arose and the date on which the award is made. Subject to what is specified in the award, interest on the sum directed to be paid by the arbitral award at the rate of 2% per annum more than the current Bangladesh Bank rate is payable for the period between the date of award and the date of payment.
Are parties entitled to recover fees and/or costs and, if so, on what basis? What is the general practice with regard to shifting fees and costs between the parties?
Parties are entitled to recover costs (which include fees and expenses of the arbitrators and witnesses, legal fees and other expenses) as agreed amongst themselves or as fixed by the arbitral tribunal. Arbitration costs include reasonable cost relating to the fees and expenses of the arbitrators and witnesses, legal fees and expenses, any administration fees of the institution supervising the arbitration and any other expense incurred in connection with the arbitral proceedings and the arbitral award. The arbitral tribunal should specify the party entitled to costs, the party who shall pay the costs, the amount of costs or methods of determining that amount and the manner in which the cost shall be paid.
Is an award subject to tax? If so, in what circumstances and on what basis?
No tax is payable on an arbitral award. However, income tax may be levied when the payment of award is actually made. Moreover, stamp duty and court fees are payable at the time of converting the arbitral award into a rule of the Court.
Are there noteworthy trends in the use of arbitration or arbitration institutions in your country? Are certain disputes commonly being referred to arbitration?
In Bangladesh, until very recently the law relating to arbitration used to be governed by the Arbitration Act, 1940. Many provisions of the Arbitration Act, 1940 were anachronistic vis-a`-vis the modern national arbitration laws which are found throughout the world. Factors which stood on the way of wider use of procedures of arbitration under the previous Arbitration Act, 1940 included extensive role of the courts in the process of arbitration, its supervision and enforcement of arbitral awards. The enforcement of arbitral award was found to be slow and cumbersome. An award could only be enforced after obtaining an order from the District Court and that was a slow and much contested process. There was also considerable doubt whether it was possible to enforce arbitral awards despite the fact that Bangladesh acceded in 1992 to the New York Convention, 1958. However, with the enactment of the new Arbitration Act, 2001, there is a general rise in the use of arbitration as an alternate dispute resolution procedure. The problems of the old regime have been addressed in the new Act. Most importantly the involvement of the judicial system has been kept to a minimum level essential for effective operation of the tribunal’s work. Generally the court is bound to refer parties to arbitration where an arbitration agreement exists. No judicial authority is normally to hear any legal proceedings filed by one party to the arbitration agreement against the other till the arbitration process is exhausted and that hearing will be done in a manner prescribed by this Act. Disputes arising out of construction, engineering and infrastructure contracts are often referred to arbitration.
Are there any other noteworthy current issues affecting the use of arbitration in your country?
Bangladesh has begun to respond to the needs of reform and the new Arbitration Act, 2001 could be considered as a decisive step to this end. It is expected that the new Arbitration Act, 2001 would bring about an important change in at least one area of arbitration law in Bangladesh, i.e. in the area of enforcement of foreign arbitral awards as provided in the New York Convention, to which Bangladesh is a party. In fact, since the enactment of the 2001 Act there has been positive response both from the business community as well as from the Government. A specific Bench has been set up in the High Court Division with the jurisdiction of appointment of arbitrators in respect of international arbitration as defined in the 2001 Act.
Dr. Kamal Hossain and Associates
The firm is one of the largest integrated law firms in Bangladesh providing a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to both domestic and international clients. Its broadly based practice includes commercial arbitration, energy, gas and oil related projects, customs and corporate law, admiralty and aviation, banking and financial regulation, constitutional and administrative law, and telecommunications. The firm has a well-established litigation team of experienced lawyers with a creative and solution-oriented approach. The firm has international experience in a number of practice areas, including joint ventures, business transactions, energy and project finance. It has advised a range of clients on a broad spectrum of projects including power generating facilities, gas gathering and transmission systems, telecommunications and other infrastructure projects. The firm regularly advises multinationals and other international clients on their trade, business or investment interests in Bangladesh. It acts for international clients wishing to establish themselves or their products in the Bangladesh market
For Details or Guidance Please Visit Ministry of foreign Affairs Bangladesh
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home > occupations > architecture and engineering > architectural and civil drafters
Occupation Profile for Architectural and Civil Drafters
Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Utilize knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.
The type and quality of training programs vary considerably so prospective students should be careful in selecting a program.
Opportunities should be best for individuals with at least 2 years of postsecondary training in drafting and considerable skill and experience using computer-aided design and drafting systems.
Employment is projected to grow more slowly than average.
Demand for drafters varies by specialty and depends on the needs of local industry.
116,000 Employment Numbers in 2006 62.4 Percentage That Had Some College
Employers prefer applicants who have completed postsecondary school training in drafting, which is offered by technical institutes, community colleges, and some 4-year colleges and universities. Employers are most interested in applicants with well-developed drafting and mechanical drawing skills; knowledge of drafting standards, mathematics, science, and engineering technology; and a solid background in CADD techniques.
Education and training. High school courses in mathematics, science, computer technology, design, computer graphics, and, where available, drafting are useful for people considering a drafting career. Employers prefer applicants who have also completed training after high school at a technical institute, community college, or 4-year college or university.
The kind and quality of drafting training programs vary considerably so prospective students should be careful in selecting a program. They should contact prospective employers to ask which schools they prefer and contact schools to ask for information about the kinds of jobs their graduates have, the type and condition of instructional facilities and equipment, and teacher qualifications.
Technical institutes offer intensive technical training, but they provide a less general education than do community colleges. Either certificates or diplomas may be awarded. Many technical institutes offer 2-year associate degree programs, which are similar to, or part of, the programs offered by community colleges or State university systems. Their programs vary considerably in length and in the type of courses offered. Some public vocational-technical schools serve local students and emphasize the type of training preferred by local employers. Most require a high school diploma or its equivalent for admission. Other technical institutes are run by private, often for-profit, organizations sometimes called proprietary schools.
Community colleges offer courses similar to those in technical institutes but include more classes in theory and liberal arts. Often, there is little or no difference between technical institute and community college programs. However, courses taken at community colleges are more likely to be accepted for credit at 4-year colleges. After completing a 2-year associate degree program, graduates may obtain jobs as drafters or continue their education in a related field at a 4-year college. Most 4-year colleges do not offer training in drafting, but they do offer classes in engineering, architecture, and mathematics that are useful for obtaining a job as a drafter.
Technical training obtained in the Armed Forces also can be applied in civilian drafting jobs. Some additional training may be necessary, depending on the technical area or military specialty.
Training differs somewhat within the drafting specialties, although the basics, such as mathematics, are similar. In an electronics drafting program, for example, students learn how to depict electronic components and circuits in drawings. In architectural drafting, they learn the technical specifications of buildings.
Certification and other qualifications. Mechanical ability and visual aptitude are important for drafters. Prospective drafters should be able to draw well and perform detailed work accurately and neatly. Artistic ability is helpful in some specialized fields, as is knowledge of manufacturing and construction methods. In addition, prospective drafters should have good interpersonal skills because they work closely with engineers, surveyors, architects, and other professionals and, sometimes, with customers.
The American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) has established a certification program for drafters. Although employers usually do not require drafters to be certified, certification demonstrates knowledge and an understanding of nationally recognized practices. Individuals who wish to become certified must pass the Drafter Certification Test, administered periodically at ADDA-authorized sites. Applicants are tested on basic drafting concepts, such as geometric construction, working drawings, and architectural terms and standards.
Advancement. Entry-level or junior drafters usually do routine work under close supervision. After gaining experience, they may become intermediate drafters and progress to more difficult work with less supervision. At the intermediate level, they may need to exercise more judgment and perform calculations when preparing and modifying drawings. Drafters may eventually advance to senior drafter, designer, or supervisor. Many employers pay for continuing education, and, with appropriate college degrees, drafters may go on to become engineering technicians, engineers, or architects.
Drafters prepare technical drawings and plans, which are used to build everything from manufactured products such as toys, toasters, industrial machinery, and spacecraft to structures such as houses, office buildings, and oil and gas pipelines.
In the past, drafters sat at drawing boards and used pencils, pens, compasses, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices to prepare a drawing by hand. Now, most drafters use Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to prepare drawings. Consequently, some drafters may be referred to as CADD operators.
With CADD systems, drafters can create and store drawings electronically so that they can be viewed, printed, or programmed directly into automated manufacturing systems. CADD systems also permit drafters to quickly prepare variations of a design. Although drafters use CADD extensively, it is only a tool. Drafters still need knowledge of traditional drafting techniques, in addition to CADD skills. Despite the nearly universal use of CADD systems, manual drafting and sketching are used in certain applications.
Drafters’ drawings provide visual guidelines and show how to construct a product or structure. Drawings include technical details and specify dimensions, materials, and procedures. Drafters fill in technical details using drawings, rough sketches, specifications, and calculations made by engineers, surveyors, architects, or scientists. For example, drafters use their knowledge of standardized building techniques to draw in the details of a structure. Some use their understanding of engineering and manufacturing theory and standards to draw the parts of a machine; they determine design elements, such as the numbers and kinds of fasteners needed to assemble the machine. Drafters use technical handbooks, tables, calculators, and computers to complete their work.
Drafting work has many specialties:
Aeronautical drafters prepare engineering drawings detailing plans and specifications used in the manufacture of aircraft, missiles, and related parts.
Architectural drafters draw architectural and structural features of buildings and other structures. These workers may specialize in a type of structure, such as residential or commercial, or in a kind of material used, such as reinforced concrete, masonry, steel, or timber.
Civil drafters prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in major construction or civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewage systems.
Electrical drafters prepare wiring and layout diagrams used by workers who erect, install, and repair electrical equipment and wiring in communication centers, power plants, electrical distribution systems, and buildings.
Electronics drafters draw wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, schematics, and layout drawings used in the manufacture, installation, and repair of electronic devices and components.
Mechanical drafters prepare drawings showing the detail and assembly of a wide variety of machinery and mechanical devices, indicating dimensions, fastening methods, and other requirements.
Process piping or pipeline drafters prepare drawings used in the layout, construction, and operation of oil and gas fields, refineries, chemical plants, and process piping systems.
Work environment. Drafters usually work in comfortable offices. They may sit at adjustable drawing boards or drafting tables when doing manual drawings, although most drafters work at computer terminals much of the time. Because they spend long periods in front of computers doing detailed work, drafters may be susceptible to eyestrain, back discomfort, and hand and wrist problems. Most drafters work a standard 40-hour week; only a small number work part time.
Drafters’ earnings vary by specialty, location, and level of responsibility. Median annual earnings of architectural and civil drafters were $41,960 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,550 and $52,220. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,310.
Median annual earnings of mechanical drafters were $43,700 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,680 and $55,130. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $67,860. Median annual earnings for mechanical drafters in architectural, engineering, and related services were $44,120.
Median annual earnings of electrical and electronics drafters were $46,830 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $36,660 and $60,160. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,290, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,490. In architectural, engineering, and related services, median annual earnings for electrical and electronics drafters were $44,140.
Architectural and civil drafters
Electrical and electronics drafters
Mechanical drafters
Drafters, all other
Drafters can expect slower than average employment growth through 2016, with the best opportunities expected for those with 2 years of professional training.
Employment change. Employment of drafters is expected to grow by 6 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is slower than the average for all occupations. Industrial growth and increasingly complex design problems associated with new products and manufacturing processes will increase the demand for drafting services. Furthermore, drafters are beginning to break out of the traditional drafting role and do work traditionally performed by engineers and architects, also increasing demand. However, drafters tend to be concentrated in slow-growing or declining manufacturing industries. In addition, CADD systems that are more powerful and easier to use are also expected to limit demand for lesser skilled drafters because simple tasks will be made easier or able to be done by other technical professionals. Employment growth also should be slowed by the offshore outsourcing to other countries of some drafting work because some drafting can be done by sending CADD files over the Internet.
Although growth is expected to be greatest for mechanical, architectural, and civil drafters, demand for particular drafting specialties varies throughout the country because employment usually is contingent on the needs of local industry.
Job prospects. Most job openings are expected to arise from the need to replace drafters who transfer to other occupations, leave the labor force, or retire.
Opportunities should be best for individuals with at least 2 years of postsecondary training in a drafting program that provides strong technical skills and considerable experience with CADD systems. CADD has increased the complexity of drafting applications while enhancing the productivity of drafters. It also has enhanced the nature of drafting by creating more possibilities for design and drafting. As technology continues to advance, employers will look for drafters with a strong background in fundamental drafting principles, a high level of technical sophistication, and the ability to apply their knowledge to a broader range of responsibilities.
Employment of drafters remains highly concentrated in industries that are sensitive to cyclical changes in the economy, primarily manufacturing industries. During recessions, drafters may be laid off. However, a growing number of drafters should continue to find employment on a temporary or contract basis as more companies turn to the employment services industry to meet their changing needs.
Drafters held about 253,000 jobs in 2006. Architectural and civil drafters held 46 percent of all jobs for drafters, mechanical drafters held about 31 percent, and electrical and electronics drafters held about 14 percent.
About 49 percent of all jobs for drafters were in architectural, engineering, and related services firms that design construction projects or do other engineering work on a contract basis for other industries. Another 25 percent of jobs were in manufacturing industries such as machinery manufacturing, including metalworking and other general machinery; fabricated metal products manufacturing, including architectural and structural metals; computer and electronic products manufacturing, including navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments; and transportation equipment manufacturing, including aerospace products and parts manufacturing, as well as ship and boat building. Most of the rest were employed in construction, government, wholesale trade, utilities, and employment services. Approximately 5 percent were self-employed in 2006.
Architectural Technology/Technician.
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General.
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician.
Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD.
Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD.
2603253 Architectural and Civil Drafter Jobs Found
Uber Driving Partner (Choose your own hours)
Uber Driver Partners - Kemptville, Canada - posted 1 year ago ago
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American Design Drafting Association
The ADDA is an individual membership society for the design drafting community across all industries.
http://www.adda.org
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How To Set Up an HP LaserJet M14-M17 or M28-M31 Printer on a Wireless Network from an iPhone or iPad
Learn how to set up an HP LaserJet M14-M17 or M28-M31 printer on a wireless network from iPhone or iPad
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DEFENDING MORTALIUM ANIMOS
SummaphileXLV
In defending "Mortalium Animos" against just one of the 16 Vatican II documents, specifically the modern and liberal "Unitatis Redintegratio", I find myself woefully unprepared to refute the writings submitted below intelligently. I humbly solicit help from the members of the Bellarmine Forums. The apologetic help requested is in debunking this claim that U.R. ("Unitatis Redintegratio") is compatible with M.A. ("Mortalium Animos"). In opposition, I maintain that U.R. is a dramatic departure from the teachings of this and other papal encyclicals on the matter of False Ecumenism! To me, it is a heretical document, as well as all the other 15 VII documents are.
The person's identity must remain anonymous since they were sent to me via confidential and personal emails.
This VII person and his group support all of the 16 documents of Vatican II, and is a public spokesperson/director for a "bible study group" ( I use the term loosely ) of men in a large Novus Ordo controlled diocese in the United States. He has a PhD and is very articulate in word and speech. The "bible study group" uses any bible, and currently use the KJV for the group is comprised of apostate Catholics and non-Catholics and they do not want to "offend" anyone. They focus on integrating other creeds/beliefs into the Novus Ordo of Rome. They do not understand the basic 4 Marks, specifically ONE, and APOSTOLIC marks of the True Church, Our Ageless Catholic Church.
The help can be in any form for I am alone on this and VII spokesperson has much N.O. support. So Bellarmine posts, containing recommendations, cited reference materials, seeking traditional theologians/writers, or the direction I should take, are all welcomed. I am not new to the existence of this forum and have been reading it for years in guest status. I think now is the time to go public and it causes me much apprehension. I have experienced much opposition in my home town in vociferous and vitriolic condemnation of my attempts to expose these errors of Faith, and fear physical retaliation of some sort whether to my person, or material possessions. Maybe I am a marked man and how is that for a bit of paranoia? Much anger is encountered and the emotion most frequently experienced when trying to admonish VII members.
Here is the writing that I would like to refute adequately:
I have some comments on Mortalium Animos which I will refer to as MA and the Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio which I will refer to as UR. I know that you are struggling with the compatibility of these two documents and I hope to clear this up for you.
To compare these two magisterial documents,
we first need to recall the distinction between a reversal of official Church policy, discipline or pastoral strategy, and a contradiction of doctrine. The former type of change has often taken place in the course of Church history, in response to changing circumstances. And in this practical, disciplinary respect, a comparison between MA and UR reveals an undeniable and very marked change of direction — indeed, practically a U-turn. Pius XI flatly forbade any Catholic participation in interchurch or inter-religious meetings and activities motivated by the desire for restoring Christian unity. Vatican II, on the other hand, authorizes and positively encourages Catholic participation in such activities (within certain limits). The modern Church has thus made a prudential judgment that the risks and dangers of indifferentism and confusion about the faith occasioned by such activities — perils strongly emphasized by Pius XI — are outweighed by the great good to be hoped for as the long-term result of ecumenism: gradual, better mutual understanding, leading to that unity which Christ willed for all who profess to be his disciples.
I’ve cautioned you in the past about taking scripture out of its historic-social context and through some private interpretation applying it to some 21st question that the original scripture authors were not addressing. I have repeatedly asked you to stop sinning with your wholesale calumny of the Catholic Prelates and Princes of Rome in calling them heretics. They are NOT HERETICS and are protected by the Holy Spirit till the end of time. You have not corrected your errors after receiving my admonitions, for you consistently display a contumacious and pertinacious mindset in your heretical stances.
In the past, I have also suggested to you that papal encyclicals were also written for a particular time and audience, and do not apply to the future for all time. As an example of your incorrect application of scripture:
I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?
You and your ilk like to use this verse to explain the “Great Apostasy” that has occurred in your mind since Vatican II convened. Or, various other quotes, like the verses from Revelations 2:9 and 3:9 with an interpretation that it applies to God’s chosen people, the Zionist Jews of Israel.
Also, remember that not all encyclicals are infallible; in fact only two could have been classified as infallible in the past century, namely, Munificentissimus Deus, an Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII issued November 1, 1950 defining the Blessed Virgin Mother’s Assumption, and Ineffabilis Deus, an Apostolic Constitution issued by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854 defining the Immaculate Conception.
You’re absolutely correct that the doctrinal elements put forth in encyclicals are immutable and it is perfectly clear that all Catholics are bound seriously in conscience to accept the teaching contained in these documents with a true internal religious assent. With his MA encyclical, Pope Pius XI had set out the Catholic Church’s position regarding the fledgling movement for religious unity which had been gathering steam in liberal Protestant circles since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the time liberal Protestant theology dominated ecumenical initiatives and this theology embodied — explicitly or at least implicitly — several specific theses censured by Pius XI.
So with the historic-social context set, I’ll attempt to compare the two docs, MA and UR to prove that there are no doctrinal conflicts.
From my research on MA, I see 4 ecumenical errors detailed by Pope Pius XI as follows:
Error 1: The liberal Protestant theology usually took a “lowest common denominator” approach: They envisaged a worldwide religious “unity” in which all would agree on a few basic beliefs while “agreeing to differ” on others. The pope observes that these religious liberals apparently “hope that all nations, while differing indeed in religious matters, may yet without great difficulty be brought to fraternal agreement on certain points of doctrine which will form a common basis of the spiritual life” (MA 2). This hypothetical “unity” in one “world religion” would of course include non-Christians of all types.
Error 2: Pius XI insisted that the above error 1 involved another at a deeper level: the denial of the very principle of revealed truth, which requires assent to God’s Word on his own authority. Regards the contemporary pan-religious efforts operating in error 1, the pope says, that those who presuppose the erroneous view that all religions are more or less good and praiseworthy, inasmuch as all give expression, under various forms, to that innate sense which leads men to God and to the obedient acknowledgment of his rule are not only in error but distort the true idea of religion, and thus reject it, falling gradually into naturalism and atheism. To favor this opinion, therefore, and to encourage such undertakings, is tantamount to abandoning the religion revealed by God. (MA 2)
This idea that all religions are just varying (and fallible) human expressions of a natural religious impulse or instinct was one of the fundamental errors of that modernism which had been so recently condemned by Pope St. Pius X.
Error 3: Turning from the inner nature of faith to outward forms of visible organization, Pius XI found another related error. In those initiatives limiting the quest for unity to those who already professed faith in Christ — what the Church today calls “ecumenism” as distinct from “inter-religious dialogue” — the pope discerned a false ecclesiology (theological understanding of the Church). For the visibly united “Christian church” that these liberal Protestant ecumenists dreamed of would be “nothing more than a federation of the various Christian communities, even though these may hold different and mutually exclusive doctrines” (MA 6).
Error 4: The pope pointed out that such an ecclesiology in turn involves the related idea that the unity which Christ prayed for — ut unum sint (“to be one”) — “merely expressed a desire or a prayer which as yet has not been granted. For they [the contemporary ecumenists] hold that the unity of faith and government which is a note of the one true Church of Christ has up to the present time hardly ever existed and does not exist today . . . [I]t must be regarded as a mere ideal” (MA 7).
Before looking at UR in the light of the 4 condemned errors just mentioned, let me consider another common complaint. Traditionalist critics often claim that UR leaves the key concept of ecumenism dangerously undefined. I suspect this concern arises from a faulty translation in the common Flannery edition of the documents, which has the Council merely “indicating” what “the ecumenical movement” involves. A more faithful translation of the opening of UR 4’s second paragraph, bringing out its character as a definition, would be this: “The term ‘ecumenical movement’ is understood to mean (Per ‘motum oecumenicum’ intelleguntur’) those activities and initiatives which are encouraged and organized, according to the various needs of the Church and when suitable occasions arise, in order to promote the unity of Christians.” The Council then makes this definition more precise by setting out the kinds of “activities and initiatives” it has in mind:
(a) avoiding all misrepresentations of separated Christians’ beliefs and practices;
(b) dialogue between scholars of different denominations for the purpose of better mutual understanding;
(c) a more extensive collaboration in carrying out duties toward the common good recognized by “every Christian conscience”;
(d) meeting for common prayer, where this is permitted; and
(e) renewing and reforming the Church herself in faithfulness to Christ’s will.
It seems clear enough that while (b), (c), and (d) do indeed relax the disciplinary prohibitions of MA, none of these five points contradicts any doctrinal truth laid down by Pius XI in his encyclical.
Now we can go on to consider UR in the light of the four above-mentioned doctrinal errors condemned by Pope Pius:
Error 1: Does Vatican II adopt a “lowest common denominator” approach to “balance” unity and truth?
Not at all. UR paragraph 3 affirms that while the separated brethren have many elements of truth, God’s will is that they all come to that abundance of grace and truth which can be found only in Catholicism:
For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone . . . that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. It was to the apostolic College alone, of which Peter is the head . . . that we believe the Lord entrusted all the benefits of the New Covenant in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ, into which all those who already in some way belong to the people of God ought to be fully incorporated. (UR, 3)
The Decree also recalls that while there is a “hierarchy” of Catholic truths, insofar as these vary in “their relationship to the foundation of the Christian faith,” this does not mean that the less “fundamental” Catholic beliefs — those not shared by Protestant or Orthodox Christians — are “negotiable” or can be swept under the rug. (The revealed truths about our Lady, for instance, derive from the Incarnation, not vice versa.) On the contrary, “It is of course essential that [Catholic] doctrine be presented in its entirety. Nothing is so foreign to the spirit of ecumenism as a false irenicism which harms the purity of Catholic doctrine and obscures its genuine and certain meaning” (UR 11).
Error 2: Does UR imply a gradual descent into naturalism at the expense of divine revelation, leading to an abandonment of all revealed truth?
No, because it never accepts the premise that Pius XI says leads to that “dead end,” namely, the modernist idea that the different religions all just “give expression, under various forms, to that innate sense which leads men to God.” The conciliar teaching, in contrast to this naturalistic account of religion, stresses the supernatural realities of revelation and faith. UR asserts that “the Catholic Church has been endowed with all divinely revealed truth and with all means of grace” (UR 4; cf. UR 3). Furthermore, “Christ entrusted to the College of the Twelve the task of teaching, ruling and sanctifying . . . And after Peter’s confession of faith, he determined that upon him he would build his Church . . . [and] entrusted all his sheep to him to be confirmed in faith” (UR 2). The Fathers who promulgated UR were of course also those who, just one year later, promulgated the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, which serves as an interpretative key to other conciliar documents touching on that subject.
Error 3: Does UR envisage a united “Church” of the future as being a “federation” of different Christian denominations agreeing to differ in at least some doctrinal matters?
Nowhere is there any such suggestion. Vatican II presents the unity willed by God as one in which everyone is — surprise, surprise! — Catholic. Having made it clear that by “the Church” they mean the body led by “the bishops with Peter’s successor at their head” — i.e., the Roman Catholic Church — the Fathers continue:
The Church, then, God’s only flock, like a standard lifted high for the nations to see it, ministers the gospel of peace to all mankind, as it makes its pilgrim way in hope towards its goal, the fatherland above. This is the sacred mystery of the unity of the Church, in Christ and through Christ, with the Holy Spirit energizing its various functions. (UR 2)
Error 4: From what has been said already, it should be clear that the Decree on Ecumenism does not teach the fourth heresy censured by Pius XI in Mortalium Animos, namely, the idea that Church unity is a mere future ideal which separated Christians must work to construct, insofar as it does not yet exist.
Of course, we need to distinguish carefully here between the unity of the Church as such and unity among Christians. Obviously, if we understand the word “Christian” to cover everyone who professes faith in Christ, the latter unity does not exist yet — and never has existed since the first schisms arose in New Testament times! But such divisions do not imply that the Church herself is — or ever could be — disunited, in the sense of being divided into different denominations holding different doctrines. Our creedal article of belief in “One, holy, Catholic, apostolic Church” rules this out. And so does UR, when it expresses the hope that, as a result of ecumenism,
…little by little as the obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion are overcome, all Christians will be gathered, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, into the unity of the one and only Church, which Christ bestowed on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, exists completely, in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and which we hope will continue to increase until the end of time. (UR, 4)
My rigorous attempt here was to show you that Vatican II did not fall into the doctrinal aberrations condemned by Pius XI in 1928. You do have cause to question whether the ecumenism, as UR expounds it, has always been faithfully implemented. I admit that there has been a lot of “false ecumenism” out there since Vatican II and you may question the prudence of UR’s “window-opening” disciplinary changes. I agree with you that permitting a Pagan chant to the deity Olokun in the Basilica of St. Francis during Assisi III was sacrilegious to have that in a consecrated church, a church consecrated to the one true Triune God and in honor of St. Francis. I hold the organizers of the event responsible for this abomination and they should apologize for offending the Catholic sensibilities of members of our Holy Church. I wonder what St. Francis, who was as tough as nails when it came to the faith and nobody’s fool, would have said about that chant in a consecrated church. If I were Pope, some people would be putting their belongings in a box and moving to a new assignment. However, this was no overall conspiracy by the Pope to destroy the Church from within as you sedevacanists claim.
You don’t seem to think that Latin and Greek translations of any church proceeding, encyclical, papal bull, decree, or doctrinal documents could possibly be an issue in your learned opinion with our Greek Orthodox brothers. At the time of the Vatican II documents, the church did not present translations from Latin into the vernacular. Our current translation is a 2nd English translation (1975) published nine years after the first translation under the direction of Austin P. Flannery, OP. Unfortunately it contains no commentaries and how close it is to the meaning and intent of the original Latin is debatable. As I’ve said before, I don’t speak Latin or Greek and don’t believe you do either. This is why I rely on the Church Magisterium to disseminate their teaching as well as discussing the issues with my brothers in Christ including the clergy. You and your sedevacanist brothers have broken union with the One, True, Catholic, and Apostolic faith in denying Papal authority and a core belief that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church”.
Like Protestants, you sedevacanists have the hubris to claim more understanding of the truth and what it means to be Christian than what has been explained in 2000 years of Church tradition.
---FINIS---
ED NOTE: It is with great interest I take in reading the discussion on Titus 3:10 initiated by Joe Cupertino addressing 2 admonitions. So just how long should I spend time in enlightening VII spokesperson, or move on to other would be faithful that need an awakening from their slumber of faith, and who would be more receptive of Truth? Dare I say that 2 Thessalonians 2:10 can be applied for all time and not relegated to some specific age, and that there still exists souls that have not received the “OPERATION OF ERROR”?
So like Mother Teresa, who let a dying Buddhist go to perdition without baptizing him, U.R. lets Jews die and go to hell because their time has not come, or their plan was not finished...Jews die every day without the being baptized. Who can wait?
Ora pro nobis, SummaphileXLV
Re: DEFENDING MORTALIUM ANIMOS
SummaphileXLV wrote:
I have repeatedly asked you to stop sinning with your wholesale calumny of the Catholic Prelates and Princes of Rome in calling them heretics. They are NOT HERETICS and are protected by the Holy Spirit till the end of time. You have not corrected your errors after receiving my admonitions, for you consistently display a contumacious and pertinacious mindset in your heretical stances.
More later, I hope, and maybe others will offer some comments, but these statements must be challenged. There are two doctrinal points here. First, the suggestion that every member of the local Church of Rome (i.e. the diocese of Rome) is protected from external sins against the faith is itself a novelty, not to be found in the corpus of Christian doctrine. Asserting it as a dogma, as this fellow implicitly does by accusing you of heresy for denying it, is itself a species of heresy (positive heresy). Admonish him, and remind him of his further comment, "You have not corrected your errors after receiving my admonitions, for you consistently display a contumacious and pertinacious mindset in your heretical stances," just in case he is not merely an ignoramus but also a hypocrite. I would not discuss anything at all with him until he deals properly with this. Feel free to post his responses here.
The second doctrinal point which I detect to be implicit in his comments is whether it is possible to identify any heretic at all prior to the judgement of the Church. It's of great value when dealing with these committed N.O. types to ask them whether they accept that it is possible to know a heretic prior to the judgement of the Church, and if so, do they see any, anywhere in the Church today? My bet is that he sees none, anywhere, not Roger Mahoney, not the American nuns who regularly call for the ordination of priestesses, nada, zippo. If this is the case, it should be out on the table, where you can put the truth in opposition to his notion and at least then everybody will know that you and he don't share sufficient common ground to have a discussion about any specific heretic (e.g. Bergoglio).
In Christ our King.
Summa, see this post, which I have made for you: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1570&p=16028
Thank you, John, for your comments. I will peruse the post later, this evening on EDT here.
In the past, I have also suggested to you that papal encyclicals were also written for a particular time and audience, and do not apply to the future for all time.
As it stands, this is outright heterodoxy. Demand a quote from him to support it, just for the exercisre in futility. When he cannot produce the quote (pre-V2, we know he can quote Ratzinger saying it!), point out that he is imposing a standard upon you that he won't meet himself - that is, he isn't taught by the Church.
As an example of your incorrect application of scripture:
You and your ilk like to use this verse to explain the “Great Apostasy” that has occurred in your mind since Vatican II convened.
Well, here's the Venerable Bede: "When the Almighty Creator shall appear in the form of the Son of man, so scarce will the elect be, that not so much the cries of the faithful as the torpor of the others will hasten the world’s fall."
The application of that text to the great apostasy that has occurred since Vatican II is a matter of free judgement by Christians, just as any unfulfilled prophecy is pondered in the here and now in every age of the Church, for the edification of the faithful.
If this fellow is denying that there has been a great apostasy, then he probably denies that there was a war in Viet Nam and that there is a city called Paris too. He's on another planet. Something like 50,000 priests abandoned their priesthood in the ten years from 1965. Yes, fifty thousand. The numbers of faithful lost to the Church in the post-Vatican II era is probably incalculable. Even Montini and Ratzinger recognised the reality - they merely ascribed it to causes other than Vatican II. Your correspondent appears to be entirely divorced from reality.
Neither were encyclicals, actually. Does this chap have any interest in truth at all?
Thank you so much, John, for all you do in defending true Catholicism. I believe I have found my source to refute intelligently the false notion that M.A. and U.R. are compatible. Your support was immeasurable in giving me the courage, and burning desire to clarify the False Ecumenism that attacks Our Beloved Catholic Church at the core.
The ideas that were inculcated in this Introduction, to Pope Pius XI's Encyclical, Mortalium Animos, by Cardinal Bourne were so powerful and brought the heresy to the light of day. His perspicuity of his words was very helpful.
And, it came from an Australian website, John!
http://www.pamphlets.org.au/england/ctspe1928a.html
On this 2014 New Year's Day, when true Catholics celebrate the Feast Day of The Circumcision of Our Lord, which was the Old Testament's baptism
welcoming a soul into the Unity of God's Family; I can present a True understanding of what is meant by ONE FAITH that is Holy, Catholic,
and Apostolic. As you well know the Novus Ordo renamed this feast day by Giovanni Baptista Monitini ( aka Paul VI ) in 1969. Since 1969, the General Roman Calendar incorrectly celebrated the 1st of January as the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, referring to it also as the Octave of the Nativity. Antipope Paul VI designated that day as a World Day of Peace in 1974 where he continued to promulgate the heretical concept of unity amongst all religions created in the V2 heretical council. Antipope Paul VI sought dialogue with the world, with other Christians, other religions, and atheists, excluding nobody per the heretical V2 document: Unitatis Redintegratio. One of the 4 True Marks of the Catholic Church's, namely APOSTOLIC, was overlooked and lost as a visible sign of Our Catholic Faith presence in Rome. The false ecumenism held by the Novus Ordo of Rome directly attacks the TRUE UNITY of the Catholic Church which is the true meaning of ONE in CREED, another mark of the Catholic Church.
As Our Lady of La Salette, who appeared on September 19, 1846, warned us that, "ROME WOULD LOSE THE FAITH AND BECOME THE SEAT OF THE ANTICHRIST".
Have a happy and blessed New Year!
DEO GRATIAS!
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Compelling People — Interesting Lives
Jesse Ventura Interview: "I Simply Don't Believe in Religion; I Follow the Teachings of George Carlin"
Written by Melissa Parker, Posted in Newsmakers
Image attributed to Jesse Ventura
Former governor of Minnesota (1999-2003), former professional wrestler, bodyguard, actor, author and veteran Jesse Ventura has been bringing his message to the people in a new way (from Mexico) with his online-only show entitled Off the Grid. In one month’s time, Off the Grid, on Tuesday through Friday, carried by Ora.tv and YouTube, already has a viewership of 1.3 million.
Guests interviewed by Ventura on Off the Grid include Edward Snowden’s legal advisor Ben Mizner to discuss the whistleblower’s case, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Ron Paul and Thomas Drake. Most interviews last about 15 to 20 minutes, and Ventura – who is typically known for his opinionated rhetoric – gives the floor to his guests so that they may convey their message without interruption or interrogation.
“I just simply don’t believe in religion, and I don’t believe necessarily that there’s a supreme being that watches over all of us. I follow the teachings of George Carlin. George said he worshipped the sun. He was a fellow atheist. I’m in good company … Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, Charles Darwin. It’s not like I’m not with good company and intelligent people. There have been some good, intelligent atheists who have lived in the world.”
Topics range anywhere between same-sex marriage, changing the NFL’s Washington Redskins to the Washington Criminals to Ventura labeling billionaires’ obsessions over making more and more money a “sickness.”
Ventura and his wife Terry have a son Tyrel and a daughter Jade.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What is the main focus of Off the Grid?
Jesse Ventura: I find that in the United States I’m censored quite a bit because I’m not in the political mainstream with the Democrats and Republicans. On my last book tour, I couldn’t get interviewed by Fox, MSNBC or any of the networks, but I was interviewed by Larry King. I said, “Larry I thought you had retired,” and he said, “No. I’m on the Internet. This is where you need to be.”
We did the interview, and I spoke to the people and explained to them the problem for me was that for the last eight years, I’ve been virtually off the grid outside of the United States. That’s where the name of the show came from, and I broadcast outside the US a thousand miles away “off the grid” back into the United States. What I like about it is on the Internet, there are no FCC regulations.
I work for a company that allows me total control and anything I talk about is my choice. I have the total control of the show, and it’s remarkable to do that. It’s a great change of pace for me. For 20 years, I’ve been inside the country hollering and complaining and not getting a great response necessarily I guess, and so I thought I’d try it from the outside looking in from a different perspective. I kind of view the US today as East Berlin, and so I’m outside East Berlin broadcasting back into it.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Uncensored, and no topic is off limits?
Jesse Ventura: Absolutely any topic I want to talk about. That’s the greatness of the Internet. Do you notice how all of the people in media on all of the networks talk about the same thing? Don’t you find that a bit peculiar? It comes down to them from on high. When I had my short-lived cable TV show on MSNBC called Jesse Ventura’s America, I fought with them.
They told me I could have control of the show, and immediately I didn’t because the topics came from upstairs, came from the corporate. The great thing about the Internet is that none of the topics comes from the corporate. The topics are the ones I choose.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I’ve heard you say that politicians will not come on Off the Grid. Would your dream guest be President Obama?
Jesse Ventura: My dream guest? No. Not at all. I will tell you that my dream guest right at the moment would probably be Edward Snowden. I view him as a hero. Anyone who exposes the government for lying about violating the Bill of Rights and the Constitution … any government employee that exposes that to the public is a hero.
Our government is going to try to destroy him because they don’t want the whistleblowers. They don’t want people telling what they know about the government doing illegal activities. We the people have allowed the government to become the boss when we’re supposed to be the boss. We’ve now allowed the government to become the boss. It’s happened since 9/11.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Bill Gates came out recently and said that Edward Snowden is not a hero because he broke the law.
Jesse Ventura: Let me speak this to Mr. Gates. There is no law higher than the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Everything that Mr. Snowden did in protecting those highest laws of the land is right. Mr. Gates needs to understand that apparently our government is operating like the Constitution and Bill of Rights are suspended. Well, that can only happen if you declare martial law, and they haven’t done that to my knowledge.
You can tell Mr. Gates there are no laws higher than the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and that was what Mr. Snowden was protecting. Any other laws are insignificant. They do not rise to that level. Am I not correct on that? I believe I am. So how can Mr. Gates say he broke laws? That’s like breaking federal law and breaking a city ordinance. Which one’s going to take priority? The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are more important than any other laws.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Mr. Gates also said, “There’s some aspects of government surveillance best left a secret.”
Jesse Ventura: Let me state this. The government operates on my money, doesn’t it? My tax dollars? Therefore, I have the right to know what they’re spending my money on, don’t I? Then to me, that takes priority over somebody like Bill Gates or anyone else telling me the government should keep secrets from me.
No, the government operates on my money, and I have the right to know what they’re spending it on. Do you see how interesting Jesse Ventura is? Why do you think I’m dangerous? Because no matter how they come at me, I can counter them with something that’s far more important.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You mentioned 9/11. Could it have been avoided?
Jesse Ventura: Here’s the big question I’ve posed. I come from the military, and in the military, I operated in “failure is not an option.” I think I can say that the defense department operates in the same way of “failure is not an option.” Well, 9/11 was a catastrophic failure of our defense system. You have 19 Islamic radicals armed with box cutters who defeated a multi billion-dollar air defense system all while conspiring with a bearded guy in a cave in Afghanistan. And no one got fired. I’m confused over this.
Why would the largest crime in US history on our soil happen, and no one lost their job? No one was replaced or fired. In fact, people were promoted. I found that astounding. If something that catastrophic had happened on my watch as governor of Minnesota, and we were supposed to defend against that in some way, I would investigate, and I would fire people for failure to protect what they were supposed to protect. Yet on 9/11, nobody got fired. Why? Do you want to know why? Let me pose this to you now. Do you know why you don’t fire anyone? If you don’t want any investigation, don’t fire anybody. Then everyone goes to work, and everyone moves on, don’t they?
If you were to start firing people, those people would start talking because if they were taking orders from someone, they’re going to rat on them. But someone should have been fired that day. People were promoted, and people got medals for it. The head of the CIA got the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award you can get, and it happened on his watch. I’m astounded over that. But see, that’s the type thing you get on my show, questions and dealing with things you don’t normally hear anywhere else. That’s a huge question I have about 9/11. Why did do one lose their job over that catastrophic failure of our own defense system?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Osama bin laden’s son in law is accused of conspiracy to kill Americans and being involved in a 2001 shoe bomb plot. However, a witness is being held in Guantanamo, and the defense feels this detainee will clear him of any wrongdoing in the shoe bomb attacks.
Jesse Ventura: I found it astounding that George Bush and Barack Obama would go to Nelson Mandela’s funeral. The hypocrisy there is just astounding. Do you understand what I’m saying? Both of those presidents … they don’t give them trials. They torture them, and that’s exactly what happened to Nelson Mandela for a big part of his life. He was a tortured, political prisoner.
If I behaved like those two presidents, I couldn’t show my face at Mandela’s funeral. How could you do that when you torture people? How could you do that when you lock them up and torture them without trials?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): “So they can track a phone, but they lost a plane?” That caption made its rounds around social media. What do you think happened on flight MH370 for it to crash into the ocean?
Jesse Ventura: I don’t know. I’m off the grid down here. I haven’t got a clue. That’s not high on my list. I mean, naturally I’m concerned because whenever a plane crashes, people obviously die, and you feel horrible about it. No one wishes that upon anyone. But I don’t know anything about it.
I do find that caption rather laughable. They can track all of us on our cell phones yet they lost an entire aircraft. But was obviously the Malaysian airline’s business, right? We had no business in it unless we’re asked. That’s my opinion. If we were asked, then fine. But it really wasn’t the United States’ business, was it?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I’ve read that you are an atheist. Is that correct?
Jesse Ventura: Yeah that’s true. Why should I have to hide the fact that I don’t believe there’s a supreme being? There’s no proof of it. There’s no harm in saying you’re an atheist. It doesn’t mean you treat people any differently. I live by the Golden Rule to do unto others, as you’d want to be treated.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Bill Maher is an atheist.
Jesse Ventura: Sure. Absolutely.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Bill said that because 60% of adults believe the “Noah” story, the country is stupid.
Jesse Ventura: Remember, he’s in the entertainment business as we all are. Bill gets paid to perform, and he performs, so people need to take that into consideration just like Jesse Ventura. Ask me about the ratings on our show. I don’t know. I don’t get paid to worry about ratings. I get paid to perform, and I concentrate on performing and don’t worry about that other stuff.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I found it interesting that you were a bodyguard for the Rolling Stones.
Jesse Ventura: I was a bodyguard for all the rock bands when they came to Minneapolis-St. Paul. I had some knee surgery and was wrestling there, and I did Springsteen, Foreigner, the Stones twice, Marshall Tucker. I can’t even remember all of them, and this was within about a two or three year period.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I imagine you have some interesting stories to tell.
Jesse Ventura: It was exciting. There were no assigned seats on the floor back them. We were down in the pit with the stage behind us, and they would tell us by walkie-talkie when they were opening the doors. You could feel the rumble on the ground. You had to keep people from charging in, doing somersaults and falling in the aisles all while trying to be the first person in front of the band. It was chaotic, but it was rock and roll. It was the life of rock and roll, the life of big concerts at that time, and it was fun to be in the middle of all of it.
I remember one concert, they came up to me and asked, “Do you want to introduce the Rolling Stones tonight?” I was the most famous person back there, so I said, “Sure. I’ll introduce them.” I walked out with my sunglasses on in my Jesse “The Body” stuff, went to the microphone, and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the world’s greatest rock and roll band, the Rolling Stones.” That’s all. Didn’t need to say more.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What would you say was your proudest moment as governor of Minnesota?
Jesse Ventura: Actually the proudest thing was winning because I only raised $300,000. I made more money doing the job than I spent to get it. Tell me anybody in 50 years that can make that statement, defeating the Democrats and Republicans as an Independent and coming out of nowhere. As I said that night, “We shocked the world.” And we did. Why hasn’t anybody made a movie about that? Because of the fact that they don’t want it to happen again. Therefore, they hush it up.
People have no idea of the magnitude of what we accomplished in Minnesota that year. I raised $300,000. That’s all. They spent $12 million combined. And Jesse won. I did. That’s what makes me dangerous. It makes me dangerous because I’ve beaten them twice. They know I can beat them if I’m given a fair level playing field, and if I’m allowed to debate them. I can beat them. It’s that simple.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Now you sound like you’re talking about running for the presidency in 2016.
Jesse Ventura: If I ran for president, do you know what one issue I would run on? You tell me if you think this would work. I would challenge the American people to elect their first president since George Washington (the father of our country) who does not belong to a political party. Let’s create history here. We have an opportunity to do that. Let’s make history. Just as we elected the first black president, let’s now elect the first president since George Washington that does not belong to a political party. I believe we could win on that alone.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Very interesting. But on the ballot, it would list the Democrat and Republican candidates. What about the party affiliation on your side of the ballot?
Jesse Ventura: I wouldn’t have one. Why would I need one? My point is this. Here’s the first thing we can do to correct the problem. I’m glad you asked that. Why do we allow party names on an election ballot? They’re on there to keep you stupid. Seriously. That way you don’t have to know who the candidates are. The party names are on the ballot so that if you’re a conservative, you don’t need to know who the candidates are, you just go in and look for the name “Republican.” If you’re a liberal, you look for the name “Democrat.” If you remove those titles from the ballot, then it’s up to you, the citizen, to educate yourself, to know who the candidates are.
What we have today is a broken system based upon the concept of bribery which in the private sector, you’d go to jail for. In the public sector, it’s the norm. I’ll give you a good quote. You want to know the major reason I only did one term as governor of Minnesota? I could’ve been reelected easily. But I chose not to run. Do you know why? Because after hanging around Democrats and Republicans for four years, I felt I needed a shower. That’s a quote for you.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): That’s definitely a great quote (laughs). Do you have any plans to return to acting?
Jesse Ventura: If I’m asked, and if it’s the right role. I don’t know what became of the film I did a couple of years ago called The Drunk with Tom Sizemore and a couple of other people. I’m still a member of the Screen Actors Guild and have an agent in LA.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I believe there is a medical marijuana bill in the Minnesota legislature, but the Minnesota Medical Association opposes it. Did this come up during your gubernatorial term?
Jesse Ventura: Unfortunately it didn’t. I wished I had really pushed it. I regret not doing so because I’m a huge advocate of medical marijuana. I’m a huge advocate of legalizing marijuana and starting an end to the ridiculous war on drugs. Did you know it costs us $51 billion a year to incarcerate marijuana offenders, and if they’d legalize it, we’d make $49 billion a year. That’s a difference of $100 billion.
I’m for legalization. Treat it the same as alcohol. Treat it the same as cigarettes. Here’s where I stand. Addiction should not be a criminal problem. It’s a medical problem. People can become addicted to many things. If you magically took away coffee tomorrow, you’d have riots over it.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Riots in the street (laughs).
Jesse Ventura: All the coffee drinkers should think about that. I’ll give you the quote on marijuana. Here’s another good quote for you. Marijuana is to rock and roll what beer is to baseball. It’s the truth. I grew up in the 60s. I saw Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin. I saw all of those power groups in the 60s and early 70s, and marijuana was a part of that.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Cocaine flowed rather freely during that time in the entertainment business.
Jesse Ventura: Here’s my view on that. Take the actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who just died on an overdose of heroin. If those substances were decriminalized, he would be alive today because he could’ve gone to get what he needed. If you’re addicted to something, why should it be illegal? Obviously it didn’t affect Mr. Hoffman’s acting career. He did pretty well. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating it. But if heroin weren’t illegal, he’d probably be alive today. Obviously he was able to perform while being an addict.
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was a heroin addict at one time and he said, “I never had a problem with drugs, just policemen.” When the Beatles did the Sgt. Pepper album, they were all taking LSD. I think that’s one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever made. Now let’s go to Anna Nicole Smith, the blond gold digger. She took prescription drugs that were legal, and she wasn’t even capable of dialing 911 to save her own life.
The Beatles took LSD, which was illegal, and wrote Sgt. Pepper. Anna Nicole Smith took medical prescription, legal drugs and couldn’t even dial 911 to save her own life. Which are worse? I think you get worse drugs from the doctor.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What do you think about Ted Nugent?
Jesse Ventura: I try not to think about Ted too much (laughs). I’ll just say this. Ted can make his points, but does he have to be insulting to the person he’s making the points to? When I was governor, I didn’t mind if you criticized my policies, but you didn’t have to criticize me personally and call me names. Ted Nugent calls people a lot of names. That’s not required, and it’s really kind of shameful. You don’t need to behave that way.
That would be my only thing with Ted Nugent. He can be as critical as he wants to and can talk about anything he desires to, that’s fine. That’s America, and you have the First Amendment. But try to do it without calling people names. That’s not required.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Ted called President Obama a “subhuman mongrel,” and I believe he has apologized for the comment.
Jesse Ventura: Yeah. If Ted thinks he’s a patriot by making a statement like that, he’s the farthest thing from being a patriot. Our president is our president regardless of whether you agree with him politically. He is still the President of the United States, so if people like Ted claim to be a red, white and blue citizen and patriot, back your president regardless of whether you disagree with him. You don’t call him names. Show some dignity to the office he holds. See the difference between Jesse Ventura and Ted Nugent?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I think that Ted believes the government will take his guns away.
Jesse Ventura: Ted has a concern. I stand with Ted on that. I believe in the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. Mr. Nugent and I will have no difference of opinion on that.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you think the US Constitution is actually threatened on that issue?
Jesse Ventura: Absolutely it is. In the past 150 years, there have been several genocides, mass killings, committed by governments against their people. All of this happens in countries that have strict gun control. I was in the Philippines physically when Ferdinand Marcos became a dictator. Back in the early 70s, I was there.
The first thing Mr. Marcos did when he became dictator was to give the people of the Philippines two weeks or something like that to turn in all of their guns or get arrested or get the death penalty. Why would a dictator make that his number one priority to disarm the public? I’m a huge advocate of the Second Amendment that gives me the right to bear arms, and it shall not be infringed upon. Ted Nugent and I will agree on that wholeheartedly.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): The only thing you and Ted will agree on?
Jesse Ventura: I’m sure there could be a few others, but we certainly would disagree on etiquette and showing respect for the presidential office. Unfortunately Ted has never held office and I have, so I’ve been on both sides of the fence.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): I saw on your Facebook page that you were discussing Roger Stone. His book, The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ, is an interesting read. Do you believe that Lyndon Johnson had President John F. Kennedy assassinated?
Jesse Ventura: Well, many of us realize that the Warren Commission is a joke. It’s totally fictitious and was simply done to back up the official story, and there was really no investigation ever done. Any investigator will tell you the first suspects you look at in any murder are those who would have benefitted the most from the murder.
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on which way you’d look at it, the person who benefitted the most in the murder of John F. Kennedy was Lyndon Johnson, and so naturally you’d have to suspect him. Certainly no one has denied that JFK was murdered. I don’t think there would be any gray area there or any type controversy. I think we all agree JFK was murdered on November 22, 1963.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Stone certainly brought forward some interesting evidence that Lyndon Johnson was possibly at least involved at some point in JFK’s assassination.
Jesse Ventura: Oh absolutely. Johnson was neck deep in huge scandals. There was talk that Kennedy was going to get rid of him on the ticket, and Johnson’s political career would’ve been over. All of a sudden, when Johnson became president, all of those things magically disappeared. You have to look at who benefitted the most from someone’s murder. Lyndon Johnson is very high on that list.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you think that the government assassinated Marilyn Monroe and Martin Luther King?
Jesse Ventura: I don’t know if the government did those, but I certainly think there’s more to all of the assassinations than what we’ve officially been told. I think there is far more to all of them. I guess we’ll never know the truth on any of them.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Recently Rev. Franklin Graham praised Vladimir Putin for his stance against homosexuals. What is your response when Christians claim that homosexuality is a sin?
Jesse Ventura: Being an atheist, I can look at the Bible as just a book. There are certainly wrong things in it because it is written by men and has been passed on through the ages and has been rewritten so many times over and over. This has been taken out and that has been added, so I don’t think anyone can know for certain.
I treat everyone equally. Homosexuals did not choose to be that. They’re born with the gene that homosexuals have and heterosexuals do not have. I’m heterosexual, but every homosexual that I’ve gotten to know have all told me they were born that way and that they didn’t choose it. Why would someone choose to be gay? Here’s the better question. Are you heterosexual?
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Yes.
Jesse Ventura: When did you choose to be heterosexual? You must’ve sat down and had to think as a young teenager, “Boy, I have a big decision to make. Am I going to be gay or am I going to be straight?” None of us do that. Nobody chooses. I didn’t have to choose. I was attracted to women, and it didn’t require me making a choice.
The reason religious people won’t accept it, and they never will is because if it’s proven that you’re born gay, that means God made you and God made gay people. They don’t want to get into that because to them it would mean God made a mistake to make gay people. I give gay people the same respect as I give anybody else.
Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): If you were elected president, what would you concentrate on first?
Jesse Ventura: I would concentrate on restoring the United States of America’s infrastructure. Its high time we start looking after ourselves for a while instead of out there nation building and fighting wars all across the world. I’d bring our troops home, I’d shut down all our military bases throughout the world, and I’d follow the teachings of Major General Smedley Butler, the two time Congressional Medal of Honor winner who stated that our troops should never go over 500 miles from our shore. They’re supposed to protect the United States of America not go all over the world fighting wars. That’s what I’d do. I stand for peace.
Our country is not a peace country. I believe the USA is known as a country that is our creating war all the time. We’ve done it my entire life. I want you to think about this for a moment. Do you remember when Christopher Columbus allegedly discovered America in 1492? Here’s what he was doing. He was trying to find an alternate way to get to India because they didn’t want to go through the Middle East.
Science, at that time, said that the world was flat and that you’d fall off the end of the earth. Yet Christopher Columbus was willing to fall off the end of the earth rather than go through the Middle East to get to India. If he didn’t want anything to do with the Middle East back in 1492, why do we want to be part of them today? Follow me? In other words, if the Middle East wants to war with each other and blow each other up for all these silly religious reasons, let them. I don’t care. That’s their business.
© 2014 Smashing Interviews Magazine. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express written consent of the publisher.
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Sheryl Bratcher
March 25, 2014 - 12:39:28
I totally agree with his Presidential platform of “first since GW with no party affiliation As well as removing party designations from the ballots .
His closing stmt was spot on!
I just believe that we need the NSA & CIA out there doing the things they do so we don’t have too and that I don’t need to know everything.
The Constitution needs to be updated…the world has changed a lot in 200 years.
Oh yeah .Snowden is a traitor.
Jesse Ventura is a Politician and has the same power hunger and Control Freak traits of every other Politician. He just seems to have a better agenda.
We wouldn’t know what the NSA was doing if it wasn’t for E.S.
VCed
The Constitution does get updated. It’s called Amending. It doesn’t matter how much the world has changed, it was put in place to protect the people from government getting too big and controlling the people. Stripping liberty. If anything, it needs to be followed more.
Snowden is a traitor to the government but a patriot of the people. He didnt give any secrets to the enemy. He didn’t sell the information. He released it so we knew we were being deceived, lied to and rights were being violated.
Ventura is a statesman, not a politician. The difference? He is in it to serve the people and thats it. No personal gain. Not a career politician as the others. Of course the power is enticing, but it never changed him.
Wake up sheep.
Well said. I couldn’t agree with you more .
Governor Ventura understands what “The Land of the Free” is supposed to mean, unlike the NSA.
kevin green
Jesse Ventura / Bernie Saunders ….. running for President /Vice President would be quite the ticket on a “TAKE BACK AMERICA PLATFORM ! Patriot Act , NSA Surveillance , Drones ,militarization of police, Guantanamo, Iraq ,Afghanistan fiasco’s ,missing trillions accountability,Military /Industrial complex ,children going hungry in America , Corporations are people ……. the list goes on and on. I would love to see the debates between the Thee parties if the Independent Party was legitimized so they could attend /participate in the debates .
moondreamer
Ummmmmmmmm, if you mean by “veteran” that he was a Navy Seal, NOT TRUE. He was a civilian employee for them, but never an actual member. I was so disappointed that he’d lie like that.
show me where you found the proof that jesse ventura lied about his military experience. if what you say is true i believe it would have came up during his gubernatorial run in minnesota , dont you? perhaps you should look into navy records using his birth name james janos. jesse is a proud american. you sir, i believe to be a troll at worst or very badly mistaken at best.
And Jesse Ventura is a good man! When mayor of Brooklyn Park Mn he had a radio show . My father an ex navy man himself and a very good judge of character liked listening to Jesse very much and thought Jesse was a good man. When Jesse was Governor of Minnesota he did an excellent job, giving money back in tax rebates, pushing for light rail and when he left office he left a surplus in our state treasury. He is a Soldier Statesman of high integrity who has held multiple offices in our government, served our country honorably with distinction and above all will not allow himself to be pushed around. He is intelligent enough to realize he isnt a scientist or a Doctor or a career diplomat BUT he is a very sly person with an almost over abundance of common sense. I think he is plenty smart enough to surround himself with the best and the brightest and really would do a fine job as President. This is the man needed to turn our nation around from the police state fascism it has become and especially he is a man of peace needed to help restore our leadership position to of the rest of the word.
I feel bad that I always thought gay people chose to be that way. I have never understood why I felt that way only that I had a strong opinion this was true. I like the way Jesse explains his view on the matter, it makes me feel ashamed of my shallow opinion.
Charles Davidson
Thanks for the honesty Gov. Ventura! You’d have my vote if you choose to run! I agree with most of your ideas and certainly the platform. Good Luck and watch out for drones!
Great interview. Thank you
donald mangan
What the Hell is this DUMB EGOMANIACAL BLOWHARD talking about?! ALBERT EINSTEIN most certainly was NOT an atheist. Why does anyone pay attention to this idiot?!
Yes, he was. Regardless of the chain emails you probably received, Einstein never had an incident in a classroom where he countered an atheist professor’s claim that there is no God. Read a book sometime and don’t mindlessly perpetrate misconceptions.
JOHN SCHMIDT..
” AS FOR THE UNITED STATES, ‘WHAT IN FACT’ CAN BE DONE ???????, ‘SHORT OF ACTUALLY OVER THROWING THE GOVERNMENT’ ???????, & THAT ‘IN FACT’ IS OWNED BY CORPORATIONS !!!!!!!, IT SEEMS, ‘THERE IS NO HEAD TO CUT OFF’ , I ‘DO SO ‘ ADMIRE WHAT Mr. VENTURA IS DOING, & AGREE, BRADLEY MANNING,EDWARD SNOWDER ETC. ARE ‘MOST SURLY’ THE TRUE HERO’S OF OUR TIME !!!!!!!! “……………..
Sam Sallome
Jessie – you include Einstein along with yourself as an atheist. Einstein was not an atheist. Like me, he is an agnostic. Einstein became quite angry when he was said to be an atheist based on an assumption. He described the concept of a personal God who watches over us all as childish, believing if there were a God, we would be too insignificant for him to even bother with. He believed that if there were a God, it would be beyond the ability of man to understand that God, comparing it to a baby in a huge library with volumes of books written in foreign languages and that child being able to understand what is written in those books.
Sam Sallome said,
“Jessie – you include Einstein along with yourself as an atheist. Einstein was not an atheist. Like me, he is an agnostic. Einstein became quite angry when he was said to be an atheist based on an assumption.”
It depends quite a lot on how you define your terms. If, by “atheist,” you mean that you know no gods exist, then–yeah–Einstein wouldn’t have claimed to be an atheist. If, instead, you meant you have no belief in gods, then he most likely was. Most self-described atheists today count themselves as agnostic atheists. They would tell you that “agnosticism” describes what you know or can know and “atheism” or “theism” describes what you believe. One might be an agnostic theist, an agnostic atheist, a “gnostic” atheist (though those are likely vanishingly rare).
In short, it’s big-tent atheism. If you don’t have an active belief in one or more gods, you are not a theist. If you’re not a theist, you are by definition an atheist–no matter how favorable or unfavorable you find the term. Very few are trying to claim they’ve ruled out ever possibility that a deity of some sort exists or that its non-existence could be proved (how would you even do that?). Instead, these folks have weighed the evidence available and found it lacking.
Try reading up on Bertrand Russell’s celestial teapot or Carl Sagan’s invisible dragon, and you’ll get the gist. None of us today believe in leprechauns or fairies or Oester or Osiris or Apollo or Thor these days, just to name a few. If someone came to you saying any one of these things existed, you’d say “OK. Show me your evidence. How do you think you know what you claim to know?” Nobody says, “can you demonstrate that no leprechauns exist?” That’s ridiculous, and everybody knows it. We haven’t proved they don’t exist, but we don’t go ’round day after day trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. To be totally objective, we’d have to say that we are agnostic about the existence of leprechauns. They might exist, but they probably don’t. Agnostic atheists feel quite the same about the Christian god.
As the billboard/bus slogan goes, “There’s probably no god. So stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
George Ronald Adkisson
A system of methods, used in a particular area of study or activity based on the Sun was concealed by those that base their moral laws on the physics derived from coins to another form of Sun worship called a collection of myths, belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition.
That’s due to someone’s previous knowlege in employing the difference in light and darkness…and obviously one reason the individual characters throughout Jewish history are so well known but unobserved as traditions or customs that have not turned into ultra-unorthodox religions…
Looks like what Jesse Ventura is practicing is not recognized by the united States government as religious acts but allows Jesse Ventura to be a companion in converstion with the likes of Albert Einstein or someone like Thomas the Apostile discussing gnostic gospels or atomic theory. The united States government has lots to loose in the way of esteem…but in another respect they absolutely do not care.
Patents, copyright acts, and other oppressive legal instruments have changed the way people veiw themsleves among others.
Jesse; however, still implores people to be moral…Einstein did, if you really listened to what he said…no matter what Jesse or Einstein was previously asked to do during their lifetime.
my first time acknowledgment on jesse ventura came while flipping channels & low and behold I stumbled upon mr ventura as he gave a speech at Georgetown univ .needless to say I am not the type of person to sit and listen to a lot of BS . That particular night changed my way of thinking , asi sat and watched the entire speech I can honestly say I did not hear BS , just plain truthful facts that struck a nerve ! there actually is someone who does care about the well being of his country & fellow man , KUDOS . I follow jesse as best I can , but I will be totally honest I had no knowledge of “off the grid ‘ till just recently , one reason I am writing this , I would like to feel I have a voice in my government; my question is , when are you going to make the big step and run for the presidency , and if you should do you think ed snowden would consider the vice presidents position . you have had my support since Georgetown , and you definitely have my vote “and anyone else I can get to vote with me” . keep up the good work , I look forward to watching off the grid on a dailey basis ! I’m 66 , help us out let me see something positive before i’m gone !
I believe this is one of
People that could stand up and bring our country together. Are you kidding me? I’m 38 years old and I don’t even remember a time that we have needed a strong candidate more
prophetess d
I spoke to Jesse after he was on Piers Morgan and told him “GOd wants you to be president” He said “GOD WANTS ME TO BE PRESIDENT? I told him God had him win as governor. that is why it was a miracle. he said “God had nothing to do with it” He’s wrong. l and I told him if he doesn’t repent of his atheism god will not protect him to become president or stay alive if he wins, they would JFK him. Jesus said “if you deny me before men I will deny you before the father” makes sense. God often doesn’t help people who don’t ask for his help. sometimes I have messed up and asked WHY and GOd said “you didn’t ask for my help” Jesse is one of GOd’s atheist prophets – GOd Is using him but also wants to do more with but he needs a relationship with God as part of the testimony HIS WHOLE TESTIMONY Is the same as the Jews – like David and Goliath that God does miracles and makes underdogs win. But jesse is making the same mistake as a lot of atheist Jews – who think it is just them and not God using them as a testimony to HIM. the name Israel means GOd IS REAL! as a testimony to the world .
also gays are not born that way they are made that way by being sexually abused and socially engineered – by f the same conspirators that God has USED Jesse to expose on his Conspiracy Theory show.
See articles on my website 1prophetspeaks.com see ARTICLES BY CATEGORY page under Atheists and Gays
God’s atheist prophets
God looks like Jesse Ventura because of the Jews and Atheists
God must be pulling out his hair in response to atheists
Gays are made that way by social engineering
Gay Marriage is God’s Answer to the Lunacy of Evolution
lukebandit
April 23, 2014 - 13:00:41
Jesse, can’t believe you abide by of all people George Carlin. A dead man. What is George Carlin going to do for you? The sun? Nothing, but Jesus. Jesus said, No one goes to the Father, Except through Me. God sent His only Son to save us from an eternity in hell. Jesus was beaten, died on the Cross and arose 3 days later. He loves you Jesse. He does not want you to suffer in a eternity called hell. John 3:16 Phil. 3:14 Please think about it Jesse.
http://www.needGod.com
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Mount Sinai gets $6 million gift for health IT-enabled surgery suite
New York-based health system Mount Sinai announced it received a $6 million donation from the Derfner Foundation for a tech-enabled plastic and reconstructive surgery suite.
WHAT THE MONEY WILL CREATE
The suite will feature cutting-edge technology and promises to include “advanced tools and technology that will revolutionize the way physicians and patients interact and communicate,” according to the health system.
Each of the nine modern private patient exam rooms is equipped with a 55-inch state-of-the-art touchscreen Microsoft HUB computer. The technology will be designed to enable a more comprehensive and interactive review of pre-surgical planning, better visualization of surgical results following reconstructive surgery, and an improved consultation experience for the patient and the surgeon.
“The creation of the Center will enable more innovative and technologically advanced approaches to plastic and reconstructive surgery, resulting in fewer complications, less pain and quicker recovery to improve overall patient care,” Jay Lieberman, trustee of the Derfner Foundation and member of the Department of Surgery Advisory Board, said in a statement.
Michael Marin, chairman of the Department of Surgery at Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, said in a statement that the gift will allow the organization to provide an elevated level of care for patients in a setting that features “unrivaled technology and innovative design.”
Mount Sinai has also launched a clinical trial of a new imaging device for detecting head and neck cancer during surgery.
The device, called Otis Wide Field OCT made by Perimeter Medical Imaging, is an ultra-high-resolution imaging system that can image tumor specimens in real time during surgery.
This allows surgeons to remove all of the cancerous tissue during one procedure, rather than waiting for traditional pathology results to come in afterward, which can often lead to additional procedures.
Mount Sinai and the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) also recently announced an affiliation bringing together machine learning and artificial intelligence experts to develop digital health products with real-time predictive and preventive capabilities.
The longer-term goals of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai include establishment of an organizational framework where researchers at HPI and Mount Sinai can collaborate and co-innovate across health care and digital engineering.
Other goals include extending funding opportunities for researchers in the United States and abroad, and researching and testing prototype digital health solutions for consumers, patients, providers, and health systems in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere.
Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin.
Email the writer: [email protected]
Twitter: @dropdeaded209
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
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Defining Poverty and BPL: A Persistent Policy Challenge in India
Photo Source: INQUIRER.net
Poverty in India is believed to be widespread, and defining poverty and identifying poor has always been India’s persistent challenge. The concerns around the definitional clarity of the poverty and Below Poverty Line (BPL) has been well acknowledged decades back by the prominent visionaries of our nation like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Dadabhai Naoroji and later by the policy making institutions like Planning Commission.
National Planning Committee under Pandit Nehru recognised the prevailing poverty and thus made an effort in 1936 with a policy objective to “ensure an adequate standard of living for the masses, to get rid of the appalling poverty of the people”. Towards this end, the Committee defined goals for the total population in terms of nutrition (involving a balanced diet of 2400 to 2800 calories per adult worker), clothing (30 yards per capita per annum) and housing (100 sq. ft per capita).
However, even after realising and accepting the concerns for so long, an inconsistency has been recognised between the conceptual level of understanding and the practical ways of estimating poverty and the identification of poor households. At conceptual level, definition of poverty is involved both in the estimation of proportion of population living in poverty (a macro level estimate) and the identification of poor households for targeted delivery of various poverty alleviation programmes. In practice, however, the two approaches have followed different paths. The overall estimation of poverty is based on the data available from NSSO’s (National Sample Survey Office) all-India sample survey of household consumption expenditure, whereas identification of poor households requires a census, which necessarily goes by visible and quickly assessable indicators of level of living. Though the poverty ratio majorly depicted the falling trend in both rural and urban India from 1973-74 to 2009-10, the total population under poverty in both rural and urban areas kept on increasing (from 321.3 million to 354.68 million) throughout the same period, as per the Planning commission data.
Though, it is well accepted that till India’s economic liberalisation policy, poverty was an instrument to ensure basic necessities like food, but in the post liberalisation phase with greater accessibility, the idea of poverty gradually underwent changes. Much later in the year 1999-2000, NSSO introduced a method of Mixed Reference Period (MRP) measuring consumption of five low-frequency items (clothing, footwear, durables, education and institutional health expenditure) over the previous year (365 days recall period), and all other items over the previous 30 days, in order to get a stable expenditure pattern for non-food items. A poor himself defines his poverty more broadly by including lack of education, health, housing, empowerment, humiliation, employment, personal security and more. Thus considering the relevance of the factors, other than income taken into account even by a poor person to define their poverty, it becomes even more significant to capture the housing conditions, work profile and other indicators of social and economic status of the households, in order to rightly benefit the vulnerable & needful masses of the country. A study by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative using a Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) found that there were 650 million people (53.7% of population) living in poverty in India.
In regard to the concerns raised related to the identification of the households and the relevance of the factors other than income contributing to poverty, the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was launched on 29th June 2011 in the country. It is being carried out by the respective State/Union Territory Governments with the financial and technical support of the Government of India for the identification of BPL households in both rural and urban areas and would generate information on housing conditions, work profile and other indicators of social and economic status of the households in both the areas. This data could be used to identify the vulnerable or poor households. The census comprises of exclusion, inclusion and deprivation criteria approved by the Cabinet.
Thus it is being realised over the period of time at policy level that the process of inclusion and benefiting the masses with the poverty alleviation programme could be a possible solution since, the evolution in the methodology of BPL census has resulted in reducing the margin for inclusion/ exclusion significantly. Despite such drastic moves, there still remains continuous attempt amongst Indian policy makers to look for an ideal definition of poverty.
Recently the Rangrajan Committee (formed by Planning Commission in 2012 to review the existing methodology of estimating poverty and expected to submit their report by 2014) was formed to redefine poverty and examine Tendulkar methodology. The report is expected to give a new definition of poverty and based on that country will re-estimate the number of people below the poverty line.
-Shruti Issar
Labels: BPL, India, Planning Commission, Poverty
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Right to Entrepreneurship and Aspirations
Photo Source: Linked in
This is in response to Professor Shamika Ravi’s article, “No monkey business” (Indian Express, May 3, 2014), wherein she says that the “general improvements in physical and financial infrastructure have contributed significantly more to the growth of entrepreneurship in India than specific targeted policies of the government”. The Congress Party promised in its 2014 Lok Sabha elections manifesto a “Right to Entrepreneurship that will protect and assist all those who seek to become entrepreneurs”. There seems to be some serious confusion in dealing with the idea of the right to entrepreneurship. The right to entrepreneurship essentially mean the broad term of institutional framework rather than taking one of its sub-sets like the “physical and financial infrastructure” which the writer seems to be taking by underestimating a whole lot of other factors in a “Business Environment” or business eco-system. Moreover, there is a fundamental difference which the writer seems to miss notoriously. The difference is the policy perspectives of distinction between fostering new entrepreneurship opportunities and supporting existing enterprises.
At present, the aspiring Indian entrepreneurs are facing acute challenges related to structural issues such as finance (credit), legal and taxation, operational/functional, infrastructure and technology diffusion. The institutional perspective of a “right” to claim a defined service from a public authority would essentially deal with its totality. In the case of promoting entrepreneurship through a rights based approach, the aspiring entrepreneurs are entitled to demand services dealing namely from starting a business to closing a business by a law which facilitates services within a specified timeframe. In other words, the aspiring entrepreneurs should be guaranteed with a legal right to claim a service from a public authority within a timeframe as immunity.
According to the World Bank’s Easy of Doing Business Report (2014), in India, to start a business it takes 27 days vis-à-vis 16 days in South Asia and 11 days in OECD countries. In terms of number of procedures, India has 12 procedures as compared to 7 in South Asia and 5 in OECD countries. In case of India, the 12 procedures have to be approved by both Union and State governments. Significant amount of delay in processing of each of the 12 procedures would be possible and are indeed in common practices. There are also considerable costs involved in each of the procedures processing in the government. In India, the cost of per capita income for starting a business is also high at 47.3% as compared to 19.8% in South Asia and 3.6% in OECD countries.
Further, the World Bank Report (2014) shows the exact number of procedures involved in each stage and how many days takes to complete official process: for starting a new business (12 procedures and takes 27 days), dealing with various construction permits (35 procedures and takes 168 days), getting electricity connection (7 procedures and takes 67 days), registering property (5 procedures and takes 44 days), getting institutional credit (8 procedures), paying taxes (33 times in a year), enforcing contracts (46 procedures and takes 1,420 days), resolving insolvency (minimum 4 years to close a business), etc. All of these are seriously hurting especially the poor aspiring entrepreneurs much more than others because the poor entrepreneurs lack either capital or skill or both. Particularly, getting institutional credit in right time to start a business is really a daunting task for poor entrepreneurs.
All over the world, the micro, small and medium enterprises are promoted vibrantly by the government interventions by the approach of institutional framework. Therefore, by guaranteeing a legal right to aspiring entrepreneurs in a structured institutional framework would inevitably enable them to demand not only clearing of all the processes and procedures within a timeframe from both Union and State governments but also go beyond and facilitate legal framework to reduce huge costs involved in the starting of a business to closing a business.
According to Dr.Pronab Sen (2014), “The Economic Censuses demonstrate the huge size and growth of entrepreneurial activity in India... the net increase in the number of non-agricultural establishments in the country is about 8 million every ten years. While admittedly many of these enterprises reflect basic survival strategies, many do not. The past decade has shown the dynamism that is possible in this sector under the right circumstances and with the proper policies. Many of the leading corporate houses existing today belonged to the SME category at the turn of the century.” The specific targeted policies of the government had its role helping of the once tiny SMEs become big corporate houses now! The UPA’s initiatives like MSMEs Development Act, 2006 has also played a major role.
In a recent research paper by Bandiera et.al (2012) found that the “very poor can be transformed from labourers into basic entrepreneurs and that this occupational transformation is associated with dramatic improvements in their economic lives, bringing them closer to the middle classes in their communities on measures such as wages and spending.” Further, the study shows that the “entrepreneurship programme in Bangladesh – the Ultra Poor programme, operated by the Bangladeshi NGO BRAC. The Ultra Poor programme provides asset transfers and skills training to the poorest women in rural communities. The programme aims to move these typically asset-less and unskilled women from low-wage and seasonal jobs to the more secure, self-employment based occupations, which are the choice of middle class women in these communities.”
The structural reforms in the informal sector are yet to be embarked in a major way to create an enabling environment for even the poorest of the poor in the country. Two-thirds of Indians, nearly 82 crore people are below 35 year of age. The time has come for the idea of right to entrepreneurship in India to really re-look its entire apparatus of the regulatory environment from the perspectives of the rights based approach to unleash the potentials of entrepreneurs of all sections of the society.
B.Chandrasekaran
Labels: Business, Employment, Enterprise, Entrepreneurship, Informal Sector, Infrastructure, Poor, Skills, Women
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You are here: Home » History
A Very Brief History of Lytton
Lytton’s past is closely linked to the Thompson and Fraser Rivers that merge here. First Nations people called the settlement at this unique confluence “The Great Forks.” The Great Forks, or Lytton as it later was named, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in North America.
Credit: Royal BC Museum, BC Archives
For more than 10,000 years, First Nations people have lived near the rivers, relying on them for food and using them for transportation, as corridors for their footpaths, and as convenient places to build their villages. In 1808, Simon Fraser and his men descended the river that now bears his name. He was the first recorded European to contact the First Nations people in the Interior.
Credit: Lytton Museum & Archives
Lytton changed radically when gold was discovered on the Thompson River in 1856. Thousands of miners worked their way up the Fraser River to Lytton and within a few years the town was booming. During the 1920s, Lytton was a vibrant town with elaborate hotels, beautiful homes, and a thriving economy.
Today, as in the past, Lytton is closely linked to the Fraser and Thompson Rivers. Still a food source for the First Nations people, the rivers are also a source of adventure for thousands of tourists who come to run the whitewater of the Thompson every year. A colourful town in a spectacular setting that overlooks the forks of two great rivers, Lytton remains a small village with friendly people and a rich, important past.
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24 hours til Lytton River Fest begins! Lots of great activities and concerts! Check out our performer's video: https://t.co/lHtde7d1XB
Copyright © 2016 Lytton River Festival.
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Hem English Translations Interview: Fredrik Rosengren, coach of Kyle Edmund: “Winning can’t come at any...
Interview: Fredrik Rosengren, coach of Kyle Edmund: “Winning can’t come at any price”
Tennisportalen met Fredrik ”Fidde” Rosengren at Wimbledon, the day before Edmunds encounter in the third round against former champion Novak Djokovic.
”Fidde” spoke openly about the ups and downs for Edmund, why winning can’t come at any price, how important it is to keep having fun and how to deal with the enormous pressure at the biggest tennis tournament in the world.
Talking to the Swedish tenniscoach ”Fidde”, as he is called in Sweden, is always interesting and insightful. Far from the standard clichéanswers that you might get too often from tennisplayers and coaches, ”Fidde” is not afraid to speak what’s on his mind. We met him just the day before his adepts biggest game in his career. Well, on home soil at least.
How is life now? We are here at Wimbledon, the sun is shining and Kyle Edmund, your player, is playing the third round in Wimbledon.
– Life is great! In my age, getting back to coaching a player on tour again, it’s all about enjoying every day because you never know when it’s over. I think it’s still a lot of fun, a lot of fun, to be a tennis coach. As long as I get up in the morning and think it’s incredibly fun, I will continue doing so.
We spoke earlier this year and you mentioned Edmund’s ups and downs for 2018. What are the expectations here before facing three-time Wimbledon Champion Novak Djokovic in the third round?
– You work both shortterm and long-term and on Saturday we will try to do as well as possible for him in getting ready to beat Djokovic. But still, all the things we work on will still be there no matter what the result turns out to be. The ups and downs, yes, most times when Kyle loses in a tournament, you see that he has the level needed to maybe win the tournament but then it ends quite abruptly on a rather boring road many times, Rosengren says and continues.
– The energy hasn’t been good enough and that’s the key that we try to find, the knot you might say that makes it happen more and more rarely that he actually loses the energy. Yes, we try to work a lot on that. At the same time, we are human too and myself, as an adult person, I want to see a young person, Kyle is 23 years old, I want to see him feeling good and enjoying playing tennis. It’s really more important than the results itself and sometimes you forget the fun of it. I say to Kyle: “I had loads of fun today, but you did not.” Then he’s having problems responding.
– It’s very important to keep having fun, I mean, you start playing tennis when you’re a little kid and you do it because it’s incredibly fun, and then you become quite good at it and then, one day, you may decide: “I want to be a professional tennis player.” Then you become a professional tennis player and it will only get more and more serious from that. Eventually it gets too serious on what really was a game from the beginning and you may not being able to handle it. It can get very hard, says ”Fidde” and continues.
– It’s so important to keeping it fun. That’s why we talk a lot about it and try to talk about things that are fun and laugh. We are dealing with professional athletes of course and winning matches is very important but it can’t come to any price. In our previous match against Bradley Klahn, and I could see that he was feeling good out there on the Centre Court, he immediately told us after the match: “I did not play well today.”
– Wait, what? I told him, straight away: “How you managed to pursue the match, on only your second match ever on Centre Court in Wimbledon, you were a great favorite, if you would have lost, they would probably haved booed at you.” It was a great performance. It’s the way you have to go as a coach and try to making him understand that it’s not about playing well, it’s about playing the right way, Fidde says and keeps elaborating.
– Yesterday Kyle played the right way as he was in his proper mental phase. He made us all in the team very proud. He should be damn proud of himself and how he handled the match against Klahn. I also liked that he was challenged in the in the second set with the tiebreaker.
– We keep working hard and the goal is that he is going to establish himself on this level, and have the confidence to feel that he is capable of winning tournaments. He is yet to win a 250-tournament on the ATP-tour. That’s a big goal for us because he hasn’t been able to maintain his mental level three days in a row, four days in a row. It’s been great for one day, two days but then, something occurs. You should be able to win when you are not playing well in the first round, and also win in the following round when the game is not there. When you then have to face the better ranked players, you switch on and raise your level. That’s what it should be.
With Andy Murray not playing this year, all eyes are on the 17th ranked Kyle Edmund to perform in his homecountry, in the biggest event there ever is in the sport. How does the 23 year-old handle the enormous pressure that comes with it?
– You have to put the cards on the table as they are and talk about it, but in a relaxed environment. Be there for him and offer him help, should I maybe call someone that has been in the same position before? Should I talk to Andy? Like just talking relaxed about it. The pressure is certainly huge on Kyle but he has been dealing with it excellent so far and I can see that when he is on court. I see it in the morning and I see it when he’s off the grounds in the afternoon. Take Federer as an exempel, he loves to be the favorite and loves the fact that everyone is thinking he’s going to win. You turn the pressure into something positive instead of being scared of it. He’s also a superstar in that manner, Federer, as how he is handling the pressure.
You help him along the way too I assume. What’s your tip there?
I try to use my experience of all the players I have been coaching before. I’ve been coaching 6 players who were better ranked than Kyle (#17) so yes, I have some experience to deal with this kind of pressure. All these players, they are incredibly different. They all have different personalities and as a coach, your job is to find the right way to approach them. You start with nothing, a white paper if you can say that, you make a diagnosis and afterwards you see what you need to do to in order to achieve certain goals. What does Kyle need to do to get better? In our case, it has been a lot about trying to grow as a human being and about having fun as I mentioned before.
The media coverage for ”Fidde” the last couple of days has been intense, not because he is the coach of Britains biggest hope in the tournament, but also for the upcoming match between Sweden and England in the quarterfinals of the World Cup that is taking place the same day as the match against Djokovic. If ”Fidde” likes the attention?
– It’s alright but that’s it really. It can’t and must not be too much because then it will turn into a circus. I’m not really into that. I do want Sweden to beat England but if I can choose, I rather would have Sweden losing 10-0 as long as Kyle wins.
They took a very cool picture on both of you. (Image below)
– Yes, you can have that but then the focus must be on what Kyle needs to do on Center Court. As I know Kyle, it’s all about tennis and I’m not worried that it’s going to bother him. At the same time, it may be a good “distraction” to throw a few glances when you warm up, talk about it, take away your thoughts for a moment so that you are not only thinking hysterically of what you’re going to do out there on court. It goes both ways really. For me, it’s a lot about in which mood he will be at that certain day. Sometimes we can talk about girls just minutes before matches and joking and laughing, and sometimes it’s the complete opposite. Or it’s even more convenient to go in and say something really twisted!
Yes, a little bit like that. That’s probably the biggest challenge I’ve had on that manner. If it’s about the forehand or the serve, you can just go out on the court and work on it directly. If there are other things, well, then you have to find other solutions.
When Novak Djokovic was asked on the pressconference after his solid win in the second round (W. Zeballos, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3) about the capability of Edmund and the Brits development the recent year, ”Nole” started with complementing the coach behind the player – “Fidde”.
– Everyone needs to hear some flattery from time to time and it’s very cool to hear that. I’ve known “Nole” for so long and if he thinks I’m doing a great job, that’s just incredibly fun. When it comes from the guys who’ve been there over the years and seeing me working hard, screaming, shouting on court with Mario Ancic, and Robin Soderling during a period of time, it’s special to hear, for sure.
– He knows for how many hours I have put in just as I know how hard he has been working over the years. When it comes from those guys at the top, it’s amazing but it’s not because you work either to hear it in any way. You try to do your best every day and sometimes you’ll get a little bit better, sometimes it’s worse. That’s how it is. I think it’s about standing with both feet on the ground and knowing that it’s an incredibly thin line between the good and the bad days. I mean look, we are sitting here right now, Kyle has won two matches here at Wimbledon, and there all sunny days, ”Fidde” says, as he is actually staring at the glaring sun.
– It was not so fun in Estoril after 6-0 against Joao Sousa in the last set (Finals, Estoril 250 ATP) or how last week turned out in Eastbourne. Nobody wanted to interview me back then of how good it was. Then it’s also the stuff that hurts badly when you have to say, and make demands and show that you are disappointed in a certain way.
It tears you down when you have to set demands because you are disappointed on a certain behaviour. It tears me down and it has been doing so for a lot of years.
“Fidde” continues.
– I don’t care if he loses. Really. As long as he’s left it all out on the court. A loss can only happen because of two reasons: Either you play really bad, or your opponent is the better player. That’s alright, as long as you can walk out straight from the court, be proud of yourself and look into the mirror afterwards. If not, then I’m going to get disappointed, angry and I might even wonder about why i’m doing what I’m doing. Why am I doing this? That’s really the small things you can really demand from your player I think.
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Europe February 2016 Opinion
Cold War Espionage in the Modern World
March 17, 2016 Kathryn Chaney 0 Comments Cold War, espionage, politics, Russia
By Kathryn Chaney
Since the suspicious death of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, Great Britain has reported an increasing number of Russian spies within the United Kingdom. Espionage has been an international norm throughout history. The frequency of its occurrence in the United Kingdom reflects the backhanded characteristics of the Cold War. The brand of espionage utilized now still makes use of poison, threats, dark alleys, and double agents. While it may have been tolerated during the Cold War, such practices are now being questioned: Is this the way today’s world is going to allow Russia to operate?
According to the New York Post, Russia has more spies in Great Britain than it did during the Cold War. Historically, the global community and international law have been tolerant of some degree of espionage–nations have always spied on one another. It is simply an assumption that became an international norm. The most commonly accepted type of espionage is characterized as a gentlemen’s game – and Russia’s current style is anything but.
The New York Post went on to explain the types of operations Russian spies are conducting in the United Kingdom, including the surveillance of British military actions, and “checking in” on former Russian citizens residing in the United Kingdom. As we have seen following the death of Litvinenko, these check-ins cannot always be categorized as friendly.
With its operations in the United Kingdom, Russia has showcased the manner in which it intends to conduct itself within the international community. During the Cold War, the world was darker and more experimental forms of espionage were acceptable–or at least, not expressly forbidden. Yet since the end of the era, such sentiments have changed. Nations within the international community do not like to be threatened, especially within their own borders. If a foreigner were to murder someone in the United Kingdom, they would face prosecution under British law as well as international law. Why should an action by a whole nation be treated any differently?
Nations have gone to court with other nations as seen in 2007’s Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Serbia and Montenegro. While the case was about genocide rather than a single murder, it proves that nations as a whole are not above international law and can be punished by the international community for their actions. Furthermore, international law assumes the norm of the right to life (Filartiga v. Pena-Irala), which Russia’s espionage operations seem to dismiss.
How far will the international community allow Russia to go without a word? Citizens of the world are constrained by domestic and international law, and nations should set an example for their citizens. No example is accomplished by covering up state-sponsored murders. Perhaps it is the responsibility of the members of the international community to enforce the standards of international law and ensure their actions reflect it.
← On Journalist Injustice, Putin Should Get the Benefit of the Doubt
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Kathryn Chaney
Contact Katy at kathryn.chaney@student.shu.edu.
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Pussycat Dolls Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)
Duncan Macleod April 6, 2009
American song and dance team The Pussycat Dolls have teamed up with A.R. Rahman, Jimmy Iovine and producer Ron Fair to produce a single and music video for their English language version of Jai Ho, the award winning song from Slumdog Millionaire. Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny) features A.R. Rahman, the song’s original vocalist, Nicole Sherzinger and the Pussycat Dolls dancing in a railway station based in a Vienna tramway museum. The official Universal Studios YouTube version of the video has had 2,346,165 views since being uploaded on March 17, 2009.
CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO PLAY THE VIDEO AT YOUTUBE
The Pussycat Dolls members are Ashley Roberts, Nicole Scherzinger, Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton and Kimberly Wyatt.
Filming for the music video was shot by director Thomas Kloss with producers Kathy Angstadt and Missy Galanida.
“Jai Ho”, the original song, was composed by A. R. Rahman, with words written in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Spanish by Gulzar, for the 2008 film Yuvvraaj. Director Subhash Ghaiand decided that the song wasn’t suitable for use in his film. The song went on to be performed in the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire, the track for a choreographed dance, sung during the end credits by Sukhwinder Singh and Rahman, Tanvi Shah, Mahalakshmi Iyer and Vijay Prakash.
Filed under: Music Videos
Tagged: Pussycat Dolls, Thomas Kloss
Land Rover Makes Work Play
Natural Hair Care with Henna Powder
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The Red Lion, whose name was recently changed to The Halkett, does not appear in the list of 98 St Helier taverns and inns in the 1834 Historical and Descriptive Guide of the Channel Islands, but it must have been built soon afterwards, because as historian Philip Ahier records in the Historical Hotels and Inns of Jersey, a horse-drawn bus service operated from there as early as 1845.
Halkett Place, in which, the public house still stands, was not a busy shopping street at the time, and the Red Lion was probably an isolated building opposite the first Halkett Place market. It was not until much later in the 19th century that the present market building was constructed, and by that time the Red Lion would have been surrounded by houses and retail premises.
The coaching inn, as it was then, was a two-storey building with a cellar in which casks of wine were stored. At the back were the stables; the yard is still there, surrounded by a high granite wall.
Philip Ahier's book, published in the 1970s, recorded that the Red Lion was 'one of the few inns which have escaped major alterations, and the interior is still very much as it was in days of yore'. That is no longer true, major alterations having taken place before the pub changed its name to the The Halkett and reopened in 2010.
It used to be one on the first coaching inn's in Jersey, in the early 19th century it ran a service from the inn to Gorey via its stables at the back in Waterloo Lane.
By 1861 George Colas and his wife Mary were the innkeepers, to be followed at successive censuses by John Smallecombe Giles, William Giles, Jane Brett, H T F Cross and Philip Winter de Quetteville.
Retrieved from "http://theislandwiki.org/index.php/Red_Lion"
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Krypetsky Monastery middle of the forest and swamps, Russia.
The monastery was founded in 1485 by St. Savva Krypetsky, a Serbian monk from Mount Athos, in what was then described as an impracticable mire. Two years later, the Pskov veche supported his establishment by granting a large plot of land to the monks. Prince Obolensky had a road for pilgrims built through the mire to the monastery. St. Savva died on 28 August 1495 and was interred in the then timber cathedral, which was rebuilt in stone in 1547 and still stands.
Famous monks of the Krypetsky Monastery included Basil, who described the life of St. Savva in the 1540s; St. Nilus, who founded the Nilov Monastery on Stolbnyi Island; and the former chancellor Afanasy Ordin-Nashchokin, who had the monastery grounds greatly expanded and improved. In the 18th century, the abbey fell into disrepair, but was restored by Evgeny Bolkhovitinov, a bishop best known for his friendship with Gavriil Derzhavin and the latter’s poems dedicated to him.
In 1918, the monastery was disbanded by the Bolsheviks who plundered more than five poods (2,600 troy ounces) of gold in the monastery sacristy and had its Neoclassical belltower disfigured. The abbey was briefly revived during the German occupation of the area in World War II and was finally restituted to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991. Monastery situated 23 km from Pskov.
In the monastery shrine attracts believers – relics of St. Savva Krypetsky, founder of the monastery, and also the recently acquired, the relics of St. Cornelius Krypetsky.
Pictures taken in 26 of May, 2013.
Next Vatican City. Spherical aerial panorama.
Previous Pskov Kremlin: Russia’s land of mystery.
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Tony’s Alternative Guide to Prague » Karlín
Neolithic and Medieval settlement on the Karlín Plain was sparse due to frequent flooding; the plain is located next to a meander of the Vltava, which has a tendency to flood the entire plain during high water levels. This changed in the late 19th century, when the river was gradually regulated.
The municipality of Karlín was founded in 1817 and named in honor of Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, the wife of the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. The suburban town was elevated to city status in early 20th century; after Czechoslovak independence in 1918, it was incorporated as part of Prague. Much like the nearby Holešovice, Karlín turned into an industrial, working-class neighborhood with the advent of heavy industry. The major industries represented were textile and machinery works. Today, most of the plants have been abandoned and many have been turned into unique, attractive residential lofts.
Architectural highlights include the oldest gas factory in the Czech Republic, which provided lamp gas for Prague’s streetlights, and the Neo-Romantic Church of Sts. Cyril and Method, both from the 19th century. Also important is the 19th-century Negrelli Viaduct, the second oldest and first dedicated rail bridge in Prague.
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UNICEF: a heavy price for children
Published in Factsheets and Reports
Iraq Crisis: 3.6 million children now at risk from increasing violence
Call to protect children, as escalating conflict threatens to destroy childhoods in Iraq
BAGHDAD/AMMAN, 30 June 2016. 3.6 million children in Iraq – one in five in the country - are at serious risk of death, injury, sexual violence, abduction and recruitment into armed groups, according to a new UNICEF report.
Published in Press Releases & Statements
1 in 3 Syrian children have grown up knowing only crisis as conflict reaches 5 year point – UNICEF
AMMAN/NEW YORK, 14 March 2016 - An estimated 3.7 million Syrian children – 1 in 3 of all Syrian children - has been born since the conflict began five years ago, their lives shaped by violence, fear and displacement, according to a UNICEF report. This figure includes more than 151,000 children born as refugees since 2011.
UNICEF and the Government of Iraq Renew their Promise to Deliver for Children in Need
BAGHDAD, 8 February 2016: UNICEF and the Government of Iraq today signed the 2016-2019 Country Programme Action Plan, a four year framework by which both parties will work to ensure a bright future for Iraqi children.
The LEGO Foundation and UNICEF support conflict-affected children in Iraq through play
Baghdad, Iraq, 16 December 2015 – UNICEF Iraq received a contribution from the LEGO Foundation that will help give 50,000 children in Iraq a chance to play and learn. The organizations welcomed the contribution of 4,800 boxes containing LEGO play materials. The donation is part of the three-year global partnership between UNICEF and the LEGO Foundation signed in early 2015. Through the partnership, the two organizations promote quality early learning through play for children around the world. While play helps children address stress, it also performs a critical role in the development of the intellectual, emotional, social and creative skills needed to build the foundation for human development and lifelong learning.
IOM Assists in Relocation of Vulnerable Women and Children from Iraq to Germany
Iraq - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) yesterday (21/09) facilitated the relocation of 65 women and children from Dohuk to Erbil to Baden-Württemberg, Germany. These beneficiaries are taking part in the German-funded Humanitarian Admissions Programme, which with support from IOM, seeks to facilitate the safe and orderly movement of vulnerable survivors of the Iraq conflict to Germany.
Published in Stories
Keeping Iraq “polio free”: New immunization campaign targets 5.8 million children
A five day nationwide polio immunization campaign targeting 5.8 million children under five years of age in Iraq will commence Sunday 12 April and will be marked by launch events on 12 April in Baghdad, organized by the Ministry of Health Iraq, and on 13 April in Erbil organized by the Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Health. WHO and UNICEF shall join both events with Rotary International delegates attending the launch in Erbil. The immunization campaign comes a month to the one year mark since the last case of polio was reported in Iraq, and is being conducted with emphasis on vaccinating every single child under five years of age throughout country.
Children Advocate for Importance Water Usage Law to Iraqi Parliament
Baghdad, Iraq, April 5, 2015 – The UNICEF Iraq WASH programme, with support from the European Union, organized a performance for children to demonstrate the basics of water conservation practices in front of the Iraqi parliament. The play, entitled “The Tale of Dangers in the Country of Rivers”, tackled the issue of water conservation and advocated for enacting laws on water usage.
UNICEF and the E.U. Work Together for Child Rights
Erbil, 18 November, 2014 – UNICEF, with the assistance and funding of the E.U., has developed a ‘Child Rights Toolkit’ that seeks to integrate a child rights approach within all aspects of development and humanitarian response. The toolkit, which is comprised of eight modules and associated tools, offers a holistic approach to child rights and demonstrates how policy, investment cooperation and participation can help all children enjoy their full rights.
Horrifying accounts of child rights violations emerge from survivors of violence in north-western Iraq
Dohuk, northern Iraq, 19 August 2014 – On the 11th Anniversary of the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq, commemorated by World Humanitarian day, it is unfortunate that detailed testimonies gathered from civilians who fled the recent offensive by armed groups in the Sinjar district of north-western Iraq have revealed appalling accounts of killing, abduction and sexual violence perpetrated against women and children, according to UNICEF.
The Government of Canada Supports Institutional Capacity Enhancement and Gender Mainstreaming Activities in Iraq
Vaccines are safe, effective, and save lives. It is the only way to keep children free from vaccine-preventable diseases
UN emphasizes Importance of a Survivor-Centred Approach towards Victims of ISIL Abuses
Endorsement of the “Iraq Housing Reconstruction Strategy” Hand in Hand with UN-Habitat’s Support
Home | UN Agencies in Iraq | UNAMI | Procurement | Job Opportunities | Contact us
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2014 – 34
• It was Israeli diplomat Abba Eban who made the following sage observation: “Men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all the other alternatives.”
• John Tyler fathered 15 children, more than any other U.S. president in history. He also holds the distinction of being the oldest president with living grandchildren. Tyler was born in 1790, and his son Lyon Gardiner Tyler was born in 1853. Lyon Gardiner, in turn, had children at a rather advanced age for fatherhood. Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. was born in 1924, when his father was 71, and Harrison Ruffin Tyler was born in 1928. Both men were still living in 2012, and the younger of the brothers maintained the Tyler family historic home, Sherwood Forest.
• Those who study such things say that the energy expended by those chewing bubble gum every day could power Los Angeles for the same length of time.
• The shamrock is often associated with Ireland, so you might be surprised to learn that it’s not the country’s national symbol. The official symbol is actually a Celtic harp, which makes Ireland the only country in the world to have a musical instrument for its national emblem.
• It’s been reported that Napoleon Bonaparte was afraid of cats.
• According to a recent survey of married people in the United States, fully one-quarter of respondents admitted to receiving a traffic ticket and hiding from their spouse. Nearly that many (24 percent) said they had kept a car accident secret from their husband or wife.
• In an average year, there will be about 700 tornadoes in the United States.
Thought for the Day: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Sir Winston Churchill
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Category: Singapore
Singapore 2 – remarkably green
Considering its reputation as a hard-working business-oriented place, Singapore is quite remarkably green – in fact it’s possibly the world’s most biodiverse city. It’s not just the huge central catchment area around the island’s reservoirs of drinking water, but the fact that millions of trees have been planted since the first Tree Planting Day in 1971 – the streets of Singapore are lined with fine examples of carefully chosen tree species, many of which have been colonised by epiphytic ferns and the like, which all seem to be in remarkably good health too.
Luxuriant epiphytes
I was walking, not nature-spotting, but I did see long-tailed macaques, turtles, lizards, squirrels, herons and egrets, and a water monitor; in the 19th century there were tigers and elephants on the island, but now probably the most charismatic wildlife to be seen is the white-bellied fish eagle, probably most easily seen at Sentosa Island (see below). Other migrant raptors can be seen in wetlands, mostly well away from the city centre, such as Changi, Kranji, Chek Jawa and Sungei Buloh.
Perhaps the best-known and most easily reached jungle on the edge of the city lies in the world-famous Singapore Botanic Gardens (on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2015). This was founded in 1859 to research possible crops, a successor to the one set up by Stamford Raffles in 1822 on Government Hill (now Fort Canning Hill), and from 1877 laid the basis for the rubber industry. It also houses the National Orchid Garden, which created the science and business of orchid hybridisation and is home to a collection of 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids. Amazingly, the gardens are open from 5am to midnight every day of the year and are free, except for the orchid garden. They cover 82ha (stretched out over a distance of 2.5km), of which about 6ha is still primary rainforest. There’s also the new Gardens by the Bay, which I mentioned in this post.
Just a couple of kilometres beyond the Botanic Gardens is a much greater area of jungle around the MacRitchie Reservoir, on the southern side of the central catchment area – buses along Thomson Road will leave you at the eastern entrance, and Marymount MRT station isn’t far away. It’s remarkably busy at weekends, but you can still enjoy primary jungle, and some planted rubber trees, and see long-tailed macaques going about their business oblivious to their human neighbours (although there are plenty of warning signs about potential interactions). There are kayaking and canoeing facilities and hiking trails of between 3km and 11km in length, as well as the TreeTop Walk, a 250m-long suspension bridge between the reserve’s two highest hilltops.
The central reservoirs have not been sufficient since 1930, when water began to be piped in from Malaysia; but, mindful of the fact that Hong Kong’s water shortage meant that there was no choice but to hand it over to China, Singapore’s government has striven to boost its supplies. NEWater plants treat wastewater with microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet technologies, and now produce 5% of Singapore’s water supply – the technology is now being sold to the Gulf States as an alternative to desalination. In addition, following the clean-up of the Singapore River (1977-87) and the creation of the Marina Bay area, a barrage has been built and all the areas of water that you see in the city centre now actually form the new Marina Reservoir (there’s a celebrity family of smooth otters that has taken up residence here).
It’s worth mentioning the Bukit Brown cemetery, just off Lornie Rd between the Botanic Gardens and the MacRitchie Reservoir, which served the dead of the Chinese community from 1922 to 1973 and is now a place of sentimental, ecological and heritage importance. Despite a passionate campaign to save it, 3,700 of its 100,000 graves have now been exhumed to allow the construction of an eight-lane expressway, cutting it in half. This is not new – the Kallang cemeteries were cleared to allow the construction of Singapore’s first international airport in 1937, and Orchard Road, the city’s main shopping street, is also on a former Chinese graveyard. In 2001-6, 58,000 Christian and 68,000 Muslim graves were exhumed from Bidadari cemetery, to be replaced by a new town. Even in 1978, 213 burial grounds covered 2,146ha, or about 3.7% of the island’s area, but now cremation is near-compulsory – only one cemetery is still in use and burial plots there can only be leased for a maximum of 15 years. Religious habits have changed and indeed faded, and the cemeteries no longer see families gathering at festival times to pay their respects to their ancestors. Nevertheless, Bukit Brown is an important part of the island’s green lungs and there are fears that the last natural bastions against flooding in the area may be being removed.
Birdwatching in the canopy.
I was particularly impressed by the recent creation of the Southern Ridges Trail, a 9km route linking together various green spaces just west of the centre which was made possible by the building of two striking and expensive bridges over a couple of main roads. Opposite the gate of Reflections at Bukit Chimu, an excellent museum about the resistance to the Japanese invaders that I mentioned in my previous post, there’s the start of a canopy walk through secondary forest, at the end of which you can turn left following signs to the Hortpark and duck down to pass beneath the canopy walk and go through the Hortpark, the city’s gardening resource centre. Then you’ll cross the Alexandra Arch, across Alexandra Road, skirt the former Gillman Barracks, now being recreated as art galleries and sympathetic restaurants and bars, and take a largely elevated walkway through Telok Blangah Hill Park, luxuriant secondary forest with plenty of birdlife. From here the Henderson Waves footbridge rises 36m above Henderson Road and into Mount Faber Park, where you’ll follow a road briefly to the terminal of the cable-car to Harbourfront and Sentosa Island; Mount Faber Road leads down east towards the centre, but I followed the Marang Trail down the hill south to Harbourside MRT station. This only took a couple of hours of mildly sweaty hiking, with signs giving information on flora and warning about monkeys along the way. You could also walk in the other direction from the canopy walk to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, where rainforest surrounds the island’s highest hill (164m).
Incidentally, from Harbourfront the Boardwalk to Sentosa Island (where’s a kitschy resort and casino, but also plenty of secondary rainforest and a World War II gun battery) is now open without charge at all times.
The next major project now under construction is the Green Corridor, converting the former railway from Cantonment Rd via Bukit Timah to the Causeway at Woodlands to a linear park and cycle route. At the moment those wanting to cycle some distance away from traffic are best off in the East Coast Park which runs east for about 15km from the city centre to Changi, entirely on reclaimed land; bikes can be rented at PCN Pit-Stop stations throughout the park and returned to any other one if you want to jump on the MTR. It’s not much further to Pulau Ubin, an island off Singapore’s northeastern coast (a short boat trip from Changi Point), busy at weekends with people renting MTBs to ride through Singapore’s few remaining kampongs or traditional Malay villages.
The Singaporean government is known for its successful social engineering, persuading its citizens to cut out unhygienic habits, to switch from speaking Hokkien and Malay to Mandarin and English, or to follow certain desired career paths; one of its most visible successes at the moment is the number of people out exercising – most obviously the old folk using the exercise machines on every housing estate, and jogging very slowly around the reservoirs. Schoolchildren are also learning about sustainability and green values, so there’s a good chance Singapore’s surviving wild lands will be even better cared for in the future.
Author adminPosted on January 24, 2017 Categories SingaporeTags cemeteries, nature reserves, reservoirs, singapore, wildlife
Singapore – a new cultural dynamo
I like Singapore – it’s clean and efficient (if a bit hot and humid) and the people are friendly, businesslike and go-ahead. But I have to say, it’s changed a lot since I was last here in 1983 – for one thing, it’s literally grown 100 square kilometres in size since then, thanks to land reclamation at Changi airport at its eastern tip, at the Jurong industrial zone to the west and, most obviously, at Marina Bay immediately south of the historic city centre. The close-packed skyscrapers around the Downtown MRT (subway) station have only been there a few years, and there’s much more to come. The aim is for the island-state to be the size of New York City (789 square kilometres) by 2030.
Singapore’s amazing growth was built in the 1960s and ‘70s on manufacturing, then it moved into finance and transport (it’s the world’s second busiest port and busiest transhipment hub, with a ship arriving or departing every three minutes, and 1,000 vessels in port at any time), and recently it has decided to also establish itself as a tourism centre and also as a cultural hub for the region. On the downside that means it’s allowed two casinos to be established (each with a fairly poor museum set up as part of the deal), but on the other hand a huge amount of public money has gone into culture and beautification. A large chunk of Marina Bay (just over 100ha) has been used to create Gardens by The Bay, a public park with a difference, notably its artifical SuperTrees, huge sculptural forms with creepers growing up them and solar panels that light them up at night in a variety of crazy colours. There are two biodomes that you have to pay to vist, and a 128m-long Skywalk between some Supertrees, but otherwise this is free (5am-2am). There’s a 3.5km pedestrian route around Marina Bay, incorporating the high-tech Helix Bridge (although this and the Jubilee Bridge, also on the trail, are rather devalued by being alongside busy roads); it links to the 8km Jubilee Walk, created in 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s full independence, which follows the Singapore River from the bay to Fort Canning Hill, passing many historic buildings that have recently been repurposed for cultural activities.
Lots of new museums
The most impressive of these are right on North Boat Quay, in the heart of the Colonial District, notably the Court House (1867), which re-opened as the Asian Civilisations Museum in 2003, the Old Parliament House (1827), which became The Arts House after the current parliament opened in 1999, and the Town Hall (1862), which became the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall in 2014. Immediately behind is the grandest of them all, the National Gallery Singapore, created in 2015 when the Supreme Court (the last of Singapore’s huge Neoclassical edifices to be built, in 1939) and the City Hall (1929) were linked by a modern atrium, giving access to the basement ticket desks and as far up as the rotundas and the roof terrace (don’t miss the great views over the Padang, the grassy expanse in the middle of the Colonial District). It houses a good spread of Singaporean art (first by Europeans, and then largely by Chinese artists until the 1970s, including some fine woodblock prints) and also comparative displays by artists from across South-East Asia, a good idea but slightly unfocussed.
Across the river to the south, the massive Fullerton Building was built in 1928 as the General Post Office, where virtually all the mail between Europe and Australasia was sorted, and was converted to a luxury hotel in 2001; it’s very imposing, but right next to it is the more charming Fullerton Waterboat House, a lovely piece of Art Deco from 1949 that’s now a restaurant. It’s so called because the main supplier of drinking water to ships in the harbour was based here.
The excellent Singapore National Museum was actually built as a museum, in 1887, but was also revamped for the Jubilee, with a new atrium and a children’s wing – it’s on the north side of Fort Canning Hill, at the inland end of the Jubilee Walk. Nearby, and also well worth looking out for, is the Peranakan Museum, built as a school in 1906-12, which opened in 2008 to commemorate the culture of the people who were known as Straits Chinese (and as Baba-Nyonya) last time I was here – the community formed since the 15th century by Chinese traders who settled here, in Melaka and Penang and across the wider region, and intermarried with Malays. Their furniture and other artefacts, in particular, are of very high quality.
Characteristic shophouses, characteristic apartment blocks
There are also heritage centres dedicated to the Chinese Indian and Malay communities, in the hearts of Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glem respectively, three areas of two- and three-story shophouses that are now conservation areas amid the city’s modern skyscrapers. Shophouses, with accommodation above and behind a shopfront, originated in the 1840s, but many of the most spectacular ones date from 1900-40, with some fine Art Deco examples from the 1930s-60s. The centre of Chinatown is now horrendously crowded and touristy, but it’s worth pushing on south to Neil Road (also the place for Korean restaurants) and Blair Plain, to see terraces of shophouses that now house cool coffee houses and boutique guesthouses. The Baba House, at 157 Neil Road, was opened in 2008 by the National University and gives a fine insight into Baba-Nyonya culture, although this is now a less attractive stretch of Neil Road.
Note that I’m talking about the Chinatown Heritage Centre, not the Chinese Heritage Centre at Nanyang Technological University, which does have a museum but is more of an academic centre. The Indian Heritage Centre opened in 2015 in a very striking modern building and has the most modern displays of the three; the Malay Heritage Centre opened in 2004 in the relatively dull palace of the Sultan in Singapore (NB not the Sultan OF Singapore – this was a cunning ruse to allow the Sultan of Johore to be replaced by his chief minister in 1855, while the Sultan retired to Singapore).
Opened in April 2015, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum claims to be the newest museum in Singapore, but the Indian Heritage Centre actually opened a month later, and in any case it inherited its collections from the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, which dates back to the original donation by Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore in 1819, to create a general museum for Singapore.
A non-governmental museum project – but seemingly just as well funded – is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum – occupying a whole block of Chinatown, this was established to house a tooth of the Buddha found in Myanmar and donated in 2002 for safekeeping. Opened in 2007, the temple is largely in 7/8th-century Tang style, but the upper floors house a surprisingly good museum (free, and air-conditioned, of course) that tells the story of the historic Buddha along with an excellent selection of sculptures, including quite a few from Gandhara. I first came across these 2nd- and 3rd-century Buddha carvings in Pakistan in 1983, and have loved them ever since for their Oriental spirituality allied with an oddly Greek style, especially in the clothing. It’s also worth mentioning the ‘vegetarian dining hall for charity’ in the basement.
Another private venture is the Singapore Art Museum, opened in 1996 in a former mission school (1855 to 1990), which aims to be the regional centre for contemporary (edgy) art.
Finally, there are fifty World War II sites dotted about the island, twenty of them with plaques put up either in 1995 (the 40th anniversary of liberation) or in 2012 (the 70th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore). The Ford Factory at Bukit Timah, where the British surrendered in 1942, is apparently interesting, but is closed for renovation; otherwise I found Reflections at Bukit Chindu excellent (and the Canopy Walk at the start of the Southern Ridges Trail is right opposite the gate – see my next post, on natural Singapore). This is where soldiers of the Malay Regiment, founded only in 1933, put up heroic resistance to the Japanese on 14 February 1942, as they closed in on the city and pressed for a British surrender, which came the next day.
The Singapore Museum Guide, published in January 2016, includes virtually every little museum in town but, oddly, not the National Gallery; virtually all museums are free for Singapore citizens and residents, but others will pay around S$20 (£11) – don’t hesitate, these are easily the best museums in the region, with very professional standards of presentation.
Some practicalities
Singapore does, of course, have an excellent public transport system, with two companies operating a fully integrated system of buses and MRT trains. Most signs and notices are in English (but stations all have numbers, such as CC1 to CC29 (so far) on the Circle Line) and there are squeaky-clean public toilets at most stations. If you’re around for more than a day or so, you should buy an EZ-Link chip-card which costs S$5 (non-refundable) and can store as much credit as you want – and this can be refunded. With the EZ-Link card journeys are far cheaper than with the ‘standard’ ticket, a card with a chip which can store anything up to six trips; there’s also the Singapore Tourist Pass, which comes loaded on an EZ-Link card and gives free travel on MRT, LRT and basic bus services for up to three days (S$10 for one day, S$16 for two days and S$20 for three days). There’s a S$10 deposit for this which will be refunded if you return the card within five days of purchase, or you can simply top it up and use it like a regular EZ-Link card.
The MRT is undergoing a major expansion programme at the moment, aiming to double the system’s length by 2030, including a new 50km Cross Island Line from Changi to Jurong just north of the city. In the second quarter of 2017 the East-West Line will be extended west from Joo Koon to Tuas Link (adjacent to the Second Link to Malaysia), amd later in 2017 Stage 3 of the Downtown Line will open from Chinatown to Expo, out east near Changi Airport. In 2023 the North East Line will be extended 1.6km from Punggol to Pinggol Coast, to serve a new Digital District. It’s worth mentioning that the Circle Line will actually be a circle from 2025 when the 4km missing link from Marina Bay to Harbourfront, via Cantonment and Keppel, will open.
Singapore has an unspoken social contract – the infrastructure has to run well (for instance signal failures on the MRT are unacceptable) to compensate for loss of freedoms, if people are going to continue supporting the governing party – so the 2011 elections, when the opposition won six seats, came as a shock and forced the government to get a grip – it is now taking back control of the MRT stations, track and trains, and the operators will provide only the passenger services.
Given that public transport is so good, why do so many Singaporeans drive at all? From the 1960s to the 1980s Singapore built a system of expressways before realising that they were simply generating traffic. The first MRT line opened in 1989 (with the North-South and East-West lines both opening in 1990), and in 1990 the Vehicle Quota System was introduced – this limits the number of cars in Singapore by means of public auctions, twice a year, for a Certificate of Entitlement allowing one to own a car for a ten-year period. Currently this costs about S$5,000 (£32,000), although it has been twice as much, and on top of that cars are heavily taxed. There’s also Electronic Road Pricing (a congestion charge) to pay. The odd effect is that Singaporeans buy more top-end cars and SUVs than most other nations, because you might as well go the whole hog if you’re spending that sort of money, and it doesn’t seem very much more overall – and then of course having spent so much they’re impelled to use the car as much as possible when the MRT might well be easier. So the expressways are still ridiculously busy.
Author adminPosted on January 17, 2017 June 11, 2017 Categories SingaporeTags MRT, museums, public transport, singapore
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Bread & Butter Exploring New Avenues After Filing for Insolvency
Posted on tax relief claim
After canceling the January 2015 edition of its trade show just last week, Bread & Butter has officially filed for insolvency, but plans to return with a revamped concept as early as next month. As previously reported, founder and managing director Karl-Heinz Müller announced the cancellation after not being able to secure enough exhibitors for the upcoming show — which would have been the 29th installment of Bread & Butter. Faced with its current legal liabilities — its lease for Berlin’s historic Tempelhof Airport runs through 2019 to the tune of about $2.4 million USD per year — the company "had no choice" but to file for insolvency in order to restructure its debt.
Despite its legal status, Bread & Butter will continue to operate its two 14 oz. storefronts, as well as the brand’s web store, while Müller confirmed that a new, small-scale Bread & Butter concept — dubbed "Bread & Butter – Back to the Street" — is in the works for January and tentatively set to take place at 14 oz.’s Hackesche Markt location in Berlin.
reasons for cialis
via dui ignition interlock device
T-Pain featuring Lil Wayne – Let Me Thru
Champion 2015 Spring/Summer “Reverse Weave” Campaign
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Will Salisbury’s Attorneys Finally Tell the Truth In Time to Save the Tomaselli Sisters’ Home
JUST ONE MAN’S OPINION
On September 14, 2015 the Tomasellis went before the Salisbury Board of Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners and asked them to instruct attorneys for the town to tell the courts, that the Tomasellis were not responsible to pay for this sewer betterment. They did not own the property in 1982 when the assessment was “imposed”.
Why hasn’t the town and their attorneys informed the courts?
The Town is aware that they never recorded this May 17, 1982 vote as required by law. Yet, their attorneys have always claimed the assessment was March 16, 1992 and that Tomaselli was liable because they owned the property on March 16, 1992.
The Town gave false information and false evidence to all the courts because, they claimed, the assessment vote was on March 16, 1992. Once the Town won in every court using this false March 16, 1992 date, they continued to fool each court in order for the town to win. This is the primary reason the town won in every court. In March 2015, Town Manager Neil Harrington produced the Town’s concealed May 17, 1982 town vote. He only did so after being ordered to comply with Secretary of State Galvin’s order to release the public documents.
All the courts made their decision based on the wrong facts given by the Town.
You see, it has been very lucrative for the Town’s attorneys Kopelman and Paige and Coppola and Coppola to conceal public records from the courts and then give false information to the judges by claiming that the Tomaselli sisters were liable for a sewer betterment they were not ever liable for.
The Board of Selectmen were informed that the town had a duty to record the May 17, 1982 vote at the Registry of Deeds and bill the liable assessed owners who owned the property in 1982 NOT in 1992.
Selectmen Ed Hunt said we will get to the bottom of this.
Tom Duggan is president and publisher of The Valley Patriot Newspaper in North Andover, Massachusetts. He is an author, host of the Paying Attention TV/Radio Program, lectures on media bias and police issues, is a former Lawrence School Committeeman, former political director for Mass. Citizens Alliance, and a 1990 Police Survivor. You can email your comments to valleypatriot@aol.com.
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