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The origins of Boulder Ballet began with the Ballet Arts Studios, founded in Denver and Boulder by former American Ballet Theatre dancer Larry Boyette in the 1970s. In 1982 the Boulder studio was taken over by Barbara Demaree and Wanda Tierney. They started the first performing company, originally known as Boulder City Ballet. In 1995, the company and school became known as Boulder Ballet.
Our rich history includes bringing classic, contemporary, and uniquely theatrical ballet to venues that range from Estes Park to Highlands Ranch. Boulder Ballet currently performs in Macky Auditorium, the Dairy ARTS Center, and outdoor amphitheaters throughout the Denver-metro area for our free summertime Ballet in the Park events.
Since its founding, the professional company has been influenced by several notable dancers, including Milenko Banovich (Zagreb Ballet), Robin Haig (Royal Ballet), and John Prinz (American Ballet Theatre). Artistic Director Ana Claire is building on this strong tradition of artistic excellence through innovation, programmatic growth, and attention to quality. Boulder Ballet now looks to an exciting future including additional collaborations with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and the Longmont Symphony, new choreographic explorations, new class offerings at the Boulder Ballet School and additional outreach programming.
Barbara Demaree, Co-founder
Barbara Demaree is a co-founder of the Boulder Ballet. She was born in Britain and trained at the Bush Davies Ballet School. Barbara taught, coached, directed and choreographed for the Boulder Ballet company and school until her retirement. She was the winner of the Pacesetter Award for the Arts in 1996 and has been honored by the Arts and Humanities Assembly of Boulder and the Boulder Arts Commission for her contributions to dance in Boulder. In 2014, she was selected as one of the first honorees of the Dairy Center Honors awards for her achievements in the arts.
Featured image by Sue Daniels
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Robin Lehner: Time with Sabres surrounded by 'cloud and atmosphere of negativity'
Former Sabres goalie Robin Lehner. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News file photo)
Published Fri, Mar 29, 2019 |Updated Fri, Mar 29, 2019
The New York Islanders can clinch their first playoff berth since 2016 with a victory against the Sabres on Saturday night.
Former Sabres goalie Robin Lehner equaled his career high in victories with 23 in the Islanders' 5-4 win against Winnipeg on Thursday night. He is 23-12 with a 2.22 goals against average. He was 14-26 for the NHL-worst Sabres last season with a 3.01 goals against.
“It’s a different feeling this year in general,” Lehner told Newsday. “We’re having fun. It’s a positive atmosphere. It’s not surrounded by negativity. That was one of the hard things when I was in Buffalo, just this cloud and atmosphere of negativity.”
Lehner chronicled his personal battle with alcohol abuse and bipolar disorder in a first-person account in The Athletic before the season began.
In late December after he and the Islanders earned a 3-1 victory against the Sabres, he described being back in KeyBank Center as "mixed emotions."
"I really liked playing for this team," he said then. "But everything that's happened has happened. It's been a tough time. It's been tough."
He told Newsday that he was ready for the challenge of what playing in New York might bring because of his time in Buffalo.
"Buffalo prepared me,” Lehner told Newsday. “It couldn’t be any worse. Buffalo would prepare me to go to Toronto. It was so bad there sometimes. You would walk out to games and the game hadn’t started and people are already booing. It’s an incredibly passionate fan base and they’re filling that building, but it can be miserable in that rink.
“Everyone talks the Toronto media and Toronto is the toughest city in the league to play in, don’t get me wrong,” added Lehner, clarifying he wants to see his former teammates do well. “But Buffalo is not easy to play in. The media is incredibly hard. I’ve been in that negative spiral. I’ve been caught in it for a couple of years. It’s really tough and you start to lose perspective. I’ve moved on. I don’t care what anyone in Buffalo says anymore.”
Story topics: New York Islanders/ Robin Lehner/ Sabres goalies
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Making the Most of Code Review
Every Agile development process strongly stresses the motif that the main goal of developers should not be to concern themselves with side issues, but rather to generate working code. This allows us to implement a variety of features in accordance with our customers’ requirements.
Unfortunately, however, out in the real world, it is crucial to not only strive to implement functionality, but also to ensure your code will be kept clean and without duplicates, being easy to understand, support and extend, makes extensive use of automated tests and presents as little as possible technical debt — that is, valuable work postponed by virtue of restrictive deadlines or other more pressing priorities.
This is why over the years, both customers and programmers have jointly devised a number of solutions for assessing code quality as well as providing projects with the appropriate level of support, throughout development. Of all of these, however, one popular technique distinctly stands out — the exceptional practice of code review.
Imagine that you were friends with an incredible developer, in whom you could completely place your trust. On a particularly disquieting Tuesday afternoon, you glanced over some questionable code from your current software provider, and instinctively decided it was time to make a change, by turning to your comrade for his expert advice.
Without a doubt, your friend’s input on the quality of code would be greatly beneficial to you, as it’d enable you to report all his comments and concerns in relation to any problems that still needed to be addressed.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is code review in a nutshell.
But of course, unless this were to be repeated on a fairly regular basis, you would never fully reap all the benefits of the practice. If, however, it were to be carried out by your software vendors themselves, you could end up saving yourself an extraordinary amount of trouble.
Your wish is our command!
Thankfully, today, code reviews are commonly performed by a variety of software companies — including our own.
In these professional settings, they can either be executed as a pre-moderation process, in which team leaders or senior developers will carefully review code before giving it the go-ahead to be committed into a repository; or a post-moderation process, where any code already sent out to the appropriate code repository is then reviewed by the aforementioned people.
It is worth pointing out, nonetheless, that this pre-moderation process, though seemingly more prudent, will often result in unwanted workflow bottlenecks.
Benefits of code review
To a large extent, realising the benefits of code review is hugely dependent on the skill level of the reviewer himself, as he or she must be able to remain competently on the lookout for some subtle, far-reaching matters.
1. Catch code errors
Irrespective of what developers are currently working on, it is critical to first ensure that code will behave exactly as intended to, without needlessly causing harm to other parts of the system.
With this in mind, the obvious task of the code reviewer is to find and do away with unwanted code errors, potential security breaches, suboptimal algorithms, unnecessary third-party libraries as well as unsound architectural decisions.
2. Uphold coding standards
Good code reviewers will also remain vigilant for less-than-optimal coding standards. If the new piece of script does not conform to the style variety established in the project, it must be rightfully booted out. The end game is that just as if working on their own piece of code, every programmer should be capable of picking up where their colleagues have left off. As such, ignoring coding standards can quickly create a mess and make it substantially more difficult for newer programmers to join the project.
3. Do away with duplicate code
Especially in larger endeavours, it is not uncommon for programmers to unwittingly end up with a number of implementations of the same pieces of functionality. Code review is able to help here by empowering team members to dispose of duplicate code before any serious problems are permitted to manifest.
4. Simplify things
The technique may also bring to light some of your team’s most inefficient practices. After all, more often than not, developers will attempt to reinvent the wheel when a perfectly adequate solution exists. Thus, code review enables companies to trim their projects down and keep things running as smoothly — and simple — as can be.
5. Promote team learning
Finally, code review is also useful as an incredible educational tool, as it enables engineers at various levels of expertise to be strategically paired with the senior developers best equipped to teach them the most.
While detractors of code review will usually tend to focus on the so-called “time-wasting” aspect of the practice, this certainly pales in comparison to the time it would take to address these issues further along the road. Still, traditional code review does admittedly present a few noteworthy flaws:
1. No tool for code launching and debugging
Although many tools to streamline code reviews exist, this is only with the notable exception of code launch and debugging tools. As a result, reviewers are barred from thoroughly investigating exactly how the code was intended to behave, as they are forced to contend with a script alone.
2. Disproportionate attention to style
In many organisations today, rather than focusing on the optimal way to deliver functionality, an inordinate amount of attention is given to coding style. This approach to development is inherently self-centred, as it ignores the needs of the customer while simultaneously making it easier for developers to sort through code. Conversely, automated tools known as linters may be used to make this task as quick and economical as it really should be.
3. Haphazard levels of expertise
Lastly — and perhaps the greatest disadvantage of code review — is the fact that reviewers are forced to inspectcode that will naturally stem from various levels of expertise. Understandably, this is often a source of brewing conflict and tension. It would be, for example, significantly harder to accept instruction that originated from someone considered a peer than if the tiresome advice had been given by a much more obvious superior.
While code review should undeniably serve to solve an onslaught of quality-related issues, there is also some indisputable, much-needed room for improvement.
Thankfully, however, Software Planet have discovered that a powerful XP technique can carry just enough double-punch to strike the drawbacks of the practice dead. We are talking, of course, about the incomparable Pair Programming.
An offshoot of code review, in this Agile technique, two developers work alongside one another, at the same computer. While one programmer, commonly known as “the Driver,” writes the code, the other, called “the Navigator,” directs the Driver every step of the way.
In this fashion, pair programming is essentially code review on-the-fly. Not only will the Navigator be inclined to make the soundest technical decisions and thus steer the project’s architectural design, but any questionable code potentially developed by the Driver will never be permitted to see the light of day.
Instead, the Navigator will be with him at all times, reminding him to take heed of important tasks, such as writing unit tests and conforming to established standards.
That is not to say, however, that both developers will always be bound together. In most cases, 30-60 minutes of daily pair work should suffice to afford engineers the foundation they need to go it alone for the rest of the day. At the same time, depending on the features being worked on, pairs may also be switched up with relative frequency.
The end result, unsurprisingly, is that all developers are fully confident in the quality of their code. In fact, even when changes are required, these too may be dealt with considerably easier than before, as more than one developer will now be familiar with the source code.
As they say, reality bites. But while Agile development indeed turns out to be a lot more than just writing functioning code, through the changing power of code review, we are able to infuse our day-to-day activities with all that additional, indispensable work.
What’s more, by combining the minds of two brilliant professionals, SPG allow you to make the very most of code review — saving time, reducing costs and culminating in outstanding software.
Demo Meetings: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread
How You Guarantee the Success of Our Projects
Software Metrics: How We Promote Transparency
Tuning into the Bigger Picture
Seeking the Best Development Process? The Key Is Evolution
Tags: Agile, Our Process, Management, Source Code
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Ranthambore: The Best of Tigers, Heritage & Wildlife
Posted by untravel | | India, Offbeat, Wildlife
Fancy watching a Royal Bengal tiger in its natural habitat? The Ranthambhore National Park, located in the Sawai Madhopur district of eastern Rajasthan (130 km from Jaipur), is the place to be. Once the famous hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur, today Ranthambhore National Park attracts wildlife enthusiasts, patient photographers and curious tourists from across the globe.
Did you know that the most photographed tigress in the world – Machali, also known as ‘Lady of the Lake’ – was a resident of Ranthambhore National Park? Last August, the royal tigress passed away at the age of 20, making her the world’s oldest-surviving tigress in the wild. She has left behind a rich legacy and ambitious progeny.
Thanks to its perfect location at the confluence of the Aravalis and Vindhyan hill ranges, the 282-sq-km Ranthambhore National Park (part of the 1334-sq-km Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve) is home to more than 85 species of mammals and reptiles as well as 600 species of birds and plants.
Although Ranthambore became a national park in 1980, it was only in 1991 that the tiger reserve was enlarged to include the Sawai Man Singh and Keladevi sanctuaries. Apart from the rich wildlife, Ranthambore is also counted among the famous heritage sites of India, courtesy the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort and striking ruins that dot the dry deciduous forest.
Here’s a sneak peek at what’s on offer at the world-famous Ranthambhore National Park:
Tiger sitting in a chattri of Ranthambore Palace
If you don’t spot a tiger in Ranthambore over a couple of safaris, consider yourself unlucky. Because tiger sightings are extremely common at the national park. From watching the Royal Bengal Tiger chasing its hapless prey to playing with its little ones, visitors are often overwhelmed by their close encounters in the wild. Also, these majestic tigers seem to love posing for photographs!
Chinkara
Hanuman Langur
Don’t be fixated only on the tigers though. There are many other beauties to behold – from mammals, like the Nilgai, Striped Hyenas, Jackals, Hanuman Langur, Chinkara, Wild Boar, Indian Flying Fox, Sloth Bear and Jungle Cat to reptiles, such as, the Snub-Nosed March Crocodiles, Monitor Lizard, Indian Chameleon, Ganges Soft-Shell Turtle, and snakes like the Cobra, Common Krait, and Indian Python.
Did we mention the elusive Indian Wolf?
Indian Flying Fox
Indian Python
If you are on a safari during the early hours of the day or just before sunset, Padam Talao, the largest lake inside the park, is a great place to spot tigers and chinkaras. Similarly, the Bakaula region is an ideal location to watch gorgeous tigresses bond with young cubs.
Padam Talao
Different zones in the park are known to attract different inhabitants. Panthers, for instance, like to stay at the outskirts of the park, away from the tigers. So, the Kachida Valley is the best place to find Panthers. Likewise, Sloth Bears seem to prefer the Lakarda Anantpura zone, located in the north-western and northern regions of the park. For a dekko at the Sambhar Deer, head towards the Rajbagh Talao.
Come winters, and huge flocks of migratory birds head towards Ranthambore in search of a sustainable habitat. Thanks to its varied terrain and abundance of water bodies, Ranthambore National Park has a population of over 300 species of resident birds. From woodpeckers, Indian Gray Hornbills, Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Parakeets, Asian Palm Swift, Owl, and Nightjars, to Crakes, Snipes, Sandpipers, Gulls, Terns, Great Crested Grebe, Darters, Cormorants, Egrets, Herons, Bitterns, and more…the list of birds that dot the Ranthambore National Park skies are rather impressive!
Common Kingfisher
Great Crested Grebe
You don’t have to be a birdwatcher to fall in love with the avian inhabitants of the famous park. For some truly memorable finds, spend time at the Malik Talao, RajbaghTalao, Padam Talao and Jhalra area. Not to forget the ancient Ranthambore Fort, which stands atop a hill, majestically overlooking the entire park. Bird photographers are known to enjoy long walks on the outskirts of the park – armed with their cameras, of course!
Ranthambore is blessed with some of the best fauna
Did you know that Ranthambore National Park houses the country’s oldest Banyan trees?Watching the serene lakes at Ranthambore, surrounded by munificent Banyan trees, is a sight like no other!
The flora here spans a wide variety of over 300 species, of which Dhakdominates the tree cover, due to its ability to survive even in drought-prone areas. What’s more, the Dhak, also known as the ‘flame of the forest’, brightens up its arid surroundings with gorgeous flowers in orange and red hues.
Dhak Trees Look Aflame due to the color of their flowers
The other species of trees found in Ranthambore include Imli, Babul, Khajur, Neem, Kakera, Jamun, Kadam, Khair, Mohua, Karel, and Khejda, to name some. There’s definitely an effortless charm to this wildlife haven that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Safaris in Ranthambore are one the best
Gypsys or canters, which is the better choice for safaris at Ranthambore National Park? Typically, gypsys are less noisy – and more expensive; preferred by smaller groups of (up to six) visitors, especially photographers and birders. Canters, on the other hand, are ideal for larger groups of (up to 20) visitors. However, at the end of the day, both modes of transport follow the same path!
While mornings are believed to be better for sightings during summer (March-June), evenings are ideal for the winter (November-February). Depending on the season, remember to carry suitable clothes: Loose cotton clothing and a wide-brimmed hat for the summer; jackets, gloves and mufflers for the winter.
There are safaris in the morning as well as in the evening, with slight variations in timings through the year.
Month Morning safari Evening safari
1Oct – 31Oct 07:00 – 10:30 02:30 – 06:00
1 Nov – 31 Jan 07:00 – 10:30 02:00 – 05:30
1 Feb – 31 March 06:30 – 10:00 02:30 – 06:00
1 April – 15 May 06:00 – 09:30 03:00 – 06:30
15 May – 30 June 06:00 – 09:30 03:30 – 07:00
Ranthambore National park remains closed during monsoon (July-September) as it’s the breeding season.
The best chances of tiger sightings are in the summer season (March-June), albeit temperatures are known to soar up to 45 degrees Centigrade during the day.
For bird watching, the winters (November-February) are ideal, as various migratory birds visit the park during that time of the year.
How to reach there
The nearest airport to Ranthambore National Park is Sanganer Airport in Jaipur (180 km).
The nearest railway station to Ranthambore National Park is Sawai Madhopur Railway Station (10 km).
By road, Ranthambore is well-connected – through state bus service as well as private buses and taxis – with cities like Jaipur, Udaipur (388 km), Delhi (380 km), Agra (239 km), Jodhpur (440 km) and Ahmedabad (640 km).
India, Offbeat, Ranthambore, wildlife
Kanha Whiskers – Tigers at its Centre
The Wild Side of Bandhavgarh
Corbett – Nature, Wildlife, Adventure – Something For Everyone
Why Uttarakhand is not only about Adventure
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Home » Blogs » Going on the Ride of Your Life » The Psychological Antidote to ISIS – Part I
Going on the Ride of Your Life
The Psychological Antidote to ISIS – Part I
By Ran Zilca
The atrocities we see in the news in past months raise fundamental questions about human nature. We would like to think that humans are superior to other species. When we encounter brutal acts of violence, we say that the ones who conduct them are “animals”. Yet while animals will hunt for food or defend their home, they will otherwise strive to remain peaceful. Well-fed lions rarely attack, and cobras dance to the flute of the snake-charmer, as long as he keeps a safe distance. It is, in fact, uniquely human to go fiercely against one’s own species, to engage in violence for its own sake, and to plan murder on a massive scale. Can we humans look at ourselves in the mirror today and confidently like what we see? If aliens are watching us from faraway galaxies, how would they describe us today? Are we the predators at the top of the food chain, or perhaps a virus infecting the planet, as Agent Smith in the film The Matrix suggested?
The one thing that sets us apart from other animals is our capabilities; our intelligence, the tools we build, the way we master our environment, and above all the way we communicate and interact with each another. And capabilities open up choices. As technology advances and we become more capable than ever, the question for our generation is what we choose to do with it. Arguably, we are at a pivotal moment in the history of the human race, required to define our identity as a species for the first time. We can go down in history as the noble, benevolent leaders of the planet, or as mass murderers. It is simply a matter of choice.
The seemingly casual way in which groups like ISIS engage in horrifying acts of cruelty and murder makes it tempting to dismiss them as nonhuman, but of course, they are human. Many of them have parents waiting at home, sometimes siblings, and they probably experience a sense of friendship and camaraderie among themselves. Perhaps in some ways they are kind to one another. There is no doubt that organizations like ISIS should be eradicated. But it is also important to understand the process that leads a group of individuals to go and do what these people do. If we understood the early-stage mechanism that eventually results in the creation of this phenomenon, we would have the ultimate antidote, and perhaps even a vaccine to prevent it. An antidote that we will then use not just to stop barbaric acts of murder and genocide, but also to define our identity as a species.
Research psychologist Phil Zimbardo, best known for the Stanford Prison Experiment, studied a phenomenon called dehumanization, where the enemy is depicted as nonhuman and is demonized so it will not be spared and more easily attacked. When he and I met during Ride of Your Life, Zimbardo described dehumanization in the following way:
“Dehumanization is the central process of all prejudice and discrimination. You take an individual and you treat him or her as part of a category (based on religion, race, origin, etc.) and then all of the stereotypes of the category are dumped on that individual. It’s a filter that prevents me from knowing the real you, it prevents me from humanizing you… In 1994, the Hutu government in Rwanda goes on the radio and says, “Your neighbors the Tutsi, whom you’ve lived with for decades, are nothing more than cockroaches. Imagine that your house is flooded with cockroaches — what do you do? We’re going to have to kill them. So we’re going to give every man a machete and every woman a club; your job is to get rid of the cockroaches.” …And in 100 days, they killed 800,000 Tutsis. The weapons of mass destruction: a machete and a club. And once the killing started, it became more and more cruel. It was rape; it was beheadings.”
The process of dehumanization is the heart of the mindset that results in the type of violence that organizations like ISIS exhibit. The antidote to it, is the opposite process, called humanization. In Zimbardo’s words: “To humanize somebody is to give them an identity. It’s to see what about you is like me.”
In other words, when we recognize the similarities between us, we naturally adopt a new lens through which to see the world. A lens that is made of the compassion, empathy, and kindness of well-fed lions. A lens that views each person first as a person, and not as the religion, country, or ethnicity he or she represents. We clearly must address violence firmly where it already exists, but the more strategic task of our society is to reach out to the places where violence is only starting to brew, and to nip it in the bud by being compassionate and open-hearted to the ones who start to see us as nonhuman. To respond to verbal statements of hatred or to initial expressions of dehumanization with love and with generosity to prove it wrong. If we do this as society, we will neutralize the process that creates our future enemies, and eventually become a global human society that can be proud to look at itself in the mirror.
I realize that to some, this approach may seem naïve, unrealistic, or impractical. In the next part of this post I will present a statistical model that we can use to explain the process of humanization, how it works, and how each of us fit within it.
Ran Zilca
Ran Zilca is a research scientist, author, entrepreneur, and coach. In 2006 Ran founded a company called Signal Patterns (acquired by bLife, Inc) that pioneered the new field of Transformative Technology and the debut of mobile behavioral interventions, working with leading scientists and partners like Sonja Lyubomirsky, Phil Zimbardo, Stephen Covey, and Deepak Chopra. Earlier in his career, before his involvement in psychology and transformation, Ran had lead various R&D projects with organizations like IBM Research and the Israeli military, focused on algorithmic research and data science. Ran has published published numerous scientific papers and patents. He is a senior member (elected) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and a member of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Ran believes that you can turn your life around by following a set of scientifically-validated daily exercises. He developed such a process together with partners in the research community, and followed it in his personal life. The result was a 6,000 miles solo motorcycle ride, a new book, the sale of his company, and a move to a different continent.
One comment:
Zilca, R. (2015). The Psychological Antidote to ISIS – Part I. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 19, 2020, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/ride-life/2015/02/the-antidote-to-isis-part-i/
Ann: I disagree. I agree that it’s insulting to animals to say that Isis is like animals, but it is untrue to...
kent norton neuro coach: Ants find foid by random wandering the human mind is full of chattering monkeys that...
Sick of you all not understanding: Wouldn’t you retaliate to violence to save your life?
Ryan @ RoadAlert: Thanks for bringing this ongoing issue to the forefront with your article, Ran. The RoadAlert™ app...
Sally g: You are correct. Evidence is hanging up from just a phone conversation and realizing you’ve driven...
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University Archives Holdings Dads & Mothers Association Dads Association Subject File
Subject File, 1922-26, 1934, 1948-2013 | University of Illinois Archives
Title: Subject File, 1922-26, 1934, 1948-2013
Series Number: 30/1/1
Acquired: 12/11/1975; 1/29/1985; 2/7/1994; 5/24/2004; 10/31/2012; 2/2013
Chronological then alphabetical
Dads' Association
The University of Illinois Dad's Association was organized on November 4, 1922.1 It was formed for the purpose of furthering the interests of the University of Illinois and cooperating with the students and faculty.2 The organization includes an elected board of directors, an annually elected advisory committee composed of the county chairmen, a treasurer, and an executive director who is a member of the University administrative staff, assigned to the Office of Campus Programs and Services.3 It is an associated agency, which is an independent, non-profit corporation with formal University ties.4 Membership is open to fathers and guardians of students attending the University, residing in Illinois.5 There is a monthly newsletter, Dads Illini, mailed to each member from October through June.6 The association supports programs, among which is an emergency loan program for undergraduate students.7
1. Dads' Day Program, 1925, p. 10.
2. Constitution and By-laws of the Dads' Association.
3. Organization and Government (mimeographed sheet).
6. University of Illinois Dads Association (pamphlet).
Dad's Association
Dad's Day
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard 1-9
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard 10-11
Description: Dads Association Subject File (1948-2013) contains correspondence of Executive Secretary E. E. Stafford and county chairmen, members and Association Presidents Willard Woll (1950-51), Townsend Blanchard (1951-52), L. W. Hinkle (1952-53), Samuel Shkolnik (1953-54), J. Glenn McFarland (1954-55), Robert F. White (1955-56), Harold Taylor (1956-57), Herman D. Koeller (1957-58), Joesph F. Bartulis (1958-59), Otto E. Brunkow (1959-60) and Lyle E. Snyder (1960-61). It includes lists and financial reports of membership, memos, agendas and minutes of the Executive Committee, county chairmen and the Annual Meetings, treasurers' reports, Mothers' Association correspondence, invitations to new dads and Dads Day programs and activities (1922-2002). Special activities include Parent-Student Summer meetings (1952-61) held throughout the state for prospective students and the production of a movie on student life. See Record Series 30/2/5 for joint files of Mothers/Dads Association (1980-2003).
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Tag Archives: Daily Beast
Governors Are Doing All Kinds Of Things Out There
James L. Rosica at Miami Herald:
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet have ended the automatic restoration of voting and other civil rights to nonviolent felons once their sentences are up.
Sitting as the Board of Executive Clemency, they voted 4-0 on Wednesday to change the panel’s rules and require at least a five-year waiting period before ex-convicts can apply to get their rights back.
“If you’re convicted … you lost those rights,” Scott said at a news conference later in the day. “There ought to be a process to get those rights back.”
Law enforcement officials and state prosecutors favored the change, saying people who have broken the law need a waiting period to prove themselves.
Civil rights advocates called the new rule a step backward, tantamount to double punishment.
The change is effective immediately and potentially affects anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 felons, experts said.
Miami Herald editorial:
Now felons will have to wait five years after completing a sentence to apply for rights restoration. This will return Florida to the Jim Crow era, when such hurdles were created to prevent blacks from voting.
Make no mistake: This proposal has racial and partisan implications.
A disproportionate number of Florida’s felons are African American, and in this state, blacks overwhelmingly vote Democratic. The Cabinet has further alienated black voters by adopting these more-stringent restoration rules. What purpose does that serve the state or the Republican Party?
In the last decade, more than 20 states have eased the restoration process for people convicted of crimes. Florida should remain in this group of enlightened states. Instead it has gone back a century. It now has joined only two other states — Kentucky and Virginia — in requiring waiting periods and hearings before felons can get their rights restored.
If anything, the Cabinet should have considered more streamlining measures for clemency. The Florida Parole Commission investigates clemency applications, and it has always struggled with huge backlogs. For a time the Corrections Department even loaned some staffers to tackle the backlog.
Clemency application reviews still move at a snail’s pace, delaying justice for felons who have paid their debt to society. The Commission recently told the Legislature that it has a growing backlog of more than 100,000 cases.
Making felons who have served their time wait years to regain their rights has nothing to do with being tough on crime. By embracing this regressive proposal, the governor and Cabinet have sent Florida back to a shameful time of blatant racial prejudice.
Mansfield Frazier at The Daily Beast:
Cleveland State University Urban Studies Associate Professor Ronnie Dunn has written extensively on how, since the advent of the Jim Crow era, unfair laws have been enacted— particularly in Southern states—to deny blacks the right to vote. Writing in a soon-to-be-released handbook on prisoner reentry, he describes how poll taxes, literacy tests, and property ownership were devices routinely used to suppress the black vote and unfairly affect election outcomes.
Florida now joins two other states, Kentucky and Virginia, in having the most severe restrictions on former felons voting and other rights, such as serving on juries and holding certain professional licenses. Five black Florida lawmakers joined a chorus of civil-rights advocates in objecting to the rule changes, saying no evidence existed that the abandoned process, which was approved by former Gov. Charlie Crist and the former cabinet in 2007, was not working.
“It’s really not about what’s right or fair,” said Ken Lumpkin, an attorney and political activist in Cleveland. “This is about stealing elections and hurting an individual’s chances of starting over after prison. If felons had had the franchise in Florida back in 2000, over a million more people would have been eligible to vote, and the election would not have been close enough for the Supreme Court to give it to Bush. What this new governor is doing is rolling back the clock on minority rights. And with Republican governors and legislative majorities in states like Ohio and Wisconsin, no one should be surprised if they try to change the rules in those states also. If that happens, a Democratic candidate for president won’t stand a chance.”
Indeed, incoming Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, among other changes, wants to stop county boards of elections from mailing unsolicited absentee ballots to voters and limit the window of time they have to cast them. Democrats, however, charge that Husted’s proposals are designed to discourage voting, especially in big urban counties.
Ohio State Rep. Michael Stinziano (D-Columbus), the former director of the Franklin County Board of Elections, said it would be “bad public policy” to prevent county boards from soliciting and paying postage for absentee ballots. The service, he said, alleviated long lines at polling places (such as those that marred the county’s 2004 presidential election) that caused some elderly voters to walk away without voting.
Back in Florida, state NAACP Vice Chairman Dale Landry said that individuals who have completed their sentences have paid their debt to society in full and should be allowed to vote. “Why do we come back and impose a further penalty?” he asked. “What we’re saying is that… the state wants to impose further sentencing, an additional penalty. That’s exactly what was done here.”
Greta Van Susteren at Fox News on the Daily Beast story above:
This posting is about the HEADLINE (not whether you agree or disagree with the underlying law. People can differ on whether the law is a good one or not, appropriate or not.)
Headlines are to grab attention — but there is a point when they are simply irresponsible and trying to stir up hate and problems. I think the headline below “FLORIDA’S RACIST NEW LAW” is exactly that – irresponsible and trying to stir up problems and hate. The headline DID catch my attention since for many, many, many years prior to TV, I represented a lot of poor African Americans and often in issues involving civil rights.
Upon reading the explosive (I think it explosive) headline, I wanted to know more about “FLORIDA’S RACIST NEW LAW” — and so I read the article. I bet many just read the article and stop there — thus left with the impression that Florida is racist (or those who support the law are.) In actually reading the article, I see that the author writes “[b]ut whether the move was simply tough-on-crime posturing or something more nefarious remains an open question.
You have to dig deep into the article for the “open question” while the RACISM was in bigger, bolder letters in the headline. So what was a PRONOUNCEMENT of FACT in the headline of RACISM (and sure to cause many people to be deeply disturbed) now remains “AN OPEN QUESTION” as to whether the law was a “tough on crime posturing or something more nefarious” (eg racism.) There is a big difference between being “tough on crime” and being a racist.
Roger Clegg at The Corner:
Florida governor Rick Scott and his cabinet have ended the policy of his predecessor, Charlie Crist, of automatically reenfranchising felons upon their release from prison. The ACLU et al. are outraged, but it’s the right decision: Those who have demonstrated that they won’t follow the law shouldn’t be allowed automatically to make the law for everyone else; rather, they should have that right reinstated only after they’ve shown that they have indeed turned over a new leaf, as I’ve discussed on NRO many times — for example, here. Kudos to Governor Scott.
Given the scale of the injustices and barbarism that characterise large parts of the criminal justice system in many, perhaps even most, American states denying former felons the right to vote once they have been returned to society may seem a minor concern. Nevertheless it is a telling one and something that should shame those states that still bar ex-cons from voting.I’d have thought it an obvious principle of natural justice that we take the view that once released a prisoner should be considered a free man or woman. True, there are certain limited caveats to this (sex offender registries being the most glaring) and some jobs may reasonably (or reasonably in many cases) be considered unsuitable for former felons but none of that has any bearing on the question of whether released prisoners should be permitted to vote.
Clegg links to a piece he wrote elaborating upon this view that ex-cons shouldn’t be permitted one of the most fundamental rights we have to grant. But this is all he has to say:
It is frequently asserted that felons released from prison should be able to vote because they have “paid their debt to society.” But the felon-vote movement will, if pressed, admit that they think felons in prison should be allowed to vote, too. And society is not obliged to ignore someone’s criminal record just because he has been released from prison. Felons are barred by federal law from possessing firearms, for example.
Is that it? Apparently so. Ex-cons can’t be permitted to vote because that’s the slippery slope to letting serving inmates vote too. Colour me unpersuaded. This argument, however, leads one to wonder whether it is in fact possible for felons to “pay their debt to society”? And if they have not done so – as the denial of voting rights suggests they must not have done – then why are they being released in the first place? That, at any rate, would seem to be the logic of this matter. It’s a grim and pitiless worldview.Of course there’s the possibility that other motives are at play, namely that for a number of reasons ex-cons may be more likely to vote Democratic than Republican. But let us put that unworthy thought to one side and simply note that denying ex-felons the franchise is a further punishment that’s above and beyond and entirely unrelated to the crimes which led to their incarceration. I’m amazed, actually, that it’s Constitutional to do so.
No, it’s just one more example of a criminal justice system that, alas, should shame the United States. This is not a question of liberalism or conservatism but of decency. There are many things the Americans do better than us but thank god we don’t have their criminal justice or prison systems.
Incidentally, anyone with any interest in these matters should follow Radley Balko’s work. (And actually the New York Times should have given him an op-ed column years ago.)
Tagged as Alex Massie, Crime, Daily Beast, Fox News, Greta Van Susteren, James L. Rosica, Mansfield Frazier, Miami Herald, National Review, Roger Clegg, The Constitution
March 1, 2011 · 12:07 pm
View From Your New Daily Beast
The Dish is moving! In April, we’ll be joining The Daily Beast.
For me, it’s a strange mixture of excitement and sadness. Sadness because the Atlantic has been a very special home for me and all the interns and staffers who have worked at the Dish. The more than four years that I’ve worked here have been the most rewarding, exhilarating and challenging of my career. I cherish my colleagues, their support and debate, and will miss them deeply. But be assured, I’ll continue to link, debate and argue with the team here, and remain immensely grateful to editor James Bennet and chairman David Bradley for their never-faltering faith in what we’ve tried to do. The Dish is almost unrecognizable from what it was four years ago – and that experimentation, growth and creativity were all made possible by the Atlantic. I also have a profound attachment to the magazine’s history and legacy and integrity, which makes leaving hard. But I am very proud to have played a part in the Atlantic’s self-reinvention in this period and its first profitable year in memory. To have played any part in perpetuating this legacy in an environment that has been as tough on magazines as any in memory is an honor I will cherish to the end of my days.
But there are some opportunities you just can’t let pass by. The chance to be part of a whole new experiment in online and print journalism, in the Daily Beast and Newsweek adventure, is just too fascinating and exciting a challenge to pass up. And to work with media legends, Barry Diller and Tina Brown, and with the extraordinary businessmen Sidney Harman and Stephen Colvin, is the opportunity of a lifetime. Barry was the person who first introduced me to the Internet in the early 1990s, and we have remained friends ever since. Tina Brown needs no introduction, but to see her in action as we have discussed this new adventure over the past few weeks has been quite a revelation. The Daily Beast, in a mere two years, has made its mark on the web, with 6 million unique visitors last month, and an eight-fold jump in ad revenue over the last year. It will give the Dish a whole new audience and potential for growth and innovation. I’ll also be contributing columns and essays to Newsweek.
We remain committed to the same principles from the very beginning: in no-one’s ideological grip, in search of the truth through data and open, honest debate, in love with the new media’s variety and immediacy, committed to accountability and empiricism and resistant to any single category of subject or form. I have no idea where we’ll end up or what the future will bring. But that’s been true for a decade. What I do know is that the Dish is immensely lucky to have this new home, a new challenge, and these new partners.
Tina Brown at The Daily Beast:
I am thrilled to share the news that Andrew Sullivan is bringing his trailblazing journalism to The Daily Beast. Andrew almost single-handedly defined the political blog and has been refining it as a form of journalism in real time nearly every day for the past decade.
When he started his outpost on the Web in 2000, long before political blogging became fashionable, he outdid even his über-productive Fleet Street precursors. Andrew wrote constantly, and obsessively, about everything from politics to his pet beagles. The Daily Dish, as he called it, became the place that took on the big moral questions of the day. Andrew raged (rightly) against the Bush administration’s conduct of the Iraq War and the awful spectacle of torture. Lately, he has taken up arms against Obama’s budget proposal, proving that he plays no favorites. This fearlessness and doggedness makes him a natural soul mate of The Daily Beast. Scrolling down Andrew’s blog helps to give orientation in the world, to get the smartest possible fix on the news at any given moment. A rarity, he is willing to admit mistakes and change positions (sometimes radically) in the face of new evidence. Little wonder he has built one of the most devoted followings on the Web, with 1.2 million unique visitors a month, 82 percent of them bookmarked.
I have long thought TDB built an attractive-looking web site, but I have not followed the company per se, nor have I read the new Newsweek, nor do I have a good sense of what Tina Brown on the web might mean. Sullivan was the first blogger I ever read and of course he still is very influential within the blogging field. What do you all think of this move? And is the market for blog acquisitions heating up again?
Alex Alvarez at Mediaite:
Sullivan joins Howard Kurtz as a high-profile name to be lured by the Daily Beast / Newsweek team, despite ongoing concerns by some in the media over whether the merger will bring in views or truly be successful in breathing new life into the struggling Newsweek brand.
Amid concerns over a certain other newly-merged blog’s left-wing bias, Brown writes in a Daily Beast post that Sullivan “plays no favorites” and is “willing to admit mistakes and change positions.”
Driftglass:
I never begrudge another writer making a living, so congratulations to Mr. Sullivan on movin’ on up to the East Side. Also too I have no beef with about 80% of what he writes about, and am in accord with quite a bit of it.
…so long as Mr. Sullivan continues to traffic in the kind of perniciously self-absolving, self-serving revisionist and false-equivalency claptrap that he and so many of his fellow Conservative Expatriates so shamelessly flog in order to hang onto their gigs as Serious Public Persons, I will continue to whang away at the mendacity-based pieces of their infrastructure with a tiny, rubber hammer.
Meanwhile, if The Atlantic is looking to fill the newly-created hole in its batting order, perhaps instead of the Usual Suspects, they might consider one of Mr. Sullivan’s fellow Weblog Award winners.
Hehehe 🙂
Sometimes I just crack myself right up.
This is big news because Sullivan is a big name but, really, it’s meaningless to everyone not being paid from the fruits of his labor. While the prestige outlets of the halcyon days of the last millennium still hold some cachet for those of us old enough to remember that era, they mean next to nothing on the Web. Most visitors come in from search engines, social media, and other content aggregators. The URL at which something is hosted is of little consequence, since most readers have little to no awareness of which site they’re on — or even whether it’s a blog or a more traditional outlet.
Indeed, Sullivan’s own career is testament to that.
From the standpoint of 1990, his career has been in a nosedive: from editor of the storied New Republic to a freelancer bogging on his own domain to blogging for Time, The Atlantic, and now some online startup that didn’t exist when Don Rumsfeld was Secretary of Defense. But, in reality, it has been onward and upward, with his fame, fortune, and influence growing along the way.
Indeed, the The Atlantic was mostly an ad network for Sullivan, whose blog accounted for something like a quarter of all their website traffic. The Beast will serve the same function, but I’m guessing they’ll be better at it, since they lack the overhead of a magazine and exist solely as a Web operation.
Andrew Sullivan, Trig Truther without peer, goes to the Daily Beast. Among the questions this raises: Who gets custody of all the ghost bloggers?
Filed under New Media
Tagged as Alex Alvarez, Andrew Sullivan, Bryan Preston, Daily Beast, Driftglass, James Joyner, Mediaite, New Media, PJ Tatler, Tina Brown, Tyler Cowen
February 8, 2011 · 3:31 pm
Memoirs Happen, Writing Is Messy
Caitlin Dickson at The Atlantic with the round-up:
Donald Rumsfeld’s memoir, “Known and Unknown,” isn’t set to be released until next week, but several news sites have obtained early copies. Previews of the book give insight into Rumsfeld’s negative opinion of several of his colleagues, his regrets or lack there of from his years as defense secretary, as well has personal struggles within his own family.
Thom Shanker and Charlie Savage at NYT:
Just 15 days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush invited his defense secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld, to meet with him alone in the Oval Office. According to Mr. Rumsfeld’s new memoir, the president leaned back in his leather chair and ordered a review and revision of war plans — but not for Afghanistan, where the Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington had been planned and where American retaliation was imminent.
“He asked that I take a look at the shape of our military plans on Iraq,” Mr. Rumsfeld writes.
“Two weeks after the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history, those of us in the Department of Defense were fully occupied,” Mr. Rumsfeld recalls. But the president insisted on new military plans for Iraq, Mr. Rumsfeld writes. “He wanted the options to be ‘creative.’ ”
When the option of attacking Iraq in post-9/11 military action was raised first during a Camp David meeting on Sept. 15, 2001, Mr. Bush said Afghanistan would be the target. But Mr. Rumsfeld’s recollection in the memoir, “Known and Unknown,” to be published Tuesday, shows that even then Mr. Bush was focused as well on Iraq. A copy was obtained Wednesday by The New York Times.
Bradley Graham at WaPo:
But Rumsfeld still can’t resist – in a memoir due out next week – taking a few pops at former secretaries of state Colin L. Powell and Condoleezza Rice as well as at some lawmakers and journalists. He goes so far as to depict former president George W. Bush as presiding over a national security process that was marked by incoherent decision-making and policy drift, most damagingly on the war in Iraq.
Much of Rumsfeld’s retrospective reinforces earlier accounts of a dysfunctional National Security Council riven by tensions between the Pentagon and State Department, which many critics outside and within the Bush administration have blamed on him. Speaking out for the first time since his departure from office four years ago, the former Pentagon leader offers a vigorous explanation of his own thoughts and actions and is making available on his Web site (www.rumsfeld.com) many previously classified or private documents.
Sounding characteristically tough and defiant in the 800-page autobiography “Known and Unknown,” Rumsfeld remains largely unapologetic about his overall handling of the Iraq conflict and concludes that the war has been worth the costs. Had the government of Saddam Hussein remained in power, he says, the Middle East would be “far more perilous than it is today.”
Addressing charges that he failed to provide enough troops for the war, he allows that, “In retrospect, there may have been times when more troops could have helped.” But he insists that if senior military officers had reservations about the size of the invading force, they never informed him. And as the conflict wore on, he says, U.S. commanders, even when pressed repeatedly for their views, did not ask him for more troops or disagree with the strategy.
Much of his explanation of what went wrong in the crucial first year of the occupation of Iraq stems from a prewar failure to decide how to manage the postwar political transition. Two differing approaches were debated in the run-up to the war: a Pentagon view that power should be handed over quickly to an interim Iraqi authority containing a number of Iraqi exiles, and a State Department view favoring a slower transition that would allow new leaders to emerge from within the country.
Shortly after the Abu Ghraib scandal broke in 2004, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld offered President George W. Bush his resignation. Bush refused. Five days later, just so there was no confusion, Rumsfeld offered again, and once again, Bush refused. It was another two and a half years until Rumsfeld was finally canned. But in his upcoming 800-page memoir, Known and Unknown, Rumsfeld writes that he really wishes Bush had just let him go earlier.
Howard Kurtz at Daily Beast:
One of the few personal anecdotes in the 815-page volume takes place more than 12 hours after hijacked planes struck not only the World Trade Center but the Pentagon, filling his office with heavy smoke and forcing him to evacuate with other employees, some of them wounded. His spokeswoman, Torie Clarke, asked if he had called his wife of 47 years, Joyce. Rumsfeld replied that he had not.
“You son of a bitch,” Clarke said with a hard stare.
“She had a point,” Rumsfeld writes.
Matt Lewis:
But so far, the most interesting response has come from Senator John McCain.
As George Stephanopolous reported,
“I respect Secretary Rumsfeld. He and I had a very, very strong difference of opinion about the strategy that he was employing in Iraq which I predicted was doomed to failure,” the Arizona Republican said on “GMA.”
McCain and Rumsfeld had clashed over troop levels.
“And thank God he was relieved of his duties and we put the surge in otherwise we would have had a disastrous defeat in Iraq,” McCain told me.
Jen Dimascio and Jennifer Epstein at Politico
Alex Pareene at Salon:
Rumsfeld is also going to release a website full of “primary documents” that he thinks will prove his point. It will be like the WikiLeaks, only instead of pulling back the curtain and exposing American diplomatic and military secrets, they will probably just be a bunch of memos about how much Rumsfeld was “concerned” about the security situation in post-invasion Baghdad. Also I bet there will be a document that says “I promise Donald Rumsfeld had no idea that we were torturing and killing prisoners, signed, everyone at Abu Ghraib.”
Speaking of! Rumsfeld says Bill Clinton called him once and said: “No one with an ounce of sense thinks you had any way in the world to know about the abuse taking place that night in Iraq.” Yes, well, the people with ounces of sense are completely wrong.
Rumsfeld also apparently devotes a lot of space to rewaging various long-forgotten bureaucratic disputes. There is something about George H. W. Bush, whom he clearly hates. Rumsfeld also wants everyone to know that former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller was “bullying” and an “imperial vice president,” which is hilarious for many reasons, including Rumsfeld’s closeness to Dick Cheney and the fact that as Gerald Ford’s chief of staff, Rumsfeld basically blocked Rockefeller from doing anything.
Now let’s enjoy the attempted rehabilitation of Rumsfeld in the press, where his awfulness has probably been entirely forgotten.
Rummy says Defense was preparing for offense on Afghanistan at the time, but Bush asked him to be “creative.” Creative! Perhaps the military could stage a production of Grease for the people of Iraq before taking a bow and dropping a bomb on them?
The book mixes the policy and the personal; at the end of the same Oval Office session in which Mr. Bush asked for an Iraq war plan, Mr. Rumsfeld recounts, the president asked about Mr. Rumsfeld’s son, Nick, who struggled with drug addiction, had relapsed and just days before had entered a rehabilitation center. The president, who has written of his own battles to overcome a drinking problem, said that he was praying for Mr. Rumsfeld, his wife, Joyce, and all their children.
“What had happened to Nick — coupled with the wounds to our country and the Pentagon — all started to hit me,” Mr. Rumsfeld writes. “At that moment, I couldn’t speak. And I was unable to hold back the emotions that until then I had shared only with Joyce.”
Ah, there you have it. Rumsfeld could have said, “What the fuck are you talking about going to war with Iraq for? Our country was just attacked by a foreign terrorist organization we need to go try to destroy. Iraq has nothing to do with this. Aren’t you more concerned with winning this war we haven’t even begun yet?” But instead, his son had done some drugs. Sure thing, Rumsfeld. Perfectly good excuse. You should drop some leaflets on the families of people, American and Iraqi, whose children have died in that war. “Sorry, my son was doing drugs. I was emotional at the time. Not my fault.”
So here you have it: There’s finally someone to blame the entire Iraq War on: Nick Rumsfeld. HOPE YOU LIKED THOSE DRUGS, ASSHOLE!
Filed under Books, Political Figures
Tagged as Alex Pareene, Books, Bradley Graham, Caitlin Dickson, Charlie Savage, Daily Beast, Dan Amira, Howard Kurtz, Jen Dimascio, Jennifer Epstein, Matt Lewis, New York Magazine, New York Times, Political Figures, Politico, Salon, The Atlantic, Thom Shanker, Washington Post, Wonkette
Arianna Told Me To Write This Blog Post
Arianna Huffington at The Huffington Post:
I’ve used this space to make all sorts of important HuffPost announcements: new sections, new additions to the HuffPost team, new HuffPost features and new apps. But none of them can hold a candle to what we are announcing today.
When Kenny Lerer and I launched The Huffington Post on May 9, 2005, we would have been hard-pressed to imagine this moment. The Huffington Post has already been growing at a prodigious rate. But my New Year’s resolution for 2011 was to take HuffPost to the next level — not just incrementally, but exponentially. With the help of our CEO, Eric Hippeau, and our president and head of sales, Greg Coleman, we’d been able to make the site profitable. Now was the time to take leaps.
At the first meeting of our senior team this year, I laid out the five areas on which I wanted us to double down: major expansion of local sections; the launch of international Huffington Post sections (beginning with HuffPost Brazil); more emphasis on the growing importance of service and giving back in our lives; much more original video; and additional sections that would fill in some of the gaps in what we are offering our readers, including cars, music, games, and underserved minority communities.
Around the same time, I got an email from Tim Armstrong (AOL Chairman and CEO), saying he had something he wanted to discuss with me, and asking when we could meet. We arranged to have lunch at my home in LA later that week. The day before the lunch, Tim emailed and asked if it would be okay if he brought Artie Minson, AOL’s CFO, with him. I told him of course and asked if there was anything they didn’t eat. “I’ll eat anything but mushrooms,” he said.
The next day, he and Artie arrived, and, before the first course was served — with an energy and enthusiasm I’d soon come to know is his default operating position — Tim said he wanted to buy The Huffington Post and put all of AOL’s content under a newly formed Huffington Post Media Group, with me as its president and editor-in-chief.
I flashed back to November 10, 2010. That was the day that I heard Tim speak at the Quadrangle conference in New York. He was part of a panel on “Digital Darwinism,” along with Michael Eisner and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen.
At some point during the discussion, while Tim was talking about his plans for turning AOL around, he said that the challenge lay in the fact that AOL had off-the-charts brand awareness, and off-the-charts user trust and loyalty, but almost no brand identity. I was immediately struck by his clear-eyed assessment of his company’s strengths and weaknesses, and his willingness to be so up front about them.
As HuffPost grew, Kenny and I had both been obsessed with what professor Clayton Christensen has famously called “the innovator’s dilemma.” In his book of the same name, Christensen explains how even very successful companies, with very capable personnel, often fail because they tend to stick too closely to the strategies that made them successful in the first place, leaving them vulnerable to changing conditions and new realities. They miss major opportunities because they are unwilling to disrupt their own game.
After that November panel, Tim and I chatted briefly and arranged to see each other the next day. At that meeting, we talked not just about what our two companies were doing, but about the larger trends we saw happening online and in our world. I laid out my vision for the expansion of The Huffington Post, and he laid out his vision for AOL. We were practically finishing each other’s sentences.
Two months later, we were having lunch in LA and Tim was demonstrating that he got the Innovator’s Dilemma and was willing to disrupt the present to, if I may borrow a phrase, “win the future.” (I guess that makes this AOL’s — and HuffPost’s — Sputnik Moment!)
There were many more meetings, back-and-forth emails, and phone calls about what our merger would mean for the two companies. Things moved very quickly. A term sheet was produced, due diligence began, and on Super Bowl Sunday the deal was signed. In fact, it was actually signed at the Super Bowl, where Tim was hosting a group of wounded vets from the Screamin’ Eagles. It was my first Super Bowl — an incredibly exciting backdrop that mirrored my excitement about the merger and the future ahead.
Jack Shafer at Slate:
I underestimated Arianna Huffington when she launched her Huffington Post in May 2005. I didn’t trash the site the way Nikki Finke did, though. Finke called Huffington the “Madonna of the mediapolitic world [who] has undergone one reinvention too many,” and slammed her site as a “humongously pre-hyped celebrity blog” that represented the “sort of failure that is simply unsurvivable.” And those were among Finke’s nicer comments.
Instead of critiquing Huffington’s debut copy, I speculated as to whether she was up to the job of “impresario.” In the scale of things, my write-up is more embarrassing today, now that Huffington has sold the Post to AOL for $315 million, than is Finke’s pissy take. Huffington has proved herself a first-rate entrepreneur, incubator of talent, and media visionary.
My feeling, then, is that this deal is a good one for both sides. AOL gets something it desperately needs: a voice and a clear editorial vision. It’s smart, and bold, to put Arianna in charge of all AOL’s editorial content, since she is one of the precious few people who has managed to create a mass-market general-interest online publication which isn’t bland and which has an instantly identifiable personality. That’s a rare skill and one which AOL desperately needs to apply to its broad yet inchoate suite of websites.
As for HuffPo, it gets lots of money, great tech content from Engadget and TechCrunch, hugely valuable video-production abilities, a local infrastructure in Patch, lots of money, a public stock-market listing with which to make fill-in acquisitions and incentivize employees with options, a massive leg up in terms of reaching the older and more conservative Web 1.0 audience and did I mention the lots of money? Last year at SXSW I was talking about how ambitious New York entrepreneurs in the dot-com space have often done very well for themselves in the tech space, but have signally failed to engineer massive exits in the content space. With this sale, Jonah Peretti changes all that; his minority stake in HuffPo is probably worth more than the amount of money Jason Calacanis got when he sold Weblogs Inc to AOL.
And then, of course, there’s Arianna, who is now officially the Empress of the Internet with both power and her own self-made dynastic wealth. She’s already started raiding big names from mainstream media, like Howard Fineman and Tim O’Brien; expect that trend to accelerate now that she’s on a much firmer financial footing.
Paul Carr at TechCrunch:
We really have to stop being scooped by rivals on news affecting our own company.
Tonight, courtesy of a press release that our parent company sent to everyone but us, we learn that AOL has acquired the Huffington Post for $315 million. More interestingly, Arianna Huffington has been made Editor In Chief of all AOL content, including TechCrunch.
Now, no-one here has been more skeptical than me of AOL’s content strategy. I was reasonably scathing about that whole “tech town” bullshit and I was quick to opinion-smack Tim Armstrong in the face over his promise that “90% of AOL content will be SEO optimized” by March. Hell I’ve stood on stage – twice – on TC’s dime and described our overlords as “the place where start-ups come to die”.
And yet and yet, for once I find myself applauding Armstrong – and AOL as a whole – for pulling off a double whammy: a brilliant strategic acquisition at a logical price. As AOL’s resident inside-pissing-insider, I can’t tell you how frustrating that is. I can’t even bust out a Bebo joke.
An important note before I go on: I have no idea how any of this will affect TechCrunch. So far AOL has kept true to its promise not to interfere with our editorial and there’s no reason to suppose that will change under Huffington. That said, it would be idiotic to think that our parents’ content strategy – particularly the SEO stuff – won’t have annoying trickle-down consequences for all of us in the long term.
As I wrote the other week, I hate SEO. It’s bad for journalism as it disincentivises reporters from breaking new stories, and rewards them for rehashing existing ones. And it’s bad for everything else because, well, it’s garbage. But when discussing the SEO phenomenon privately, I’ve always cited the Huffington Post as the exception that proves the rule.
Arianna Huffington’s genius is to churn out enough SEO crap to bring in the traffic and then to use the resulting advertising revenue – and her personal influence – to employ top class reporters and commentators to drag the quality average back up. And somehow it works. In the past six months journostars like Howard Fineman, Timothy L. O’Brien and Peter Goodman have all been added to the HuffPo’s swelling masthead, and rather than watering down the site’s political voice, it has stayed true to its core beliefs. Such is the benefit of being bank-rolled by a rich liberal who doesn’t give a shit.
What difference does it make? AOL as a brand meant something to me in the 1990s, but not now. Who cares whether AOL retains a semblance of political neutrality? In any case, mainstream media always feels pretty liberal, so why would anyone really notice. Now, that quote is from the NYT, so… think about it. The NYT would like to be the big news site that looks neutral (but satisfies liberals). HuffPo is the raging competition, which needs to be put in its place.
Alexis Madrigal at the Atlantic
Erick Schonfeld at TechCrunch
Last night I saw a tweet saying that AOL was going to buy the Huffington Post for $31.5 million. Yowza, I thought. That’s a pretty rich valuation. Maybe 20x forward earnings? Who knows?
But no! AOL actually bought HuffPo for $315 million. I mentally put in a decimal place where there wasn’t one. I don’t even know what to think about this. It sounds completely crazy to me. The odds of this being a good deal for AOL stockholders seem astronomical.
Still, maybe I’m the one who’s crazy. After all, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to either HuffPo or AOL lately. I’m a huge skeptic of synergy arguments of all kinds, but maybe Arianna is right when she says that in this deal, 1+1=11
Peter Kafka at Media Memo:
So maybe AOL + HuffPo won’t equal 11. And maybe 10x Huffington Post’s reported 2010 revenue is a very pre-Lehman multiple. But the broad strokes here make sense to me:
AOL is pushing its workers very hard to make more content it can sell. HuffPo is a content-making machine:
Huffington Post still has the reputation as a left-leaning political site written by Arianna Huffington’s celebrity pals. In reality, it is most concerned with attracting eyeballs anyway it can. Sometimes it’s with well-regarded investigative journalism, and much more often it’s via very aggressive, very clever aggregation. And sometimes it’s by simply paying very, very close attention to what Google wants, which leads to stories like “What Time Does The Super Bowl Start?“
However they’ve done it, it’s worked–much more efficiently than AOL, which is headed in that direction as well. AOL reaches about 112 million people in the U.S. every month with a staff of 5,000. The Huffington Post, which employed about 200 people prior to the deal, gets to about 26 million.*
AOL can start selling this stuff immediately:
HuffPo reportedly generated around $30 million in revenue last year, but that was done using a relatively small staff that sales chief Greg Coleman had just started building. AOL’s much bigger sales group, which has just about finished its lengthy reorg, should be able to boost that performance immediately.
AOL can afford it:
Tim Armstrong’s company ended 2010 with $725 million in cash, much of which it generated by selling off old assets. This seems like a relatively easy check to write and one that shouldn’t involve a lot of overlapping staff–AOL figures it will save $20 million annually in cost overlaps, but that it will spend about $20 million this year on restructuring charges. HuffPo is about four percent of AOL’s size, and several of its top executives are already stepping aside. (This is the second time in two years that sales boss Greg Coleman has been moved out of a job by Tim Armstrong.) The biggest risk here will be in the way that Huffington, who is now editor in chief for all of AOL’s edit staff, gets along with her new employees. On the other hand, morale is low enough at many AOL sites that it will be hard to make things worse.
AOL Gets a Really Big Brand:
There’s some downside risk to attaching Arianna Huffington’s name to a big, mainstream media brand, as her politics and/or persona might scare off some readers and/or advertisers. But two years after Armstrong arrived from Google, AOL still doesn’t have a definable identity, other than “the Web site your parents might still pay for even though there’s no reason to do so.” Being known as “the guys who own Huffington Post” is infinitely better than that.
HuffPo’s “pro” list is much shorter, but only because there’s not much to think about for them: Huffington, co-founder Kenneth Lerer and their backers get a nice return on the five years and $37 million they put into the company. And those who stay on get to leverage the benefits of a much larger acquirer–access to more eyballs and more advertisers. Easy enough to understand.
Dan Lyons at The Daily Beast:
No doubt Hippeau and Lerer and Huffington were drinking champagne last night, but the truth is, this deal is not a victory for either side. It’s a slow-motion train wreck and will end in disaster.
Listen to Nick Denton, who runs Gawker, which now becomes the biggest independent Web-based news outlet. “I’m disappointed in the Huffington Post. I thought Arianna Huffington and Kenny Lerer were reinventing news, rather than simply flipping to a flailing conglomerate,” he told me.
Denton insists he has no intention of ever selling Gawker, and he seems not-so-secretly pleased to see his opponents cashing out: “AOL has gathered so many of our rivals— Huffington Post, Engadget, Techcrunch—in one place. The question: Is this a fearsome Internet conglomerate or simply a roach motel for once lively websites?”
One big problem with the deal is that Arianna Huffington now runs editorial for AOL properties, which include tech sites Engadget and TechCrunch. Those sites are both accustomed to being free-wheeling, fiercely independent and fiercely competitive—so competitive, in fact, that recently they’ve been battling with each other.
Michael Arrington, who runs TechCrunch and just sold it to AOL a few months ago, is an abrasive, big-ego, sometimes obnoxious guy. He’s a friend of mine, so I mean this in the best possible way. But I can’t imagine him working for Arianna.
The other, bigger problem is AOL itself. AOL touts itself as a media company, but as Ken Auletta reported in The New Yorker recently, most of what AOL publishes is junk, and 80 percent of its profits come from a rather seedy little business—charging subscription fees from longtime users who don’t realize that they no longer need to pay for AOL service, and could be getting it free.
The other problem is that AOL’s chief executive, Tim Armstrong, is a sales guy. He ran sales at Google before he came to AOL in 2009. Nothing wrong with sales guys, except when they start telling people how to do journalism. Sales guys deal in numbers. But journalism is about words. Sales guys live in a world where everything can be measured and analyzed. Their version of journalism is to focus on things like “keyword density” and search-engine optimization.
Journalists live in a world of story-telling, and where the value of a story, its power to resonate, is something they know by instinct. Some people have better instincts than others. Some people can improve their instincts over time. The other part of storytelling is not the material itself but how you present it. Some can spin a better tale out of the same material than others.
But no great storyteller has ever been someone who started out by thinking about traffic numbers and search engine keywords.
Tagged as Alexis Madrigal, Ann Althouse, Arianna Huffington, Daily Beast, Dan Lyons, Erick Schonfeld, Felix Salmon, Huffington Post, Jack Shafer, Kevin Drum, Media Memo, New Media, Paul Carr, Peter Kafka, Slate, Tech Crunch, The Atlantic
January 31, 2011 · 12:58 pm
Us And Egypt, Egypt And Us
Bruce Riedel at The Daily Beast:
The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia has sent a shock wave through the Arab world. Never before has the street toppled a dictator. Now Egypt is shaking, Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year-old regime faces its most serious threat ever. The prospect of change in Egypt inevitably raises questions about the oldest and strongest opposition movement in the country, the Muslim Brotherhood , also known as Ikhwan. Can America work with an Egypt where the Ikhwan is part of a transition or even a new government?
The short answer is it is not our decision to make. Egyptians will decide the outcome, not Washington. We should not try to pick Egyptians’ rulers. Every time we have done so, from Vietnam’s generals to Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai, we have had buyer’s remorse. But our interests are very much involved so we have a great stake in the outcome. Understanding the Brotherhood is vital to understanding our options.
The Muslim Brethren was founded in 1928 by Shaykh Hassan al Banna as an Islamic alternative to weak secular nationalist parties that failed to secure Egypt’s freedom from British colonialism after World War I. Banna preached a fundamentalist Islamism and advocated the creation of an Islamic Egypt, but he was also open to importing techniques of political organization and propaganda from Europe that rapidly made the Brotherhood a fixture in Egyptian politics. Branches of the Brotherhood grew across the Arab world. By World War 2, it became more violent in its opposition to the British and the British-dominated monarchy, sponsoring assassinations and mass violence. After the army seized power in 1952, it briefly flirted with supporting Gamal Abdel Nasser’s government but then moved into opposition. Nasser ruthlessly suppressed it.
Andrew McCarthy at National Review on Riedel:
One might wonder how an organization can be thought to have renounced violence when it has inspired more jihadists than any other, and when its Palestinian branch, the Islamic Resistance Movement, is probably more familiar to you by the name Hamas — a terrorist organization committed by charter to the violent destruction of Israel. Indeed, in recent years, the Brotherhood (a.k.a., the Ikhwan) has enthusiastically praised jihad and even applauded — albeit in more muted tones — Osama bin Laden. None of that, though, is an obstacle for Mr. Riedel, a former CIA officer who is now a Brookings scholar and Obama administration national-security adviser. Following the template the progressive (and bipartisan) foreign-policy establishment has been sculpting for years, his “no worries” conclusion is woven from a laughably incomplete history of the Ikhwan.
By his account, Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna “preached a fundamentalist Islamism and advocated the creation of an Islamic Egypt, but he was also open to importing techniques of political organization and propaganda from Europe that rapidly made the Brotherhood a fixture in Egyptian politics.” What this omits, as I recount in The Grand Jihad, is that terrorism and paramilitary training were core parts of Banna’s program. It is by leveraging the resulting atmosphere of intimidation that the Brotherhood’s “politics” have achieved success. The Ikhwan’s activist organizations follow the same program in the United States, where they enjoy outsize political influence because of the terrorist onslaught.
Banna was a practical revolutionary. On the one hand, he instructed his votaries to prepare for violence. They had to understand that, in the end — when the time was right, when the Brotherhood was finally strong enough that violent attacks would more likely achieve Ikhwan objectives than provoke crippling blowback — violence would surely be necessary to complete the revolution (meaning, to institute sharia, Islam’s legal-political framework). Meanwhile, on the other hand, he taught that the Brothers should take whatever they could get from the regime, the political system, the legal system, and the culture. He shrewdly realized that, if the Brothers did not overplay their hand, if they duped the media, the intelligentsia, and the public into seeing them as fighters for social justice, these institutions would be apt to make substantial concessions. Appeasement, he knew, is often a society’s first response to a threat it does not wish to believe is existential.
Ron Radosh:
As bad as Mubarak is, and the Egyptian people have good reason to despise him, he is a lot better than other dictators who have led regimes in the Middle East. Remember Saddam Hussein, and also recall the forces that took power in Iran after the populace ousted the shah in 1979. I vividly remember all those student protesters on U.S. campuses bearing photos of the victims tortured by the shah’s secret police, and demanding the Shah’s ouster and his replacement by the great democratic revolutionaries led by the Ayatollah Khomeini. That was a popular theme as well in precincts of the always wise American left, symbolized by the arguments of Princeton University political scientist Richard Falk, or the comment of Jimmy Carter’s UN Ambassador Andrew Young that Khomeini was a “saint.”
It is most instructive to look back at Falk’s arguments, made a scant two weeks after the shah’s government fell and he fled Iran, and the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini returned to the country. Khomeini, Falk wrote in The New York Times (Feb.16, 1979), “has been depicted in a manner calculated to frighten,” and President Jimmy Carter had “associated him with religious fanaticism.” He was also “defamed” by the news media, some of whose pundits dared to call Khomeini an advocate of “theocratic fascism.”
Rather than being a religious leader who fit any of those dire characteristics made by his enemies, the movement had “a nonviolent record.” In addition, the would-be radical Islamist was a man who pleaded with Iran’s Jews to stay in the country. Certainly, even Falk had to acknowledge that the coming leader was against Israel. But that “of course” was due to the fact that Israel “supported the shah” and had not “resolved the Palestinian question.”
Khomeini was not dissembling, Falk assured his readers, since he expressed “his real views defiantly and without apology.” Moreover, his closest advisers were “uniformly composed of moderate, progressive individuals” and those he sought to lead a new government, all of whom “share a notable record of concern for human rights and see eager to achieve economic development that results in a modern society.” The reason the entire opposition deferred to Khomeini was not due to coercion, but because they knew that he and the Shiite “tradition is flexible in its approach to the Koran and evolves interpretations that correspond to the changing needs and experience of the people.” Its main desire and “religious orientation” was concern “with resisting oppression and promoting social justice.”
He knew that Khomeini sought “not to govern,” but instead simply to “inspire.” That is why he would live in the holy city of Qum, a place removed “from the daily exercise of power.” He would simply be a “guide or, if necessary, …a critic of the republic.” He would thus be able to show the world what “a genuine Islamic government can do on behalf of its people.” Falk assured readers that Khomeini scorned “so-called Islamic Governments in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Pakistan.” Thus one could talk of “Islam’s finest hour,” in which Khomeini had created “a new model of popular revolution based, for the most part, on nonviolent tactics.” Iran, he knew, would” provide us with a desperately needed model of humane governance for a third-world country.”
And you wonder why those of us who have become conservatives no longer trust the great spokesmen of the American left/liberal intelligentsia.
Ross Douthat in NYT:
The memory of Nasser is a reminder that even if post-Mubarak Egypt doesn’t descend into religious dictatorship, it’s still likely to lurch in a more anti-American direction. The long-term consequences of a more populist and nationalistic Egypt might be better for the United States than the stasis of the Mubarak era, and the terrorism that it helped inspire. But then again they might be worse. There are devils behind every door.
Americans don’t like to admit this. We take refuge in foreign policy systems: liberal internationalism or realpolitik, neoconservatism or noninterventionism. We have theories, and expect the facts to fall into line behind them. Support democracy, and stability will take care of itself. Don’t meddle, and nobody will meddle with you. International institutions will keep the peace. No, balance-of-power politics will do it.
But history makes fools of us all. We make deals with dictators, and reap the whirlwind of terrorism. We promote democracy, and watch Islamists gain power from Iraq to Palestine. We leap into humanitarian interventions, and get bloodied in Somalia. We stay out, and watch genocide engulf Rwanda. We intervene in Afghanistan and then depart, and watch the Taliban take over. We intervene in Afghanistan and stay, and end up trapped there, with no end in sight.
Sooner or later, the theories always fail. The world is too complicated for them, and too tragic. History has its upward arcs, but most crises require weighing unknowns against unknowns, and choosing between competing evils.
The only comfort, as we watch Egyptians struggle for their country’s future, is that some choices aren’t America’s to make.
Justin Logan at Cato on Douthat:
The fact that theories are imperfect does not make them any less necessary. We take refuge in foreign policy theories because there is no alternative. As Ben Friedman pointed out in responding to Douthat previously, it is impossible to have foreign policies without foreign-policy theories. The same goes for economics, domestic politics, and a whole range of human behavior. People take (or oppose) various actions based on their expectations about what outcomes the actions will (or will not) produce. Whether people are conscious of it or not, our expectations are products of our theories. People disagree about which theories are good and which are bad, but we all have them.
Laura Rozen at Politico:
Just got late word that Dunne, Kagan and others from their group including former Bush NSC Middle East hand Elliott Abrams, as well as George Washington University Middle East expert Marc Lynch, and the National Security Network’s Joel Rubin, formerly a U.S. Egypt desk officer, have been invited to the White House Monday.
“We do think-tank sessions on an almost weekly basis,” a senior administration official told POLITICO’s Playbook. “The goal is to bring in some of the top opinion leaders and thinkers on a given subject and have a candid conversion. We’ve done it with China, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. Today’s topic is Egypt.”
Tagged as Andy McCarthy, Bruce Riedel, Cato, Daily Beast, Egypt, Justin Logan, Laura Rozen, Middle East, National Review, New York Times, Politico, Ron Radosh, Ross Douthat
The Murder Of Brisenia Flores
Will Bunch at Media Matters:
All of America continues to mourn the unbelievably tragic loss of Christina Green, the 9-year-old granddaughter of former Phillies’ manager Dallas Green who was killed, along with five adults, by a murderous madman trying to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson. The sight of Christina’s parents and brother in the gallery at the State of the Union address last night is more proof that the killing of such an innocent continues to resonate with the American people.
You’ve heard all about Christina Green, but do you know about Brisenia Flores? Like Christina, Brisenia was 9 years old, and she also lived in Pima County, Arizona, not far from Tucson. Like Christina, she was gunned down in cold blood by killers with strange ideas about society and politics.
But there are also important differences. While the seriously warped mind of Christina’s Tucson murderer, Jared Lee Loughner, is a muddled mess, the motives of one of Brisenia’s alleged killers– a woman named Shawna Forde — are pretty clear: She saw herself as the leader of an armed movement against undocumented immigrants, an idea that was energized by her exposure to the then-brand-new Tea Party Movement. But unlike the horrific spree that took Christina’s life, the political murder of Brisenia and her dad (while Brisenia’s mom survived only by pretending to be dead) has only received very sporadic coverage in the national media. That’s a shame, because it’s an important story that illustrates the potential for senseless violence when hateful rhetoric on the right — in this case about undocumented immigrants — falls on the ears of the unhinged.
This week, Forde is on trial on Tucson, and the details are horrific:
As her mother tells it, 9-year-old Brisenia Flores had begged the border vigilantes who had just broken into her house, “Please don’t shoot me.”
But they did — in the face at point-blank range, prosecutors allege, as Brisenia’s father sat dead on the couch and her mother lay on the floor, pretending that she too had been killed in the gunfire.
Why did Forde, said to be the “mastermind,” and the other alleged killer, Jason Bush, carry out this heinous crime? Prosecutors allege that Forde cooked up a scheme to rob and murder drug dealers, all to raise money for the fledgling, anti-immigrant border patrolling group called Minutemen American Defense, or MAD.
Terry Greene Sterling at Daily Beast:
The murders in Arivaca, a tiny community about 11 miles north of the Mexican border, were followed nearly a year later by the still unsolved killing of southern Arizona rancher Robert Krentz, which was widely blamed on a faceless Mexican narco in the country illegally. But whereas the Flores murders received brief press attention and then were largely forgotten, Krentz’s killing set off a national cry for beefed-up border security and fueled the passage of Arizona’s notorious immigration law, which makes it a state crime for unauthorized immigrants to set foot there and requires all Arizona cops to enforce immigration law, a task normally delegated to the feds.
Latinos are still waiting for similar outrage over the deaths of Brisenia Flores and her dad. “A prevalent impression by those in the Hispanic community concerned with the Shawna Forde case is that, despite the fact that an innocent child was murdered, public condemnation of this senseless act has not been forthcoming,” Salvador Ongaro, a Phoenix lawyer and member of Los Abogados, Arizona’s Hispanic bar association, said in an email to The Daily Beast.
Phoenix-based radio talk-show host Carlos Galindo says he has reminded his listeners of Brisenia Flores “on a regular basis at least two or three times a week” since the murders occurred. He criticizes Latino leaders for failing to voice sufficient outrage. “This was a horrible, tragic, and absolutely race-based coldblooded murder,” he says, “and we allowed the far right to muddy it up and say her dad was a drug dealer and Brisenia was collateral damage. When we don’t counter that, we allow continued violence against all Arizonans.”
For more details on the trial, read At the Courthouse. Meanwhile, a search of the New York Times website for “Brisenia Flores” yields zero results; CNN.com last covered the story in June of 2009.
Maya at Feministing:
Maybe it’s because the victims of this crime were Latino. Or because the story doesn’t square with the conservative narrative that Minutemen are just like a “neighborhood watch.” Or because right-wing rhetoric–in this case anti-immigration rhetoric–played such a clear and unequivocal role in this instance of violence.
PJ Tatler on Bunch:
This morning, Will Bunch cries at the senseless death of Brisenia Flores… since they found a way to spin her death as being something they could blame on the Tea Party as well.
It seems rather odd, but somehow, MMFA seems to have missed a much larger story of the arrest of Kermit Gosnell and his staff of ghouls. Gosnell, will be placed on trial for drug dealing and at least eight murders. He is thought to have taken the lives of hundreds of newborn babies, and will go down as one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.
Perhaps they have a blind spot for mass murderers that share their politics.
Mao and Che would be proud.
E.D. Kain:
People like Forde and Bush are life-long losers, criminals, racists. Forde has an erratic past and was described as unstable. Bush has ties to the Aryan Nation. These are scummy people, and they’d be scummy people without Glenn Beck or the Tea Party. But having a cause based on fear and hatred and bigotry just fuels these sorts of bigots. It gives them a moral edifice, however bizarre, to justify their actions. Murder and theft aren’t crimes – they’re part of the revolution! Gunning down a nine-year-old girl is part of the resistance, it’s patriotic! And Beck and others, including members of the Arizona government, who are fomenting fear and paranoia over immigration are at least partly to blame.
Maybe this is what Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik was talking about in the wake of the Giffords shootings. Maybe he was so quick to denounce heated rhetoric because he’d seen what it had already led to in his county, in his state and his country. It’s not just rhetoric, after all. It’s rallies and talk of revolution. It’s people up in arms, passing laws to get the Mexicans out, and when that fails, arming themselves and taking the vigilante route. And if Brisenia’s story doesn’t break your heart, nothing will.
Doug J.:
I hadn’t hear much about about the murder of Brisenia Flores and her father until ED’s and mistermix’s posts. That’s no accident, it hasn’t received a lot of media coverage. Neither is the news about the attempted bombing in Spokane.
Over the past few years, we’ve had one major dust-up over two black guys in Philadelphia dressing in “traditional Black Panther garb” and another about the fact Obama has a met a guy who used to be in the Weathermen. I guess the idea is that the political violence of the 60s, often associated with the left (rightly or wrongly) was so awful that we can never forget it, which is strange given that we are ignoring similar levels of political violence, generally associated with the right, today (see Digby).
I realize times have changed, that national media is more diffuse, that nothing as cinematic as the Patty Hearst kidnapping has taken place yet. But it’s still amazing that so many journalists (Joe Klein, for example) is looking for black panthers under his bed, while cheerfully shrugging off today’s political violence as isolated incidents.
Filed under Crime, Mainstream, Politics
Tagged as Crime, Daily Beast, Doug J., E.D. Kain, Feministing, Joe Coscarelli, Mainstream Media, Maya, Media Matters, Pajamas Media, PJ Tatler, Politics, Terry Greene Sterling, Will Bunch
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Tag Archives: David Brooks
Hey Kids, Tyler Cowen Wrote A Book!
Tyler Cowen’s new book, “The Great Stagnation”
That’s the title and it’s by me, the Amazon link is here, Barnes&Noble here. That’s an eBook only, about 15,000 words, and it costs $4.00. If you wish, think of it as a “Kindle single.”
Your copy will arrive on January 25 and loyal MR readers are receiving the very first chance to buy it. Very little of the content has already appeared on MR.
Many of you have read my article “The Inequality that Matters,” but there I hardly touched on median income growth. That is because I was writing this eBook.
Has median household income really stagnated in the United States? If so, why? Are the causes political or something deeper? What are the important biases in how we are measuring national income and productivity and why do they matter for economic policy? Are we getting enough value for all the extra money we are spending on the health care and education sectors? What do some major right-wing and left-wing thinkers miss about this phenomenon?
How does all this relate to our recent financial crisis?
I dedicated this book to Michael Mandel and Peter Thiel, two major influences on some of the arguments.
Why did big government arise in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, what is its future, and why is science so important for macroeconomics? How can we fix the current mess we are in?
Read (and buy) the whole thing.
Scott Sumner:
How great was Tyler Cowen’s marketing coup? Well he forced a technophobe like me to actually learn how to use Kindle. I wasn’t too happy about that, which makes me inclined to write a very negative review. But that’s kind of hard to do credibly when I agree with the central proposition of the book; that technological progress (at least as traditionally measured) has slowed dramatically, and will continue to be disappointing for the foreseeable future.
In an earlier post I argued that my grandma’s generation (1890-1969) saw the biggest increase in living standards; most notably a longer lifespan (due to diet/sanitation/health care), indoor plumbing and electric lights. Less important inventions included home appliances, cars and airplanes, and TVs. From the horse and buggy era to the moon landing in one life. And all I’ve seen is the home computer revolution. Not much consolation for a technophobe like me. I’m probably even more pessimistic than Tyler.
The parts of the book I liked best were those that discussed governance. I had noticed that there was a correlation between cultures that are good at governance, and cultures that are good at running big corporations. But Tyler added an interesting perspective, arguing that the technologies that facilitated the growth of big corporations also facilitated the growth of big government. I don’t recall if he made this point, but I couldn’t help thinking that the neoliberal revolution, which led to some shrinkage in government size, was also associated with a move away from the big corporate conglomerates of the 1960s, towards smaller and more nimble businesses.
Tyler has a long list of complaints about the wasteful nature of our government/education/health care sectors, which he hinted is really just one big sector. While reading this section I kept wondering when he was going to mention Singapore, which has constructed a fiscal regime ideally suited for the Great Stagnation. When he finally did, on “Page” 830-37, he did so in an unexpected context, as an example of a society that reveres scientists and engineers. He had just suggested that the most important thing we could do to overcome the stagnation was:
Raise the social status of scientists.
My initial reaction was skepticism. First, how realistic is it to expect something like this to happen? I suppose the counterargument is that every new idea seems unrealistic, until it actually occurs. But even if it did, would it really speed up the rate of scientific progress? My hunch is that if we doubled the number of people going into science, there would be very little acceleration in scientific progress. First, because the best scientists (think Einstein) are already in science, driven by a love of the subject. Second, with a reasonably comprehensive research regime, progress in finding a cure for cancer may require a certain set of interconnected discoveries in biochemistry that simply can’t be rushed by throwing more money and people at the problem. Similarly, progress in info tech may play out at a pace dictated by Moore’s law. Given Moore’s law, no amount of research could have produced a Kindle in 1983. Could more scientists speed up Moore’s law? Perhaps, I’m not qualified to say. But that’s certainly not the impression I get from reading others talk about information technology.
Here’s another exhortation that caught my eye:
Be tolerant, and realize there are some pretty deep-seated reasons for all the political strife and all the hard feelings and all the polarization.
I couldn’t help thinking of Paul Krugman and Tyler Cowen, the two brightest stars of the economic blogosphere. If only one of those two are able to have this sort of dispassionate take on policy strife, how likely are the rest of us mere mortals to be able keep a clear head and remain above the fray? Still, it’s great advice.
Mr Cowen’s book can be very briefly (too briefly) summarised as follows. The rich world faces two problems. The first is that a decline in innovation has reduced the growth rate of output and median incomes, making it hard for rich countries to meat obligations accepted when expectations were higher. The second is that a lot of recent innovation is occuring in places like the internet, where new products are cheap or free and create very few jobs.
Mr Sumner’s response is a good one. What Mr Cowen is essentially saying, he suggests, is that the actual price level is tumbling. Technology has created a lot of great things that are available for free, and so the price of a typical basket of household consumption is dropping like a rock. People used to spend a lot of money going to movies, buying books and records, making expensive long-distance phone calls, paying for word processing software, and so on. Now, a lot of that can be done at almost no cost. Prices are falling.
That has a couple of implications. It suggests that real incomes are actually rising, at least for those consuming the bulk of the free online content. And perhaps real incomes are too high, in some cases, for labour markets to clear. Given broader disinflation (understated because non-purchased goods aren’t included in price indexes) both prices and wages may need to adjust, but if they’re sticky, then they won’t. What’s needed is reinflation.
To a certain extent, Mr Cowen is concerned about society’s ability to pay off old obligations, and one reason society might struggle to do this is that new innovations deliver value through non-monetary transactions. But the value is still there, and that’s what should really matter for the paying-off of obligations. When you borrow, you’re offering to compensate the lender with more utility tomorrow for less utility today. Thanks to the internet, utility today is cheap, and that’s only a problem because the obligations we acquired yesterday were denominated in dollars. But we can print enough money to meet yesterday’s obligations. Indeed, we should, in order to offset the deflationary pressures from the cheap innovations.
Imagine a world in which technology has advanced to the point that robots can build robots that operate at basically no cost at basically no cost, such that people can have anything that want anytime for free; the only constraint on consumption is the time available. That would be a cashless economy, and as a result, debtors would be totally unable to pay creditors. But does that matter?
Tyler Cowen argues that technological change since the early 1960s hasn’t been as transformative for ordinary peoples’ lives as the change that went before.
I agree. I wrote about that a long time ago, using the example of kitchens:
Better yet, think about how a typical middle-class family lives today compared with 40 years ago — and compare those changes with the progress that took place over the previous 40 years.
I happen to be an expert on some of those changes, because I live in a house with a late-50s-vintage kitchen, never remodelled. The nonself-defrosting refrigerator, and the gas range with its open pilot lights, are pretty depressing (anyone know a good contractor?) — but when all is said and done it is still a pretty functional kitchen. The 1957 owners didn’t have a microwave, and we have gone from black and white broadcasts of Sid Caesar to off-color humor on The Comedy Channel, but basically they lived pretty much the way we do. Now turn the clock back another 39 years, to 1918 — and you are in a world in which a horse-drawn wagon delivered blocks of ice to your icebox, a world not only without TV but without mass media of any kind (regularly scheduled radio entertainment began only in 1920). And of course back in 1918 nearly half of Americans still lived on farms, most without electricity and many without running water. By any reasonable standard, the change in how America lived between 1918 and 1957 was immensely greater than the change between 1957 and the present.
Now, you can overstate this case; medical innovations, in particular, have made a huge difference to some peoples’ lives, mine included (I have a form of arthritis that would have crippled me in the 1950s, and in fact almost did 20 years ago until it was properly diagnosed, but barely affects my life now thanks to modern anti-inflammatories.) But the general sense that the future isn’t what it used to be seems right.
David Leonhardt interviews Cowen at NYT
Derek Thompson at The Atlantic:
Tyler Cowen’s celebrated Kindle publication “The Great Stagnation” has received a lot of attention from the Web community. The New York Times David Leonhardt gets the author to sit for an e-interview on his e-book and asks a good first question: If our innovation motor is broken, what should we do know?
Cowen responds that we should double down on science…
The N.I.H. has done a very good job in promoting medical innovation and this is in large part because it allocates funds on a relatively meritocratic basis; Congress doesn’t control particular grants and on many important fronts the N.I.H. has autonomy. It is one reason why the United States is the world leader in medical research and development and I would expand its funding, provided it retains this autonomy. Basic research is often what economists call a “public good” and it offers economic and health returns for many years to come.
… and get realistic about clean energy.
“Clean energy” is a very important issue, for reasons of climate change, but it won’t be a job creator in a useful sense. In terms of energy production, fossil fuels are quite powerful. With green energy, at this point, we are simply looking to break even, namely to receive some of our current power but without the negative environmental consequences which accrue from carbon. That’s a worthy goal, but we shouldn’t start thinking about green energy as speeding up economic growth or creating jobs. It’s more like a necessary burden we will have to bear and the fact that these costs lie in front of us – from both the climate change and from the technological adjustments — is a sobering thought.
These are smart thoughts from a very smart guy. But let’s think about NIH funding from a jobs perspective. If the government increases science funding and this results in more pharmaceutical drugs coming online, that’s a great thing for the pharmaceutical industry. But new drugs, like any new technology, can be disruptive. For example, a drug to ease the side-effects of end-of-life diseases might replace the need for home health aides, which are projected to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the country for low-skilled workers. That’s not a reason not to develop a totally useful rug! But it throws a wrench into a claim (one that I’ve often made, too) that innovations in biosciences are pure job-creators.
Cowen’s characterization of plumbing, fossil fuels, public education systems, penicillin and so forth as “low-hanging fruit” bugs me a bit. It took human beings quite a while to figure all that out. But Cowen is right to say that once discovered, those innovations produced extremely high returns. From the economy’s perspective, the difference between having cars and not having cars is a lot larger than the difference between having cars and having slightly better cars. A 1992 Honda Accord and a 2010 Honda Accord aren’t the same, but they’re pretty close.
The obvious rejoinder to this is, “What about the internet?” The problem, as Cowen points out, is that the Internet is not yet employing many people or creating much growth. We needed a lot of people to build cars. We don’t need many people to program Facebook. It’s possible, Cowen thinks, that the Internet is just a different type of innovation, at least so far as its ripples in the labor market are concerned. “We have a collective historical memory that technological progress brings a big and predictable stream of revenue growth across most of the economy,” he writes. “When it comes to the web, those assumptions are turning out to be wrong or misleading. The revenue-intensive sector of our economy have been slowing down and the beg technological gains are coming in revenue-deficient sectors.”
Maybe the Internet just needs some time to come into its growth-accelerating own. Or maybe the Internet is going to be an odd innovation in that its gains to human knowledge and enjoyment and well-being will serve to demonstrate that GDP and even median wage growth are insufficient proxies for living standards. Either way, we’re still left with a problem: Stagnant wages are a bad thing even if Wikipedia is a big deal.
And it’s not just the Internet. Even when we’re growing, things look bad. The sectors that are expanding fastest are dysfunctional. We spend a lot of money on education and health care, but seem to be getting less and less back. The public sector is getting bigger, but it’s not at all clear it’s getting better. For much of the last few decades, the financial sector was was generating amazing returns — but that turned out to be a particularly damaging scam. And economic malaise is polarizing our politics, leaving us less able to respond to these problems in an effective or intelligent way.
Tyler makes a bunch of other arguments in “The Great Stagnation” too, some more persuasive than others. Like some other critics, I’m not sure why he uses median wage growth as a proxy for economic growth. It’s important, but it’s just not the same thing. Besides, median wage growth in the United States slowed very suddenly in 1973, and it’s really not plausible that our supply of low hanging fruit just suddenly dropped by half over the space of a few years. I also had a lot of problems with his arguments about whether GDP generated by government, education, and healthcare is as “real” as other GDP. For example, he suggests that as government grows, its consumption is less efficient, but that’s as true of the private sector as it is of the public sector. A dollar of GDP spent on an apple is surely more “real” than a dollar spent on a pet rock, but there’s simply no way to judge that. So we just call a dollar a dollar, and figure that people are able to decide for themselves whether they’re getting the same utility from one dollar as they do from the next.
The healthcare front is harder to judge. I agree with Tyler that we waste a lot of money on healthcare, but at the same time, I think a lot of people seriously underrate the value of modern improvements in healthcare. It’s not just vaccines, antibiotics, sterilization and anesthesia. Hip replacements really, truly improve your life quality, far more than a better car does. Ditto for antidepressants, blood pressure meds, cancer treatments, arthritis medication, and much more. The fact that we waste lots of money on useless end-of-life treatments doesn’t make this other stuff any less real.
To summarize, then: I agree that the pace of fundamental technological improvements has slowed, and I agree with Tyler’s basic point that this is likely to usher in an era of slower economic growth in advanced countries. At the same time, improvements in managerial and organizational efficiency thanks to computerization shouldn’t be underestimated. Neither should the fact that other countries still have quantum leaps in education to make, and that’s going to help us, not just the countries trying to catch up to us. After all, an invention is an invention, no matter where it comes from. And finally, try to keep an even keel about healthcare. It’s easy to point out its inefficiencies, but it’s also easy to miss its advances if they happen to be in areas that don’t affect you personally.
David Brooks at NYT
Cowen and Matthew Yglesias on Bloggingheads
Filed under Books, Economics
Tagged as Bloggingheads, Books, David Brooks, David Leonhardt, Derek Thompson, Economics, Ezra Klein, Free Exchange, Kevin Drum, Matthew Yglesias, New York Times, Paul Krugman, Ryan Avent, Scott Sumner, The Atlantic, The Economist, Tyler Cowen
The Mommy Wars Go International
Amy Chua at Wall Street Journal:
A lot of people wonder how Chinese parents raise such stereotypically successful kids. They wonder what these parents do to produce so many math whizzes and music prodigies, what it’s like inside the family, and whether they could do it too. Well, I can tell them, because I’ve done it. Here are some things my daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to do:
• attend a sleepover
• have a playdate
• be in a school play
• complain about not being in a school play
• watch TV or play computer games
• choose their own extracurricular activities
• get any grade less than an A
• not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama
• play any instrument other than the piano or violin
• not play the piano or violin.
I’m using the term “Chinese mother” loosely. I know some Korean, Indian, Jamaican, Irish and Ghanaian parents who qualify too. Conversely, I know some mothers of Chinese heritage, almost always born in the West, who are not Chinese mothers, by choice or otherwise. I’m also using the term “Western parents” loosely. Western parents come in all varieties.
All the same, even when Western parents think they’re being strict, they usually don’t come close to being Chinese mothers. For example, my Western friends who consider themselves strict make their children practice their instruments 30 minutes every day. An hour at most. For a Chinese mother, the first hour is the easy part. It’s hours two and three that get tough.
Despite our squeamishness about cultural stereotypes, there are tons of studies out there showing marked and quantifiable differences between Chinese and Westerners when it comes to parenting. In one study of 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, almost 70% of the Western mothers said either that “stressing academic success is not good for children” or that “parents need to foster the idea that learning is fun.” By contrast, roughly 0% of the Chinese mothers felt the same way. Instead, the vast majority of the Chinese mothers said that they believe their children can be “the best” students, that “academic achievement reflects successful parenting,” and that if children did not excel at school then there was “a problem” and parents “were not doing their job.” Other studies indicate that compared to Western parents, Chinese parents spend approximately 10 times as long every day drilling academic activities with their children. By contrast, Western kids are more likely to participate in sports teams.
Maureen O’Connor at Gawker:
This weekend, I came across “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” by Amy Chua. Since I have a Chinese mother, I assembled my face into a self-righteous smirk and began to read. But—woe is me!—my Chinese mother’s a fraud.For Amy Chua revealed that my Chinese mother (maiden name: Lily Chua) failed her ethnicity by failing to slave-drive me with the “screaming, hair-tearing explosions” necessary for raising a superior child. Consequently, I am not a math genius who performs open heart surgery and violin concertos simultaneously, but a blogger who spends her days contemplating Katy Perry’s breasts. I learned arithmetic not by “every day drilling,” but the way every red-blooded American does, by typing equations into my TI-86 during marathon sessions of Drugwars. (Maybe I got the “sneaky Chinaman” gene instead of the “obedient Chinese daughter” one?) And my mother and I never had showdowns like this:
Back at the piano, Lulu made me pay. She punched, thrashed and kicked. She grabbed the music score and tore it to shreds. I taped the score back together and encased it in a plastic shield so that it could never be destroyed again. Then I hauled Lulu’s dollhouse to the car and told her I’d donate it to the Salvation Army piece by piece if she didn’t have “The Little White Donkey” perfect by the next day. […] When she still kept playing it wrong, I told her she was purposely working herself into a frenzy because she was secretly afraid she couldn’t do it. I told her to stop being lazy, cowardly, self-indulgent and pathetic.
“The Little White Donkey,” just like Amy Chua’s husband, a stupid caucasian ass named Jed who lacks her superior Asian childrearing skills:
“Everyone is special in their special own way,” I mimicked sarcastically. “Even losers are special in their own special way. Well don’t worry, you don’t have to lift a finger. I’m willing to put in as long as it takes, and I’m happy to be the one hated.”
Reading Amy Chua’s article, I am sad as a broken fortune cookie. If only my Chinese mother had humiliated me in newspaper articles that would plague my dating life forever—maybe I, too, could have performed piano solos in Carnegie Hall, like Amy Chua’s daughter did, according to Amy Chua. How unlucky I am: I have never hated my mother.
My only solace: that Irish-American father’s inferior academic genes came packaged with superior genes for drinking.
That said, Amy Chua appears to have absorbed a few American parenting skills, like the incessant upper-class need to one-up every other upper-class parent in the tri-state area. Mommy bragging: The virtue that unites us all.
Ann Hulbert at Slate:
Chua’s mindset and methods—bolstered by faith in Chinese family tradition—pose a useful challenge for an era haunted by a helicoptering ethos as hard to shake as it is to like. Here is an alternative to the queasy hypocrisy of typical hyperparents, buffeted by shifting expertise that leaves them anxious about overpressuring even as they push. Chua breaks through all that. She is a crusader invigorated by practicing what she preaches: the arduous work she believes necessary to do anything well, child-rearing included. Her exacting program is incredibly time-consuming and burdensome, for her as much as her kids, and is bound to look outlandish to others. (While teaching, writing her second book, and traveling constantly, Chua types up elaborate practice instructions, which freak out one of her law students when he stumbles on them—and which are to be found on pages 163-165.) But precisely because Chua slaves away as hard as her girls do, one thing her program is not is guilt-inducing. In the end, her ordeal with Lulu teaches Chua humility and proves her daughter’s very healthy autonomy—and inspires next to no regrets.
Let’s hope a furor over the book doesn’t change all that. Boris Sidis lived to regret his boastful diatribe, or at least his wife did, lamenting poor Billy’s interlude in the spotlight, which complicated an already rocky transition to adulthood that ended in a lonely retreat. “Educators, psychologists, editorial writers and newspaper readers were furious” with her husband, Sarah Sidis wrote. “And their fury was a factor in Billy’s life upon which we had not counted.” Norbert Wiener, who battled depression to become the future founder of the field of cybernetics, was devastated as a teenager when, browsing in a magazine, he learned that his father, Leo, had claimed his son’s successes as his own, while blaming failures on the boy. Proselytizing and prodigy-raising are a fraught mix.
In a coda to her book, Chua loosens up, describing how she gave her daughters the manuscript and welcomed them as collaborators. The wise girls are wary about getting roped in. “I’m sure it’s all about you anyway,” Lulu says. As they hunker down to criticize, and make her revise, revise, revise, Sophia, now 17, issues a warning well worth keeping in mind if, or when, the mommy wars erupt over Chua’s provocative portrait. “It’s not possible for you to tell the complete truth,” Sophia tells her mother. “You’ve left out so many facts. But that means no one can really understand.” Let’s not forget that it’s only how the girls themselves understand their mother’s methods that really counts in the end.
Blake Eskin at New Yorker:
It did not escape my attention that “Jewish” was not on Chua’s list, and furthermore that her softie foil in the essay was her husband, who is identified as Jed—and is presumably why their daughters can be intimidated with threats of withheld Hanukkah presents. (Minimal Internet research reveals that Jed is, like his wife, a Yale Law School professor and a published author; his last name is Rubenfeld.) Most American Jews are comfortably assimilated, although Chua could probably forge a Sino-Soviet alliance with a few Russian-speaking recent arrivals. But even in the early twentieth century, when Jews were known for toughness (see Siegel, Bugsy; Rosenbloom, Slapsie Maxie) the stereotypical Jewish mother used what Joseph Nye would call soft power, wrapping specific and restrictive ideas about her children’s future in a nurturing bosom. This blend of stubborn guidance and smothering affection has produced successful doctors, lawyers, and engineers. It has also inspired characters from Sophie Portnoy to Estelle Costanza (who, though technically not Jewish, qualifies, too), envisioned by creative children scarred by their childhoods.
Some children, Chinese and otherwise, may respond well to “Chinese mothering,” and I hope for their sake that Chua’s two daughters are among them. But it’s simply not possible that every child becomes “the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama.” And not every child is well served by forcing them to try. Some children will fail with tragic consequences, others, if we are more fortunate, with literary ones, finding humor and meaning in stories of suffering. In a perfectly plotted world, one of Chua’s girls will, according to plan, become the concertmistress of a world-class orchestra, and the other will avenge herself by novel or memoir—and sell more books than her mother and father combined.
Julianne Hing at Ta-Nehisi Coates’ place:
Chua’s tone is arrogant but filled just the same with bullseye observations, and I spent a long time trying to untangle the sincere from the deadpan. So much of the piece is an accurate reflection of a specific brand of hard-ass Asian parenting. But would other people be able to sense the gleeful embellishments in her piece, the way she seems to relish insulting and threatening her kids to get them to perform? And then I doubled back: was I being too charitable to read it as exaggeration?
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Internet, one of my aunties sent the piece around to other women in my family last night. “Thought you might enjoy this,” my auntie wrote to other mothers. “Were you raised by a Chinese mother … or are you perhaps one yourself?”
My mother was horrified at the piece, called it embarrassing and terrible and outrageous, said that she resented the fact that Chua used the term “Chinese mother,” even with the disclaimers at the opening that not all Chinese mothers deserve the title, and some non-Chinese mothers could be admitted to the club of harsh, ultra-strict parenting.
Like Chua, my parents sacrificed a great deal to raise me and my siblings–they make for great stories now that we’re all adults. My mom would hand us math workbooks to occupy us during car rides the way other parents hand their kids Pop Tarts or carrot sticks. She, like Chua, packed our violins in the trunk of the minivan so we could practice even while we were on vacation and forbade sleepovers and weeknight television well into my high school years. I struggled mightily with math and science and my mother would wake me up at 6 am on weekends so we could go over math drills together for hours. Letting me fail was not an option to her, though I occasionally wished she would have. Thanks to her, I didn’t.
All of this I recognize as love.
Tom Scocca at Slate:
There are many, many bizarre and debatable notions in the memoir extract that Yale law professor Amy Chua published in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, in which she argued that screaming at one’s children to do drill work and depriving them of entertainment or social contact with their peers are the secrets to why Chinese people raise smarter and more successful children than regular decadent Americans do. A working-class Jamaican-immigrant mother, for instance—who would be an honorary “Chinese mother,” according to Chua—might be surprised to learn that good, hard parenting means spending a week at the piano, going “right through dinner into the night,” threatening and yelling at a seven-year-old girl to force her to learn a difficult piano part. Not everybody’s boss gives out flex time as readily as Yale Law does.
But mostly, as with so many child-rearing success stories, the biggest question Chua raises is: what makes you so sure you’ve succeeded? God bless Chua’s daughters, but according to some simple arithmetic and the pictures accompanying the Journal piece, they’re considerably younger than, say, 60. Or 40. Or even 25. There’s plenty of time yet to find out what fruit all those years of rigorous “Chinese” alpha parenting—no sleepovers with friends, Chua brags, no personally chosen extracurriculars, no musical instruments other than piano and violin (sorry, Yo-Yo Ma; your parents weren’t Chinese enough)—will really bear. Marv Marinovich wouldn’t let his son eat Big Macs, either. Discipline and high standards, all the way. “I don’t know if you can be a great success without being a fanatic,” was how he put it
Rebecca Greenfield at The Atlantic
Kate Zernike at The New York Times:
In the week since The Wall Street Journal published an excerpt of the new book by Amy Chua, a Yale law professor, under the headline “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” Ms. Chua has received death threats, she says, and “hundreds, hundreds” of e-mails. The excerpt generated more than 5,000 comments on the newspaper’s Web site, and countless blog entries referring in shorthand to “that Tiger Mother.” Some argued that the parents of all those Asians among Harvard’s chosen few must be doing something right; many called Ms. Chua a “monster” or “nuts” — and a very savvy provocateur.
A law blog suggested a “Mommie Dearest” element to her tale (“No. Wire. Hangers! Ever!!”). Another post was titled “Parents like Amy Chua are the reason Asian-Americans like me are in therapy.” A Taiwanese video circulating on YouTube (subtitled in English) concluded that Ms. Chua would not mind if her children grew up disturbed and rebellious, as long as she sold more books.
“It’s been a little surprising, and a little bit intense, definitely,” Ms. Chua said in a phone interview on Thursday, between what she called a “24/7” effort to “clarify some misunderstandings.” Her narration, she said, was meant to be ironic and self-mocking — “I find it very funny, almost obtuse.”
But reading the book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” it can be hard to tell when she is kidding.
“In retrospect, these coaching suggestions seem a bit extreme,” she writes in the book after describing how she once threatened to burn her daughter’s stuffed animals if she did not play a piano composition perfectly. “On the other hand, they were highly effective.”
In interviews, she comes off as unresolved. “I think I pulled back at the right time,” she said. “I do not think there was anything abusive in my house.” Yet, she added, “I stand by a lot of my critiques of Western parenting. I think there’s a lot of questions about how you instill true self-esteem.”
David Brooks at the New York Times:
I have the opposite problem with Chua. I believe she’s coddling her children. She’s protecting them from the most intellectually demanding activities because she doesn’t understand what’s cognitively difficult and what isn’t.
Practicing a piece of music for four hours requires focused attention, but it is nowhere near as cognitively demanding as a sleepover with 14-year-old girls. Managing status rivalries, negotiating group dynamics, understanding social norms, navigating the distinction between self and group — these and other social tests impose cognitive demands that blow away any intense tutoring session or a class at Yale.
Yet mastering these arduous skills is at the very essence of achievement. Most people work in groups. We do this because groups are much more efficient at solving problems than individuals (swimmers are often motivated to have their best times as part of relay teams, not in individual events). Moreover, the performance of a group does not correlate well with the average I.Q. of the group or even with the I.Q.’s of the smartest members.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon have found that groups have a high collective intelligence when members of a group are good at reading each others’ emotions — when they take turns speaking, when the inputs from each member are managed fluidly, when they detect each others’ inclinations and strengths.
Participating in a well-functioning group is really hard. It requires the ability to trust people outside your kinship circle, read intonations and moods, understand how the psychological pieces each person brings to the room can and cannot fit together.
Laura Donovan at The Daily Caller:
In a letter to the New York Post, Sophia Chua-Rubenfeld responded to the critics of her mother’s recent Wall Street Journal piece, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” which details the numerous restrictions Chua imposed upon her two daughters during their childhood. Among many other things, Chua has been blasted for forbidding her daughters from attending sleepovers and calling one of her girls lazy, cowardly, self-indulgent, and pathetic for playing a piano piece incorrectly.
In “Why I Love My Strict Chinese Mom,” Chua-Rubenfeld says outsiders don’t know what her family is actually like.
“[Outsiders] don’t hear us cracking up over each other’s jokes,” Chua-Rubenfeld wrote. “They don’t see us eating our hamburgers with fried rice. They don’t know how much fun we have when the six of us — dogs included — squeeze into one bed and argue about what movies to download from Netflix.”
Though it was “no tea party” growing up under all Tiger Mother’s rules, Chua-Rubenfeld claims to be more independent as a result of her rigid upbringing.
“I pretty much do my own thing these days — like building greenhouses downtown, blasting Daft Punk in the car with Lulu and forcing my boyfriend to watch ‘Lord of the Rings’ with me over and over — as long as I get my piano done first,” Chua-Rubenfeld wrote.
Chua-Rubenfeld may have thicker skin than her mother’s critics think. Chua has received lots of flak for rejecting the “not good enough” birthday cards her daughters made, but Sophia writes that she wasn’t all that offended.
Filed under Books, China, Families
Tagged as Amy Chua, Ann Hulbert, Blake Eskin, Books, China, Daily Caller, David Brooks, Families, Gawker, Julianne Hing, Kate Zernike, Laura Donovan, Maureen O'Connor, New York Times, New Yorker, Rebecca Greenfield, Slate, The Atlantic, Tom Scocca, Wall Street Journal
The Passion Of The Gibson
Radar Online:
WARNING: This audio may not be reproduced or republished.
It is the audio tape that could destroy Mel Gibson.
The Hollywood star is accused by Oksana Grigorieva of hitting her and their infant daughter in an explosive argument recorded on tape, obtained and released exclusively by RadarOnline.com.
“You hit me, and you hit her (Lucia) while she was in my hands! Mel, you’re losing your mind. You need medication,” Oksana tells him on the newly released tape.
And Mel, raging at Oksana, is caught on audio telling her: “I want my child, and no one will believe you.”
PHOTOS: Celebrity Racist Rants
It may be the most damaging tape against Mel yet. RadarOnline.com has released five other audio portions with Mel spewing vile, racist rants, threatening Oksana and telling her she “f*cking deserved it” after she complained that he hit her.
But this, the sixth excerpt released exclusively by RadarOnline.com, may have the most serious consequences for Gibson, as a criminal investigation has been launched against him while he and Oksana battle in court for custody of their eight-month-old daughter Lucia. An investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services is also ongoing.
PHOTOS: Oksana Through The Years
In the crucial part of the newly released tape, Oksana refers to January 6, the night she alleges Mel punched her in the face and damaged her two upper front teeth.
RadarOnline.com was first to report that Oksana told law enforcement authorities she was holding Lucia, who was two months old, when Mel punched her. And RadarOnline.com broke the news on Thursday that Oksana says she has a photograph of the baby with a bruise on her face after the incident.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: See The First Photos of Mel and Oksana In a Passionate Embrace On The Beach
In this new tape, Oksana refers to that incident and tells Mel that there is something wrong with him and he needs medication. This is the recorded dialogue after she says that:
Oksana: You cannot raise the child with these symptoms.
Mel: What?
Oksana: You’re acting as a crazy man right now and you have been for many, many months. And you hit me, and you hit her (Lucia) while she was in my hands! Mel, you’re losing your mind. You need medication.”
Mel: You need a f*cking kick up the a** for being a b*tch, c*nt, gold digging whore! With a p*ssy son! And I want my child, and no one will believe you! So f*ck you!”
PHOTOS: Celebrity Death Threats
While there is cross talk as Oksana and Mel argue, Oksana’s team views it as an admission that Mel hit the baby when he punched Oksana and damaged her front teeth, the source close to the situation told RadarOnline.com exclusively.
Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon:
When RadarOnline began releasing the violent, racist, horrifying audio clips, purportedly of Mel Gibson raging at estranged girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, it was a harrowing glimpse into an apparently deeply disturbed mind. And as the shocking clips just kept coming, it also became a field day for jokesters.
On Monday, comic Michael Ian Black took to Craig Ferguson’s couch to pitch himself, “now that Mel has imploded,” as the world’s new favorite Australian. Letterman, meanwhile, offered Gibson’s “Top Ten Excuses.” “Number one: Wanted to show the Jews I’m an equal opportunity offender.” There was the inevitable YouTube “phone fight” pitting rage-a-holic Mel against anger poster-child Christian Bale, along with the so of-the-moment-it-hurts mashup featuring that seriously emo double rainbow guy. And in a stroke of twisted genius, Buzzfeed went for the win with a choice collection of Gibson’s most colorful quotes set in Hallmark card doodly fonts and accompanied by photos of adorable wide-eyed kittens. Why? Because “mentally deprived idiot” just doesn’t seem so bad coming from a baby animal in a meadow. In my own home, Gibson’s furious “You make me wanna smoke!” has quickly replaced BP CEO Tony Hayward’s “I’d like my life back” as my new favorite expression of exasperation.
David Brooks in NYT:
The story line seems to be pretty simple. Gibson was the great Hollywood celebrity who left his wife to link with the beautiful young acolyte. Her beauty would not only reflect well on his virility, but he would also work to mold her, Pygmalion-like, into a pop star.
After a time, she apparently grew tired of being a supporting actor in the drama of his self-magnification and tried to go her own way. This act of separation was perceived as an assault on his status and thus a venal betrayal of the true faith.
It is fruitless to analyze her end of the phone conversations because she knows she is taping them. But the voice on the other end is primal and searing.
That man is like a boxer unleashing one verbal barrage after another. His breathing is heavy. His vocal muscles are clenched. His guttural sounds burst out like hammer blows.
He pummels her honor, her intelligence, her womanhood, her maternal skills and everything else. Imagine every crude and derogatory word you’ve ever heard. They come out in waves. He’s not really arguing with her, just trying to pulverize her into nothingness, like some corruption that has intertwined itself into his being and now must be expunged.
It is striking how morally righteous he is, without ever bothering to explain what exactly she has done wrong. It is striking how quickly he reverts to the vocabulary of purity and disgust. It is striking how much he believes he deserves. It is striking how much he seems to derive satisfaction from his own righteous indignation.
Rage was the original subject of Western literature. It was the opening theme of Homer’s “Iliad.” Back then, anger was perceived as a source of pleasure. “Sweeter wrath is by far than the honeycomb dripping with sweetener,” Homer declared. And the man on the other end of Grigorieva’s phone seems to derive some vengeful satisfaction from asserting his power and from purging his frustration — from the sheer act of domination.
And the sad fact is that Gibson is not alone. There can’t be many people at once who live in a celebrity environment so perfectly designed to inflate self-love. Even so, a surprising number of people share the trait. A study conducted at the National Institutes of Health suggested that 6.2 percent of Americans had suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, along with 9.4 percent of people in their 20s.
In their book, “The Narcissism Epidemic,” Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell cite data to suggest that at least since the 1970s, we have suffered from national self-esteem inflation. They cite my favorite piece of sociological data: In 1950, thousands of teenagers were asked if they considered themselves an “important person.” Twelve percent said yes. In the late 1980s, another few thousand were asked. This time, 80 percent of girls and 77 percent of boys said yes.
That doesn’t make them narcissists in the Gibson mold, but it does suggest that we’ve entered an era where self-branding is on the ascent and the culture of self-effacement is on the decline.
Every week brings a new assignment in our study of self-love. And at the top of the heap, the Valentino of all self-lovers, there is the former Braveheart. If he really were that great, he’d have figured out that the lady probably owns a tape recorder.
Jonah Goldberg at The Corner:
For starters, I think it’s all unseemly. I don’t think this is the kind of thing that should be spilled out for the public no matter who it is. I think Gibson is clearly troubled and despite his well-documented paranoia, there are many long knives out with his name on them. I think it is grotesque for his wife to release tapes like this (assuming she is the culprit).
Hypocrisy sleuths will note that I took a similar position on Alec Baldwin, of all people.
But I’m much less inclined to buy this conventional wisdom that he’s a mainstream conservative of some kind. I know he’s a committed old school Catholic, or so he says. I know he made a film about Jesus that was very warmly received by many conservatives and criticized by many others. But I’ve seen interviews with him where he could be a commenter on Daily Kos. The most recent movie I saw him in, Edge of Darkness, hinged on an absolutely asinine attack on the U.S. government in general and the Bush administration in particular.
My point isn’t to say he’s no conservative because he’s so clearly troubled. Conservatives are, like all other kinds of humans, perfectly capable of mental breakdowns and other tragic maladies. I guess what I object to is the idea that somehow anyone should treat this situation differently because of the man’s political allegiances, real or alleged. This is a sad situation made all the sadder because there’s such a huge market for it.
Julian Sanchez on Goldberg:
Can we review? The manifestation of Mel Gibson’s “tragic malady” in this instance is that he repeatedly roared threats to kill his estranged ex and burn down her house. And these aren’t exactly idle threats, because in what I can only assume was a terrifying exchange, he alludes to having earlier hit her hard enough to break several of her teeth—something he claims she “deserved.” I suppose it’s accurate, in a sense, to say he’s “troubled”—there’s obviously something very badly wrong with the guy—though also unusually fortunate in that he’d have ample resources to discreetly seek counseling.
But this is, shall we say, not the usual emphasis of conservatives when discussing people who commit violent crimes. Some unemployable inner city junkie who resorts to theft can expect a lecture on personal responsibility—not sympathy for how “unseemly” it is for his crime to be publicly exposed. But a multi-millionaire who beats up women and then threatens murder? He sounds an awful lot like a Victim of Society in Goldberg’s account.
I agree that much of this is unseemly to be aired in public, but grotesque? When the woman involved is clearly fearful for her safety? Gibson, in the passage above, is clearly threatening violence against his girlfriend and admits in this passage to a previous brutal assault, saying that a woman “fucking deserved” to have her face punched in and teeth broken. When you listen to the audio, his voice operates as a kind of lethal weapon, a vocal expression of brute violence. It’s terrifying. Jonah Goldberg, perhaps sensing vulnerability as an editor at a magazine that championed Gibson as a religious genius and a, yes, feminist, pivots:
I’m much less inclined to buy this conventional wisdom that [Gibson]’s a mainstream conservative of some kind. I know he’s a committed old school Catholic, or so he says. I know he made a film about Jesus that was very warmly received by many conservatives and criticized by many others. But I’ve seen interviews with him where he could be a commenter on Daily Kos.
Yes, the man who viewed John Paul II as too liberal is actually a lefty. But what we see in this dialogue is deeply revealing, it seems to me, about Gibson’s mindset and the fundamentalist psyche that is undergirding politics and culture the world over.
He is a deeply disturbed man whose “spirituality” is wrapped up in extreme violence and fascist imagery. What motivates him is clearly power – heterosexual white male power – imposed on others by raw violence or the threat of violence. He is a fascist in temperament – which is why racism and anti-Semitism and murderous hatred of gay people come naturally to him. And this is how he sees himself as a Christian.
Will we read any revisions to the encomiums to his disgusting attack on the Christianity of the Gospels in “The Passion”, his depiction of Jesus as a human being killed dozens of times by hook-nosed Jews as a literal expiation for the sins of humanity? Will the right wing now revisit its elevation of this deranged thug as a Christian exemplar? Will Lopez actually revise her view of a man who wishes that the mother of his child be “raped by a pack of niggers”, who uses the c-word liberally, who punches a woman in the face … as a feminist worth revering along with that protector of thousands of child-rapists, John Paul II? Or will we read more posts, like Goldberg’s, suggesting that Gibson is actually a creature of the hard left?
Or will, at some point, the cognitive dissonance actually break? What, one wonders, would it take? What event, what fact, what data could ever undermine the mad certainty of these perverse fanatics?
Christopher Hitchens in Slate:
Every time Mel Gibson unburdens himself of a tirade against Jews or “n______s” or uncooperative females, there are commentators on hand to create a mystery where none exists. When he produced The Passion of the Christ, which lovingly and in detail recycled the bloody myth that all Jews are historically and collectively responsible for the murder of Jesus, it was argued by many mainstream Christians that his zeal for the faith might be a touch lurid but that the film itself was mainly devotional. When he was arrested on the Malibu freeway and screamed abuse at a police officer to the effect that Jews were responsible for all the wars in the world, pundits convened on page and screen to speculate whether our Mel had too much to drink that evening. Not long ago, I watched him go completely bug-eyed on television at a Jewish interviewer who asked him about the latter incident. “You’ve got a dog in this fight, haven’t you?” he hissed. And now, in the wake of a Niagara of cloacal abuse directed at the mother of his youngest child, in which we were spared nothing by way of obscenity and menace and nothing by way of paranoid and sexualized racism, there have been those who diagnose Gibson’s problem as a lack of anger management skills, combined perhaps with a touch of narcissistic personality disorder.
This is extraordinary. We live in a culture where the terms fascist and racist are thrown about, if anything, too easily and too frequently. Yet here is a man whose every word and deed is easily explicable once you know the single essential thing about him: He is a member of a fascist splinter group that believes it is the salvation of the Catholic Church.
It would be highly surprising if a person marinated in the doctrines of this ideology did not display all sorts of symptoms that were also sexually distraught. Racism very often clusters with sexual revulsion, and Gibson’s rants are horribly larded with this element. His obsessive loathing of homosexuality—so seldom a healthy sign—is also well-known. Less well-remembered, perhaps, is the interview in which he announced that his wife of many years and the mother of his children would not, alas, be able to join him in paradise. It was not a matter of her moral character. It was simply that she had not seen fit to join the one true church. Her condemnation, then, was “a pronouncement from the chair.”
Gibson has now traded in this long-suffering lady—hopelessly rupturing his sacred marriage vows—for another, younger one, who, to phrase it delicately, was almost certainly not picked for her salient Catholic virtues. In doing this, he must have had a consciousness, however dim, of having endangered his immortal soul. Not only that, but also of having parted with a sensational quantity of worldly goods by way of a divorce settlement. And after all that, the new girl won’t do as he says; won’t defer; won’t assume the desired position at a single snap of his fingers. A true gauleiter feels entitled to a bit more by way of luxurious subservience. No wonder, then, that Gibson walks around with neon lights behind his staring eyes, flashing the slogan “Contents Under Pressure.”
Yet I still saw a report the other day about a fan site where the members were just beginning to ask, “What’s with him?” Why is there this reluctance to call something by its right name? It’s not as if Gibson was issuing a cry for help. On the contrary, what he is issuing is the distilled violence, cruelty, and bigotry—and sexual hypocrisy—that stretches from the Crusades through the Inquisition to the “concordats” between the church and Hitler and Mussolini. Yet he’s still reporting for work. When will Hollywood, and the wider society, finally decide to shun and spurn him utterly, both for what he is and for what he represents?
Perhaps this stems from my admiration of Mel Gibson the filmmaker or perhaps it is simply because I hate to see a piling-on when someone is so obviously in such a dire straits, but I feel compelled to come to Gibson’s defense. Obviously, the things Gibson said to his girlfriend were horrible, and if he did hit her then that is even more indefensible. But I think it is also quite obvious at this point that Gibson has a serious addiction problem and quite likely serious mental problems as well. If he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, this may account for quite a few of his demons, including his inability to stay on the wagon or to his faith. It may also account, to some degree, for his creative brilliance.
I suppose Gibson is at his best when navigating the straight and narrow of his Catholic teaching (and that he belongs to a traditionalist catholic church is, as far as I can tell, immaterial here). When he falls off that wagon he falls off all the rest. He has admitted that his divorce was his fault, plain and simple. He is now likely at the very bottom of whatever pit he has dug for himself. Guilt over his failed marriage, his drinking problem – it is all converging. And standing at the center of this convergence is the woman he wrecked his marriage upon, like some hideous reminder of all his failings.
Furthermore, these sorts of people – at once rich and creative and hugely vulnerable to bad influences – are like flames to the worst sort of moths. At their worst they are manipulated and taken advantage of and used up. I suspect Oksana Grigorieva is one of these moths – perhaps if Gibson had taped her without her knowledge a broader picture of their relationship would have emerged. I suspect there is much more to the story.
This certainly doesn’t make the things Gibson said any less awful. Then again anger, mental illness, alcoholism, despair – these are powerful and poisonous and anyone has been through any of this – through addiction, despair, divorce, etc. knows that we all say things we don’t mean. (Even those who haven’t had addiction problems or marriage problems have likely been to these dark places inside themselves.) We lash out. We suddenly use the language of our fathers – of a past we thought we’d buried deep. Certainly Gibson was not raised in a home that looked favorably upon minorities. One doesn’t need to be a racist to have that impulse rise up like bile in moments of despair.
I’ve certainly said things I’ve regretted in darker times in my own life. I’m certainly not without my own grave errors, my own hateful words. I can’t imagine being taped during such a painful time as this, in the middle of a hideous fight at the end of a crumbling relationship.
In the end, we have only a few details, only a scrap or shred of the truth, and yet we all rush as quickly as we can to judgment. That’s a wagon we can all easily stay upon and never fall off.
Rufus F. at The League on Kain:
Certainly, me and my wife have had what she calls “kitchen sink fights” before. And couples must fight, as the man said. And, absolutely, the pain of a collapsing romantic relationship can lead people to say terrible things. I’d never want my private life in the depths of its worst moments to be made public that way, and especially not recordings of those kitchen sink fights.
But, here’s the thing: I don’t fight that way. And I’d imagine you don’t either. What disturbs me about those tapes isn’t the language; it’s the level of misogyny. Me and my wife fight about all sorts of things, most of which are fairly stupid. But the way she dresses doesn’t “hurt” me. It doesn’t “humiliate me” if other men find her attractive. Because, ultimately, on some level, I realize that it’s none of my damn business. Whether or not other people find her attractive isn’t something I expect her to control for my sake or me to control for her sake. This isn’t Saudi Arabia, and her autonomy isn’t something she’s done to me. It’s a fact- and a good one.
I think I hear something different than you do in those Gibson tapes. I hear men from my family who try to control the women in their lives. I hear the possessive, always wounded, always manipulative and controlling, insecure creeps whose wives come to my wife for therapy. I hear someone who’s entitled to sex, entitled to tell his partner how to dress and behave, and who ultimately relates all of the choices she makes in her own life to his personal happiness. I hear the man I might have been, if I hadn’t had the extreme good fortune to be sexually attracted, from a young age, to the sort of smart, independent women who wouldn’t take my crap. Acting like that was simply not an option. And it’s totally freeing to accept that your loved ones will think, act, dress, and be whatever way they want to in their own lives without it hurting you or feeling you need to control them.*
Nevertheless, celebrities are not known for surrounding themselves with people who won’t take their crap. And men, or women, who behave this way are often excused because “everyone gets jealous” or “it’s none of our business”. And, of course, none of us can do anything to change how someone else acts in their own personal relationship. But for society to say in a forthright way that men, or women, who treat their loved ones this way need to stop doing so- that doesn’t strike me as a bad thing. Since this is a site that’s leaning libertarian as of late, I think it’s also very healthy to reflect on the ways that bullying individuals can limit the autonomy of others in their private lives, and how often this impacts women. In terms of casting stones, it’s worth remembering that the specific context of Christ’s comment was a city stoning a woman to death out of rage at her sexual choices.
Filed under Movies
Tagged as Andrew Sullivan, Christopher Hitchens, David Brooks, E.D. Kain, Jonah Goldberg, Julian Sanchez, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Movies, National Review, New York Times, Radar, Rufus F., Salon, Slate, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen
David, Go To Your Corner… Paul, Go To Your Corner… Matt, Go To Your Corner… Noah, Go To Your Corner
David Brooks at NYT:
Many economists say we need another stimulus bill. They debate about whether the stimulus should take the form of tax cuts or spending increases, but the ones in your party are committed to spending increases. They trot out a plausible theory with computer models to go with it. If the federal government borrows X amount of dollars and pumps it into the economy, that would produce Y amount of growth and Z amount of jobs. In a $14 trillion economy, you’d probably have to borrow hundreds of billions more to have any noticeable effect, but at least you’d be doing something to help the jobless.
These Demand Side theorists are giving you a plan of action. But you’re not a theorist. You’re a practical executive, and you have some concerns.
These Demand Siders have very high I.Q.’s, but they seem to be strangers to doubt and modesty. They have total faith in their models. But all schools of economic thought have taken their lumps over the past few years. Are you really willing to risk national insolvency on the basis of a model?
Moreover, the Demand Siders write as if everybody who disagrees with them is immoral or a moron. But, in fact, many prize-festooned economists do not support another stimulus. Most European leaders and central bankers think it’s time to begin reducing debt, not increasing it — as do many economists at the international economic institutions. Are you sure your theorists are right and theirs are wrong?
The Demand Siders don’t have a good explanation for the past two years. There is no way to know for sure how well the last stimulus worked because we don’t know what would have happened without it. But it is certainly true that the fiscal spigots have been wide open. The U.S. and most other countries have run up huge, historic deficits. And while this has helped save public-sector jobs, we certainly haven’t seen much private-sector job growth. It could be that government spending is a weak lever to counter economic cycles. Maybe monetary policy is the only strong tool we have.
The theorists have high I.Q.’s but don’t seem to know much psychology. Lord Keynes, though a lesser mathematician, wrote that the state of confidence “is a matter to which practical men pay the closest and most anxious attention.”
Paul Krugman responds:
A quick note on David Brooks’s column today. I have no idea what he’s talking about when he says,
The Demand Siders don’t have a good explanation for the past two years
Funny, I thought we had a perfectly good explanation: severe downturn in demand from the financial crisis, and a stimulus which we warned from the beginning wasn’t nearly big enough. And as I’ve been trying to point out, events have strongly confirmed a demand-side view of the world.
But there’s something else in David’s column, which I see a lot: the argument that because a lot of important people believe something, it must make sense:
Yes, I am. It’s called looking at the evidence. I’ve looked hard at the arguments the Pain Caucus is making, the evidence that supposedly supports their case — and there’s no there there.
And you just have to wonder how it’s possible to have lived through the last ten years and still imagine that because a lot of Serious People believe something, you should believe it too. Iraq? Housing bubble? Inflation? (It’s worth remembering that Trichet actually raised rates in June 2008, because he believed that inflation — not the financial crisis — was the big threat facing Europe.)
The moral I’ve taken from recent years isn’t Be Humble — it’s Question Authority. And you should too.
Scarecrow at Firedoglake:
Note Brook’s cowardice is not naming Krugman, DeLong, Baker, et al, or for that matter, traditional Republican economic advisers like Bruce Bartlett and Mark Zandi, who recently called for more stimulus now and strongly warned Congress against cutting spending before the economy has more fully recovered.
Brook’s intellectual sleight of hand is to say, “well, all economists have been wrong, so why pay attention to Krugman and friends?” That’s just dishonest, because not all economists have been wrong, and it’s important to know which have been right and which have been catastrophically wrong.
Over the last 30 years, a particular group of economists has been proved dead wrong, and their belief system nearly destroyed the economy. It’s the school of economists who claimed markets are self correcting, that financial markets don’t need much oversight, and the government shouldn’t use fiscal policy to help a depressed economy recover even when monetary policy (lowering Fed interest rates) becomes ineffective. When Alan Greenspan in a moment of candor admitted his surprise and shock that his entire economic philosophy had failed, he was speaking for that school, which Krugman et al have vilified for forgetting essential lessons from the Great Depression. It is Greenspan’s school, not Krugman and friends, that has been arrogant in rejecting well deserved criticism. But Brooks seems completely ignorant of this distinction.
At first glance, David Brooks and Paul Krugman have released precisely opposite columns over the past few days. Krugman’s Sunday effort blasted the Senate for failing to pass further stimulus in the form of unemployment benefits. “We’re facing a coalition of the heartless, the clueless and the confused,” he lamented. Brooks’s column is an effort to punch holes in the case for stimulus. “Debt-fueled government spending doesn’t increase confidence,” he writes. “It destroys it.”
But if you actually look at their prescriptions, they are, in this case, similar. Krugman wants to see unemployment benefits extended. So, it turns out, does Brooks. “Extend unemployment insurance,” he recommends. “That’s a foolish place to begin budget-balancing.” He goes on to argue for a program that would “mitigate the pain caused by the state governments that are slashing spending” by tying state and local aid to the passage of state budgets that make long-term sense — but notice that he’s recommending state and local aid.
Now it may be that a retrenchment to state and local aid and unemployment insurance represents a tremendous defeat for those of us who believe the economy needs further government help to get back on its feet. But getting passage of both — and quickly — would also mean it gets some of the most necessary, and quickly-usable, help that government can provide. If you can’t do much more on stimulus, you can at least mitigate some of the pain and prevent some of the most predictable sources of economic contraction.
Brad DeLong on Brooks:
David Brooks advises Obama:
David Brooks: You are practical…. Too much debt could lead to national catastrophe. Too much austerity could lead to stagnation. Well, there’s a few short-term things you can do. First, extend unemployment insurance; that’s a foolish place to begin budget-balancing. Second, you need to mitigate the pain caused by the state governments that are slashing spending. You need a program modeled on Race to the Top. You will provide federal money now to states that pass responsible long-term budget plans…
And David Brooks advises Obama:
David Brooks: A Little Economic Realism: These Demand Siders have very high I.Q.’s, but they seem to be strangers to doubt and modesty. They have total faith in their models. But all schools of economic thought have taken their lumps over the past few years. Are you really willing to risk national insolvency on the basis of a model?… [M]any prize-festooned economists do not support another stimulus…. Are you sure your theorists are right and theirs are wrong? The Demand Siders don’t have a good explanation for the past two years…. The theorists have high I.Q.’s but don’t seem to know much psychology… debt-fueled government spending doesn’t increase confidence. It destroys it. Only 6 percent of Americans believe the last stimulus created jobs…. Consumers are recovering from a debt-fueled bubble and have a moral aversion to more debt. You can’t read models, but you do talk to entrepreneurs in Racine and Yakima. Higher deficits will make them more insecure and more risk-averse…. They’re afraid of a fiscal crisis. They’re afraid of future tax increases. They don’t believe government-stimulated growth is real and lasting… they are the ones who invest and hire, not the theorists. The Demand Siders are brilliant, but they write as if changing fiscal policy were as easy as adjusting the knob on your stove. In fact, it’s very hard to get money out the door and impossible to do it quickly. It’s hard to find worthwhile programs to pour money into. Once programs exist, it’s nearly impossible to kill them. Spending now creates debt forever and ever…
Did he have a long dark night of the soul that led to a complete ideological conversion? Was important new information about the structure of the economy brought to his attention? Did word come down from the Conintern demanding that he cease his line wobble?
Did his doctor change his meds–drastically?
Nope. None of the above.
The first quote starts four lines after the second ends.
Dean Baker at CEPR on Brooks:
There also is a basic question of logic that Mr. Brooks neglects. If the country really did start to face insolvency (i.e. no one would buy its debt), why would the Fed not simply step in and buy up government debt itself, as it has been doing to some extent over the last year and a half? This could cause inflation, which could be a serious problem, but then the issue would be inflation, not insolvency.
Of course, as practical matter, it is more than a little far-fetched to believe that we will have to worry about inflation any time soon. All the measures of inflation are in the 1-2 percent range and headed downward. With the unemployment rate still near double-digit levels and huge excess capacity in nearly every sector of the economy, it would take some real magic to spark inflation. (Since Brooks is anxious to argue that central banks and international financial institutions, who all missed the housing bubble btw, agree that insolvency is a real concern, it is probably worth mentioning that Olivier Blanchard, the chief economist of the IMF, believes that the economy would benefit from a somewhat higher rate of inflation.)
After inventing a crisis of national insolvency to concern the president (should President Obama also worry about invading Martians?), Mr. Brooks tells readers that:
“The Demand Siders don’t have a good explanation for the past two years.”
Hmmm, is that right? Seems to me that we have a very simple theory to explain the past two years. There was a huge bubble in housing that burst beginning in 2006. This led to a plunge in residential construction that cost the economy more than $500 billion in annual demand. In addition, the loss of $6 trillion in housing wealth, coupled with the loss of around $7 trillion in stock wealth, has cost the economy more than $500 billion in annual consumption demand. This is the result of the wealth effect on consumption, a phenomenon that economists have been writing about for close to a century. In addition, there was a bubble in non-residential real estate that collapsed about a year after the collapse of the housing bubble. This cost the economy about another $150 billion in demand. That gives a total loss in annual demand of around $1.2 trillion. All of this was completely predictable and predicted by at least some demand siders.
It was also easy to see that the stimulus approved by Congress was inadequate. Demand siders rely on something called “arithmetic” to reach this assessment. After pulling out the $80 billion fix to the alternative minimum tax, which had nothing to do with stimulus, and the $100 billion or so designated for later years, the stimulus provided for roughly $600 billion in spending and tax cuts over the years 2009 and 2010. This comes to $300 billion a year. Roughly half of the federal stimulus was offset by cutbacks and tax increases at the state and local level, leaving a net stimulus from the government sector of roughly $150 billion a year.
Demand siders did not believe that $150 billion in annual stimulus from the government could offset the contractionary impact of a reduction in annual spending by the private scctor of $1.2 trillion ($1.2 trillion > $150 billion). That is how demand siders explained the failure of the stimulus to have much impact in reducing the unemployment rate. Perhaps this explanation is too complicated for Mr. Brooks (he repeatedly complains about the high IQs of the demand siders), but it actually seems fairly straightforward. If he wants to be honest, he could at least say that he doesn’t understand the demand siders’ explanation, rather than asserting that demand siders do not have an explanation.
David Brooks, writing skeptically about the case for more fiscal stimulus, says:
But the overall message is: Don’t be arrogant. This year, don’t engage in reckless new borrowing or reckless new cutting. Focus on the fundamentals. Cut programs that don’t enhance productivity. Spend more on those that do.
So leaving aside the fact that it’s a bit difficult to know exactly which programs enhance productivity and which don’t (arrogant, even), obviously “do more productivity-enhancing stuff” is never terrible advice. But it just can’t be emphasized enough that even though the American economy is in fact sub-optimal on the supply side in many ways, this is also true of every other economy on earth at every other time on earth. When nations fall into a macroeconomic funk, it’s natural—and in some ways even a bit healthy—for people to start focusing on structural problems that they didn’t care about so much a few years ago in fatter times. But it can also get morbid.
Over the long-run, boosting our productivity growth rate will help us become more prosperous. But over the short-run, our potential to produce goods and services simply isn’t the issue. The issue is that because of demand shortfalls, that potential isn’t being used.
Having said all that, the really odd thing about Brooks’ column is that after bashing stimulus proponents for many grafs, he turns out to basically agree with stimulus proponents:
First, extend unemployment insurance; that’s a foolish place to begin budget-balancing. Second, you need to mitigate the pain caused by the state governments that are slashing spending.
Exactly. But if that’s what Brooks thinks, he should be complaining about conservative senators who don’t want to do those things, not about Paul Krugman.
Question for Matt Yglesias:
Your answer to our economic situation is that we need to ramp up government spending to stimulate consumer demand to increase employment. It’s not important to be efficient in how we deploy our stimulus money; it’s much more important just to get people buying stuff and making stuff for people to buy.
Your answer to the problem of climate change is that we need to substantially increase the price of carbon so that consumption patterns change and we all buy less stuff that is very carbon-intensive and either spend more of our income on non-carbon-intensive goods and services or simply live lives of greater overall leisure without so much emphasis on getting and spending. The government should do what it can to ease the economic pain of the transition, but some short-term economic pain is a reasonable price to pay for saving the planet.
I think the tension between these two positions should be obvious. I think Matt would reconcile that tension by saying that, no, he doesn’t really think that ramping up government spending on just anything is a good idea – he thinks we should ramp up spending on things that would help make the transition to a greener economy, even if this means sacrificing a bit of stimulus.
In other words, he thinks we should be planning for the long term when we spend in the short term, and now more than ever since this “spend lots of money now” window isn’t going to stay open forever.
In other words, if David Brooks had said “[D]on’t engage in reckless new borrowing or reckless new cutting. Focus on the fundamentals. Cut programs that entrench the existing carbon-based economy. Spend more on those that help foster a green transition” instead of talking generically about productivity and investing for the long term, Matt would have applauded instead of sniping.
Filed under Economics, Mainstream, The Crisis
Tagged as Brad DeLong, Center For Economic And Policy Research, David Brooks, Dean Baker, Economics, Ezra Klein, Financial Crisis, Firedoglake, Mainstream Media, Matthew Yglesias, New York Times, Noah Millman, Paul Krugman, Scarecrow, The American Scene
Michael Hastings at Rolling Stone:
How’d I get screwed into going to this dinner?” demands Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It’s a Thursday night in mid-April, and the commander of all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan is sitting in a four-star suite at the Hôtel Westminster in Paris. He’s in France to sell his new war strategy to our NATO allies – to keep up the fiction, in essence, that we actually have allies. Since McChrystal took over a year ago, the Afghan war has become the exclusive property of the United States. Opposition to the war has already toppled the Dutch government, forced the resignation of Germany’s president and sparked both Canada and the Netherlands to announce the withdrawal of their 4,500 troops. McChrystal is in Paris to keep the French, who have lost more than 40 soldiers in Afghanistan, from going all wobbly on him.
“The dinner comes with the position, sir,” says his chief of staff, Col. Charlie Flynn.
McChrystal turns sharply in his chair.
“Hey, Charlie,” he asks, “does this come with the position?”
McChrystal gives him the middle finger.
On the ground with the Runaway General: Photos of Stanley McChrystal at work.
The general stands and looks around the suite that his traveling staff of 10 has converted into a full-scale operations center. The tables are crowded with silver Panasonic Toughbooks, and blue cables crisscross the hotel’s thick carpet, hooked up to satellite dishes to provide encrypted phone and e-mail communications. Dressed in off-the-rack civilian casual – blue tie, button-down shirt, dress slacks – McChrystal is way out of his comfort zone. Paris, as one of his advisers says, is the “most anti-McChrystal city you can imagine.” The general hates fancy restaurants, rejecting any place with candles on the tables as too “Gucci.” He prefers Bud Light Lime (his favorite beer) to Bordeaux,
(his favorite movie) to Jean-Luc Godard. Besides, the public eye has never been a place where McChrystal felt comfortable: Before President Obama put him in charge of the war in Afghanistan, he spent five years running the Pentagon’s most secretive black ops.
The Spill, The Scandal and the President: How Obama let BP get away with murder.
“What’s the update on the Kandahar bombing?” McChrystal asks Flynn. The city has been rocked by two massive car bombs in the past day alone, calling into question the general’s assurances that he can wrest it from the Taliban.
“We have two KIAs, but that hasn’t been confirmed,” Flynn says.
McChrystal takes a final look around the suite. At 55, he is gaunt and lean, not unlike an older version of Christian Bale in Rescue Dawn. His slate-blue eyes have the unsettling ability to drill down when they lock on you. If you’ve fucked up or disappointed him, they can destroy your soul without the need for him to raise his voice.
Looting Main Street: Matt Taibbi on how the nation’s biggest banks are ripping off American cities.
“I’d rather have my ass kicked by a roomful of people than go out to this dinner,” McChrystal says.
He pauses a beat.
“Unfortunately,” he adds, “no one in this room could do it.”
With that, he’s out the door.
“Who’s he going to dinner with?” I ask one of his aides.
“Some French minister,” the aide tells me. “It’s fucking gay.”
Get more Rolling Stone political coverage.
The next morning, McChrystal and his team gather to prepare for a speech he is giving at the École Militaire, a French military academy. The general prides himself on being sharper and ballsier than anyone else, but his brashness comes with a price: Although McChrystal has been in charge of the war for only a year, in that short time he has managed to piss off almost everyone with a stake in the conflict. Last fall, during the question-and-answer session following a speech he gave in London, McChrystal dismissed the counterterrorism strategy being advocated by Vice President Joe Biden as “shortsighted,” saying it would lead to a state of “Chaos-istan.” The remarks earned him a smackdown from the president himself, who summoned the general to a terse private meeting aboard Air Force One. The message to McChrystal seemed clear: Shut the fuck up, and keep a lower profile
Now, flipping through printout cards of his speech in Paris, McChrystal wonders aloud what Biden question he might get today, and how he should respond. “I never know what’s going to pop out until I’m up there, that’s the problem,” he says. Then, unable to help themselves, he and his staff imagine the general dismissing the vice president with a good one-liner.
“Are you asking about Vice President Biden?” McChrystal says with a laugh. “Who’s that?”
“Biden?” suggests a top adviser. “Did you say: Bite Me?”
When Barack Obama entered the Oval Office, he immediately set out to deliver on his most important campaign promise on foreign policy: to refocus the war in Afghanistan on what led us to invade in the first place. “I want the American people to understand,” he announced in March 2009. “We have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan.” He ordered another 21,000 troops to Kabul, the largest increase since the war began in 2001. Taking the advice of both the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he also fired Gen. David McKiernan – then the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan – and replaced him with a man he didn’t know and had met only briefly: Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It was the first time a top general had been relieved from duty during wartime in more than 50 years, since Harry Truman fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur at the height of the Korean War.
Even though he had voted for Obama, McChrystal and his new commander in chief failed from the outset to connect. The general first encountered Obama a week after he took office, when the president met with a dozen senior military officials in a room at the Pentagon known as the Tank. According to sources familiar with the meeting, McChrystal thought Obama looked “uncomfortable and intimidated” by the roomful of military brass. Their first one-on-one meeting took place in the Oval Office four months later, after McChrystal got the Afghanistan job, and it didn’t go much better. “It was a 10-minute photo op,” says an adviser to McChrystal. “Obama clearly didn’t know anything about him, who he was. Here’s the guy who’s going to run his fucking war, but he didn’t seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed.”
Eric Zimmermann on The Hill:
On Tuesday morning, Rolling Stone Executive Editor Eric Bates suggested that the magazine gathered even more devastating information that could not be published.
“They said a lot of stuff to us off the record that’s not in the story, so we respected all those boundaries,” Bates told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Bates said the magazine has gotten zero pushback from McChrystal’s people.
“No. No, I haven’t heard that,” Bates said when asked whether McChrystal has claimed the magazine misquoted him. “Didn’t hear that during the course of the story. I didn’t hear that in his apology.”
Byron York at The Washington Examiner:
I just got off the phone with a retired military man, with more than 25 years experience, who has worked with Gen. Stanley McChrystal in the Pentagon. His reaction to McChrystal’s performance in the new Rolling Stone profile? No surprise at all.
“Those of us who knew him would unanimously tell you that this was just a matter of time,” the man says. “He talks this way all the time. I’m surprised it took this long for it to rear its ugly head.”
“He had great disdain for anyone, as he said, ‘in a suit,’” the former military man continues. “I was shocked one day in a small group of people when he took [former Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld to task in front of all of us.”
“The other thing about him is that he is probably one of the more arrogant, cocksure military guys I have run across. That in itself is not necessarily a character flaw, but when you couple it with his great disdain for civilians, it’s a very volatile combination.”
The former military man is under no illusions about the general nature of relations between the military and the civilian leadership. “I don’t consider this an anomaly,” he says. “You can find examples of this going back to the founding of the republic. Nevertheless, it is very disturbing that he would have such disdain for the civilian leadership.”
Andrew Exum:
I have been struck by the degree to which a lot of smart friends are in disagreement about what should be done about l’Affair Rolling Stan. In some ways, the argument about whether or not you dismiss Gen. McChrystal for comments made by the commander and his staff in this Rolling Stone article breaks down into unhappily familiar lines. Critics of the current strategy in Afghanistan unsurprisingly think McChrystal should be fired. Supporters of the strategy think that while the comments made to Rolling Stone were out of line, McChrystal should be retained in the greater interest of the war effort. Neither side, that I have yet seen, has acknowledged that either course of action would carry risk. The purpose of this post is to outline the risks of dismissing Gen. McChrystal as the commander of ISAF in response to the affair. This is an uncomfortable post to write. I very much admire Stan McChrystal and have looked up to him since my time in the Rangers when I fought in Afghanistan under his command. I know the man personally and worked with him last summer in an effort to analyze the war in Afghanistan and NATO/ISAF operations there. And so there may be a limit to how objective I can really be, but I’m a defense policy analyst, so I’m going to try and soberly analyze these risks without letting my admiration for McChrystal get in the way.
If the facts are as they appear — McChrystal and his associates freely mocking their commander in chief and his possible successor (ie, Biden) and the relevant State Department officials (Holbrooke and Eikenberry) — with no contention that the quotes were invented or misconstrued, then Obama owes it to past and future presidents to draw the line and say: this is not tolerable. You must go. McChrystal’s team was inexplicably reckless in talking before a reporter this way, but that’s a separate question. The fact is — or appears to be — that they did it
The second step is what this means for US strategy in Afghanistan, the future of COIN, etc. But the first is for the civilian Commander in Chief to act in accordance with Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution and demonstrate that there are consequences for showing open disrespect for the chain of command.
And, yes, I would say the same thing in opposite political circumstances — if, for instance, a commander of Iraq operations had been quoted openly mocking George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Resign in protest: yes, a course of honor. But protest and mock while in uniform, no.
Jon Soltz at VetVoice:
I know something about this. In 2006, I worked with two Generals, appearing in national television ads critical of President Bush and his strategy in Iraq. Or, should I say, retired Generals. Major Generals Paul D. Eaton and John Batiste each made the painful decision to leave the military they loved, so they could speak out. To that point, they had held their tongues.
Because the order and efficacy of our Armed Forces falls apart without respect for the chain of command. Whether it’s a grunt respecting his company commander, or a General respecting the Commander in Chief, every single thing is predicated on the integrity of the chain of command. As soon as someone – especially someone as high up as General McChrystal – violates that respect, every single person under him begins to not only question the orders they’ve been given from above, but is given the signal that it’s OK to openly disagree or mock his or her superior.
And, violate that respect General McChystal and his subordinates have. Among other things, the Rolling Stone story reports first-hand that:
* McChrystal was disappointed with his first meeting with the President, and that he feels the President is uncomfortable and intimidated with military brass.
* McChrystal’s aid calls National Security Advisor James Jones a “clown.”
* Another aide says of envoy Richard Holbrooke, “The Boss [McChrystal] says he’s like a wounded animal. Holbrooke keeps hearing rumors that he’s going to get fired, so that makes him dangerous.”
* Bolstering that, McChrystal himself, receiving an email from Holbrooke says, “Oh, not another e-mail from Holbrooke. I don’t even want to read it.”
* On Vice President Biden, who disagreed with the General’s strategy in Afghanistan, McChrystal says while laughing, “Are you asking me about Vice President Biden? Who’s that?”
* An aide, mirroring his boss, adds, “Biden? Did you say Bite me?”
Anyone of lower rank would be immediately dismissed if he or she said of their superiors what General McChrystal said, or what he allowed members of his team to say.
This, of course, isn’t the first time that the General has been in trouble. Following a very public campaign for his preferred strategy in Afghanistan, which included a 60 Minutes interview that challenged the President, McChrystal landed in some hot water with the President, and was told to cool it. Frankly, McChrystal got off easy.
When General Eric Shinseki testified to Congress about his opinion on the force levels needed to invade Iraq, countering the strategy laid out by President Bush and Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, he was forced into retirement. Shinseki, unlike McChrystal, was asked his opinion, under oath, in front of Congress. There’s a difference between that professional conversation, and personal attacks on your superiors. Shinseki didn’t lead a public campaign to air his views, either. At any rate, McChrystal was given a second shot, where Shinseki was not.
Whether he continued his insubordination purposely, or stupidly and unintentionally, isn’t an issue. The issue, here, is that it happened. Again.
Thomas Donnelly and William Kristol in The Weekly Standard:
If Stan McChrystal has to go—and he probably does—it will be a sad end to a career of great distinction and a low moment in a lifetime devoted to duty, honor, and country. But the good of the mission and the prospects for victory in Afghanistan may well now demand a new commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
While there are obvious issues of civil-military relations exposed by the general’s cringe-inducing quotes in the “Runaway General” article in Rolling Stone—and while his staff appear to be off the leash entirely, a command climate for which McChrystal is responsible—the original source of the problem is above the general’s pay grade.
So McChrystal should not be the only one to go. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and “AfPak” czar Richard Holbrooke should likewise either submit their resignations or be fired by President Obama. Vice President Biden and his surrogates should be told to sit down and be quiet, to stop fighting policy battles in the press. The administration’s “team of rivals” approach is producing only rivalry.
Max Boot at Commentary:
McChrystal was undoubtedly stupid to grant so much access to a hostile reporter, and his aides were equally clueless in making some disparaging remarks in front of this reporter about Vice President Biden and National Security Adviser Jim Jones, among others. But that in no way invalidates McChrystal’s plan, which should be carried out, with some inevitable adjustments, by whomever is the NATO commander in Afghanistan.
Should that person be McChrystal? Despite the calls for his firing emanating from the usual quarters on the left, the general is certainly not guilty of violating the chain of command in the way that truly insubordinate generals like Douglas MacArthur have. Recall that MacArthur publicly disagreed with Truman’ strategy in the Korean War. Likewise, Admiral Fox Fallon was fired as Centcom commander in 2008 after publicly disagreeing in an Esquire article with Bush-administration strategy over Iran. McChrystal does nothing of the sort. At worst, one of his aides says that McChrystal was “disappointed” by his initial meetings with the president, who looked “uncomfortable and intimidated.” Most of the disparaging comments heard from McChrystal’s aides are directed not at the president but at presidential aides who oppose the strategy that the president himself announced back in the fall and that McChrystal is working 24/7 to implement. Is this type of banter enough for Obama to fire McChrystal?
It could be, but if he does it could represent a setback to the war effort — and to the president’s hopes to withdraw some troops next summer. The least disruption would occur if a general already in Afghanistan — Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, who runs day to day operations, is the obvious choice — takes over. If an outsider were chosen (e.g., Marine General Jim Mattis), there would likely be a delay of months while the new commander conducted his own assessment of the situation. That’s a delay we can ill afford right now. On the other hand, we can ill afford having McChrystal stay if he is so discredited with the commander in chief and so weakened in internal-administration deliberations that he cannot stand up to the attempts by Biden and other internal critics to downsize the mission prematurely.
McChrystal has undoubtedly created a major problem for himself, his command, and the larger mission in Afghanistan. But I still believe he is a terrific general who has come up with a good strategy and has energized a listless command that was drifting when he took over. Notwithstanding the current turmoil, the war remains eminently winnable, and the McChrystal strategy remains the best option for winning it.
Spencer Ackerman:
You can read Gen. McChrystal’s apology in full here at the Washington Independent. No “clarification” that I expected last night after seeing the AP writeup of McChrystal’s Rolling Stone interview disrespecting the Obama administration. “It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened,” McChrystal emailed reporters instead. “Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard.” You think?
McChrystal gets called to the White House on Wednesday to direct the monthly Afghanistan/Pakistan briefing — oh, and to explain himself and see if he can keep his job. As I wrote for the Washington Independent, firing him carries its risks. There’s only a year to go before the July 2011 date to begin the transition to Afghan security responsibility and the Kandahar tide is starting to rise. It’ll be hard to fire McChrystal without ripping the entire Afghanistan strategy up, and I’ve gotten no indication from the White House that it’s interested in doing that. On the other hand, if senior administration officials are and I just haven’t picked up on it, McChrystal just gave them their biggest opportunity.
And what an opportunity. You can read the Rolling Stone profile through Politico. The amazing thing about it is there’s no complaints from McChrystal or his staff about the administration on any substantive ground. After all, McChrystal and his allies won the argument within the White House. All the criticisms — of Eikenberry, of Jones, of Holbrooke, of Biden — are actually just immature and arrogant snipes at how annoying Team America (what, apparently, McChrystal’s crew calls itself) finds them. This is not mission-first, to say the least.
In fact, you have to go deep in the piece to find soldiers and officers offering actual critiques — and what they offer is criticism of McChrystal for being insufficiently brutal. Everyone of them quoted here is a mini-Ralph Peters, upset because McChrystal won’t let them “get our fucking gun on,” as one puts it. I have a lot of respect for Michael Hastings, the author of the profile, but there are many greyer shades of on-the-ground military perspective than that, and I’ve seen them up close. But Hastings does a good and insightful job of showing that McChrystal is stepping into a diplomatic vacuum and acting as an advocate for Hamid Karzai despite Karzai’s performance in office.
We’ll have to wait for Wednesday to see if McChrystal keeps his command. My guess is he’ll stay, because now the White House knows that a chastened McChrystal isn’t going to say anything else outside of his lane to any reporter. McChrystal’s apology, emailed to me and other reporters well before the Rolling Stone story dropped, suggests that he wasn’t trying to walk away from his command in a blaze of arrogance. But it’s on him to repair his relationship with his colleagues and his bosses.
Tom Ricks at Foreign Policy:
My bet is that Gen. Stanley McChrystal will be gone within a week or so. Defense Secretary Gates canned Admiral Fallon as Central Command chief in the spring of 2007 for less pointed remarks, so he will look like a hypocrite if he does less here in response to McChrystal dissing Obama, Biden, and the White House in a new article in Rolling Stone.
At any rate, it may be time for a whole new team in Afghanistan. My nomination is for Petraeus to step down an echelon and take the Afghanistan command. You could leave him nominally the Centcom chief but let his deputy, Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen, oversee Iraq, the war planning for Iran, and dealing with Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. But more likely is that Petraeus will ask for another Marine general, James Mattis, who is just finishing up at Jiffycom, and who had planned to retire later this year and head home to Walla Walla, Washington. Petraeus and Mattis long have admired each other. The irony is that Mattis has a reputation — unfairly, I think — for speaking a little too bluntly in public about things like killing people. I think Mattis is a terrific, thoughtful leader.
I do wonder if this mess is the result of leaving McChrystal out there too long-he has been going non-stop for several years, first in Iraq and then in Afghanistan. At any rate, his comments reflect a startling lack of discipline. He would expect more of one of his captains. We should expect more of him. I know, I’ve said worse about Biden. But part of my job is to comment on these things, even flippantly sometimes. Part of his job is not to.
[Updated at 4:41 p.m.] Gen. Stanley McChrystal has submitted his resignation, Time magazine’s Joe Klein told CNN, citing an unnamed source. CNN is working to confirm Klein’s information.
UPDATE: Andy McCarthy at The Corner
UPDATE #2: Allah Pundit
Jim Pinkerton at Ricochet
Spencer Ackerman
Doug Mataconis
UPDATE #3: David Brooks in NYT
Dylan Stableford at The Wrap
The Week Magazine
Matt Taibbi at Rolling Stone
UPDATE #4: Conor Friedersdorf and Matt Lewis at Bloggingheads
UPDATE #5: Max Read at Gawker
Filed under Af/Pak, Military Issues, Political Figures
Tagged as Afghanistan, Allah Pundit, Andrew Exum, Andy McCarthy, Bloggingheads, Byron York, CNN, Commentary, Conor Friedersdorf, David Brooks, Doug Mataconis, Dylan Stableford, Eric Zimmermann, Foreign Policy, Gawker, Glenn Greenwald, James Fallows, Jim Pinkerton, Jon Soltz, Matt Lewis, Matt Taibbi, Max Boot, Max Read, Michael Hastings, Military Issues, National Review, New York Times, Political Figures, Ricochet, Rolling Stone, Spencer Ackerman, The Hill, The Week, The Weekly Standard, The Wrap, Thomas Donnelly, Tom Ricks, VetVoice, Washington Examiner, William Kristol
Zelig With A Scotch And Perrier
Christopher Hitchens memoir, Hitch-22
Alex Eichler at The Atlantic with the round-up
Michael Totten at Instapundit’s place:
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS’ new book Hitch-22: A Memoir wasn’t supposed to be released until June, but my copy from Amazon.com arrived today. He sent me an uncorrected advance reader copy a few weeks ago, and it’s terrific.
Excerpt in Vanity Fair
Excerpt from Hitchens in Slate:
The fictions and cartoons of Nigel Molesworth, of Paul Pennyfeather in Waugh’s Decline and Fall, and numberless other chapters of English literary folklore have somehow made all this mania and ritual appear “normal,” even praiseworthy. Did we suspect our schoolmasters—not to mention their weirdly etiolated female companions or “wives,” when they had any—of being in any way “odd,” not to say queer? We had scarcely the equipment with which to express the idea, and anyway what would this awful thought make of our parents, who were paying—as we were so often reminded—a princely sum for our privileged existences? The word “privilege” was indeed employed without stint. Yes, I think that must have been it. If we had not been certain that we were better off than the oafs and jerks who lived on housing estates and went to state-run day schools, we might have asked more questions about being robbed of all privacy, encouraged to inform on one another, taught how to fawn upon authority and turn upon the vulnerable outsider, and subjected at all times to rules which it was not always possible to understand, let alone to obey.
I think it was that last point which impressed itself upon me most, and which made me shudder with recognition when I read Auden’s otherwise overwrought comparison of the English boarding school to a totalitarian regime. The conventional word that is employed to describe tyranny is “systematic.” The true essence of a dictatorship is in fact not its regularity but its unpredictability and caprice; those who live under it must never be able to relax, must never be quite sure if they have followed the rules correctly or not. (The only rule of thumb was: whatever is not compulsory is forbidden.) Thus, the ruled can always be found to be in the wrong. The ability to run such a “system” is among the greatest pleasures of arbitrary authority, and I count myself lucky, if that’s the word, to have worked this out by the time I was ten. Later in life I came up with the term “micro-megalomaniac” to describe those who are content to maintain absolute domination of a small sphere. I know what the germ of the idea was, all right. “Hitchens, take that look off your face!” Near-instant panic. I hadn’t realized I was wearing a “look.” (Face-crime!) “Hitchens, report yourself at once to the study!” “Report myself for what, sir?” “Don’t make it worse for yourself, Hitchens, you know perfectly well.” But I didn’t. And then: “Hitchens, it’s not just that you have let the whole school down. You have let yourself down.” To myself I was frantically muttering: Now what? It turned out to be some dormitory sex-game from which—though the fools in charge didn’t know it—I had in fact been excluded. But a protestation of my innocence would have been, as in any inquisition, an additional proof of guilt.
There were other manifestations, too. There was nowhere to hide. The lavatory doors sometimes had no bolts. One was always subject to invigilation, waking and sleeping. Collective punishment was something I learned about swiftly: “Until the offender confesses in public,” a giant voice would intone, “all your ‘privileges’ will be withdrawn.” There were curfews, where we were kept at our desks or in our dormitories under a cloud of threats while officialdom prowled the corridors in search of unspecified crimes and criminals. Again I stress the matter of sheer scale: the teachers were enormous compared to us and this lent a Brobdingnagian aspect to the scene. In seeming contrast, but in fact as reinforcement, there would be long and “jolly” periods where masters and boys would join in scenes of compulsory enthusiasm—usually over the achievements of a sports team—and would celebrate great moments of victory over lesser and smaller schools. I remember years later reading about Stalin that the intimates of his inner circle were always at their most nervous when he was in a “good” mood, and understanding instantly what was meant by that.
Diana McLellan at WaPo:
“Hitch-22” (ghastly title) is a fat and juicy memoir of a fat and juicy life, topping 400 pages. As you plunge in for your Zelig-like wallow in the past century’s zeitgeist, you begin to shiver: My God, didn’t this guy leave anything out? Here’s the terrible and tragic 1973 suicide of his beloved Mummy, via pills, in an Athens hotel room with her dreary defrocked-vicar lover, violently dead by his own hand. Here’s a cuddle with a beau at boarding school. Here’s a dab of introspection on what some call his “bromance” with Amis. (Of course, he began to hate Martin’s father, the great author Kingsley Amis, when Kingsley got old and boring. Good thing that won’t happen to him!) Here’s his charmless admission that he prefers American girls to English ones because they put out without a lot of upfront argle-bargle. Here are the sophomoric word games played with his very highest-brow cronies, such as substituting the f-word for “love” in song titles.
His artless self-revelations convey a certain careless elan: “I find now that I can more or less acquit myself on any charge of having desired Martin [Amis] carnally. (My looks by then had in any case declined to the point where only women would go to bed with me.)”
But the truth is, for the memoir of a Trotskyite George Orwell worshiper, “Hitch-22” (ugh) has a humongous memory hole. Where’s his wife of eight years, Eleni Meleagrou? He dumped her in 1989, when she was pregnant with their second child, for the elegant Carol Blue, whom he’d met at an airport. Where’s his old Washington soulmate, former New Yorker writer and Clinton confidante “Cousin” Sidney Blumenthal, whom he accused of lying during the Clinton impeachment trial?
It’s been said by unkind people that an honest politician is one who, once bought, stays bought. So is an honest journalist one who, once bamboozled, stays bamboozled? Call me naive — please! — but I’m floored that the great dirt-digger still clings to the certainty, peddled by Paul Wolfowitz and Ahmed Chalabi and long since discredited, that the late Saddam Hussein was unseated for his tyranny and his possession of weapons of mass destruction. Tyranny? Has Hitchens seen what we’re still sucking up to? Most tyrants, of course, aren’t squatting atop a quarter of the world’s known oil reserves. Even Alan Greenspan wrote in his 2007 memoir that it was “politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: The Iraq war is largely about oil.”
Maybe now that Hitchens is 60-something and says he drinks “relatively carefully,” he’ll run this one through his little gray cells one more time. By the way, “relatively carefully” to him is terribly spartan: just a Scotch and Perrier at lunchtime, followed by half a bottle of wine, and then the same again every evening.
“Alcohol makes other people less tedious,” he observes. It does. Pour yourself a stiff one, fasten your seat belt and enjoy this bumpy but never boring ride.
Andrew Sullivan at The Times:
In fact, the blunt Brit is now almost a stock figure. Last week saw the final American Idol featuring Simon Cowell as a judge. Cowell is better known in America than, say, the Supreme Court’s chief justice or three-quarters of Barack Obama’s cabinet. At some point in a distant Wildean past, a British musical judge might be expected to be wittier than his peers. Cowell is witless, inexpert, inarticulate and touchy. He just possesses a series of ugly prejudices and crude hunches and the ability to tell someone to their face that they’re rubbish. In Britain, who really cares? In America he’s a legend.
Or contrast Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant reality show in America with the British version. In the US, he’s far ruder and the recipients of his bile much less socially prepared for it. And so the Brits have found a niche in fostering embarrassment among Americans by saying things Americans in general are far too polite to bring up.
Christopher Hitchens cannot be reduced to this. His first common identity in America was leftism, just as mine was conservatism. He seems to have read everything and met everyone, as his addictive new memoir, Hitch-22, proves. His prose is almost as enjoyable as his company. But he only reached his apotheosis in American culture by attacking the one thing Americans have historically shied from attacking: God. Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana were not enough. He needed the Big One to become the Loved One.
The best in this genre occurs when the sentiment is genuine. Hitch really does believe that religion poisons everything. It’s not an act. His visceral, furious response to 9/11, like my own, had not a scintilla of inauthenticity about it. What he has, apart from real skill and extraordinary discipline (drink only makes him work harder), is the courage of his own curiosity.
The nostalgia is sometimes fetid. On his favourite high horse, Mr Hitchens might dismiss another writer’s coy tales of long- ago gay flings at Oxford with future Conservative cabinet ministers as “kiss and hint” writing. The boozy Friday lunches in London with his clever friends, and their shared fondness for puerile, obscene word games, will leave most readers bored and mystified. Mr Hitchens admits that it was funnier at the time (and probably funnier still for those robbed of their critical faculties by copious amounts of alcohol).
But amid the dregs are shards of brilliant, piercing writing. The account of his uncovered Jewish ancestry (concealed by his lively, miserable mother, who killed herself in a hotel room in Athens, with her lover) is more than poignant. His willingness to go to the barricades to defend his friend Salman Rushdie after the fatwa in 1989, and his beloved America after September 11th 2001, is unaffected and appealing. Having lambasted bourgeois values such as freedom and tolerance, Hitch now (a bit late in the day, some might think) understands why they matter.
The ardour is not always matched by insight. In particular, the smoke of incinerated straw men obscures any serious discussion of religion (superstition practised by hypocrites, in his view). And for what is meant to be a no-holds-barred memoir, the author goes lightly on some of his failings. Broken ideals get plenty of self-satisfied scrutiny; broken hearts and marriages rate barely a mention. The impression left is of a writer frozen in a precocious teenagery, whose ability to tease and provoke the grown-ups is entertaining but ultimately tiresome. If Mr Hitchens can stay off the booze and do some serious thinking, his real autobiography, in 20 years’ time or so, should be a corker.
Allen Barra at Salon:
In place of revelation, there is lots and lots of gossip. Hitchens, to take him by his own accounts, is the Zelig of modern Anglo-American letters; he seems to have been everywhere, talked to everyone and made friends in every corner of the world, whether or not anyone else was there to record the conversation.
People seem to want to tell Christopher Hitchens their secrets; like Nick Carraway, he is “privy to the secret of wild, unknown men.” Also some that are very well known: Gore Vidal, we learn, would take “rugged young men recruited from the Via Veneto … from the rear” where they were then taken into the next room where “Tom [Driberg, the journalist] would suck them dry.” (We are not told whether this occurred while Hitchens was still in his Oxford phase.)
Name-dropping, which has become a distressing trait in Hitchens’ work in recent years, is now approaching critical mass. Long stretches of “Hitch-22” read like literary bouquets to Hitch gathered by himself. He names and quotes the usual suspects — Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis and Ian McEwan, long ago identified by Hitchens as partisans. Joining their ranks are “my Argentine anti-fascist friend, Jacobo Timerman,” “my Kurdish friends,” Susan Sontag’s son “my dear friend David,” “my dear friend and colleague Jeff Goldberg [who] said to my face over a table at La Tomate …,” “my friend and ally Richard Dawkins,” “my beloved friend James Fenton,” and “my then friend Noam Chomsky” (even former friends with well-known names make Hitch’s cut). Regrettably, the late great Trinidadian writer C.L.R. James didn’t quite make the list; he passed shortly after Hitchens arrived at his deathbed.
When he isn’t writing about his friends in “Hitch-22,” he is usually writing about how proud he is to have such friends. He was “proud” to be mentioned several times in Martin Amis’ memoir and “absurdly proud” to have a poem by James Fenton dedicated to him. He is, however, “offended” at the idea that he might have been Tom Wolfe’s model for the English journalist in “Bonfire of the Vanities” — in which case he shouldn’t have mentioned it or I would never have known there was such a rumor.
Willa Paskin at New York Magazine:
Martin Amis and Christopher Hitchens have been close friends since the seventies, but their relationship is having a moment, thanks to both simultaneously publishing work celebrating the other. Amis’s novel The Pregnant Widow contains a big-brother character modeled on Hitchens; the Hitch’s memoir, Hitch-22, contains a chapter about Amis. This long-term bromance has been fruitful for both men, emotionally and intellectually — but not, perhaps, comedically! Both books refer to a game Amis and Hitch play “that involves substituting phrases like ‘hysterical sex’ for ‘love’ in the titles of movies, songs, and novels.” Some of the results of this word game include “Stop in the Name of Hysterical Sex,” Hysterical Sex Story, and A Fool for Hysterical Sex — exactly the type of not-very-funny pun that might make you laugh hard, but only if “you’d been there.” Amis and Hitchens, hugely accomplished authors, but, also, just like us!
David Frum and Hitchens do a podcast at FrumForum
UPDATE: Hitchens announces that he has cancer at Vanity Fair
UPDATE #3: Hugh Hewitt
Filed under Books
Tagged as Alex Eichler, Allah Pundit, Allen Barra, Andrew Sullivan, Books, Christopher Hitchens, David Brooks, David Frum, Diana McLellan, FrumForum, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Totten, New York Magazine, New York Times, Ross Douthat, Salon, Slate, The Atlantic, The Economist, The Times, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Willa Paskin
Phillip Blond in Prospect Magazine:
We live in a time of crisis. In such times humans retreat to safety, and build bulwarks against the future. The financial emergency is having this effect on Britain’s governing class. Labour has withdrawn to the safety of the sheltering state, and the comforts of its first income tax rise since the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, the Conservatives appear to be proposing a repeat of Thatcherite austerity in the face of economic catastrophe. But this crisis is more than an ordinary recession. It represents a disintegration of the idea of the “market state” and makes obsolete the political consensus of the last 30 years. A fresh analysis of the ruling ideological orthodoxy is required. Certainly, this new thinking isn’t going to come from the left. New Labour is intellectually dead, while Gordon Brown promises an indebted return to a now-defunct status quo. But, in truth, Brown’s reconversion from post-socialist free marketeer to state interventionist is only plausible because the Conservatives have failed to develop an alternative political economy that explains the crisis, and charts a different future free of the now bankrupt orthodoxies. Until this is achieved, Brown’s claim that the Conservatives are the “do nothing” party has real traction, and makes the result of the next election far from assured.
On a deeper level, the present moment is a challenge to conservatism itself. The Conservatives are still viewed as the party of the free market, an idea that has collapsed into monopoly finance, big business and deregulated global capitalism. Tory social thinking has genuinely evolved, but the party’s economic thinking is still poised between repetition and renewal. As late as August 2008 David Cameron said: “I’m going to be as radical a social reformer as Margaret Thatcher was an economic reformer,” and that “radical social reform is what this country needs right now.” He is right about society, but against the backdrop of collapsing markets and without a macro-economic alternative, Thatcherite economics has been wrongfooted by events.
Thankfully, conservatism is a rich and varied tradition, and re-examinating its history can provide the answers Cameron needs. These ideas are grounded in a conservatism with deeper roots than 1979, and whose branches extend into the tradition of communitarian civic conservatism—or red Toryism. This is more radical than anything emerging from today’s left and should be the way forward for the right. The opportunity to restore a radical, and progressive, Toryism must not be lost to the economic downturn.
To date, neither political party has offered a plausible analysis of the origins of the meltdown. Brown denies all responsibility while George Osborne and Cameron hold him wholly and uniquely culpable. Given that no reasonable person can think either position is tenable, both parties have surrendered the intellectual high ground. But the financial crash does provide an opportunity to think through a renewed “one nation” conservatism. Cameron says that Disraeli is his favourite Tory. Disraeli attempted to ameliorate a society destroyed by the rampant industrialisation of 19th-century capitalism, whereas Cameron’s chief target (until now, at least) has been a 20th-century creation: a disempowering, dysfunctional state. Nineteenth-century Tories criticised liberal capitalism, while 20th-century conservatives condemned the illiberal consequences of statism. But 21st-century Tories, especially against the backdrop of the current crisis, must inveigh against both in favour of the very thing that suffers most at the hands of the unrestrained market and the unlimited state: society itself. And conservatism, so imagined, could reject the politics of class—of “our people”—and the interests of the already wealthy in favour of a national politics that serves the needs of all.
It was Edmund Burke who famously spoke of conservative radicalism being founded on the little platoons of family and civic association. “To love the little platoon we belong to in society is the first principle of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country and to mankind.” This is the true spirit of Cameroonian conservatism and, taken seriously, it represents a break with the monopoly logic of the market state. But to recognise this innovation for what it is we have to contrast the potential of Cameron’s civic communitarian conservatism with what it aims to transcend: the corrupt and rotten postwar settlement of British politics.
Daniel McCarthy at The American Conservative:
“Red Tory” Philip Blond is giving a talk this evening at Georgetown University, hosted by the invaluable Tocqueville Forum. Well worth attending if you’re in the D.C. area. And tomorrow Tocqueville is hosting two panel discussions on Blond’s ideas, the first featuring Rod Dreher, Ross Douthat, and yours truly, the second with John Millbank, Andrew Abela, and Charles Mathewes. Details are here.
Blond’s Red Toryism is not welfare statism — he’s for breaking up and devolving much of the British welfare system, and he prefers a morality-infused market to further government regulation. But how would that work? His talk will give some ideas. (As does his upcoming book, Red Tory: How Left and Right Have Broken Britain and How We Can Fix it.)
Patrick Deneen in WaPo:
Contemporary party arrangements have tended to understand one or the other outcome of this settlement as the root of contemporary problems. For conservatives in the Thatcher/Reagan mold, the State threatens the liberty and independence of the individual (particularly the economic freedom of autonomous individual actors in free markets, itself premised upon the atomized and individualistic liberal anthropology of Hobbes, Locke and Adam Smith). Liberals have seen the market as the threat, and have argued on behalf of the need for a centralized State to trim its excesses. What Blond perceives – echoing the discerning analysis of Distributist thinkers such as Chesterton or Hillaire Belloc in his penetrating work The Servile State or Robert Nisbet in his classic work The Quest for Community, or even the more recent work of the agrarian writer Wendell Berry – is that the centralized modern State and the concentrations of wealth and power deriving from modern “free” markets are mutually reinforcing entities.
What both of these entities mutually seek to eviscerate are the “mediating” institutions of society, those allegiances to more “partial” associations that stand in the path of the simultaneous realization of the atomized individual and the centralized State. Partial associations – whether in the form of more local forms of governance, civic associations, strong bonds of community, religious devotions, and family – are simultaneous obstructions to both radical individualism and encompassing State power. They are the traditional bulwarks against both aspects of the liberal settlement, and as such, have been mutually the object of attack by both the State and the Market. “Conservatives” and “Liberals” alike have (with different emphases) contributed mutually to the destruction of the “Associational State.”
The recent economic crisis – fueled simultaneously by the depredations of radical free agents in the market (buying and selling abstractions of financial instruments that at some point had some actual relationship to homes, that most basic building block of human associational life) and the State system that ended up supporting this economic and social arrangement – lifted the veil on this deeper symbiosis. The crisis exposed the fact that what had been sold to the American and British public for some 50 years – that one had to choose between the State and the Market – was in fact a grand illusion, and that the Left hand was as intent in making the citizenry the subjects of the Servile State as surely as the Right hand was. While inchoate in its anger and inadequately schooled in the causes of the modern crisis, the tea party movement – in its anger toward both parties – reflects this growing understanding that the purported political alternatives of our time represent no real choice at all.
Blond arrives in the U.S. to lecture at Georgetown University on Thursday evening, March 18, and to participate in panel discussions with various journalists and academics on the afternoon of Friday, March 19 (among the participants are the “radical orthodox” theologian John Milbank). From D.C., Blond will travel to Philadelphia, where he will lecture on Monday, March 22 at Villanova University. For more information on all of these events, see this announcement.
Rod Dreher:
Greetings from Georgetown, where we heard tonight the English public intellectual Philip Blond introduce Red Toryism to an American audience. Blond is an engaging speaker and and real optimist about the possibility of positive political change (at dinner tonight after the speech, it was encouraging for a pessimist like me to hear him speak so vigorously about how world-changing ideas can start small). He’s just received a huge launch in this country, courtesy of David Brooks’ Friday column.
That David Brooks column (obviously, in NYT):
But there is another way to respond to these problems that is more communitarian and less libertarian. This alternative has been explored most fully by the British writer Phillip Blond.
He grew up in working-class Liverpool. “I lived in the city when it was being eviscerated,” he told The New Statesman. “It was a beautiful city, one of the few in Britain to have a genuinely indigenous culture. And that whole way of life was destroyed.” Industry died. Political power was centralized in London.
Blond argues that over the past generation we have witnessed two revolutions, both of which liberated the individual and decimated local associations. First, there was a revolution from the left: a cultural revolution that displaced traditional manners and mores; a legal revolution that emphasized individual rights instead of responsibilities; a welfare revolution in which social workers displaced mutual aid societies and self-organized associations.
Then there was the market revolution from the right. In the age of deregulation, giant chains like Wal-Mart decimated local shop owners. Global financial markets took over small banks, so that the local knowledge of a town banker was replaced by a manic herd of traders thousands of miles away. Unions withered.
The two revolutions talked the language of individual freedom, but they perversely ended up creating greater centralization. They created an atomized, segmented society and then the state had to come in and attempt to repair the damage.
The free-market revolution didn’t create the pluralistic decentralized economy. It created a centralized financial monoculture, which requires a gigantic government to audit its activities. The effort to liberate individuals from repressive social constraints didn’t produce a flowering of freedom; it weakened families, increased out-of-wedlock births and turned neighbors into strangers. In Britain, you get a country with rising crime, and, as a result, four million security cameras.
In a much-discussed essay in Prospect magazine in February 2009, Blond wrote, “Look at the society we have become: We are a bi-polar nation, a bureaucratic, centralised state that presides dysfunctionally over an increasingly fragmented, disempowered and isolated citizenry.” In a separate essay, he added, “The welfare state and the market state are now two defunct and mutually supporting failures.”
David Blackburn at The Spectator:
Blond’s premise is unanswerable – the twin revolutions of left (prescriptive rights) and right (free market liberalism) have, perversely, centralised power. Everything is highly contestable.
First, Blond has an advanced case of David Miliband Syndrome: he expresses himself exclusively with meaningless abstractions:
‘In order to reclaim a civilised society, market and state should not be regarded as the ultimate goal or expression of humanity…We can create a civic economy based on trust, sustainability and reciprocity.’
Markets are Blond’s schtick. From what I can gather he’s agin ‘em. He fixates on what he perceives as the ‘unprecedented reduction of market diversity and plurality’. The Luddites would object to the idea this is ‘unprecedented’, and the prosperity of all that followed them undermines the assertion that a ‘reduction of diversity’ entrenches poverty. But Blond is unperturbed. He argues that local shops should be protected from larger competitors through co-ops, mutualism and state intervention when necessary.
It’s deeply conflicted thinking. Consumers are at their most powerful in a genuinely competitive and well policed market. Blond’s ideas don’t address competition; they simply replace corporatism with mutualism. Rooted in an Enid Blyton historical fantasy of cottage industries, Blond would manipulate and skew markets. He’s attracted reams of criticism. Iain Martin’s and Alex Massie’s critiques are essential reading. Perhaps Blond’s sojourn in the States reflects his growing isolation in conservative circles.
Alex Massie’s critique, from November 2009:
I think Blond is bemoaning a certain homogenisation of urban life and, sure, there’s something to that. But the fact remains that, for instance, it can never have been cheaper (in terms of a percentage of average wages) to feed your family and you’ve never had as great a choice of provisions with which to do so. I bet Blond disapproves of supermarkets (fair enough) but poor people like supermarkets. And they’re not stupid to like Tesco or Aldi or whatever.
Similarly, the horrors of the modern economy have brought us to a situation in which the average person spends much less time at work each year than did their grand-parents or great-grandparents. I think it’s about 800 fewer hours per annum in Britain. This too does not seem a negligable gain.
For that matter, one financial crisis, no matter how serious, does not prove the “failure” of markets. Apart from anything else, they’ve not been tried* for decades in areas as trivial as secondary education (except for the rich) and health (ditto).
Sometimes, if I understand him correctly (not as simple a task as it ought to be), it seems as if Blond wants to take us back to the 1930s – at home and at work. I think he’d like everyone to live in small towns or, preferably, villages too. Now there was much that was good about the 1930s but time, and society, moves on and it’s futile to suppose that the clock can be wound back. Equally, for all that progress or, if your prefer, time, causes some valuable things to be lost, it also brings valuable improvements. In the end, Blond comes across, perhaps unwittingly, as a nostalgist. And, I’d hazard, it’s but one hop from nostalgia to full-blown reactionary status.
Because, of course, even when the state was smaller, that hardly meant an absence of coercion (especially, one might note, for women). Social mores can be just as stifling as the state even if they also have overwhelming local support and play a significant, even important, role in fostering social cohesion. Look at the Western Isles for instance, or pockets of Bradford today. Which is also why it’s important that there be a means of escape and that the individual, no matter how much Blond dislikes such folk, be, to use a think tank word, “empowered”.
That doesn’t mean that more mutalisation, an emphasis on local and voluntary associations and trying to expand and widen opportunity are bad things. They’re not. But whether Red Toryism is more than a few good (and less than earth-shattering) ideas buried benath a mass of bewildering and sometimes contradictory assumptions is something that, for now, remains a matter of some confusion. Certainly, it’s apparent belief that you can have everything and it’s apparent belief that trade-offs are extinct suggests that more work needs to be done. Time will, I guess, tell.
*Yes, yes, yes. Just like “true” Communism, “proper” or “authentic” libertarianism can never fail because it will never be tried…
Zach Dundas:
I’m way too much of a Big Government nerd to go all the way with Red Toryism, or any kind of Toryism at all—I’m in the middle of two books, one about Teddy Roosevelt’s brilliant national-forests land grab, one about the Great Society, and between them, I’m geeking out so hard on the benevolent state that I might end up with pin-ups of Gifford Pinchot and Lyndon Johnson in my locker. And, anyway, until my theoretical Middle Earth Liberation Front arises, there’s no electoral outlet for the radical decentralism that Blond articulates.
On the other hand, I like a nice cup of tea or a pint of real ale, and can’t help but feel some sympathy for a tradition which, in a broader manifestation, produced “If Pooh Were President.” I think it would be awesome if the American right would drop the crazy act and go after Wal-Mart or something Red Tory-ish. Get down with your bad selves, boys. (Q: Have there been any Tory females since Thatcher? Reply confidentially.)
Will at The League:
Despite my nasty libertarian streak, I found a lot to like in Blond’s talk, particularly in his enthusiasm for decentralization and local competition. My only quibble is that while Blond’s diagnoses are often compelling, his proposed solutions are sometimes less so. When talking about the importance of political subsidiarity, for example, Blond spoke of “giving democracy back to the streets,” which sounds more like a Students for a Democratic Society slogan than a concrete political program. “Driving capital to the periphery” and decentralizing our financial system sound great in theory, but I’m still left to wonder how economic subsidiarity works in practice. One important caveat: I’m new to Blond and was late to the lecture, so my first impressions may not do justice to the Red Tories’ program.
Blond’s philosophy also seems better suited to cultural renewal than, say, political or economic reform. His most compelling examples of Red Toryism in action – A Birmingham neighborhood taking back the streets from pimps and drug dealers; the persistence of Northern Italy’s artisan economy – struck me as the result of cultural factors that aren’t easily replicated or recreated through state action. When we do transmogrify a cultural agenda into a political one, the results are sometimes messier than anticipated, which may have been what Ross Douthat was getting at when he asked Blond about the parallels between his philosophy and Bush’s compassionate conservatism at the end of the presentation.
One last observation: Blond spoke movingly of the plight of poor and working class citizens stuck in low-wage service jobs with no prospects for social mobility. His economic vision stresses the importance of creating stakeholders – skilled artisans, small businesspeople, and so on – who feel more invested in their communities. This reminded me of the American experience after World War II, when millions of returning GIs received free college educations and federally-backed homeownership loans helped create the American middle class. But while these programs were largeky successful, they’re not exactly models of decentralized governance. Is Blond willing to compromise or moderate his small government sympathies to create new economic stakeholders? I ask because state efforts to create or impart social capital – from public schools to the Federal Housing Administration to Bush’s compassionate conservatism – are rarely characterized by decentralization or subsidiarity.
Exit question: Is liberal society, as Blond suggests, fundamentally dependent on older traditions, cultural practices, and civic institutions? Does radical individualism undermine these institutions? I know Blond isn’t the first to make this argument, but his prognosis was both unusually grim and surprisingly persuasive. I’d be curious to hear what the League’s commenters and contributors have to say on the subject.
UPDATE: Chris Dierkes at The League
E.D. Kain at The League
UPDATE #2: Jason Kuznicki at The League
Patrick Deenen at Front Porch Republic
More Kain at The League
UPDATE #3: Shawn Summers at FrumForum
UPDATE #4: Daniel McCarthy at TAC
UPDATE #5: Russell Arben Fox at Front Porch Republic
More Kain
UPDATE #6: Deenen at Cato
Filed under Go Meta, UK
Tagged as Alex Massie, Cato, Chris Dierkes, Daniel Larison, Daniel McCarthy, David Blackburn, David Brooks, E.D. Kain, FORA.tv, Front Porch Republic, FrumForum, Go Meta, Jason Kuznicki, New York Times, Patrick Deneen, Phillip Blond, Prospect, Rod Dreher, Ross Douthat, Russell Arben Fox, Shawn Summers, The American Conservative, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, The Spectator, UK, Washington Post, Will, Zach Dundas
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NextJubilee and Dialect
Canadian LiteratureDebra MartensLondon
T.C. Haliburton and the Olympics
Debra Martens on June 13, 2012
The London Chapter of the Haliburton Society is joining the Olympics, in the same way that the Cultural Olympiad is running in parallel with the London 2012 Olympic Games. It’s hosting “From Canada’s East Coast to London’s East End – in time for the Olympics!” Four participants are confirmed for this verbal Olympic event at the Leytonstone Library Hall in London from August 1-3, 2012. (No one is paid but authors are able to promote and sell their books at the event.) The library hall holds eighty people and the Society will offer wine and beer .
Two alumnae of University of King’s College in Halifax started the London Chapter of the Haliburton Society in 2006: writer John Stiles and and Chris MacNeil, who is involved with Network Canada. Stiles explains where the notion to start a London branch came from: “The seed of the idea was born when I saw an article in The Times mentioning that Nonsuch Classics were republishing, The Clockmaker or the Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, as well as its follow-up: The Attaché or Sam Slick in England. [“Dickens’ rival judged fit for return” by Dalya Alberge, The Times: 06 February 2006.] This republication seemed like an event worth celebrating, particularly as the Times article indicated that Haliburton was a rival in popularity to Dickens.”
Established in Windsor in 1884 in honour of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, the Haliburton Club’s mission was to promote the knowledge not only of the works of Haliburton but also of Canadian literature. Proud of being the oldest literary society on a campus in North America, today’s Haliburton Society is a literary club at the University of King’s College that meets to read and discuss texts. The Society also organizes an annual essay contest.
There is another connection between Haliburton and the (winter) Olympics: some claim that Haliburton’s “hurling on ice” is proof that hockey’s origins lie in Nova Scotia.
Here’s an excerpt of The Clockmaker: “Politics makes a man as crooked as a pack does a pedlar; not that they are so awful heavy, neither, but it TEACHES A MAN TO STOOP IN THE LONG RUN. … It beats cock fightin, I tell you, to hear the Blue Noses, when they get together, talk politics. They have got three or four evil spirits, like the Irish Banshees, that they say cause all the mischief in the Province—the Council, the Banks, the House of Assembly and the Lawyers. If a man places a higher valiation on himself than his neighbors do, and wants to be a magistrate before he is fit to carry the ink horn for one, and finds himself safely delivered of a mistake, he says it is all owing to the Council. The members are cunnin critters, too; they know this feelin, and when they come home from Assembly, and people ax ’em “where are all them are fine things you promised us?” why, they say, we’d a had ’em all for you, but for that etarnal Council, they nullified all we did. The country will come to no good till them chaps show their respect for it, by covering their bottoms with homespun. If a man is so tarnation lazy he wont work, and in course has no money, why he says its all owin to the banks, they wont discount, there’s no money, they’ve ruined the Province. If there beant a road made up to every citizen’s door, away back to the woods (who as like as not has squatted there) why he says the House of Assembly have voted all the money to pay great men’s salaries, and there’s nothin left for poor settlers, and cross roads. Well, the lawyers come in for their share of cake and ale, too; if they don’t catch it, its a pity.”
Thomas Chandler Haliburton, NYPL
Stiles is especially appreciative of Sam Slick’s expressions: “As a native writer from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, I have always been interested in witty and funny sayings and have tried to incorporate Nova Scotian expressions, such as “tighter-than-a-mouse’s-hole stretched-over-a-barrel,” into my works.” He is the author of the poetry collection Scouts are Cancelled and the novel The Insolent Boy, among others. Sam Slick’s sayings are still popular today. Have a look at this list.
Haliburton is also a good example with which to continue the discussion on dialect. Fred Cogswell is the author of the Haliburton entry in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online: “Haliburton’s use of language added American to Lowland Scots on the list of English variants which a writer could use with a fair chance of winning appreciation and acclaim. In this regard, he paved the way for that great democratic prose epic of America, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Furthermore, his gregarious and sociable nature enabled him to study at first hand the many individual and unusual types which were fostered by the isolation and social freedom of a frontier. At the same time, his knowledge, derived from both reading and experience, of traditional propriety and genteel British behaviour gave him a frame of reference within which to place these excesses. … It is ironic that Haliburton, the arch-tory, should have become the “father of American humour” in the most democratic sense. The success and popularity of Sam Slick established at the same time the vogue of the folk hero…”
Please contact John Stiles if you would like to sponsor or read at this event.
Haliburton’s residence, NYPL
Posted in: Canadian Literature, Debra Martens, London
Tagged in: Canadian Literature, Cultural Olympiad, Haliburton Society, John Stiles, Olympics, Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Todd Swift, University of King's College
John Stiles June 13, 2012 at 20:46
Thanks for the post. We are still looking for writers and/or sponsors for the event, and a promotional poster will follow soon. Anyone interested in reading please contact myself or Chris MacNeil at chris (at) ebooster.co.uk or John Stiles34 (at)yahoo.ca
The event will run from 6-10 pm in the old hall at Leytonstone Library (Leytonstone Tube on Central Line) from Wed 1st Aug to Friday 3rd Aug. A website will soon be up at http://www.haliburtonclub.ca.
Barbara Sibbald June 16, 2012 at 21:01
I”m so happy to see Haliburton making waves! I’m a big fan. I event visited his museum/house http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hh/en/home/default.aspx on my last trip to Nova Scotia. I prefer to think of him as the father of CANADIAN humour! Thanks for this posting, Debra.
DM-CWA June 16, 2012 at 22:23
To think that it was over 70 years later before Stephen Leacock started publishing his humorous sketches.
John Stiles July 17, 2012 at 22:37
Thanks again for the link to the sayings of Thomas Haliburton. I was interested to read some of them again – he must have come across quite the local character in the country courthouse down home, in the late 1700s, early 1800s. The website is up and running and you can now access details and get tickets at http://www.haliburtonsociety.ca
A short promo film will follow, but we’re also excited to have Vancouver Olympic Poet Priscilla Uppal come and read on Friday August 3rd as well as a few other surprises.
You can also follow us on twitter and access more info at our facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/events/389433117780644/
DM-CWA July 18, 2012 at 04:04
Thanks for the update, John. Hope you have a good turnout.
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The whisperers, p.2
He stared back at the shape of the nest, almost invisible among the leaves, as though reluctant now to leave it. His sharp eyes picked out spider webs, and ants’ nests, and a green caterpillar scaling a bloodroot, and each creature gave him pause, and each sight he seemed to store away.
They could smell the sea when Damien stopped. Had anyone been there to see him, it would have been clear that he was weeping. His face was contorted, and his shoulders convulsed with the force of his sobs. He looked around, right and left, as if expecting to glimpse presences moving between the trees, but there were only birdsong and the sound of waves breaking.
The dog’s name was Sandy. She was a mutt, but more retriever than anything else. She was now ten years old, and she was as much Damien’s dog as his father’s, despite the son’s long absences, loving both equally just as they loved her. She could not understand her younger master’s behavior, for he was tolerant of her in ways that even his father was not. She wagged her tail uncertainly as he squatted beside her and tied her leash to the trunk of a sapling. Then he stood and removed the revolver from his pocket. It was a .38 Special, a Smith & Wesson Model 10. He had bought it from a dealer who claimed that it had come from a Vietnam vet who was down on his luck, but whom Damien subsequently discovered had sold it to feed the cocaine habit that had eventually claimed his life.
Damien put his hands to his ears, the gun in his right hand now pointing to the sky. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. ‘Please, please stop,’ he said. ‘I’m begging you. Please.’
His mouth curled down, snot running from his nose, as he removed his hands from his head and, trembling, pointed the gun at the dog. It was inches from her muzzle. She leaned forward and sniffed it. She was used to the smell of oil and powder, for Damien and his father had often taken her to hunt birds with them, and she would bring them back in her jaws. She wagged her tail expectantly, anticipating the game.
‘No,’ said Damien. ‘No, don’t make me do it. Please don’t.’
His finger tightened on the trigger. His whole arm was shaking. With a great effort of will, he turned the gun away from the dog, and screamed at the sea, and the air, and the setting sun. He gritted his teeth and freed the dog from her leash.
‘Go!’ he shouted at her. ‘Go home! Sandy, go home!’
The dog’s tail went between her legs, but it was still wagging slightly. She didn’t want to leave. She sensed that something was very wrong. Then Damien ran at her, aiming a kick at her behind but pulling it at the last minute so that it made no contact. Now the dog fled, retreating toward the house. She paused while Damien was still in sight of her, but he came at her again, and this time she kept going, stopping only when she heard the gunshot.
She cocked her head, then slowly began to retrace her steps, anxious to see what her master had brought down.
I fought single-handed, yet against such men no one Could do battle.
Homer, The Odyssey, Book I
Summer had come, the season of awakenings.
This state, this northern place, was not like its southern kin. Here, spring was an illusion, a promise made yet always unkept, a pretence of new life bound by blackened snow and slow-melting ice. Nature had learned to bide its time by the beaches and the bogs, in the Great North Woods of the County and the salt marshes of Scarborough. Let winter hold sway in February and March, beating its slow retreat to the forty-ninth parallel, refusing to concede even an inch of ground without a fight. As April approached, the willows and poplars, the hazel and the elms, had budded amid birdsong. They had been waiting since the fall, their flowers shrouded yet ready, and soon the bogs were carpeted in the purple-brown of alders; chipmunks and beavers were on the move. The skies bloomed with woodcock, and geese, and grackle, scattering themselves like seeds upon fields of blue.
Now May had brought summer at last, and all things were awake.
All things.
Sunlight splashed itself upon the window, warming my back with its heat, and fresh coffee was poured into my cup.
‘A bad business,’ said Kyle Quinn. Kyle, a neat, compact man in pristine whites, was the owner of the Palace Diner in Biddeford. He was also the chef, and he happened to be the cleanest diner chef I’d ever seen in my life. I’d eaten in diners where the eventual sight of the chef had made me consider undertaking a course of antibiotics, but Kyle was so nicely turned out, and his kitchen so spotless, that there were ICUs with poorer hygiene than the Palace, and surgeons with dirtier hands than Kyle’s.
The Palace was the oldest diner car in Maine, custom-built by the Pollard Company of Lowell, Massachusetts, its red and white paintwork still fresh and spruce, and the gold lettering on the window that confirmed ladies were, indeed, invited glowed brightly as if written in fire. The diner had opened for business in 1927, and since then five people had owned it, of whom Kyle was the latest. It served only breakfast, and closed before midday, and was one of those small treasures that made daily life a little more bearable.
‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Bad in the worst way.’
The Portland Press-Herald was spread before me over the counter of the diner. At the bottom of the front page, beneath the fold, the headline read:
NO LEADS IN SLAYING OF STATE TROOPER
The trooper in question, Foster Jandreau, had been found shot to death in his truck behind the former Blue Moon bar just inside the Saco town line. He hadn’t been on duty at the time, and was dressed in civilian clothes when his body was discovered. What he was doing at the Blue Moon, nobody knew, especially since the autopsy revealed that he’d been killed sometime after midnight but before 2 a.m, when nobody had any business hanging around the burnt-out shell of an unloved bar. Jandreau’s remains were found by a road crew that had pulled into the Moon’s parking lot for some coffee and an early morning smoke before commencing the day’s work. He had been shot twice at close range with a .22, once in the heart and once in the head. It bore all of the hallmarks of an execution.
‘That place was always a magnet for trouble,’ said Kyle. ‘They should have just razed what was left of it after it burnt.’
‘Yeah, but what would they have put there instead?’
‘A tombstone,’ said Kyle. ‘A tombstone with Sally Cleaver’s name on it.’
He walked away to pour coffee for the rest of the stragglers, most of whom were reading or talking quietly among themselves, seated in a line like characters in a Norman Rockwell painting. There were no booths at the Palace, and no tables, just fifteen stools. I occupied the last stool, the one farthest from the door. It was after 11:00 a.m, and technically the diner was now closed, but Kyle wouldn’t be moving folk along anytime soon. It was that kind of place.
Sally Cleaver: her name had been mentioned in the reporting of Jandreau’s murder, a little piece of local history that most people might have preferred to forget, and the final nail in the Blue Moon’s coffin, as it were. After her death, the bar was boarded up, and a couple of months later it was torched. The owner was questioned about possible arson and insurance fraud, but it was just a matter of routine. The birds in the trees knew that the Cleaver family had put the match to the Blue Moon bar, and nobody uttered a word of blame for it.
The bar had now been closed for nearly a decade, a cause of grief for precisely no one, not even the rummies who used to frequent it. Locals always referred to it as the Blue Mood, as nobody ever came out of it feeling better than they had when they went in, even if they hadn’t eaten the food or drunk anything that they hadn’t seen unsealed in front of them. It was a grim place, a brick fortress topped with a painted sign illuminated by four bulbs, no more than three of which were ever working at any one time. Inside, the lights were kept dim to hide the filth, and all of the stools at the bar were screwed to the floor to provide some stability for the drunks. It had a menu right out of the chronic obesity school of cooking, but most of its clientele preferred to fill themselves up on the free beer nuts, salted to withi
n an inch of a stroke in order to encourage the consumption of alcohol. At the end of the evening, the uneaten but heavily pawed nuts that remained were poured back into the big sack that Earle Hanley, the bartender, kept beside the sink. Earle was the only bartender. If he was sick, or had something else more important to do than pickle drunks, the Blue Moon didn’t open. Sometimes, if you watched the clientele arriving for their daily fill, it was hard to tell if they were relieved or unhappy to find the door occasionally bolted.
And then Sally Cleaver died, and the Moon died with her.
There was no mystery about her death. She was twenty-three, and living with a deadbeat named Clifton Andreas, ‘Cliffie’ to his buddies. It seemed that Sally had been putting a little money aside each week from her job as a waitress, perhaps in the hope of saving enough to have Cliffie Andreas killed, or to convince Earle Hanley to spike his beer nuts with rat poison. I was familiar with Cliffie Andreas as a face around town, one that it was sensible to avoid. Cliffie Andreas never met a puppy that he didn’t want to drown, or a bug that he didn’t want to crush. Any work that he picked up was seasonal, but Cliffie was never likely to qualify for employee of the month. Work was something that he did when there was no money left, and he viewed it entirely as a last resort if borrowing, theft, or simply leeching off someone weaker and more needy than himself weren’t available options. He had a superficial bad boy charm for the kind of woman who assumed a public pose of regarding good men as weak, even as she secretly dreamed of a regular Joe who wasn’t mired in the mud at the bottom of the pond and determined to drag someone else down there with him.
I didn’t know Sally Cleaver. Apparently she had low self-esteem, and lower expectations, but somehow Cliffie Andreas succeeded in reducing the former still further, and failed to live up even to the latter. Anyway, one evening Cliffie found Sally’s small, hard-earned stash, and decided to treat himself and his buddies to a free night at the Moon. Sally came home from work, found her money gone, and went looking for Cliffie at his favorite haunt. She found him holding court at the bar, drinking on her dime the Moon’s only bottle of cognac, and she decided to stand up for herself for the first, and last, time in her life. She screamed at him, scratched him, tore at his hair, until at last Earle Hanley told Cliffie to take his woman, and his domestic problems, outside, and not to come back until he had both under control.
So Cliffie Andreas had grabbed Sally Cleaver by the collar and pulled her through the back door, and the men at the bar had listened while he pounded her into the ground. When he came back inside, his knuckles were raw, his hands were stained red, and his face was flecked with freckles of blood. Earle Hanley poured him another drink and slipped outside to check on Sally Cleaver. By then, she was already choking on her own blood, and she died on the back lot before the ambulance could get to her.
And that was it for the Blue Moon, and for Cliffie Andreas. He pulled ten to fifteen in Thomaston, served eight, then was killed less than two months after his release by an ‘unknown assailant’ who stole Cliffie’s watch, left his wallet untouched, then discarded the watch in a nearby ditch. It was whispered that the Cleavers had long memories.
Now Foster Jandreau had died barely yards from the spot on which Sally Cleaver had choked to death, and the ashes of the Moon’s history were being raked through once again. Meanwhile, the state police didn’t like losing troopers, hadn’t liked it since right back in 1924 when Emery Gooch was killed in a motorcycle accident in Mattawamkeag; nor since 1964, when Charlie Black became the first trooper killed by gunfire while responding to a bank raid in South Berwick. But there were shadows around Jandreau’s killing. The paper might have claimed that there were no leads, but the rumors said otherwise. Crack vials had been found on the ground by Jandreau’s car, and fragments of the same glass were discovered on the floor by his feet. He had no drugs in his system, but there were now concerns on the force that Foster Jandreau might have been dealing on the side, and that would be bad for everyone.
Slowly, the diner began to empty, but I stayed where I was until I was the only one remaining at the counter. Kyle left me to myself, making sure that my cup was full before he started cleaning up. The last of the regulars, mostly older men for whom the week wasn’t the same without a couple of visits to the Palace, paid their checks and left.
I’ve never had an office. I never had any use for one, and if I had, I probably couldn’t have justified the expense of it to myself, even given a favorable rent in Portland or Scarborough. Only a handful of clients had ever commented upon it, and on those occasions when a particular need for privacy and discretion had arisen, I’d been in a position to call in favors, and a suitable room had been provided. Occasionally I used the offices of my attorney up in Freeport, but there were people who disliked the idea of going into a lawyer’s office almost as much as they disliked the idea of lawyers in general, and I’d found that most of those who came to me for help preferred a more informal approach. Usually I went to them, and spoke with them in their own homes, but sometimes a diner like the Palace, empty and discreet, was as good as anywhere. In this case, the venue for the meeting had been decided by the prospective client, not by me, and I was fine with it.
Shortly after midday, the Palace’s door opened, and a man in his late sixties entered. He looked like a model for the stereotypical old Yankee: feed cap on his head, an L.L. Bean jacket over a plaid shirt, neat blue denims, and work boots on his feet. He was wiry as a tension cable, his face weathered and lined, light brown eyes glittering behind surprisingly fashionable steel-framed spectacles. He greeted Kyle by name, then removed his hat and gave a courtly little bow to Tara, Kyle’s daughter, who was cleaning up behind the counter and who smiled and greeted him in turn.
‘Good to see you, Mr. Patchett,’ she said. ‘It’s been a while.’ There was a tenderness to her voice, and a brightness to her eyes, that said all that needed to be said about the new arrival’s recent sufferings.
Kyle leaned through the serving hatch between the kitchen and the counter area. ‘Come to check out a real diner, Bennett?’ he said. ‘You look like you could do with some feeding up.’
Bennett Patchett chuckled and swatted at the air with his right hand, as though Kyle’s words were insects buzzing at his head, then took a seat beside me. Patchett had owned the Downs Diner, close to the Scarborough Downs racetrack on Route 1, for more than forty years. His father had run it before him, opening it shortly after he returned from service in Europe. There were still pictures of Patchett Senior on the walls of the diner, some of them from his military days, surrounded by younger men who looked up to him as their sergeant. He’d died when he was still in his forties, and his son had eventually taken over the running of the business. Bennett had now lived longer than his own father, just as it seemed that I was destined to live longer than mine.
He accepted the offer of a cup of coffee from Tara as he shrugged off his coat and hung it close to the old gas fire. Tara discreetly went to help her father in the kitchen, so that Bennett and I were left alone.
‘Charlie,’ he said, shaking my hand.
‘How you doing, Mr. Patchett?’ I asked. It felt odd to be calling him by his last name. It made me feel about ten years old, but when it came to such men, you waited until they gave you permission to be a little more familiar in your mode of address. I knew that all of his staff called him ‘Mr. Patchett.’ He might have been like a father figure to some of them, but he was their boss, and they treated him with the respect that he deserved.
‘You can call me Bennett, son. The less formal this is, the better. I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with a private detective before, except you, and that was only when you were eating in my place. Only ever saw them on TV and in the movies. And, truth to tell, your reputation makes me a little nervous.’
He peered at me, and I saw his eye linger briefly at the scar on my neck. A bullet had grazed me there the previous year, deep enough to leave a permanent mark. In recent times, I seemed
to have accumulated a lot of similar nicks and scratches. When I died, they could put me in a display case as an example to others who might be tempted to follow a similar path of beatings, gunshot wounds, and electrocution. Then again, I might just have been unlucky. Or lucky. It depended upon how you looked at the glass.
‘Don’t believe everything you hear,’ I said.
‘I don’t, and you still concern me.’
I shrugged. He had a sly smile on his face.
‘But no point in hemmin’ and hawin’,’ he continued. ‘I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I know that you’re probably a busy man.’
I wasn’t, but it was nice of him to suggest that I might be. Since my license had been restored to me earlier in the year, following some misunderstandings with the Maine State Police, things had been kind of quiet. I’d done a little insurance work, all of it dull and most of it involving nothing more strenuous than sitting in a car and turning the pages of a book while I waited for some doofus with alleged workplace injuries to start lifting heavy stones in his yard. But insurance work was thin on the ground, what with the economy being the way it was. Most private detectives in the state were struggling, and I had been forced to accept any work that came along, including the kind that made me want to bathe in bleach when I was done. I’d followed a man named Harry Milner while he serviced three separate women in the course of one week in various motels and apartments, as well as holding down a regular job and taking his kids to baseball practice. His wife had suspected that he was having an affair but, unsurprisingly, she was a little shocked to hear that her husband was engaged in the type of extensive sexual entanglements usually associated with French farces. His time management skills were almost admirable, though, as were his energy levels. Milner was only a couple of years older than I was, and if I’d been trying to keep four women satisfied every week I’d have incurred a coronary, probably while I was soaking myself in a bath of ice to keep the swelling down. Nevertheless, that was still the best paying job I’d had in a while, and I was back doing a couple of days a month tending bar at the Great Lost Bear on Forest Avenue, as much to pass the time as anything else.
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CT Ct. App.
STATE v. HOLMES
Appellate Court of Connecticut.
STATE of Connecticut v. Evan Jaron HOLMES
AC 39077
Decided: September 05, 2017
Jay Alan Black, assigned counsel, for the appellant (defendant). Paul J. Narducci, senior assistant state's attorney, with whom were Sarah Bowman, assistant state's attorney, and, on the brief, Michael L. Regan, state's attorney, for the appellee (state).
I agree with the majority's conclusion that in the present case, the peremptory challenge was properly exercised under prevailing law and practices. I especially agree with the observations expressed in footnote 5 of the majority's opinion, including the admonition that trial courts must be particularly diligent in assessing the use of peremptory challenges in cases in which the opportunity for pretextual use of such challenges is present. It is my view, however, that no amount of judicial diligence and over-sight can remedy a problem that has become embedded in the Batson 1 procedure itself unless that procedure is revised. I write separately because this case brings into sharp relief a serious flaw in the way Batson has been, and can be, applied. Batson is designed to prevent lawyers from peremptorily challenging prospective jurors for manifestly improper reasons based on race, national origin, and the like. It was not designed to permit prosecutors—and other lawyers—to challenge members of suspect classes solely because they hold widely shared beliefs within the prospective juror's community that are based on life experiences. This flaw is in plain sight for all to see and must be remedied if the jury selection process is to attain the goal of producing juries representing all of the communities in our state and gaining their confidence and trust. I believe a blatant flaw that significantly disadvantages black defendants 2 —and people belonging to other suspect classes—has become part of the Batson process itself. I conclude that Connecticut should reform its jury selection process to eliminate the perverse way in which Batson has come to be used. I put forth a suggestion that, I hope, will prompt discussion.
In the present case, the prospective juror, W.T., a social worker and a volunteer for the Department of Correction, was asked if he had any interactions with the police in which he had developed either a strong or unfavorable impression of the police or of the way in which he was treated by the police in any situation. He responded by stating that based on his experiences growing up in this society, he fears for his life. He stated that he sometimes is concerned when he sees a police car behind him when he is driving and wonders if he's going to be stopped. He further stated that he has family members who had spent time in jail, but that he would not be influenced by that fact. In addition, he noted that, based on his experiences working with inmates, he is aware of issues within the American criminal justice system, such as the fact that African-Americans represent a disproportionate number of inmates in jail.3 He stated, however, that he could be fair and would have no trouble following the court's instructions.
Notwithstanding the concerns I express here, I think that, under the present regime, there was at least an arguable basis to conclude that W.T. could not be fair. In light of all of his views considered together, not having been in the courtroom to personally observe W.T., and taking the prosecutor at his word, I am unable to conclude that the use of a peremptory challenge was pretextual.
Acknowledging that there is a diversity of opinion within every community, however, W.T.'s views appear to me to be by no means radical or unreasonable. On the contrary, they appear to be logical, fact-based, and understandable in light of the troubling—to use a euphemism—history of relations between minority communities, on the one hand, and the police and criminal justice system, on the other. They are particularly understandable in light of the many shootings of young black men by police around the country in recent years. One need not share W.T.'s beliefs in every respect to believe them to be rational and widely held in his community. Yet, under Batson, W.T.'s understandable beliefs provide a basis for the proper use of a peremptory challenge given the way Batson is presently administered.
Justice Marshall noted in his concurring opinion in Batson that “defendants cannot attack the discriminatory use of peremptory challenges at all unless the challenges are ․ flagrant ․ A prosecutor's own conscious or unconscious racism may lead him easily to the conclusion that a prospective black juror is ‘sullen,’ or ‘distant,’ a characterization that would not have come to his mind if a white juror had acted identically. A judge's own conscious or unconscious racism may lead him to accept such as an explanation as well sup-ported.” (Citations omitted.) Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 105–106, 106 S. Ct. 1712, 90 L. Ed. 2d 69 (1986).
Indeed, disingenuous explanations for the use of peremptory challenges against various categories of prospective jurors abound in the case law.4 Justice Marshall himself urged the total elimination of all peremptory challenges. Id., 107. Judge Mark W. Bennett, a United States District Court judge in the Northern District of Iowa, shares that view and has written that “[b]ecause Batson's framework is flawed, it has produced the lingering and tragic legacy that the courts always do not find purposeful discrimination, regard-less of how outrageous the asserted race-neutral reasons are.” (Emphasis in original.) M. Bennett, “Unraveling the Gordian Knot of Implicit Bias in Jury Selection: The Problems of Judge-Dominated Voir Dire, the Failed Promise of Batson, and Proposed Solutions,” 4 Harv. L. & Policy Rev. 149, 161 (2010).
The reality is that “[u]nder [the] current Batson doctrine, the trial court cannot reject a peremptory challenge unless it makes a finding of attorney misconduct that has at least two facets, either of which would give any reasonable trial judge pause. First, the judge must make a factual finding that the race- or gender-neutral explanation proffered by the striking attorney at Batson's second step is not, in fact, the reason for the strike but is instead ‘pretextual ․’ In other words, the court must find that the attorney has made a misrepresentation to the court of a material fact—a serious breach of the attorney's ethical duty of candor. Second and relatedly, the judge must find that the attorney exercised a peremptory challenge based on race or gender and accordingly violated the juror's constitutional right to equal protection under the law. Indeed, considered together, a trial court ruling in favor of a Batson movant constitutes a judicial determination that an attorney, in open court, engaged in a misrepresentation of a material fact to obscure a violation of the law—an action that, in other contexts, could warrant criminal prosecution. ․ Given the implications of the findings required to establish a Batson violation, it is understandable that in all but the most extreme cases, trial courts will err on the side of crediting the reason proffered for a strike.” (Footnotes omitted.) J. Bellin & J. Semitsu, “Widening Batson's Net to Ensnare More Than the Unapologetically Bigoted or Painfully Unimaginative Attorney,” 96 Cornell L. Rev. 1075, 1113–14 (2011). Put simply, judges are reluctant to find that a prosecutor's stated reasons are based on conscious, or unconscious, racist beliefs or assumptions.5
The problem presented by this case, then, must be viewed in the context of the generally ineffectual application of Batson.
Where does that leave things? What is to be the fate of the hypothetical black prospective juror who testifies under oath that he can be fair to both the state and the defense, but also indicates that he has concerns because he has been stopped, for no apparent, valid reason, while driving? Or because members of his family have been jailed? What about the hypothetical female prospective juror, who is being questioned in a criminal sex assault case, who swears that she can be fair to the state and the defendant, but who has formed the opinion that police sometimes do not treat the victims of sexual assault with all the seriousness and dignity to which they are entitled? Or the hypothetical Japanese-American prospective juror, in a civil case in which a federal employee is the plaintiff, who swears he or she could be fair to both sides, but who recounts his or her family's suffering at the hands of the federal government when subject to internment during World War II?
There are two things fundamentally wrong with a system that permits someone with the rational and fact-based views of these hypothetical prospective jurors to be peremptorily challenged and excluded from jury service.
First, permitting someone with the stated beliefs of these hypothetical prospective jurors to be excluded from jury service is an affront to the community with which he or she identifies and undermines the claim of the jury selection system to be fairly representative of all segments of our diverse society. The reality is that permitting the use of peremptory challenges under these circumstances effectively excludes a significant number of people belonging to suspect classes from jury service. Batson, as it has evolved, permits the elimination of certain categories of prospective jurors whose views are reasonable and widely shared in their communities. The potential for the kind of categorical exclusion that Batson permits is simply unacceptable in a system that strives to treat everyone equally. It sends a troubling message to members of minority communities who should be encouraged—not discouraged—to actively engage in, and trust, the criminal justice system.
Second, permitting a peremptory challenge to be used under these circumstances is an affront to the dignity of the individual prospective juror who is excluded for honestly voicing reasonable and widely held views. It minimizes or negates his or her life experience in an insulting and degrading way. It must be remembered that one of the rationales for Batson is that the inappropriate exclusion of prospective jurors deprives the prospective juror of his or her constitutional right to serve on a jury—a basic right of citizenship. See Batson v. Kentucky, supra, 476 U.S. 87. To prohibit a significant percentage of people belonging to a suspect class from serving on a jury because they express a reasonable, fact-based, and widely held view cannot be countenanced. As Justice Powell, writing for the court, stated in Batson, “[s]election procedures that purposefully exclude black persons from juries undermine public confidence in the fairness of our system of justice.” Id. Moreover, if members of a suspect class are punished for honestly voicing their widely shared views; for example, they are concerned when they see a police car behind them when they are driving because they fear being stopped for no valid reason;6 the present regime creates an incentive for them to give dishonest or deceitful answers, rather than honest ones. This, in and of itself, undermines a fair jury selection system, which relies on prospective jurors honestly answering the questions put to them.
It is true, of course, that peremptory challenges play an important function in our system because they permit lawyers to use their intuition in the very human jury selection process. Lawyers should have the opportunity to look prospective jurors in the eye, size them up, and evaluate their answers. This is a time-honored and important practice. However, as Justice Marshall noted in his concurring opinion in Batson, “the right of peremptory challenge is not of constitutional magnitude, and may be withheld altogether without impairing the constitutional guarantee of impartial jury and fair trial.” Id., 108. When the use of a peremptory challenge, in cases similar to the present one, has the potential to exclude categorically large swaths of people within a suspect class, the price the system pays for maintaining that practice is too high.
This problem cannot be solved simply by urging restraint upon the lawyers selecting a jury. Their job, after all, is to win their clients' cases by selecting a jury most likely to return a verdict in their favor. The player in the system with the responsibility for ensuring that prospective jurors belonging to suspect classes are properly treated so that the system is fair, and is perceived as fair, is the judge. Our judges are tasked with making many difficult and sensitive decisions in a wide variety of contexts. Our judges decide which parent a child should live with in highly contested divorce cases; and decide what sort of a sentence to mete out when serious violent crimes are committed; and decide whether and how much punitive damages should be awarded in bitter business disputes. And judges already determine whether a prospective juror should be excused for cause. Our judges can be trusted to administer the jury selection process so as to protect all of the important societal interests involved, not only those of the state and the defendant.
I understand Connecticut's deep and long-standing attachment to the individual voir dire.7 Therefore, I suggest an alteration in the way Batson is administered in Connecticut to ameliorate the negative effects of the present regime. I would remove some of the discretion from the lawyers selecting a jury and reallocate it to the judge supervising the process. I believe the flaw illustrated by cases of this sort could be ameliorated substantially if judges are given the discretion to disallow the use of peremptory challenges in cases in which: (1) the prospective juror is part of a suspect class; (2) the prospective juror gives an unequivocal assurance, under oath, that he or she can be fair to both sides; (3) the prospective juror expresses reasonable and fact-based views, which, in the opinion of the judge, following argument by the lawyers, are widely shared in the prospective juror's particular community; and (4) the judge concludes that the prospective juror can, in fact, be fair.
The application of this proposed test would tend to ensure that a peremptory challenge could not exclude the previously discussed hypothetical jurors. Suppose, however, that one of these prospective jurors testifies that he or she distrusts the criminal justice system because he or she heard someone on “talk radio” criticize it. In this instance, the judge would permit the exercise of a peremptory challenge because the prospective juror's views, in part, would not be reasonable and based on the potential juror's life experience.
I acknowledge that this approach would deprive lawyers of some degree of discretion in their use of peremptory challenges and would transfer that discretion to the judge. But I believe this reallocation of discretion from lawyers picking juries, to judges supervising the process, is needed. As cases raising these issues illustrate, the price society pays by permitting prospective jurors, like W.T., to be excluded is unacceptably high. The justice system has an obligation to do everything it can to encourage participation by all segments of society, particularly those who have grown understand-ably suspicious of that system. I can think of no better way to accomplish this than by trusting our judges to monitor this process, keeping well in mind the lamentable history of racial discrimination that has afflicted African-American communities and other people belonging to suspect classes. The Batson problem discussed here deserves study in the interest of ensuring that Connecticut juries are fairly composed of representatives from the many diverse groups that make up our great state.
1. See Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S. Ct. 1712, 90 L. Ed. 2d 69 (1986).
2. Many reported Batson cases arise from criminal cases in which the prospective juror struck was African-American, and the party exercising the challenge is a prosecutor. However, Batson is applicable in civil and criminal cases, irrespective of which party is seeking to exercise a peremptory challenge against someone from a suspect class. While Batson itself primarily discusses issues relating to African-American prospective jurors, it applies as well to other suspect classes and categories of people. For simplicity, I will use the phrase “suspect class” throughout this opinion.
3. The problem of over-incarceration of African-American males has been the subject of much discussion and debate in recent years. See, e.g., M. Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (2012). Studies indicate that the percentage of black men in prison is disproportionately higher than the percentage of black men in the general population. The September, 2014 bulletin of the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, indicates that as of December 31, 2013, of 1,516,879 sentenced prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correction authorities, 526,000 were black men; 454,100 were white men; and 314,600 were Hispanic men. E. Carson, “Prisoners in 2013,” (September 2014), p. 8, Bureau of Justice Statistics, United States Department of Justice, available at https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p13.pdf (last visited August 30, 2017).
4. In People v. Randall, 283 Ill. App. 3d 1019, 1025–26, 671 N.E.2d 60 (1996), former Justice Alan J. Greiman, the author of the majority opinion, offered a harsh appraisal of the ease with which Batson could be subverted through disingenuous explanations for the use of a peremptory challenge. He stated: “Having made these observations, we now consider the charade that has become the Batson process. The State may provide the trial court with a series of pat race-neutral reasons for exercise of peremptory challenges. Since reviewing courts examine only the record, we wonder if the reasons can be given without a smile. Surely, new prosecutors are given a manual, probably entitled, ‘Handy Race-Neutral Explanations' or ‘20 Time-Tested Race-Neutral Explanations.’ ” Id.For a discussion of some of the “almost laughable” race neutral reasons some prosecutors have proffered, and courts have accepted, see J. Bellin & J. Semitsu, “Widening Batson's Net to Ensnare More than the Unapologetically Bigoted or Painfully Unimaginative Attorney,” 96 Cornell L. Rev. 1075, 1093 (2011). In truth, decisions in jury selection—as in other areas of life—are often influenced by the sometimes very subtle implicit biases we all carry with us. See, e.g., M. Bennett, “Unraveling the Gordian Knot of Implicit Bias in Jury Selection: The Problems of Judge-Dominated Voir Dire, the Failed Promise of Batson, and Proposed Solutions,” 4 Harv. L. & Policy Rev. 149, 161 (2010); J. Kang, “Implicit Bias—A Primer for Courts,” National Center St. Cts., (August 2009), available at http://wp.jerrykang.net.s110363.gridserv-er.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/kang-Implicit-Bias-Primer-for-courts-09.pdf (last visited August 30, 2017).
5. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, in his dissenting opinion in Batson, points out that permitting lawyers to use their intuition to excuse certain prospective jurors can redound to the benefit of members of suspect classes. He posits an example in which an Asian defendant is on trial for the murder of a white victim and the prospective jurors, all white, deny harboring racial prejudice. The defendant, however, continues to harbor a hunch, an assumption, or an intuitive judgment that these white prospective jurors will be unfair to him due to racial biases. The ability of the defendant to use peremptory challenges without need for explanation can protect that defendant, notes Burger. See Batson v. Kentucky, supra, 476 U.S. 128.
6. Connecticut law requires the maintenance of records by police departments so authorities can annually track the nature and extent of racial profiling of black drivers. Annual reports indicate that there are racial and ethnic disparities in the traffic stop patterns of various police departments. A. Ba Tran, “Digging Deeper Into Racial Disparities in Connecticut Traffic Stops,” TrendCt.org, (June 14, 2016), available at http://trafficstops.trendct.org/story/digging-deeper-into-racial-disparities-in-ct-traffic-stops/ (last visited August 30, 2017). Connecticut police officials have claimed that independent reviews have demonstrated that reports that minority drivers are stopped disproportionately are flawed. D. Collins, “Connecticut Chiefs Say Police Profiling Reports are Flawed,” Associated Press, May 4, 2017, available at https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/connecticut/articles/2017-05-04/connecticut-chiefs-say-police-profiling-reports-are-flawed (last visited August 30, 2017).Still, the ubiquitous stopping of black drivers—particularly black males—is widely recognized. See F. Weatherspoon, “Racial Profiling of African-American Males: Stopped, Searched, and Stripped of Constitutional Protection,” 38 J. Marshall L. Rev. 439 (2004). Professor Weatherspoon cites a study undertaken by the Washington Post and the Black America's Political Action Committee, which determined that “approximately forty-six percent of African-American males registered to vote believe they had been stopped by law enforcement officers on the basis of their race.” Id., 444 n.25; see also D. Harris, “The Stories, the Statistics and the Law: Why ‘Driving While Black’ Matters,” 84 Minn. L. Rev. 265, 298 (1999) ( “Racially targeted traffic stops cause deep cynicism among blacks about the fairness and legitimacy of law enforcement and courts. ․ Thus, it is no wonder that blacks view the criminal justice system in totally different terms than whites do. They have completely different experiences within the system than whites have, so they do not hold the same beliefs about it.”).
7. A recent article in the Connecticut Law Review concludes that abolition of the peremptory challenge is the only way to remedy problems posed by Batson. See N. Marder, “Foster v. Chapman: A Missed Opportunity for Batson and the Peremptory Challenge,” 49 Conn. L. Rev. 1137, 1185 (May 2017).
LAVINE, J., concurring.
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Castel Film Studios Menu
Production Rentals & Services
Standing Sets
Mark Schmidt
Jonas Armstrong, Hannah Tointon, Mark Wells, William Hope, Simon Kunz Producers: Randy Williams, D. Scott Trawick, Christopher Williams, Mark Schmidt
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Inspired by the True Story of Pinchas Tibor Rosenbaum
Against the backdrop of war-torn Budapest, Hungary during the Second World War, a young man became a hero to the Jewish people. As a rabbi’s son from a small village called Kisvarda, Pinchas Tibor Rosenbaum fought against great odds in one of Hungary’s most terrifying periods. During the Nazi occupation in 1944, he and a group of resistance fighters, managed to outsmart the German machine and save thousands of Jews from deportation and extermination in the camps.
Thanks to his courage and Aryan features, Rosenbaum was able to disguise himself in the uniform of the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian Nazi party, in order to obtain information on Jewish individuals and families that were to be seized. He would then proceed to their homes, disguised in uniform, barking orders and threats while corralling the families into the Arrow Cross vehicles. He was convincing even to those he was saving. He would only reveal himself as a Jew once they reached their destination. One of the destinations was an old glass factory that had been taken over by the Swiss government. It was a diplomatic facility that printed protective Swiss passports for Hungarian Jews during the war. It also became a safe-house for those fortunate enough to be rescued by Rosenbaum and his comrades.
Unfortunately unable to save his own family from Hitler’s “Final Solution,” Rosenbaum selflessly gave every effort to save his people, thus earning every right to be called a hero. After the war, many individuals he personally rescued, would talk to him about this brave, Jewish hero who they owed their life to. And in perfect balance with his character, he never took credit.
E: office@castelfilm.ro
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Michael Ignatieff (2017). The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World. Harvard University Press
Elena A. Stepanova Institute for Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2559-3573
Elena A. Stepanova, Institute for Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia
Elena A. Stepanova is Doctor of Philosophy, Principal Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Principal Research Fellow, Ural Institute of Humanities, Ural Federal University (Yekaterinburg, Russia). She was a visiting fellow at Emory University (Atlanta, USA) and Iliff School of Theology (Denver, USA). In 2010-14 she served as the academic director of the Open Society Institute-funded seminar “Religion: Maximalism and Minimalism”. In 2019, she participated in the Fulbright Scholar Program doing her research at Boston University School of Theology. Her main research interests are inter-confessional relations, secularism and post-secularism, religion in public space, and contemporary Christianity.
Stepanova, E. (2019). Michael Ignatieff (2017). The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World. Harvard University Press. Changing Societies & Personalities, 3(2), 156–159. doi:10.15826/csp.2019.3.2.068
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Eagles Try for Eight Straight in Week 10
CJ varsity football will battle Alter on Friday, Ocotber 28 for area bragging rights and an outright GCL North title beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Trotwood Madison Sports-Plex.
Support the Eagles by purchasing your pre-sale tickets in the athletic office before the game ($6 for adults, $4 for students), and join us during halftime as we celebrate the Division II state championship women’s golf team.
THE CJ VS. ALTER CROSSTOWN BREAKDOWN
GCL North Marquee Match-up – CJ (7-2 overall, 6-0 GCL) has an opportunity to maintain momentum and spoil Alter’s undefeated season with an eighth consecutive win in Week 10. No GCL football team has recorded a longer win streak than either of the two Dayton schools this season. During their respective streaks, the Eagles have outgunned opponents by an average of 25 points per game; the Knights have outscored all-comers by an average of three touchdowns a game.
Football Firsts – A victory Friday will give first-year head coach Marcus Colvin and the Eagles football program its first taste of a GCL championship in more than a decade, and would cement CJ’s place in the first round of the Division IV playoffs.
Ranking the Rivalry – Both teams are ranked in the top 10 of the latest Associated Press state high school football poll. The Eagles earned the No. 10 spot in Division IV for the first time on Tuesday, October 25. Alter comes in as the No. 2 team in Division III. The week 10 computer rankings (used to determine playoff eligibility) have Alter at No. 6 in Region 12 (D-III) and CJ at No. 3 in Region 16 (D-IV). The top eight teams in each region receive playoff bids.
Senior Captains’ Keys to Success
Marco Gresham (SS): “For us, the keys are going to be having a powerful offensive line, a powerful running game and a hard-nosed defense to stop their offense. Staying composed will be important.”
Darian Reynolds (WR, CB): “Execution is key. If we can execute our game plan both defensively and offensively, we’ll be set up in a position to win the game. We also need to stay level headed and keep playing until the final whistle blows. We can’t get too caught up in the hype.”
Sam Spees (QB, K, P): “I think the big key is staying together as a team. If we can execute on both sides of the ball, and if we win the kicking game, I think that will give us the best chance at winning.”
A ‘Goodwill’ Game – Goodwill Industries International and WHIO-TV have teamed up to recognize the much-anticipated match-up as the Drive to Victory game of the week! Both Alter and CJ have agreed to a friendly competition accepting donations for the Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley store. The school that collects the most weight will be announced the winner on WHIO’s Touchdown 7 and may receive up to $900 in scholarships.
Drop off your donations at CJ to the trailer located in the Washington Street parking lot. Donations will be accepted Monday through Thursday, October 24-27 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday, October 28 from 8 a.m. to noon.
SUPPORT FROM THE SIDELINES
Be sure to show your support for the ladies rooting on the boys in blue and green, CJ's football cheerleading squad! The team wil be recognized this week as the feature team, along with football, by the Spirit Committee!
CJ Joins Community-Wide Service Effort
Kelli Kinnear, director of ministry and service, has worked at CJ for two decades and cannot recall a year when Eagles students did not give up part of a fall weekend to volunteer with classmates during the Join Hands Miami Valley community service project.
On Friday and Saturday, October 21-22, more than 140 CJ students along with 15 members of the faculty and staff did just that, contributing about 35 hours of service to 10 nonprofit organizations at 14 area locations.
According to its Web site, the United Way of Greater Dayton organizes Join Hands Miami Valley (JHMV) each year in celebration of national Make a Difference Day—traditionally held on the fourth Saturday in October. CJ students, in addition to volunteers from Sinclair Community College, Spring Valley Academy, Wright State University, and the Kettering-based GE Money, were challenged to “live united” by assisting their neighbors over the weekend.
“Chaminade Julienne continues to take part in this endeavor because it provides the perfect way for our students to give back to Dayton and to join with other community organizations in service. Join Hands Miami Valley allows CJ students to live out the school’s mission statement and become people of compassion, integrity and service,” Kinnear said.
“Our students come from 59 different academic institutions and represent all parts of Dayton—north, south, east and west. This community-based service project often opens their eyes to the needs that exist just down the street or across town from them.”
Eagle volunteers partnered with area organizations including Catholic Social Services, Clubhouse/Dreambuilders, Cox Arboretum, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, Life Essentials, Patterson Homestead, Possum Creek Metropark and Wegerzyn Gardens among others.
“The agencies that we serve benefit from our students’ work, but the students themselves always come away having had a great time serving together and meeting new friends who they may not have met at school before,” Kinnear said.
LEADING THE EFFORT
Spending a Saturday evening making Halloween-themed arts and crafts with children at Patterson Homestead is one of the many Join Hands Miami Valley activities senior Breonna Pinson has taken part in during her four years at CJ.
Pinson said she has continued to volunteer at a JHMV site each fall since freshman year because she has always had a great experience. This year, she decided to serve as a team leader, supervising a group of freshmen students at the historic museum on Brown Street, in order to pass the feeling forward.
“Service builds character,” Pinson explained.
“It makes me feel good to help people who can’t help themselves, and it shows you how fortunate you are to have the things that are provided for you,” she said.
A GROUP THING
Members of four CJ clubs and groups teamed up to complete projects at four separate locations, accounting for nearly half of all student participation over the weeked. They included:
12 members of FLIGHT, who helped prepare annual flower bulb and literature mailings for Catholic Social Services after school Friday.
15 members of Student Council, who worked in the prairie Saturday afternoon at the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC).
18 members of JCOWA, who helped host visitors during Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm’s Enchanted Forest program Saturday evening.
25 members of the men’s basketball team, who spent Saturday morning working outdoors at the Dayton Christian Center.
Women's Soccer Makes Sectional Finals
The women’s soccer team has advanced to the Division II Sectional finals and will face fellow GGCL opponent Carroll on Monday, October 24.
Following a bye, the Eagles (2-13) secured a spot in round three of the playoffs Thursday night with a 2-1 win over the Central Buckeye Conference champs of Tippecanoe High School. The victory marks the fourth consecutive tournament-opening win for members of the Class of 2012.
Despite disappointing regular season results, CJ's 10 seniors have experienced much better success, and seem to put it all together, during postseason play. Led this year by team captains Camille Dickens, Schaudon Herd and Jordan Yaney, the girls own a combined six tournament wins—including 2 overtime thrillers—since their freshman season in 2008.
“We’ve had a tough season, but it all starts over now,” said Herd, senior goalkeeper. The team’s fresh postseason start is aided this year by divisional realignment that appropriately bumped the Eagles down to Division II. Competing with schools of similar size, coupled with the April hiring of first-year Eagles head coach Roy Craig, has helped brighten the girls’ outlook.
“This season has been a transition year, but things are looking up for the future of the program,” Dickens said. Highlights during the 2011 campaign include two shut-out wins over GGCL Central teams, a 0-0 tie against Division I Northmont, and close games with Alter and Caroll.
The Eagles will try to avenge a 2-1 September loss to the Patriots in a playoff rematch Monday.
MARKED BY TRADITION
The varsity women’s soccer players have adopted a new team motto this year and it is evident—literally. Along with longtime traditions of praying together before games and partnering with a buddy on the JV team, one pre-game ritual now includes applying magic marker “tattoos” of the acronym P.F.E.O.
P.F.E.O, short for Playing For Each Other explained Jordan Yaney, has come to symbolize the Eagles new slogan for success, and teammates are carrying it with them everywhere on hands and arms. Yaney said the inked artwork is a fun, unique way for teammates to show support for one another.
MEN’S SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL
The men's soccer team will take on Monroe this Saturday, October 22 in the second round of the Division II tournament at 7 p.m. at Fairmont High School. Tickets are also $6 and will be available only at the gate.
Trusting Others, Trusting God
During the second week in October, all members of the sophomore class spent one day on retreat at the Mount St. John property in Beavercreek, home of the Bergamo Center.
Sophomores were split up into three groups and attended the retreat with classmates from their religion classes. The underclassmen were led by 27 seniors who met and planned for the retreat one month prior. The theme for all three one-day sessions was trusting others and trusting God. Students enjoyed participating in trust building activities, such as a trust walk, ice breakers, and sharing with others in their sodalities and small groups.
Additonally, students heard reflections from their senior leaders on trust and learned more about our founding orders’ philosophies and visions. Each day, sophomores were able to visit with Chaminade alumnus Bro. Don Neff, S.M., who shared his thoughts on CJ traditions and the Marianist family. The retreat ended with a prayer service in the grotto (pictured above), where students shared their own reflections on the day and received pins encouraging each to grow in their trust of God.
Students seemed to gain a lot from the experience said Erin Bole, assistant director in the office of ministry and service. Bole, who organized and attended the retreat, said the feedback she received from sophomores, as well as senior leaders, in their anonymous retreat evaluations was overwhelmingly positive.
EXCERPTS FROM EVALUATIONS
“Ever since the retreat, I feel a lot closer to people I normally don’t talk to and I feel less shy, even though I’m new at CJ,” noted one sophomore retreatant.
“I loved the retreat and will never forget my experience!” said another sophomore.
One senior leader reflected, “I enjoyed leading and changing sophomores’ faith journeys!”
Eagle Golfers Land State Championship
For the third consecutive year, Chaminade Julienne students, faculty and staff crowded the halls to send the women’s golfers off to Columbus. Eagle Pep Band members led the team on the traditional “Walk to State,” triumphantly playing the fight song; however, it was the noise made by the girls’ own play Saturday, October 15 in the Division II tournament that would earn the school its first-ever women’s golf state championship.
The Eagles entered day two of the tournament at Ohio State University’s Gray Course with a ten stroke lead and lots of confidence. CJ finished the regular season with a program-best 24-3 overall record to go along with league, sectional and district titles. That afternoon, the girls capped their quest for a State title by shooting a 710, three strokes better than second place finisher Poland Seminary, to end the 2011 season with a perfect record against non-Division I schools.
There on the 18th green, Scott Pierce, athletic director, gathered with the girls and counted strokes as the Eagles players completed their final individual rounds. When junior Mikaela Hadaway sank her last putt to finish with a two-day total score of 165, Pierce said the CJ hopeful were fairly certain they had secured the championship.
“The girls competed really well individually, but the unity and team spirit they displayed in such an individual sport was fantastic,” he said. “The way the girls support and push one another, in addition to the tremendous support they receive from their family members and the community, has really contributed to the team’s success.”
With the win the team, led by coach George Menker, notched its third top ten finish in the State tournament since 2007—the first year of official competition for a CJ women’s golf team. In that span, the girls have accumulated an overall team record of 97-42, winning nearly 70 percent of all matches.
“To establish the program and to get the team to this level of success speaks first and foremost to the quality of the coach. The one common thread has been George Menker,” Pierce said. Under the tutelage of Menker, eight Eagles golfers have received all conference honors and two have gone on to play NCAA Division I golf since he initiated the program five years ago.
“This is probably the best total team that we’ve ever had,” said Menker. He credits this season’s success to the players’ dedication and hard work during the spring and summer months. Between family vacations, summer jobs, mission trips, and extracurricular activities, CJ women’s golfers worked on their game together in the Student Conditioning Center and at Miami Valley Golf Course to put themselves in a position to win a State title this fall said Menker.
“There are 330 high schools in Ohio with a women’s golf program. We were only one of 12 teams to qualify for State and we ended up being the No. 1 school at the two-day tournament, so that was a great accomplishment,” explained Menker.
“Winning the championship was a great end to the season and it is something that these girls will carry with them for the rest of their lives,” he said.
AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE AGES
The 2011 women's golfers became the first Eagles golf team to win a state title since 1933, when the men of Chaminade High School were crowned city and state champs. The most recent golf state championship (an individual title) was won in 2008 by Sam Jandel '09, while CJ's most recent state team title came during the 2004-2005 women's basketball season.
SW OHIO - DIVISION II - GIRL'S GOLF ALL STAR TEAM
Diann Bonner, '12
Mikaela Hadaway, '13 - PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Adrianne Marx, '12
Emily Poock, '13
Kaitlyn Cartone, '14
George Menker, '55
Autumn Overtures: An Evening of Music
Don't miss your chance to watch the first-ever performance by Age V, CJ's newest vocal addition to the performing arts line-up, as the group debuts alongside it's pop a cappella predecessor Vega at this year's fall concert. Autumn Overtures: An Evening of Music begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium on Tuesday, October 18.
The whole family is invited to attend this this free event where, in addition to both a cappella groups, you will hear music from the CJ string ensemble (also debuting), the Eagle pep band, concert band and concert choir along with a performance by elementary band students. Come early and stay late to attend one or both receptions hosted by the Parents of Performing Arts Students (PoPS) in the cafeteria:
Preceding the concert at 6 p.m., parents of elementary band students are invited to hear from PoPS members, ask questions about the Performing Arts department and enjoy a slideshow while learning about opportunities available to CJ students.
All concert-goers are invited to stick around and mingle at a reception following the evening's final performance. Refreshments will be provided.
LEARN MORE ABOUT POPS
CJ parents interested in becoming more involved with the Performing Arts department are encouraged to attend our next PoPS Meeting on Thursday, November 3 at 7 p.m. in the band room. There, you will have an opportunity to meet other parents and learn more about the group.
The fall play -- CJ's production of The Seussificaiton of Romeo and Juliet, an adaption of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet told in the style of beloved author Dr. Seuss -- will show four times in November:
Friday, Nov. 18 -- 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19 -- 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20 -- 2 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students and $4 for K-8th graders. We hope to see you there!
STEMM Idol Speaker Joy Haley
CJ welcomed Joy Haley, Research Chemist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base -- Air Force Research Laboratory Materials Directorate, as a featured STEMM Idol for National Chemistry Week on Tuesday, October 18. Joy discussed her inspirations for becoming a chemist, including the introduction she received to the subject at a very young after reading a book about famous scientist Marie Curie. She also mentioned how later in life she learned about Dr. Louis Leakey, an anthropologist, whose work eventually sparked her interest in forensics.
Haley secured a job as a physical chemist after earning her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in chemistry. At WPAFB she works in areas of photochemistry – the chemistry of light – and exlpores its application to chemical dyes. Using common "glow sticks" as an example, the chemist explained the related phenomena regarding the process by which phosphorescence and fluorescence act to make the sticks glow.
As the National Chemistry Week chair of the Dayton section of the American Chemical Society, Haley said she appreciates opportunities to perform outreach activities with K-12 students. In past years, she has served as a science fair mentor, and added that she always enjoys raising awareness amongst youth of the many career opportunities for scientists in the fields of forensics, genetics, biochemistry, teaching, research, science writing, science policy, and patent law.
ABOUT JOY
Dr. Joy Haley has been a research chemist for 15 years, and has worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson AFB since 2000. She currently serves as the materials and manufacturing directorate. Joy received her B.S. in chemistry from Frostburg State University, and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In the laboratory, she tests and researches the affect light has on molecules.
On Tuesday, October 18, Dr. Haley will join CJ students during all homeroom periods in the CIL as the STEMM Idol Speaker, leading the school’s celebration of National Chemistry Week. She is the National Chemistry Week Coordinator for the Dayton Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). According to the society’s Web site acs.org, National Chemistry Week (October 16-22) is a community-based annual event that unites ACS local sections, businesses, schools and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life. This year's theme is, "Chemistry -- Our Health, Our Future!"
Cross Country Laces Up for League Meets
Meet the senior captains of the men’s and women’s cross country teams – Sam Mullins, Mary Kate Carrigg, and Rebecca Reis – before the Eagles lace up for the GCL and GGCL league meets at Rapid Run Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, October 15.
How did you get started running competitively? Would you recommend it to others?
Rebecca: I started in high school because I wanted to play a sport but I didn’t have the coordination to play any other sports. I would definitely recommend cross country because I think it teaches you to push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of and that can be applied everywhere.
Mary Kate: I was looking for a fall sport freshman year and my sister suggested cross country, so I said, “What the heck,” and I’ve ran on varsity all four years. I’d recommend trying the sport. It is a lot of fun because you work individually and with a team. It is all about getting everyone to do well.
Sam: I decided I wanted to run track as a grade school student at St. Albert and my coach recommended I go out for CJ cross country. I definitely recommend running, it is a great way to get to know classmates before you start high school.
What is one of the most rewarding things and most challenging things about being an Eagles cross country runner?
R: I think the most rewarding thing is to watch your times drop because you can literally see yourself improving. The most challenging part is getting out there and making yourself run everyday no matter what.
MK: The most rewarding thing is being able to finish a race or a tough practice. The challenging part is giving your full effort all the time.
S: I think the most rewarding thing about cross country is being able to constantly make yourself better, but making yourself better is also the most challenging part.
Do you have any advice or is there a secret to long distance running?
R: Not really, just keep working at it. When all runners first start they struggle to run even short distances, but you get better as the season goes on.
MK: Always keep a positive mindset that you can do it. If you let negative thoughts in, you will start slowing down.
S: You really just have to be able to push yourself and accept pain. When you fight through the pain, good things happen.
Do you prefer to run with music? If so, what are the best three songs on your iPod for running?
R: As a team we don’t run with music so that we can communicate better with each other. Before a race though, I like to warm up to the music they play at meets, so I guess it changes every week!
MK: Not really.
S: No, not really. I sort of like to think when I run.
Do you have a favorite course and/or a favorite running spot in the Dayton-area?
R: My favorite course is Rapid Run, and I like to run the “Schantz Loop.”
MK: I like to run at Hills and Dales in Kettering. My favorite race is the Alliance Invitational at the Miami Valley Career Technology Center.
S: My favorite course is Rapid Run Park in Cincinnati. In Dayton, I like running the “Schantz Loop”
Russian Educators Experience CJ STEMM
Eight educators from elite Russian academies met with Chaminade Julienne teachers Monday, October 10 to explore the school’s innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program, including its nationally certified Project Lead the Way biomedical sciences and pre-engineering curricula, advanced placement science and mathematics courses, the CJ science fair and National Science Olympiad.
CJ was one of just two area secondary schools chosen to host a visit during the group’s short stay in Dayton from October 9-12. The school was selected by Wright State University after being awarded a $35,000 Dayton STEM Hub grant in 2010 said Meg Draeger, CJ STEMM coordinator.
“It is a testament to our evident role as a provider of a unique STEM education to Miami Valley students that Wright State University chose CJ for a visit by this group,” Draeger added. The conference was made possible as part of the university’s International Visitor Program, an initiative endorsed by the U.S. Department of State.
According to WSU, International Visitors are current or emerging leaders in government, politics, the media, education, the arts, business and other key fields from different countries around the world. While in the U.S., they attend professional appointments with their American counterparts, learn about the U.S. system of government at all levels, visit American schools and experience American culture and social life.
During their time on campus guests spoke, with the assistance of two Russian interpreters, to CJ math, science and PLTW teachers Nancy Dever, Brad Kassner and Amy O’Loughlin before touring the school’s laboratories and classrooms.
“It was quite an experience dialoging with non-English speaking colleagues from across the world through interpreters,” Draeger commented. Those involved in face-to-face discussions, which lasted a little more than an hour, exchanged business cards and email addresses in hopes of keeping the lines of communication open.
“At the heart of it all is the truth that we are engaged in a common pursuit—educating youth to succeed in a global environment in which having knowledge of, and competency in, STEM subjects will be necessary,” she said.
CJ STEMM BY THE NUMBERS
Chaminade Julienne serves students from 59 different academic institutions, ranging from cities across the greater Dayton area. On Monday, CJ broadened its educational scope to include foreign educators from Russia.
“We have always felt that our school has been a hub for STEM education in Ohio, particularly in the Dayton region, so to have the opportunity to expand our horizons on an international level was extremely exciting,” said John Marshall, principal.
The purpose of the mid-afternoon session was to introduce Russian educators to innovative STEM curriculum in the United States, but according to Marshall, participants from both countries learned a lot about the similar challenges each faces in teaching a diverse student population.
“Our guests were impressed and encouraged to find out that the CJ STEMM program aligns with our school’s mission to provide a holistic, inclusive education for all those we serve,” he said.
With the introduction of Project Lead the Way courses during the 2008-2009 school year, CJ students have become increasingly engaged with STEM-related opportunities on campus:
Currently, more than 100 students are enrolled in PLTW curricula—60 percent in a biomedical sciences course and 40 percent in a pre-engineering course.
A breakdown of those students shows that 56 percent are male, 44 percent are female. Furthermore, 64 percent are Caucasian while 36 percent are non-Caucasian.
During the 2010-2011 school year, 40 students competed in the school-wide science fair and more than 50 students participated in National Science Olympiad competitions.
CJ’s graduation requirements expanded for members of the Class of 2014 and beyond, who now must take four years of mathematics. In addition to offering math courses at the college preparatory, honors and advanced placement levels, CJ also offers an honors algebra course for eighth grade students from area elementary schools.
Service, STEMM Ideas Intersect in Belize
leven 7th and 8th grade students from Bishop Leibold, Holy Angels, Our Lady of Rosary, and St. Chris gathered at CJ on Saturday, October 8 to participate in a CJ STEMM program led by Meg Draeger, CJ STEMM coordinator, along with Anna Roland ’12, CJ Key Club member and Belize mission trip alumni.
The day began with a presentation and slide show about the 2011 CJ Belize Mission Trip, given by Anna Roland and Samantha Weckesser, seniors who went on the trip. Students learned a bit about the culture and living conditions in Punta Gorda, and all the CJ students did to interact with the children and families there. The lack of direct access to clean water particularly struck Anna Roland when she was in Belize, and she imparted to the participating students the privilege we have of abundant, constantly accessible clean water in our own lives.
After learning how much water is contained on the earth, in various forms, it was pointed out how little of it – approximately 3% - is ready for immediate human consumption and use. An Envision aquifer model, owned by the City of Dayton Department of Water, was borrowed and demonstrated to the students, and the snack for the day included tap water to support the department’s “Take Back the Tap” campaign.
The students experienced water hauling by carrying a bucket filled with 2.5 gallons of dirty water, simulating a milder version of a chore women and children do in developing countries each day. They then proceeded to calculate and estimate their personal and household daily water use, and discuss ideas for water conservation, such as low flow shower heads, low flow toilets, and turning off the water when brushing teeth.
In teams, the students designed and constructed water filters with common household materials, and took a look at a filter CJ Project Lead the Way engineering students designed. The day concluded by students putting their creative talents to work in making posters depicting water issues.
The students spent the morning becoming more aware of the many issues and stakeholders involved in the seemingly simple global challenge of “providing access to clean water for all”. They reflected on what some consider a “right to water”, and the prevalence of the sale and consumption of bottled water.
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The MacFarlane Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms of MacFarlane of that Ilk and Arrochar
A coat of arms originally referred to the design on a surcoat used to cover the armor of a man in battle. As time went on, the coat of arms became a design that was used on flags, jewelry, plates, etc. and adopted and created by various institutions including universities and societies. Some European countries still maintain the authority that grant and regulate arms. In the case of Scotland, that is the Lord Lyon, King of Arms.
The Blazon (Description) of the Coat of Arms of MacFarlane of that Ilk and Arrochar
Lord Lyon, King of Arms describes a coat of arms in a set manner to provide consistency for all arms. First, the field (basic tincture of the shield); second, the principal charge(s) there upon and their tincture; third, the helmet and its mantling; fourth, the wreath and the crest atop the helmet; fifth, the motto; sixth, the compartment upon which all stands including the supporters which hold up the shield.
First: The field refers to the background tincture (color) on the shield. In the case of the MacFarlane chief’s shield, this is argent (silver), which can be represented as white.
Second: The charge refers to the emblems occupying the field of the shield. This is also called the ordinary. In the case of the MacFarlane chief’s coat of arms, it is the saltire (the diagonal cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland who was crucified on a diagonal cross). The cross is engrailed (made up of small concave curves, like tiny waves) to distinguish it from the design used by the ancient earls of Lennox, from whom the MacFarlane chiefs were descended. The cross is gules (red). In each quarter is a red rose, which also derives from the Lennox shield.
Third: The helmet is placed above the shield in a design befitting his Degree, in this case a tilting helm garnished with gold, or the more ancient pot helm garnished with gold. The mantling is the drapery tied to the helmet, which derived from the linen worn by knights over their helmets. It is a cloth of two sides, reflecting the two colors used in the shield, in the case of MacFarlane chief, argent and gules.
Fourth: Atop the helmet rests the wreath, which is a twisted roll of fabric that looks like a rope with six parts, using the first two colors of the shield, again argent and gules.
Above the wreath is the crest granted to Andrew MacFarlane of that Ilk and Arrochar, 11th Chief and 14th Baron, by Moray, the regent of the child king, James VI. This was granted after the Battle of Langside in 1568, where the clan fought successfully against Queen Mary of Scots, his mother.
The crest, as it was originally designed, consists of a demi-savage holding a sheaf of arrows in his raised dexter (right) hand and pointing to the crown of James VI with his sinister (left) hand.
Just over a century later the crest was changed for the then chief, Andrew MacFarlane of that Ilk and Arrochar, 15th Chief and 18th Baron. In the new design, the sheaf of arrows was replaced with a sword.
Fifth: The motto, “This I’ll Defend,” above the crest is referring to the Crown of James VI, who also became James I of England, the first Stewart king of England in 1603.
Sixth: The Compartment is the bottom section of the coat of arms which is placed under the shield. The slogan in the scroll is the MacFarlane rallying cry, “Loch Sloidh” or “Loch Sloy.” Above this is a grassy ground where the supporters stand. It serves as the base for two Highlanders who are the supports for the shield. Scottish law granted Supporters to all clan chiefs and those feudal barons who had a right to a seat in Scottish Parliament before 1597.
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Packages starting with "2" owned by jakems
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Surnames beginning with P
How tall is Jonathan Pryce?
Jonathan Pryce's Height is 6ft 0in (182 cm)
CELEB-HEIGHTS™ RANKING #932
Celebirty name: PRYCE, Jonathan (Original: John Price)
Birth: 1947-06-01 (United Kingdom) (age 72)
From Holywell to Hollywood, Jonathan Pryce, CBE is a critically acclaimed and award winning actor from North Wales, internationally regarded as one of the greatest on both stage and screen. Renowned for his immense versatility and powerful presence he has transcended the industry, effortlessly moving between Hollywood studio films and the classical West End in a range of work that also includes bold independent cinema and the Broadway musical. He has created some of the most memorable characters in cinema and for over forty years been on the wish list of many of the worlds most notorious and accomplished directors as 'Someone they must work with'. Jonathan Pryce was born John Price in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales, to Margaret Ellen (Williams) and Isaac Price, a coal miner. His parents ran a general store. After graduating from the world famous RADA in London, he began his career in the 1970s at the hugely influential Liverpool Everyman Theatre which grounded his politics and talent and helped attract a legacy of brave individual artists that have since been through their doors. From his definitive performance as Hamlet, he made his breakthrough screen performance in Terry Gilliam's masterpiece Brazil (1985). The phrase an 'Actor's Actor' is often overused but with Jonathan Pryce I can think of no better fitting tribute because what that means to the industry is - here is a talent people want to watch and people want to work with. His choices can be considered as bold as they should be as well as always truthful that give life to characters multi-layered and always exciting, where it can be even hard to believe that he is just one man. As in his stage course that includes notable performances such as in "Hamlet", "The Merchant of Venice", "The Goat or Who is Sylvia?", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Miss Saigon", "Oliver", "Comedians" and "King Lear", Jonathan Pryce's range of staggering portrayals full of generously euphoric delight has also been expressed in numerous films including as Brazil (1985), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), Carrington (1995), Evita (1996), Behind the Lines (1997), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Very Annie Mary (2001), Unconditional Love (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), The Wife (2017) and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018) as well as in mesmerizing TV roles such as in Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1981), Game of Thrones (2011), My Zinc Bed (2008), Wolf Hall (2015) and Taboo (2017).
Hatcher
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Stellan
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One and done? Maybe not
The record books show a large number of players with one major victory to their credit. For most that will be the crowning achievement to their professional career. A few are still looking for a second major. Is it likely to happen?
The golf media spends a lot of time discussing who might be the best player who’s never won a major.
In recent history, that list would surely be topped by Colin Montgomerie. The portly Scot came oh-so-close on numerous occasions, including two playoff losses and five second place finishes overall, but never managed to nab the most important hardware on sale at the time. Perhaps his angst is assuaged by winning three Senior major championships but only his analyst knows for sure.
Currently, the absence of a major title is felt most strongly by a trio consisting of Lee Westwood, Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar. They’re not exactly failures - they’ve all earned millions and had great careers. They just haven’t ever won the big one.
But enough about those pretenders. This article is about players that tasted major victory once and hunger for another slice of immortality.
Two weeks ago, Masters Champion Danny Willett captured the BMW PGA Championship, one of the elite tournaments on the European Tour. Nobody had heard much about Willett since 2016, when Jordan Spieth dumped his tee shot on Augusta’s 12th hole into Rae’s Creek and opened the door for the Englishman to waltz away with a green jacket. He was considered one of those one-and-done guys when it came to majors but with his recent win, talk turned to the resurrection of Danny Willett. Could he win a second major?
It’s an intriguing question but why limit the discussion to Willett. There are a lot of professional golfers that have just one major. Could any of them add a second? A look back over the four phases of Tiger provides some insight on how tough it will be and who might emerge from the pack.
Prior to Tiger’s debut in 1997 (the Before Tiger era), there are no players with just a single major title still competing on the PGA Tour. A couple still compete at a high level on the Champions Tour (Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin) but most are either retired or filling chairs on golf broadcasts (Paul Azinger, Ian Baker-Finch). None have a realistic chance of ever winning a major again.
During the Rise and Fall of Tiger (1997-2009), there were 52 majors played. Tiger won 14 of them while multiple major winners Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Lee Janzen, Payne Stewart, Retief Goosen, Zach Johnson, Angel Cabrera, Mark O’Meara, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Vijay Singh gobbled up another 21. That means there were 17 majors won by players with only that single moment of glory on their resume.
Some of the one-timers are well past their best before date and not likely to sashay into the winner’s circle again. (Justin Leonard, David Duval, Mike Weir, Davis Love, David Toms). They’re still competing on the Champions circuit but like Monty, will have to be content with Senior hardware.
Others have fallen off the face of the earth and nobody except the aging sports reporter for their hometown newspaper knows where they are. (Trevor Immelman, Michael Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy, Ben Curtis, Todd Hamilton, Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel and Y.E. Yang). Micheel is often derided as the poster boy for a player that played way above his head to win a major – in other words, he didn’t deserve it. That sounds harsh, because at the time he was good enough to play on the PGA Tour. But as we found out, the win was the high point of a career, not a stepping-stone to more majors or the Hall of Fame, and perhaps proof that it was something of a fluke. Nonetheless, he has a Wanamaker trophy in his living room and Monty doesn’t.
If you’re counting, that leaves four players from the Tiger era that maybe have a sniff at another major title: Stewart Cink, Paul Lawrie, Lucas Glover and Jim Furyk. One might argue that Cink and Lawrie garnered their championships because of a “major” collapse by others: 58-year old Tom Watson at Turnberry in the 2009 Open Championship (Cink), and Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie in the 1999 Open Championship (Lawrie). That doesn’t mean they can’t find another – they were in the right spot once to pick up the pieces when someone else faltered; maybe they can do it again. Doubtful, but possible.
Furyk is 49. While he finished second at the Players Championship in 2019 and has contended at several majors in the past few years, reality says he’s destined for the round belly Tour. Glover has shown signs of resurgence as he approaches his 40th birthday later this year but he’s ten years removed from his US Open win and has no other victories since to indicate that lightening might strike again. Unfortunately, both have to be relegated to the Doubtful category when it comes to garnering a second major.
The modern era (2010-2019), also known as the Return of Tiger and Return of Tiger Part Deux, consists of 40 majors. Woods, Mickelson, Zach Johnson and Ernie Els turned back the clock to add a total of 5 trophies to their own hardware collections, while youngsters named McIlroy, Spieth, Kaymer and Koepka gobbled up 13 more. Bubba Watson found a pair of green jackets too. For anyone keeping score, that’s half the majors in the modern era won by multiple major winners.
Lest we forget, two of those guys, Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy, are ranked #1 and #2 in the world right now and very likely to win several (or many) more majors before they call it a day. Spieth and Kaymer are enigmas at the moment – still young enough to be world beaters but struggling to regain the form that had them on top not so long ago. Nevertheless, the foursome will be stiff competition against those looking for a second major triumph.
Twenty different players won a single major in the last 20 years. For Darren Clarke, his win at the 2011 Open Championship was icing on the cake, a final salute to an illustrious career. One and done is fine for him.
The other 19 chasers fall into three camps: Sure Things, Question Marks, and Probably Not.
The Sure Things have been so named for a long time. The primary question was not if they would win another major but when. Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day were all tagged at an early age to be elite players and guaranteed multiple major winners. So too was Sergio Garcia. He carried the tag of Best Player Never to Win a Major for many years prior to his win at the 2018 Masters. All took their sweet time to get that first major and it remains a puzzle why they haven’t added a second. Each is at the peak of his career and oddsmakers still list them among the favourites four times a year.
Justin Thomas is another Sure Thing. With most of his career still in front of him, it would be a shock if he doesn’t join his buddy Jordan Spieth on the way to the Hall of Fame.
The Question Marks are a mixed bunch: Webb Simpson, Louis Oosthuizen, Francesco Molinari, Patrick Reed, Gary Woodland and Shane Lowry. The first two tasted major victory some years ago and most thought it would happen again soon. The latter four are recent major winners. All are top ranked players on the PGA Tour with lots of experience and each has the chops for a second major. You probably wouldn’t bet the farm on any of these guys but if somebody offers them as a package, it would be an intriguing wager.
In the Probably Not category, we find Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker, Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell - flashes of hope mingled with long periods of fruitlessness. All are in their 40’s and could win again but it’s not likely. Also, in that category we can add players likely to win the Shaun Micheel Award at the end of their career – Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley and Danny Willett, players that popped into our lives for a brief shining moment but were really Tour grinders, not all-stars. No more majors for them.
So, will any of the solo major winners repeat soon? My hunch says at least two of the 2020 majors will go to former winners like McIlroy and Koepka. Another will go to a first-time winner like Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau or Tommy Fleetwood. Unfortunately, perennial pretenders like Westwood, Fowler and Kuchar will be out on the street with their sad, weathered faces pressed against the window, while the major party goes on inside.
That leaves one major for someone to nab a second. I’d lean towards the Justins – Rose or Thomas. They’re just too good not to win.
That’s not to say the rest will be relegated to the dust bin of history. One major victory is a huge achievement and something that sets them apart from the vast majority that play the game and all of them still have many more years to drink champagne from the Claret Jug or don a green jacket.
Monty would happily trade places with any of them.
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Execution Looms for Iranian Pastor Who Refuses to Renounce His Christian Faith
By Patrick Goodenough | September 27, 2011 | 4:41am EDT
Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been sentenced to death for apostasy. (Photo: ACLJ)
(CNSNews.com) – An Iranian pastor who refuses to renounce his Christian faith could be hanged as soon as Wednesday, after a trial court ruling this week upheld his death sentence for “apostasy.”
Religious freedom advocates are calling urgently for governments to take up the case of Youcef Nadarkhani, a 32-year-old evangelical first sentenced to death late last year. If the sentence is carried out he will be the first Iranian Christian known to have been executed for his faith in 21 years.
Nadarkhani embraced Christianity at the age of 19, and since his Supreme Court appeal last June, proceedings focused on the question of whether he was a practicing Muslim at the time.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), although a court subsequently determined that he was not a practicing Muslim adult when he became a Christian “the court has decided that he remains guilty of apostasy because he has Muslim ancestry.”
Back in court on Sunday and Monday this week, Nadarkhani faced renewed pressure to disavow his faith, on pain on death. CSW cited sources close the case as saying two more sessions have been scheduled, for Tuesday and Wednesday – and “if he continues to refuse, he will be executed thereafter.”
Nadarkhani’s lawyer, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah, has argued that the demand for his client to recant violates Iranian law and the constitution.
However, CSW reported that “the court replied that the verdict of the Supreme Court must be applied, regardless of the illegality of the demand.”
“CSW is calling on key members of the international community to urgently raise Pastor Nadarkhani’s case with the Iranian authorities,” said CSW special ambassador Stuart Windsor. “His life depends on it.”
Windsor said the verdict violated Iran’s international obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of religion and freedom to change religion.
Further, article 23 of the Iranian Constitution states, “The investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.”
Nadarkhani was first arrested in October 2009, reportedly for objecting to the teaching of Islam to Christian children at Iranian schools. The indictment against him accused him of organizing evangelistic meetings, sharing his faith and inviting others to convert, running a house church and “denying Islamic values.”
American Center for Law and Justice executive director Jordan Sekulow said Monday the ACLJ was “continuing to work with Members of Congress and are urging the State Department to get involved” to save Nadarkhani’s life.
“The ACLJ’s sources report although Pastor Youcef’s attorneys will attempt to appeal the case, there is no guarantee that the provincial court will not act on its own interpretation of shari’a law and execute pastor Youcef as early as Wednesday,” Sekulow wrote.
Last July State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland raised Nadarkhani’s case, calling in a statement on Tehran to “respect the fundamental rights of all its citizens and uphold its international commitments to protect them.”
“While Iran’s leaders hypocritically claim to promote tolerance, they continue to detain, imprison, harass, and abuse those who simply wish to worship the faith of their choosing,” she said.
Nadarkhani’s lawyer, Dadkhah, has also fallen foul of Iran’s legal system. He is currently appealing a nine year prison sentence and 10-year ban on practicing law or teaching, handed down by a Tehran court in July for “actions and propaganda against the Islamic regime.”
‘Disrespect to the prophets’
When the Iranian government presented its human rights record to the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) last year, it claimed in a prepared report to uphold the rights of specified non-Muslim minorities.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all Muslims are duty-bound to treat non-Muslims in conformity with ethical norms and the principles of Islamic justice and equity, and to respect their human rights,” Tehran’s report stated.
At the time Iran’s Islamic and leftist allies rallied round in support, rebuking Western governments for criticizing Tehran.
This year, however, the U.S. and other democracies succeeded in getting the HRC to appoint a “special rapporteur” for human rights in Iran. Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of the Maldives, was appointed to the post.
In a recent letter to Shaheed, Iranian human rights lawyer Hossein Jadidi urged him to look into the plight of imprisoned Christians.
“The intelligence and the judicial system of Iran deal with Christian converts in illegal ways and raise unfounded accusations against them and not only threaten their lives and human rights, but also introduce them as corrupt and agents of the imperialistic powers,” Jadidi wrote in the letter. A copy was provided by Mohabat News, an independent Iranian Christian news agency.
He said converts were being accused of apostasy, endangering national security and “disrespect to the prophets,” a charge that arises because certain biblical figures – whom Muslims regard as Islamic prophets – are depicted as fallible.
“Iranian authorities believe that when you read the story of the prophets in the Bible, it appears that those prophets have been insulted, and on this basis, they accuse the new converts as being disrespectful to the prophets of God,” Jadidi explained.
(Islamic radicals in Pakistan recently used the same argument to call for the Bible to be banned in that country.)
Apostasy and the Qur’an
The last time a Christian is known to have been executed in Iran for his faith was 21 years ago, when Assemblies of God pastor Hussein Sodmand was hanged after refusing to recant.
Although apostasy is not an offense in the Iranian penal code, the country’s constitution includes a clause (article 167) that says if the basis for a judicial ruling does not exist in the law, judges must turn to “authoritative Islamic sources and authentic fatwa.”
Islamic scholars who argue for the death penalty for apostasy cite texts like sura 4:89 of the Qur’an, which urges Muslims to seize and kill those who turn away. A hadith (the traditional writings and sayings of Mohammed) quotes the prophet as saying, “Any [Muslim] person who has changed his religion, kill him.”
Other scholars say that in order to deserve the death penalty the apostate should not only have converted but also be a danger to the Muslim community.
In Saudi Arabia, apostasy is among a category of offenses – others include rape and murder – punishable by death.
Mauritania’s criminal code provides for a three-day period of reflection and repentance for any Muslim found guilty of apostasy. “If he does not repent within this time limit, he is to be condemned to death as an apostate and his property will be confiscated by the Treasury.”
An Afghan court in 2006 sentenced a Christian convert to death for apostasy, sparking an uproar. Amid pressure from troop-contributing Western countries he was eventually freed and permitted to seek asylum abroad.
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Marital Dissolution Planning Post TCJA
Written by Sidney Kess, CPA, J.D., LL.M.
The IRS reports that nearly 600,000 taxpayers claimed an alimony deduction on their 2015 returns (the most recent year for statistics) (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/soi-a-inpd-id1703.pdf). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) (P.L. 115-97) made important changes in the tax rules for alimony. These changes have a ripple effect throughout the tax law, impacting a number of other provisions. Here are the basic rules for alimony and their impact on other tax provisions in light of TCJA.
Currently, payments that meet the definition of “alimony” under Code Sec. 71 are deductible by the payer and includible in gross income by the recipient. There are no dollar limits on these amounts. These rules continue to apply to payments under divorce or separation agreements executed before January 1, 2019.
However, alimony will not be deductible, or includible in the recipient’s gross income, for any divorce or separation instrument executed after December 31, 2018, as well as those executed earlier but modified after 2018 expressly providing that the repeal of qualified alimony and separate maintenance rules apply. In effect, those with post-2018 divorces will see alimony treated the same as child support (i.e., nondeductible by the payer and nontaxable to the recipient).
Clearly, this tax law change will impact negotiations for alimony payments for new marital dissolutions. Those considering modifications of existing arrangements have leeway in their course of action. They can continue to apply the old rules unless they agree to have the new rules apply by expressly referencing the TCJA deduction repeal. Reasons to consider opting for TCJA treatment include changes in the income levels of the payer and/or recipient. For example, the payer may be in a lower bracket and won’t benefit greatly from a deduction, or the recipient may be in a higher bracket and prefer tax-free income.
Any modifications should take the “recapture rule” into account. This rule requires the payer to recapture (i.e., report as income) some amounts previously deducted. The rule is triggered when alimony paid in the third year of the first three-year period is more than $15,000 less than in the second year or if the alimony paid in the second and third years decreases significantly from the amount paid in the first year. This rule has not been changed by the TCJA.
It should also be noted that post-2018 decrees and agreements do not have to conform to the definition of alimony. Whereas deductible alimony payments under pre-2019 decrees and agreements must be in cash, payments to a spouse or former spouse under post-2018 decrees and agreements need not be in cash. It would seem, for example, that a transfer from a qualified retirement plan pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) may be used to make a lump-sum alimony payment by the payer. In the same vein, perhaps stock or realty could be used to satisfy a lump-sum alimony payment. And it would not matter whether payments end on the death of the recipient.
The tax treatment of child support has not been changed by the TCJA. Payments are not deductible by the payer or taxable to the recipient (Code Sec. 71(c)).
Dependency exemptions. The dependency exemption applies for 2017 returns. The custodial parent can waive the dependency exemption to allow the noncustodial parent—often the person providing the child support—to claim the exemption. This waiver is made on Form 8332, Release/Revocation of Release of Claim to Exemption for Child By Custodial Parent.
The TCJA suspends the dependency exemptions for 2018 through 2025. Despite this suspension, the concept of a dependent remains viable through these years for various tax provisions (e.g., child tax credit) and should not be overlooked.
Existing divorce agreements likely have factored in the tax benefit for dependency exemptions, as well as the tax rates that the payer is subject to. In other words, one parent may have agreed to pay a certain amount with the understanding that he/she could claim an exemption for the child. For example, in 2017, the $4,050 exemption amount saves a parent in the top tax bracket more than $1,600 in taxes. If the parties renegotiate agreements after 2018 to make changes in child support, it is important to note the impact of the language on alimony (i.e., whether the parties opt for pre-2019 treatment for alimony).
Child tax credit. For purposes of the child tax credit (Code Sec. 24), which was greatly expanded, a taxpayer can claim a credit for a:
• Qualifying child. The child (the taxpayer’s child, sibling, or descendant) must be under age 17 by the end of the year and not provide more than half of his/her support. Usually the child must live with the taxpayer for more than half the year but there is an exception in the case of divorce. The credit is up to $2,000; up to $1,400 can be refundable.
• Qualifying dependent. This can be a qualifying relative of any age as long as he/she would qualify as a dependent under the old dependency rules (Code Sec. 152(b)) (e.g., a taxpayer’s child who is over age 17). The nonrefundable credit is up to $500.
Education. Another change by the TCJA is the ability to use up to $10,000 annually from a 529 plan to pay for elementary and secondary school. Those with agreements requiring a parent to pay out of pocket for these costs may need to be revisited.
IRAs continue to be an asset that can be addressed in a marital dissolution. The rules have not been changed by the TCJA. Courts may direct the account owner to transfer some or all of the funds to the spouse or former spouse. The transfer is not taxable to the account owner if it’s made pursuant to a court order and done by directly transferring a fixed dollar amount or percentage of the account to the spouse’s IRA or by setting up a new IRA to which these funds are transferred. If there’s a court order but the account owner transfers funds to his/her checking account and then writes a check to the spouse, the account owner is taxable (see Kirkpatrick, TC Memo 2018-20).
A recipient of taxable alimony can count it as income for purposes of making an IRA contribution. Thus, a nonworking individual receiving alimony in 2018 can base an IRA contribution on alimony payments. In 2019, those receiving alimony under a divorce or agreement finalized before 2019 can continue to treat the taxable alimony as compensation for purposes of IRA contributions.
However, for those who receive nontaxable alimony starting in 2019, the opportunity to make IRA contributions based on alimony payments no longer exists.
It will be busy for matrimonial attorneys with clients who want to finalize agreements before 2019 as well as for those who may want to delay the process. There is much to consider for these individuals and their families…and taxes should be an important factor is reaching a marital dissolution.
Executive Editor Sidney Kess is CPA-attorney, speaker and author of hundreds of tax books. The AICPA established the Sidney Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education in his honor, best-known for lecturing to over 700,000 practitioners on tax. Kess is senior consultant for Citrin Cooperman, consulting editor to CCH and Of Counsel to Kostelanetz & Fink.
QBI Deduction Issues for Professionals
Most attorneys, accountants, and other professionals operate as unincorporated sole practitioners, or through partnerships and limited liability partnerships (LLPs), making them owners of pass-through entities. Such professionals may be able to cut the effective tax rate on the income from their practices through the use of the qualified business income (QBI) deduction (Code Sec. 199A). This deduction, which was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, is up to 20% of QBI, but limitations and other rules can limit or prevent any write-off. Here are some key issues related to the QBI deduction for professionals in light of recently proposed regulations (REG-107892-18, released on 8/8/18 and published in the Federal Register on 8/16/18).
The deduction under Code Sec. 199A (QBI deduction) is a personal deduction claimed on an individual’s federal income tax return. It is neither a deduction in computing an individual’s adjusted gross income, nor is it an itemized deduction. The deduction does not reduce business income. Rules on the treatment of the QBI deduction for state income tax purposes depends on each state’s tax conformity with federal income tax rules and special state-level rules. It appears that in New York and New York City, the QBI deduction is not allowed because income taxes here starts with federal adjusted gross income (which does not include the QBI deduction). However, future guidance from the New York Department of Taxation and Finance could allow the deduction to be treated as an itemized amount for state and city income tax purposes.
The QBI deduction is 20% of qualified business income for a professional with taxable income up to $315,000 on a joint return or $157,500 on any other type of return. For example, a sole practitioner who is single and has taxable income of $125,000 can claim the full 20% of QBI deduction.
When the professional’s taxable income exceeds this threshold, then two limitations come into play:
General limitation. The deduction is the lesser of (1) 20% of QBI, or (2) the greater of (a) 50% of W-2 wages (“W-2 wages”), or (b) 25% of W-2 wages plus 2.5% of the unadjusted basis immediately after acquisition (“UBIA”) of qualified property.
Limitation for specified service trades or businesses (SSTBs) (defined below). The limitation under (b) for all types of businesses applies for married filing taxpayers filing joint returns whose taxable income is over $315,000, and other taxpayers whose taxable income is over $157,500. But for SSTBs, the amount of QBI that can be taken into account phases out over the next $100,000 for joint filers or $50,000 for other filers. In effect, a practitioner (and any other individual in an SSTB) with taxable income over $415,000 on a joint return or $207,500 on another type of return cannot take any QBI deduction; all of the QBI has been phased out.
For example, the partnership’s taxable income is less than the threshold amount, but each of the partnership’s individual partners have income that exceeds the threshold amount plus $50,000 ($100,000 in the case of a joint return). As a result, none of the partners may claim a QBI deduction with respect to any income from the partnership’s SSTB.
Guaranteed payments
Qualified business income means the net amount of items of income, gain, deduction and loss attributable to the practice. Not taken into account are capital gains and losses (including Section 1231 gains), dividends, and interest income on working capital, reserves, and similar accounts (i.e., investment-type interest). However, interest income on accounts or notes receivable received is part of QBI.
QBI does not include guaranteed payments received for services performed for the practice (Code Sec. 707(c)). However, the partnership’s related expenses for making the guaranteed payments may nonetheless reduce QBI.
While guaranteed payments are not part of QBI, they do factor into the partners’ taxable income. Because taxable income limits or bars the QBI deduction, the impact of guaranteed payments needs to be taken into account.
Specified service trades or businesses
A specified service trade or business (SSTB) includes any trade or business involving the performance of services in the fields of health, law, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, consulting, athletics, financial services, brokerage services, or any trade or business where the principal asset of such trade or business is the reputation or skill of one or more of its employees; engineering and architecture are not included. Proposed regulations help to clarify what constitutes an SSTB. Here are the rules for law and accounting:
Law. This includes the provision of services by lawyers, paralegals, legal arbitrators, mediators, and similar professionals. It does not include the provision of services that do not require skills unique to the field of law; for example, the provision of services in the field of law does not include the provision of services by printers, delivery services, or stenography services.
Accounting. This includes the provision of services by accountants, enrolled agents, return preparers, financial auditors, and similar professionals in their capacity as such. The provision of services in the field of accounting is not limited to services requiring state licensure as a certified public accountant (CPA). The field of accounting does not include payment processing and billing analysis.
Multiple activities
If professionals derive income from rentals of property to their partnerships, proposed regulations help to clarify when the income is or is not treated as an SSTB. In general, an SSBT includes any trade or business that provides 80% or more of its property or services to an SSBT if there is 50% or more common ownership (determined under Code Secs. 267(b) and 707(b)). If less than 80% is provided but there is that 50% common ownership, then that portion of the trade or business providing property or services to the commonly-owned SSTB is treated as part of the SSTB.
For example, a law firm that’s a partnership providing services to clients owns its own office building and employs administrative staff. The firm divides into three partnerships: Partnership 1 performs legal services to clients, Partnership 2 owns the building and rents it to the firm, and Partnership 3 employees the administrative staff through a contract with Partnership 1. All three partnerships are owned by the same individuals (the original firm partners). Because the common ownership test is met, all three partnerships are treated as one SSBT.
Figuring the QBI deduction
Again, the QBI deduction is applied at the professional’s level; it does not impact the practice’s income that is passed through to the owners. Thus, as stated earlier, it is the professional’s taxable income that determines the amount of the deduction. However, Schedule K-1 must report items needed by professionals to compute their deduction. More specifically, on Schedule K-1 of Form 1065, “other information” must include:
• Section 199A income (code Z)
• Section 199A W-2 wages (code AA)
• Section 199A unadjusted basis (code AB)
• Section 199A REIT dividends (code AC)
• Section 199A PTP income (code AD)
Special basis adjustments
Partnerships may make special basis adjustments under Code Sections 734(b) or 743(b). Proposed regulations provide that partnership special basis adjustments are not treated as separate qualified property (Reg. Sec. 1.199A-2(c)(1)(iii)). If the IRS had allowed the special basis adjustments to be treated as separate qualified property, then it could result in a duplication of UBIA if, for example, the fair market value of the property has not increased and its depreciable period has not ended.
Impact on self-employment tax
The QBI deduction does not reduce net earnings from self-employment for purposes of figuring self-employment tax. In effect, self-employment tax is figured as though there were no QBI deduction.
Some of the guidance from the proposed regulations may be changed when final regulations are released. Comments to the proposed regulations are being accepted no later than October 1, 2018. In the meantime, FAQs posted by the IRS (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-provision-11011-section-199a-deduction-for-qualified-business-income-faqs) help to clarify some of the rules for this important tax deduction.
Charitable Contributions for High-Income Taxpayers
The government views those with income of $200,000 or more as “high-income taxpayers,” and charitable contributions are a popular write-off for this group of individuals. For 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), the average charitable contribution deduction for those with adjusted gross income (AGI) of $200,000 to under $250,000 was $11,370. For those with AGI of $250,000 or more, the average deduction was $16,580. In this period of tax uncertainty resulting from Congressional goals of tax reform, what can high-income taxpayers do to maximize their tax-advantaged giving opportunities?
Tax Rules for Charitable Contributions
High-income taxpayers should understand the basic charitable contribution rules for federal income tax purposes, which are fairly straightforward (Code Sec. 170):
• A taxpayer must itemize deductions. No above-the-line deduction for non-itemizers is allowed.
• Donations must go to an IRS-recognized charity, which can be found in Publication 78 online (https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/organizations-eligible-to-receive-tax-deductible-charitable-contributions).
• A taxpayer must follow substantiation rules, with may include obtaining written acknowledgments from the charity and qualified appraisals from outside appraisers.
• Cash donations are limited to 50% of adjusted gross income. Donations of appreciated property usually are limited to 30% of AGI (with the exception of donations of conservation easements explained later). Deductions in excess of these limits can be carried forward for up to five years.
• The deduction for charitable contributions is subject to the phase-out of itemized deductions for high-income taxpayers. This means that the tax write-off for contributions can be reduced by as much as 80%.
Conservation easements are a type of special arrangement to let taxpayers have their cake and eat it too. Property owners can give away interests, take a tax deduction, and continue to enjoy the property.
To be deductible, the donation must be a contribution of a qualified real property interest (i.e., a restriction granted in perpetuity on the use which may be made of the real property) to a qualified organization exclusively for conservation purposes (Code Sec. 170(h) and Reg. §1.170A-14). The types of conservation contributions include:
• Preservation of land areas for outdoor recreation by, or the education of, the general public.
• Protection of a relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife, or plants, or similar ecosystem.
• Preservation of open space (including farmland and forest land).
• Preservation of a historically important land area or a certified historic structure (such as a building façade).
Donations of conservation easements are limited to 50%of AGI minus the deduction for other charitable contributions. Any excess amount can be carried forward for up to 15 years. For donations by farmers and ranchers, the AGI limit is 100%, rather than the usual 50%, with the same 15-year carryover.
However, the IRS has made syndicated conservation easements a reportable transaction that must be disclosed on a taxpayer’s return and may invite IRS scrutiny (Notice 2017-10, IRB 2017-4, 544). For more details about conservation easements in general, see the IRS’s Conservation Easement Audit Technique Guide (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/conservation_easement.pdf).
An IRA owner who is at least age 70½ has an additional way to give to charity. They can make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) of up to $100,000 annually from the IRA (Code Sec. 408(d)(8)). The distribution is not taxed, and can be counted toward a required minimum distribution (RMD). But no charitable contribution deduction can be taken; no double tax break is allowed.
QCDs are restricted to regular IRAs. They cannot be made from IRA-type accounts, such as SEP-IRAs or SIMPLE-IRAs.
A donor-advised fund is a fund or account in which a donor can advise but not dictate how to distribute or invest amounts held in the fund (Code Sec. 170(f)(18)). Usually, a taxpayer giving cash or property to a donor-advised fund can take an immediate tax deduction even though the funds have not yet been disbursed to a charity.
Donor-advised funds from some major brokerage firms and mutual funds have minimum contribution amounts and fees.
High-income taxpayers may own businesses that can make donations.
• For C corporations, donations are limited to 10% of taxable income.
• For owners of pass-through entities, their share of the businesses’ donations is reported on their personal returns.
Usually, donations of inventory are deductible to the extent of the lesser of the fair market value on the date of the contribution or its basis (typically cost). If the cost of donated inventory is not included in your opening inventory, the inventory's basis is zero so no deduction can be claimed. However, businesses that donate inventory for the care of the ill, the needy, or infants, an enhanced deduction is allowed (Code Sec. 170(e)(3)).
Leave-based donation programs. Companies may have programs that enable employees to donate their unused personal, sick, or vacation days, with this time used by other employees in medical emergencies or disasters. Donated leave time is taxable compensation to the donors, subject to payroll taxes. Employees cannot take any charitable contribution for their donations.
A special rule applies for donations to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey. The IRS has guidance (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-17-48.pdf) on the tax treatment of these leave-based donation programs. Employees are not taxed on their donations for this purpose, and no employment taxes are owed on employee contributions for this purpose. Employer can then donate the amount of these donations to a charity providing relief to victims of Hurricane Harvey and claim a tax deduction for this action. Employer donations to tax-exempt organizations must be made before January 1, 2019.
There are many variations on charitable giving, each with special tax ramifications. Some examples:
• Donations of appreciated property held more than one year are deductible at the property’s fair market value on the date of the contribution. Potential capital gain is never recognized.
• Donations can be arranged through special trusts, such as charitable remainder trusts. The donor (and spouse) can enjoy the property for life (or a term of years), with the remainder passed to a named charity. The donor can take a current deduction for the present value of the remainder interest. Another trust option is the charitable lead trust.
• Wealthy individuals can set up their own private foundations to further their philanthropic goals. Special tax rules apply to these foundations.
Year-End Tax Planning
At present, it is uncertain whether there will be any changes in the rules for charitable contributions and, if so, when they will become effective. Likely, the charitable contribution rules for 2017 will be unchanged. However, a decline in tax rates would mean that tax value of donations would be reduced. For example, a $1,000 donation for someone in the 39.6% tax bracket saves nearly $400 in federal income taxes. If the rate for the same taxpayer declines to 25%, the savings would be only $250.
While high-income taxpayers may continue to be generous donors, regardless of tax breaks for giving, thought should be given now to making donations before the end of the year. Review charitable giving to year-to-date and project the tax savings for additional gifts that can be made by December 31, 2017. Allow sufficient time when making donations that require qualified appraisals and legal documentation.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017: Impact on Individuals
Monday, 05 March 2018 11:25
On December 19, 2017, Congress passed a major tax package (H.R. 1) designed to cut taxes on individuals and businesses, and to stimulate the economy and create jobs. The tax cuts are projected to be nearly $1.5 trillion. The long-term impact on the deficit is unclear; the measure adds to the deficit in the short term but could reduce it in the long term if predictions of economic growth come true. The following is a roundup of the key provisions impacting individuals. Those impacting businesses are in a subsequent column. All of the following provisions apply starting in 2018 unless otherwise noted. Most of the provisions for individuals are temporary; they expire after 2025 unless Congress takes further action.
Tax Rate Reduction
The linchpin to this tax legislation is a reduction in individual tax rates. While the current number of tax brackets has been retained, each one has been reduced slightly.
The brackets for individuals are cut to 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37% (Code Sec 1). The top tax rate applies to joint filers with taxable income over $600,000 (single filers over $500,000).
Tax Rates for Owners of Pass-Through Entities
There is no special tax rate or cap for taxes on pass-through income. There is, however, a new 20% deduction for business income, although many restrictions apply that prevent this break from being claimed by most attorneys, accountants, and number of other professionals (new Code Sec. 199A).
Capital Gains and Dividends
The 15% and 20% tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends have been retained. Those in the 10% or 12% tax bracket pay zero tax on these gains and dividends. Also, there had been proposals to require the use of first-in, first-out (FIFO) in determining basis on the sale of stock and mutual fund shares rather than allowing investors to designate which shares are being sold when shares were acquired at different times. This measure was not included in the final package.
The tax rates for the alternative minimum tax (AMT) are retained, but the exemption amounts are increased (Code Secs. 53, and 55-59). More specifically, the exemption amounts increase to $109,400 for joint filers, $54,700 for married filing separately, and $70,300 for other filers. The phase-out threshold for the exemption increases to $1 million for joint filers and $500,000 for other filers; phase-out amounts are indexed for inflation after 2018. Also, the current 10%-of-AGI threshold for medical expenses deductible for AMT purposes is decreased to the 7.5%-of-adjusted-gross-income (AGI) threshold for 2017 and 2018.
The personal and dependency exemptions are repealed, while the deduction for student interest that had been slated for repeal has been retained. Other changes to deductions include:
Above-the-Line Deductions
The alimony deduction is eliminated, but this repeal only applies for payments under agreements entered into or substantially changed after 2018 (Code Sec. 71). This means that recipients of alimony under agreements entered into or substantially changed after 2018 will not be taxed on the payments they receive. The deduction for moving expenses is also repealed, except for members of the military (Code Sec. 217). A deduction for legal fees and court costs in whistleblower cases can be deducted from gross income.
The standard deduction increases to $24,000 for joint filers, $18,000 for heads of households, and $12,000 for other filers. These amounts are indexed for inflation after 2018. The additional standard deduction amounts for age and blindness have been retained. Currently, about two-thirds of individuals claim the standard deduction. The number of taxpayers who do not itemize their personal deductions is expected to increase when the higher standard deduction amounts are implemented.
Many of the itemized deduction rules have changed:
• The medical deduction is retained, with the 7.5%-of-AGI floor retained for all taxpayers for 2017 and 2018 (Code Sec. 213). After 2018, the threshold returns to 10%-of-AGI.
• The cap for deducting mortgage interest for buying or building a home is reduced from the current $1 million cap to $750,000; no interest is deductible for home equity debt (Code Sec. 163(h)).
• The deduction for state and local income, property, and sales taxes is capped at $10,000 (Code Sec. 164). This so-called SALT deduction, which stands for state and local taxes, is a substantial reduction from the former rule allowing all property taxes, plus all state and local income or sales taxes, to be claimed as an itemized deduction. Prepaying 2018 state and local income taxes in 2017 does not help; no deduction in 2017 is allowed for such prepayment.
• The percentage of AGI for charitable contributions is increased from 50% to 60% for cash donations, but no deduction is allowed for donations in exchange for college athletic event seating rights (Code Sec. 170). The cents-per-mile rate for driving for charitable purposes has not been changed; it remains at 14 cents per mile.
• The casualty loss deduction is repealed, except for losses in federally-declared disasters (Code Sec. 165). Miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2%-of-AGI floor, such as unreimbursed employee business expenses and tax preparation fees, are repealed (Code Secs. 61, 67, and 212)).
• The phase-out of itemized deductions for high-income taxpayers is also repealed.
Despite various proposals in the House bill, the final measure retained most current tax credits, including the child and dependent care credit, the credit for the elderly and permanently disabled, and the credit for plug-in electric drive motor vehicles. However, some credit changes were made:
The amount of the credit increases to $2,000 per qualifying child (up from $1,000) (Code Sec. 24). The refundable portion of the credit increases to $1,400. There is a nonrefundable $500 credit for a qualifying dependent other than a qualifying child that applies through 2025. The AGI phase-out for the child tax credit increases substantially, but is not indexed for inflation.
There are some modifications to the earned income tax credit (Code Sec. 32). The credit for nonbusiness energy property for installing insulation, storm windows, etc., which expired at the end of 2016, has not been extended.
Other Provisions
The new law contains various other tax rules of note, including:
The shared responsibility payment for individual mandate, which is a penalty for not having required minimum essential health coverage and no exemption from the mandate, is repealed (Code Sec. 5000A). However, this change does not take effect until 2019. Thus, it continues to apply for 2017 and 2018. No changes have been made in the premium tax credit for those who choose to buy health coverage from a government Marketplace.
Roth IRA Conversions
The ability to unwind a Roth IRA conversion by recharacterizing it as an IRA by October 15th can no longer be done (Code Sec. 408A). This means that conversions are permanent.
The use of these plans is expanded in two ways:
• Tax-free distributions up to $10,000 can be made for tuition at elementary and secondary schools, whether public, private, or religious (Code Sec. 529).
• Rollovers of funds from 529 plans to ABLE accounts—special savings accounts for the benefit of a qualified disabled individual—can be made on a tax-free basis (Code Secs 529 and 529A).
There had been proposals to change the rules for excluding gain on the sale of a principal residence (Code Sec. 121). The proposals were not included in the final measure.
These transfer taxes are retained but the exemption amount is increased substantially. The $5 million exemption doubles to $10 million (Code Secs. 2001 and 2010). The $10 million amount is indexed for inflation after 2011, making it more than $11 million for 2018. For a couple, this means estates can be transferred tax free up to $22 million.
Death of an Employee: Tax Ramifications
When an employee dies, family members, co-workers and others may experience profound loss. For the family and the company, there are important tax considerations that arise. Here are some of the issues of note.
If a deceased employee was a participant in a company’s qualified retirement plan, benefits are paid to the designated beneficiary. This is usually a surviving spouse if there is one. If an employee had wanted benefits to be payable to someone other than a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse would have had to consent in writing to this arrangement (Code Secs. 401(a)(11)(F) and 417(a)). The plan administrator should have a record of who was designated as the beneficiary or what happens if there is no such beneficiary (e.g., the beneficiary predeceased the employee).
The person inheriting retirement benefits is not immediately taxed on the inheritance (Code 102). However, when benefits are distributed to the beneficiary, they become taxable to the same extent that they would have been taxable to the employee.
A surviving spouse can roll over the benefits to his/her own account. This allows the surviving spouse to name his/her own beneficiary and to postpone required minimum distributions until age 70½.
A non-spouse beneficiary may direct the trustee of the plan to transfer inherited funds directly to an IRA set up for this purpose. The account should be titled: [Beneficiary’s name], a beneficiary of [employee’s name]. While the non-spouse beneficiary must take distributions over his/her life expectancy (Table I in the appendices to IRS Publication 590-B), this avoids an immediate distribution of the entire inheritance. Generally, distributions must begin by the end of the year following the year of death. However, under a five-year rule, no distributions are required until the end of the fifth year following the year of death, at which time the entire account must be withdrawn.
If the deceased employee’s estate paid federal estate tax, then a beneficiary can claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for the portion of this tax when benefits are included in his/her income (Code Sec. 691(c)). It is not subject to the 2%-of-adjusted-gross-income floor that applies to most miscellaneous itemized deductions; it is subject to the phase-out for high-income taxpayers.
COBRA Coverage
Under federal law, if the employer has 20 or more full- and part-time employees for at least half of the business days during the previous year and has a group health plan, COBRA coverage (a continuation of the company health plan) must be offered to a surviving spouse and a dependent child (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985). A number of states have “mini-COBRA,” which requires the offer of continuing coverage by smaller firms.
The employer must notify the qualifying beneficiary (spouse/dependent child) within 14 days the plan received notice of the qualifying event (the death of the covered employee) about COBRA. This notice of election must spell out what it means and how to make it. What it means is that the qualifying beneficiary can continue the same or reduced coverage for up to 36 months. This election is voluntary, so if the spouse has access to better or less costly coverage elsewhere (e.g., through the Medicare for the spouse; through the children’s health insurance program [CHIP] for the child), making the election may not be advisable. The qualifying beneficiary must pay the cost of coverage, plus an administrative fee up to 2% (unless the company voluntarily pays for some or all of this coverage).
COBRA does not apply to:
• Health savings accounts (HSAs) (discussed later), even though coverage under a company’s high-deductible health plan (HDHP) is subject to COBRA
• Disability insurance for short-term or long-term disability
• Long-term care insurance
Insurance on the life of an employee is payable at death to the beneficiary of the policy. Depending on the type of coverage, this may be the surviving spouse, the company, or anyone else. As a general rule, the receipt of insurance proceeds payable on account of the death of the insured is tax-free (Code Sec. 101).
Group-term life insurance. Typically proceeds are payable to the surviving spouse or the employee’s child. If the employee has not designated a beneficiary, proceeds are payable according to state law. In order of precedence, this is usually a current spouse, but if there is none, then to children or descendants. If none, then to parents, and then to the employee’s estate.
Key person insurance. This is coverage owned by the company and is designed to provide a financial backstop needed during a replacement period for the deceased employee.
Insurance under buy-sell agreements. If the deceased employee is an owner and there is a buy-sell agreement that has been funded by life insurance, the proceeds are paid out to the company if the company owned the policy (an entity purchase buy-sell agreement), or to co-owners if they owned the policy (a cross purchase buy-sell agreement).
If an employee dies because of a work-related injury or illness, a death benefit is payable to eligible dependents (usually a surviving spouse and minor children, but to others if there is no spouse or minor child). The receipt of these benefits is tax-free (Code Sec. 104(a)(1)).
The amount of the benefit varies from state to state. For example, in New York the death benefit is two-thirds of the deceased spouse’s average weekly wage for the year before the accident (but not more than a maximum amount adjusted annually), or less if there is no surviving spouse, children, grandchildren, grandparents, siblings, parents, or grandparents. In addition, there may be a payment for funeral expenses.
When there is a work-related death covered by workers’ compensation, this usually becomes the sole remedy against the employer. However, an action against the employer may not be barred in some situations (e.g., death because of toxic substances, defective products, intentional actions by the employer).
FSAs
If the deceased employee had been contributing to a flexible spending account for health care or dependent care costs, contributions cease at death. The executor can continue to submit claims for reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred before death; these reimbursements are tax-free. The plan administrator can provide details about the deadline for these submissions.
Restricted Stock and Stock Options
What happens to restricted stock and stock options when an employee dies varies greatly from company to company. Unvested grants may vest upon death. For example, the terms of a stock option plan may immediately vest any unvested grant, allowing the estate of the deceased employee to exercise the options within a set period.
Nonqualified stock options become part of the deceased employee’s estate. If the executor exercises them, income is taxable to the estate (Form 1099-MISC is issued to the estate). There is no withholding required. Similarly, any restricted stock released to the estate becomes taxable to it (assuming that the employee did not make a Sec. 83(b) election); there is no withholding required.
In addition to what the law requires, some companies may offer families of deceased employees special benefits. For example, Google pays 50% of a deceased employee’s salary to a surviving spouse or domestic partner for 10 years (http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/09/technology/google-death-benefits/index.html). The company also pays each dependent child a monthly amount until age 19, or 23 if a full-time student.
Families must present death certificates to the company in order to receive any employment-related benefits on behalf of the deceased employee. They should also work with the company to undo other entanglements, such as company credit cards and company vehicles.
Key Tax Laws by Birthday
Tax Advantages for Working Children
Tax Issues of Long-Term Care
Tax Consideration of Identity Theft
© 2016 Abide Media
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Will micro-mobility redesign the Smart City?
In a few years' time, self-driving cars will be cruising through Smart Cities, so we are asking questions about how to integrate micro-mobility into a smart general transport system.
Alternative means of transport, also known as micro-mobility options, include vehicles as dissimilar as electric scooters, bicycles and gyropods. These are the perfect answer to the desire for ecological responsibility in the cities of tomorrow. Driven by human power or small electric motors, they are non-polluting by nature. But their low-tech architecture, which makes the installation of complex built-in electronics difficult, inherently means they are unsuitable for travel in urban areas where traffic will be directed by digital technology.
In 2016, a study by the Vias Institute (formerly BRSI) found that in Belgium 16% of journeys between home and the workplace were made by bicycle: an increase of 9% over 2010.
So, where do alternative means of transport fit in when all the vehicles on the road have to continuously collect and transmit data to be directed, move forward, turn or brake? Whether we're talking about manufacturers, start-up companies or users, micro-mobility initiatives are already underway to ensure it will be a widely used means of transport in Smart Cities.
Micro-mobility is redesigning the city
"The Smart City will be the 15-minute city. So there'll be a great need for micro-mobility solutions instead of medium to long-range transport options."
Stéphane Leguet, Digital Strategic Analyst at BNP Paribas.
Alternative but connected
Wink Bar, the smart connected handlebar designed by French start-up Velco and winner of the Smart Cities prize at CES in Las Vegas just over two months ago, is pushing cycling into the digital era. Wink Bar is equipped with a GPS that doesn't have a screen but instead uses turn signal lights, which also makes it highly visible. By remaining focused on the correct route, the Wink Bar was designed as a co-pilot 2.0 to help cyclists throughout their journey. A purpose-built app provides location tracking for the bicycle if it goes missing, and records how many kilometres you travel and how many calories you burn while pedalling. It also gives you access to a range of supplementary services.
In a similar vein, smrtGRiPS connected bike grips, designed by the start-up of the same name, also use GPS and a smartphone app to direct the cyclist through the city streets, this time thanks to handlebar grips that vibrate to show you which way to go. If you need to turn right at a junction, the right grip vibrates. If you should go straight on, both grips vibrate at once.
Connected scooters
The same is happening with electric scooters. Last year the Chinese company Xiaomi marketed a smart model, the M365, which included a whole range of connected apps. And recently the French company Archos, a specialist in smartphones and tablets, launched Citee Connect, a connected scooter with a 3G antenna that works with Android. A 5-inch touchscreen incorporated into the handlebar uses Google Maps and lets you cut journey times by choosing the shortest route. The touchscreen also allows permanent location tracking, shows the speed of travel as well as the number of kilometres travelled. Even gyropods are becoming connected. Conceived as the ecological solution for getting from one spot to another in the city, the Ninebot E+ by French designer Segway comes equipped with a Bluetooth connection for the first time, which gives access to several functions such as remote control of the vehicle.
These innovations demonstrate the ingenuity of start-up companies and manufacturers in adapting micro-mobility practice to digital technology and making it compatible with data use. Although admittedly still in the early stages, it's a first step. With connected means of transport comes the need for bespoke infrastructure so that micro-mobility can be fully integrated into the Smart City. For Stéphane Leguet, Digital Strategic Analyst at BNP Paribas, "the Smart City will be the 15-minute city. Whether we’re talking about schools, shops, workplaces, co-working, leisure or housing, hyper-proximity with and hyper-accessibility to all aspects of the urban environment will be a key element of the city of the future. So there'll be a great need for micro-mobility solutions."
Elsewhere, use of the bicycle as a means of transport is on the rise in Brussels. Between 2000 and 2015, bicycle use increased from 1% to 5%. This trend is clearly set to continue between now and 2020. The Villo! shared bicycle service will play its part in the success of cycling in Brussels. We have already seen impressive progress in 2017 with journey numbers rising to 1,615,160 as against 1,577,811 in 2016.
Connected cities support micro-mobility
"We increasingly realise that when most people travel by bike, we have a livelier, safer, more sustainable and healthier city."
Jan Gehl, Architect and urban design consultant.
Smart travelling and parking
The progress made on connected junctions, which in future will direct self-driving cars in cities, is already taking cyclists and pedestrians into account in order to prevent accidents when modelling traffic in real time. Likewise, micro-mobility digitalisation will in time see vehicle-to-vehicle devices being installed, which will enable smart infrastructure to identify bikes and gyropods accurately when directing traffic. These devices work by using drivers' smartphones, making it possible for scooter or gyropod users to activate them when moving.
New smart infrastructure for cyclists
Parking too is a source of innovation. In London, the Eco Cycle start-up company is imagining future parking for bikes and is developing space-saving solutions that are ecologically responsible too. Its engineers have invented a tower-shaped smart storage system. Bicycles are hooked to rails that ascend and descend, with the capacity to store 200 bikes in each tower. Bicycle owners can easily park and retrieve their bikes by accessing the system with an Integrated Circuit (IC) Card. London also has other cards up its sleeve in its quest to make room for micro-mobility. Architect Norman Foster is working in partnership with London City Hall on an unusual project to build 10 cycle routes covering a distance of 220 kilometres suspended above the old railways that surround the city. Equipped with their own traffic lights, the routes aim to reduce congestion in the city while giving cyclists their own space.
There is still a long way to go before micro-mobility is fully integrated into the cities of the future. But the smart bicycle and connected gyropod are not simply by-products of fashion or the desire of start-ups and manufacturers to tune into their times. In reality, these innovations are fully aligned with the Smart City urban model, characterised by hyper-accessibility and based on digital technology and the sharing economy. So these alternative means of transport need to forge ahead, both now and increasingly in the future.
Corporate Vehicle Observatory
Mobility in Belgium: what’s the state of play?
GreenTech: will digital technologies help accelerate the energy transition?
Arval Car Sharing
Full Service Renting
Arval Mobility Link
Improved accessibility crucial for companies
Traffic congestion is a major concern for working Belgians. In fact, it has become such an issue that it is having a severe impact on job satisfaction. Even your retention policy is suffering because of it.
Almost one-quarter (23%) of all employees want to change their job. This is not because they are fed up with the job itself, but simply because they want to work closer to home and reduce their commuting time, according to a study carried out by Securex.
The HR service provider asked 1,671 Belgian employees how long it takes them to travel to and from work. People living in Brussels are especially tired of commuting, Hermina van Coillie, HR expert at Securex, found.
"No fewer than one in three Brussels-based employees are considering changing their job due to their journey to work. This figure is one in four for Wallonia and one in five for Flanders. It also comes as little surprise that people with children (31%) in particular dream of working somewhere closer to home, even if that is not always the magic solution. The study makes it clear that moving elsewhere doesn't always reduce commuting time."
In any case, these are troubling statistics for companies that prefer to see their employees arriving in the morning with a smile on their face.
Increasing travel times
It is not so much the distance that presents a problem to commuters, but the travel time. And it is continuing to increase. On average, Belgian commuters lose up to 54 minutes per day travelling to and from their workplace. Much depends on the means of transport. Commuters who walk or cycle to work spend an average of 29 minutes per day in transit. Driving to and from work can take up to just under an hour. How about the train? The outlook is not good: although public transport is often touted as a congestion-free alternative, travelling by train, tram or bus results in an average travel time of 96 minutes per day. And if we will soon be able to work in self-driving cars (or take part in a car share scheme), the train threatens to lose much of its charm.
You might suggest to your employees that they change their address rather than their workplace. In that case, though, it is probably best for your company not to be located in the city centre. Your newly relocated employee may indeed have fewer kilometres to travel, but that does not necessarily mean that they save any time. An employee loses a total of 61 minutes while commuting to and from their place of work in a Belgian city. The time required is 15 minutes less if located outside the city. The situation is a major cause for concern in Brussels in particular. Around 60% of people working in Brussels spend more than an hour in transit. By contrast, this percentage stands at 21% in Flanders and Wallonia. Of everybody affected by the situation, Brussels residents have the worst of it. They lose more than an hour and a half (95 minutes) per day commuting to and from work. This fluctuates around the 50-minute mark in Flanders and Wallonia.
Emphasis on accessibility
The latest striking figures from the Securex study show that 71% of employees usually take the car to work, while 15% travel by foot or bike and 14% use public transport. If the predictions of the Federal Planning Office prove to be true, Belgian roads will continue to be congested well into the future. In fact, traffic jams are set to increase rather than decrease. On the road again… again… is the deceptively jolly sounding title of a study presented by the Planning Office at the end of 2015.
In a nutshell: if nothing changes, by 2030 we will be waiting in traffic jams even longer than we do today. If the policy does not change, the number of passenger kilometres will rise by 11% by 2030, while the number of tonne-kilometres will increase by 44% (compared to 2012). Road travel will remain dominant, accounting for 87% of passenger kilometres (82% by car) and 70% of tonne-kilometres (66% by lorry) in 2030. Consequently, average traffic speed will continue to fall. During peak hours, we will spend 24% longer stuck in traffic jams. It is not an especially rosy outlook...
Greater flexibility and lower costs thanks to mobility budget
Solving traffic congestion problems will require a broad range of solutions The mobility budget is one of these.
Is there a solution to traffic congestion? Constructing more roads is not the answer, because they will become congested as well before long. How about imposing a toll on freight transport? While this is supposed to reduce the number of lorries on the road, their place will probably be taken by passenger cars. Not only that, but a toll may make delivery vans even more popular than they already are. By 2030, the number of kilometres spent on the road by these vehicles will rise by 43%. The Planning Office estimates that the rise in duty on diesel will do little to combat congestion.
Many experts consider company cars to be one of the main culprits. They believe that the treatment of company cars is far too generous in Belgium. Both the OECD and the European Commission have criticised the tax benefits associated with company cars in our country. "Half the cars on Belgian roads are company cars", people sometimes claim. This is simply not true. The CVO (Corporate Vehicle Observatory) requested the registration figures for the Belgian vehicle fleet from FEBIAC (Belgian Federation of the Car and Two-wheeler Industries):
Belgium has some 700,000 light commercial vehicles and 930,000 other vehicles (buses, lorries, motorcycles, etc.).
However, passenger cars actually account for the lion's share of vehicles on the road, at 5.6 million. Of these, 4.48 million belong to private individuals and just 1.12 million to companies and self-employed professionals. It is clear, then, that the latter are not the only culprits when it comes to creating congestion. Abolishing tax benefits for company cars alone will not resolve the issue altogether.
A change of mentality
There is no miracle cure. The solution is like a jigsaw – it has multiple pieces. A change of mentality is required above all else. Perhaps you would like to encourage your employees to choose the most efficient, least polluting and reasonably priced mode of transport for every journey. A mobility budget would make this a possibility in the future. The experts at Arval Belgium, one of the major players in the lease market, are preparing a suitable approach. Els Costers (Sales Director at Arval Belgium):
"The concept is simple. Instead of giving employees a car, parking space, rail pass or rental bike, they receive a mobility budget. This budget enables the employer to set an agreed amount to be spent by the employee on a range of transport options: company car, public transport, bicycle, pool car, etc. The employer specifies the budget size and the means of transport available. The employer and employee also discuss the types of commute that the mobility budget is intended for: commuting to work and professional travel only or private use as well."
The mobility budget has many advantages for employers:
You are seen as an attractive employer, because you encourage a flexible working environment and you offer your employees freedom of choice and flexible mobility solutions.
You meet your CSR targets (corporate social responsibility) by stimulating public transport usage and by reducing the number of cars deployed, kilometres travelled and litres of fuel used.
You lower your TCM (total cost of mobility), because you have more control over your lease vehicles, increasingly pay for use rather than ownership, and reduce administrative burden.
In turn, your employees have more freedom and flexibility when organising their travel. Last but not least, it also benefits the environment. The then Flemish Mobility Minister Hilde Crevits commissioned the Mobility budget works pilot project in 2012. The project showed that employees with a mobility budget decide more often not to use a car in favour of a different mode of transport. Car usage for journeys between home and work fell by 37% among the five companies that tested this system.
The mobility budget is evidently a fantastic system. So why is it not yet being utilised all over the country? Well, proponents of the system are waiting for a new law to resolve a series of legal stumbling blocks, especially with regard to taxation and social security. The bill has already been drawn up. Els Costers:
"Today, it is impossible for an employer to make all modes of transport available to employees. The legal rules are different for professional, commuter-based and private travel, and they also change depending on the means of transport. This makes the administrative side of things highly complex and time-consuming. The mobility budget intersects all of these rules. The new law needs to resolve this. Once it is passed, things can move quickly."
Ready for the mobility budget? Here are a few simple rules to take on board.
Any company wishing to move forwards and embrace the mobility budget is best advised to consider the following points:
To implement a mobility budget, an analysis needs to be made of travel habits and the way in which the organisation functions. This analysis enables you to see which combinations are desirable, feasible and profitable.
Involve social partners when introducing a mobility budget.
The following combinations are now feasible from a tax perspective:
company car and tax-free company bicycle
company car and bicycle allowance
company car and public transport
a smaller or electric car for daily usage with a larger family car for holiday periods. In this case, the benefit in kind must be calculated according to usage.
Focus on maximum flexibility. A package such as Arval Select makes it possible for drivers of lease cars, for example, to use different vehicles depending upon their varying mobility needs.
Vehicle lease companies are also taking on the role of mobility consultants
Vehicle lease company such as Arval Belgium are evolving from pure suppliers into mobility consultants with a broad range of solutions.
What does Arval Belgium, one of the major players in the lease market, still have up its sleeve when it comes to benefiting from the new perspective on mobility? Els Costers, Sales Director:
"We are developing a mobility platform under the name Arval Mobility Link. The platform has three modules. One of these modules is the mobility budget. When this mobility budget's legal framework and uniform tax treatment have been fine-tuned, organisations will need a clear summary of the different methods of transport, prices and journeys.
The second of these is the dynamic lease budget. It is a tool aimed specifically at lease car drivers. Currently, you agree with your lease car drivers on a specific number of kilometres that they are permitted to drive each year, for example 30,000 kilometres. This maximum amount is the same for everyone. If an employee exceeds this limit, they may have to pay for the additional kilometres. If another employee is below this limit, for example 10,000 kilometres, that is unfortunate for them because the salary deduction is calculated on the basis of 30,000 kilometres per year, not on 10,000."
The dynamic lease budget works more fairly. This method is used to calculate the number of kilometres permitted to be travelled per year per employee or group of employees. This figure is calculated based on commuting distance. This means that employees who commute from Limburg to Brussels are no worse off than a colleague who travels from Vilvoorde. An employee who drives fewer kilometres records this in a savings fund, and they can then convert this amount saved into a bonus or different form of incentive. You can impose a levy on employees who spend more time on the road, e.g. 5 cents per kilometre. Employees who car pool receive another bonus. The same applies to drivers who fill up their tank at a cheap petrol station or who adopt an economical driving style.
Els Costers: "We provide the tool and help employers devise an arrangement tailored to their specific requirements. The exact arrangement depends on the targets set by the organisation: managing costs, travelling fewer kilometres, consuming less fuel, reducing CO2 emissions, encouraging employees to take part in a car pool or use other means of transport, etc."
Arval Mobility Link will be rolled out this year. That can happen quite quickly. This is what you need: an arrangement in line with your organisation's targets, a platform on which everything is registered, a black box in the lease car and... an honest employee. After all, the employee has to assign the kilometres travelled to the appropriate category on their laptop or smartphone: commute, professional, or private.
"The black box that we plan to employ for the Arval Mobility Link platform is already in use for the Arval Active Link telematics solution", Els Costers explains. "The device registers the journeys taken by the driver, the speed at which they drive, brake and accelerate, fuel consumption and so on. This can help to make employees aware of their driving behaviour and to encourage them to drive economically, defensively and safely."
Many companies have a relatively limited lease fleet. Nevertheless, they do reimburse travel expenses. The first module under the Arval Mobility Link, the travel allowance module, is designed specifically for employees without a lease car or mobility budget. This tool enables employees' travel expenses to be correctly recorded and reimbursed, explains Katrien Jacobs (business team manager at Arval Belgium):
"In many companies today, reclaiming travel expenses requires a lot of paperwork: employees bring their rail tickets, parking tickets and petrol station chits to the office, where they are then placed in a folder or, in a best-case scenario, entered in a spreadsheet. It can then take months for the requisite amount to be transferred to your employees' accounts. It is not particularly convenient. This tool allows employees to declare their travel expenses online. Furthermore, a link to the organisation's HR platform makes it much easier to reimburse these expenses."
Tips & tricks for a watertight car policy
A car policy helps companies effectively manage car use and their employees' car choices. It also contributes to a more sustainable use of the car.
A car policy is a written document that sets out drivers' rights and obligations. However, it would appear that nearly half of all companies employing less than 100 employees do not have one. Transparent agreements with regard to the company car avoid the need for discussions afterwards. This is all the more pertinent given the rising costs of using a company car.
Obviously, a car policy must be consistent with your employment regulations although it doesn't actually form part of the regulations. You can then make changes to it more easily.
What does a car policy cover?
It goes without saying that you need to specify to whom you wish to allocate vehicles and who is allowed to drive them. You also need to state the vehicles' characteristics. The responsibility of the driver must also be dealt with. What happens, for example, in the case of traffic fines, accidents, or stolen vehicles?
It is also important to agree clearly on who has to insure what. An employee can choose to take out additional, optional insurance cover on the vehicle. The provisions with regard to the excess also have to be clarified. A driver must be honest about their ability to operate a vehicle, This applies not only when the policy starts, but also during the remainder of its term. Drivers must inform their employer if and when they are caught driving under the influence, for example.
What about fuel costs?
Here, too, it is desirable to make reliable prior arrangements about who pays for what. For example, the use of the car for private purposes must also be clarified. Private use of a company car is considered a benefit in kind and as such has significant tax implications for the employee. This has been the case since 2012, in particular, when tax reforms were introduced to make private use of company cars considerably more expensive.
A car policy issue that has gained increasing attention in recent years is the ways in which employees make their car choices. In general, there are three car choice schemes: budget, short list and user chooser.
In the past the choice of car was purely a budgetary consideration. But today there are several other factors at work that are usually more important than the list price of the vehicle or its options. This is why the short list scheme (which narrows the choice to 2 to 5 models) is becoming increasingly popular. The user chooser scheme is one usually favoured by board directors, but it seems that many companies continue to offer it to their lower-level staff members as well. This seems to be standard practice although half of all companies have indicated that they wish to limit freedom of choice. The fewer potential suppliers there are, the more clout you have at the negotiating table. In addition, you also avoid jealous looks from colleagues who have to make do with a less expensive car. In other words, it's a good idea to describe the process of choosing the car in some detail.
However, it's still a balancing act between the interests of the company and interests of your employees. Employees still consider a company car as an important motivating factor. But a limited choice can have a negative impact on the motivation. However, employers' and employees' interests are brought more in line with each other by benefits-in-kind being linked to CO2 emissions.
Improved accessibility crucial for companies Greater flexibility and lower costs thanks to mobility budget Vehicle lease companies are also taking on the role of mobility consultants Tips & tricks for a watertight car policy
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Final Reminder: Cookbooks, Colonialism, and Climate Change - 9/25/19 @ 3pm EST
1. Final Reminder: Cookbooks, Colonialism, and Climate Change - 9/25/19 @ 3pm EST
Eric Tans
Please excuse cross listings. This is a final reminder for the webinar Cookbooks, Colonialism, and Climate Change presented by SLA Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Resources Division and Michigan Chapter. Hope to see you on Wednesday at 3pm EST!
When: Wednesday, September 25: 3-4pm EST
Where: https://msu.zoom.us/j/762276336
Cookbooks, Colonialism, and Climate Change
Tad Boehmer, MSU Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections Cataloger
Jessica Martin, MSU African Studies Librarian and Curator of Africana and International Cookbooks
The adoption of western foods into the diets of colonized peoples was an organic process. Changing foodways were often not forced, but rather changed through a variety of more implicit mechanisms. Curriculum, in both secondary schools and special programs, played an important role, as did the foods increasingly available in shops and the influence of domestic servitude on learned recipes and behaviors. Traditional foods were still an important part of local foodways, but they had often evolved, and in some cases were replaced or added to by very western food items. We argue that cookbooks provide a critical lens to our understanding of how global colonialism changed existing foodways, leading to a greater impact of climate change on postcolonial societies.
In this talk, we will first describe the ways that colonialism, including settler colonialism, implicitly and explicitly changed the ways in which people procured, prepared, and consumed food. Second, investigate the ways in which these changed food patterns leave postcolonial societies more vulnerable to climate change impacts on food supply. Finally, how cookbooks demonstrate how foodways are changing today, as individuals fight back against climate change and attempt to get back to indigenous foodways. The items we will discuss all come from the Michigan State University Libraries' Special Collections, and were produced in a wide variety of colonial and postcolonial societies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America. Nearly all are original, though in some cases they are reprints, and many of them are community cookbooks, that is, they were produced by and for particular groups, like churches and women's groups.
Science Collections Coordinator and Environmental Sciences Librarian
Michigan State University - Library
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Pinback’s Rob Crow is quitting music
Says making music at this point is "financially irresponsible and "humiliating to my psyche"
by Ben Kaye
on March 11, 2015, 11:58am
Rob Crow, frontman of San Diego indie rock stalwarts Pinback, has announced he is quiting music.
The revelation seems to have come to Crow almost as abruptly as he revealed it. At 2:18 a.m. on the morning of Monday, March 9th, Crow was tweeting a fan about an old tour T-shirt. Six minutes later, he sent this tweet:
In fact, i think I'm gonna finish up & release all my current records & give up. Thanks you guys! I really appreciated it.
— Rob Crow (@rob5d4) March 9, 2015
At a little after 4 a.m., he posted a quick message on Facebook in short sentences. “Thanks guys!” he wrote “I’m well! I’m out! Healthy safe and sound with my family. No bad weirdness. Just don’t wanna talk about myself anymore. Feel free to say hi if [you] see me!”
Fans were understandably taken aback and confused by the post. Some 12 hours later, Crow returned to clarify his comment and confirm that he was, in fact, quitting music and social media as a means to focus on taking better care of himself and his family. Read the full post here:
It’s unclear if the material Crow is referring to will be solo work, a new Pinback record, or a release for any of his other numerous bands. Crow formed Pinback in 1998 with Armistead Burwell Smith IV, releasing their first album, This is a Pinback CD in 1999. Their most recent release was 2012’s Information Retrieved. Solo, Crow has released six efforts, most recently 2011’s He Thinks He’s People. He’s also been a member of bands like Thingy, Alpha Males, Goblin Cock, Other Men, and more.
In what may have been a bit of foreshadowing, Crow’s last post prior to his sudden announcement was a video posted on February 28th about the Theory of Obscurity in art (that in order to truly make art, especially in the music industry, one must remain anonymous). Watch the clip below.
Pinback
Rob Crow
King Mono premieres new song “Transducer” — listen
Shana Cleveland & The Sandcastles announce debut LP, share “Golden Days” — listen
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A Top Republican Smacked Nancy Pelosi With a Reality Check That Changes Everything
Life isn’t going well for Nancy Pelosi.
Her political career is falling apart as her impeachment hoax is imploding before her eyes.
And a top Republican just smacked her with a reality check that changes everything.
Nancy Pelosi’s entire impeachment scheme is based around weak allegations of a “quid pro quo” between President Trump and Ukraine.
The allegation comes from a “whistleblower” that Democrats aren’t even willing to let testify.
But they are still willing to impeach Trump in an unprecedented move that puts him in league with just three other Presidents in history.
He will likely also be the first impeached President ever to win re-election, because Democrats have virtually no chance of actually removing him from office.
And despite being impeached, Trump’s support is continuing to climb.
Their weak case is proven by the fact that Pelosi is considering not even sending the impeachment articles over to the Senate for a trial.
She knows that the only way they were able to pass them in the House was their majority.
But with a Republican majority in the Senate, the trial will actually have to be fair, and Democrats will have to make a real case, which they can’t.
And on a recent airing of Fox News Sunday, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise explained that she is simply carrying her own “quid pro quo” by delaying sending the articles to the Senate.
“It’s her duty to turn it over. It’s not like some mechanism she can control,” Scalise explained. “The House passed it. They shouldn’t have. You look at what the evidence was, and Speaker Pelosi wanted to talk about the evidence, every one of their witnesses testified under oath saying there was no crime, saying there was no quid pro quo.”
Scalise then went on to explain that her withholding of the articles may be her attempt at leverage to gain a more favorable trial.
“Maybe she’s trying to carry out her own quid pro quo by acting as if she’s got some kind of role in the Senate trial,” he said. “They had a weak case. I think she knows they had a weak case. There was no evidence and no crime committed, and yet they still wanted to impeach the president to appease their radical base. That’s what this was about from the beginning.”
After all, Democrats allege that Trump withheld aid to Ukraine in order to force an investigation into Joe Biden’s son, and his business dealings relating to his status as a board member of a Ukrainian energy company.
The company was under investigation under previous leadership in Ukraine until Joe Biden withheld aid to force the president to fire the prosecutor leading the investigation.
So a quid pro quo did occur, but it wasn’t carried out by Trump.
In reality, there was no lapse in the aid from Trump, and there was no new investigation ordered.
So Democrats have no case, but by refusing to turn over the impeachment articles to the Senate, Pelosi may be doing exactly what she accuses Trump of.
Do you think Nancy Pelosi should resign?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Tags impeachment Nancy Pelosi So Democrats Ukraine
Joe Biden’s Campaign Turned Upside Down With a Judge’s Ruling on This Sex Scandal
Donald Trump Just Found Out Some Bad News About GOP Impeachment Betrayals
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Journalist Pursues A Teaching Career In Chicago
Filed Under:Career, Careers, Diversity Recruitment Partners in Education, education, employment, Job, jobs, Let's Get To Work, Let's Get To Work Chicago, Marilyn Rhames, Marilyn Rhames charter schools, Marilyn Rhames teacher, Shamontiel Vaughn, Teachers Who Pray, Tootelage
(credit: Thinkstock)
Chicago’s charter schools perks have repeatedly been compared to the turnaround of Chicago Public Schools.
(Photo Courtesy of Marilyn Rhames)
Some bonuses of charter schools, according to Stand, include an 80 percent high school student graduation rate compared to 60 percent of open-enrollment CPS high school students; 69 percent charter students versus 59 percent of CPS students enrolled in college; and the one-year dropout rate for charter schools averaged 5 percent versus 10 percent of open-enrollment schools.
Even transferring from a charter elementary school (5.6 percent) is lower than other Chicago schools (13.2 percent).
For education blogger and charter school Alumni Relations Manager Marilyn Rhames, the goal is to make sure all 123 alumni students from her charter school graduate from 45 different high schools.
“Teaching is the absolute hardest job there is,” said Rhames.” Schools are a microcosm of society. Everything that’s wrong with society and everything that’s good with society is in every single classroom, especially in an urban environment.”
But that hasn’t stopped her from guiding her students “mama style.” Rhames didn’t start off in education. She used her bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing and a master’s degree in journalism to become a professional journalist. After completing college internships with Time and People magazine and becoming a professional beat reporter for the Journal News, she started questioning her bigger purpose on September 11, 2001.
“I was used to being an educator but felt like it was a leap to go from journalism to education,” said Rhames, who volunteered to teach at a storefront church in East Harlem. After 9/11, Rhames, her husband and their baby left their New York home and returned to Illinois.
She pursued a second master’s degree in teaching in 2004. Since then, she’s been a content editor for Tootelage, Inc., a managing editor for Diversity Recruitment Partners in Education, the founder and president of Teachers Who Pray, and a 10-year teacher of Chicago students ranging from third to eighth grade.
No matter the location, Rhames has a few tips for aspiring teachers to succeed in the education field.
“Teach the content, but do it in a way that meets everybody’s learning style. If you’re looking to work in an inner-city, make sure you’re exposed to people of different nationalities. Understand and appreciate multiculturalism. Be ready to learn on the job. Be humble. Take advice from veteran teachers.”
Shamontiel L. Vaughn is a professional journalist who has work featured in AXS, Yahoo!, Chicago Defender and Chicago Tribune. She’s been an Examiner since 2009 and currently writes about 10 categories on Examiner.com.
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Father, 1 1/2-Year-Old Son Killed In Joliet In Apparent Murder-Suicide
Filed Under:armed barricade, Christopher Michael Miller, Colton Michael Miller, Jeremy Ross, Joliet, Murder-Suicide
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS)– A murder-suicide in Joliet took the life of a man and his 1 1/2-year-old son this weekend, and has left a tragic mark on the community.
The Kendall County Coroner’s office said 35-year-old Christopher Michael Miller and 18-month-old Colton Michael Miller both were found dead Saturday at a home on the 8300 block of Buckingham Road in Joliet. Autopsies determined both died of multiple gunshot wounds. The father’s wounds were self-inflicted.
As CBS 2’s Jeremy Ross reported, it remained unclear Sunday night what led to the killing of the toddler.
Police said moments before they arrived on scene, neighbors heard the sounds of gunshots.
Before it all, people living nearby said they rarely saw police squads and never saw gun violence in their community – until this weekend.
“We saw the big SWAT machine; the SWAT car come up – the green one,” said witness Lorena Watkins That’s when we knew, like, OK, they’re going to go in.”
On Saturday afternoon, Joliet police made their way to Buckingham Road. Cell phone video showed they prepared for the worst.
“They came with the SWAT; the trucks; they had the drones – all that; ARs,” a man said. “I heard it wasn’t good.”
“We didn’t know if it was going to be a shootout or what,” Watkins said. “It was an unsettling scene.”
Watkins saw and shared cell phone video of the confrontation that police said began with a call of a woman screaming inside a home in the 8300 block of Buckingham Road.
The officer who responded was met with a 32-year-old woman and a 9-year-old girl, both of whom had suffered “fresh” injuries, police said. The officer was told that the sound of gunshots had come from the house moments before he arrived, police said.
The woman said Christopher Miller was her husband, but they were separated, police said. She also said their 1 1/2-year-old baby was in the house with him, police said.
Crisis negotiations were called in, and for hours, police said they tried to reach a peaceful resolution with the Christopher Miller – but eventually chose to break in the front door.
“Police blocked off both sides of the street, and they were reach to go in –they were hiding behind the houses and everything,” Watkins said.
Tire tracks in the front yard and a boarded-up doorway remained Sunday evening. Meanwhile, small stuffed animals and memorial items were placed on the lawn, serving as reminders of the tragic scene law enforcement discovered as they rushed in.
Police said Christopher Miller killed himself, but not before he shot the 1 1/2-year-old boy.
“The baby – he was barely walking,” Watkins said. “It’s just so. It’s heartbreaking. Everyone was crying.”
“To take your own life, that’s one thing, but to take someone else’s,” a man said.
Hours before the police activity, Watkins described Christopher Miller as erratic – but never imagined the outcome would include a SWAT team and such a tragic outcome.
Both female victims were transported to AMITA Health St. Joseph Medical Center Joliet to be treated for their injuries.
The murder-suicide remained under investigation Monday morning.
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Chizfilm Jewish Movie Reviews
Unlike “The Quarrel,” British Film Literally Puts “God on Trial”
by Jonathan Chisdes
Hersh: If I knew God, I’d be God.
Chaim: If I knew God, I’d put Him on trial.
It was this snippet of dialogue with which I opened my review of “The Quarrel” five years ago. To me, these two lines from the movie, in which two Holocaust survivors walk through a park and debate how responsible God was for the Holocaust, summed up the two characters and their respective theologies. Chaim, who had become a near-atheist, was bitter and cynical after enduring the horrors of the Nazis. He blamed God and wished he could put Him on trial.
He didn’t, of course. That was beyond his power. Yet another film, produced by the BBC in 2008, picks up where Chaim left off. “God on Trial” portrays a group of prisoners in Auschwitz who actually do convene a rabbinical court and put God on trial.
While I stand by my assertion that “The Quarrel” is an amazing film that “goes to the heart of some of the most important issues facing the Jewish people in the post-Holocaust world,” “God on Trial,” which covers most of the same intellectual and theological ground, puts it to shame, going where “The Quarrel” doesn’t dare to go.
While one may leave both films with a very similar set of thoughts, the emotional impact is far greater in “God on Trial.” The setting is moved back a few years. Instead of three years after the Holocaust, when the immediate threat has been removed, this film is set in the midst of the horrors. Half of the characters have just been condemned to death and expect to die within a few hours. The other half know that their death may come in another week or two or three. Only if they are very lucky will they evade the Nazis until liberation comes. For these characters, it is not a walk in the park; understanding their relationship with God is something they desperately need to know in their last moments on earth.
The other major difference between the two films is the way post-Holocaust theology is debated. In “The Quarrel,” there are two points of view, the religious and the non-religious, and the two banter back and forth. In “God on Trial,” there are nearly a dozen characters with quite a range of opinions. Some resentful, some still loving, some who just cannot comprehend, and some who completely deny God. Some selfish, some charitable. Each with their own back story.
And the whole film takes the format of a trial. Three judges. Prosecution. Defenders. Witnesses. And what is the charge against God? Breaking his covenant with the Jewish people. It’s basically a breach-of-contract dispute. With the highest of consequences.
Many of the ideas which are raised in the film are ideas you’ve probably heard before. Why was God punishing the Jews? For assimilation? Why were religious Jews being punished along with the non-religious? Was God not acting for individuals but for the collective? Was Hitler the “hand-of-God?” Was it possible that God was not both all-powerful and all-just? Maybe he was only one and not the other? Was it because of free-will? Was a sacrifice being made in order for long-term betterment of the Jewish people? Or was there no God at all, only Hitler?
Like in “The Quarrel,” all these thoughts are brought up, examined, and shot down. No easy answers here.
However, the final argument in “God on Trial,” which brings up God’s treatment of people in the Bible, is pretty devastating. I wish I could say more about it without ruining the ending.
Needless to say, this is a very powerful film. The ensemble cast, which includes Stellan Skarsgård, Dominic Cooper, Eddie Marsan, and Stephen Dillane, among others, all give amazing performances. And the filmmakers interesting choice to frame the movie with contemporary tourists visiting Auschwitz helps put a profound depth into this film, as we, today, connect with the Holocaust victims.
We the audience, and the writer, and the actors, know something the characters don’t know—that Hitler will be defeated and, as a direct result of the Holocaust, the State of Israel will be reborn. A few of the characters seem to have a faith that something like that will happen soon. Most do not. And from their point of view, their little group, in that tiny bunkhouse, may very well be the last of the long line of Jews. After 4,000 years, it all ends with them. That’s a devastating piece of knowledge they are taking to their graves.
“The Quarrel” picks up a few years later. The Jewish race was not wiped out, it will go on, but how can Jews have a relationship with God after something like this? It’s still an important question, but discussing it while walking through a park doesn’t have the immediacy, the passion, the intensity, of the same debate inside Auschwitz. By comparison, it seems almost moot.
The one thing “The Quarrel” has on “God on Trial,” however, is depth of character. Because there are only two characters, we really get to know Chaim and Hersh as real people. “God on Trial” has so many characters that we don’t really know them very well.
So see both films, if you can. But if you can only see one, make it “God on Trial.” By far, it’s the more powerful of the two.
Home | Meet the Staff | FAQs | Archives | Subscribe | Leave a Comment | Other Sites | Contact Chizfilm
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Ben Turner had just won Commonwealth gold, and as is common with athletes who have just achieved greatness, he was overcome with emotion.
Turner’s tears weren’t typical athlete tears however, instead an outpouring of emotion stemming from a tumultuous 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games lead-up.
In the media area following the event, he gave a small insight into his struggles.
“This one is for my old man, I love you Dad,” he said.
Turner emotional after winning gold.
A few months before the Games, Turner’s father was admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke.
“He was in hospital for about three weeks and we really weren’t sure what the outcome was going to be. So it was probably very much dedicated to him and his recovery and the support he gave me,” Turner said.
The Queenslander admits that both his and his father’s health significantly impacted his Games lead-up.
“From about nine months out from the Games I’d been struggling with some really horrific knee problems. That was giving me a lot of psychological and physical grief going into the event because I just didn’t know what was going to happen or how much I could train,” he said.
“It was really quite demoralising because during the process I watched myself go gradually backwards. Because my knees had so many problems my leg strength was just gradually deteriorating.”
With his dad in hospital and his strength waning, Turner went from an unbackable event favourite and top-ranked Commonwealth lifter, to an athlete doubting his readiness to take out the gold.
“Due to the fact that I was struggling with injury it was more going to be along the lines of I know I’m in the mix and it’s just going to be a matter of what happens on the day,” he says.
Turner’s rotten run with injury didn’t stop once the Games began either.
On just his second attempt at the snatch, Turner pulled the weight off the floor to begin the lift and ripped a callus from his hand in the process. Needless to say the attempt was unsuccessful.
“I went backstage, I pulled the skin off and it was bleeding profusely. I had a team doctor there clean me up in 30 seconds, wrap some tape around my hand and I was ready to go again,” he said.
“The sorest part of when you rip a callus is probably the initial feeling of actually doing it. The skin underneath is quite tender but if you tape it up you remove the sensation of actually touching that sensitive skin.”
Turner says such a mishap has the potential to derail a meet.
“I think maybe it would have affected someone with less experience more. I just knew I had to get this hand taped up and I’ve got to go out again and lift it properly this time. I’ve got one opportunity to do this and if it doesn’t come off I might never get it again.”
Following the snatch, Turner was in third position but not perturbed.
“The snatch is always my weaker component of the two. I felt that if I was pretty on par with the other lifters I’d be in pretty good shape.”
With three lifts to come in the clean and jerk, Turner’s coach set about putting Turner in a medal position.
He locked in the bronze with a lift of 158kg on the first attempt, and silver with 161kg on the second.
With Turner set to complete his final lift and Malaysian lifter Muhammad Hidayat still with one attempt remaining, the Australian had to climb into gold medal position and also set the mark high enough so he didn’t get chased down.
Turner’s coach set the lift at 166kg, a mark well short of the then 22-year-old’s own 171kg personal best but a decision he recognises now as critical to him winning the gold.
“I was saying to my coach, hang on, why put me up relatively light when I’m probably capable of a lot more.”
“Fortunately the result went our way on the day and I think it came down to his good tactics more than anything else.”
The final lift is a moment Turner won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
“The home crowd was absolutely euphoric in support of me. I remember hearing them scream as I jumped up the stairs and that sort of thing.”
“I put my hands on the bar and they were tremoring. I don’t know if it was because I was absolutely jacked with adrenaline or just knowing it was the biggest lift of my life.”
The biggest lift of his life didn’t end in disappointment, as he made the lift before dropping the weight and immediately springing into the air in celebration.
Turner’s fate was still in the hands of the Malaysian lifter, but with his lift complete the Australian knew his exhausting Commonwealth Games campaign was finally over.
“It all just came out sort of physically and emotionally. I did a bit of a celebration jump and the weight of the world came off my shoulders,” he says.
A nervous wait was still to come however.
“Once you finish your lift you go off into a media zone off to the side of the stage. I delayed that part and was leaning on a barricade because I was sort of gassed and I just watched up to the right as the lift happened.”
“I watched him clean the weight which was really straight forward, then I saw him jerk the weight very forward and as soon as I saw him jerk it I was like I’ve got this.”
And he did. Hidayat was unsuccessful and Turner was champion of the Commonwealth.
“Not even thinking I just assumed that was the end of the competition, I just bolted back up on stage. I was just celebrating with the crowd giving the big fist pump and that sort of thing.
Unknown to Turner, the meet hadn’t quite come to an end.
“There was a Fijian lifter who wasn’t even in medal contention, he still had one lift left,” he says with a laugh.
“After about ten or fifteen seconds I’d been ushered off, under normal circumstances it’s almost grounds for a disqualification.”
Luckily for Turner he wasn’t disqualified, because he would never have been able to make that dedication to his Dad.
Some 11 years later, there is someone he’d like to add to that post-lift thank you.
“Even though it was probably primarily at that stage focused on my Dad, thinking back now it’s something I’d probably very much dedicate to both my parents who were such a huge support for me throughout that stage of my lifting career,” he says.
Australian Weightlifting Pioneer: Vern Barberis
On August 3, 1954, Vern Barberis won a gold medal in weightlifting at the Vancouver Commonwealth Games, Australia’s first weightlifting gold in Commonwealth history.
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Projects » Riverside Housing Development
Riverside Housing Development
Location Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Services Civil and structural engineering
Sector Residential
Client Barratt Homes North East and Persimmon Homes
Architect Napper Architects
Imagery © Barratt Homes North East
Gary Marshall
T +44 (0)191 213 1515
The Stella South residential development, now known as Riverside, is a 14Ha housing development. Upon completion, the development will provide 522 residential units as well as considerable areas of public open space and a riverside walkway. Homes that range from 2-bedroom apartments to 5-bedroom detached properties, giving variety to the completed development.
The development occupies the site of a former 300MW coal fired power station on the southern bank of the River Tyne at Blaydon. The demolition of the power station was completed in 1997, with subsequent phases of remediation and reclamation undertaken in the following years to both raise the final development above the 1 in 100 year tidal flood zone and to address the contamination that remained due to the previous land use.
Cundall was involved with the development since 2003, with the first phases of construction commencing in 2007 with the installation of 1km of access road, associated services infrastructure and the first housing units. The main infrastructure was detailed in order to offer the smaller development ‘pods and sectors’ to react to changing market demand which led to modifications in the housing mix and layout during the five years of building works.
Assessment of the underlying ground conditions led to the delivery of cost effective and varied foundation solutions specific to each new building. The use of semi-rafts or piled designs ensured the development was constructed to the meet the requirements of NHBC and the local authority whilst minimising the construction costs incurred by the developer.
Due to the location of this site, ground water levels were an issue; so the site has been developed with the foul water pumping station being the only element requiring construction to take place at levels lower than the ground water table.
By Services
Acoustics engineering
CDM coordination
Vertical transportation
By Sectors
Mann Island One Hyde Park Pennywell Estate River Quarter II Riverside Park
Civil engineering Structural engineering
Masterplanning and infrastructure Residential
Mann Island
Mann Island comprises two apartment blocks, providing 376 residences, a 13-storey BREEAM 'Excellent' Grade A office, a new primary sub-station building and a two-storey basement car park.
Pennywell Estate
The £60 million investment into one of the UK’s largest post-war social housing schemes will allow the regeneration of the Pennywell estate in Sunderland. The development is to be completed in a number of phases to provide more than 600 new homes of more than 20 different property sizes and types.
River Quarter II
The River Quarter II is an 11-storey mixed-use building forming part of the regeneration of Sunderland city centre. The ground and first floors comprise a large bowling emporium and a café/bar.
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Kamala Harris' Skin Color Is Not Why Her Presidential Bid Is Tanking
Shikha Dalmia | Reason
California Sen. Kamala Harris' bid for the Democratic presidential nomination is imploding even before President Donald Trump could think up an insulting nickname for her. Once regarded as the Democrats' best hope to take down Trump, Harris has seen her polls collapse, her donations tumble, and her campaign in shambles. She claims her woes show that the country is just "not ready for a woman of color" to be president.
This is self-serving rubbish. What the country is not ready for is another cynical and self-serving bully-in-chief who, in her case, is masquerading as a progressive.
Harris, who catapulted herself to the second spot behind former Vice President Joe Biden in one or two polls over the summer, is now struggling to stay in the mid-tier. The latest USA Today/Suffolk survey shows that her support among primary Democratic voters has dropped from 15 percent at its peak to a mere 3 percent now. She is way behind South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Even Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has inched ahead of Harris, a particularly humiliating development given that Gabbard viciously attacked Harris' record as a public prosecutor in California on the debate stage, just like Harris attacked Biden's alleged opposition to school busing to propel herself up several notches in the polls in July. Stunningly, Harris, who everyone expected to be right at the top, is now tied with entrepreneur Andrew Yang, a political nobody.
All of this is affecting her fundraising ability, with her early lead dissipating in the last few weeks. She has spent $2.5 million more than she has raised, and she recently fired dozens of staffers because she can no longer afford them. Her New Hampshire operation has reportedly shuttered.
If Harris' fall from grace could be attributed to her gender and her mixed Indian and African-American heritage, then she would never have shot up in the first place. Also those very same attributes would doom Gabbard, who is part Samoan and a practicing Hindu Gabbard. Moreover, if the country is not ready for a "woman of color," it is even less so for an openly gay man with a husband. Yet Mayor Buttigieg is surging.
Harris is right that minorities and women have to scale a higher bar for the presidency. It is inconceivable, for example, that a black man—much less a black woman—who behaved like Trump would ever come within hailing distance of the White House. Still, Harris is crashing not among general election voters but among the more progressive ones in the Democratic primaries. So unless she believes her own party's base is racist and misogynistic, she should look within to understand why she is in trouble.
Here's the real reason she's falling: The more voters learn about Harris' decade-and-a-half record, first as a San Francisco prosecutor and then as California's attorney general, the more they recoil. And rightly so.
Harris has long billed herself as a "progressive prosecutor." That would strike many people as oxymoronic. But to her this meant using the carceral state that conservatives like to tackle social problems that progressives care about. She's got the mindset of a cop who wants to save you not from the bad guys but from yourself. "She repeatedly fought for more aggressive prosecution not just of violent criminals but of people who committed misdemeanor and 'quality of life' crimes," Reason's Elizabeth Nolan Brown noted in an exhaustive look at Harris' record.
What kind of "quality of life" crimes did she crack down on? Panhandling, prostitution, graffiti, loitering, driving under the influence, and living in an unapproved homeless encampment. This issue set would have made former New York mayor (and now Trump confidante) Rudy Giuliani proud. It is also one that targets people of color the most. Of all people, Harris should have understood that, especially since she was railing against mass incarceration and its disparate impact on poor and black communities at Yale University in 2006, when she was launching her "quality of life" crackdown.
Her most notorious "quality of life" crusade was against school truancy. She first launched it as the district attorney of San Francisco, an office she won after defeating her truly progressive boss, who had alienated police unions with his alleged softness on crime, and then scaled it up when she became California's attorney general.
On the theory that high school dropouts are more likely to become criminals, Harris personally championed a 2011 state law that made it a criminal misdemeanor for parents to let kids in kindergarten through eighth grade miss more than 10 percent of school days without a valid excuse. As if that was not bad enough, she also persuaded the state legislature to back the law with such harsh penalties as a minimum of $2,500 in fines and a one-year jail sentence. To prevent criminality in the future, she criminalized parents here and now.
HuffPost reports that hundreds of parents have been booked under her law, the vast majority poor minorities juggling several jobs and struggling to keep their heads above water. One particularly tragic case HuffPost highlighted involved a poor, black mom, the sole caregiver of a daughter who missed school because she was suffering from severe sickle cell. The police whisked the mom away from her home in handcuffs and then subjected her to a harrowing and expensive two-year court ordeal.
If Harris didn't spare parents, there was no way she was going to go easy on less sympathetic offenders, such as sex workers. In fact, on the pretext of stopping human trafficking, she ramped up stings in immigrant communities and aggressively targeted websites such as Backpage on trumped up charges of child sex trafficking—even though Backpage, Brown reports, was one of the few venues where sex workers could seek clients without having to roam the streets. And although Harris now says she's in favor of decriminalizing sex work, she doggedly opposed the idea previously.
And then there is Harris' duplicity on three-strike laws. Such laws, along with mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes, came into vogue in the 1990s and decimated minority communities in inner cities. Harris campaigned against California's law, which threw third-time offenders in jail for 25 years. She pledged to invoke it only in rare cases of very serious and violent crimes. What she didn't say was that she counted sex crimes and the possession of an unauthorized firearm as "serious" crimes, even though the penal code did not define them as such.
As if all that was not bad enough, Harris threw 1,500 people in jail for minor marijuana violations and, as Gabbard pointed out on the debate stage, argued against commuting jail sentences. She also pushed to increase the cash required to obtain bail. All of these issues have a disparate impact on people of color far more unfortunate than Harris.
What accounts for Harris' draconian record?
Part of the reason is that just as surgeons have a bias for wielding their scalpels to treat illnesses that can be cured by less invasive means, Harris wanted to use the tools of law enforcement and government coercion at her disposal to solve social problems that could be far more humanely tackled through other means. (That's also apparent in her ham-handed attempt this week to ingratiate herself to working parents by sponsoring a bill to fund a pilot program to prolong the school day so that these parents don't have to quit work early to pick up their kids.) But the bigger reason is that her law enforcement career took shape in the pre–Black Lives Matter days, when the progressive backlash against the aggressive policing techniques of the 1990s hadn't yet fully matured. Her political strategy was to present herself as a centrist, courting law-and-order conservatives and police unions with a tough-on-crime approach and appealing to progressives by backing various social causes.
That was a massive miscalculation born of an inner lack of convictions, and it is backfiring spectacularly. Instead of pointing fingers at voters, Harris ought to do a little soul searching. Looking past her skin color at her actual record is one thing America is doing right.
A version of this column originally appeared in The Week.
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Our View: Fall of grace for ethics report on financial meltdown
By CM: Our View May 3, 2014 November 7, 2016 4 14
Demetris Syllouris, President of the House Ethics Committee
EVERYTHING in Cyprus seems to end in farce. We were reminded of this as the House ethics committee finally concluded its much-trumpeted investigation into the collapse of the economy that was supposed to identify and expose all those responsible for the meltdown. The meetings dragged on for many, while the chairman of the committee, Demetris Syllouris kept promising publicly that the investigation would dig as deep as possible and spare nobody. It was as if he was trying to re-assure himself rather than the public.
The committee’s 440-page report was available yesterday and will be discussed by the House plenum next week, but nobody is holding their breath about it. Despite Syllouris’ many promises, the investigation will be no different from the one conducted on the orders of president Anastasiades, by a panel of three judges last year that failed to identify the culprits. At least the judges had not made any big promises about exposing the culprits and shedding light on what had gone wrong – Syllouris made big promises that he was unable to deliver.
This was why he spent the last four weeks, threatening to release the list of 11,000 names that had transferred money out of Cyprus from June 2012 to March 2013, just before the Eurogroup meeting. His committee had found nothing else worth reporting and decided to conduct a witch-hunt against individuals and companies that had done nothing wrong or illegal. For the last three weeks, deputies have been debating whether the list would be released, as if it were the people who lawfully transferred money out of the country, for whatever reason, that caused the collapse of the economy.
Only last week did it occur to Syllouris that the people his report should have been exposing were those who had somehow managed to transfer funds out of the country during the banks’ lockdown. They had actually violated the rules of the country, but the intrepid deputy did not think of naming and shaming them, claiming that the Central Bank had refused to hand over this information.
Of course, the fact that this supposedly thorough investigation has become obsessed with naming and shaming people, who had nothing to do with the collapse, and initiating witch-hunts against them indicates how futile the whole exercise was. Perhaps after the committee’s failure to find the culprits, it will become clear that the economic meltdown was not the work of two, three or four individuals but the inevitable collapse of a rotten system controlled by corrupt and incompetent politicians, officials, bankers, union bosses and businessmen, who eventually run it into the ground.
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Our View: House president shows true colours over MPs’ bad loan list
CM: Our View January 19, 2020 January 18, 2020
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Connecticut Public Television > Inside CPTV > AFRICA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS
AFRICA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS
-Premiered on CPTV February 27, March 1, and March 2, 2017-
Beginning with Africa’s ancient history as the cradle of mankind, Africa’s Great Civilizations brings to life the epic stories of both little-known and celebrated African kingdoms and cultures. The three-part, six-hour documentary series is hosted, executive produced, and written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
See a preview:
Episodes include:
Part 1: Origins/The Cross and the Crescent
Uncover the origins of man and early human society in Africa. Then, watch as Henry Louis Gates, Jr. charts the ancient rise and impact of Christianity and Islam across Africa.
Part 2: Empires of Gold/Cities
Gates uncovers complex trade networks and educational institutions that advanced north and west Africa. He then explores the great African cities, whose wealth and industry attracted European nations.
Part 3: The Atlantic Age/Commerce & the Clash of Civilizations
Follow the impact of the Atlantic world, which led to the creation of new kingdoms and transatlantic slave trade. Then, explore the dynamism of 19th-century Africa and the infamous “Scramble for Africa” and its riches.
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Craig's Movie Reviews
I love movies. I love writing about them. Hope you like reading what I write.
Craig Andrew Robertson
My Directed Projects
Boiling Point (2015)
How to Read Lips (2016)
Sam (2016)
12 Days of Movies (2014)
Worst & Best (2015)
My Faves (2016)
22) “Horrible Bosses 2”
24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Like the three main guys from “The Hangover Trilogy”. Except much less overrated.
The boys are back and better than ever!
This a funny film with some clever jokes mixed in with some obvious duds. Still not a waste of anyone’s time. It will probably get a threequel, but I think that if it does, it’s most likely going to suck.Lightning can only strike so many times for a relatively low-concept idea.
In my opinion Warner Brothers should quit while they’re ahead. They may no longer have Middle Earth to romp in next year, but they have a mountain of DC films to get through. The economy may be bad, but at least movie executives will be OK over the next 10 years!
Here’s my review: “Horrible Bosses 2”
Pass this around:
Year of Review
Year of Review Select Category Film Review (173) Released in 2014 (12) Released in 2015 (51) Released in 2016 (55) Released in 2017 (44) Released in 2018 (2) Released in 2019 (4) Special Blogs (2) TV Review (1)
Calandar
01) “12 Years A Slave”
02) “Inside Llewyn Davis”
03) “A Most Wanted Man”
04) “Gone Girl”
05) “The Imitation Game”
06) “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”
07) “Edge of Tomorrow (2D)”
08) “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2D + 3D)”
09) “The Lego Movie (2D)”
10) “The Guardians of the Galaxy (2D)”
11) “Noah”
12) “American Hustle”
13) “Candlestick”
14) “The Dallas Buyers Club”
15) “The Wind Rises”
16) “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”
17) “The Penguins of Madagascar (3D)”
18) “What We Did On Our Holiday”
19) “Paddington”
20) “Godzilla (3D)”
21) “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom”
23) “The Equalizer”
24) “The Expendables 3”
01 – Room
My Runners Up
02 – Victoria
03 – The Hunt for the Wilderpeople
04 -High Rise
05 – The Revenant
06 -When Marnie Was There
07 – Hail, Caesar!
08 – The Big Short
09 – Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
10 – Hell or High Water
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These Are the 5 Worst U.S. Generals of All Time
Warrior Video Above: B-2 30th Anniversary - Inside a Stealth Bomber Attack
By Michael Peck, The National Interest
It would be nice if all American generals were great. How might Vietnam or Iraq have turned out if a George Washington, a Ulysses Grant or a George Patton had been in command?
Alas, call it the laws of probability or just cosmic karma, but every nation produces bad generals as well as good ones—and America is no exception.
What is a bad general? Defining that is like defining a bad meal. Some would say that failure on the battlefield warrants censure. Others would say that it is not victory, but success in fulfilling a mission that counts.
But for whatever reason, some American commanders have lost the battle for history. Here are five of America's worst generals:
Horatio Gates:
Great generals have great talents, and usually egos and ambitions to match. Yet backstabbing your commander-in-chief in the middle of a war is taking ambition a little too far. A former British officer, Gatesrose to fame as Continental Army commander during the momentous American defeat of a British army at Saratoga in 1777.
Many historians credit Benedict Arnold and others with being the real victors of Saratoga. Gates thought otherwise, and fancied himself a better commander than George Washington. It's not the first time that someone thought he was smarter than his boss. But Gates could have doomed the American Revolution.
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During the darkest days of the rebellion, when Washington's army had been kicked out of New York and King George's star seemed ascendant, the "Conway cabal" of disgruntled officers and politicians unsuccessfully schemed to out Washington and appoint Gates.
How well that would have worked can be seen when Gates was sent to command American troops in the South. His poor tactical decisions resulted in his army being routed by a smaller force of Redcoats and Loyalists at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina in 1780.
Washington also suffered his share of defeats. But his persistence and inspiration kept the Continental Army in the field through the worst of times, which is why his face is on the one-dollar bill. If Gates had been in command, we might be paying for our groceries with shillings and pence.
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George McClellan:
The American Civil War was a factory for producing bad generals such as Braxton Bragg and Ambrose Burnside.
But the worst of all was McClellan, the so-called "Young Napoleon" from whom Lincoln and the Union expected great things. McClellan was a superb organizer, a West Point-trained engineer who did much to build the Union army almost from scratch.
But he was overly cautious by nature. Despite Lincoln's pleas for aggressive action, his Army of the Potomac moved hesitantly, its commander McClellan convinced himself that the Southern armies vastly outnumbered him when logic should have told him that it was the North that enjoyed an abundance of resources.
Men and material the Union could provide its armies. But there was something that not even the factories of New York and Chicago could produce, and that was time. As Lincoln well knew, the only way the Union could lose the war was if the North eventually grew tired and agreed to allow the South to secede. Haste risked casualties and defeats at the hands of a formidable opponent like Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. The alternative was to split the United States asunder.
Ulysses S. Grant, who replaced McClellan, understood this. He gritted his teeth and wore down the Confederacy with incessant attacks until the South could take no more. McClellan was a proto-Douglas MacArthur who bad-mouthed his president and commander-in-chief. Grant left politics to the politicians and did what had to be done.
Had Lincoln retained McClellan in command of the Union armies, many former Americans might still be whistling "Dixie."
Lloyd Fredendall:
When the Germans shattered his troops and his reputation at Kasserine Pass in Tunisia in early 1943, Fredendall was only a major general and a corps commander. If there was a saving grace for America, it was that he wasn't commanding an army.
Not that Fredendall didn't have real issues that would have tried any commander. Woefully inexperienced U.S. soldiers found themselves against Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps veterans. The Americans lacked sufficient troops, supplies and air cover (when was the last time an American general had to fight a battle while being pounded by enemy bombers?)
Yet Fredendall's solution was to order an Army engineer company to build a giant bunker a hundred miles from the front lines. He also issued orders to his troops in a personal code that no one else understood, such as this gem of command clarity:
Move your command, i. e., the walking boys, pop guns, Baker's outfit and the outfit which is the reverse of Baker's outfit and the big fellows to M, which is due north of where you are now, as soon as possible. Have your boss report to the French gentleman whose name begins with J at a place which begins with D which is five grid squares to the left of M.
The Kasserine disaster had repercussions. It was a humiliating baptism of fire for the U.S. Army in Europe, and more important, caused British commanders to dismiss their Yank allies as amateur soldiers for the rest of the war.
Douglas MacArthur:
Listing MacArthur as one of America's worst generals will be controversial. But then MacArthur thrived on controversy like bread thrives on yeast.
He was indeed a capable warrior, as shown by the South Pacific campaign and the Inchon landing in Korea. But he also displayed remarkably bad judgment, as when he was commander in the Philippines in 1941. Informed that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor and were certain to attack the Philippines next, MacArthur failed to disperse his aircraft—the only force that could disrupt the Japanese offensive in the absence of the American fleet—and to attack Japanese airfields before the enemy wiped out his air force.
But his crowning achievement was bad generalship in Korea. Yes, the landing at Inchon unhinged the initial North Korean offensive. But the rash advance into North Korea was a blunder of strategic proportions. Advancing in dispersed columns across the northern half of the peninsula was an invitation to be destroyed piecemeal. Advancing to the North Korean border with China also was a red flag for Mao-Tse Tung, who feared that American troops on his border were a prelude to U.S. invasion.
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Perhaps Mao would have intervened anyway. But MacArthur's strategy certainly helped unleash 300,000 Chinese "volunteers" who inflicted significant casualties on United Nations forces. Instead of holding a natural defense line around Pyongyang, which would have given the United Nations control of most of the peninsula, the UN troops retreated all the way back into South Korea in a humiliating reverse for U.S. power after the crushing victory of World War II.
Finally, there was MacArthur's insubordination. He called for bombing China, as if liberating Korea was worth risking 550 million Chinese and possibly war with Russia as well. Whatever its military wisdom or lack thereof, it was a decision that should not have been made by generals under the American political system. When he made public his disagreements with President Truman, Truman rightfully fired him.
Tommy Franks:
The early days of the 2003 Iraq War were bound to be a graveyard for military and political reputations, given the misperceptions and misjudgments behind America's ill-fated adventure in regime change and nation-building. But Franks, who commanded the invasion, made a bad situation worse.
Critics say that Franks and senior officials, such as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, concocted an invasion plan that used too few troops. It wouldn't take a large force to slice through the ramshackle Iraqi army and topple Saddam Hussein, but securing a country the size of Iraq required a larger force.
And what then? There appeared to be little serious planning for what would happen the day after Saddam was gone. Like it or not, the U.S. military would become the governing authority. If it couldn't or wouldn't govern the country, who would? America, the Middle East and the rest of the world are still reaping the consequences of those omissions.
Finally, when it comes to bad generals, let us remember Truman's immortal words about firing MacArthur:
I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the President. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.
Michael Peck is a contributing writer at Foreign Policy and a writer for War Is Boring. Follow him on Twitter:@Mipeck1.
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These British Howitzers Crushed Nazi Forces
In 1940, the United Kingdom went to war with the Axis in North Africa and encountered an unnerving tactical problem
The Bishop, Deacon, Sexton and Abbot provided plenty of fire support
Robert Beckhusen [2]
In 1940, the United Kingdom went to war with the Axis in North Africa and quickly encountered an unnerving tactical problem.
The nature of warfare in the flat, open desert inevitably favored tanks, which could easily outrun the range of supporting artillery that could not move unless towed. Limbering and unlimbering artillery was time consuming, so the British Army hastened development of a 25-pounder self-propelled howitzer called the Bishop.
Weapons rushed into combat often make for poor weapons — and the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company’s self-propelled Bishop howitzer was exceedingly poor indeed.
Foremost was the technical problem of affixing a howitzer onto a chassis. The company took a Valentine tank, a rugged workhorse of the British armored forces, and swapped the turret for an enormous, boxy superstructure which increase the vehicle’s height to 10 feet. That became the inspiration for its name, and gave the Bishop a tall profile.
A high profile for a howitzer was not a serious problem, in theory, as artillery is supposed to stay far away from the lines. But the Bishop couldn’t stay very far back given the howitzer’s limited vertical elevation which tapped out its firing range to 5,900 meters — well within the range of the fearsome German 88-millimeter gun and half the 25-pounder cannon’s normal maximum range.
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In the open desert, the Germans could see the Bishop coming, and with the right weapons, destroy it before it could get close enough to fire its owncannon.
As a result, British crews often parked the Bishop on ramps to add as much extra elevation as possible.
Nevertheless, ramp or no, the combination of relatively short range — for a howitzer — and the Bishop’s enormous size was a problem particularly in combination, because the Bishop was intended to also serve as an anti-tankweapon, as British tanks lacked the firepower to stand up to German Panzer III and IV tanks arriving to North Africa.
The Bishop superstructure’s interior was also cramped, making for an uncomfortable experience for the crew, and only 149 were produced in total between 1942 and 1943.
While the gun did see combat, including during the enormous Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942, which helped break the Axis Powers’ back in North Africa, the British quickly moved on to better self-propelled guns including the U.S.-made 105-millimeter M7, dubbed “Priest” by the British, although that required a steady supply of American ammunition instead of the British industry’s 25-pounder shells.
However, it was the Bishop’s failure that helped spawn later successes, as the Bishop was part of a family of ecclesiastically-named howitzers.
The AEC Mk I Gun Carrier “Deacon” followed the Bishop and was a decidedly lower-tech self-propelled gun than its heavier counterpart — with a significantly smaller armament of a single six-pound gun mounted on the back of a wheeled AEC Matador 4×4 truck.
The Deacon was lightly armored compared to the Bishop — some 20 millimeters of armor compared to 60 millimeters in the Bishop’s chassis. But one advantage possessed by the Deacon was its ability for the crew to cover the gun and disguise it as a regular truck.
The Deacon’s firing range of around 5,000 meters, and penetrating power, made it a capable tank-killer without the Bishop’s high profile. The Deacon’s maximum speed of 19 miles per hour was also slightly faster than the Bishop, which topped out at 15 miles per hour.
Of Britain’s ecclesiastically-inspired howitzers, the Sexton — a church officer who watches over the graveyard — was perhaps the most appropriate. It was the most satisfactory of Britain’s war-time mobile howitzers, and was the most widely produced with more than 2,000 built between 1943 and 1945. It continued to serve for 11 more years after the war.
The Sexton solved two problems. First, it corrected the Bishop’s deficiencies including the gun, which had only a +15 degree elevation. The Sexton’s gun could reach up to +40, and the vehicle’s maximum speed was a brisker 25 miles per hour, comparable to a Sherman tank. Second, the Sexton carried one of Britain’s familiar 25-pounder guns, which was easier to supply than the U.S.-provided M7 Priests.
That the Sexton could keep up with Shermans came from the fact that the self-propelled gun was practically a Sherman. The British Army contracted the design to the Canadian Army, which developed the howitzer on the Ram and later Grizzly chassis — Canadian versions of the M3 and M4A1 Shermans, respectively.
The Sexton went on to see extensive combat use during World War II with both British and Canadian forces in Europe.
The last of the church-themed British mobile guns, the FV433 Abbot SPG, became Britain’s contribution to self-propelled artillery during the Cold War soon after it entered production in the 1960s. It was not the only weapon of its type in the British Army, however, as it shared service with U.S.-made self-propelled M109 howitzers.
The Abbot was, of course, a generation beyond the Sexton with its fire-control computer, traversable turret, 105-millimeter howitzer capable of elevating upward to +70 degrees, and a significantly farther firing range of 10 miles. The British Army would ultimately retire the Abbot in the 1990s with the introduction of the AS-90, although India — the only other user — still fields around 80 Abbots, to be replaced with an Indian-manufactured variant of the South Korean K9 Thunder.
India, however, has has struggled to acquire artillery since the Bofors scandal in the 1980s, which helped bring down a government, and the recent death of two South Korean soldiers in a K9 mishap has clouded the arms deal.
This article originallyappeared [6] on War is Boring.
More Weapons and Technology -WARRIOR MAVEN (CLICK HERE)--
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Religious & Spiritual Life
Cups of Kindness
Alexis Boyages '19
Denison Chaplain Phoebe Myhrum brings a spark to Wednesday mornings
It can be hard to make it through each week. With the seemingly endless amount of homework, classes, and extracurricular activities that fill the schedules of Denison students, sometimes it’s nice to celebrate the small victories. Like getting to the middle of the week. Denison Chaplain, Phoebe Myhrum, is attempting to do just that.
Swasey Coffee Hour came to fruition from an idea that Myhrum had while sitting on the steps of Swasey Chapel. She noticed the heavy flow of students, heading from East Quad to their classes, and the beautiful view from Swasey in the morning. And, because Swasey is not typically used for events during the day, Myhrum felt that this was the perfect place to set up shop each Wednesday morning.
Swasey Coffee Hour is not treated as a typical Denison program. It is not heavily advertised and as Myhrum says, “There is no aim to it. Swasey Coffee Hour is a time for me to be present with Denison students and connected to student life.”
“It is a time to be kind to one another. I have found that a simple ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ means so much to people and is appreciated.”
Myhrum emphasized that Swasey Coffee Hour is in fact, not really about the coffee at all. Rather, “It is a time to be kind to one another. I have found that a simple ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ means so much to people and is appreciated.” And that is the biggest impact of Coffee Hour, spreading kindness and gratitude across campus.
Swasey Coffee Hour has seamlessly become a Wednesday morning staple for many students. “I wish that I filmed people’s reactions. They love it!” says Myhrum. She explained that she was surprised at how well it has been received and the reactions to Coffee Hour has made the small act of kindness worthwhile.
“Swasey Coffee Hour hinges on the idea of kind energy being passed out,” says Myhrum. What Myhrum happens to be passing out, in this case coffee and sometimes donuts, is not what makes Coffee Hour worthwhile. Rather, it is the connections that Myhrum herself has made with students and staff of the college that has made a direct impact.
While Denison Religious and Spiritual Life is responsible for Swasey Coffee Hour, Myhrum wanted students to know, “As Chaplain, I am here to support every student and affirm their ways of making meaning on campus.” Myhrum explains that one of the reasons why she enjoys her job so much is due to the fact that she gets to discover new ways that students are making meaning on this campus, every day.
Myhrum says that while there is a misconception regarding Religious and Spiritual Life and The Open House that it is only a place for religious people, Myhrum would like to make it known that Religious and Spiritual Life values community and healthy ways of interacting with one another. The Open House offers many programs that are readily available to students such as meditation sessions, yoga, Jewish and Passover services, and Catholic services. Overall, Denison Religious and Spiritual Life is looking to build a community and is looking to make The Open House a place that feels like home.
Myhrum hopes to expand Swasey Coffee Hour to other parts of the campus in the near future, but, for now, is passing out kindness, one cup of coffee at a time.
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Denison Golf Club at Granville
The Denison Golf Club at Granville was built in 1924 and has long been noted as one of the best public courses in the Midwest.
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Stephanie Jackson is college's Title IX Coordinator
Denison campus in the fall
Stephanie Jackson
After a thorough national search, Denison University is pleased to announce Stephanie Jackson has been hired as the college’s Title IX Coordinator. The main responsibilities for this role are to oversee programming and education for sexual respect, prevention of sexual misconduct, and to respond to all reports of sex discrimination, including sexual assault.
“We are very pleased to welcome Stephanie to our team,” says Steve Gauger, director of Risk Management & Environmental Health at Denison. “Her qualifications are outstanding, and her personal communication skills will allow her to build strong and effective relationships with our students. These will be hugely valuable in her work of creating education and programming around sexual assault, as well as when she supports students during traumatic and difficult times.”
While at NYU earning her masters in higher education and student affairs, Jackson served as the staff editor for the New York University Journal of Student Affairs. Continuing in a professional role at NYU, she served as coordinator of Student Affairs where she designed and effectuated university-wide policies, programs, and events.
Jackson later earned her J.D. at Wake Forest while working in a professional capacity as graduate housing director. At Wake Forest, she was awarded the Dean’s Leadership Award for “enriching the School of Law through her singular inspiration, extraordinary leadership, and complete professionalism,” and the Suzanne Reynolds Change Maker Award for the “student who best embodies The Journal’s goal of promoting integrity, courtesy, honesty, and a commitment to the best functioning of our system of justice.”
Upper Elm Hall
An apartment-style residence hall for senior students located on North Quad.
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Norwalk Daily Voice serves Norwalk & Rowayton
Barr Assigns US Attorney In Connecticut To Review Origins Of Russia Inquiry
John Durham Photo Credit: United States Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut
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United States Attorney General William Barr has appointed John Durham, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, to review the origins of the Russia investigation into interference in the 2016 presidential election and the FBI’s surveillance activities.
Durham has been assigned to conduct the inquiry into allegations of misconduct and improper surveillance of President Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election. The concerns were first raised in congressional testimony following the release of Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia probe.
"I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I'm saying that I am concerned about it and looking into it, that's all," Barr said at the time. I just want to satisfy myself that there were no abuse of law enforcement or intelligence powers. I'm not suggesting that those rules were violated, but I think it's important to look at that. And I'm not just talking about the FBI necessarily, but intelligence agencies more broadly.”
Last month, Barr said that he believed “spying did occur” on the Trump campaign three years ago, though he’s offered no details about what “spying” may have taken place.
According to reports, Durham has been working with Barr for “at least a couple weeks” to determine whether federal agencies proceeded properly in the early stages of the Russia investigation that led to Mueller’s much-anticipated report.
The president has been calling for an examination into the probe for months, calling it a “witch hunt” and “politically motivated.”
This isn’t Durham’s first foray as a special prosecutor. He has previously investigated the FBI’s ties to a crime boss in Boston and alleged abuse by the CIA of detainees. He was appointed as a U.S. Attorney by Trump in 2017. When he was nominated, the White House said that Durham shares Trump’s vision for “making America safe again.” The Senate confirmed his nomination on Feb. 16 last year.
Durham has served as an Instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of New Haven, as a Moot Court Judge at the Yale School of Law, and as a lecturer for the Connecticut Bar Association. He graduated from College University in 1972 and the UConn School of Law three years later. He’s been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in various positions in Connecticut for 35 years.
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Norwalk Daily Voice!
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Michael X and the Black House of Holloway Road
Not far from Highbury and Islington Station, numbers 95-101 Holloway Road look much like the rest of the houses stretching to either side – unloved, grubby Victorian piles with transient shops underneath: day-glo internet cafes, small lawyers specialising in immigration issues, greasy spoons which have seen better days.
Situated above the Wig and Gown pub, here’s nothing to show that, forty years ago, these houses were briefly the heart of radical black Britain.
The Black House was the brainchild of Michael X, a man of many contradictions. A published author, firebrand community leader and darling of the left-leaning avant garde, he was also a pimp, conman and megalomaniac who would later be hanged for his part in two brutal murders.
Born in Trinidad in 1933, the charismatic Michael de Freitas was a seaman when he docked at Cardiff in his mid-twenties and decided to stay in Britain. With job opportunities for West Indian immigrants solely of the dogsbody variety – working in car factories or in the bus garages – he became a pimp, living off the earnings of his girlfriend, and when the relationship ended, moving onto other women.
By 1957, with Cardiff unlikely to make him his fortune, he moved to Bravington Road W9, between Kilburn and Ladbroke Grove, with a prostitute named Sandra. Like many young immigrant men with few opportunities, de Freitas found no alternative but to hustle: getting back into pimping, organising gambling rackets with limited success, and taking part in a scam stealing luggage from the West London Air Terminal in Cromwell Road.
In 1958, DeFreitas moved to Southam Street in Notting Hill with his partner Desiree.
The future Labour Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson was born in the street at the same time (his 2013 memoir This Boy tells the almost unimaginably bleak story of his childhood in this Notting Hill slum), and the photographer Roger Mayne photographed the road between 1958 and 1961.
As he wrote in his 1968 autobiography, From Michael de Freitas to Michael X:
It was impossible to believe you were in twentieth-century England: terraced houses with shabby, crumbling stonework and the last traces of discoloured paint peeling from their doors, windows broken, garbage and dirt strewn all over the road, every second house deserted, with doors nailed up and rusty corrugated iron across the window spaces, a legion of filthy white children swarming everywhere and people lying drunk across the pavement…
As Desireee told David Peace, “Southam Street was rough, but black people expected that. You were lucky you had a room and nobody bothered you if you paid your rent.”
In the Notting Hill of the 1950s, two social groups of outcasts came together: the recent West Indian immigrants and the working-class white prositutes. Larry Ford, a sometime club owner and contemporary of de Freitas, noted that “you get two outcasts, social outcasts, the blacks and the prostitutes and these two get together and the money comes in.”
In his autobiography, de Freitas wrote about a woman named Sylvia, who he acted as a pimp for (although he claimed she simply turned up with £40 one day, handed it over to him, and their working relationship began from there.) He coldly pondered his position: “People have been trying to work out why prostitutes need a ponce since the profession began and nobody’s found a satisfactory answer. In this girl’s case I think she was a compulsive giver and she had no other way of making so much to give.” Sylvia certainly found someone who would take as much as she could make.
As De Freitas pimped, he quickly became well-known on the semi-criminal scene for the long hours his girls worked (“the way they saw it was that I sent the girl out to work and allowed her to do nothing but to stay on the job constantly. In fact, of course, she seemed to want to do nothing else” he wrote, probably entirely fictionally.)
But during the summer of 1958, Notting Hill sporadically exploded in incidents of violence. Carribean men were being attacked and beaten on the streets by large groups of white men, the flames of racial hatred fanned by Oswald Moseley, the Union movement and the White Defence League, whose motto was ‘Keep Britain White.’
Outside the Calypso Club on Westbourne Park Road, a meeting was held. As three West Indians addressed the crowd, urging them to start committees and write to their MPs to protest against the indiscriminate attacks and the rising tide of racial hatred, DeFreitas asked to speak. It would be his first ‘political’ speech.
He told the crowd “You don’t need committees and representations. What you need is to get a few pieces of iron and a bit of organisation so when they come in here we can defend ourselves.” There was a roar of support and Michael led an attack on a local club used exclusively by white criminals – “some of us lobbed petrol bombs in the back of the buildings while the rest waited in ambush out front.”
Surprisingly, de Freitas didn’t think the two weeks of sporadic clashes and violence now knwon as the 1958 Brixton race riots – which he could easily have claimed a leading role in – were racially motivated. DeFreitas believed the race angle was a creation of the press – “in general people just drifted into violence, finding themselves involved without knowing how or why.” Much like the riots of 2011, he believed “there’s always a large section of any population which is attracted to riots for kicks and to relieve the boredom of their dull lives. With a few wild ones throwing bottles everyone tends to get involved.”
He thought the racial element was only introduced as “white people don’t run to the blacks for protection, nor the blacks to the whites. They separate into their own colour groups, And there you have it, created out of nothing – a race riot. Or, at least, the atmosphere of a race riot. In actual fact, there still wasn’t much real action.”
Following the unrest of the summer came a wave of left-wing, middle-class, liberal, mainly young do-gooders who flooded into the area to try and help the minority population. DeFreitas was frequently in the mix, showing parties of MPs around the “real” Notting Hill.
Around this time, he also worked for the landlord Peter Rachman, having impressed Rachman when, as a tenant, he not only took him on in a tribunal to get his rent lowered, but attempted to start an entire campaign against his empire. Refusing to be cowed by Rachman’s heavies who called round, Rachman decided to take another tact: he offered DeFreitas a job. DeFreitas took it, and Rachman went on to help him speculate in property (Michael moved into the top floor of one of the houses he bought in Colville Terrace, operated a brothel in the basement, and opened up a gaming house in the basement of a property in Powis Terrace.)
When he saw Rachman was selling off his properties, DeFreitas thought he must have some sort of insider knowledge about the market, so he sold Colville Terrace and moved to Stoke Newington.
His second residence came with a second woman – a wealthy Canadian TV news reporter named Nancy, who lived in Primrose Hill. This seemd to be the tipping point of Michael DeFreitas’s life. He made attempts to escape the world of the hustler, returning to the sea and becoming a sailor again, a life he loved. But after surviving numerous “attempts to put me away for robbery with violence and running a brothel”, while in Notting Hill, DeFreitas was accused of stealing a pot of paint from the dockyards (“there’s always a lot of it lying around apparently spare – and everybody takes it.”) He was sent to prison for three months and when he came out in 1963, the world had changed.
When he came out, he moved back to his old haunts in Notting Hill, now populated by a new white influx of bohemians, artists and dreamers. Alexander Trocci was devising Sigma, his collective of publishing, universities and culture; John Michell was running a hip record shop; drugs were everywhere and the kids were rebelling. Michael saw they had money, noted their relentless self-promotion, and rather liked the bullshitty nature of their work and projects – you got cash, and then delivered something…or nothing. It was just another hustle.
He started painting, and wrote poetry – his poetry more successful, largely due to his race meaning he was regarded as a tremendously desirable commodity in England: the “cool spade.” That said, Diana Athill, then chief editor at Andre Deutsch met and “disliked” Michael, saying he was “either a nut or a conman” – but against her better judgement, many years later, the firm would publish his autobiography, transcribed from interviews by a white English civil servant and sometime pornographic novel writer named John Stevenson.
As the 1960s progressed, Michael, like many black men, began attending meetings of West Indian men, where race was frequently discussed, with events in America developing a new black consciousness across the world. Eating at the Commonwealth Institute as part of the launch of a black newspaper called The Magnet, Michael heard a speech by the American Malcolm X, the leader of the Nation of Islam and then somewhat of a marginal figure. Impressed, he invited Malcolm X to dinner n Primrose Hill that night – X turned up at 10.30 and despite Michael and Nancy being concerned that he wouldn’t want to stay as Nancy was white, they started listening to music and didn’t drive him back to his hotel until 1am.
For the remainder of Malcolm X’s British tour, Michael travelled with him. In a hotel in Birmingham, Malcolm told a receptionist to save a room “for my brother, Michael.” She took him literally, and entered the name Michael X in the reservation book. Michael swiftly adopted his new name.
Following Malcolm X’s assassination just three weeks later, Michael was profiled in the papers, portrayed as a leading light in British black nationalism and repeating Michael’s boasts that he’d been involved in organising the Notting Hill riots, had been to Russia for political meetings (he hadn’t, but he’d stopped off as a sailor to swap records and jeans for pots of caviar) and was the leader of a black British organisation which had 2000 members. With no one else at the fore, however, the article portrayed him as the voice of alternative black British culture, which led to him forming his own political group, the Radical Adjustment Action Society in 1965 (its acronym RAAS was specifically chosen as it was a Jamaican obscenity – raas claat, meaning sanitary towel.)
The political awakening of Michael X was still suppressed by the aggressive, somewhat childish hustler he’d always been, and his reputation ensured that he was never entirely trusted by those around him. Before long, he was on the move again – the press releases were handed to other people to write and he became interested in Islam, changing his name once again to Abdul Malik. He was still involved with the counter-culture, a key player in the London Free School (a sort of community run self-improvement centre, which Michael managed to get Muhammad Ali to visit in May 1966 when he was in the country to fight Henry Cooper at Arsenal’s Highbury stadium) and the Notting Hill Carnival (springing out of the LFS, the council said they’d only consider giving money for it if Michael wasn’t involved in any way.) He even ran the door security at the UFO at the Roundhouse, one of the few jobs he actually seems to have taken seriously and performed professionally.
Muhammad Ali on a walkabout on the Portobello Road, Notting Hill (1966)
Michael continued to portray himself as Britain’s most revolutionary black leader, with a speech in Reading seeing him talk about seeing black men running away while white men beat up black women in the Notting Hill riots, telling them “if you ever see a white laying hands on a black woman, kill him immediately.” The audience laughed, but Michael was charged under new race legislation (although Enoch Powell, saying similar things, was left alone.) He was sent back to prison, serving eight months of a one-year sentence.
When he’d come out before, the world had changed.
Now when he came out, it was Michael X who’d changed. A darkness entered his life and would follow him until his early and violent death.
When he was released, he found it hard to fit in with any of the political organisations he’d been involved with, so set about creating a smaller one of his own – something small enough to maintain control over, which he could dominate and use for his own ends. Having been largely ignored by the white liberals he knew during his time in prison which had left him with “hard grudges against a lot of people”, he decided it would be a blacks-only organisation, a “arts centre cum supermarket cum alternative living space.”
The Black House represented a harder side of the late 1960s – the hippie dream of love and togetherness replaced with a venue which was founded on ideas of segregation and suspicion. And, in the days before arts councils and minority grants, it would be funded by the rich white liberals who Michael X had started to loathe.
He used heavy guilt trips, targeting white radicals, saying they should donate as a way as a form of reparation for the crimes of slavery (to squeeze money out of John Lennon, he said reparations should be paid as Lennon had stolen and commercialised black music. He got a cheque for £10,000, which most likely went straight to his own personal account.)
A warren of rooms, stretching over three shops, was rented on the Holloway Road. Crumbling Dickensian properties requiring much modernisation, the rent was about four grand a year and was paid for by the wealthy Nigel Samuel, who had been spellbound by Michael (and the constant stream of black women he was introduced to certainly helped maintain his interest in the project. Royston Casanova, the son of one of Michael’s former lovers, said of Nigel that “he loved black women. He didn’t want a white woman or a Chinese woman or whatever…black girls had him by the balls.”)
Originally named the Barter House, it became quickly known simply as the Black House.
The first part of the renovation to be carried out was Michael’s luxurious office in 1969. A kitchen and dining room followed. But while he was often photographed wearing overalls and bearing a paintbrush, he worked more on publicity than the hard graft. This included writing articles in IT Magazine:
We hope to put into what was a run-down empty shell a supermarket, a restaurant and a cultural centre where things like a cinema and theatre will happen. There we hope to show the people of the host community what we are really like through our theatre…The Black House needs new toilets, paint and chairs. A small cheque could go a long way to building this, you can help to make this tree we have planted bloom by writing a cheque immediately and sending it to us, you can also help by turning us on to some paint or folding chairs which we urgently need There is also a communal eating place where we meet daily at 1.30pm to discuss further work, you can join us here too, the food is swinging, our cook is a beautiful cat. Sit and rap with him, let him transport you into another world with his wonderful cooking and fascinating stories.
A fund-raising brochure was written by a young black South African journalist called Lionel Morrison – he pitched the Black House as a centre for disaffected black youth, where they could make music, put on plays and learn about African history. Sent to the great and good (many of whom were put off by Michael’s notoriety), an estimated £20,00 was donated, including from Muhammed Ali (who donated several thousand), Sammy Davis Jr and John Lennon.
But nothing really came of the plans. Over the next year, the money kept rolling in, but nothing changed. When the hippies came to see the new project, nothing much was happening. The Black House supermarket – intended to sell only African and West Indian goods, with an entirely black staff – missed the announced opening dates time and time again. As John L. Williams wrote in his excellent biography of Michael: “As 1969 turned into 1970, it was becoming obvious that whatever the Black House was, it was not an inspiring oasis of peace and love in the midst of grimy North London. Instead it was an intimidating establishment used as a base for various kinds of illegal activity.”
Mick Farren said it was “full of North London rudies in pork-pie hats” and Michael spoke of him and his boys building up a bank and engaging in “fighting games, rough games.” He was surrounded by hard men, usually Trinidadians: Darcus Howe called them “a group of people around him who he’d look after. Big men. Give you £40 a week or whatever, and if he tells you to chop his head off, you do it.” The salary was supposedly for the work done at the Black House, but was in actuality a fee to work as his private militia.
Michael started sending out his boys to rip off the gentle hippie drug dealers – “terrible tales were coming back of armed robbery within what had been a very, very peace-loving, city-wide hashish-dealing scene,” recalled Mick Farren. “Michael…didn’t have a legit dealing set-up, there wasn’t a smuggler supplying him, so his wasn’t a proper business, it was parasitic.”
Drugs were rife but the Black House did, however, have a set of rules, modelled loosely along the same lines as the Nation of Islam. No alcohol (although dope-smoking was allowed), and interracial sex was banned. These rules – strictly enforced, often with threats of violence against rule-breakers – ended up in “people’s courts”, where rulebreakers were dealt with interally.
Michael was becoming a dictator, ruling over an almost cult-like gathering of followers and acolytes.
On 4 February 1970, Lennon and Yoko Ono popped by for a strange publicity stunt, where they arrived with newly shorn heads and a bag of their own hair, which they swapped for Michael’s bloodied Muhammed Ali shorts on the roof of the Black House.
The shorts were to be auctioned to raise money for world peace; the hair for funds for the Black House. As John L. Williams notes, “So baffling was this event, and so dubious was Michael’s reputation by this point, that this was the first Beatles-related publicity exercise to receive no coverage whatever in the national press.”
The following day, Lennon appeared with Michael on The Simon Dee television show. Lennon revealed that Sotheby’s declined to sell the hair because “they only sell art”. Michael’s plan to raise funds had taken another knock at the hands of the establishment.
In April 1970, there was no need to raise any more funds as an incident would lead to the house’s total collapse.
A young black American actor called Leroy House had been to work at a central London cleaning agency, but after various deductions the pay he received was less than he was expecting. Hearing the complaint, Michael assembled three men from the Black House and went to Clean-A-Flat cleaning company in Newburgh Street. They demanded £3 from the owner, 25-year-old Marvin Brown, and when he said he didn’t have any money on him, Michael picked up a bunch of files from his desk and said he could have them back if he came to the Black House with the £3. Brown called the police, and they headed down to the Black House.
Backed up by some 25 Black House regulars, Michael told the police to leave as they didn’t have a warrant. Left alone, Brown decided to pay the £3. Instead, Michael told him to come back in 30 minutes, and when he did, a court was assembled – some 30 black men and black and white women – and demanded Brown make amends for the way black people had been treated throughour history. Brown protested that as a Jew, he was also part of a persecuted minority – but no-one was impressed by this. Instead, they put a spiked slave collar (part of the Black House’s ‘museum’ of historical artefacts) on Brown, and marched him round the room until he burst into tears. When some of the women protested, his ordeal stopped and he was given his files back, but Michael then wanted him to pay a fine for bringing the police with him. Brown handed over all the money he had with him – £13. Michael have him back £8 and a signed copy of his autobiography (which he usually sold to guilty liberals at £5 a time.) He was then released. The police were waiting outside and Brown told them about his ordeal.
A week later, 50 policemen burst into the Black House and arrested everyone who’d been there during the original raid on Brown’s office. All facing trial, Michael decided to flee to Trinidad – he hated prison, and it was likely his notoriety would only give him a longer sentence than otherwise.
Additionally, the Black House was in an even worse condition than it was when it had first been taken over. The Black House had become a mixture of halfway house for black people and a youth club, with reggae club nights attracting hundreds of youths, stopped by police after complaints from the neighbours. While it was being vandalised by kids, Michael began practising Obeah, the voodoo he watched his mother performing while a child. Exorcisms were performed at the house, and residents were given amulets to wear – all of which added to the general air of paranoia and fear.
“When I saw what the Black House was about I became interested,” said Stanley Abbott, a community minded individual who was involved with the Black House at the very end, just before Michael abandoned it. “The Black House was no sinister den of sin. To me and thousands of black people in England in represented a place black youths could go. Inside the Black House was a community centre. There was amplifiers and loudspeakers, and the kids – hundreds of kids – used to play records and dance together. There were three kitchens in the Black House where the kids used to experiment with cooking. There was a library where one could go and read. I took an interest in the kids and helped them.”
The Black House finally closed in the autumn of 1970. Michael blamed its failure on the laziness of the inhabitants and resigned from all his posts within the Black Power movement – in effect, he handed the Black House and its mountain of unpaid debts to the remaining residents. There were solid, hard-working black people at the Black House, like Abbott, but just three weeks after Michael resigned, they folded in the face of the hustlers and hoods who dominated the Black House and the enterprise closed down for good.
In early February 1971, an increasingly crazed Michael X was back in Trinidad. By 1972, he’d been found guilty of the entirely senseless murder of Joseph Skeritt, a handyman who’d worked on a projected commune which was falling to pieces around him, and he was implicit (although never tried) in the murder of Gail Benson, the daughter of Tory MP Leonard Plugge. Benson had arrived at Michael’s proposed commune with her lover Hakim Jamal, an American cousin of Malcolm X (who came to believe he was God and was later murdered in the USA) and had been murdered for reasons that are entirely unclear. Michael deFreitas – aka Michael X – was hanged in May 1975.
The Black House lived on briefly in another form: about a mile up the road, a dynamic Caribbean immigrant called Herman Edwards set up ‘Harambee’ (the Swahili for ‘pulling together’) to provide a halfway house for vulnerable young people who had been in trouble with the law. Due to its similarities with Michael X’s organisation – in that it was intended to benefit the local black community and was located on the Holloway Road, not that it was in anyway a front for illegal activities – the press came to also refer to it as The Black House.
Funded by Islington Council, this second Black House lasted until the mid-1970s and was photographed extensively by Colin Jones in 1973. A book of his beautiful photographs was published in 2005.
Notes for this entry came primarily from Michael X: A Life in Black and White by John L. Williams, a tremendous read which is available here.
Colin Jones’ The Black House is also recommended and can be purchased here.
Both links take you to Abebooks, which, while owned by Amazon, support smaller booksellers – I have no affiliation with them or the site, but they’re my bookseller of choice.
Filed in Holloway, Islington ·Tags: abdul malik, alan johnson, barter house, black, black panther, black power, bravington road, Cromwell Road, holloway, holloway road, islington, john lennon, ladbroke grove, london, malcolm x, michael de freitas, michael x, mick farren, muhammad ali, notting hill, peter rachman, pimp, race riots, riots, roundhouse, southam street, the beatles, the black house, w9, wig and gown, yoko ono
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Prince Gently Spars With Lenny Kravitz on ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Alive': 365 Prince Songs in a Year
"Rock 'N' Roll is Alive (And It Lives in Minneapolis)" is said by some to be a response to Lenny Kravitz's "Rock and Roll is Dead." Kravitz, ever the trickster, once indicated that when he wrote "Rock and Roll is Dead," he was being humorous, even ironic, because he actually believed the opposite to be true—he said the music was dead, but what he really meant was that it was alive and thriving. It's like when someone says, "The king is dead; long live the king," only in order to truly mean that, the words long and live need to follow is dead. Kravitz was apparently capable of verbally explaining his humorous/ironic thoughts in interviews, but not successfully turning them into lyrics.
Watch the video for Lenny Kravitz's "Rock and Roll Is Dead"
Prince, on the other hand, understood that there was no place for Kravitzian irony in rock 'n' roll. No art form that yielded the signature phrases "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom," "Louie Louie, oh no / Sayin' we gotta go" had any business doling out the irony, or for that matter, being called out as lifeless.
"Rock 'n' roll is alive," Prince's chorus stated, "and it lives in Minneapolis!" Over and over again it went, as often as the Crew Cuts went "Sh-boom sh-boom" or the Beatles sang, "Na-na-na-nananana"—there is, after all, joy in repetition, as the artist formerly known as The Artist once posited. But simply repeating it did not make it so—not when Hüsker Dü and the Replacements had bitten the dust and Soul Asylum had set itself adrift on the Winnibigoshish, trailed by a cloud of pulverized gold records and Dave Pirner's split ends.
No, what made the declaration true is when you put the baddest cat alive in front of a straight-up funk band, complete with dancing background singers and live drums. And then you put a guitar in that cat's hands and you let a crowd of people gather 'round the stage and watch him set the whole thing on fire.
"Sure as the land of a thousand lakes is sometimes made of snow," Prince sang, "There'll always be another king 2 die butt-naked on the floor." What does that even mean? Didn't matter. Rock 'n' roll was alive, in spite of what Lenny Kravitz had indicated. And if Kravitz was even slightly offended, he got over it by the time he paid tribute to Prince with a pair of songs at the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Still, rock 'n' roll didn't live in Chicago or New York or even Detroit (where it had resided for a while, in the '60s).
It lived in the head and hands and voice of a 5'2" pipsqueak giant in fuzzy boots and a hoodie (in the video), purified in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, graced by the twin muses of Joni Mitchell and Patti LaBelle (they were fraternal twins), imbued with Sly Stone's high step and Jimi Hendrix's command of a wordless language.
It lived in that guy. And he lived in Minneapolis.
Long live the Prince.
Prince Albums Ranked
Next: Prince Suggests Trying a 'New Position'
Filed Under: Lenny Kravitz, Prince
Categories: 365 Prince Songs, Songs
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Grande Pointe (x) ›
Leo Mol fonds (x) ›
The Winnipeg Tribune (x) ›
Andrew Taylor fonds (x) ›
Kathleen Rice fonds (x) ›
Mountain Road (x) ›
Copland, Hunter and Anderson Family fonds (x) ›
Archives & Special Collections is a department of the Libraries and is located in Room 330 on the third floor of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library. Since its establishment in 1978, the Archives' mission has been to acquire, catalogue and preserve university records and special research collections which further the educational aims of the University of Manitoba, and to promote and provide wide access to them. The Archives' wide-ranging collection mandate includes the acquisition of the records of the University of Manitoba, Canadian Prairie Literary Manuscripts, the Archives of the Agricultural Experience and rare books in the areas of western Canadiana, early Arctic exploration, early Native language syllabics, spiritualism, church history and philosophy, and agriculture among others.
Copland, Hunter and Anderson Family fonds
Margaret Elizabeth Hunter, born 18 April 1849, and William Adam Hunter, born 17 June 1845, married in Dumfrese, Scotland, on 22 December 1870. A year later they emigrated to Canada, settling first in Cayuga, Ontario. In 1883 Margaret's brother, Thomas Copland, encouraged them to move west with the Saskatoon Temperance Colonization Society and they built a home at Llewellyn. Margaret and William had 7 children; their two oldest daughters, Mary Kerr Hunter and Barbara Elizabeth Hunter, married brothers from the Anderson family – Burpee James Anderson and Newton Joseph Anderson, respectively. Margaret's brother, Thomas Copland, was one of the first settlers in Saskatoon, and was trained as a chemist and druggist. The University of Saskatchewan is located on his original homestead. The digitized material from the Copland, Hunter and Anderson Family fonds consists of documents that describe the lives of the Copland, Hunter and Anderson families, notably their early years following Margaret and William Hunter's move to Canada and years in Saskatoon. It includes materials relating to events such as the 1885 Resistance; later material documenting student life, at the University, as well as materials documenting the daily life of a pioneering farm family. Included are diaries of Barbara Elizabeth Anderson, nee Hunter (1874-1951) documenting her daily life, 1899-1934 and 1944; memoirs of Mrs. Barbara E. Anderson (covering 1874-1905); and background material.
Immigration (1) + -
Prairie History (1) + -
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Our Father – who art now in heaven
July 15, 2016 July 16, 2016 / jessicafoster3 / 3 Comments
On Monday my father died. We were there and it was peaceful. It was probably as good as it could be. But as one of my friends commented to another – Jess has lost her polestar. It’s true – I could navigate by my father’s life.
I don’t know who was my father’s polestar but from his earliest life he has travelled in the same direction. As I lay thinking about him in the hours after his death I thought of the decades he has spent working for peace – peace that is dynamic and energetic, peace that includes justice, equality, wholeness for all and care for all creation.
Last month I spent a weekend with my parents and my sister. He told me for the first time about being at Cambridge in the early 1950s. He said he was saddened by the divide between grammar school boys and public school boys like himself. He tried to invite people from grammar school to socialise in his rooms but he found they wouldn’t come so he went to their rooms instead. He noticed that at meals in his college the public school boys and the grammar school boys sat together so he decided to sit with a different group of people every night. He said that by the end of it he often sat alone in the dining room!
He did his national service in the navy but turned down a role as an officer to spend time on the ‘lower deck’ – it was a formative time for him but not an easy one. In the 60s he won my mother over, became interested in communities and worked for Christian Aid – trying to end global inequality and support the development of the global south.
I got to know him in the 70s. In 1972 he founded Little Gidding Community – based on the priniciples of prayer, hospitality and care for creation. There he welcomed anyone who needed a refuge – a practice he continued for the rest of his life. In about 1978 when he was chair of governors at the local primary school he set up a twinning scheme with a school in Bedford. It was through this scheme that I made my first Muslim friend – I remember her climbing trees in our garden and me being give ice cream and fizzy drinks at her home.
In the 80s we moved to the Peak District and he help to found a Housing Association so that people born in this beautiful part of the world could afford to live there. He also championed rural theology, concerned that the issues of the countryside would be forgotten as the church focused on the urban environment.
Later in life he took on a church that was in a tradition that did not favour the ordination of women – by the time he left, with his support and encouragement, two women from the congregation had been ordained. He campaigned at the G8 summit in Genoa, built links with Denmark and the Folk High School movement, helped to run the Lifestyle Movement and campaigned for Caroline Lucas – doorknocking in Brighton before the 2015 elections.
Just a year ago, to celebrate his 80th birthday, he walked 80 miles in about 10 days – raising £17,500 for Freedom for Torture. We didn’t know then that he had already had a small stroke. He biked, he rowed, he listened, he encouraged, he smiled and twinkled, he made time for people and he danced (oh, the embarrassment) whenever he could. He loved my mother absolutely and in every way, despite their differences. The relationship they forged together, through grace and determination, is simply beautiful.
The tributes, cards and messages are pouring in. He touched many people’s lives and people are glad they had known him.
There was a Desmond Tutu meme floating around the internet recently that reminded me of my Dad.(How I wish I had shared it and tagged him in it) It said something like; “To be Christ-like is not to be flawless but it is to be someone who brings out the best in the people around them.”
Dad did that for people, whether they were old friends or people he had only just met For me, its been a joy to have known him all my life. Of course, I hardly told him that. He encouraged me in my career as a journalist, gently steered me out of unhelpful relationships, brought humour to every family gathering, rejoiced with me when I was ordained deacon….the list could go on for ever. But above all he lived his own life to the full and by doing so he was my polestar. Because of him, shaped by him, influenced by him I will continue to do what I do and I pray the wisdom, prayerfulness, patience and practice of unconditional hospitality may follow.
Could Judas be in heaven?
July 3, 2016 / jessicafoster3 / 1 Comment
It is apostle time of year in the Church of England at the moment. On Wednesday it was St Peter and then today it is St Thomas’s day. While these were two holy men they are perhaps remembered for their weaknesses. Peter’s best known moment is his denial of Jesus, Thomas’ is his refusal to believe in the resurrection. But Jesus reaches out to both men in their weakness and restores them to faith. Both of these stories speak of Jesus’ compassion for his friends, his infinite forgiveness and patience and his determination to maintain his friendships with his closest companions. These stories bring us comfort, encourage us to forgive ourselves and allow us to trust that despite our imperfection we can be counted as followers of Jesus.
But with Judas things are a little different. Despite the fact that Judas was called as an apostle, spent time with Jesus and was part of his inner circle we seem to believe that his sin was not forgiven, despite his repentance, after betraying his friend for 30 coins there is no reconciliation. His story ends with him hanging himself.
I have to admit I did not have many quiet moments on my recent ‘silent retreat’. I could not stop myself being involved in the planning and preparation for the launch of the Love Your Neighbour campaign last Friday. But in both the Eucharist services I went to, one word jumped out at me as if it were spoken in neon. It is contained in a sentence I have heard at every communion I go to – it is simply this: ‘He took the cup and said: “Drink this all of you..”‘ The words Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper. My word was ‘all‘. And for the first time I realised somewhere deep, that ‘all ‘included Judas, already known by Jesus as his betrayer, who was sitting round the table at the Last Supper. If Judas the betrayer had been included in this meal of communion, which we call a ‘foretaste of the heavenly banquet’, could it be possible that he was included in heaven? Could there have been a reconciliation and restoration for Judas as there was for Thomas and Peter?
If you grow up as a Christian, Judas is really only seen as a pantomime villain, but of course there is much more to him that the whopping mistake he made. And even his mistake can be looked at with fresh eyes.
Over the years I have found the enneagram really helpful for thinking about myself and other people. It divides people into 9 types which can then be seen on a spectrum from healthy to unhealthy. I think that Judas shares my type – a number six that looks for security and will try to find ways of making the world safe by being part of structures, institutions and clinging to certainty and power. Judas’s preoccupation with money and his desire to be part of the establishment showed his lack of trust in the Jesus’s loving, generous and dynamic movement. Judas wanted certainty and security through wealth and association with the powerful. This is a dynamic which drives much of how we live (and vote) today.We have come to believe that by having more and being more powerful we are saved – we are sold an illusion of safety and security. I think I have always known that in some ways I am like Judas and therefore his final estrangement from God is troubling. He made a hideous mistake – his weakness and fearfulness triggered his greed and he sold his friend. But can God’s love reach into his darkness, the regret, the hell he found himself in and restore him? Is there a possibility of absolution for Judas? Could he now be reconciled to Jesus and feasting at the heavenly banquet?
The gospels don’t tell us much about the apostles. They are almost like figures in a morality play and perhaps in some ways the represent our own attributes, failings and strengths as we journey in faith. The doubt of Thomas represents a necessary step into deeper faith, Peter reminds us that we can get it very right and very wrong virtually at the same moment and Andrew reminds us that sometimes the most important thing we can do is enable others and then step into the background.
We doubt any of them are flawless yet they all have things to teach us. Judas acts as a warning but perhaps too his story reminds us that the very worst of us and the very worst parts of us can be included. ‘Drink this all of you…..’
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Who is Sri Sakthi Amma
Sri Narayani Hospital and Research Centre
Emergency and Relief Efforts
Empowerment Programs
Sripuram
Current Fundraisers
Going to India
Sri Sakthi Amma has initiated various education programs that provide local children with life- changing opportunities for their future. Amma believes in the importance of education, moral values and spiritual transformation. Reflecting this, the school curriculum includes subjects and practices such as yoga, meditation, Vedic chanting, music, dance, painting and martial arts.
The schools are taught in the English medium, presenting a huge advantage for the students, as all tertiary education across India is in English. Hindi and Tamil are offered as language-subjects.
Seventy percent of the students at Amma’s schools are the first in their families to read and write. The success of the educational program is evidenced by the fact that every student proceeds to further their education after graduation, changing their future – and the lives of their families forever.
Sri Narayani Nursery School (middle building with brown door) was the first of many seeds in Amma’s vision for educating the community. It opened its doors in 1995 as a free-of-charge day care school providing local low- income workers a safe place to leave their children. What started as a one-room school that educated 10 to 20 children, has now expanded to facilitate the education of 2000 children, from pre-school to high school.
Sri Narayani Vidyalaya opened in 2002. Ranging from pre-school to grade 12, it provides State Board education to local rural children who are taught in English and Tamil.
Sri Narayani Vidyashram School was inaugurated in 2014. It instructs students all the way from kindergarten to high school in English and Hindi, under the National-Board system of education.
Vidya Nethram lends a helping hand to students from local rural communities to further their education. Every year, 800 local students from low-income families are given tertiary level education scholarships.
On completing their studies and entering the workforce, graduates are encouraged to ‘pay it forward’ by pledging to support a student’s education. This is a beautiful tradition of gratitude and encourages other students to follow in their footsteps.
About Divine Love
Divine Love World Charity, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable corporation, established in 2003, through which donors can support these humanitarian and charitable programs in conjunction with Sri Narayani Peedam and the Sri Narayani Hospital & Research Centre.
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Browsing by Author "Naegele, Nick"
Alisa Suzanne Jordheim, soprano, Saturday, May 24, 2008
Jordheim, Alisa Suzanne (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2008-05-24)
Benjamin Fraley, percussion, Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Fraley, Benjamin (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2010-06-02)
Brian Ganch and Nick Leahy, percussion, Thursday, May 10, 2007
Leahy, Nick; Ganch, Brian (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2007-05-10)
CCM Atrium Recital Series, Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Henderson, Josh (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2006-11-14)
Desiree Kelila Miller, cello, Saturday, May 15, 2010
Miller, Desiree (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2010-05-15)
Jennifer N. Poff, soprano, Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Poff, Jennifer N. (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2007-02-27)
Mark Tollefsen, piano, Monday, April 19, 2010
Tollefsen, Mark (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2010-04-19)
Nick Naegele, violin, Friday, March 30, 2007
Naegele, Nick (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2007-03-30)
Nick Naegele, violin, Friday, May 21, 2010
Nick Naegele, violin, Friday, November 12, 2010
Nick Naegele, violin, Sunday, May 4, 2008
T.J. Allen, clarinet; Nick Naegele, violin, Friday, March 12, 2010
Allen, T.J.; Naegele, Nick (University of Cincinnati. College-Conservatory of Music; University of Cincinnati. Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library; University of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati. Archives and Rare Books Library, 2010-03-12)
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»Department of Health Services (DHS)
»Chs. DHS 30-100; Community Services
»Chapter DHS 90
DHS 90.09 Assessment.
DHS 90.10 Development of service plan.
DHS 90.11 Service provision.
DHS 90.12 Procedural safeguards for parents.
DHS 90.13 Surrogate parent.
Ch. DHS 90 Note Note: Chapter HSS 90 was created as an emergency rule effective October 1, 1991. Chapter HSS 90 was renumbered Chapter HFS 90 under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 1., Stats., and corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 6. and 7., Stats., Register, April, 1997, No. 496. Chapter HFS 90 was renumbered to chapter DHS 90 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., and corrections made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635.
DHS 90.01 DHS 90.01 Authority and purpose. This chapter is promulgated under the authority of s. 51.44 (5) (a), Stats., to implement a statewide program of services for children in the age group birth to 3 who are significantly delayed developmentally insofar as their cognitive development, physical development, including vision and hearing, communication development, social and emotional development or development of adaptive behavior and self-help skills is concerned, or are diagnosed as having a physical or mental condition which is likely to result in significantly delayed development.
DHS 90.01 History History: Cr. Register, June, 1992, No. 438, eff. 7-1-92.
DHS 90.02 DHS 90.02 Applicability. This chapter applies to the department, to county agencies administering the early intervention services program, to other county agencies providing services under that program, and to all providers of early intervention services who are under contract to or have entered into agreement with county agencies to provide those services.
DHS 90.03 DHS 90.03 Definitions. In this chapter:
DHS 90.03(1) (1) “Assessment" means the initial and ongoing procedures used by qualified personnel and family members, following determination of eligibility, to determine an eligible child's unique strengths and needs and the nature and extent of early intervention services required by the child and the child's family to meet those needs.
DHS 90.03(2) (2) “Assistive technology device" means an item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capability of an eligible child.
DHS 90.03(2m) (2m) “Assistive technology service" means a service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device.
DHS 90.03(3) (3) “Atypical development" means development that is unusual in its pattern, is not within normal developmental milestones, and adversely affects the child's overall development.
DHS 90.03(4) (4) “Birth to 3" means from birth up to but not including age 3.
DHS 90.03(5) (5) “Birth to 3 program" means the effort in Wisconsin under s. 51.44, Stats., and this chapter that is directed at meeting the developmental needs of eligible children and meeting the needs of their families as these needs relate to the child's individual development.
DHS 90.03(6) (6) “Child" means a person in the age group birth to 3 with a developmental delay or disability as determined in accordance with criteria under s. DHS 90.08 (5) or (6).
DHS 90.03(7) (7) “Child find" means identifying, locating and evaluating children who may be eligible for the birth to 3 program.
DHS 90.03(8) (8) “Consent" means, in reference to a parent, that the parent:
DHS 90.03(8)(a) (a) Has been fully informed of all information relevant to an activity for which consent is sought, in the parent's language or other mode of communication;
DHS 90.03(8)(b) (b) Understands that information;
DHS 90.03(8)(c) (c) Agrees in writing to the activity for which consent is sought and the written consent describes that activity and lists the records, if any, that will be released in this connection, and to whom the records will be released; and
DHS 90.03(8)(d) (d) Understands that the granting of consent is voluntary and may be revoked at any time.
DHS 90.03(9) (9) “Core services" means the interdisciplinary evaluation of a child to determine eligibility, the identification of a service coordinator, provision of service coordination, development of an individualized family service plan, and the protection of rights under procedural safeguards.
DHS 90.03(10) (10) “County administrative agency" means the s. 46.21, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437, Stats., department, the local public health agency or any other public agency either designated by a county board of supervisors or acting under contract or agreement with the county board of supervisors to operate the birth to 3 program in the county and provide or contract for early intervention services for eligible children in that county.
DHS 90.03(11) (11) “Department" means the Wisconsin department of health services.
DHS 90.03(12) (12) “Developmental delay" means development that lags behind established developmental milestones as determined in accordance with the criteria under s. DHS 90.08 (5).
DHS 90.03(13) (13) “Developmental status" means the current functioning of a child in the areas of cognition, communication, vision and hearing, social interaction, emotional response, adaptive behavior and self-help skills, and the current physical condition and health of the child.
DHS 90.03(14) (14) “Diagnosed condition" means a physical or mental condition for which the probability is high, based on a physician's diagnosis and documenting report, that the condition will result in a developmental delay.
DHS 90.03(15) (15) “Early intervention record" means information recorded in any way by the county administrative agency or service provider regarding a child's screening, evaluation, assessment or eligibility determination, development and implementation of the IFSP, individual complaints dealing with the child or family and any other matter related to early intervention services provided to the child and the child's family.
DHS 90.03(16) (16) “Early intervention services" means services provided under public supervision that are designed to meet the special developmental needs of an eligible child and the needs of the child's family related to the child's development and selected in collaboration with the parent.
DHS 90.03(17) (17) “EI team" or “early intervention team" means the interdisciplinary team consisting of the parent, service coordinator and appropriate qualified personnel that conducts the evaluation or assessment of a child.
DHS 90.03(18) (18) “Eligible child" means a child eligible for the birth to 3 program.
DHS 90.03(19) (19) “Evaluation" means the process used by qualified professionals to determine a child's initial and continuing eligibility for early intervention services under s. 51.44, Stats., and this chapter.
DHS 90.03(20) (20) “Family-directed assessment" means the ongoing process by which the parent and service providers work together in partnership to identify and understand the family's strengths, resources, concerns and priorities including relevant cultural factors, beliefs and values, in order to provide support and services to increase the family's capacity to meet the developmental needs of the child.
DHS 90.03(21) (21) “IFSP" or “individualized family service plan" means a written plan for providing early intervention services to an eligible child and the child's family.
DHS 90.03(22) (22) “IFSP planning process" means the process to develop the IFSP which begins with the family's first contacts with the birth to 3 program, includes the evaluation of the child's abilities to determine eligibility; identification and assessment of the eligible child's unique needs; at a family's option, family-directed assessment of the family's strengths, resources, concerns and priorities; development of the written IFSP; implementation of the plan; planning for transition to other programs or services; and ongoing review and revision of the written plan.
DHS 90.03(23) (23) “IFSP team" means the team that develops and implements the IFSP consisting of the parent, service coordinator, service providers, at least one professional who served on the EI team and any other person identified by the parent.
DHS 90.03(24) (24) “Interdisciplinary" means drawing from different disciplines, specialties and perspectives, including perspectives of parents, and using formal channels of communication that encourage members or contributors to share information and discuss results.
DHS 90.03(24m) (24m) “Native language" means the language or other mode of communication normally used by the parent.
DHS 90.03(25) (25) “Natural environment" means settings that are natural or normal for the child's age peers who have no disability.
DHS 90.03(26) (26) “Parent" means the biological parents with parental rights or, if there is only one, the biological parent with parental rights; the parents by adoption or, if there is only one, the parent by adoption; a person acting as a parent such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives; a guardian; or a surrogate parent.
DHS 90.03 Note Note: The term “parent" is being used in the singular throughout this chapter for reasons of convenience of expression.
DHS 90.03(27) (27) “Parent facilitator" means the parent of a child with a disability, who is hired by the county administrative agency or a service provider on the basis of demonstrated skills in planning and communicating and in providing support to other parents.
DHS 90.03(28) (28) “Part C" means the federal grant program to help states establish statewide comprehensive systems of early intervention services for children in the age group birth to 3 and their families, 20 USC 1471-1485, which was added to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC ch. 33, by PL 99-457 and amended by PL 102-119 and PL 105-17.
DHS 90.03(28m) (28m) “Personally identifiable information" means the name of the child or the child's parent or other family member, the address of the child or the child's parent or other family member, any personal identifier such as the child's or parent's social security number, or a list of personal characteristics or other information that would make it possible to identify the child with reasonable certainty.
DHS 90.03(29) (29) “Procedural safeguards" means the requirements under ss. DHS 90.12 and 90.13 designed to protect the rights of children and families receiving services through the birth to 3 program.
DHS 90.03(30) (30) “Public health agency" means a health department, board or officer under ch. 251, Stats.
DHS 90.03(31) (31) “Qualified personnel" means persons who have met Wisconsin approved or recognized certification, licensing, registration or other comparable requirements set out in s. DHS 90.11 (6) for providing an early intervention service.
DHS 90.03(32) (32) “Screening" means the process for identifying children who need further evaluation because they may have a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition.
DHS 90.03(33) (33) “Service coordinator" means the person designated by a county administrative agency and responsible to that agency for coordinating the evaluation of a child, the assessment of the child and family and the development of an individualized family service plan, and for assisting and enabling the eligible child and the child's family to receive early intervention and other services and procedural safeguards under this chapter. A “service coordinator" is called a “case manager" for purposes of reimbursement for services under chs. DHS 101 to 108.
DHS 90.03(34) (34) “Service provider" means a public or private agency which by contract or agreement with a county administrative agency provides early intervention services under s. 51.44, Stats., and this chapter.
DHS 90.03(35) (35) “Surrogate parent" means a person who has been appointed in accordance with s. DHS 90.13 to act as a child's parent in all matters relating to s. 51.44, Stats., and this chapter.
DHS 90.03 History History: Cr. Register, June, 1992, No. 438, eff. 7-1-92; emerg. am. (1), (2), (6), (10), (16), (19), (28) and (33), cr. (2g), (8) (b), (24g) and (28g), renum. (8) (b) to (d) to be (8) (c) to (e), r. and recr. (25), eff. 1-1-93; am. (1), (2), (6), (10), (16), (19), (28) and (33), cr. (2m), (24m) and (28m), renum. (8) (c) and (d) to be (8) (d) and (c) and am., r. and recr. (25), Register, June, 1993, No. 450, eff. 7-1-93; am. (15), Register, April, 1997, No. 496, eff. 5-1-97; am. (28), Register, September, 1999, No. 525, eff. 10-1-99; corrections in (11) and (33) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6. and 7., Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635.
DHS 90.04 DHS 90.04 Eligibility. A child shall be eligible for early intervention services under this chapter if the child is either:
DHS 90.04(1) (1) Determined by the EI team under s. DHS 90.08 to be developmentally delayed; or
DHS 90.04(2) (2) Determined by the EI team under s. DHS 90.08 to have a physician-diagnosed and documented physical or mental condition which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay.
DHS 90.05 DHS 90.05 Department responsibilities.
DHS 90.05(1) (1) General. The department is responsible for developing and supporting a statewide comprehensive system of services for children with disabilities in the age group birth to 3 and their families, and for supervising and monitoring local birth to 3 programs to ensure that they comply with 20 USC 1471-1485, 34 CFR Pt. 303, s. 51.44, Stats., and this chapter.
DHS 90.05(2) (2) Development and support. In developing and supporting the statewide system, the department shall:
DHS 90.05(2)(a) (a) Provide technical assistance to county administrative agencies on operation of a local birth to 3 program;
DHS 90.05(2)(b) (b) Enter into an interagency agreement with the Wisconsin department of public instruction related to operation of the birth to 3 program, including operation of child find and facilitating the transition at age 3 of a child with a disability from the birth to 3 program to the program for children with exceptional educational needs under ch. 115, Stats., and ch. PI 11, and such other state-level interagency and intra-agency agreements as are necessary to facilitate and coordinate the operation of birth to 3 programs. The interagency and intra-agency agreements shall cover assignment of financial responsibility and the resolution of disputes;
DHS 90.05(2)(c) (c) Undertake public awareness and other child find activities that focus on identification, location or evaluation of children who are eligible to receive early intervention services. The department shall endeavor to make the public aware of the rationale for early intervention services, the availability of those services, how to make referrals and how a family might obtain the services, through various means such as public service announcements and the distribution of brochures and other printed materials. Before undertaking any statewide child find activity that focuses on the identification, location or evaluation of children, the department shall ensure that adequate notice is published in newspapers or other media with circulation adequate to notify parents throughout the state of the activity;
DHS 90.05(2)(d) (d) Operate or arrange for operation of a central directory of services to provide information on request by mail or telephone about public and private early intervention resources, research and demonstration projects in the state and various professional and other groups providing assistance to children in the birth to 3 age group and their families; and
DHS 90.05(2)(e) (e) Develop a comprehensive system of personnel development, including a plan for the provision of both preservice and inservice training, conducted as appropriate on an interdisciplinary basis, for the many different kinds of personnel needed to provide early intervention services, including personnel from public and private providers, primary referral sources, paraprofessionals and service coordinators. The training shall be directed specifically at:
DHS 90.05(2)(e)1. 1. Understanding the basic components of early intervention services available in the state;
DHS 90.05(2)(e)2. 2. Meeting the interrelated social, emotional, health, developmental and educational needs of eligible children; and
DHS 90.05(2)(e)3. 3. Assisting parents of eligible children in furthering the development of their children and in participating fully in the development and implementation of the IFSP.
DHS 90.05(3) (3) Supervision and monitoring. In supervising and monitoring local birth to 3 programs, the department shall:
DHS 90.05(3)(a) (a) Collect from county administrative agencies information on use of funds, system development, number of children needing and receiving early intervention services, types of services needed, types of services provided and such other information the department requires to describe and assess the operation of local programs;
DHS 90.05(3)(b) (b) Have ready access to county administrative agency files and staff, and the files and staff of service providers under contract or agreement with the county administrative agency;
DHS 90.05(3)(c) (c) Make an independent on-site investigation if the department determines it is necessary;
DHS 90.05(3)(d) (d) Ensure that deficiencies identified through monitoring are corrected by means that may include technical assistance, negotiations, corrective action plans and the threat or imposition of sanctions as allowed by law to achieve compliance including withholding of funds under s. 46.031 (2r), Stats.; and
DHS 90.05(3)(e) (e) Resolve disputes between local agencies that cannot be resolved locally. One or both parties may ask the department, in writing, to resolve a dispute or, if the department determines that a dispute between local agencies adversely affects or threatens to adversely affect the delivery of services to families, the department may, on its own initiative, act to resolve the dispute.
DHS 90.05(4) (4) Procedures for receiving and resolving complaints about operation of the program.
DHS 90.05(4)(a)(a)
DHS 90.05(4)(a)1.1. Any individual or organization having reason to believe that one or more requirements of this chapter or Part C and its implementing regulations, 34 CFR Pt. 303, are not being met by the department or a county administrative agency or by any other public agency or private provider involved in the early intervention system under agreement with the county administrative agency may complain to the department. The complaint shall be in writing and be signed and shall consist of a statement setting forth the complaint and the facts upon which the complaint is based. The department shall develop procedures to inform parents and other interested individuals and organizations about their right to file a complaint and how to file a complaint.
DHS 90.05(4)(a)2. 2. Complaints under subd. 1. shall not concern events that occurred more than one year before the complaint is made, except if the complainant could not have reasonably known about the event any earlier.
DHS 90.05 Note Note: A complaint under this subsection should be sent to the Birth to 3 Program, Division of Disability and Elder Services, P.O. Box 7851, Madison, WI 53707.
DHS 90.05 Note Note: Processes for resolution of disputes between parents and county administrative agencies are described in s. DHS 90.12 (5) and (6).
DHS 90.05(4)(b) (b) The department in response to a complaint filed under par. (a) shall appoint a complaint investigator who shall do the following:
DHS 90.05(4)(b)1. 1. Find out the facts related to the complaint;
DHS 90.05(4)(b)2. 2. Interview the complainant or the complainant's representative as part of fact-finding if that seems useful;
DHS 90.05(4)(b)3. 3. Conduct an independent on-site investigation at the county administrative agency or of a service provider if the department considers that necessary;
DHS 90.05(4)(b)4. 4. Consider the merits of the complaint; and
DHS 90.05(4)(b)5. 5. Recommend resolution of the complaint.
/code/admin_code/dhs/030/90 true administrativecode /code/admin_code/dhs/030/90/03/13 Department of Health Services (DHS) Chs. DHS 30-100; Community Services administrativecode/DHS 90.03(13) administrativecode/DHS 90.03(13) section true
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Mis e-books
Social Justice as Expressed in International Labour Standards - Documents and Materials of the ILO
José Luis Gil y Gil e Tatsiana Ushakova
Hojear
por € 43,00 + IVA Añadir a la cesta
Autor/Autores: José Luis Gil y Gil e Tatsiana Ushakova
ISBN v. impressa: 978989712349-8
ISBN v. digital:
The ILO documents and materials collected here can effectively complement textbooks for undergraduate and postgraduate studies at universities in English-speaking countries and other countries following the growing trend to introduce bilingual education and English-speaking programmes of study. Thanks to its multidisciplinary approach, this book is particularly useful for the subjects of Labour Law, International Law and International Human Rights Law. It can also be suggested for courses in Economics, Business and International Relations.
The ILO documents may also be of use to such legal professionals as lawyers, legislators and human rights defenders, who must increasingly consult international labour standards.
Besides being informational and educational, this compilation of documents is of scientific value as it contributes to the analytical systematization of ILO documents. The materials are organized into three blocks: General Principles and Fundamental Rights, Conventions and Recommendations, and the Supervisory Mechanism.
Finally, this book contributes to promotion of the humanistic ideas of the ILO, which fall under the maximum value of social justice. In doing so, it commemorates the upcoming centenary of the oldest intergovernmental international organization.
Autor/Autores
JOSÉ LUIS GIL Y GIL
Holds a Doctorate in Law (1991), and won the special thesis award from the University of Alcalá and the Trabajo y Seguridad Social award from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for the best doctoral thesis presented in 1990-1991. Since September 2011, he has been a professor of Labour Law at the University of Alcalá. He has spent extensive periods of time for research at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, the Université Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main. In addition, he has been a visiting professor at the following universities: Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV (1995, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012), Nantes (1995, 1999 and 2008) and Panthéon-Assas Paris II (2009, 2010 and 2013). His research focuses on the principles of employment contracts and on European and international labour law. He has published over a hundred articles on these and other matters in national and international legal journals. His main monographs to be highlighted are: La prescripción de las faltas laborales (1993), Autotutela privada y poder disciplinario en la empresa (1994), La prescripción y la caducidad en el contrato de trabajo (2000) and Principio de la buena fe y poderes del empresario (2003).
TATSIANA USHAKOVA
Lawyer. Doctor in Law (Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus). Master in European Union Law (Alcalá University, Alcalá de Henares, Spain). Master in International Migration Law (General Council of Spanish Lawyers and European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain). Lecturer experience in the Belarusian State University (Minsk), the Alcalá University (Madrid) and in the Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid). Research experience in the universities of Geneva, Frankfurt, Bordeaux and Milan. Author of books, articles and contributions to the conferences in the field of International Law, European Union Law, International Investment Law and International and European Labour Law.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, p. 11
PART 1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, p. 13
1.1 ILO Constitution, 1919 (extracts), p. 13
1.2 Declaration of Philadelphia, 1944, p. 18
1.3 Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises, 1977 (as amended in 2000 and 2006), p. 21
1.4 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998, p. 40
1.5 Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization, 2008, p. 45
1.6 Global Jobs Pact, 2009, p. 56
1.7 Decent Work Agenda (extracts), p. 66
PART 2. CONVENTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, p. 75
2.1 ILO Constitution, 1919 (extract), p. 75
2.2 Definition and General Classification, p. 79
2.3 Conventions (selection by subject), p. 91
2.3.1 Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, p. 91
C087 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87), p. 91
C098 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), p. 98
2.3.2 Forced labour, p. 104
C029 Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), p. 104
P029 Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, p. 117
C105 Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105), p. 123
2.3.3 Elimination of child labour, p. 126
C138 Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), p. 127
C182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), p. 136
2.3.4 Equality of opportunity and treatment, p. 142
C100 Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), p. 142
C111 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), p. 147
2.3.5 Employment policy, p. 152
C081 Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), p. 152
P081 Protocol of 1995 to the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947, p. 165
C122 Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), p. 170
C144 Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), p. 174
2.3.6 Social security, p. 179
C102 Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), p. 179
C118 Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No. 118), p. 218
C157 Maintenance of Social Security Rights Convention, 1982 (No. 157), p. 227
2.3.7 Labour conditions and rights at work, p. 242
C047 Forty-Hour Week Convention, 1935 (No. 47), p. 242
C132 Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 (No. 132), p. 245
C175 Part-Time Work Convention, 1994 (No. 175), p. 252
C131 Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131), p. 259
C187 Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187), p. 264
C158 Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 (No. 158), p. 271
2.3.8 Categories of workers, p. 280
C097 Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97), p. 280
C143 Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No. 143), p. 299
C183 Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183), p. 309
MLC Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, p. 317
C177 Home Work Convention, 1996 (No. 177), p. 334
C189 Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), p. 339
2.4 Recommendations (selection), p. 350
R166 Termination of Employment Recommendation, 1982 (No. 166), p. 350
R198 Employment Relationship Recommendation, 2006 (No. 198), p. 358
R202 Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), p. 364
PART 3. SUPERVISORY MECHANISM, p. 373
3.1 General information, p. 373
3.2 ILO Constitution, 1919 (relevant provisions), p. 374
3.3 Regular System of Supervision, p. 379
3.3.1 The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, p. 379
3.3.2 The International Labour Conference’s Tripartite Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, p. 380
3.4 Special Procedures, p. 381
3.4.1 Procedure for representations on the application of ratified Conventions, p. 381
3.4.2 Procedure for complaints over the application of ratified Conventions, p. 382
3.4.3 Special procedure for complaints regarding freedom of association (Freedom of Association Committee), p. 382
Editorial Juruá
Rua General Torres, 1.220 - Lojas 15 e 16
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Vila Nova de Gaia/Porto - Portugal
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July>
UAF course "Gender and Climate Change" gives new look to climate change curriculum
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, renowned for its research on climate change, is expanding those efforts in an unexpected direction — its sociology program. The first Gender and Climate Change course was offered this spring.
Many of the students, 14 who represented both the natural and social sciences, enrolled in the class because they couldn’t imagine how gender and climate change were connected, said Maureen Biermann, who developed and taught the online course.
The Gender and Climate Change course focused on how gender shapes our experiences of climate change in terms of how we understand the science, our actual contributions to the causes of climate change and how we experience it.
“For example, research shows that people who fall outside of the gender binary — who don’t fall into the clear male, female categories that we historically use to structure our society — these people tend to be more at risk following major climate events like hurricanes,” Biermann said. “Things that turn into disasters disproportionately affect those in the LGBTQ community.”
Gender’s relationship to climate change has been on the radar in academia for at least 15 years but has tended to focus on women’s experiences. Many aspects, including research on LGBTQ communities and men, are still underexplored.
Read the full article on UAF website.
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The Minnesota Vikings registered a huge, 26-20 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints to advance to the divisional round, but two of their most important offensive weapons could be dealing with injuries when they take the field in San Francisco to take on the 49ers this Saturday.
For the second straight day, wide receiver Stefon Diggs missed practice with an illness, while fellow wideout Adam Thielen was added to the injury report with an ankle injury. According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is optimistic that Diggs will be fine for Saturday, and that he’s just “sick.”
Diggs caught two passes for 19 yards on Sunday, but both were big catches that resulted in first downs on scoring drives. He also rushed two times for eight yards.
As for Thielen’s ankle injury, details on his situation were not readily made available, but he was at least able to be a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if he’s a limited participant in practice on Thursday or if he will return to 100 percent.
The two-time Pro Bowl wideout played a big role for the Vikings in the win over the Saints last week, as he caught a team-high seven passes for 129 yards. He rebounded from fumbling on the opening drive of the game to catch a 43-yard pass in overtime which got Minnesota down to the 2-yard line. Three plays later, Kirk Cousins hit tight end Kyle Rudolph in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning score.
The Vikings need both Diggs and Thielen if they want to upset the No. 1 seed 49ers on Saturday, and it doesn’t seem as though Zimmer is worried about the possibility of them being inactive.
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BiographiesFilmMusic
Just Try To Not Sing Along! We Dare You!
There are some songs you just can’t be sad to. This is even more true when those same songs are paired with lively choreography. In the 1950 film, Summer Stock, Judy Garland gives us a joyful performance of this fabled song in one of her last films for MGM. Written in 1930 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, an instrumental version was even used for a time as the opening theme song for Merrie Melodies! By chance, Arlen had to fill in for the pianist for a show he was performing in a show called “Cokey Joe.” When he experimented with the pick up, he began to create a new song. Overheard by Will Marion Cook, Harlen soon was deep in the throes of song-writing with Koehler, both under contract. This song is truly the embodiment of the spirit of the stage. Garland performs it here to a T and gives the dance performance that would later be copied by many young pop stars, singer, and actresses, complete with hat tip and black stockings. Have a look a this uplifting performance by the incomparable Judy Garland.
Proper DOT dustyoldthing_abovevideo
“I’m an American So I Played It”- Jimi Hendrix on Playing the National Anthem at Woodstock
Young Boy Unleashes Dance Moves To Dirty Dancing That Outshines Even Patrick Swayze
Geena Davis Opens Up About Working With Tom Hanks On A League Of Their Own
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The Hot Chick
2002 PG-13 1h 44m DVD
Cheerleader Jessica Spencer is as shallow and spiteful as she is pretty and popular. Her cruel nature gets her in trouble when she shoplifts a cursed pair of earrings and winds up trapped in the body of a 30-year-old male loser.
Rob Schneider, Anna Faris, Matthew Lawrence, Eric Christian Olsen, Robert Davi, Melora Hardin, Alexandra Holden, Rachel McAdams, Maritza Murray, Fay Hauser
Comedy, Late Night Comedies, Slapstick
Goofy, Raunchy
English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Parents need to know that The Hot Chick includes extremely explicit and offensive humor in just about every category. There are "jokes" about anorexia, pedophile priests, erections, cross-dressing boys, homosexuality, and race. Potential messages about acceptance and maturation are forsaken for cheap and easy attempts at humor. Teens drink in a dance club, and later, drink at a strip club. In the dialogue, there is strong sexual content, as parents openly discuss their sex lives, and in one scene, a mother makes sexual advances on a "Mexican gardener" who is actually her daughter. The content oftentimes feels more R-rated than PG-13; but even for older teens, there isn't anything of merit in this pointlessly crass and tritely formulaic attempt at "comedy."
Early in the film, characters use their sexuality to take advantage of people and situations. When a cheerleader becomes a thirty-year-old man, her best friend demands to see "her" penis. When the cheerleader calls her boyfriend and sounds like a man and says she regrets not being more affectionate, her boyfriend thinks it's a priest calling. While posing as a male Mexican gardener, the cheerleader listens as her father tells her about his sex life; later, the cheerleader's mother makes a pass at "her." A father is shown in bed reading Playboy magazine, then tilting the magazine sideways to look at the centerfold.
Comic violence. A janitor in a mall drives into a post with his vehicle while distractedly staring at a pretty teenage girl on an escalator. Security guards in a mall tackle a teenage girl after she sets off a security alarm. A man falls down metal bleachers after being pepper sprayed in the face by a teenage girl; he is shown falling on his face. A girl who has transformed into a man gets into a pillow fight with her best friends; with her newfound strength, the force of her pillow swings sends her friends airborne and crashing into walls, knocking them out. Characters get into a bar fight, culminating in kicks to the shins and groin.
Frequent profanity. "Ass." "Asshole." "B---h." "Dicking around." The word "gay" is frequently thrown around in a negative connotation. Characters call each other "sluts" and "skank hos." Towards the end of the film, a Korean mother, dressed in the manner of a hip hop performer, says to her half-Korean, half-African American daughter, "N----r please." A father, to who he believes is his Mexican gardener, lowers his pants to reveal his "pornstar trim." Early in the film, a teen girl insults another teen girl by making an anorexia joke. Jokes and sight gags regarding periods, and male urination. A man's rear end is shown twice.
Any potential for positive messages in this movie are avoided in favor of crass humor often at the expense of those who are "different."
After transforming into a thirty-year-old man, a cheerleader is shown using several bottles of clearly-marked Secret Deodorant.
At the beginning of the film, and appearing intermittently for the rest, the SNL sketch with the punch line "you can put your weed in it" is brought back to life. Teens drink at a dance club, and are later shown drinking at a strip club. A agitated mother puts whiskey in her coffee, and later abuses prescription drugs. The lead character orders several drinks at a dance club. A thirty-year-old man who has switched into a teenage girl's body lights a cigarette and starts to smoke before the cigarette is yanked from her mouth.
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Embracing Technology and Changing the Culture at the NYPD
Flickr/Adrian Owen
By Laura Adler • November 28, 2016
Public Safety in Focus
#DataSmart News: Public Safety
#DataSmart Resources: Public Safety
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RAVEN911 Gives Emergency Responders a Bird’s Eye View
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Predictive Tools for Public Safety
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Harnessing Data to Fight Crime in Maryland
Predicting Fire Risk: From New Orleans to a Nationwide Tool
In 2015, crime in New York City fell once again, reaching its lowest level in recent decades. New Yorkers are now safer in the city than they have been in years, and yet tensions between police officers and the communities in which they work have continued to mount. The challenge facing the New York Police Department (NYPD) today is to maintain safe streets while ushering in a new era of mutual respect between officers and local communities.
In the last two years, William Bratton has served for a second term as Commissioner of the New York Police Department. In this time, he led the NYPD away from aggressive tactics used to crack down on street-level crime, embracing instead a strategy that balances crime prevention and community engagement. In Bratton’s words, his second term was focused on moving the NYPD from a “warrior” to a “guardian” policing mindset.
This attempt at cultural change involved new policies regarding training and recruiting, neighborhood policing, and, perhaps most visibly, the adoption of social media platforms throughout the NYPD. A recently-published case study, co-authored by Harvard Law School Professor Susan Crawford and me, chronicles these organizational changes, drawing from dozens of interviews conducted by Professor Crawford starting in 2015. The full white paper, published by the Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society, is available here.
The paper shows that, upon beginning his second term with the NYPD, Bratton saw the need for a new type of policing focused on fostering communication and mutual respect. New avenues of communication took the form of street-level engagement through the Neighborhood Coordination Officer program and online interaction, first through Twitter and then through two-way communication platforms including Facebook and a crowdsourcing platform called IdeaScale. These technological initiatives relied, in turn, on a general modernization of the agency’s woefully out-of-date technology infrastructure.
Neighborhood Coordination Officers: Changing policing in the streets
The Neighborhood Coordination Officer (NCO) program, which began as a pilot in 2015, gets police officers out of their cars and into the community. The program requires officers spend 20 percent of their time “off radio;” rather than responding to 911 calls, they are expected to move through the neighborhood and engage informally with citizens. On the basis of the program’s success, it has expanded from an original set of five pilot precincts to 44 precincts across the city—over 50 percent of all precincts and all Housing commands.
The first step in forging more meaningful relationships was to assign officers to unified neighborhoods, rather than disparate parts of precincts. Where once cops would be responsible for many small areas scattered throughout the precinct, under NCO, the same cops are consistently patrolling a continuous, recognizable neighborhood, allowing them to become familiar with residents. By redrawing sector boundaries and assigning dedicated neighborhood officers, the program created, for the first time, a true “geographic responsibility” for officers, encouraging them to not only respond to emergencies, but also follow up on minor complaints or concerns expressed by residents.
The NCOs are also expected to engage in formal interaction with their communities through involvement in community groups. NCOs typically attend community meetings and are expected to develop working groups with less publicly-engaged demographics, especially young men. Through these intentional forms of public interaction, officers become familiar with and to their constituents. Whether or not this strategy will result in more effective crime prevention remains to be seen, but the NCO program is not aimed primarily at reducing crime. Rather, it is focused on building trust in communities at a time when it is urgently needed.
Twitter: Embracing social media, relaxing “command-and-control” culture
While the NCOs focused on increasing face-to-face communication, Commissioner Bratton was also embracing Twitter as a tool for engaging with New Yorkers online. Starting in early 2014 with the Commissioner’s personal account and five precinct pilot command accounts, the NYPD Twitter program has grown to over 100 separate accounts, including all city precincts, housing commands, and many department heads. By enabling open interaction between officers and the public, Bratton took a radical step away from the “command-and-control” culture that had dominated the NYPD for decades, empowering officers throughout the organization to find their own public voice.
The Twitter program began with Bratton’s first tweet in January of 2014, which many officers view as an important milestone. His first tweet was, as one commander remarked, “very important, very unique to this department that you see something that’s not a press release coming out of the NYPD, that’s a personal voice and has a photo attached… you can relate.” Despite the initial novelty of this direct, personal communication, the program quickly expanded, and more than one hundred NYPD chiefs and officers were tweeting by the end of the year. One officer put it succinctly when he said, referring to the previous police chief, “Commissioner Kelly was a great man, but he spoke, and now all of the sudden all are speaking.”
While some officers embraced the new opportunity with enthusiasm, others were wary of engaging in open conversation on such an unmediated platform. As one officer explained, “I said, ‘I don’t want to tweet.’ First of all, I’m not on Facebook because I feel like a public figure. I don’t need to be involved. I’m not out there. I don’t want to be out there. This was the last thing I’d want to do.”
They were right to feel apprehensive. Within a few months of going online, the NYPD suffered a minor scandal after launching a hashtag, #myNYPD, that was quickly taken up by activists critical of the department’s treatment of poor and minority residents. While this might have prompted another Commissioner to shut down the Twitter program altogether, Bratton demonstrated his commitment to the new openness. As one officer explained, the tone set by Bratton was, “‘Look, this happened. No one is getting fired… We’re going to do damage control [and] we’re going to move forward,’ and I think that set an example… [Officers felt that] this ground is maybe a little less dangerous because you know you have the support of 1PP [headquarters].” By weathering the storm, Bratton signaled his support for officers throughout the organization as they experimented with their new public voice.
Building infrastructure for modern policing
When Commissioner Bratton took office, the NYPD’s information technology infrastructure was woefully out of date. Precincts used outdated Internet connections provided by Verizon, which would have been a larger problem if precinct officers had access to the Internet at all: few officers had a desktop computer and fewer still had computers with any kind of connectivity. Most officers had no phone number or voicemail.
In two busy years, the NYPD has replaced its data centers, started construction on a redundant citywide fiber optic network, invested in smartphones for all officers and in-vehicle tablets, and set up email, phone numbers, and voicemail for most officers in the street.
Perhaps the most exciting technology initiative, and the one most closely linked to the implementation of social media, is the department-wide rollout of smartphones. Using $140 million awarded to the NYPD by the Manhattan District Attorney from a settlement with international banks, the department invested in 41,000 mobile devices, including 35,000 smartphones and 6,000 tablet computers installed in police vehicles. Initially, the department planned a two-year rollout, but after piloting smartphones in four precincts, they saw the massive benefit of the equipment and accelerated deployment.
Limitations and opportunities
Building a local audience: Although the NYPD has quickly built a local following, the department’s reach is not large. By the end of 2015, the 111 NYPD Twitter accounts collectively had almost 750,000 followers, but in a city of eight million, such a following is still too limited. As one officer explained, “We still struggle with the general public awareness of the fact that they can tune into us online.” Cultivating a local audience is particularly important. Many non-local Twitter users—especially journalists—follow NYPD accounts, but the department gets the most benefit by engaging with local residents. Building broad interest among community members has proven difficult, as some are not on social media and others may not see the benefit of following NYPD accounts. However, the department’s bureaus are working to expand awareness in the streets through flyers and face-to-face communication.
Two-Way Communication: The greatest potential of social media is its ability to facilitate two-way communication. Organizations like the NYPD have always had the ability to broadcast through press releases or public service announcements. Unlike these old media, Twitter allows the NYPD to listen, as well as to speak. To date, however, the department makes limited use of this capability. Listening is critical, not only because it can provide the NYPD with valuable information, but also because communication is a two-way street—people are more likely to listen if they can also be heard. Early efforts at online “listening” through a platform called IdeaScale gained limited traction, prompting the NYPD to explore supplementing the program with platforms residents already use, such as Facebook. As NYPD expands its use of social media, it will benefit from learning how to harness the ability to hear from its communities online.
Measurement: The recent initiatives implemented by the NYPD all point to a desire to improve the responsiveness and community engagement of the department. However, the city has established few metrics or benchmarks to track the success of the initiatives, creating a barrier to meaningful change. The NYPD will only know how close it is to reaching its goals if data is regularly collected, analyzed, and measured against targets established in advance. The administrators of these programs know that this is a shortcoming of both the technology and the organizational initiatives, and steps are being taken to establish measures and targets. However, nothing can beat knowing your data, establishing a baseline, and tracking progress from the outset.
Laura Adler
Laura Adler is a PhD student in Sociology at Harvard. She received a Bachelors from Yale University and a Masters in City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. Laura's research interests include urban planning and social policy in the US and abroad, with recent academic work focused on the relationship between urban governance and technology. Prior to beginning graduate study at Harvard, Laura worked for the City of New York's Department of Information Technology, where she focused on long-term technology strategy in support of the city's operations and expanding broadband access for New York City residents.
Data-Smart
City Solutions
The Critics Agree: Citizen Engagement is Key
The Future of Civic Engagement
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Weekly Sermon Illustration: Lazarus
Next Sunday we will celebrate the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Here is this week's reading from the gospel of John:
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them." After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him." The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world." When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
Here is Buechner's article on Lazarus-first published in Peculiar Treasures and later in Beyond Words.
LAZARUS AND HIS TWO SISTERS lived in a town called Bethany a couple of miles outside Jerusalem and according to the Gospel of John were among the best friends Jesus had. He used to drop in on them whenever he was in the neighborhood, and when he made his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, it was from Bethany that he took off, and it was also to Bethany that he went back to take it easy for a few days before his final arrest.
When Lazarus died, Jesus didn't arrive on the scene until several days afterward, but he found the sisters still so broken up they hardly knew what they were saying. With one breath they reproached him for not having come in time to save their brother and with the next they told him they knew he could save him still. Then, for the first and only time such a thing is recorded of him in the New Testament, Jesus broke down himself. Then he went out to where his friend's body lay and brought him back to life again.
Recent interviews with people who have been resuscitated after being pronounced clinically dead reveal that, after the glimpse they evidently all of them get of a figure of light waiting for them on the other side, they are very reluctant to be brought back again to this one. On the other hand, when Lazarus opened his eyes to see the figure of Jesus standing there in the daylight beside him, he couldn't for the life of him tell which side he was on.
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PGA’s Milestone Honoree Ted Sarandos Pays Tribute To “Early Adopter” Who Raised Him
‘Darkest Hour’ & ‘Beauty And The Beast’ Production Designer Unlocks Familiar & Foreign Worlds
By Matt Grobar
Matt Grobar
Assistant Editor, Awardsline
More Stories By Matt
Deadline’s PGA Awards Live Blog
Receiving two Oscar nominations this year, for Beauty and the Beast and Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour—and sharing this accomplishment with costume designer Jacqueline Durran—production designer Sarah Greenwood is being recognized once again for two projects that couldn’t have been more challenging or more different in budget, scale and their respective creative elements.
Stewart Cook/REX/Shutterstock
With Beauty, the six-time Oscar nominee took on her first musical, a big-budget, live-action adaptation of a beloved animated classic, in her first collaboration with director Bill Condon. With Darkest Hour, on the other hand, Greenwood was met with a director with whom she’d previously collaborated on five films, taking on a “small, contained, British film” that felt closer to home, while requiring dexterous work within real-world locations.
'Darkest Hour' Crosses $45M; ‘Lady Bird’ Tops $41M; Met Opera Screen’s 'Tosca' Hits $2M: Specialty Box Office
Greenwood’s year with Beauty and Darkest Hour encapsulates a broad range of experience across the spectrum of filmmaking—on location and sound stages, through history, fantasy, and a combination of the two.
What was it that drew you to these two very different projects?
We did Beauty and the Beast first, which was a long haul. I spent probably 18 months all in all, starting pre-, pre-, pre-prep, way back when. That project was like the jewel in the crown for Disney. Bill [Condon] is such a nice guy and great to work with.
Darkest Hour was kind of like going back to your roots. It was a very interesting script. I know there’s a lot of controversy over the tube scene, which I kind of agree with, but what was fascinating was that is was something that I didn’t know about a critical piece of our history, the fact that we came so close to going the other way. You just think, “My God. What would have happened had he not taken over at that point? Had he not made that decision?” It could have so easily been such a different world.
It was a great script, but it was kind of gray men in a gray room, chatting away. But you just know that Joe is going to bring something else to the whole telling of that story, and I certainly think he did.
The elephant in the room was, of course, Gary’s performance. That was completely electrifying. I was on set, right by camera, when they were shooting that scene in the ballroom when the red bulb comes on, and it was kind of like, “Whoa, that sent a shiver.”
Where did your work begin on each film? Were there certain artistic inspirations that influenced the films’ aesthetics?
With Beauty and the Beast, one of the things [set decorator] Katie Spencer and I started with was working on the household staff. Now, that’s something I’d never done before. When you’re working on the characters, what are they like? They’re obviously of the period.
This is the other thing that was very interesting about Beauty and the Beast, that it wasn’t in a homogenous fairy tale world. You were in 1740s France. We started looking at: What were the clocks like then? What were the candlesticks like then? Then, you kind of back into the characters. How do they manifest themselves?
Knowing that Ian McKellen was playing Cogsworth, he was a stalky, little pompous maître d’. At the front of his clock, he’s got his sword, his cannon, his whistle. You’ve got all these different props that come to life. And how do you animate the face? How does that work with the mustache, and all of that?
Also, unlike the animation, where these characters move in space as you will, we’re stuck with real objects, in real space, in real time. Therefore, the castle is enormous, and you’ve got this enormous beast, and you’ve got Chip, who’s the size of a tiny teacup. How does that work? We came up with the idea that his saucer is like a skateboard, so he scoots around on that.
One of the other big ones that we changed was Plumette. We gave Plumette wings. We made her into a feather duster, but she was kind of an elegant feather duster that’s like a dressing table for wigs and things. She was much more elegant, but she could fly, so the camera could go up with her. Those are all fascinating things to do.
Stepping into how it’s going to look, on all my projects, I start off doing loads of referencing and photo research. I work very closely with a picture researcher called Phil Clark. You gather all of that, and you’re looking for the key. What struck me [on Beauty] was two very dry etchings. One was straight rococo design, which is quite florid and over-the-top—very specific and short-lived, but very organic. The other one was kind of rococo gone mad. It had all continued growing, and this is something that I wanted to do with the castle. The whole castle continued to transform itself over time, and it wasn’t going to get derelict and dank. It was just going to continue stretching and changing. That was the key.
I work very closely with three illustrators—Joanna Bush, Karl Simon Gustafsson and Eva Kuntz. They all have very different styles. We did about 150 illustrations, and drew all the characters, which we then took back to Disney. Then, we were off. I didn’t initially re-look at the animation—I looked at it ages ago, when my son was young. So here’s the animation, and you’re filling in an awful lot of gaps.
As far as Darkest Hour goes, we did no illustrations because in a way, we know everything to some extent. The main difference was that it’s a period that we know—we’ve seen it so many times. My thing about it was that it was kind of capturing the essence of what the period was without being completely slavish.
There are the war rooms in London, these incredible museums, so that was a great point of reference, but that’s very linear. Whereas what we wanted was a maze-like, West Wing-like kind of space that you could move around, something that felt very different from what we know was happening in Germany at the same time. I’m talking about what I know from films, as well.
You have films like Valkyrie, and you know that Hitler had so much money. They were this massive machine, so everything they did was kind of perfect, straight-lined and cool colors. Their uniforms were all immaculate and everything was really well done. Whereas the British, they had no money. They had no preparation. Everything that they did, and this is a fact, they just did it on the hoof. They said, “Well, let’s set up the war rooms in this basement,” and then they realized that if a bomb dropped, the basement wouldn’t be secure. So they put all these wooden columns everywhere, and they were wooden because it was a naval boat builder who did it. It’s kind of these weird facts of the way the British did it.
The same goes for Downing Street. We did, in fact, use the real Downing Street as an exterior. Our producer Eric Fellner knew [Former Prime Minister] David Cameron before he got the chop from Brexit. [laughs] So he got us in there. Luckily, [Prime Minister] Theresa May said, “Yes, they can still film, as long as they do it on a Sunday morning and they’re in and out.” That was the exterior, and we dirtied it down in post, but the interior was a derelict house on a Yorkshire estate that we were allowed to do anything we wanted to. It was a room that felt like a cabinet room, but wasn’t, and it was done very much to have the feel, again, of this kind of chaotic place.
When we went around Downing Street and were talking to historians, they were saying, “This place was a virtual slum, and it was only Margaret Thatcher in the ‘80s who finally said, ‘This needs to be renovated.’” It was really rough.
Then, of course, we built the House of Commons. We were allowed into the Palace of Westminster to film, but you can’t sit on the green benches—bizarre. Some old rule. So we had to build it. Also, the House of Commons today was built in the 1950s. It was rebuilt because the House of Commons was bombed in like 1941. So we went back to drawings of the original House of Commons, which was this very dark, gloomy place.
Jack English/Focus Features
What was the thought process when it came to the artwork seen in the living spaces of Darkest Hour’s royalty?
Buckingham Palace that we did for Darkest Hour is in fact is an empty old shell of a house in Yorkshire. It was used as a sports academy or something like that, so there’s only these staterooms that are left. That was a complete dress that we did.
Even though they’re the royals, we went really paired-down. We reupholstered all the furniture. It was all done with things that were like four notches down from where it should be. It was kind of very low key. All the gilding was kind of tarnished and dirty and gray. It had the big shutters up at the window, which helped with Bruno [Delbonnel, cinematographer]’s chiaroscuro lighting. The king was as much stuck in the country as everybody else was. There was no getting away from it, even though he was royalty.
What was the process of creating the gigantic mural of Gaston for Beauty and the Beast?
That was a kind of joke. We painted it on the ceiling of the country inn in Villeneuve, because Gaston’s like the top dog in that village. So he says, “I want my portrait up there.” On this ceiling, there’s fourblocks of portraits of Gaston winning at this, and Gaston being a hero at that. We matched it to this pose that Bill knew he was going to take at the end of that scene. You know, “This is me. Look at me.” It’s like the local lad down at the village pub with his trophy. That’s the kind of thing it was emulating.
The other thing is that everything on Beauty and the Beast was built from scratch. There was one day out on location. Everything else was built on the backlot or on the stages, so it’s the polar opposite of what we did on Darkest Hour. The budget on Beauty and the Beast was phenomenal, and the budget on Darkest Hour was really tight. You could say that the total budget on Darkest Hour was almost what the budget of the art department on Beauty and the Beast was. It was that massive of a difference between the two films. The bottom line is, there’s never enough money, but you get the best out of the money that you have. Those are the decisions that you make, that you push through.
Sarah Greenwood
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The Guys
Thank you to these eight men who help provide a male perspective in our His Take columns:
Andrew Condell has been doling out unsolicited advice for as long as anyone can remember. His world-weary platitudes are often met with indifference, annoyance and unsettling silences. Despite Andrew’s advanced age, he has very little life experience from which to draw and has learned almost nothing from his many many mistakes.
Art Allen is a straight man nearing his 30s. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, dog, and two cats. Art is an event producer and might have an event happening in your town soon. He has a nearly 1:1 ratio of having his heart broken and having broken others’ hearts. He knows what’s up.
Brian Fairbanks has been a working journalist since he landed a job at the Hartford Courant at the age of 15, going on to write for Gawker, Nerve and AOL as a relationships and pop culture writer. After a tenure of working on books by Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac, he created videos that aired on the Daily Show and the Rachel Maddow Show and has just completed his first feature film.
Dennis Hong engineers happiness at WordPress.com by day. By night, he is a relationships and comedy writer, which can be redundant or an oxymoron, depending on your perspective. Dennis is the creator of Musings on Life and Love, a group blog for sharing life lessons, and LemonVibe, a relationship advice site for couples. You also can find him on Twitter (he is not the creator of Twitter).
Diablo began as a wide-eyed English major with no clue how to care for himself, much less anyone else. He has been an English lecturer, has worked for various small charities, and is now the Grants and Communications Manager for a community foundation in Canada, helping over 150 charities each year to receive funding for community projects. In his spare time, he is a hack songwriter. Any good qualities he has he most likely learned from his wife.
Guy Friday works at a small non-profit as a champion of the indigent, particularly since he’s one of them himself. He’s the guy who, with each piece of advice he gives, tries to live by the guidance of the Old Man in the Legend of Zelda: “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this!” And, of course, he’s the kind of guy who rewrote this bio at least 20 times before submitting it because he didn’t want to sound like an idiot.
Jarek is from Maine. His qualifications for this highly-paid position include being “somewhat out of touch with the dating scene,” according to his wife, and “it’s the sort of advice you take with a grain of salt,” says one friend. He often finds himself asking questions you would expect to hear from your parents, like “What the hell is Snapchat?” and “What does YOLO stand for?” That, coupled with his love for scotch, makes him a 65-year-old man stuck in a 30-year-old’s body.
Matthew Van Colton is a New York and Chicago-based writer & performer. He loves the smell of pine trees, he’ll never turn down peanut butter with chocolate, and he thinks the idea of having his very own stalker is both romantic and flattering. More at www.matthewvancolton.com.
Tax Geek is the father of two boys, ages 13 and 9. He is recently divorced and so is trying to figure out this dating/relationships thing again. He has a law degree, but has yet to put it to good use. Instead, he works in marketing in the financial services industry.
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You searched for: Party Federalist Remove constraint Party: Federalist Party Quid Remove constraint Party: Quid
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1. Maryland 1806 House of Delegates, Baltimore County
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The Federalist Party
The Federalist Party was dominated by a man who never actually ran for public office in the United States - Alexander Hamilton. "Alexander Hamilton was, writes Marcus Cunliffe, 'the executive head with the most urgent program to implement, with the sharpest ideas of what he meant to do and with the boldest desire to shape the national government accordingly.' In less than two years he presented three reports, defining a federal economic program which forced a major debate not only on the details of the program but on the purpose for which the union has been formed. Hamilton's own sense of purpose was clear; he would count the revolution for independence a success only if it were followed by the creation of a prosperous commerical nation, comparable, perhaps even competitive, in power and in energy, with its European counterparts." (fn: Marcus Cunliffe, The Nation Takes Shape, 1789-1837, (Chicago, 1959), 23.) (Linda K. Kerber, History of U.S. Political Parties Volume I: 1789-1860: From Factions to Parties. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., ed. New York, 1973, Chelsea House Publisher. p. 11)
"Federalists created their political program out of a political vision. They had shared in the revolutionaries' dream of a Republic of Virtue, and they emerged from a successful war against empire to search for guarantees that the republican experiment would not collapse." (Kerber, p. 3)
"The Federalist political demand was for a competent government, one responsible for the destiny of the nation and with the power to direct what that destiny would be. What was missing in postwar America, they repeatedly complained in a large variety of contexts, was order, predictability, stability. A competent government would guarantee the prosperity and external security of the nation; a government of countervailing balances was less likely to be threatened by temporary lapses in civic virtue, while remaining strictly accountable to the public will." (Kerber, p. 4)
"So long as Federalists controlled and staffed the agencies of the national government, the need to formulate alternate mechanisms for party decision making was veiled; with a Federalist in the White House, Federalists in the Cabinet, and Federalist majorities in Congress, the very institutional agencies of the government would themselves be the mechanism of party. Federal patronage could be used to bind party workers to the Federalist 'interest.' 'The reason of allowing Congress to appoint its own officers of the Customs, collectors of the taxes and military officers of every rank,' Hamilton said, 'is to create in the interior of each State, a mass of influence in favor of the Federal Government.' (fn: Alexander Hamilton, 1782, quoted in Lisle A. Rose, Prologue to Democracy: The Federalists in the South, 1789-1800, (Lexington, Kentucky, 1968), 3.) Federalists though of themselves as a government, not as a party; their history in the 1790's would be the history of alignments within the government, rather than of extrernal alignments which sought to influence the machinery of government." (Kerber, p. 10)
"Major national issues invigorated the process of party formation; as state groups came, slowly and hesitantly, to resemble each other. The issues on which pro-administration and anti-administration positions might be assumed increased in number and in obvious significance; the polarity of the parties became clearer." (Kerber, p. 11)
"As Adams' presidential decisions sequentially created a definition of the administration's goals as clear as Hamilton's funding program had once done, the range of political ideology which called itself Federalist simply became too broad to the party successfully to cast over it a unifying umbrella. Federalists were unified in their response to the XYZ Affair, and in their support of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which passed as party measures in the Fifth Congress, but in little else. The distance between Adams and Hamilton - in political philosophy, in willingness to contemplate war with France, in willingness to manipulate public opinion - was unbridgable; Hamilton's ill-tempered anti-Adams pamphlet of 1800 would be confirmation of a long-established distaste." (Kerber, p. 14)
"One result of the war was to add to Federalist strength and party cohesion. There were several varieties of Federalist congressional opinion on the war: most believed that the Republicans had fomented hard feeling with England so that their party could pose as defende of American honor; many believed that in the aftermath of what they were sure to be an unsuccessful war the Republicans would fall from power and Federalists would be returned to office . . . Regardless of the region from which they came, Federalists voted against the war with virtual unanimity." (Kerber, p. 24)
"As an anti-war party, Federalists retained their identity as an opposition well past wartime into a period that is usually known as the Era of Good Feelings and assumed to be the occasion of a one party system. In 1816, Federalists 'controlled the state governments of Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Massachusetts; they cast between forty percent and fifty percent of the popular votes in New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont...Such wide support did not simply vanish...' (fn: Shaw Livermore, Jr. The Twilight of Federalism: The Disintegration of the Federalist Party 1815-1830, (Princeton, 1962), 265.) Rather, that support remained available, and people continued to attempt to make careers as Federalists (though, probably fewer initiated new careers as Federalists). Because men like Rufus King and Harrison Gray Otis retained their partisan identity intact, when real issues surfaced, like the Missouri debates of 1820, a 'formed opposition' still remained to respond to a moral cause and to oppose what they still thought of as a 'Virginia system.' Each of the candidates, including Jackson in the disputed election of 1824 had Federalist supporters, and their presence made a difference; Shaw Livermore argues that the central 'corrupt bargain' was not Adams' with Clay, but Adams' promise of patronage to Federalists which caused Webster to deliver the crucial Federalist votes that swung the election. If the war had increased Federalist strength, it also, paradoxically, had operated to decrease it, for prominent Federalists rallied to a beleaguered government in the name of unity and patriotism. These wartime republicans included no less intense Federalists than Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut and William Plumer of New Hampshire, both of whom went on to become Republican governors of their respective states, and in their careers thus provide emblems for the beginning of a one party period, and the slow breakdown of the first party system." (Kerber, p. 24)
"The dreams of the Revolution had been liberty and order, freedom and power; in seeking to make these dreams permanent, to institutionalize some things means to lose others. The Federalists, the first to be challenged by power, would experience these contradictions most sharply; a party that could include John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Noah Webster, would be its own oxymoron. In the end the party perished out of internal contradiction and external rival, but the individuals who staffed it continued on to staff its succesors." (Kerber, p, 25)
History of U.S. Political Parties Volume I: 1789-1860: From Factions to Parties. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., ed. New York, 1973, Chelsea House Publisher.
The Revolution of American Conservatism: The Federalist Party in the Era of Jeffersonian Democracy. David Hackett Fischer. New York, 1965, Harper and Row.
The Age of Federalism: The Early American Republic, 1788-1800. Stanley Elkins and Eric McKitrick. New York, 1993, Oxford University Press.
The Federalists were referred to by many monikers over the years by newspapers.
American Party:
In 1809, The Concord Gazette refers to the Federalist Ticket as the American Ticket.
Beginning in 1810, the Newburyport Herald (MA), began referring to Federalists as the American Party (as opposed to the "French" Party, who were Republicans). This continued in the 1811 elections.
Anti-Republican:
The Aurora, based in Philadelphia, the most well-known Republican newspaper of the era (see American Aurora: A Democratic-Republican Returns by Richard N. Rosenfeld.) in the February 11, 1800 issue referred to Mr. Holmes, the losing candidate for the Special Election for the Philadelphia County seat in the House of Representatives as an "anti-republican".
Federal Republican:
The October 7, 1799 issue of the Maryland Herald (Easton) referred to the Federalist ticket of Talbot County as Federal Republicans. It would continue to be used intermittently throughout the next 20 years. Newspapers that used this term included the Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia) and Philadelphia Gazette in 1800, the Newport Mercury in 1808, the New Bedford Mercury in 1810, the True American (Philadelphia) in 1812, the Northumberland Republican (Sunbury) in 1815, the United States Gazette (Philadelphia) in 1816 and the Union (Philadelphia) in 1821 and 1822.
Friends of Peace / Peace / Peace Ticket:
Beginning in 1812 ("In laying before our readers the above Canvass of this county, a few remarks become necessary, to refute the Assertion of the war party, that the Friends of Peace are decreasing in this country." Northern Whig (Hudson). May 11, 1812.) and continuing through to 1815 a number of newspapers referred to the Federalists as the Peace Party (or Peacemaker Party, as the Merrimack Intelligencer (Haverhill) of March 19, 1814 used), as the Peace Ticket or as the Friends of Peace due to their opposition of the War of 1812 (many of these same newspapers referred to the Republicans as the War Party). This use occurred all through at least August of 1815, with the Raleigh Minerva of August 18, 1815 referring to the Federalist candidates as Peace candidates.
These newspapers include the Columbian Centinel (Boston), Merrimack Intelligencer (Haverhill), Providence Gazette, the New York Evening Post, the New York Spectator, the Commercial Advertiser (New York), Northern Whig (Hudson), the Broome County Patriot (Chenango Point), the Independent American (Ballston Spa), the Baltimore Patriot, the Alexandria Gazette, Poulson's, Middlesex Gazette (Middletown), the Political and Commercial Register (Philadelphia), Freeman's Journal (Philadelphia), the Carlisle Herald, Northampton Farmer, Intelligencer and Weekly Advertiser (Lancaster), National Intelligencer (Washington), The Federal Republican (New Bern), the Raleigh Minerva, The Star (Raleigh) and Charleston Courier.
The New Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth) took the opposite side, listing the Federalists in the March 16, 1813 edition as "Advocates of Dishonorable Peace and Submission."
"The Tyranny of Printers": Newspaper Politics in the Early American Republic. Jeffrey L. Pasley. Charlottesville, 2001, University Press of Virginia.
The Quids
In Pennsylvania, the Quids, known first as "Constitutionalists", arose out of a split among the Republicans in local Philadelphia politics.
The various Republican splinter movements in New York [Burrites, Lewisites and Clintonians] although most had underlying economic and reform issues, they often instead rallied around a central personality. As did most Republican splinter movements in Pennsylvania with exception of the Constitutional Republicans, a movement formed to prevent proposed judicial changes to the Pennsylvania Constitution. In addition to these, there were within Congress a group of individuals who were often classified as Quids. Among this group were congressmen from Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina. Mainly elected in 1804 and 1806 as Republicans, they began to question some actions and direction of their party. When reaction to the Embargo revitalized the Federalist; New York and Pennsylvania dissident Republican movements moved back into the main party. On the Congressional level, a few remained in opposition, some declined to run for re-election, and others were not re-nominated.
"The first evidence of this appeared in reports of a dinner of the 'Democratic Constitutional Republicans' held at the White Horse Tavern in Philadelphia on March 4, 1805, to celebrate Jefferson's second inauguration. A few days later the Freeman's Journal printed a proposal, dated March 14, for forming 'The Society of Constitutional Republicans.' This document recognized the sovereignity of the people, the principle of majority rule, and the right of the people, to alter and abolish their government as they saw fit. However, it described the Pennsylvania Constitution, along with the Federal Constitution, as 'the noblest invention of human wisdom, for the self-government of man' and avowed that it should be changed only when the motives and causes were 'obvious, cogent, general and conclusive.' Great political blessings were enjoyed under the Constitution, and it required no alteration. The list of the society's principles closed with an assertion of loyalty to the existing State and Federal administrations." (The Keystone in the Democratic Arch: Pennsylvania Politics, 1800-1816. Sanford W. Higginbotham. 1952. p 82-83)
"Continuing the practice of the preceding year, the Aurora referred to the Constitutional Republicans as Quids. The latter professed to find the title an honorable one. A writer on the Freeman's Journal asserted that a 'tertium quid' was a substance used in pharmacy to transform a poison into a medicine and avowed that there was a great need for such an element in politics. A third party would determine whether there would be 'liberty of despotism.'" (Higginbotham, p 91)
"The incident [the Special election of State Senator for District 1 in December of 1805] highlighted one aspect of the dilemma which faced the Pennsylvania Quids so long as they existed - how to avoid becoming a tail to the Federalist kite when the Democratic leaders would not permit them to rejoin their old party." (Higginbotham, p 105)
"With McKean ineligible for another term in 1808 and with national issues making union with the Federalists less and less palatable, the great majority of Constitutional Republicans wished to return to the Republican ranks. However, they had no desire to submit to the leadership of Leib and Duane after the many indignities they had suffered at their hands. An alliance with the country Republicans, who were also seeking to rid the party of the domination of Leib and Duane, seemed a logical and natural arrangement." (Higginbotham, p 138)
"The election of 1808 was a significant demonstration of the depth and strength of Pennsylvania Republicanism. The Federalists had been favored by many circumstances - Republican disunity over presidential candidates; the Leib-Boileau quarrel among the Democrats; Quid cooperation with them in the three preceding elections; and, most important, the economic hardships of the embargo. Yet they had lost by an overwhelming majority. Republican unity reappeared under the stimulus of a revived Federalism campaigning on national issues. Internal divisions were suppressed, and the Republicans gave undivided support to Madison and Snyder. The stresses of the campaign destroyed the Constitutional Republicans as a third party, though there were vestiges in a few counties." (Higginbotham, p 176)
"The strength and nature of this factionalism varied, but it never entirely disappeared. The first stage lasted from 1800 to 1805. Personal and local differences appeared almost immediately as the Federalists virtually abandoned politics. The struggle between Governor McKean and the country Democrats in the legislature over judicial reform and the failure of the attack on the judiciary culminated in the movement for a constitutional convention. Duane and Leib, whose arbitrary control of the party in Philadelphia had produced a violent schism, took sides against the Governor. Aided by the Federalists, the Constitutional Republicans, generally called Quids, were able to defeat the project for a convention and to re-elect McKean." (Higginbotham, p 328)
"Adapted from tertium quid, a 'third something,' the name 'Quid' was first prominently used in a political sense in Pennsylvania in 1804, and it was soon affixed to a faction of the Republican party officially calling itself the Society of Constitutional Republicans. The Pennsylvania Quids attracted Federalist support and in 1805 re-elected Governor Thomas McKean, who had been the choice of a united Republican party in 1802 but was opposed by the majority wing of the party in 1805. (fn: Sanford W. Higginbotham. The Keystone in the Democratic Arch: Pennsylvania Politics, 1800-1816, p. 69, 346.)." ("Who Were the Quids?" Noble E. Cunningham, Jr. The Mississippi Valley Historical Review. Vol. 50, No. 2 (Sep. 1963), p. 254)
"The use of 'Quid' to refer to various third-party factions which plagued the Jeffersonian Republicans must not, however, be construed to mean that all Quids were part of the same third-party movement. When John Randolph referred to the third party, he was not being accurate. There was no such thing. The Quids in Pennsylvania and in New York - the only states where they represented organized factions - were neither in league with each other nor supporters of Randolph. In both states, the Republican divisions were the products of local controversies over men, offices, and state policies, and the Quid factions had not direct connection with the schism produced in national politics by Randolph's defection." (Cunningham, p 255)
"The opponents of the Philadelphia Democrats and their rural allies were called at various times the Rising Sun Party (after a tavern where they first met in 1802), the Third Party, the Tertium Quids (Third Whats), and more often simply the Quids. The Quids hoped to tame popular politics by discrediting the radicalism that they blamed on the Philadelphia Democrats. To do so, they emphasized the nation's future greatness and the prosperity each citizen would enjoy in a vibrant economy with a peaceful representative politics committed to promoting internal economic development. Accepting, even welcoming, democracy in Pennsylvania, the Quids attempted to redefine the term. Popular politics would remain the instrument the citizens used to create the conditions that produced material independence. But democracy would only provide such indepedence of circumstances when Pensylvanians realized that their power should not be used to disrupt or hindred private energies or the use of property." (Crucible of American Democracy: The Struggle to Fuse Egalitarianism and Capitalism in Jeffersonian Pennsylvania. Andrew Shankman. University Press of Kansas. 2004. p. 96)
The Keystone in the Democratic Arch: Pennsylvania Politics, 1800-1816. Sanford W. Higginbotham. 1952.
Crucible of American Democracy: The Struggle to Fuse Egalitarianism and Capitalism in Jeffersonian Pennsylvania. Andrew Shankman. University Press of Kansas. 2004.
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Initiatives, Partners and Friends – Sept/Oct 2019
Make Buildings Part of the Solution
This is an opinion article authored by former Congressional Representative Russ Carnahan. During his tenure in Congress, Rep. Carnahan represented the 3rd Congressional District of Missouri in the U.S. House from 2005-2013 and co-founded the Congressional High-Performance Building Caucus.
2. Bloomberg, Partners Launch Satellite Climate Data Solutions Initiative
Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with Earth-imaging company Planet and the State of California, has announced a new initiative that will use satellite data to inform and accelerate climate protections.
3. Buildings are bad for the climate.
Bill Gates | Oct 28, 2019
There are two ways in which buildings are responsible for greenhouse gases. The first is the construction phase: Buildings are made of concrete and steel, both of which produce a lot of emissions when they’re being made. In fact, these two materials account for around 10 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gases. And right now, we don’t have practical ways to make either one without releasing carbon dioxide.
4. This is what cities need to do by 2050 to meet climate goals
By 2050, most people will live in cities. A new report lays out the ways to keep their emissions in check.
5. Financing freedom from fossil fuels
Jules Kortenhorst is the chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and a recognized leader on global energy issues and climate change. Below he explains why we need to be bold as we transition away from fossil fuels,
The next US administration has the chance to strike the greatest climate bargain of all time. For less than $3/ton of CO2 abated, the next US government could economically retire the nation’s coal plants and buy back the planet’s future – all while saving US consumers billions.
6. The Melting Arctic Has Revealed 5 New Islands We Never Knew Were There
Five new islands not previously known to exist have been discovered within the remote Arctic Archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, the Russian navy has confirmed. At a press conference marking the completion of a naval expedition that sailed as far north as Franz Josef Land, Vice Admiral Alexander Moiseyev of Russia’s Northern Fleet explained the new islands were revealed by glaciers melting in the region.
7. The Link Between Climate Change & Water
Climate change is threatening our water security, and the amount of energy we use to treat and move water from far-away sources to the tap is worsening climate change. While climate disruption is a global problem, local strategies to conserve water and energy can work to address both water and climate.
8. New Zealand ‘on the right side of history’ with 2050 carbon emissions target
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern believes the country is placing itself on the right side of history in the battle against climate change as Members of Parliament adopt a measure to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
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PATTI'S BLOG
Service-Connection
How Do I Prove It?
Part 1: How Do I Prove I Am A Veteran?
When a member of the armed services leaves the military and then later develops a disability, what do they have to do to prove the disability was caused by their service?
There are three things that the veteran must prove in order to receive a decision that the disability is service-connected, which could entitle them to “compensation” from the VA.
1st, they have to prove that they are a veteran. 2nd they have to show that they have a disability and 3rd they have to show that the disability is most likely related to something that happened while they were in the service.
A veteran “means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.” 38 C.F.R. Section 3.1d.
The person can prove that their veteran’s status by producing an official separation document. For veterans who were discharged from service after 1950, the separation document is the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Report of Separation). For those veterans discharged before 1950, there were various official forms used to show that the veteran was discharged. Most of those documents have Separation in the title of the document.
If a veteran does not have his or her official Separation Report, he or she can order it through the National Archives. Here is a link to the website: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/index.html
The veteran can either mail or fax a request for the records, in which case you should download a form – SF-180 and mail or fax it to the National Archives, or you can apply online at eVetrecs at this website address: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/index.html#evetrecs
Most of the discharge records are stored at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1973, the building housing the records caught on fire. Consequently, 80% of the records of Army personnel discharged between Nov. 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960 and 75% of the records of Air force personnel discharged between September 24,1947 and January 1, 1964 were affected. While the National Archives has been able to reconstruct many of the records, it may take a bit longer for a veteran discharged between the affected dates to receive an official record of the military discharge.
When requesting records, you should include the following information, if known:
The veteran's complete name used while in service
Branch of service
Dates of service
Date and place of birth (especially if the service number is not known).
If you suspect your records may have been involved in the 1973 fire, also include:
Place of discharge
Last unit of assignment
Place of entry into the service, if known.
The DD-214 or Report of Separation will contain the following information:
Date and place of entry into active duty
Home address at time of entry
Date and place of release from active duty
Home address after separation
Last duty assignment and rank
Military job specialty
Decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign awards
Total creditable service
Foreign service credited
Separation information (type of separation, character of service, authority and reason for separation, separation and reenlistment eligibility codes)
Since the veteran or surviving spouse will need this document to apply for all veteran’s benefits, it’s a good idea to locate this important document before you need it and store it in a safe place or record it with your county recorder so you’ll be sure to find it when you need it.
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Main A History of Political Thought: From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance
A History of Political Thought: From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance
Janet Coleman
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Hegel and the Analytic Tradition (Continuum Studies in Philosophy)
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POLITICAL THOUGHT ■^mx- y*
A History of Political Thought
Once again, and always, for Gary and Georgia
A History of Political Thought From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance Janet Coleman London School of Economics and Political Science BLACKWELL
Copyright © Janet Coleman 2000 The right of Janet Coleman to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2000 2468 10 97531 Blackwell Publishers Ltd 108 Cowley Road Oxford OX4 1JF UK Blackwell Publishers Inc. 350 Main Street Maiden, Massachusetts 02148 USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purposes of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for ISBN 0-631-18652-2 (hbk) ISBN 0-631-18653-0 (pbk) Typeset in 10/4 on 12 pt Bembo by Ace Filmsetting Ltd, Frome, Somerset Printed in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Contents Preface viii Introduction 1 1 Medieval Political Ideas and Medieval Society 5 Medieval Sources 9 The Historical Context of Early Medieval Political Thought 11 Carolingian Christian Kingship and Feudal Society 13 Translatio Imperii 18 Theocratic Kingship 19 The Origins of Papal Authority and the Gelasian Doctrine 22 Two Swords Theory 28 The Twelfth-century 'Renaissance': Canon Lawyers and their Heirs 29 The Twelfth-century 'Renaissance' and the Civil Lawyers 33 Civilians and Canonists 37 Individual and Collective Liberties 38 Sovereignty and Corporations 42 Natural Law, Rights and the Lawyers' Concern for Individual Autonomy 46 Origins of Property Rights 49 Medieval Education: Practical Moral Philosophy of Ethics, Economics and Politics 50 The Contribution of Arabic and Jewish Thinking to the Twelfth-century 'Renaissance' 54 Aristotle in the Universities 56 Ethics and Politics in the Liberal Arts Course 57 The Purpose of Aristotelian Rhetorical Persuasion 59 The Thirteenth 'Aristotelian' Century 61 The Later Thirteenth-century Understanding of Rhetoric's Service to a Prince: Giles of Rome 64 Aristotelian Rhetoric 65 Returning to Giles of Rome's Rhetorical De regimine principum 69 Rhetoric outside the University and Aristotle within the University 71 Aristotle's Ethics for Medieval University Students 73 Lawyers versus the Arts Faculty Philosophers 76 The New Mendicant Orders: Franciscans and Dominicans and Political Theory 77
VI CONTENTS 2 St Thomas Aquinas 81 Philosophy of Man 84 Reality and Metaphysics 84 Naming, Natures and Actual Existents 86 Natures and Definitions 87 Substantial Form and Corporeal Individuation 88 Being and Essence 90 Cause and Effect 91 Grace Added to and Perfecting, Not Destroying, Nature 92 Sense Origin of Knowing 92 Reason and Will 95 The Will's Relation to Justice as Universal Principle and as Historically Contingent Conclusion 97 Eudaimonia/beatitudo: Immortality and the Completion of Desire 98 Rationality and the Freedom of the Will 99 The Will and the Doctrine of Original Sin 100 Natural Theology 101 State and Church: The Consequences of Natural Theology 102 Free Will and Responsibility 104 Aquinas on Law and Politics 104 Natural Law beyond Cicero 105 Natural Human Community 106 The Consequences of the Fall 109 Individual Rights and the State's Law 110 The Contrast with Augustine 112 The Mixed Constitution 113 Private Property Rights 115 3 John of Paris us Biographical Details 120 The Franciscan Position 122 The Dominican Position 123 The Origin of Government 124 The Thomistic Underpinning of dominium in rebus, Lordship and Ownership of Things 126 The Justification of Private Ownership 127 Limitations on Government 130 The Origin of the Priesthood 130 The Relation of the Church to its Property 132 Deposition Theory 133 4 Marsilius of Padua 134 Biographical Details 138 A Reading of Discourse 1 139 Some Observations from Discourse 2 158 Conclusion 166
CONTENTS VII 5 William of Ockham 169 Biographical Details 170 Ockham's Positions on Church and State 171 Ockham's Epistemology 172 Ockham's Dualism Concerning Secular and Spiritual Government- Continuing the Narrative 175 Comparisons with Marsilius 177 The Exceptional Exercise of Coercive Authority 178 Natural Rights 179 Corporation Theory 179 Ockham's'Absolutism' 181 How did Ockham Come to Hold These Views? 181 Right Reason 185 Scriptural Hermeneutics 188 Ockham's Ethics 189 Conclusion 191 The Late Medieval Fortunes of Corporation Theories in the Church's 'Conciliar Theory' 193 6 The Italian Renaissance and Machiavelli's Political Theory 199 The Italian City-states Compared with Other European Cities 199 The Unconventional Aims of this Chapter 203 Communal Discourses and Citizenship 207 Urban Commerce 212 The Venetian Way 213 Perceived Benefits of Citizen Status 215 Community, Civitas, Ranked Citizenship and Local Patriotisms 216 The Involvement of Citizens in Late Thirteenth-century Communal Government 219 The Communal Ideal and the Menace of Factions 220 The Evolution of the Florentine Governing Class 222 Who Wanted to Play an Active Role in Fifteenth-century Florentine Government? 228 Humanism and Humanist Conceptions of Florentine Republicanism 230 Fifteenth-century Florentine Ideology 238 Niccolo Machiavelli 241 Machiavelli's Political Morality 247 Founding and Maintaining the 'Stato' 251 The Fixity of Man's Nature 252 Character Formation 254 The 'Fit' Between Character and the Times 256 Fortune 257 The Impetuous Prince Who Must Learn How Not to Have Fixed Dispositions 260 Learn to Imitate Foxes and Lions 262 Machiavelli's 'Popular' Government: His Views of the Popolo 266 Conclusion 272 Bibliography 277 Index 291
Preface I have greatly enjoyed writing A History of Political Thought, especially because so many of the issues raised and for which I have tried to provide some explanations, are the result of discussions with generations of remarkable undergraduate and postgraduate students at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Coming from a wide variety of departments in the School, and individually from a range of international backgrounds, they have approached the thinkers of a long-distant past with energetic idealism and critical astuteness. This is all the more remarkable since the new managerialism and vocational functionalism dominating today's universities would lead us to believe that what an ancient Greek or a medieval Christian had to say about living a successful human life in a structured community in which they played active roles in contributing to collective governance, would have no interest for today's students. But in addition to the small number of Government Department students for whom an introduction to the history of western political theorizing is a requirement of their degree, at the LSE the course is also taken as an open option by hundreds of students specializing in a variety of other social science subjects. And both more advanced undergraduates and our postgraduate political theorists choose to follow up the introductory course by focusing in depth on some of the thinkers discussed in these volumes. If we are meant to treat students as consumers who vote with their feet then I am delighted to inform the more sceptical among us that the history of political thought is alive and well, and this because students quickly see that the ideas to be studied here mattered and continue to matter. At times I have had the impression that students are frankly relieved to be given the opportunity to look at world views that emerged from within historical, intellectual and social settings that are different from their own. And it has given some of them a space in which to reflect on their own, previously unexamined, but cherished views on what politics is for. It has also astonished them to see how much their own cultures are more or less reliant on certain strands of these earlier epistemologies, moral philosophies and theories of the 'state'. They have been both delighted and appalled. And everyone discovers a favourite thinker and (at least) one they most love to hate. Because my students are asked to read set texts themselves and then to read as much historical background to get a sense of the 'theatrical backdrop' to these differing philosophical and political perspectives, as well as a selection of secondary analytical commentaries on these works, I am aware that I overload them in what is already an overloaded university curriculum. My aim in A History of Political Thought has been to provide as much of a historical and cultural setting as would make the texts they are asked to read
PREFACE IX look full of plausible and important arguments, given the dilemmas and circumstances their authors sought to address. Students cannot help asking themselves whether there are ideas here which just might be applicable to the present, and there is much shouting about whether or not past whole theories can be brought into a different and modern world. They are helped to make up their minds by seeing what specialist commentaries can tell them. But academic disciplines have become increasingly specialized over the years and it is now virtually impossible to cover the results of international research undertaken by classicists who specialize in philosophy or history, to say nothing of the enormous amount of fascinating research on the early years of Christianity, the early Middle Ages, the political history, philosophy and theology of the high Middle Ages and the explosion of texts, written and printed, during the Renaissance. While I have tried to reflect a variety of current academic preoccupations in all these different fields of expertise - and here I have benefited tremendously from having edited the journal History of Political Thought from the beginning, when Iain Hampsher-Monk and I founded it in 1980 — I have also provided, as a consequence of my own years of research, some original and possibly controversial perspectives on some of these thinkers. Had I been asked to write a textbook on these thinkers, say, twenty years ago, it would have looked more like a reasoned synthesis of other specialists' views and the footnotes would probably have been longer than the already over-long text. But at this stage in the game, I fear I know too much about how current perspectives penetrate the reading and interpretation of past texts that are none the less held to have something to say to us. All these years down the road I have come to realize, as I had not when a student, how there have been interpretative trends, often dominated by contemporary ideological preoccupations, which have closed off alternative readings. If nothing else, I have realized that certain utterances by past political theorists get differentially highlighted in different generations. I have tried to indicate where I think certain current orthodoxies distort what an old text could have been taken to be saying by a past audience for whom it was originally written. In believing this to be the least I could do, I have undoubtedly put my own imprint on a variety of texts despite the enormously generous guidance given me by Dr Paul Cartledge of Clare College, Cambridge for the Greeks; Dr Andrew Lintott of Worcester College, Oxford for the Romans; Professor Robert Markus, formerly of Nottingham University, for St Augustine; and Professor Nicolai Rubinstein of the Warburg Institute for Machiavelli and Renaissance Florence. I also owe a considerable debt to Professor Antony Black of the University of Dundee ind Professor Brian Tierney of Cornell University, who offered their judicious comments especially on volume two concerning medieval and Renaissance political thought. I can only hope that where they do not agree with my interpretations or emphases, they -.vill at least allow me to acknowledge with heartfelt thanks that I could not have come even to these views without their help. It is also to the numerous writings and friendship of two distinguished medievalists, Professor Dr Jiirgen Miethke of Heidelberg University and Pro fesseur Jean-Philippe Genet of the University of Paris, that I owe a continuing debt of gratitude because they have kept me actively in touch, through off-prints ind their invitations to conferences, with research done in Germany, France and other European centres, where approaches to the texts studied here adopt perspectives that often differ from those current in British and American universities. It is not clear to me that there is any longer the institutional will to train students, as I
X PREFACE was trained, in the languages, histories and philosophies that enable one to approach the texts of classical, medieval and Renaissance intellectual history. Today, a student who is drawn to a study of pre-modern ideas and historical settings will be asked why on earth such an irrelevant subject matter should attract any interest or indeed, funding. The student will probably require independent means and if persuasive, might be able to become enrolled in several university departments at once and for at least five years at postgraduate level in each. In Politics and Government Departments there has been a tendency to keep alive small pockets of normative theorists who have neither interest in nor knowledge of the history of their own discipline or of the languages they use with such confidence. This is to say nothing of what appears to be the sad fact that one department's agenda and methodology is now increasingly seen as incommensurable with that of another, so that specialists no longer seem to have either time or inclination to read each other's work. But the history of political thought is above all an interdisciplinary endeavour and that is by far one of its chief fascinations for staff and students alike. Of all the courses a student is likely to take at university, this is the one students tell me prepares them for being a serious tourist, and I have a stash of postcards going back over twenty-odd years sent from Athens, Rome, Paris, Avignon, Munich, Florence, Padua, Cordoba with statements like: 'it's seeing this landscape daily and the possibility of working in these buildings, and the quality of this strange light everywhere that made me realize why Aristotle or Marsilius or Machiavelli could say what he said the way he said it'. Furthermore, there is a sheer pleasure, physical and intellectual, which comes from a serious confrontation with the plausibility of alternative views on the living of a successful life. It is also a privilege to be able to read the musings of great thinkers, even if one is also aware that it is no longer quite possible to grasp wholly what they meant and why it so mattered to them — especially if one thinks them wrong. To try to listen to plausible, coherent and 'other' perspectives on human nature and its socio-political organization develops patience and tolerance, but more than that, a kind of reverence for the extraordinary creatures humans have shown themselves to be over the centuries. In defending their truths with such eloquence and energy they give us the courage to challenge that mentality which always seems to have been in our midst and which has sought to manage the creativity of individual and collective agency, not least by labelling people with critical ideas 'the chattering classes' and by pretending that a successful life lived in common is reducible to the 'social inclusion' that is supposedly achieved through market economics. Several years ago I was astonished to read in Blackwell Publishers' current list of new publications that my long-awaited History of Political Thought was to appear imminently. I am thoroughly embarrassed at how long I have kept them waiting and I am grateful for their long-standing (and discreet) encouragement. It was meant to appear as the precursor to Iain Hampsher-Monk's excellent A History of Modern Political Thought (1992). Through the efforts of Jill Landeryou at Blackwell Publishers my 'long awaited' history of political thought now appears in two volumes: volume 1 From Ancient Greece to Early Christianity and volume 2 From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. I am immensely grateful for her enthusiasm, advocacy and patience. But textbooks, no matter how original, are not highly regarded in intellectually ambitious centres like the London School of Economics, not least because national Research Assessment Exercises have financial consequences for departments and universities that seek to retain their high-flyer research- orientated status. Hence, during the years I had hoped to complete this history of political
PREFACE XI thought I was otherwise engaged in writing and publishing the work that was meant to matter. I have, however, been able to draw on this research material in these books and I hope that more advanced students and colleagues will find it useful, stimulating and contentious. In so far as the scholarly research has shaped the contents of what is meant to be a more introductory text, I can only hope that what I have done here gives students a view of how at least one academic sees the ancient, medieval and Renaissance worlds of political discourse as having sustained certain continuities and fictitiously constructed others. The primary hope is that it will get students to go back to the original texts and argue about them, thereby countering the tabloid scepticism about politics which has come to sound so loudly in all our ears. Janet Coleman
Introduction There are many and varied reasons why a student may become interested in studying the political and social thought of what we now call the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. A student may first confront medieval and Renaissance thinkers after having become acquainted with their forebears among the ancient Greeks and Romans in courses dealing either with the history of philosophy or with the history of political thought. He or she may ask: 'Did the ancient Greek and Roman legacies survive and in what form?' A student may also discover an interest in the development of perspectives on politics and social living as expressed among the earliest Christians. He or she may then wish to see how later and different peoples who adhered to Western forms of Christianity sought to use the language and ideas of those early Christians in order to answer the question; what is the appropriate Christian perspective on 'the political'? Or perhaps a student may simply be fortunate enough to spend a summer, maps in hand, wandering around the Western European landscape and coming upon some extraordinary building which has survived, in whole or in part, and which the tourist information dates to the twelfth or some even earlier century. 'What kind of society built this', one asks, 'and are there any voices left from that past which might provide some barely comprehensible explanation?' One might go further and ask: 'How different were such people's conceptions of the social world from our own and is there any way in which some of their ideas are still alive for us?' One way to find out something more about these remains and relics, and the societies which caused their appearance in the landscape, is to enter into a dialogue with a chronologically arranged set of discourses. These are known as the canonical texts of Western debate on the principles and practices of good government. This canon of great texts was written by men who have been taken to be the key figures in the history of European political thought. In the introduction to volume 1 of A History of Political Thought I discussed the ways in which Europeans have constructed their tradition(s) and why this canon is itself contentious, not least because it is selective, retrospective and has often silenced many contemporary voices in favour of others. One could say that the canon of great texts is an extraordinary expression of European prejudices about themselves and others. This is precisely why it is important. Hence, the kind of dialogue we engage in when we read these texts needs to be much more complicated and reflexive, historically and philosophically, than the one in which pre-modern readers of their ancient legacy believed themselves to be participating. In the introduction to volume 1 I have tried to explain at greater length why I believe this to be the case.
2 INTRODUCTION In this volume, we look at some of the ways in which thinking about and discussing values and institutions emerged in Western Europe after the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. The voices of the ancient Greeks and, even more so, the Romans are still there. We shall often need to refer to the discussions in volume 1 of their ethical and political theories, not only in order to grasp to what later medieval and Renaissance thinkers were referring but also to understand what they assumed their audiences already knew. But we must also remind ourselves that the voices of ancient Greece and Rome came to be heard and understood through other mediations — most notably, that of the Bible and its commentators, known as the early church Fathers, along with traditions of collective living that were modified in practice across the centuries. For this reason I have treated the political theories or political philosophies of the medieval and Renaissance centuries as embedded within a good deal of socio-political history in order to elucidate why these texts ask and answer certain questions rather than others. Like the Greeks and Romans, the authors of such political theories can be viewed as representatives of groups, parties, all of them positioned in structures not of their own making. These theorists are not, then, to be treated simply as individual linguistic agents in speech situations; rather, they are taken to be representatives of local kinds of arguments set in contexts that were not purely linguistic. The contexts survive for us through texts which re-present the non-linguistic circumstances in which concepts were developed and experiences had. But if we ask the somewhat different question as to why certain theorists, say, Machiavelli, are treated in depth here and not, say, Guicciardini his contemporary, then we must return to the reason I proposed as to why the Western canon of texts has come to look as it does. Like the philosophers or theorists of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds discussed in volume 1, the selected 'political theorists' to be found in this volume were not taken to be representative voices of their times. Later Europeans judged them to have been exemplary of the best of the past. For this reason the principle of inclusion of one as opposed to another thinker in this volume has been founded on a retrospective examination of which texts and thinkers Europeans, in the long course of their construction of their own identities and traditions, themselves deemed worthy of actively adopting and necessarily misinterpreting to serve their own present. Past concepts for such Europeans in the pre-modern period were not antiquarian curiosities. They judged the texts, which expressed past concepts about values and institutions, to be usable, or else they ignored them and did not have them recopied for future generations to read and use. Indeed, there are periods where the sources for past conceptual usages are difficult for us to obtain, not least because those texts which do survive for us to look at are those that were allowed to survive by later rememberers of past usages deemed useful to them in a later present. Cultures preserve and destroy texts so that the history of texts is a history of their reception by later generations with other things on their minds. This is especially the case for medieval texts, many of which were lost, sold or burned after the Protestant Reformation. In general, we know that later generations actively destroyed texts from the past which did not suit their way of reading their present. Later scholars are dependent on earlier generations' 'retrospective nominations' — their decisions as to what they thought important to preserve for their own reconstructive and mediated uses. Subsequent orthodoxies actively kill off what they perceive to have been past heterodoxies which may not have been heterodox in their own times. Medievalists are especially dependent on the texts that were allowed to
INTRODUCTION 3 survive in dominant numbers often as a consequence of what much later librarians, operating within the post-Reformation confessional divide, thought important to preserve. But no pre-modern 'political theorist' would have looked at the situation in this light. Unlike post-nineteenth-century historians, earlier Europeans looked for answers to what they took to be unchanging questions, and they thought they could engage unproblematicaUy in dialogues with philosophers across time and re-use their solutions to what they took to be eternal problems about human governance. Of course, from our point of view, what they did was construct continuities with their selected pasts, while believing themselves to be able to learn from and, indeed, repeat the virtues of the past because they held that the past was filled with men who were just like them. Today, however, we would argue that they sustained this essential continuity by completely transforming past concepts to suit their own circumstances and experiences. They believed themselves to be living within a tradition but actually were in the extended process of constructing one. Where today some modern and post-modern theories insist on highlighting difference, pre-modern theories sought to mediate difference in order to transform it into an essential continuity of sameness. Any modern historian of political thought necessarily works within the perspectives on and about the past that are current in modern Western culture. Therefore, below I have tried to identify certain conceptual configurations through languages used at the rime in order to alert readers to, say, a notion of ius or right, whose meaning is perhaps related to some of our uses of the notion of 'right' but which, when situated in another context, implies a range of other and very different ideas, some of which may seem distincdy strange to us. Indeed, I hope to have revealed some of the numerous and simultaneous prejudices which were constitutive of ways of being in the world during the medieval and Renaissance centuries. The multiple pre-judgements were embedded and passed on in the languages people used and these prejudices lay behind such people's more reflective judgements as we read them in their 'political theory' texts. All cultures are sustained by multiple prejudices which lie behind their more reflective judgements. More generally, I would suggest that there is a way of being in the world for humans which we may call 'understanding'. Understanding is an event, something other than, but inseparably achieved by means of, linguistic communication. It is less the case that we always possess our world linguistically than that we are possessed by language. In other words, our horizons are given us pre-reflectively by the languages we learn in a particular language community. But this does not mean that there is no way of mediating between different language games learned in different communities. This is because there is a reflexive dimension to human understanding that necessarily begins in an interpreter's immediate participation in a tradition of understanding, but such a tradition of understanding is only in part revealed in a present tradition of language use. Indeed, we shall see how earlier and later medieval thinkers, earlier and later Renaissance thinkers, integrated and fused language games from the past and their present in order to achieve changed socio-political concepts from within their traditions. Through interpretative effort they tried to bridge the gap between their own familiar world with its own horizons and that of strange meanings with other horizons, notably from ancient Greece, Rome and early Christianity. Medieval and Renaissance 'political theorists' enable us to observe men doing more than learning their own first language. We can observe them engaging in dialogues and learning other languages, expanding their
4 INTRODUCTION original horizons — without ever losing them — by confronting and interpreting past texts and other voices. It is this reflexive dimension in which we are, ourselves, engaged when we read and interpret their writings. And this very activity of making texts intelligible to us when we read them ensures that what they had to say cannot be, and is not, completely lost to us. Not only has the past a pervasive power in the activity of human understanding, but all interpreters are, and always have been, within their own historicity. Because we are readers of past texts, interested in the evolution of political theorizing as an activity, the philosophical questions and answers we confront in medieval and Renaissance texts, no less than in Greek and Roman texts, are transitory and historical rather than permanent. We shall need to become familiar with aspects of European history during what has been called the 'Dark Ages', succeeded by the 'high' Middle Ages and, thereafter, the Renaissance. Against this shifting historical backdrop we shall see that some questions and answers have none the less entered our own thought in an evolved state, mediated by the texts of the medieval and Renaissance thinkers we are about to read, who interpreted, made intelligible, and changed the meaning and use of even earlier ideas in order to accommodate them to their different intellectual and social 1 For further reflections along these lines see J. Coleman, 'The Practical Use of Begrijfsgeschkhte by an Historian of European Pre-modern Political Thought: some problems', Huizinga Instituut: History of Concepts Newsletter, 2 (1999), pp. 2-9. See also the introduction to volume 1 of A History of Political Thought for how this does not mean that we can, any longer, think of these authors as 'just like us'.
1 Medieval Political Ideas and Medieval Society The public triumph of Christianity in the fourth century (discussed in volume 1), established the context for the future development of that Latin, Western European political theorizing that we now call medieval political thought. In order to treat the centuries from the fifth to, say, the fifteenth as the Middle Ages, we are already complying with a later, retrospective, even pejorative perspective on this period. 'What is middle about the Middle Ages?' we might ask. This view stems from the eighteenth century at least, at a time when history began to be seen as a story of humanity's progressive improvement and ultimate release from the illusions of religion and myth. The period from the fifth to the fifteenth centuries — a thousand years of European cultural and political development - was considered open to characterization as a monolithic hiatus, a decline from ancient philosophical reason, the dark ages, the 'age of faith', a period 'in the middle' between the particular reason of the ancients and that universal reason of the 'moderns' that putatively began in what is known as the sixteenth-century Italian Renaissance and reached its apex in the eighteenth-century Enlightenment. It was judged that medieval people wrote in a barbarized Latin and were oppressed by two forms of arbitrary rule: of feudal lords and institutionalized religious prejudices. It is the purpose of this volume to show that this long period in the Latin West was anything but monolithic, that there was no such thing as 'the medieval mind', that there are more difficulties than are usually acknowledged in distinguishing the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance, and clearly, no one living at any time between the age of Augustine and the age of Machiavelli diought of themselves as a dweller 'in-between ages', which is what 'medieval' means. These strange locutions, 'Middle Ages' and 'medieval', have none the less passed into our accepted academic periodization of the past. And there is a lively temptation to drop die 'middle' from examination and leap from the ancients to the moderns in university courses treating the history of political thought, following the misguided assumption diat European political discourses and practices owe the Middle Ages very little. In fact, however, we owe the Middle Ages almost everything, and not only their very distinctive ways of reconstructing and passing on the ancient philosophical legacy of political dieorizing. The Middle Ages established its own agenda and a collection of different political discourses which would either be absorbed, transformed or argued against until die early-modern period. But most importandy, Western Europe is overwhelmingly indebted to the medieval creation of institutions and practices which could never have developed either in ancient Greece or Rome.
6 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY Today the political theory of the ancients has survived for us, reinterpreted and reconstructed often as philosophically coherent discourses that have little to do with the cultures from within which they were generated, but the practices of the ancient Athenians (for instance, direct democracy where the^ofo was its men and not the modern state and its governing bureaucracy) were forgotten or rejected.1 The Greek notion — found in Aristotle — that man is a political animal would be revived in the Middle Ages but rejected by many of Europe's early-moderns who thought that politics was the consequence of man's fear of death and aversion to pain rather than man's capacity for public deliberation and co-operative agency. If early-moderns sought an ancient society to emulate, they often chose Sparta and almost never Athens. Rome, however, would play a larger role in the self-conscious construction of Europe's future. Not only did the Middle Ages emerge out of a late and declining Roman imperial reality; early medieval institutions and practices would be selectively saturated with the law of imperial Rome. But when the self-conscious, comprehensive revival of Roman law was undertaken in the twelfth century, it would be to the sixth-century Christian Emperor Justinian's codification of Roman law that they would turn. Very little of Cicero's Rome survives there and they did not possess the text of his De re publica. Therefore, even when during the Middle Ages and thereafter Europeans thought themselves to be the heirs of Rome, we will find them to have pieced together from disparate and fragmentary sources what they thought the Roman republic to have been, and then they reconstructed the Romans' republicanism in order to open up in practice something that might be seen as akin to a representative commercial democracy, where the people,2 when gathered together, constituted the sovereign and made law by voluntarily and explicidy consenting to it. Medieval political theorists and practitioners were to take literally and then transform the maxim of late Roman law that 'what touches all should be approved by all' (quod omnes tangit ah omnibus tractari et approbari debet), wrenching it out of the context in Justinian's Codex where they found it, and thereby emphasizing a deliberative participation by the 'people' in consenting to the laws. Furthermore, the people would be declared capable of electing removable public officials as the executive government. Medieval governors would come to be described as directive functionaries, public administrators of a collective good which some interpreted as a peaceful, law-governed and self-sufficient life of which all men were equally aware, including those not considered experts in law and who had few possessions.3 This was something of which the ancient Romans whom we have examined would never have approved because 'the people' for them were never to be considered a deliberative body. Let us recall that citizenship in ancient republican Rome did not give every citizen the right to engage in government, but rather to be governed by those who were more than mere administrators. As Gruen has observed, 'a resplendent elite governed the Roman Republic'.4 For ancient Romans, those who were most engaged in administer- 1 For a distinctive perspective see P. Rahe, Republics, Ancient and Modem: classical republicanism and the American Revolution (Chapel Hill, NC, 1992). 2 Or what they thought of as their representative: 'the weightier part', or the 'greater and sounder part', the valentior pars, or the maior et sanior pars. 3 See chapter 4 on Marsilius of Padua's Defensor pacis (Defender of peace). 4 E. Gruen, 'The Exercise of Power in the Roman Republic', in A. Molho, K. Raaflaub and J. Emlen, eds, City- states in Classical Antiquity and Medieval Italy (Ann Arbor, MI, 1991), pp. 251—67: 'To be sure, the populace could make its needs felt — and not just as clients of individuals or factions. And Roman leaders had to take those needs
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 7 rng the respublica were also owners with a special dignitas, inherited or merited, indicating in acknowledged differential in what was due them: they differentially possessed more of the property that was the respublica and were likewise differentially obliged to engage in the maintenance of the state's law. Ancient Roman citizenship was a matter of degree.5 We recall that Cicero had made plain in his On Duties that social utility was the highest good and there were certain natural governors who recognize their duties of public service as an aspect of their own individual interest. And he argued that private property derived from custom but that the rights to private property were the creations of Roman civil law. The 'state' came into being through men's construction of an agreed means to preserve and stabilize customary agreements to what is differentially mine and thine, creating civic rights, enforceable in law. Where Cicero distinguished between all men as natural appropriators on the one hand, and on the other, men as legally entided, unequal possessors under civil law, certain medieval theorists6 would use these Roman arguments but transform them. By integrating Christian theological views concerning the nature of man and his duty to labour, theorists like John of Paris would alter Cicero's customary private property into a universally applicable labour theory of natural rights to ownership prior to the 'state'. John of Paris would argue that it was these prior rights which the 'state' was entrusted to serve and stabilize by fair administration and adjudication in property disputes. This medieval argument, significantly revising Cicero's, would be revived in the seventeenth century by Locke in his Second Treatise of Government. As we saw in volume 1, ancient Roman magistrates consulted the aristocratic Senate on important issues and before introducing a bill to one of the popular assemblies magistrates were meant to set it before the Senate. This meant that the Senate was the only deliberative body and it had not only a firm grip on legislation but also defined the sphere of activity of the magistrates. When Cicero described his ideal republican mixture, he went even further than what appears to have been practice in order to eliminate any popular balance to his aristocratic republic: the people should maintain their sense of libertas while the boni retain their authoritative influence. But as we shall see, the practice of citizens collected together with a freedom of discussion and with the power to initiate business from the floor of the debating chamber would be a medieval institution based on their developed practices, especially in city communes. During the Middle Ages there would also develop a notion of rights that were other than acquired civic rights. The influence of Christian theology would be felt in discussions of a Christian liberty that into account, at least on occasion. But the postulate that nobiles framed policies and actions to cater to that constituency misses the mark. It will be more fruitful to adopt a different mode of analysis: the exploitation of popular discourse to entrench the authority of the establishment' (p. 254). The aim of the Roman nobility 'was not to secure legitimation from the popuhs but to employ popular rhetoric to check challenges from novi homines or curb the ambitions of individual nobiles. Pressure by the populace played little part' (p. 267). See also W. Eder, 'Who Rules? Power and Participation in Athens and Rome', in Molho, Raaflaub and Emlen, City-states, pp. 169—96. 5 See W. W. Buckland, A Text-book of Roman Law from Augustus to Justinian, revd P. Stein, 3rd edn (Cambridge, 1975), pp.86—7 on privileged classes of citizens in relation to citizens with more restricted rights. Also T. J. Cornell, 'Rome: the history of an anachronism', in Molho, Raaflaub and Emlen, City-states, pp. 53—70, on both the artificial construct of the early Roman ideal of the integrated political community, the city-state, and the increasing separation of the aristocracy from the rest of the population. 6 John of Paris, De potestate regia et pap ale {On royal and papal power); see chapter 3, below.
8 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY could not be alienated or contravened, whatever freedoms were conventionally established by civil law. One of the attitudes medievals did absorb from Romans rather than from Greeks was the notion of the city as open to outsiders who could be freely admitted and assimilated without the requirement of having been born a citizen. Citizenship could be acquired by service to the 'state'. How this was applied during the Middle Ages, however, and how the legal concept of citizenship was further defined beyond received Roman law came about through the medieval use of Roman law texts as little more than authoritative reference points for their own original solutions, and these emerged from the constant pressure on medieval civil lawyers to administer the law in practice, de facto, rather than simply to apply the rules de jure. As Quaglioni has demonstrated, medieval jurists gave preference to the substance of citizenship rather than simply to the abstract principles of Roman legal rules, and in so focusing developed new vocabularies as well as institutions to suit lived practice.7 We shall see that it was the peculiar contractual genesis of medieval city communes, where the citizen was an active rather than passive member of the city (this activity resulting from his individual mil actually to contract with the commune), that highlighted an un-Roman fusing of socio-economic principles and assumptions regarding authority and power that were typical both of feudal society and city communes, with forms of the Roman patrimonial system. There would be a spectrum along which the feudal fideles (the free vassal bound by oath to his overlord)8 and the Roman civis (citizen) met. From medieval jurisprudence would develop the legacy to the early-modern and contemporary European world of the notion of acquired or naturalized and native citizenship as afictio iuris (a legal fiction).9 It was from the medieval jurists, responding to medieval practice, that our notion of citizenship as signifying merely the juridical status of those who are part of a state was to come. In place of ancient Greek and Roman practices then, there emerged organized ways of life during the Middle Ages which came to serve, however unconsciously, as the foundations of some of the dominant attitudes that characterized the government of early-modern and modern cities and states. Indeed, Christianity as put into practice in monasteries from the sixth century onwards would emphasize a very unclassical attitude to work, favouring an ethic of toil in wYuch labour was a form of prayer, suitable both to fallen man as well as to God's only son, who on earth was a carpenter's son and his disciples workmen. Unlike ancient attitudes to economics, the medievals would give economy a central place in what they came to call 'practical moral philosophy' as well as in the constitutional organization of cities. Furthermore, medieval culture would reverse the ancient Greek journey from sacral kingship to politics by re-establishing a king-priest along a late Roman imperial model, who was at the head of a corporate endeavour, there to maintain peace, order and economic wealth. And the ancient philosopher, a theorist in the ancient city's midst, would with the help of a reinterpreted Cicero and Aristode become the university-trained bureaucrat, actively engaged in policy- 7 D. Quaglioni, 'The Legal Definition of Citizenship in the late Middle Ages', in Molho, Raaflaub and Emlen, City-states, pp. 155-67. 8 See below, pp. 13ff. 9 E. Cortese, 'Cittadinanza (Diritto intermedio)', in Encidopedia del Diritto, VII (Milan, 1960), pp.132-40. These were notions that went beyond a mere repeat of the Roman patterns. See Quaglioni, 'The Legal Definition', p. 165.
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 9 formation and dissemination in royal and ecclesiastical courts. While these developments occurred 'on the ground' as it were, we shall also see that during the Middle Ages educated men continued to use the discourses of the ancient traditions with which we became familiar in volume 1, applying both ancient philosophical and biblical insights to their own distinctive conditions and experiences. Aristode's^ofc would be reconfigured as the medieval civitas, and Cicero's respublica would be applied to any well-governed regime, be it a monarchy, a republic or the church itself, where the common, public good was said to be served. There is no doubt that in general 'medieval persons' would have thought of themselves as Christians and would have been aware to some degree that spiritual considerations played a role in helping to establish the aims and spheres of influence of temporal power. Medieval political discourses would be forged out of the shifting relationships between the thought and institutions which came to structure both the church and the 'state', giving substance and structure to the spiritual and the temporal spheres of life, indeed to the very assumption that there were two such spheres where the church and the state had separate but interlocking jurisdictions.10 Medieval Sources Our sources for medieval political thought are very varied: they are the productions of Christian theologians with teaching posts in universities or in the schools associated with different religious orders, Christian philosophers who taught in the arts faculties of medieval universities, Christian historians, often attached to monastic centres, Christian bureaucrats in the service of temporal or spiritual institutions, and Christian jurists, specializing in Roman and customary, or in church (canon) law. Indeed, we could add poets, dramatists, local chroniclers, merchants, religious men and women, anyone who acquired a sufficient degree of literacy and the standard genres of current, learned discourse to write about the ordered processes and ideals of their lives as they saw them. But there are virtually no professionals whom we could call with any historical accuracy 'political theorists' during the Middle Ages. What is currendy considered the autonomous discourse of politics is a development of the emergence of the early-modern state in Europe. In an important and perhaps surprising sense, the autonomy of early- modern political discourse developed outside the university and in opposition to what the university milieu had become in the early-modern period. Hobbes's scorn for the seventeenth-century university's slavish attitude to Aristode and other 'authorities' led him to develop a 'science' of politics, based on human experience, that was meant to be autonomous in the sense that it drew eclectically on past thinking and yet owed nothing to the university as an institution of learning with its settled categories of discourse. But prior to the seventeenth century, politics was not a distinctive discipline with its own subject matter and methodology. It had not yet disengaged itself either from the dominance of practical moral philosophy and theology as studied in medieval universities, or from ancient rhetorical and ethical discourse as studied in Renaissance humanist schools. 10 See A. Black, 'Individuals, Groups and States: a comparative overview', in J. Coleman, ed., The Individual in Political Theory and Practice (Oxford, 1996), pp. 329-40.
10 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY As we shall see, in the Renaissance humanist schools as in medieval universities, the discussion of the organization of human communities and of behaviour considered appropriate within communities of men, alongside analyses of moral right, of virtue and of personal responsibility for one's acts, be they the acts of ruler or ruled, were still tied to ancient authoritative discourses. In the early stages of a medieval or Renaissance student's education these discourses were first confronted in the process of learning to read and write a foreign language, Latin. Students across Europe were taught to read ancient Latin texts of holy scripture, Roman history, the Roman moralists and the Latin church Fathers. Using the texts of ancient Roman grammarians and rhetoricians (themselves translations and commentaries on ancient Greek theories of grammar and rhetoric), and supplementing these with Latin translations of Aristode's rhetorical and logical treatises, medieval and Renaissance students absorbed theories about the relation between human thinking and language. They absorbed explicit and sometimes conflicting theories concerning the relation between reason and emotion and between persuasive speech and collective action. They learned how to distinguish between virtuous and vicious behaviour and between legitimate governance and its opposite. Medieval and Renaissance students were being prepared for professions in the non-academic world of 'state' and church bureaucracies in much the same ways. Education was vocational and for this reason we can regard Renaissance humanist schools as providing a very similar education, but in truncated form, to that provided by medieval university arts course programmes. Both were the heirs of ways of speaking about what we would call 'the ethical' and 'the political' that were inherited from the ancient Roman and Greek worlds, filtered through Christian perspectives. How they respectively reinterpreted and used these ancient masters and their 'classical' agenda is, in part, our concern here. It will be seen that the specific historical milieux in which those men lived who wrote what we recognize as 'political theory' exercised an enormous influence on what they said about 'the political'. And they did not all say the same things, not least because the respective agendas of theologians, philosophers, bureaucrats and jurists were not the same. Furthermore, we shall see that when they wore different professional 'hats' they 'spoke' different languages: the language of the Latin Bible, the language of the theology of the church Fathers, of Christianized Plato nism, of Roman civil law, of canon (church) law, of feudal and customary law, of Ciceronian rhetoric, and of Aristotelian ethical and political philosophy.11 Latin remained the language of most political theorizing during the Middle Ages, broadly construed, and when the vernaculars came into their own, many of the earlier scholarly Latin terms and expressions would be 'translated' and put to new use. But during the medieval and Renaissance periods there was never a wholesale and self-conscious attempt, as there would be in the seventeenth century, to reformulate the ethical and political world 'from the beginning' and as though men were naturally non-social isolates who had to create politics as convention. Medieval and Renaissance Latin and vernacular texts always related back to the already formulated 'languages' of moral discourse that were found in a wide range of authoritative ancient texts which insisted that men were naturally embedded in the social. We shall see that Machiavelli, the so-called first modern, the so-called 'father' of what we mean by political science, was no exception to this. In short, when modern historians of political ideas approach the texts of the Middle Ages, they tend to study a range of discourses that collectively are 11 See A. Black, Political Thought in Europe 1250-1450 (Cambridge, 1992), pp. 1-13.
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 11 called by them 'political thought'. But it is our aim here to show how, for the Middle Ages, 'political thought' is a rather messy and unstable category, not least because it is everywhere and it invaded all genres. If the political thought of the Middle Ages begins in late antiquity with its particular reinterpretation of the legacy of ancient philosophy, it arguably extends to the middle of die seventeenth century, even beyond. The beginnings are clearer than the end. The beginnings of medieval political thinking are to be found in the rich mixture of Greco- Roman and biblical concepts which we have already seen to have been integrated into Augustine's City of God. But it is in the long period of transition from the world of Constantine's Roman Empire to a very different Western Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries that the context for the development of distinctively medieval political ideas was established.12 The Historical Context of Early Medieval Political Thought Barbarian kingdoms emerged in the fifth and sixth centuries, peopled by heirs of those Germanic tribes who had settled within Roman borders and who eventually triumphed as the survivors of the collapse of the Roman administration. Barbarian kingdoms, with their own regional customs, gradually absorbed diluted remnants of Roman civilization, but their territorial rule would became the paradigm of medieval rule: territorial kingship. The slow decline and fall of the Roman Empire, from the later fifth until the eighth centuries, can be seen as the gradual replacement of a centralized Roman administration that had developed during the imperial period, with barbarian leadership in those Western European provinces previously captured and dominated by Rome. The period from the end of the fifth to the eighth centuries has a character of its own. It saw the development of a strong ecclesiastical network of governance throughout Europe to replace the secular administration of old Rome. It saw the development of monasteries as alternative ways of living to those established in secular society and its social groupings. It saw the collection and final codification of Roman law by the Eastern Emperor Justinian in the sixth century which provided Europe with the Institutes, the Digest, the Codex and the Novellae of imperial Roman law, all collected into several texts for study. These collected texts are what are referred to as civil law, the law of the Roman civilian lawyers. This Roman law, originally based on precedent, then codified and to be appealed to by anyone interested in a centralized theory and practice of imperial Rome, would at first live in libraries and fall into relative disuse as barbarian kingdoms came to replace with their own laws — themselves influenced by Roman categories — the once centralized jurisdiction of the Roman Empire. Justinian's Roman law as a corpus would only be revived when in the eleventh century kings were made aware of this body of law that pre-dated the institution and law of the church and they saw it as a means to bolster temporal autonomy against the claims of the church. With the flooding into Western Europe of peoples, some of whom were not converted to Christianity and who had their own customary laws suitable to warring, 12 The essential background text is J. H. Burns, ed., The Cambridge History of Medieval Political Thought c. 350- c. 1450 (Cambridge, 1988) (henceforth CHMPT (1988)), with its extensive bibliography. Also see the excellent J. Canning, A History of Medieval Political Thought 300-1450 (London, 1996).
12 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY wandering and illiterate people, and with their infiltration of the Roman army and their partial Romanization, a once Mediterranean-led culture, dominated by antiquity, became a tribal, regionalized Europe, gradually left to its own resources. The kingdoms of Visigothic Spain, Frankish Gaul, the Lombards in Italy, and the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic kingdoms of the British isles emerged. The story of the sixth to eighth centuries is in part a story of the evangelization and conversion to Catholic Christianity of these barbarian successor kingdoms. This was spearheaded by missionaries sent by the Roman church and its first bishop, the pope of Rome. Western Europe during these centuries not only saw the conversion to Catholic Christianity of barbarian kingdoms within the limits of the Western empire, but also their progressive withdrawal from the sphere of imperial influence in Byzantine Constantinople. In the Byzantine East, a different history unfolded where this Greek-speaking part of the Roman Empire of antiquity more or less endured and the Eastern church never adopted the kind of independent ecclesiastical claims that would emerge in the West. During the seventh century Palestine and North Africa had already been conquered by the armies of the new religion of Islam and by the eighth century Islam had conquered Spain, parts of southern France, and was only stopped in its advance northwards by the leader of the Franks, Charles Martel, at the battle of Poitiers. With the Mediterranean no longer the focus of what remained of Latin Europe, Gaul, parts of western Germany, Italy and the British isles became the theatre for the triumph of the Carolingian Franks who became masters of all of Western Christendom, excluding the British isles. But the influence of Islam, not least in having preserved much of the ancient Greek tradition of philosophy and science, would come to reassert itself on Northern Europe and, from the twelfth century onwards, would enable Western Europeans to reconnect with ancient traditions of speaking about the political. In the year 800 the Carolingian Frankish king Charles the Great (Charlemagne) was crowned at Rome by the pope, a coronation of a king of the Franks as the heir to the Roman emperor. Charles the Great's empire left an enduring memory to later generations, although its own unity did not last long. During the ninth century the lands of the once united empire were divided among the different members of the Carolingian dynasty, with one of the family carrying the imperial tide until the tenth century. During the ninth century Europe was invaded by pagan Vikings and central Europe by the Magyars. The collapse of the Carolingian empire made way for regional, territorial principalities whose rulers attempted to exercise the functions nominally belonging to the Carolingian king. Although after the disintegration of the Carolingian empire we begin to see Europe emerging as a congeries of territories ruled by individual feudal lords and princes, the legacy of a centralized rulership as established by Charles the Great served as a theoretical ideal which would be invoked in centuries afterwards as the model for organized government by a Christian king and emperor of a Christian people. From what is called the Carolingian Renaissance under Charles the Great, typically medieval concepts of rulership would remain fundamental to discussions of politics throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. Beginning with the Carolingians, a variety of medieval ideas and attitudes — to custom and law, to institutional structure and purpose, to rule and subjection, to legitimate public power, to consent and mutual contracts of faithful agreement, to the sphere of religion and its relationship to the world of organized, secular institutions of collective protection and justice, to the relationship between the individual and the numerous
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 13 collective agencies of which he was an incorporated member — would survive to be reinterpreted but not essentially obliterated well into what is now called the early-modern period. This is true despite the growing diversity of cultural and institutional structures that came to typify sixteenth- and seventeenth-century responses to local and more widespread public dilemmas. As we shall see, perhaps most fundamental was the notion of Christian kingship and a Christian people, laying the foundation for theories of monarchy which have survived into modern times. Carol.ngian Christian Kingship and Feudal Society Our aim here is to get some idea of the theory and practice of Carolingian kingship and sovereignty because these served as models for future emergent medieval 'states'. We also need to try to understand something about the economic and status organization of a society governed by Carolingian kings. Is it appropriate to call the Carolingian period one in which there was a feudal society requiring feudal government? Or was it the case that only by the late eleventh century were there truly feudal rulers who adapted a Carolingian legacy of political power and practice over defined European territories? These are not simply historical questions. They are questions the answers to which have guided the ideological construction of different European national states' histories into the twentieth century. There is a British tradition of historiography, for instance, which insists that feudalism was a foreign import, imposed on Anglo-Saxon society by the Norman Conquest in 1066. Indeed, the first reference in English to 'the feudal system' occurs in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations (1776). During the eighteenth century feudalism, a word coined well after the supposed disappearance of the phenomenon it sought to describe, was taken to be a result of Roman decadence, Germanic arrogance or medieval brutality. Feudalism came to be used as a pejorative term. A distinction was then drawn between feudalism as describing a particular system of economic production on the one hand, and a legal system of governing the military organization of earlier society on the other. But scholars from the nineteenth century until today have investigated aspects of early feudal society and have discovered that its legacy was one that actually prevented absolutism and tyrannical rule, by passing on the notion of government as a kind of contract, and where there was a legitimate right of resistance to unjust or inefficient rule. Contract theory, rights of resistance, consensus politics, government as co-operative, were found to be central to the governance of a feudal society, especially when, as would later happen, feudal practices would be reframed in Roman law categories. A feudally saturated landscape could and did make use of certain key aspects of Roman law theory, especially from the twelfth century onwards. None the less, there is a long-enduring scholarly debate about the general structure and significance of a feudal society and the period to which the term 'feudal' ought to be applied. Marc Bloch in his classic work La Sodete feo&ale (1939) distinguished two feudal ages. The characteristics of the first age were the personal bond between one man and another, often known as vassalage; a property bond was created by the granting of what later were called fiefs or land in return for military service; there was a distribution of governmental powers among numerous petty lords which led to a multiplication of jurisdictions. In time this led to immunities or exemptions from centralized law, and
14 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY these immunities were granted by superior rulers or kings to lesser lords who then established their own systems of local justice, local tax collecting and military recruitment. The institutions of this first feudal age were held to be rooted in the folk practices of the early medieval West. What has come to be called the second feudal age dates from the later eleventh century, a period in which the previous insecurities and the disruptive tribulations caused by Viking invasions had come to an end. Forest and wasteland clearances were undertaken to absorb the increase in population, extensions towards the east and south occurred, trade and an exchange economy developed with the use of money. With the re-establishment and growth of towns there were legal and intellectual attempts to improve and centralize authority. Older feudal practices and institutions were extended so that the lines of dependency formed networks across Europe. Once feudal relations lost their original military characteristics they became stable contractual relationships between lords and vassals, where both parties to the contract were seen as free individuals, albeit of unequal status. The vassal was not seen as a mere subject of his lord and lie Kad, by virtue of his consent to the contract, a certain individual standing which was enhanced by the grant of a certain local autonomy. The vassal could economically exploit the land he held in grant and he was further conceded immunities or exemptions from certain fiscal, rnilitary and judicial powers that were normally exercised by the superior lord over the said territory. In certain parts of Europe, and notably during the ninth and tenth centuries, the superior lord's ruling activities had become decentralized by the vassal's immunities and the latter took over as an economically self- sufficient exerciser of rights and duties within his own space. His amalgam of economic and political power was more potent than the old benefice in the days of the Carolingian empire. His public powers came to be known as consuetudines, customs, and he exercised them as the landlord with private jurisdiction and independent local power. The population beneath the feudal relation was subjected: they were objects (or beneficiaries) of rule and not party to the feudal contract. Hence, a fief came to be equated with lucrative seignorial rights and this could shift effective power in a unified territory downwards, establishing private, local courts with autonomous systems of their own rules. This came to be further complicated not only by the different terms of grants by an overlord to individual vassals, but also by a system of subinfeudation in which a vassal of a higher lord was himself a superior lord to his own vassals. Whether or not a strong monarch with a centralizing strategy was in place to manipulate feudal organization determined the different histories of European countries on the road to medieval 'state' formation. If a king were unable to claim to be considered sovereign and obeyed as the overlord of all other lords and vassals, then a regional fragmentation of authority ensued, with fiefs coming to be considered the divisible, inheritable and even alienable patrimony of a vassal's lineage. The initial, early feudal grant of public prerogatives, as immunities, over feudal land would become private and particularized. Such immunities came to be increasingly for sale, so that by the fourteenth century the European nobility had emerged from the feudalized landscape as an estate with a range of privileges, prerogatives, claims to honour and precedence along with responsibilities, all of which originated in the initial grants and liberties of a superior. The feudal language of 'rights' is, then, a language of privileges as concessions to individuals. We shall later see how it conflicted with another emergent language of rights as claims. The fief and the vassalic relationship can be seen as having led to the rebuilding of a
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 15 distinctive kind of monarchic 'state', when judicial reflection on feudal matters became prominent, especially by the thirteenth century. Some kings and territorial princes then began to attempt to regain control of what had become the hereditary transmission of fiefs in order to recapture for themselves various revenues and military service. Some kings and territorial princes were to be more successful than others in restructuring diirteenth-century feudalism in accord with the three emergent orders or estates of political society: clergy, nobility and labouring free men. What was to be left of feudalism when stripped of its original military and institutional significance was a form of land possession as a money fief, where the fief would normally be reserved for noble tenure. This proceeded hand in hand with a revitalization of the military nobility that was to be so prominent a characteristic of the end of the Middle Ages. We shall see that medieval 'state' formation by the later Middle Ages was, especially on the European continent, the consequence of emergent, centralized governments checking the resistance of individual feudal lords. They achieved this most notably by acknowledging freely governed and autonomous cities as the 'state's' new clients. From these new clients would arise some of the essential characteristics of the modern state: the universality and individuality of citizen allegiance to it.13 Across Europe, then, it would be concrete historical situations which determined whether a king or prince could minimize his feudal obligations and act 'absolutely' as an unopposed sovereign.14 Some sovereigns were no longer to be considered the supreme lord (seigneur) but became, instead, overarching manipulators of feudality beneath their own public persons.15 Hence, it has been argued that feudal institutions and practices ought not to be seen as obstacles to state formation. Rather, feudal practices should be seen as having been difFerentially deployed in order to enhance the centralizing strategies of kings and princes to provide them with a recovered monopoly over financial means and royal justice to support a hierarchical construction of power that would eventually characterize the modern state. 13 The literature on feudalism is enormous. For our purposes, the discussion by R. van Caenegem, 'Government, Law and Society', in CHMPT (1988), pp. 174—210 is a sufficient introduction. Also see J. R. Strayer, Feudalism New York, 1965) and J. R. Strayer 'The Two Levels of Feudalism', in J. R. Strayer, Medieval Statecraft and the Perspectives of History (Princeton, NJ, 1971), pp. 63—76; D. Herlihy, ed., The History of Feudalism (New York, 1970); A. Black, Political Thought (see index under feudal ideas). A symposium on feudalism was published in Past And Present 73 (1978); W. Ullmann, Law and Politics in the Middle Ages: an introduction to the sources of medieval political ideas Cambridge, 1975); C. Lis and H. Soly, Poverty and Capitalism in Pre—industrial Europe (Brighton, 1979), ch. 1; M. Bloch, Feudal Society, 2 vols (Paris, 1939/40) and English trans. 1961. See P. Anderson, Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism (London, 1974), pp. 150—1, 193—5 on communes in England contrasted with Continental urban autonomy and the oath of reciprocal loyalty between equals in communes, an early social contract, as opposed to feudal contracts between unequals. Also J. Coleman, 'The Individual and the Medieval State', ch. 1, and G. Dilcher, The City Community as an Instance in the European Process of Individualization', in Coleman ed, The Individual in Political Theory and Practice, the latter on the relation between feudalism and 'estates', the cities, citizens and subjects in Prussia until the eighteenth century. For an overview see M. Mann, The Sources of Social Power: a history of power from the beginning to ad 1760, vol. 1 (Cambridge, 1986). 14 J. C. Holt, Magna Carta, 2nd edn (Cambridge, 1992), p. 29 discusses the demands for liberties on the Continent, aimed either at municipal independence (e.g. Lombardy in 1183) or at aristocratic immunity (German concessions 1220 and 1231 or French charters 1315), whereas in England demands for liberties were aimed at the control and subjection of the administrative functions of the Crown. By King John's reign in the early thirteenth century the sale of privileges became a final and permanent alienation of the rights of the Crown to the Barons; ibid., p. 57. 15 For an important reinterpretation see J. Giordanengo, 'Etat et droit feodal en France, xii—xiv's', in N. Coulet and J.—P. Genet, eds, L'Etat moderne: le droit, I'espace et les forms de Vetat (Paris, 1990), pp. 61—90.
16 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY Because feudalism is thought to have had such an overwhelming influence (whatever its contested interpretations) on the development of institutions and practices that are acknowledged aspects of the early-modern state, we can risk some oversimplification in order to grasp some of the characteristics of early medieval feudal society which endured and were transformed in the later period. We can point to the existence of a subject peasantry; the widespread use, by the ninth century, of what is called the 'service tenement or fief instead of salary for military service — where the grant of seignorial rights included both the land and the dependent population dwelling thereon; the supremacy of a class of specialized warriors who constituted an aristocracy; the contractual ties of obedience and protection which bound one man to another; and the fragmentation of authority. It is thought that the Carolingian period provides evidence of at least the beginning of feudal relationships and most characteristic was the existence of a personal bond of sworn fidelity between the ruler and the free men or vassals who were ruled (commendatio). The commendatio established a degree of equality between an inferior vassal and the superior lord to whose protection he entrusted himself, and the vassal assumed duties of submission and personal aid. The vassal, not being considered a subject of his lord, had by virtue of his consent to the contract certain individual standing which was enhanced by the grant of a certain local autonomy (beneftcium). Each party, however, acknowledged mutual companionship through a contract, each preserving the power to consent and to withdraw consent (diffidatio). This sworn fidelity consolidated the kingdom. Charles the Great demanded a sworn oath from all free men in his dominions and placed special emphasis on the fidelity of lay and ecclesiastical nobles. It is this personal bond of mutual loyalty and affection between a free warrior and his hand-picked retinue of free close associates which came to be institutionalized by the Carolingians. The personal bond of fidelity presupposed some form of consent of the aristocratic faithful. Hence, early feudal government is defined as the exercise of power by kings or lords with the support of a military class, bound to their overlords by oaths of fidelity, where these fideles had the duty to give counsel to their king. A vassal was tied to his lord so that a mutual and life-long relationship was established between a lord and his man. In the Carolingian period, vassals constituted a large army of warriors, tied by contract to their overlord through personal loyalty, and the vassal was rewarded for his fealty by a grant, a benefice, of lands in return for the performance of his mainly military service. The central importance of the feudal relationship, then, has been seen to be its contractual nature.16 A general picture of early feudal society is a hierarchy in which Europe was divided geographically by means of spheres of influence and loyalty, based on land grants and military service. A contract of life-long mutual consent between a lord and vassal established normative limitations on ruler and ruled. This meant that the superior overlord could not require unconditional subservience from hisfideles. Because the contract was mutual, any reneging on either side had consequences, and hence resistance was legitimate if fidelity on either side was breached. If any vassal should wish to abandon his lord, he may do so only if he can prove that the lord has committed one of these crimes: first, if the lord should have unjustly sought to 16 Bloch thought the clearest legacy of feudalism to modern societies was its emphasis on the notion of political contract, where the contract presupposes individual contractees who are capable of individual consent. M. Bloch, La Societeftodak, vol. 2 (Paris, 1940), pp. 258-60.
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 17 enslave him; second, if the lord plotted against his life; third, if the lord committed adultery with the wife of his vassal; fourth, if the lord willingly attacked him with drawn sword in order to kill him; fifth, if after the vassal commended his hands into his, the lord failed to provide defence which he could have done. . . . We wish that every free man in our kingdom select the lord whom he prefers, us or one of our faitMul subjects; we also command that no man abandon his lord without just cause, nor should anyone receive him, unless according to the customs of our ancestors.17 Anyone worthy of entering into faithful vassalage was a free man and not an unfree serf who was tied to the land like chattel. A faithful vassal was a noble, however insignificant his degree of nobility. What constituted nobility is hody disputed but it appears to have had something to do with family origins, blood lines, distinguished ancestors going back to eponymous heroes of barbarian legend. German scholars have highlighted the associationist tendencies in this kind of society based on kinship bonding, blood lineage, unifying 'national' myths and oral customary codes. But there has been resistance to this interpretation on the part of other scholars because there is no secure evidence to demonstrate the link between the uniquely Germanic band of the king's warrior—companions mentioned by the first century ad Roman historian Tacitus in his Germania and the much later Carolingian fideles. What is clear is that early medieval societies rested on a diffused network of contractual agreements between relatively privileged individuals within larger groups, agreements which provided mutual aid and protection in relatively unsettled conditions, and that the oaths of allegiance which survive for these Christianized barbarian groupings were based on being made in the sight of God. The partnership between the king and his magnates who shared in his ministry as agents of the royal office was contractual, requiring some form of consensus. And it is notable that where Roman law ignored oaths, Carolingian professions of loyalty and mutuality of protection and order became the basis of virtually all kinds of bondings, and here it is thought that Charles the Great's ecclesiastical advisers played a foundational role.18 If feudal kingship rested on the consent of the king's free subjects, then in theory no succession could be allowed without some recognition of a king's fitness to rule. Consultation, at least among the more important of the magnates, both lay and ecclesiastical, was somehow required. Together such men determined in particular cases the extent to which a king was subject to the authority of law and custom in a contractual and collective community. A king who acted tyrannically or by whim, or who was negligent, was called inutilis or ineffective and his authority questioned and sometimes overridden.19 The king's responsibility was to provide laws and perhaps more importantly to maintain the received laws and customs of the peoples within his domain. Under Carolingian kings documents known as capitularies represented both a theoretical and practical aspect by which royal reforms could be circulated and made known universally throughout the territory. Many Carolingian capitularies mention that they are the record of the deliberations and decisions on the part of an assembly. The capitulary of Herstal (779), for instance, states that its contents were agreed by the bishops, abbots and counts gathered 17 Carolingian kings' laws: Capituhria regumfrancorum, Monumenta Germaniae Historica [MGH] Legum II, no. "7, dated 802-3 and no. 104, dated 801-13. 18 See J. Nelson, 'Kingship and Empire', in CHMPT (1988), pp. 211-51. 19 E. Peters, The Shadow King: rex inutilis in medieval law and literature, 751-1327 (New Haven, CN, 1970).
18 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY together with the king in one special council.20 Decisions about secular and ecclesiastical organization that were recorded in the capitulary were subsequently made known to the people in the regions administered by the delegates. The concern of kings in legislating and writing down laws seems to have been to fix custom rather than to bring in ostensibly new laws to change customary behaviour. Furthermore, Charles the Great showed himself concerned to surround himself at his court with learned clergy who could help him confirm custom with appeals to ancient texts and especially those of the Bible which spoke of kingship. Such councillors/counsellors were educated in monastic centres where theology and to some extent Roman law were studied. Most of Charles's advisers came from monastic centres in England or Ireland. And it was said that Alcuin of York not only taught Charles to read and write but he acted as his chief adviser. Charles's royal enactments therefore have a strongly religious flavour where the idea of kingship as practised is rephrased in biblical terminology. Charles is described as the new King David and his ultimate authority comes from God. Carolingian kingship mixes early feudal seignorial along with theocratic notions of governance. The central idea behind theocratic monarchy was the divine origin of royal power and hence the king's relationship between those he ruled was based on fides in the sense of religious faith. But as a feudal, seignorial ruler this same king had with his fideles a contractual relationship of mutual fidelity. As Canning has noted,21 such fidelity was not the source of his royal title but it might consolidate his actual power. The dual theocratic—seignorial model of kingship was to become the distinctive form of monarchical secular government in Western Europe in the Middle Ages. But it would be the peculiarly constitutional solutions to the tensions between the two notions of ruling, theocratic and seignorial/feudal, that would help to set the boundaries of future European debates on the nature and practice of good government. It is important to realize that this dual theory and practice is thought to be particular to the Western European experience. Where we can find analogous feudal practices and institutions in other parts of the world, notably Japan, the tensions between central and local authorities have usually been resolved historically by a sacral monarchy as the only form of effective centralized government. As we shall see, however, the mixed inheritance of feudalism with the influences of Rome, Christian theological doctrine and the development of canon and civil laws to suit the evolving conditions of the medieval West's church and 'states', would produce a constitutional theory of the 'state' as a deliberate product of human reason and will. This would be the peculiarly European answer to the more universal problem of a tension between central and local authorities which was more usually solved by centralizing absolutisms.22 Translatio Imperii With the help of learned advisers Carolingian emperors were able to claim to wield legitimate imperial authority since they saw themselves, after Charles the Great's coro- 20 MGH Cap. 1, no. 20, prologue, p. 47. 21 Canning, A History, p. 64. 22 B. Tierney, Religion, Law and the Growth of Constitutional Thought 1150-1650 (Cambridge, 1982), p. 9.
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 19 nation as emperor in 800, to be the legitimate heirs of Byzantium. The 'translation of rmperium' from East to West with imperium now lodged in the Carolingian line was pronounced along with an ideology that proclaimed a renewal and restoration of the idea of the Christian Roman Empire of Constantine. From Charles the Great onwards, die ideology of a Roman imperial restoration and renovation would continue to find champions. Indeed, poets at Charles's court proclaimed: 'Golden Rome renewed is once more reborn to the world', now geographically located in Northern Europe. And die bishops of Rome who sought independence from the Greek East increasingly looked to the Latin-speaking West for protection with the aim of consolidating a Western Latin Christendom that was divorced from a Greek-speaking Byzantine East, which the popes of Rome could not control. During the tenth century, when the centre of historical focus moves from Gaul to Germany and its Saxon kings, the Ottoman dynasty would once again seek to unite Germany and Italy under the rule of one Caesar. They too would be dominated by the notion of imperial renovatio, a Christian Rome renewed, with a reformed and purified church in the care of a German monarch and emperor. Renovatio imperii Romanorum would appear on Ottoman seals. Theocratic Kingship The Carolingian theory of kingship was effectively the work of Latin-speaking clergy, both at Rome and at the Carolingian court, hand in hand with the Carolingian aristocracy. With the Frankish appeal for the support of the pope in the election of their king over one they deemed inutilis — and this had established the Carolingian line in the first place — came the replacement of a Germanic kin-right with Christian principles. This has been seen as a conscious ideology on the part of Frankish clerical and lay aristocratic powers. Catholic Christianity was therefore a compulsory aspect of membership in the 'state'. Using the notion of the Roman imperial sacred kingship,23 the Carolingians developed the religious element further. The Carolingian king and emperor was not only a convener of church councils, but he played a role in nominating bishops to ecclesiastical offices, and he was ultimately responsible for maintaining both clerical discipline and public morality. The Carolingian king ultimately pronounced on sound religious doctrine as it was to be taught in 'his' churches. Carolingian monarchy was dieocratic not only in exercising legitimate intervention in church affairs but also in that die monarch himself was seen as sanctified, niling as a surrogate of God on earth. Churches became literally the properties of the king's vassals and they were serviced by royal and lordly nominees. For the monarch to possess such powers he relied on the recognition of his royal and imperial titles by the pope in Rome. Furthermore, Carolingian rule depended extensively on the practical support received from bishops and abbots of monasteries within the domain, not least because bishops and abbots had been given vast tracts of land and they received, as feudal lords, payments in kind from serfs and lower vassals. Hence, the notion of Carolingian royalty was not only religiously sanctioned but it was also patrimonial. The king was patriarch, exercising authority over his household 23 Although it has been argued that in the Byzantine context the emperor had not been a priest nor had he been head of the church as an ecclesiastical body; see D. M. Nicol, 'Byzantine Political Thought', CHMPT (1988), p. 67.
20 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY and children, and in so far as the church was part of the realm, it no less than 'his people' were taken to have been committed to the king's care. There was a spiritual and ceremonial aspect of Carolingian lordship where the king was viewed as a surrogate Christ. The clerical and monastic scholars at the Carolingian court developed a concept of kingship in the language of the Old Testament with David, Solomon and Melchisedek taken as both kings and priests of their people. The imperial crown, a combination of a royal crown and a bishop's mitre, publicly displayed the emperor's authority as both king and high priest. The ceremony of installing a king closely resembled an episcopal ceremony, and the king was more often viewed as a cleric than as a layman. Indeed, whatever the nature of'original' barbarian kingship, once the tribes entered the Roman Empire they were direcdy influenced by and were assimilated to aspects of imperial government. And they understood that God was the source of royal authority, appealing directly to certain key texts both in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15:10; John 3:27) and in the Old. Their formulation of a ruler as king by the grace of God (rex del gratia) was widespread and by the end of the eighth century it became part of Charles the Great's royal title. This formulation was the distant ancestor of early modern divine right monarchy.24 Furthermore, the Frankish people were identified with Israel under a theocratic kingship, an image of a 'chosen people' that would survive well into the seventeenth century in England and elsewhere on the Continent. In deriving his authority direcdy from God, the Carolingians said the king was God's vice-regent on earth, God's vicar, to whom the people were entrusted. In turn, the king by divine grace conceded governing offices and powers to those he governed, and hence his people were his subjects, subject to his superiority. On this theory, they seemed to lack any right of resistance to him. But the office of kingship, being divinely instituted, had as its purpose the furthering of the divine will; hence the monarch was not to rule by absolute whim. His office, a duty, was that of Christian service for the common good of his people. In serving their good he was serving God. His office was a Christian ministry, exercised in his justice, mercy, humility, and in his serving, protecting and preserving the Christian religion. In Roman terms his was a tutorial role to his people, which in itself limited his freedom of action, as it required that he protect certain of their rights which were not necessarily derived as concessions from him. It is thought that 'the people' were conceived of as a separate entity, perhaps with certain inherent rights, separate from their ruler, even if in reality what was meant by ' the people' was the great men of the realm. 'The people', therefore, proved central even to this theocratic notion of monarchy. Crucially, theocratic kingship was not arbitrary absolute rule. And yet if the king was in theory limited both by his ministry and by customs, there were no means to enforce these limitations and no legal right of resistance: according to theocratic theory, his rule was not absolute but he was not controlled. There is, however, a tradition of argument which goes back to nineteenth-century German scholarship that sees the limits on arbitrary rule having been inherent in the practices of Germanic tribes themselves. It has been asserted that Germanic peoples preserved a kind of popular kingship by election, thereby limiting a king's power by his need to answer to a popular assembly. But many scholars now think that there is too 24 Canning, A History, p. 17.
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 21 iirde evidence to demonstrate characteristics of Germanic practices before they were Romanized and Christianized.25 There is no doubt, however, that practices of Romanized ind Christianized Germanic kingdoms gave a place to popular involvement in the making of a king and part of the process of his legitimation was their recognition of the divine source of his authority. Furthermore, there was a popular aspect to the creation of customary law and royal law was meant to coexist with it, rather than replace it. The ruler caused to be written down the customary law which was given legitimacy and authority by his will. Since the different barbarian kingdoms were composed of different peoples with different oral customs, written codes which were often a mixture of Roman and Germanic elements came to be written down in Latin to apply to members of respective peoples (gentes). The most important and long-enduring barbarian code was the Lex Romana Visigothorum, a simplified Roman law code. Indeed, there survive other collections of 'national' laws of the different peoples in the regions under Carolingian rule, comprising the Lex Salka, Lex Ribuaria, Lex Alamannorum, Lex Burgundionum and the Lex Baiwariomm. Carolingian rulers were enjoined to judge wisely according to the written law, implying that judges as well as counts and royal agents were to know the different barbarian laws and have copies of them in their different regions to guide them in their day-to-day administration. There are documents which describe how Charles the Great assembled the dukes, counts and the rest of the Christian people, together with men skilled in the laws, and he had all the laws of his realm read out; each man's law was expounded to him and emended where necessary, and the emended law written down. Charles declared that the judges should judge in accordance with what was written and should not accept gifts; all men, poor or rich, should enjoy justice in Charles's realm.26 Theocratic Carolingian kings therefore worked within a legal tradition that was largely based on custom. Both the traditions of Roman law and Germanic law insisted that rulers governed within the legal structure of human laws rather than arbitrarily. And when law did not exist in written form, law was what experienced men declared it to be. Hence, despite the subjection of his people to his rule as God's vicar in theocratic theory, no monarch could rely solely on his theocratic claims for his legitimacy. The feudal, contractual partnership between the king and his aristocratic lay and ecclesiastical vassals underwrote his power. While the spiritual authority of his ecclesiastical magnates formally created him as quasi-divine monarch, once installed these ecclesiastics were subordinated in temporal matters to him. As a consequence, many scholars have argued that the contractual aspects of this kind of monarchy, based on bonds of sworn fidelity, in fact and practice superceded in importance the theocratic conception of his royal personality. Out of this bond of mutual faith would evolve not only notions of rights and duties of both ruler and ruled but even more abstract notions of rule over the corporate body of society, conceived as the duties of a public office. The very notion of kingship as ministry emphasized a mixture of spiritual and secular power and capacities united in one person. But a distinction was also observed between the king's two bodies', his individual person by nature and his person by grace which raised him above natural men into a public, impersonal, official personality: a God- 25 See Canning, A History, pp. 16-17 for a summary view of the debate. 26 R. McKitterick, The Carolinians and the Written Word (Cambridge, 1989), p. 60.
22 MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY man.27 He governed a regnum or a populus comprised of Christian men, with a Christian liberty that acknowledged their freedom as sons of God but without otherwise destroying social ranks in a hierarchical respublica. Both Roman and feudal law equalized in a legal rather than a social sense. Society was governed by the person of the particular ruler and yet simultaneously was understood impersonally as a public realm, founded and structured by law in which regnum and ecclesia together comprised the commonwealth, the respublica, without implying a specific constitutional form of government. A monarchy could therefore be called a respublica. This way of speaking would continue well into the sixteenth century, so that any reader of medieval and Renaissance political theory texts must be careful not to confuse a specific reference to a republican constitutional form with the more general notion of a respublica as simply a law-governed community with the common good as its purpose. The dual personality of the king, by nature an individual man and by grace and through ecclesiastical consecration a God-man, would also survive into the future. From the Carolingian period would also survive both the theory and practice of governance by consensus, whereby a realm is ruled with the counsel and consent of the faithful vassals in mutual contracts with their overlord, the king. In practice, 'consent' meant both an implicit general consensus and an explicit consent of a relative minority of important men, a notion that would later lead to the use of the term maior et sanior pars, 'the great and the good'. The language of much of this theory is Roman and legal. Its reality was often simply the rule of many Germanic peoples under one organizing principle. When linked with papal Rome, the language would be invested with ancient reverberations of empire and therefore continue a link with antiquity. The Carolingian period is important because it allows us to observe a period in European culture where sovereignty was construed as a faithful, religiously sanctioned sharing of power between a monarch, an aristocracy and the church, and where policies were based on the consultation and consent of these elite parties to policy. The Origins of Papal Authority and the Gelasian Doctrine It has often been observed that anyone wishing to throw light on the models that have influenced the formation of the European modern state cannot ignore the medieval Western church. The Latin church evolved a model of concentrated decision-making power and a pyramidal structure of institutional organization, what English-language historians often call 'papal monarchy', well before European states came into existence.28 Hence, another language of legitimate authority was developed within ecclesiastical circles. Papal authority, the authority of the bishop of Rome, was understood to be founded in Christ's commission to St Peter as related in the Gospel of Matthew 16:18—19: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the 27 E. Kantorowicz, The King's Two Bodies: a study in medieval political theology (Princeton, NJ, 1957). 28 A. Padoa—Schioppa, 'Hierarchy and Jurisdiction: models in medieval canon law', in A. Padoa—Schioppa, ed., Legislation and Justice (Oxford, 1996), pp.1—15; K. Pennington, Pope and Bishops: the papal monarchy in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries (Philadelphia, 1984).
MEDIEVAL POLITICAL IDEAS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY 23 kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. This, along with Christ's command to Peter (John 21:15—17) to 'Feed my sheep', served as the scriptural foundations of papal legal claims to jurisdiction over European Christians throughout the Middle Ages. Christ was to be understood as having built his church and he passed on governing jurisdiction to his apostle Peter and to Peter's successors. This is known as the claim to apostolic Petrine succession of the papacy. Each successive pope, many years after the age of the apostles, was to be seen as the 'unworthy heir of St Peter', as Peter's vicar, rather than as the heir of the previous incumbent. Each pope succeeded directly to the same legal powers of St Peter but not to his personal merits. A distinction had therefore been drawn between the office of pope on the one hand and the incumbent on the other, which enabled the papacy throughout the Middle Ages to claim that no matter how unsuitable a particular incumbent might be, he retained the full legal authority of pope 'in place of St Peter. This notion of the duration of office, its impersonal indestructibility and its separation from the personal idiosyncrasies of an incumbent, was to remain fundamental to European political discourse on government in church and state. Furthermore, by the mid fifth century the bishop of Rome was spoken of as head (principatus) of the church which was the Body of Christ. The church was seen as structured organically as a public corporation, a body (corpus) comprising a head (caput) and members. The head, the pope, was to be judged by no one and hence the pope was declared constitutional sovereign with a jurisdictional function as the final court of appeal in ecclesiastical cases. This was the culmination of the evolving hierarchical structure adopted by the church from the second century onwards where a system of functions and duties differentiated bishops, priests and deacons. There was also established a hierarchy between different episcopal sees, ranging from suffragan bishops to metropolitans and, the highest, patriarch. The empire's own institutional model, centralized and hierarchical, offered the church an example, but from the fourth century the church in the West began to evolve along its own road to claim Roman primacy. Thereafter, to the organic image of the church as the Body of Christ would be added a notion of hierarchy inherited from a sixth-century anonymous Christian neoplatonist who was er
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Wind power plant built in Ninh Thuan
Singaporebased renewables developer The Blue Circle and its Vietnamese partner TSV began construction of Dam Nai wind power plant in Tan Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province.
VNA Friday, April 28, 2017 16:14
Ninh Thuan aims to become clean energy centre
Thursday, March 16, 2017 17:50
Another hydroelectric plant ready to connect with national grid
NA adopts halt to Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant project
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 20:54
Construction of wind power plant commences in Ninh Thuan
Tuesday, August 30, 2016 15:26
At the event (Photo: VNA)
Ninh Thuan (VNA) – Singapore – based renewables developer The Blue Circle and its Vietnamese partner TSV began construction of Dam Nai wind power plant on April 28 in Tan Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, the central province of Ninh Thuan.
The 40-MW wind park is built on an area of 9.6 hectares with a total investment of 80 million USD.
The project consists of two phases, of which the first phase is expected to finish by October 2017 with three turbines operating. A total of 16 turbines will be fully operational in the second phase which lasts to October 2018.
Turbines used for the wind farm will be supplied by Spain’s Gamesa. With a capacity of 2,625 MW and a diameter of 114 metres, it is the largest wind turbine installed in Vietnam so far.
Investors have been asked to mobilise all resources to implement the project promptly and ensure work and environment safety.
The provincial People’s Committee has directed local authorities to create favourable conditions to support investors during the project construction and their business in the localities.
Vietnam has great potential for wind power, estimated at about 10,000 MW, according to research by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ).
The country needs to switch to renewable energy such as wind and solar power as it has cancelled its first two nuclear power projects and has started implementing commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, experts have said.
Only four wind power projects are operating in the country with a total capacity of 160 MW, which is far below the huge potential that exists in the country.
The Government has released its National Electricity Development Plan for 2011-2020 with a strategic priority on renewable energy, with wind power capacity targeted at 800 MW by 2020 and 6,000 MW by 2030.-VNA
The Blue Circle Dam Nai wind power plant Gamesa turbines renewable energy solar power wind power Singapore renewables developer Related stories Ninh Thuan Related stories Singapore Related stories Spain
Cars which provide passenger transportation via ride-hailing platforms like Grab will have to put on top TAXI sign or carry logo stickers showing that they are contract vehicles.
ABBANK reports 36 percent rise in profit
The An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank reported a profit after-tax of 1.23 trillion VND (53.18 million USD) for 2019, an increase of 36 percent from the previous year.
Vietjet on January commenced its latest international route connecting the resort city of Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong and Seoul – the capital city of the Republic of Korea.
Vietnam joins 11th Int’l Plastics Exhibition 2020 in India
Vietnam is joining the 11th International Plastics Exhibition 2020 (PLASTIVISION INDIA) that opened in Maharashtra state of India on January 16.
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St Albans School, Hertfordshire
(Redirected from St Albans School (Hertfordshire))
This article may contain excessive or inappropriate references to self-published sources. Please help improve it by removing references to unreliable sources where they are used inappropriately. (January 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Independent day school in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
St Albans School
Abbey Gateway
AL3 4HB
51°45′04″N 0°20′40″W / 51.7510°N 0.3445°W / 51.7510; -0.3445Coordinates: 51°45′04″N 0°20′40″W / 51.7510°N 0.3445°W / 51.7510; -0.3445
Independent day school
Religious affiliation(s)
Wulsin (Abbot Ulsinus)
Department for Education URN
117647 Tables
Jonathan Gillespie MA (Cantab), FRSA
Boys (coeducational Sixth Form)
Black, blue, gold and red respectively
The Albanian
Old Albanians
£9.8 million
http://www.st-albans.herts.sch.uk/
St Albans School is an independent school in the city of St Albans in Hertfordshire, in the South East of England. Entry before sixth form is for boys only, but the sixth form has been co-educational since 1991. Founded in 948 by Wulsin, St Albans School is not only the oldest school in Hertfordshire but also one of the oldest in the world. The school has been called "Britain's oldest public school" by the Daily Mail.[1] Nicholas Carlisle, in 1818, described the school as "of very ancient origin, and of great celebrity"[2] and the Good Schools Guide describes St Albans as a "traditional public school, with a rich history".[3]
The current headmaster is Jonathan Gillespie, appointed in 2014.
1 School arms
2.1 Pre-Reformation history
2.2 Post-Reformation history
3 Religion and musical education
4 Academic tradition
4.1 Scientific tradition
4.2 Historical tradition
5 The school today
6 Old Albanians
6.1 12th century
7 Notable teachers
School arms[edit]
The school coat of arms is composed of the cross of Saint Alban together with the School motto.
The cross of Saint Alban is a gold saltire (a cross, signifying that Alban was martyred, but diagonal, as he was beheaded, not crucified) on a blue field (or, in heraldic terms, Azure, a saltire Or).
The current school motto is Non nobis nati ("Born not for ourselves"). This dates back to the family of the 12th century Geoffrey de Gorham (Master and subsequently Abbot of St Albans), deriving from Cicero's ("Non nobis solum nati sumus"; "We are not born for ourselves alone"), and was used until the Reformation. It was re-introduced in 1994, thereby stressing the link between the School before and after the dissolution of the monastery in 1539.
Non nobis nati replaced the previous motto Mediocria firma ("The middle road is best"), used between the 16th and 20th centuries. This was the motto of the Bacon family at Gorhambury (including Sir Nicholas and Sir Francis Bacon). This formed part of the Bacon coat of arms, which for instance can still be seen outside the Verulam Arms public house in nearby Welclose Street and inside St Mary's Church, Redbourn.
Pre-Reformation history[edit]
The Abbey Gateway, now home to the school's History and Religious Studies departments.
The school was founded within St Albans Abbey by Abbot Wulsin in 948 and was the first school in the world to accept students not intending to join a religious order, being the first school open to the wider public.[4] By the 12th century, the School had built for itself such a reputation that the famous Norman scholars Geoffrey de Gorham and Alexander Neckam applied for the post of Master.[4] Geoffrey de Gorham was later to become Abbot of St Albans in 1119, and the School then remained under the control of the Abbot until the dissolution of the Abbey in 1539.[5]
By the 12th century, the school was one of the largest in the British Isles. On 16 September 1309, the school was given new statutes, including scholarships for poor students.[6] The school and Abbey were sacked in 1381 during the Peasants' Revolt. (The revolt's leader John Ball, was also a former pupil of the school.) By the 15th century, the school was located in buildings in Romeland and inside the Abbey Gateway, which from 1479 housed schoolmaster's press.[7] The St Albans Press continues today, in a semi-dormant form, as "John Insomuch Schoolmaster Printer 1479 Ltd", making the school the oldest extant presses in the world.[8]
Post-Reformation history[edit]
After the dissolution of the Abbey in 1539, Richard Boreman, the last Abbot, became Headmaster and the school moved to a chapel near St Peter's church in St Albans after its buildings in Romeland were demolished by Sir Richard Lee for building materials to rebuild Sopwell Priory into a country house.[9] In 1549, to put the school on a firmer foundation, the last Abbot was granted the right to maintain a Grammar School by a private Act of Parliament.[9] Around 1545, the school outgrew its St Peter's church premises and moved again to the Lady Chapel at the east end of the Abbey, bought for the huge sum of £100, and it was separated from the rest of the abbey with a wall made of smashed stones from the ancient shrine of St Alban.[9] In 1553 the Crown sold the rest of the Abbey Church to the town for £400 (the value of the lead on its roof) and became a Church of England parish church for the new Borough of St Albans.[9]
In 1570 Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and father of Sir Francis Bacon, then living at nearby Gorhambury, gave the school new statutes and re-endowed the School by successful petitioning Queen Elizabeth I for a Wine Charter (extended by King James I in 1606).[4] The only other educational institutions with the same privileges to tax the alcohol trade in their localities were the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The income from wine and beer sales in the St Albans continued to fund the school until 1922, when they were surrendered to the Treasury in return for £1200 in The Oxford and St Albans Wine Privileges (Abolition) Bill.[10] Other benefactors from this period include Sir Richard Platt, Citizen of London, sometime Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers and later founder of Aldenham School, who 'conveyed to the Mayor and Burgesses, and their Successors for ever' former-Abbey land on George Street in St Albans for the benefit of the school, and Charles Hale, whose relative Richard Hale later founded a grammar school in the town of Hertford.[11]
Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Nicholas Bacon also founded the school's library in 1570, which moved from Sumpter Yard in the 19th century to the Abbey Gateway, and then in the 1980s to an impressive converted 19th century neo-Gothic hall, opened by Professor Colin Renfrew OA, then Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. The library collection now holds over 16,000 volumes and Elizabeth I is still regarded as the 'Benefactor Royal' of the St Albans School Library.[12]
Other significant benefactions to the school include a gift of clay pits near St Albans made in 1582[11] and a significant amount of land by Charles Woollam, an Old Albanian, in the 19th century, including playing fields at Belmont Hill and St Alban's "Holy Well", which was a site for medieval pilgrimage.[13]
In 1626, King Charles I visited the school in a royal inspection. His visit to St Albans was recorded by a royal crest being built into one of the fireplace surrounds in the Abbey Gateway and this room is still called the "King Charles Room" in honour of his visit.[14]
After over three centuries in the Lady Chapel, in 1871, due to the restoration of the Abbey and the re-instatement of the Lady Chapel, the school moved into the Abbey Gateway (which had been built in 1365 and, following the dissolution, had been used as a prison for 300 years; now a scheduled ancient monument).[15]
Between 1907 and 1976, it was a Direct Grant grammar school, keeping the name St Albans School for most part not least because of the existence of 2 separate Boys' and Girls' Grammar Schools in St Albans and was generally referred to simply as a Direct Grant School. In the 1960s and 1970s many of the pupils at the school enjoyed a free education, paid for by public funds. From 1980 to 2005, it also offered free places to poor but academically talented pupils under the Assisted Places Scheme. Since the 1970s, the school has also offered a large number of scholarships and bursaries up to 100% of the school's fees, funded from its endowments.
Since the 19th century, there have been many additions to the school site, which now comprises a very interesting architectural mixture of buildings dating from the Roman-era cellar, where the archives are kept under the Abbey Gateway, to modern extensions built in the 1990s.[16] The school also includes the oldest room in the world regularly used as a classroom, the 12th century West Gate Room, which was incorporated from a previous gateway into the current Abbey Gateway in the 1360s.[16] Ptolemy Dean is the current school architect.[17]
The Woollam Playing Fields, a couple of miles away to the north of the city, provides an extensive, modern, outdoor sports facility for the School and the Old Albanian Sports Club.[18] At over 100 acres, it was the largest sporting development in Western Europe until the construction of the Olympic Park in East London for the 2012 games. The site was officially opened in October 2002 by Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester. Woollam's was built on part of a 400-acre farm owned by the school, which also contains a field studies centre used by the school's biology department. In 2003, the school opened a new Drama Department building and theatre in Romeland, on the site of the medieval school's building, called the "New Place".
On 7 January 2010, the Herts Advertiser ran an article reporting that a loan of £1000 at the rate of 6% p.a. was given by the school to the city of St Albans in 1722. The St Albans City and District Council, though it acknowledges the loan, has not made any repayments on it. As of 2012, the debt stands at £21,800,000,000 (21 billion 800 million pounds).
The summer of 2012 saw the completion of a new Sports Centre on site, with sports hall, swimming pool, climbing wall, fitness suite and dance studio. Another recent development was the acquisition of Aquis Court, an office building adjacent to the school, which provides facilities for the Sixth Form, with a new Common Room, cafeteria and classrooms, while the Art Department also has new facilities.[19]
Religion and musical education[edit]
The school still maintains links with St Albans Cathedral, which doubles as the school's chapel. Services are held there every Monday and Friday morning during term time, and special events held there include the annual Founders' Day and two carol services, led by the school choir, who still wear black and blue gowns in the same style as worn by undergraduates at Trinity College, Cambridge and similar to those worn by monks at the Abbey in medieval times. In addition, the school's music staff are usually linked with the Abbey's musical staff. Andrew Parnell, organist and harpsichordist, was assistant master of music at the Abbey as well as being master of music and choirmaster at the school from 1976 to 2001. Simon Lindley also held these posts a few years earlier; John Rutter's 1974 carol Jesus Child bears a dedication "for Simon Lindley and the choir of St Albans School".[20]
Academic tradition[edit]
Scientific tradition[edit]
The school also has a long scientific tradition, stretching back to the Norman era, when Alexander Neckam became master of the school. Since the advent of modern science, the school has produced many famous scientists and mathematicians including Professor Colin Cherry, Professor Ian Grant, Professor Stephen Hawking (inspired by Dikran Tahta, a teacher at the school who later worked at the Open University), and Professor Christopher Budd. In the light of its long scientific heritage, the school was awarded a large sum of money in 2007 by the Wolfson Foundation to rebuild its physics laboratories to university standards.[21]
Historical tradition[edit]
St Albans School has also produced some notable historians and historiographers. In medieval times, the school and one of its alumni, Matthew Paris, were closely associated with the St Albans school of medieval historiography, and developed one of the first consistent methods of historical writing.[22] More recently; two teachers in the award-winning Ancient History department published a book on Roman sources in 2010.[8] Some notable historians who are alumni of the school include Colin Renfrew, an archaeological historian and former Disney Professor of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, Ernest Gellner, an anthropological historian, Professor Malcolm Schofield of St John's College, Cambridge, and more recently Justin Pollard, a TV historian, and Peter Sarris, a specialist on the Byzantine Empire and a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
The school today[edit]
St Albans School is predominantly a single-sex school for boys, but has accepted girls into the Sixth Form since the 1991. It is a member of the Headmasters' Conference of leading public schools. In its earlier days it was known as the Free School of St Albans, City of St Alban Grammar School or St Albans Grammar School.[2] It is often (erroneously) referred to as "The Boys' School", "St Albans Boys" and "The Abbey School" (thereby causing confusion with The Abbey C of E Primary School nearby which is almost always referred to as "The Abbey School", and the adjacent but now defunct Abbey National Boys' School, a name which is still borne by a building in nearby Spicer Street). The school now has 814 pupils.
The school operates a house system. The current system, which came into use in September 1996, assigns all members of the school to one of four houses. These are named after notable former pupils and staff: Hawking, Renfrew, Hampson and Marsh. Previously the house names were Abbey, Breakespeare, Debenham, Pemberton, Shirley, Woollams and School House. School House, the last remaining boarding house, closed at the end of the Summer Term 1961 and those boys in School House were integrated into other houses.
In 1967 the School acquired what was then a derelict hill farm in the Brecon Beacons. The property, Pen Arthur, was fully restored and is now a well-equipped Field Studies Centre. Academic departments use Pen Arthur for field trips and study weekends throughout the year, and it plays a key part as a base for outdoor activities organised by the CCF and Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. During their first year at the school, all pupils go to Pen Arthur for a week, during which time they participate in many "outward-bound" activities such as caving, hiking and even visiting a Roman gold mine.
Old Albanians[edit]
See also: Category:People educated at St Albans School, Hertfordshire
Former pupils of the school can use the title OA or "Old Albanian" after their name and are members of the Old Albanian Club. The Old Albanian Club has its own sports facilities at Woollam's, clubs, societies and also its own social networking website at www.oaconnect.co.uk.[23]
Pope Adrian IV
John Ball
James Shirley
William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper
12th century[edit]
Cardinal Boso (d. c. 1181), third English Cardinal
Nicholas Breakspear (c. 1100–1159), who became Pope Adrian IV (1154–1159), the only English Pope.
Alexander Neckam (1157–1217), scientist and teacher
Matthew Paris, monk and historian
John Ball, Christian radical political thinker and leader of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381
William Grindcobbe, a leader in St Albans of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381[citation needed]
Richard of Wallingford (1292–1336) Englishmathematician who made major contributions to astronomy/astrology and horology
Richard of Wallingford (late 14th century) a leader in St Albans of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381
John Whethamstede (or Bostock) (c. 1392–1465), scholar, writer and Abbot of St Albans Abbey
Walter Curle (1575–1647), Bishop of Winchester
Robert Wright (1560–1643), first Warden of Wadham College, Oxford and Bishop of Lichfield & Coventry
Henry Blount (1602–1682), traveller and writer
William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper (c. 1665–1723), Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, grandfather of William Cowper, poet and hymnodist
William Dobson (1611–1646), painter to King Charles I
Major-General John Hill (?c. 1680–1735), M.P., army officer, politician and courtier
Francis Pemberton (1624–1697), Lord Chief Justice
William Domville, Bt (1742–1833), Lord Mayor of London 1813
Thomas Walsh (1776–1849), Roman Catholic Bishop and Vicar Apostolic, Midlands and London Districts
Colonel Sir Hildred Carlile, 1st Bt, M.P. (1852–1942), army officer, politician and philanthropist
Alfred Faulkner (1882–1963), civil servant – Permanent Under-Secretary for Mines
Henry Montague Grover (1791–1866), writer and theologian
Coulson Kernahan (1858–1943), essayist, novelist and editor
Frank Toovey Lake (1849–1868) Naval Officer who was part of Richard Henry Brunton's team who surveyed lighthouse sites around Japan
Max Pemberton (1863–1950), novelist and editor
Aubrey George Spencer (1795–1872), first Anglican Bishop of Newfoundland
Thomas Spencer Wells (1818–1897), surgeon
William Whitaker, F.R.S. (1836–1925), geologist
Charles Williams (1886–1945), poet, novelist, publisher and theological writer
Rod Argent (b. 1945), musician, founder member of The Zombies
Keith M. Ashman (b. 1963), theoretical physicist and globular clusters expert
Paul Atkinson (1946–2004), musician, founder member of The Zombies
Ian Bell (b. 1962), co-author of Elite
Christopher Budd OBE (b. 1960), mathematician
Johnson Cann (b. 1937), geologist
Colin Cherry (1914–1975), cognitive scientist
Ralph Chubb (1892–1960), poet, printer and artist
Sally Connolly (b. 1976), literary critic, author, and academic
Charles "Nick" Corfield (b. 1959), mathematician, computer programmer, and founder of several startup companies in Silicon Valley
Rogers Covey-Crump (b. 1944), singer (tenor), member of The Hilliard Ensemble
Charles Crawford (b. 1954) British diplomat and speechwriter
Graham Dow (b. 1942), Bishop of Carlisle
Bruce Duncan (b. 1938), Anglican priest
Chris Duffield (b. 1952), Town Clerk and Chief Executive of the Corporation of the City of London since 2003[24]
Larry Elliott, Economics Editor of the Guardian
Brigadier Ted Flint (b. 1960), former Signal Officer in Chief of the British Army
Ernest Gellner (1925–1995), philosopher and social anthropologist
Dave Gibbons (b. 1949), Kirby Award winning comic book artist and co-creator of Watchmen
Jack Goody, FBA (1919–2015), social anthropologist[25]
Andrew Grant (b. 1968), novelist[26][27]
Ian Grant (b. 1930), mathematical physicist
John Grimaldi (b. 1955), musician, songwriter, member of Argent
David Grossman, political correspondent for Newsnight
Hugh Grundy (b. 1945), musician, founder member of The Zombies
Patrick Burnet Harris (b. 1934), former Bishop of Southwell
Tim Hart (1948–2009), musician, founder member of electric folk band Steeleye Span
Stephen Hawking (1942-2018), cosmologist and theoretical physicist
Tony Hendra (b. 1941), satirist and writer
General Sir Richard Lawson (b. 1927), Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Northern Europe 1982–96
Yann Lovelock (b.1939), writer and interfaith worker
Gregory Paul Martin (b. 1957), actor and writer[28]
Herbert Mundin (1898–1939), Hollywood character actor
Ed Macfarlane, member of the St Albans-based Indie band Friendly Fires
Christopher Morris (b. 1938), TV news presenter, journalist and author
Mike Newell (b. 1942), film director
Professor Ray Pahl (1935–2011), sociologist
Tony Penikett (b. 1945), writer and Canadian politician
Charles Pereira FRS (1913–2004), tropical agriculturist and hydrologist
Justin Pollard (b. 1968), writer and historian
Colin Renfrew, Baron Renfrew of Kaimsthorn (b. 1937), archaeologist
Tim Rice (b. 1944), lyricist
Joss Sheldon (b. 1982), author
Harry Solomon (b. 1937), businessman
Arthur Swinson (c. 1915–70), army officer, writer, playwright and historian
Nicholas Tarling (1931–2017), historian
Richard Yeoman-Clark (1944-2019), BBC Radiophonics Engineer
Notable teachers[edit]
Bruce Balden (b. 1957), mathematician and participant in TV series Seven Up!
Hilary Davan Wetton, musician
David Franklin, broadcaster
Geoffrey de Gorham (d. 1146), scholar, Abbot of St Albans Abbey 1119–1146
Tommy Hampson (1907–1965), runner - 800m Olympic Champion (1932 in Los Angeles) and World Record holder (1:49.7)
John Harmar was headmaster from 1626 to 1635[29]
Peter Hurford (b. 1930), organist
Simon Lindley (b. 1948), organist
John Mole (b. 1941), poet, critic and jazz clarinettist. City of London Poet in Residence since 1998 (under the Poetry Society's Poet in the City scheme)
Herbert Edward Palmer (1880–1961), poet
Andrew Parnell (b. 1954), organist (master of music, 1976–2001)
James Shirley (1596–1666), playwright
Dikran Tahta (taught at the school 1955–1961), mathematician who taught Stephen Hawking
Some scenes, including the opening croquet game, of the BBC comedy All Gas and Gaiters were filmed at the school.[citation needed]
The school was used as a site of part of the film Incendiary (2008).[citation needed]
The school was mentioned in the 2004 film Alfie.[citation needed]
The school featured in episode of Anneka Rice's show Treasure Hunt[citation needed]
The school and areas around it substitute for Oxford colleges in Morse[citation needed]
The school and Cathedral feature in BBC children's programme Grange Hill (Series 6, Episode 6 1983)[citation needed]
The school is mentioned by novelist, Andrew Grant, on the syndicated radio program, Joy on Paper, during which there is a discussion of the term 'Old Albanian.'
List of the oldest schools in the world
^ https://www.flickr.com/photos/stalbansschoolarchive/5884022647/
^ a b N. Carlisle, "A concise description of the endowed grammar schools in England" (1818) p. 508
^ St Albans School | St Albans | LEA:Hertfordshire | Hertfordshire Archived 19 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. The Good Schools Guide. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ a b c F.J. Kilvington, A Short History of St Albans School (1986)
^ Houses of Benedictine monks – St Albans Abbey – After the Conquest | A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 4 (pp. 372–416). British-history.ac.uk (22 June 2003). Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ "St Albans School Statutes" [1309], in A. F. Leach, "Educational Charters and Documents 598 to 1909" pp. 241–253
^ See exhibition in the north aisle at St Albans Abbey
^ a b DIRECTORS' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5 APRIL 2007. ST ALBANS SCHOOL
^ a b c d Rickmansworth Historical Society – St Albans dissolution of monastery. Rickmansworthhistoricalsociety.btck.co.uk. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ OXFORD AND ST. ALBANS WINE PRIVILEGES (ABOLITION) [MONEY]. (Hansard, 9 May 1922). Hansard.millbanksystems.com (9 May 1922). Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ a b N. Carlisle, "A concise description of the endowed grammar schools in England" (1818)
^ See library boards dated c. 1570, St Albans School
^ Parks and Gardens UK. Parksandgardens.ac.uk. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ Frank Kilvington’s Slide Collection. Tray Index. (DOC file). stalbanshistory.org
^ Character Area 2 Archived 28 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF) . Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ a b Hertfordshire HER & St Albans UAD. heritagegateway.org.uk
^ The Capital Development Programme – The Old Albanian Club Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Oaconnect.co.uk. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ OA Sport Archived 13 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine. OA Sport. Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ St Albans school reveals expansion plans (From St Albans & Harpenden Review). Stalbansreview.co.uk (26 September 2011). Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ J. Rutter (eds.), "Carols for Choirs I"
^ St Albans School Foundation Annual Report 2009-2010. Issuu.com (29 June 2011). Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ A. Gransden, "Historical Writing in England: c. 500 to c. 1307" (1996) pp. 355–360
^ Welcome. The Old Albanian Club. St Albans School. oaconnect.co.uk
^ [1][dead link]
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2015. CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "An Interview with Author, Andrew Grant". Trisha Sugarek, Writer at Play. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2019. He went to school in St Albans, Hertfordshire and later attended the University of Sheffield where he studied English Literature and Drama.
^ "Interview with Andrew Grant on Joy on Paper". Grant was a featured guest with his wife, Tasha Alexander, on the syndicated radio program Joy on Paper’s 4th Anniversary.
^ Biography of Gregory Paul Martin Archived 29 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Gregorypaulmartin.com (21 January 1962). Retrieved on 13 December 2011.
^ Kilvington 1970, pp. 128.
Independent Schools Inspectorate – St Albans School
Schools in Hertfordshire
Icknield Walk First School
Little Munden Primary School
Samuel Ryder Academy
Districts: Dacorum
Adeyfield School
Ashlyns School
Astley Cooper School
The Barclay School
Barnwell School
Beaumont School
Birchwood High School
Bishops Hatfield Girls School
Bishop's Stortford High School
The Broxbourne School
Bushey Academy
Bushey Meads School
Chancellor's School
The Chauncy School
Cheshunt School
Dame Alice Owen's School
Fearnhill School
Francis Combe Academy
Freman College
Goffs Academy
Greneway Middle School
Haileybury Turnford
The Hemel Hempstead School
The Hertfordshire and Essex High School
Hertswood Academy
The Highfield School
Hitchin Boys' School
Hitchin Girls' School
Hockerill Anglo-European College
John F Kennedy Catholic School
The John Henry Newman School
The John Warner School
Kings Langley School
Knights Templar School
Laureate Academy
The Leventhorpe School
Longdean School
Loreto College
Marlborough Science Academy
Marriotts School
Meridian School
Monk's Walk School
Mount Grace School
Nicholas Breakspear School
The Nobel School
Onslow St Audrey's School
Parmiter's School
Presdales School
Queens' School
Richard Hale School
Rickmansworth School
Ridgeway Academy
Roundwood Park School
St Clement Danes School
St George's School
St Joan of Arc Catholic School
St Mary's Catholic School
St Mary's CE High School
St Michael's Catholic High School
Sandringham School
The Sele School
Sheredes School
Simon Balle School
Sir John Lawes School
St Albans Girls' School
Stanborough School, Welwyn Garden City
The Thomas Alleyne Academy
Townsend Church of England School
Tring School
Verulam School
Watford Grammar School for Boys
Watford Grammar School for Girls
The Watford UTC
Westfield Academy
Yavneh College
Independent (preparatory)
Aldenham School
Aldwickbury School
Beechwood Park School
Heath Mount School
Kingshott School
Lochinver House School
Lockers Park School
Merchant Taylors' Prep School
Radlett Preparatory School
St Joseph's In The Park
York House School
Independent (senior)
Abbot's Hill School
Berkhamsted School
Bishop's Stortford College
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Princess Helena College
Purcell School
Queenswood School
Royal Masonic School for Girls
Rudolf Steiner School
St Albans High School for Girls
St Christopher School
St Edmund's College
St. Francis' College
St Margaret's School
Stanborough School, Watford
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts
Falconer School
The Collett School
Independent: Egerton Rothesay School
Brondesbury-at-Stocks
Chrysalis School
The Heathcote School
Langleybury
Norton School
Royal Caledonian School
Royal Masonic School for Boys
Wynyard School
Listed buildings in Hertfordshire
Eleanor Cross
Wormleybury
130–136 Piccotts End
Ashridge Business School
Berkhamsted School Old Building
St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead
Aston Bury Manor
Balls Park
Benington Castle (remains)
Hertford Castle Gatehouse
Hunsdon House
Rye House Gatehouse
Scott's Grotto
Shire Hall, Hertford
St James' Church, Stanstead Abbotts
St Leonard's Church, Bengeo
St Mary's Church, Ware
St Mary the Virgin's Church, Little Hormead
Waytemore Castle (remains)
Woodhall Park (Heath Mount School)
Tyttenhanger House
Hitchin Priory
Holy Trinity Church, Weston
St John the Baptist, Royston
St Katharine's Church, Ickleford
St Mary's Church, Ashwell
St Mary's Church, Baldock
St Mary's Church, Hitchin
St Mary and St Thomas's Church, Knebworth
Royston Cave
Old Gorhambury House (remains)
Rothamsted Manor
St Albans Cathedral
St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead
St Mary's Church, Redbourn
St Michael's Church, St Albans
Verulamium
Rooks Nest House
St Nicholas' Church
Holy Rood Church, Watford
St Mary's Church, Watford
Hatfield House/Old Palace
New St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence
Grade II*
Rawdon House
Theobalds House
173 High Street, Berkhamsted
Ashlyns Hall
Bridgewater Monument
The Bury, Hemel Hempstead
Cell Park
Dean Incent's House
Gaddesden Place
Golden Parsonage
The Old Bell, Hemel Hempstead
St Peter's Church, Great Berkhamstead
Tring Park Mansion
All Nations Christian College
All Saints' Church, Hertford
Almshouses, Buntingford
Bayfordbury
Chapel at St Edmund's College, Ware
Cromer Windmill
Fanhams Hall
Goldings
Hare Street House
Hanbury Manor
Marden Hill House
Much Hadham Palace
Pishiobury Park Mansion
St Andrew's Church, Buckland
Stansted Hall
Yeomanry House, Hertford
Youngsbury Stable Block
Aldenham House
Dyrham Park lodges and arched gateway
Hilfield Castle
Knightsland Farm House
Lululaund
Salisbury Hall
Wrotham Park
All Saints Church, Radwell
All Saints Church, Willian
The Cloisters, Letchworth
St Nicholas' Church, Hinxworth
Hinxworth Place
Homewood, Knebworth
Knebworth House
Spirella Building
St Margaret of Antioch's Church, Bygrave
St Martin's Church, Knebworth
St Mary Magdalene's Church, Caldecote
St Paul's Walden Bury
St Vincent's Church, Newnham
All Saints Pastoral Centre
Court House, St Albans
New Gorhambury House
Redbournbury Mill
St Leonard's Church, Sandridge
St Nicholas Church, Harpenden
St Peter's Church, St Albans
St Stephen's Church, St Albans
Westwick Cottage
Hunton Park
Oxhey Chapel
Redheath
The Mrs Elizabeth Fuller Free School building
Ayot House
Digswell Viaduct
Old St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence
Shaw's Corner
Other boroughs
Broxbourne railway station
Cheshunt Great House (remains)
Goldfield Mill
The Green Dragon, Flaunden
Inns of Court War Memorial
The Mansion, Berkhamsted
Pendley Manor
Rex Cinema
Rossway
Shendish Manor
Stocks House
St John's Church, Boxmoor
All Saints' Church, Hockerill
Benson Memorial Church
Brent Pelham Windmill
Buntingford Manor House
Button Snap
Christ Church, Ware
Hertford Museum Tooke House
Hopper's Hall
The Horns, Bull's Green
Panshanger orangery, conservatory and stables
Red House, Buntingford
Rowneybury Cottage
St John's Church, Letty Green
The Tilbury, Datchworth
The White Horse, Burnham Green
The White Horse, Hertford
The Chequers, Potters Bar
Duke of York, Potters Bar
Dyrham Park Country Club
The Green Man, Potters Bar
Ladbrooke School
The Lion, Potters Bar
Oakmere House
Potters Bar War Memorial
Shenley Hall
Shenley Lodge
Wall Hall
The White Hart, South Mimms
The White Horse, Potters Bar
Wyllyotts Manor
Ashwell Bury
Ashwell War Memorial
Breachwood Green Mill
British Schools Museum
Howgills
Lannock Mill, Weston
Letchworth Garden City railway station
Lytton Mausoleum
Minsden Chapel
Putteridge Bury
St George's Church, Letchworth
St Nicholas' Church, Norton
St Mary's Church, Letchworth
Stagenhoe
The Blue Anchor
Childwickbury Manor
Colney Heath Mill
The Lower Red Lion
The Old Kings Arms
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks
The Queen's Head, Sandridge
The Six Bells
Sopwell House
Sopwell Nunnery (ruins)
Verulam House
The White Lion
Trigg's Barn/37 High Street, Stevenage
Croxley Green Windmill
High Elms Manor
The Old Station House
St John's Church, Watford
Watford Palace Theatre
The Beehive, Welwyn Garden City
The Brocket Arms
Digswell House
The Eight Bells, Hatfield
Hope and Anchor, Welham Green
The Horse and Groom, Hatfield
The Green Man, Hatfield
The Red Lion, Hatfield
Tolmers Park
The Wrestlers, Hatfield
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Albans_School,_Hertfordshire&oldid=927647978"
Independent schools in Hertfordshire
Schools in St Albans
Educational institutions established in the 10th century
Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
10th-century establishments in England
Articles with dead external links from December 2011
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Articles with self-published sources from January 2015
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1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Prideaux, Humphrey
< 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
←Pride, Thomas
1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 22
Prideaux, Humphrey
Prie, Jeanne Agnes Berthelot de Pléneuf, Marquise de→
sister projects: Wikidata item.
See also Humphrey Prideaux on Wikipedia; and our 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica disclaimer.
4990581911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 22 — Prideaux, Humphrey
PRIDEAUX, HUMPHREY (1648-1724), English divine and Oriental scholar, was born of good family at Place, in Cornwall, on the 3rd of May 1648, and received his early education at the grammar schools of Liskeard and Bodmin. In 1665 he was placed at Westminster under Busby, and in 1668 went on to Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degrees in the following order: B.A., 1672; M.A., 1675; B.D., 1682; and D.D., 1686. His account of the famous Arundel marbles just given to the university appeared in 1676. In 1679 he was appointed to the rectory of St Clement's, Oxford, and Hebrew lecturer at Christ Church, where he continued until February 1686, holding for the last three years the rectory of Bladon with Woodstock. In 1686 he exchanged for the benefice of Saham in Norfolk. The sympathies of Prideaux inclined to Low Churchism in religion and to Whiggism in politics, and he took an active part in the controversies of the day, publishing the following pamphlets: “The Validity of the Orders of the Church of England” (1688), “Letter to a Friend on the Present Convocation” (1690), “The Case of Clandestine Marriages stated” (1691). Prideaux was promoted to the archdeaconry of Suffolk in December 1688, and to the deanery of Norwich (he had long been one of the canons) in June 1702. In 1694 he was obliged, through ill health, to resign the rectory of Saham, and after having held the vicarage of Trowse for fourteen years (1696-1710) he found himself incapacitated from further parochial duty. He died at Norwich on the 1st of November 1724.
Many of the dean's writings were of considerable value. His Life of Mahomet (1697) was really a polemical tract against the deists and has now no biographical value. Both it and his Directions to Churchwardens (1701) passed through several editions. Even greater success attended The Old and New Testament connected in the History of the Jews (1716), a work which not only displayed but stimulated research. Biographical details of his numerous publications and of his manuscripts are given in the Bibliotheca Cornubiensis, ii. 527-533, and iii. 1319. A volume of his letters to John Ellis, some time under-secretary of state, was edited by E. M. Thompson for the Camden Society in 1875; they contain a vivid picture of Oxford life after the Restoration. An anonymous life (probably by Thomas Birch) appeared in 1748; it was mainly compiled from information furnished by Prideaux's son Edmund.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=1911_Encyclopædia_Britannica/Prideaux,_Humphrey&oldid=9723555"
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This guide describes the types of groups playing a major role and identifies some of their key features.
Traditional Organizations
Federal Candidate Campaign Committees
Each political candidate has a committee that can accept donations from individuals. While candidates have some leeway to ‘test the waters’, “once the individual has raised or spent more than $5,000, he or she must register as a candidate.”[1] Traditionally, the candidates’ committees have been primarily responsible for costs such as staff and advertising. Donors to these committees are limited to $2,700 per election. Thus, individuals who wish to ‘max out’ their donations to candidate committees can contribute a total of $5,400: $2,700 for the primary and $2,700 for the general election.[2]
Party Committees
The political parties also have committees that collect and spend money for party activities and to help candidates. Examples of major party committees include the Democratic National Committee, the Republican National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. These committees can spend unlimited money on ‘party-building activities’ and can also spend on activities such as advertising that help the candidates they support. Due to Congress’ raise of donation caps in 2014, each party’s committees can accept a total of $777,600 per year from each donor.[3] However, these party committees are limited in how much they can spend in coordination with each candidate; after these thresholds are reached, any further financial help must be in the form of an independent expenditure. During budget negotiations in late 2015, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) proposed a policy rider that would have eliminated these coordination limits.[4] The rider was unsuccessful.
Political Action Committees, or PACs, collect money from numerous donors to disburse to multiple candidates and/or party committees. PACs can be organizationally-based (since corporations, unions and non-profits cannot donate directly to campaigns and must do so through PACs), issue-based, or created by a politician to support his or her colleagues. For instance, End Citizens United PAC is an example of an issue-based PAC. Per the Center for Responsive Politics, “PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. PACs may receive up to $5,000 from any one individual, PAC or party committee per calendar year.”[5] PACs are also required to disclose their donors and their expenditures.
527 Groups
‘527 groups’ are permitted by section 527 of the IRS Code. The IRS notes that “Political parties; campaign committees for candidates for federal, state or local office; and political action committees are all political organizations subject to tax under IRC section 527.”[6] In practice, the term has been used to refer to groups that raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, but that are forbidden from coordinating with federal campaigns. These groups are not permitted to advocate directly for or against the election of a candidate, though 527 groups such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth famously circumvented that rule. Unlike PACs and Super PACs, they report their donors to the IRS.[7]
Since the Supreme Court handed down its Citizens United decision in 2010, dozens of “independent” groups have taken advantage of it to pour unlimited money into politics. These groups exist in two forms: non-profits and Super PACs.
Politically active non-profits
Most politically active non-profits are ‘social welfare’ nonprofits, bounded by section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code. Non-profits are a convenient mechanism for many big-money donors since the groups do not have to disclose the identities of their donors. Since the Supreme Court’s 2007 decision in Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC, these groups have considerably increased their ability to spend money on politics.[8] While such groups are only permitted by law to spend an “insubstantial” amount of money on politics, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has suggested that, in practice, this term means less than half of a group’s expenses.[9] Furthermore, the IRS will reportedly avoid changing this stance before the 2016 election.[10] In spite of this permissive threshold, available tax filings and records indicate that many groups have flouted this requirement.
The other types of non-profits that act politically are 501(c)(3) ‘educational or research’ groups, 501(c)(5) unions, and 501(c)(6) business associations. Gifts to 501(c)(3) groups are tax-deductible. These groups are prohibited from “directly or indirectly participating in… any political campaign.”[11] Thus, they are generally used for ‘voter education’ (in some cases, “issue ads” that effectively criticize or praise a candidate) and other efforts that complement the direct advocacy of 501(c)(4) and other groups. 501(c)(3) groups can also pay some expenses of associated 501(c)(4) groups, which allows the c4 groups to spend more money on political activity.
Many 501(c)(5) unions are politically active, and some form associated Super PACs. 501(c)(6) business associations, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are comparatively rare but are able to avoid disclosure of their donors in the same manner as 501(c)(4) groups.
All told, dark money spending on elections by 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) groups has skyrocketed from $5.2 million in 2006 to more than $300 million in the 2012 elections and another $174 million in the 2014 midterms.[12] This dark money spending is disproportionately conducted by Republican-backing groups. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, “the $124 million in reported spending by conservative dark money organizations in 2014 [was] more than the combined spending of all liberal dark money groups going back to 1990.”[13]
Super PACs
Since the Citizens United and SpeechNow court decisions, ‘Super PACs’ can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money while directly advocating for or against candidates. Unlike ‘regular’ PACs, Super PACs cannot donate directly to political candidates or parties. They are required to remain financially and strategically independent, though they can declare whom they support. In the opinion of the New York Times editorial board, “Super PACs are supposedly independent of the candidate’s campaign, but that distinction has just about vanished.”[14] In the lead-up to the 2016 election, several candidate-backing Super PACs have taken over functions such as staffing, event organization, voter contact, and advertising that previously were primary functions of candidate committees.[15]
Super PACs are required to disclose their donors, though some donors have taken steps to obscure their identity by contributing through shell corporations.[16] As of December 8, 2015, the top 1% of Super PAC donors had given 60% of the groups’ money for the 2016 cycle.[17]
Hybrid PACs
Hybrid PACs are also called “Carey committees,” after the Carey v. FEC decision that permitted their creation. These PACs have two sides: a regular PAC that is constrained by donation limits, and a Super PAC that is not.[18] Unions and corporations are not permitted to establish hybrid PACs.[19]
Money in the political system is increasingly flowing into and through Super PACs and 501(c)(4) nonprofits. In turn, these groups are rapidly expanding their roles. For instance, several Super PACs are circumventing legal prohibitions on coordination between campaigns and Super PACs and have taken on traditional campaign roles.[20] The scope of these groups’ spending is similarly growing. “Independent” groups supporting Republicans spent a whopping $720 million in the 2012 election cycle and another $305 million in the 2014 midterms.[21][22]
In Citizens United, Justice Kennedy asserted that “independent expenditures… do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.”[23] However, media investigations of known donors to Super PACs and political non-profits have revealed that these individuals and companies frequently have a motive of potential gain for their contributions. Others have already benefited from their relationships with their chosen candidates. This hardly correlates with Justice Kennedy’s reasoning.
End Citizens United PAC is committed to overturning the mistaken Citizens United decision and, in the meantime, to countering these “independent” groups’ efforts to undermine our democracy and benefit their donors.
[1] “Congressional candidates and committees.” Federal Election Commission, 06/2014
[2] “Contribution limits for 2015-16 federal elections.” Federal Election Commission, accessed 12/09/15
[3] “G.O.P. angst over 2016 led to provision on funding.” Nicholas Confessore, The New York Times, 12/13/14
[4] “Democrats oppose new effort to loosen campaign finance rules.” Paul Blumenthal, The Huffington Post, 12/03/15
[5] “What is a PAC?” The Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 12/08/15
[6] “Tax information for political organizations – filing requirements.” Internal Revenue Service, 09/22/15
[7] “A glossary of campaign finance in the U.S.” Libby Watson, The Sunlight Foundation, 02/17/16
[8] “Justices loosen ad restrictions in campaign finance law.”Linda Greenhouse and David D. Kirkpatrick, The New York Times, 06/26/07
[9] “IRS expected to stand aside as nonprofits increase role in 2016 race.” Eric Lichtblau, The New York Times, 07/05/15
[10] “IRS expected to stand aside as nonprofits increase role in 2016 race.” Eric Lichtblau, The New York Times, 07/05/15
[11] “The Restriction of Political Campaign Intervention by Section 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations.” Internal Revenue Service, 12/15/15
[12] “Political nonprofits (dark money).” The Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 11/12/15
[13] “As FEC window opened, subjects of dark money ‘issue ads’ became targets for defeat.” Robert Maguire, The Center for Responsive Politics, 11/03/14
[14] “How Super PACs Can Run Campaigns.” The New York Times, 04/27/15
[15] “When a Super PAC acts like a campaign.” Emma Roller, National Journal, 09/10/15
[16] “Another way to mask super rich donors.” Zachary Mider, Bloomberg, 08/21/15
[17] “2016 Super PACs: How Many Donors Give?” The Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 12/08/15
[18] “Meet the super super PAC.” Dave Levinthal, Politico, 01/21/12
[19] “A glossary of campaign finance in the U.S.” Libby Watson, The Sunlight Foundation, 02/17/16
[20] “Presidential Super PACs push campaign limits.” Fredreka Schouten, USA Today, 09/22/15
[21] “2012 outside spending, by group.” The Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 11/12/15
[23] Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310, 5
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RT @GreenfieldIowa: Senator Ernst's dark money group is running new ads funded by secret donors while shes refusing to answer these five
RT @Tiffany_Muller: This Tuesday, we'll mark ten years of our broken campaign finance system, a decade after Citizens United was decided. I
Congratulations, @RepMarkTakano on your A, an d thank you for the leadership on crucial bills like #HR1! https://t.co/dfD3sxS4yq
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Ryan Wiser
Energy/Environmental Policy Senior Scientist/Engineer
eta.lbl.gov/people/Ryan-Wiser
Dr. Ryan Wiser is a Senior Scientist in and Group Leader of the Electricity Markets and Policy Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Ryan oversees a 30-person group that seeks to inform public and private decision making within the U.S. electricity sector through research on electric system planning, reliability and regulation as well as on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and demand response. Ryan specifically leads a research program on renewable electricity systems, including on the costs, benefits, impacts and market potential of renewable electricity sources; on electric grid operations and infrastructure impacts; on public acceptance and deployment barriers; and on the planning, design, and evaluation of renewable energy programs.
Ryan has been a lead author for two reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and he has offered invited testimony to the U.S. Senate. He is a founding member of the academic advisory board for the University of San Francisco's Master of Science in Energy Systems Management; serves on the board of directors for the Clean Energy States Alliance; serves as a United States representative on a multi-country IEA Wind collaboration on the cost of wind energy; and is an advisor to the Energy Foundation's China program. His work has received awards from the Utility Variable-Generation Integration Group, the American Real Estate Society, the Wind Powering America Program, Institutional Investor News, the American Wind Energy Association, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Ryan has published 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 book chapters, and over 380 other conference papers, magazine articles and research reports. His work has been quoted in or by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, USA Today, Fox News, Washington Post and numerous other publications, and he has been featured on radio and broadcast news. Ryan regularly advises public and private entities on issues related to renewable energy.
Ryan has been a consultant to, among others, the California Energy Commission, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the International Energy Agency, the World Bank, the Center for Resource Solutions, and several private companies. Prior to his employment at Berkeley Lab, Ryan worked for Hansen, McOuat, and Hamrin, Inc., the Bechtel Corporation, and the AES Corporation.
Ryan holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Energy and Resources from the University of California, Berkeley.
Why Are Residential PV Prices in Germany So Much Lower Than in the United States? A Scoping Analysis
Authors: J. Seel; G.L. Barbose; R.H. Wiser
2011 Wind Technologies Market Report
Authors: R.H. Wiser; M. Bolinger
An assessment of the role mass market demand response could play in contributing to the management of variable generation integration issues
Authors: P. Cappers; A.D. Mills; C.A. Goldman; R.H. Wiser; J.H. Eto
An Evaluation of Solar Valuation Methods Used in Utility Planning and Procurement Processes
Authors: A.D. Mills; R.H. Wiser
Benchmarking Non-Hardware Balance of System (Soft) Costs for U.S. Photovoltaic Systems Using a Data-Driven Analysis from PV Installer Survey Results
Authors: K. Ardani; G.L. Barbose; R. Margolis; R.H. Wiser; D. Feldman; S. Ong
Changes in the Economic Value of Variable Generation at High Penetration Levels: A Pilot Case Study of California
Do PV systems increase residential selling prices? If so, how can practitioners estimate this increase?
Authors: B. Hoen; R.H. Wiser; M.A. Thayer; P. Cappers
Ex Post Analysis of Economic Impacts from Wind Power Development in U.S. Counties
Authors: J.P. Brown; J. Pender; R.H. Wiser; E. Lantz; B. Hoen
IEA Wind Task 26: The Past And Future Cost Of Wind Energy
Authors: E. Lantz; R.H. Wiser; M. Hand
Photovoltaic (PV) Pricing Trends: Historical, Recent, and Near-Term Projections
Authors: D. Feldman; G.L. Barbose; R. Margolis; R.H. Wiser; N.R. Darghouth; A. Goodrich
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E3 2019 PC Previews PS4 XONE
Desperados III’s demo impressed the hell out of me at E3
Leave a Comment on Desperados III’s demo impressed the hell out of me at E3
All signs point to Desperados III making for a triumphant return of one of the best old West series around.
Outside of Commandos, I can probably say that the other most played PC game I played as a kid has got to be the Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, which in and of itself took inspiration from Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, so in many ways, it felt like a natural path to take once I was done with the latter. Years later, the sequel to Desperados titled Cooper’s Revenge turned out to be a really weak game, and thanks to the flop it turned out to be, Desperados has been pretty much dead.
Until now. Developer Mimimi, the same group of wonderful folks who released the incredible Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun a few years ago, have picked up the mantle and are now almost done developing the third entry to Desperados. And I got to check it out last week at E3. By all accounts, it’s looking fantastic and the sequel that the original deserved. The hands-on demo was guided by Mimimi’s founder and creative director Dominik Abé, and it saw a double dose of series’ protagonist Cooper gameplay: both as a boy, which worked as tutorials, and as an adult, through the actual story that takes place before the events of Wanted Dead or Alive.
During the child stages, Cooper was with his dad, as they both attempted to stealth through a few sections as they fled from bandits and all sorts of bad guys. Gameplay-wise, Desperados III plays and feels like Shadow Tactics, which already played a lot like the old Commandos and Desperados, so if you’re at all familiar with those, you’ll feel right at home. In case you are not, it plays from an isometric perspective, and you guide each one of your party members individually.
The big draw this time, pun intended, is the ability to synchronize moves and have more than one character act together in order to perform a number of actions. Say, having more than one enemy to take out, you can have Cooper and another returning character, Doc McCoy, each shoot a specific bad guy. It’s a really useful mechanic considering that the game feels like it’ll be as difficult as all of the ones I already mentioned, which is great news, because I love save scumming my way through them, trying to get a perfect run.
In terms of abilities, Cooper could make use of his trusty pistols and shoot up to two people at once, as well as tossing his knife, for silent kills. McCoy also has a gun of his own, which had slightly longer range, but his big trick is luring and eliminating enemies by tossing his medical bag somewhere into their line of sight. They both complemented each other quite well, and according to Abé, levels will vary your team composition a lot, so learning how to play off each team member’s skills off of one another will prove invaluable in the final version.
The demo ran for around half an hour, and after getting acquainted with the controls and my characters’ abilities, things flowed quite well. The situation grew a little hairy towards the end of my run, so I handled Dominik the controller (the game can also be played on keyboard and mouse) so he could show me another section of the game that featured brand-new gameplay with Kate O’Hara, yet another returning character from the original, who can lure enemies away from their posts with her charms, and get disguises, much like Aiko in Shadow Tactics and the Spy from Commandos, tricking people into letting her infiltrate otherwise impossible locations for the rest of the team. Her level took place in the game’s version of New Orleans, with plenty of opportunities for Kate to disguise herself as a lady of the night and literally take out horny guards.
Now is a good opportunity to touch upon just how big the maps were in this demo. Dominik zoomed out to show it off during the demo, and man, that last section looked to be as large if not even more than anything I saw during Shadow Tactics. And like his previous game, he mentioned that there will be lots of side objectives to partake in, such as the named enemies you can eliminate along the way, one of that game’s most time-consuming activities that had you scour every level in search of special enemy units.
Safe to say I came out of this appointment quite impressed with what I saw. I had huge expectations for Desperados III ever since I got word about it being in development, and I was more than happy with the slice of gameplay that I got to check out.
Desperados III’s scheduled for release sometime before the end of 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Tags: desperados 3 e32019 mimimi pc preview previews ps4 thq nordic Xbox One
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Category Archives: THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVE OF SYRIAN PEOPLE
SYRIA AND BASHAR AL ASSAD RECEIVED A NEW ALLY : POPE BENEDICT XVI
Ambassador Housam Al-Din Alaa presented credentials to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as the Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Vatican.
The Pope highlighted in a discourse on this occasion that ”Syria is a place dear and meaningful to Christians, from the origins of the Church. Since the meeting of the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul became the Apostle of Nations, many great saints who have shaped the religious history of your country.
Many are also archaeological evidence of churches, monasteries, mosaics of the early centuries of the Christian era that connect us to the origins of the Church.”
His Holiness added that ”Syria has traditionally been an example of tolerance, coexistence and harmonious relations between Christians and Muslims, and today’s ecumenical and interfaith relations are good” expressing his hope that friendship between all cultural and religious components of the Nation would continue and expand to the greater good of all, strengthening unity based on justice and solidarity.
The Pope underlined the need for advancing a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
On his part, Ambassador Alaa spoke of the meanings of Syria’s tolerance, coexistence and harmonious life asserting that the meanings of National Unity has additional value in light of what the region faces of schemes to dismember it, spread confusion and extremism, and destabilize it.
The Ambassador also spoke of the outcomes of last year’s Damascus-convened international conference about the Islamic-Christian Fraternity, which welcomed the call by the Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops for the achievement of just peace in the Middle East, implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, and for the taking of necessary legal measures as to end the Israeli occupation of the Arab Land, rejecting bids to change the demographic situation in the occupied Jerusalem.
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JISR AL- SHUGHOUR – THE CITY IS HAVING A NORMAL LIFE- DESPITE BBC LIES
Jisr al-Shughour, Idleb, (SANA) – In response to the inhabitants of Jisr al-Shughour region call for help, units of the Syrian army started pursuing the organized armed groups and arrested some of their members in the neighborhood villages, the Syrian TV reported on Friday.
Syrian TV Correspondent said that the organized armed groups set fire to crops and forests surrounding Jisr al-Shughour.
The organized armed groups terrified people in Jisr al-Shughour, burn public and private properties and attacked members of the army and security forces mutilating their bodies.
The Syrian TV broadcast a phone call between two members of the organized armed groups which committed terrorist acts in Jisr al-Shughour region, Idleb province.
One called Ahmad was heard in the phone call as instructing Asaad on the need to leave Jisr al-Shughour towards the Turkish borders and take pictures of them to claim as if they are running from the army and security forces to be posted on the internet later.
At the beginning Ahmad asked Asa’ad if the Syrian army has already entered the region, to which Asaad replied “No”. Then Ahmed told Asaad that they have to leave if they want to win the public opinion with the aim to claim that there aren’t any armed members in Jisr al-Shughour.
Ahmad stressed the need for filming those who leave the region as displaced citizens and publish the images, in addition to writing phrases in English and sending the images through the internet. Asa’ad assured Ahmad that everything is completely done.
Ahmad warned of performing individual or group prayer in front of the cameras so that no one will consider them as Salafists or terrorists, directing to pay attention while dictating eye witnesses as they appear on some TV satellite channels
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AFTER FAILING TO RAISE SYRIAN PEOPLE SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION IN SYRIA ASKS FOR BOMBING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS
Posted on June 4, 2011 by europeanunionnews
Syrian people rejects the appeals of so called syrian opposition and manifest their trust in President Bashar Al Assad
With anti-Syrian terrorist attacks turning increasingly violent in recent days, the anti-syrian dissidents have been gathering for a conference in Antalya to discuss a representative body that will draw international support for terrorist activities and destruction of Syria. A discussion has already fueled up some of the anti-Syrian opposition over the meeting, which will select a “transitional council” to represent the anti-Syrian terrorists on the international scene.
Syrian terrorists groups will be meeting for three days in Antalya, from May 31 to June 2, in a conference organized by the Egypt-based terrorist organization – NOHR.
The meeting would be centered on establishing “a temporary terrorist council to manage the crisis and mobilize all the possible support to destroy Syria ” the real invitation statement of the conference “Change in Syria” reads.
The conference would “assign terrorist experts in the Syria to prepare new terrorist attacks and kill Syrian people ,” experts say`s.
The signatories of the declaration of the conference “want to obtain foreign military intervention in Syria in order to kill as much Syrians as possible ,” the experts statement added.
Ahead of the meeting, objections to establishing a “terrorist transitional council” has emerged among Syrian terrorists . Setting up a terrorist transitional council at this stage “would mean a prison or death sentence” for anyone who participates from inside Syria, Walid al-Bunni, a veteran terrorist figure told Reuters last week.
The participants in previous Syrian terrorist meetings in Istanbul, organized by the Istanbul Terrorism Platform in April, including various Turkish terrorist supporter organizations such as the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples, or Mazlum-Der, was mostly from Islamic-rooted groups such as Muslim Brotherhood.
The Antalya meeting was set to bring together terrorists from the anti-Syrian terrorists organization of a different profile: mostly exiled Syrians terrorists supported by Israel in different European countries and the U.S.
Representatives of Kurdish terrorist movements are also invited.
After the Antalya Conference in May-June 2011 it is clear that the so called opposition is just interested in destroying the country unity and independence .
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THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BOY WHO BECOME A SYMBOL OF ANTI-SYRIAN UPRISING : HAMZA AL KHATEEB
UNITED STATES TERRORISTS KILLED HAMZA AL KHATEEB SAYS HIS FAMILY
A report by the Syrian Television broadcast on Tuesday unveiled the truth about the story of martyr Hamza al-Khateeb, closing the door in the face of the lies and false accounts of the satellite channels and websites which badly used al-Khateeb’s pictures over days to serve their purposes.
Syrian people take to the streets to protest against Washington Post and New York Times lies about Hamza Al Khateeb murder
The report started with showing how in April 29th after Friday Prayer, people began to gather in some villages of Daraa countryside responding to inciting calls for Jihad, which were taken advantage of by armed groups to attack army, police and security forces and citizens, and set off toward the military housing compound in Said area where al-Khateeb was martyred.
“At that time, armed members showed up among the crowd and succeeded in misleading many young children into going with them to fire at the compound’s guards whose chief was martyred,” said the report.
It continued that al-Khateeb, who was found killed in the surrounding of the compound and still unidentified then, was transferred to hospital among the victims.
“At a late hour on Friday 29/4/2011, we were informed by the Coronary Department that body for unidentified boy was in the hospital,” said Samer Abbas, the judge in charge of the case.
Abbas added that after all the medical and legal procedures were taken and once the body was identified as Hamza al-Khateeb’s, it was handed over to the martyr’s family through the National Hospital in Daraa on May 21, 2011.
“Since I am the one who undertook the investigation and the medical check up, I came to know that al-Khateeb died while he was inside the military compound’s surrounding from several gunshots without any traces of torture on the body,” said judge Abbas, pointing out that al-Khateeb’s family can come and know all the details they want.
Coroner Akram al-Shaar who checked al-Khateeb’s body pointed out that after the body reached the hospital on April 29th, a legal commission including the judge and the coroner came to identify the body whose owner’s name was not known.
“A precise description of the body showed it belongs to a plump young man in his twenties,” said al-Shaar, adding that the body had three deadly gunshots which were the reason behind the death as proven by the x-ray photography and the examination of the gunshot muzzle wounds on the body.
“There weren’t any traces of violence, resistance or torture or any kinds of bruises, fractures, joint displacements or cuts,” the coroner pointed out, indicating that there period between the check and the handover of the dead body to his family was required for the identification.
Al-Shaar affirmed that the photos of the body which appeared by some channels and news agencies were taken after an advanced stage of disintegration after death which can be detected by any coroner through different manifestations on the body.
Syrian Television expose the lies around the so called martyr boy.
He pointed out that the photos taken by the Coronary Department, however, were new as they were taken immediately upon the arrival of the body which was only few hours after death.
The TV report continued to tell the truth about the story as told by the participants in the attack on Saida military housing compound.
Abdel Aziz al-Khateeb, one of the participants, told in detail how “I used to go with my friends Hamza al-Khateeb, Abdel Majeed al-Khateeb and Mohammed Sweidan to perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in al-Jizah led by sheikh Haroon al-Zoubi and Talal Shkeir who were calling for Jihad.”
“We were holding meetings at al-Jizah Square to protect the participants in Friday gatherings in coordination with other sheikhs from other villages. There was a blacksmith who distributed sharp arms to us,” al-Khateeb added.
“On Friday, April 29th, I joined Hamza al-Khateeb and Mohammad Sweidan and Abdel Majeed al-Khateeb to the gathering place where we met other people from al-Mseifra and Bosra. We headed to the military residences in Saida accompanied by armed men. As we reached there, some demonstrators opened fire toward the compound injuring one soldier. Later, there was a heavy fire exchange and we had to hide behind trees,” al-Khateeb said.
He added that Hamza al-Khateeb was among the injured people. “He fell to the ground and I didn’t know what happened to him. I fled with Abdel Majeed al-Khateeb and Mohammad Sweidan.”
President Bashar al-Assad met the family of Hamza al-Khateeb on Tuesday afternoon and offered them condolences before discussing the death issue in detail.
Father of the martyr said President al-Assad was so “gentle and kind”, adding that the President promised to fulfill the people’s demands and make necessary reforms that serve the interests of the Syrian citizens.
Hamza’s father noted that it was President al-Assad who invited Hamza’s family to listen to them about their son’s death.
For his part, the martyr’s uncle said we received the body from Daraa National Hospital, stressing what has been showed is all proven and based on the coroner’s report written at the Attorney General.
He added that President al-Assad during the meeting stressed forming a committee to investigate the incident to reach the truth.
Professor of media psychology at Damascus University, Majdi Fares, said the incident of al-Khateeb’s death was used by some satellite channels and media in a biased way for misleading purposes through lies and fabrications.
In the same context, Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar issued a decision on forming an investigation committee chaired by Assistant Interior Minister to uncover the circumstances of the incident and reveal the results to the public opinion. The committee will start its mission today.
Concluding the report, the Syrian TV said the information which has been presented shows the fact that Hamza al-Khateeb has never been jailed or arrested recently.
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SYRIA IS THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST- IS THE CONCLUSION OF AN EUROPEAN UNION SEMINARY
The Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation of Romania had organized on 19 of May 2011 the European seminar on the topic: Syrian Reforms. Building a democratic society in the Middle East.
The seminar was sponsored by European Council on International Relations and was targeting the correct information of international affairs experts, journalists and politicians on the reform process inaugurated by Syrian president Bashar al Assad eleven years ago, when he ascended to power.
Presenting the actual facts, the speakers highlighted the fact that Syria has managed to overcome the recent international conspiracy against his unity and independence , to repeal the terrorist aggression and to protect civil population against foreign and domestic enemies .
The main factor for this victory was based upon the political unity of people of Syria around charismating figure of president Bashar Al Assad and the confidence in the reform process initiated by Damascus authorities. The Syrian victory in front of a modern type aggression , using the paraphernalia of a XXI century informatics war, by dint of mass media aggression, falsified media reports, incitement towards inter-ethnic and inter-religious clashes , sending highly equipped terrorist units , all proven the resilience of an open society , in full democratic restructuring process and in national identity reassertion had underlined professor dr. Anton Caragea, the director of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation of Romania.
Syria`s strength point in this reform process are : an open society with a democratic structure in full consolidation , with 13 legal political parties framework , with an abundance of opinion debate and information’s rare encountered in the area.
Syrian society already enjoys the befits of multiparty system , independent and vigorous mass media presence , a civil society in full build up and is one of the most liberal societies in the Middle East, appreciated professor dr.Anton Caragea . Another speaker, professor .dr. Ioan M. Constantinescu, deputy director of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation of Romania had offered in his report an analysis on the present day stage of reform process initiated by President Bashar Al Assad of Syria.
This new phase in reform process is constructed around a deeply rooted national wide consultation, including non-governmental bodies and entities and even key broker personalities that offered an in-depth research of real internal situation in Syria holding even community town level debates. By this way the Syrian reform will succeed, as is build on real national need assessment and is the fruition of a general consultation, concluded professor Constantinescu.
Other reports highlighted the mass media freedom enjoyed in Syria, the Syrian informational system resilience in front of outside forces propaganda.
All the participants congratulated Romanian position of being on the fore front of supporting Syrian people and leadership of President Bashar Al Assad. Romanian decision of tacking the side of good and democratic forces against the forces of destruction was emboldening for many EU countries to have a positive stance toward Syria.
The seminar has concluded with the general view of supporting and promoting Syrian reform process and the certitude that Syrian upcoming electoral process will be held according to the reform program and will insure for Syria the continuation of her status as the most important consolidated democracy in the region .
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NO MASS GRAVES IN SYRIA. JUST ORDER AND PEACE
DAMASCUS, (SANA)_ Minister of Information Dr. Adnan Mahmoud said the coming days will witness a comprehensive national dialogue in all Syrian governorates. In a press conference on Friday Dr. Mahmoud added that the government is currently implementing a comprehensive political, economic and social reform program in the interest of the people. ” There is a correlation between security and stability from one hand and the reform from the other hand,”
The Minister said that in light of the situation in some governorates, police and security forces have been sent to pursue the armed groups which perpetrated acts of killing citizens, terrorized people, burned public and private properties, halted social and economic life, threatened schools and public security. He affirmed that the army units arrested several members of the armed groups and seized a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and improvised explosive devices that were prepared to target citizens, the vital economic installations such as bridges, oil pipelines, railways and others as part of a plan to hit the social and economic life and public facilities in the country.
He mad it clear that this process led to the martyrdom of 98 officers and soldiers of the army and security forces in addition to injuring 1040 besides the martyrdom of 22 policemen and wounding 451 others, due to the strict instructions by President Bashar al-Assad not to open fire and use weapons.
Minister Mahmoud went on to say that targeting the army by armed groups wasn’t linked to demonstrations, but it was a result of the armed groups’ deliberate attacks on the checkpoints in some areas. He said after the restoration of tranquility, stability and security, the army units began to gradually depart from Banias and surroundings while the army units deployed in Daraa and surroundings are completing the gradual depart to return to their main camps.
Dr. Mahmoud pointed out that life in those areas has been gradually returning to normal where citizens start to exercise their normal activities.
The Minister hailed the important role of people that helped the army units detect and arrest those armed groups to be prosecuted. Dr. Mahmoud said the government is determined to restore security, tranquility and serenity to all governorates and separate between the right to peaceful demonstrations and the use of weapons, killings, terrorizing and vandalism to destabilize and hit the public life.
On the request of the UN Mission for Human Rights to provide humanitarian aid to people in Daraa, the Minister said the Syrian government and Syrian Red Crescent, were following up the situation in Daraa and there was no shortage of food and medicine.
“We have informed the UN that there was no need for any assistance to Daraa,” the Minister said, noting that no one of those organizations proposed to provide humanitarian aid when Syria experienced a five-year drought and Hasaka, north-east Syria, witnessed floods at the beginning of this month.
As for the European sanctions, Dr. Mahmoud regretted that these states adopted their positions depending on what was broadcast by some biased media and electronic sites on the events in Syria without making sure of the reality on the ground.
The Minister said ” That will not affect our determination to confront the armed groups and extremism,” adding “destabilizing Syria will not deter us from continuing the work to implement the comprehensive reform program.”
Regarding the national dialogue, Dr. Mahmoud said “President Bashar al-Assad met with popular activities from different Syrian governorates and listened to their opinions, demands and visions on what is happening in Syria,” adding that next days will experience a national dialogue involving all the Syrian governorates.
On statements of businessman Rami Makhlouf, the Minister concluded by saying that those statements express his own opinion and do not reflect the stance of the government and the leadership in Syria.
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EUROPEAN UNION REPORT CONSIDERS SYRIA AS REFORM AND DEMOCRATIC ORIENTED COUNTRY
On 9 May 2011, Professor Anton Caragea , President of European Council on International Relations has presented a comprehensive report on Anti-Syria revolution. The truth behind the lies.
The report had stressed the fact that in Syria there is now revolution in making ,but a classical coup d`etat ,supported by old colonialist powers. ″ Syria is the least possible target for a so called revolution. In front of the country is a leader of undoubtedly huge popularity: Bashar Al Assad. Young, western educated, modernist, reform minded- his rule of just 11 years is miles away from the decrepit autocracy of Hosni Mubarak or Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Bashar Al Assad is having a clear track of successes: opening Syrian society, release of all political prisoners, fighting corruption, opening internet, accepting a western style society and creating a huge social and political base for his government ″ appreciates Professor Anton Caragea .
The reports emphasize the fact that Syria is a viable democracy an open society, in full process of reforms and modernization on all sectors of life, and the main target is just the independent foreign policy that the country is pursuing . The main vectors for this attack on Syria are according to professor Caragea evaluation : ″the Syrian-Iran alliance it is targeted here. Iran was not attacked yet, because of just one reason: an attack on Iran, will instantly inflame the Middle East ,with Syria supporting Iran and Hezbollah in attacking Israel.
Now, taking Syria out of the equation, will mean the dissolution of Hezbollah, the dismantle of Lebanon and the end of any retaliation possibility for Iran.
The destruction of Iran alliances it is not the only thing at stake in the aggression on Syria.
In the last years Turkey had becoming a worrisome partner for West and Ankara`s main partner in a new policy toward Arab states and Islamic community is Syria. With Syria, Turkey resolved border issues pending from more than 80 year ago, opened frontiers, resolved the disputes on Euphrates water and opened markets.
This was a success story of unmatched efficiency and now, if Syria collapsed , Turkey new policy will also collapsed and in the Arab world eyes will be just another partner of western aggression and the dream of a Turkey-Arab alliance will be shattered″ .
In this climate of conspiracy and pressure by dint of media manipulation and terrorist attacks the foreign power realized that :″ being impossible to create a revolution inside, Syria was targeted by a media war off unthinkable intensity. Photos and videos from Bahrain where presented on Al Jazeera and western stations as BBC and CNN as images from Homs or other Syrian cities , protest in Alexandria , with Egyptian flags, where portrayed as demonstrators in Latakia and the list could go on indefinitely .
While in Syria there was no protests, groups of armed gangs where crossed from southern Syria and sent to kill civilians in Deraa, Homs, Hama , Latakia hoping to provoke a civilian reactions against so called army and police atrocities . This had failed one more time, as in Syria everybody knows that the army will never fire on protestors or civilians. The high regards that army is having in popular minds blocked this new attempt of spreading chaos″ .
In front of all this failed plots and attack the report of professor Anton Caragea is ending in a brighter light : ″ people of Syria will always stead fast on their dedication to build an independent and free country by dint of honesty and refusal of compromise .
Syria will always prevail″concluded professor Anton Caragea
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PEOPLES OF BANIYAS ( BANIAS ) ASK FOR HELP: STOP BBC AND AL JAZEERA LIES AGAINST SYRIA
Posted on May 7, 2011 by europeanunionnews
Today 7 may 2011 BBC is reporting about some demonstrations in Syria, an inhabitant of Baniyas had called Syrian News to protest: there is no protest, no army, no arrests, please ask the international media to stop the lies against our country he pleaded with us .
Syrian people protest against international broadcaster campaign of lies and manipulation.
The campaign of media instigation and fact distortion undertaken by several satellite channels continues, with these channels broadcasting reports and footage and using all available methods and techniques to fabricate false stories and reports, in addition to using so-called eyewitnesses to distort facts regarding what is happening in Syria and mislead public opinion in Syria and abroad.
Al-Jazeera broadcast a video of around 50 people walking in street without showing their faces, saying that they were protesting in al-Midan, Damascus, adding sounds of thousands and looping the footage several times to give the illusion of great numbers. They also resorted to calling people coming out of mosques protestors.
The channel also tried to pass off a protest in Yemen as a protest in al-Qamishli, despite the obvious presence of the Yemeni flag.
Al-Jazeera went on to show a gathering of around 200 people with the title “thousands of Syrians protest today” in addition to using a static image of what it purported to be a protest in Banyas, despite the image being the same one used last week, only to backtrack and show another image supposedly from this week.
The channel then showed footage of a protest in Idleb from three weeks ago and said that it took place on May 6th, apparently forgetting that this scene was displayed before or maybe just ignoring the fact and counting on the viewers’ short memory span or lack of attention to details.
Meanwhile the people of Idleb denied al-Jazeera’s claims of a protest in front of the Governorate building, denouncing the news broadcast by al-Jazeera and their use of lies to cause chaos and undermine Syria’s security and safety.
In a statement to SANA, Director of Awqaf (Endowments) in Idleb Mazen Lababidi said that the news ran by al-Jazeera is completely false and that the shown footage was of a number of youths after leaving al-Rawda Mosque near the Governorate on April 22nd, adding that people went to Friday prayers on May 6th and returned to their normal lives afterwards in a calm atmosphere.
The channel also showed images of “tens of thousands of protestors” allegedly taking place in the town of Nimr in Daraa… a town of less than 5,000 inhabitants. The images were used last week on the same channel.
In the ongoing saga of “eyewitnesses,” Mohammad Abazeid phoned the channel from Daraa and claimed that a large number of specific security bodies entered the city, detailing the personnel and the bodies, leaving one to wonder how he found out all this information while he claimed that he wasn’t allowed to leave his house.
As for Anas al-Shouri, an alleged eyewitness from Banyas who was promoted by the channel to the rank of the protest’s organizer, he said that there are more than ten thousand persons in the protest. The channel itself showed images of less than one thousand people allegedly in the protest that took place in Banyas.
The channel aired footage of people it claimed are protesters in Tel Kalakh area. The channel dubbed inconsistent voices with the aim of changing the slogans chanted in the gathering, while the news broadcaster repeated the slogans he claimed were chanted in that gathering.
Meanwhile, the al-Jazeera’s reporter in the Jordanian city of al-Ramtha talked as if he is indeed in Daraa despite his own claims that Daraa is blockaded and that communications are cut off.
When Dr. Bassam Abu Abdullah from Damascus spoke with the channel and started refuting the al-Jazeera claims, the two broadcasters tried repeatedly to move to other topics in an attempt to keep the channel’s role in the incitement hidden.
Najati Tayyara, who was promoted by the channel from a human rights activist to a researcher, narrated a science-fiction story about him hearing protests and hunfire noises in five separate places in Homs at the same time.
In al-Qamishli, Spokesman of the Kurdish Parties Gathering Mohammad Ismael disappointed France 24 channel when he told it that the slogans chanted by protesters in al-Qamishli are all patriotic, peaceful and democratic, adding that these slogans express true demands for reforms.
Ismael told the channel, despite the broadcaster’s attempts to manipulate his statements, that there were no arrests at all.
In the same context of fabrication, the BBC channel aired during the sunny afternoon of May 6th a number of photos of a nightly candle procession in an unknown location under the title “Protests in Syria Today.”
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WORLD LEADERS ARE CONDEMNING THE ANTI-SYRIAN TERRORIST REVOLUTION
MOSCOW, BUENOS AIRES, BUCHAREST, BRUSSELS, BEIRUT, DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russian Duma Deputy Speaker, voiced Russia’s dismay at bids of foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs.
In press statements aired yesterday by the Syrian Satellite TV, Zhirinovsky rejected foreign interference in the Syrian affairs as ‘unacceptable’ aiming to destabilize Syria.
Zhirinovsky reiterated Russia’s stand by Syria blasting western powers’ attempts to weaken the Arab World as to continue exploiting Arabs’ resources.
For his part, Leonid Ivashov, President of Geopolitical Affairs Academy in Moscow, pointed out that the targeting of Syria is to deny it the continuation of its development as an independent prosperous country.
Semen Bagdasarov, a Duma member, described the events taking place in Syria as a revenge by the USA and Israel against Syria, who defeated the US prejudiced schemes and plots in the Middle East.
In Buenos Aires, Argentine, Fia-Arab Organization, underscored full solidarity with Syria against the conspiracy targeting its security and stability.
In a statement, Fia-Arab Organization said that the foreign conspiracy, behind which the American Imperialism and Zionism stand, against Syria’s stability and security would also mean the destabilization of Lebanon, Palestine and other neighboring states.
In Lebanon, Kamal al-Khair, President of the National Center in North Lebanon, described the ongoing events in Syria as a ‘political vengeance’ and as a ‘political struggle’ because of the Syrian pan-Arab nationalist and resistance stances.
Abdul al-Rahim Mourad, President of the Unity Party in Lebanon, asserted that Syria under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad would foil the foreign conspiracy being batched against it.
General Jamil Al-Sayed, former General Director of Lebanese Security, asserted that Syria’s possession of many pivotal cards at the regional level have angered many Arab and international powers, asserting that Syria would defeat the conspiracies and plots hatched against it.
Bucharest, (SANA)-The European Council on International Relations and the International Relations and Economic Cooperation Institute expressed support and solidarity with Syria against the incitement campaign targeting it, which includes all forms of lies, fact-twisting and manipulation of the events which took place in Syria.
This came in a message conveyed by President of the European Council on International Relations and Director of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation Anton Caragea to the Syrian Embassy in Bucharest.
The message included a statement issued at the conclusion of an extraordinary meeting held jointly by the Council and the Institute board of directors on April 27-28, which sends a strong message of support to the Syrian people and its national unity.
In their capacity as representatives of the intellectual Romanian society, the participants voiced full support to the Syrian leadership and people and backing for Syria’s unity, as they condemned vandalism acts in some Syrian provinces, describing the interference of the Syrian security forces as legitimate and legal.
The statement lambasted media which stirs chaos, vandalism and killing in Syria, stressing that the Syrian leadership is committed to the process of reforms and that President Bashar al-Assad enjoys trust and represents the Syrian people’s unity.
The statement concluded by reiterating standing by Syria and rejecting interference in its internal affairs, affirming that ”Romania’s support to Syria amounts to its support to its own people.”
Filed under Africa, African affairs, African news, Al Quds, Arab awakening, Art, Baath Party, Bashar Al Assad, Blackseanews Agency, Board of Directors of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation of Romania, Casualties in Syria, Caucasus news, China, Comunitatea Musulmana din Romania, condemn the media outlets, Cuba, Damascus, democracy, democratic and free Syria, Diplomacy, Diplomatie, Eastern Europe, Ecology, Economia Romaniei, Economic Crisis, Economy, Education News, Environment, EU diplomacy, Europe, European Council on International Relations, European Culture Week, European Union, Foreign Debt, Foreign policy, Freedom, Gulf news, History, independence, Information, Informations, Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation, intellectual community of Romania, International Press, International Relation, Islam, Jerusalem Al-Quds, Latakia and Damascus, Leaders, legitimate and unique representative of Syrian people., manipulation regarding the events in Syrian Arab Republic, Mass media, mercenaries and terrorists as freedom fighter`s and advocate the destruction of Syria, Middle East, national unity and non-interference in internal affairs, NATO, News, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Open Letter, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Orient, Oriental Art, OSCE, OSCE-Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Politics, President Bashar Al Assad, President Bashar Al Assad of Syria as the representative of the unity of Syrian people and the guarantor of the integrity of Syria, Religion, Religions, Revolution in Syria, Romanian Foreign Policy, Socialism, support for the Government of President Bashar Al Assad as the soul legal, Syria, Syrian Arab Republic territorial integrity, Syrian people, Syrian Rebelion, Syrian Revolution, Terorrism, terrorist attacks a revolution, THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVE OF SYRIAN PEOPLE, Top news, United Arab Emirates, United Nations, United States and tagged ''Romania's support to Syria amounts to its support to its own people, (SANA) - Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a Duma member, Abdul al-Rahim Mourad, against Syria's stability and security would also mean the destabilization of Lebanon, Argentine, asserted that Syria under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad would foil the foreign conspiracy, behind which the American Imperialism and Zionism stand, BEIRUT, BRUSSELS, Bucharest, BUENOS AIRES, Damascus, described the events taking place in Syria as a revenge by the USA and Israel against Syria, described the ongoing events in Syria as a 'political vengeance', European Council on International Relations, fact-twisting and manipulation of the events, Fia-Arab Organization, foreign conspiracy, former General Director of Lebanese Security, General Jamil Al-Sayed, intellectual Romanian society, interference of the Syrian security forces as legitimate and legal, International Relations and Economic Cooperation Institute, Kamal al-Khair, lambasted media which stirs chaos, Lebanon, Leonid Ivashov, lies, MOSCOW, President of Geopolitical Affairs Academy in Moscow, President of the National Center in North Lebanon, President of the Unity Party in Lebanon, Russian Duma Deputy Speaker, Semen Bagdasarov, stressing that the Syrian leadership is committed to the process of reforms and that President Bashar al-Assad enjoys trust and represents the Syrian people's unity, Syrian Satellite TV, the participants voiced full support to the Syrian leadership and people, underscored full solidarity with Syria against the conspiracy targeting its security and stability, vandalism and killing in Syria, voiced Russia's dismay at bids of foreign interference in Syria's internal affairs, who defeated the US prejudiced schemes and plots in the Middle East, WORLD LEADERS ARE CONDEMNING THE ANTI-SYRIAN TERRORIST REVOLUTION, Zhirinovsky rejected foreign interference in the Syrian affairs as 'unacceptable' | Leave a comment
SYRIAN PEOPLE CONDEMNED UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM
Hundreds of the Syrian and foreign nationals on Sunday gathered near the American Embassy in Damascus calling upon the USA to abstain from meddling in Syria’s internal affairs.
The demonstrators carried banners condemning the policy of double standards adopted by the USA towards Syria as it turns a blind eye to the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.
The demonstrators also condemned the USA violations of the human rights in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq, and the secret prisons which spread across the world, calling on Washington to pay attention to its internal affairs, and to solve its humanitarian problems before giving lessons about freedom and human rights.
Engineer Wael Iskander said ” I came from Lattakia to participate in this demonstration to say ‘No’ to America and the policy of chaos which it wants to spread in the region,” stressing that the Syrian people will foil the conspiracy.
For her part, Russian citizen Resalat said “I have participated in all the demonstrations and sit-ins to call on America and other parties to abstain from interfering in the Syrian affairs…I live among the Syrians and I know that they don’t accept injustice, and they will refute all the lies.”
Citizen, Basel Bassal, said “We came to the American Embassy to condemn the USA constant interference in other country’s affairs,” indicating that all the plots and conspiracies against Syria will be thwarted due to the national unity of the Syrian people.
Filed under Al Quds, Arab awakening, Art, Baath Party, Bashar Al Assad, Blackseanews Agency, Board of Directors of Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation of Romania, Casualties in Syria, condemn the media outlets, Damascus, democracy, democratic and free Syria, Diplomacy, Diplomatie, Economy, Environment, EU diplomacy, Europe, European Council on International Relations, European Union, Freedom, freedom of expression and human rights and dignity, History, Ierusalim - Al Quds, independence, Information, Informations, Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation, Institutul de Relatii Internationale si Cooperare Economica, International Press, International Relation, Islam, Latakia and Damascus, Leaders, legitimate and unique representative of Syrian people., manipulation regarding the events in Syrian Arab Republic, Mass media, mercenaries and terrorists as freedom fighter`s and advocate the destruction of Syria, Middle East, national unity and non-interference in internal affairs, News, Non-Aligned Movement, Orient, Oriental Art, OSCE, OSCE-Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Palestine, Politics, President Bashar Al Assad, President Bashar Al Assad of Syria as the representative of the unity of Syrian people and the guarantor of the integrity of Syria, Revolution in Syria, Romanian Foreign Policy, Socialism, support for the Government of President Bashar Al Assad as the soul legal, Syria, Syrian Arab Republic territorial integrity, Syrian people, Syrian Rebelion, Syrian Revolution, THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT BASHAR AL ASSAD IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVE OF SYRIAN PEOPLE, Top news, Tourism, Tourism News, Turism, United Nations, United Nations Charta, United States, United States | a media campaign of lies and disinformation, victim of foreign intervention and aggression and tagged Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq, AL ARABIYA, Al Jazeera, American Embassy in Damascus, and the secret prisons which spread across the world, and to solve its humanitarian problems, Arab awakening, Baath Party, Bashar Al Assad, calling on Washington to pay attention to its internal affairs, Casualties in Syria, condemned the USA violations of the human rights in Guantanamo, Damascus, Daraa | Tagged UNITED STATES ATTACK ON SYRIA CONDEMNED BY PEOPLES OF SYRIA, democracy, Democracy in Middle East, Deraa, European Council on International Relations, European Union, Freedom, Human Rights Council, Hundreds of the Syrian and foreign nationals, Institute of International Relations and Economic Cooperation, Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, Middle East, plots and conspiracies against Syria, Religions, Revolution in Syria, Romania, Syria, Syrian Rebelion, Syrian Revolution, United States, USA to abstain from meddling in Syria's internal affairs | Leave a comment
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a. Opinion
15185 Bill Truelove: U.S. and Canada Still Have Each Other’s Back
rmcclub / August 19, 2018
Canada’s Outgoing Defence Attaché: U.S. and Canada Still Have Each Other’s Back
By 15185 Rear-Admiral William Truelove, former RMC Commandant
On July 19, Rear-Admiral William Truelove departed as defence attaché at the Embassy of Canada in the United States and also retired from more than 37 years of distinguished military service. As one of his last duties before leaving Washington, Admiral Truelove addressed the Canada Institute Advisory Board. Following is an edited version of his remarks reflecting on the state of the Canada-U.S. military and defence relationship.
In this current climate of economic and political uncertainty, people often ask me what I think about the state of the Canada-US military-to-military relationship. It’s always a loaded question. Often, I’m asked on the heels of a controversial Tweet, the announcement of a trade war, or some other event that appears to threaten continental stability. But I take a longer view.
My personal perspective comes from having had the pleasure and privilege of working alongside my US military colleagues both at home and abroad throughout my 37-year career. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever deployed on any operation where Canadians weren’t working in close partnership with our US shipmates. My three-year tenure as Canadian Defence Attaché to the United States has only confirmed what I’ve always known to be true:
Canada and the United States continue to have an incredible defence relationship anchored in a long history of serving, shoulder to shoulder, in operations in defence of our shared values and freedoms for over 100 years.
Don’t get me wrong. My positivity is not meant to suggest that there aren’t points of pressure or friction; of course there are, and that’s normal in any relationship. Subjects such as burden sharing, NATO 2% defence spending, and future global engagement are all areas of ongoing discussion and debate.
I’m also very sensitive to the reality that Canada pays much more attention to the US than the US to Canada. I think that this is a reflection of obvious factors including the reality that the US military is being pulled in many directions and is facing its own set of challenges, be they personnel, readiness or structural – all against a global demand signal for US engagement that is only increasing.
But I think it’s important to remember that we have fought and died together – something that I have been reminded of here in DC each year on Remembrance Day while visiting Arlington Cemetery and laying a wreath at the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice in memory of US citizens who served and died alongside their Canadian brothers and sisters since the First World War.
I was also reminded of this when I rededicated a Medal of Honour grave site in honour of Captain of the Hold Joseph Noil – a young Canadian sailor who served in the USS Powhatan in 1872 and who saved his shipmate, Boatswain J.C. Walton, who had fallen overboard. Captain of the Hold Noil was from my home town of Liverpool, Nova Scotia.
My belief is that our Canada-US defence relationship is exceptional and must continue to be so in the future. It’s in both our nations’ national interests and it is expected, I think, by citizens on both sides of the border.
We are blessed to be neighbours and to enjoy such a close and integrated relationship. But as I’ve said every year at our annual Canada-US “Partners in Defence” reception, this relationship is a lot like marriage; we too often take each other for granted and don’t always give our partnership the attention and recognition it deserves.
As we move through the current ‘moment’ in our nation-to-nation relationship, it’s a good time to remind ourselves of how fortunate we are to enjoy such a fantastic defence partnership. After all, our two nations enjoy an unparalleled level of defence cooperation and interoperability. This is the result of a long-term, strategic realization that our geography, our history and our futures depend on the mutual assurance of a safe and secure continent that enables both of our nations to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
It goes without saying that Canada has no more important defence relationship than that with the United States. Our strategic interests demand that we be a full and reliable partner. Our continental defence is indivisible.
It also demands that the defence relationship between our two countries extends across all levels –from President to Prime Minister, Secretary of Defense to Minister of National Defence, Chief of the Defence Staff to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, through to the regular interactions between officers and non-commissioned officers serving in each other’s nations. Including the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) community, Canada has nearly 1,000 military and civilian defence officials working across the US – from Hawaii all the way to Florida. The vast majority are living with their families in US communities, and the same is true for the many US military members serving in Canada.
By way of examples, Canada has General Officers serving in Central Command and Indo-Pacific Command CENTCOM and PACOM. The CDS has a General embedded with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a General embedded with US Cyber Command, and there are three Canadian Generals serving as Deputy Commanding General for Operations – in 1 Corps, and 18 Airborne Corps and, as of this summer, with US Army Alaska. We have two Generals and a Commodore serving within NORAD HQ, one being the Deputy Commander, and also have two Generals serving as Deputy Commanders of the Alaska and Continental NORAD Regions. The US also has senior officers serving in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax and Victoria to name only a few.
In addition to these permanent assignments, the level of interaction on a daily basis between our militaries is immense. I don’t even try to keep track of the ongoing cross border visits, training exercises, meetings and other events that occur on a routine basis. Canadian and US military leadership have come to accept this as normal, but it is certainly not ‘normal’ in the eyes of our international colleagues.
From a Canadian perspective, our recently released Defence Policy, Strong, Secure and Engaged, promises a notable 70% increase in defence spending (32.7 billion by 2027) and commitments to recapitalization. It highlights that Canada will remain “Secure in North America, active in a renewed defence partnership in NORAD and with the United States.” This commitment is more important than ever as we see technological advancements in weapons and sensors and the associated increased capability and intent of potential adversaries to directly impact Canadian and US territory.
For generations we have rested on the comfort of having two great oceans and a frozen tundra to provide for our natural defence. This is no longer the case and thus, our two nations must continue to work closely together to ensure our continental defence and security. We do this through a range of dedicated Canada-US Defence governance dialogues such as the Permanent Joint Board of Defence (PJBD) and the Military Cooperation Committee (MCC), along with the many other international defence and security fora attended by our nation’s leaders.
The PJBD was established in 1940 and is the longest standing defence arrangement. The two civilian co-chairs, one Canadian (Member of Parliament, John McKay) and one American (Lt Gen (ret’d) Chris Miller), are appointed by the Prime Minister and President, and report directly to them on all matters related to continental defence and security. The PJBD also includes Department of Homeland Security and Public Safety Canada representatives to address the critical public security, border security and disaster response issues that would also involve military cooperation.
The MCC was established after the Second World War and meets bi-annually. It is the primary strategic link between the Canadian and US Joint Military Staffs and reports to the PJBD. The MCC recently met in DC and discussed a range of topics including the important subject of NORAD modernization.
Of course, no discussion on the Canada-US defence relationship would be complete without a few words on the NORAD partnership (including the critical work they do in ensuring that Santa safely arrives every Christmas!). The North American Aerospace Defence Command, or NORAD, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. NORAD is a Canadian and U.S. bi-national Command tasked with aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.
By agreement, the Deputy Commander of NORAD is a senior Canadian Armed Forces officer. The Commander, USAF Gen O’Shaunessy, is appointed by and reports to both the US President and the Canadian Prime Minister. This arrangement speaks to the essence of the close defence relationship that our nations have enjoyed for decades. The very fact that Presidents and Prime Ministers have endorsed this shared partnership in our continental defence and have empowered military leadership to work seamlessly together to defend the citizens of both nations speaks volumes.
When NORAD was renewed in 2006, it not only added the maritime warning mission, it also made the NORAD Agreement permanent. While it is still subject to review every 4 years, it no longer requires formal renewal. These periodic reviews not only allow for a reminder of the overall roles and responsibilities, but also provide a regular forum for ensuring an effective relationship between NORAD, US NORTHERN COMMAND and the Canadian Joint Operational Command.
The Canadian defence policy notes that Canada will, “work with the United States to ensure that NORAD is modernized to meet existing and future challenges.” The policy directs Canadian officials to advance discussions with our US colleagues on what a modernized NORAD must look like and what that will cost. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the threats to the continent are evolving and – as our CDS has stated on numerous occasions – we must consider what a framework for defence against all perils might look like in the future.
Let me highlight a few other points to further illustrate the depth and breadth of our defence relationship.
First – the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is responsible for all air and maritime search and rescue operations within Canada. In my previous appointment as Canada’s Pacific Commander, I was also the Victoria Region Search and Rescue Commander and witnessed first-hand the incredible coordination of Search and Rescue operations on both sides of the border. US and Canadian Search and Rescue professionals work hard to save lives every day. Much of it goes unnoticed, but its value cannot be overstated.
Second – our shared Civil Assistance Plan facilitates the movement of resources across borders in response to natural disasters such as forest fires, floods and earthquakes or a terrorist attack. Again, as Canada’s Pacific Commander, I worked very closely with US regional officials to coordinate and practice responses to these scenarios.
Third – we enjoy an incredible defence cooperation relationship and a rapidly expanding partnership in defence research, development and innovation. Canada was (until very recently) the only nation recognized in the US National Technology and Industrial Base. This partnership reflects the reality that Canada has always been a trusted national security partner to the US and that our defence industries are highly integrated.
Fourth – our two nations enjoy a very close military relationship in the domains of cyber and space. Canada is a net contributor to the space relationship through our network of satellites as well as ongoing research in space. A recent visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral also reminded me of the critical role that Canada has played in space through the design and deployment of the Canadarm.
And finally; there are the many other areas of cooperation that we are engaged in today through operations in NATO, the UN or bilaterally. A small sampling includes:
Our shared efforts in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean to interdict the flow of narcotics and to keep the proceeds out of the hands of transnational criminal organizations. The Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force continue to work with US Coast Guard and US Navy to execute many successful interdiction operations in the region. Working together to keep drugs off our streets and the profits out of the hands of Transnational Crime organizations.
Our deployments in Ukraine, in Latvia and in Iraq further illustrate our shared global leadership and engagement. We are also operating with the Standing NATO Maritime Group, currently with a frigate, HMCS St. John’s, deployed off the coast of Syria;
We have sustained frigate deployments into the important pacific region. I am also proud to note that the Deputy Commander of the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) – the largest US led international military exercise in the world – is a Canadian; and,
Finally, I would note Canada’s recent decision to assign a Canadian Lieutenant General as the first non-US Deputy Commander for the United Nations Command in the Republic of Korea, our commitment to lead the newly established NATO training mission in Iraq as well as the recent announcement by Canada to deploy aviation resources to the UN mission in Mali.
These are all strong examples of Canada being engaged in the world, while also reinforcing the shared commitment to the Canada-US military-to-military partnership and burden sharing. Canada represents a solid, dependable and trusted military partner which has always responded when called upon and never shied away from engaging in the tough fight at the cost of human sacrifice. We are a good neighbour, good friend and a military ally that always has the US’s back – as I know the US military has for Canada.
It has been an incredible privilege for me to have served my nation for 37 years and to have spent much of that time working closely with our US friends. I’m an optimist and am confident that our two nations will continue to enjoy a strong and mutually beneficial defence relationship.
The defence of our shared North American continent is indivisible; our mutual trust and cooperation will ensure that our true partnership remains so.
Article first appeared in the Wilson Center – Here
8,000 plus: e-Veritas Quietly Celebrates Another Milestone
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© Porsche AG (illustration purpose only) Electronics Production | September 16, 2019
Porsche looks to build in Slovakia
Porsche and Mühlbauer Automation both plan to invest in Slovakia. Both are said to receive grant financing from the Slovakian government for their projects, which are to be completed by 2023.
The investments will amount to over EUR 25 million and create more than 100 jobs, the Slovak Spectator and ČTK newswire reported. Porsche Werkzeugbau (which already has a production facility in Dubnica nad Váhom) is set to invest EUR 13.59 million into the construction of a technological centre for the automation and robotisation in the municipality of Horná Streda, near the western-Slovak town of Piešťany. The centre is projected to employ 34 people. The Economy Ministry proposes granting the German carmaker EUR 2 million as investment stimuli towards the investment. The Mühlbauer group also has a production facility in Slovakiaand plans to invest around EUR 12 million. The aim is to establish an R&D and Technology Centre in the south of Slovakia. The facility is projected to employ 70 people. The ministry plans to grant around EUR 3 million for the project.
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Some descendants of James Broder of Co Sligo
Robert Roswell Broder
Notable People & Places
ID# 2, (1887-1956)
Great-grandson of James Broder
Grandfather of Faye Louise Doyle
Descendants of James Broder
Descendants of George Cuffe
Robert Roswell Broder c. 1937
Robert Roswell Broder was born on 16 November 1887 in Alturas, Modoc County, California, according to his aunt.1 He was the son of John Broder and Alice Mary Graves.1,2 Robert's mother claimed he was born on 16 November 1888.3 Later records use both birthdates. I have chosen to use 1887 because his father John, in a land petition, says that he moved to the land in July 1888 with his wife and family, which implies that Robert had been born before 1888, and because his aunt, May Bertha Graves, claims to have been 15 years old when she was photographed with him (she was born in 1872.)4 Robert later operated canneries in British Columbia and Alberta for many years, canning primarily fruits and vegetables. Photos of some of these canneries can be seen here.
On 21 Jan 1906, Robert Roswell Broder sailed from Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC. He made almost the same journey on 6 Feb 1906 accompanied by John Broder. On this second trip they sailed from Port Townsend, WA. Both trips were on the CPR's steam ship Princess Beatrice. a wooden hulled, single-screw 193 foot 1,290 ton ship having 40 rooms with 114 berths.5,6 Robert does not appear on the 1910 census of Washington State; however he was probably working with his father in Bellingham at this time. He married Violet Faye Jones, daughter of Amos Randall Jones and Mary Ann Misener, on 18 April 1916 in her brother Emery's home, 239 6th Ave, New Westminster, British ColumbiaG.7,8,9 He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 128 Queen's Ave, New Westminster, British ColumbiaG, between 1916 and 1918. On their first wedding anniversary, Robert was in Princeton, BC on a sales trip and wrote a letter to Violet. The letter does not mention their anniversary. He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 31 Columbia Street, New Westminster, British ColumbiaG, between 1918 and 1920. He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 40 Leopold Place, New Westminster, British ColumbiaG, between 1921 and 1949. When the house was listed for sale in 1949 it was priced at $12,000. It has since been restored and moved to 21 Royal Ave.10 On 4 Apr 1924, The Seattle Daily Times reported that Robert and Violet Broder had incorporated the Mt Vernon Canning Co. Between 1949 and 1952 Robert Roswell Broder and Violet Faye Jones lived in a house on the grounds of Broder Canning, Lethbridge, Alberta. He signed his will on 27 September 1949 in Lethbridge, Alberta.11 He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 2929 Parkside Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, after 1952. He was a citizen of the United States. He was a member of the Masons, King Solomon Lodge, No 17, New Westminster, BC.12
Robert was ill for the last two years of his life. He suffered a stroke on 12 Jan 1954 that affected his right side. He had an operation for intestinal cancer on 17 Mar 1955 and was hospitalized until April 17. Shortly after that he suffered another stroke that badly affected his speech.13 He died on 31 October 1956 in Lethbridge, Alberta, at age 68.2,14 He was buried on 5 November 1956 in Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge, AlbertaG.14
On 1 September 2012, Mr Alex Yanoshita dedicated a plaque at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Lethbridge, Alberta, commemorating the kindness shown by Robert to many of the Japanese internees at Lethbridge during WWII. He spoke of Robert providing them with jobs and a place to live when they were being shunned and mistreated by most people in the area. Members of Alex's family, some of Robert's descendants, and members of the Japanese community attended the ceremony.
A biography written by Violet Broder is here. Another, written by James & Marion (Broder) Doyle is here.
Head of Household
1900 La Conner, Skagit County, Washington John Broder15
1911 New Westminster, British Columbia John Broder16
1921 New Westminster, British ColumbiaG Robert Roswell Broder
Children of Robert Roswell Broder and Violet Faye Jones
Marion Violet Broder+17
Stanley Robert Broder+ (1928-1989)
[S79] Robert Roswell Broder, Affidavit of Birth by Bertha May Graves Sealock, April 22, 1944, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S80] Robert Roswell Broder, Death Certificate 56-08-007547 (22 November 1956), Alberta Health & Social Development, Vital Statistics Division, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S83] Robert Roswell Broder, Statutory Declaration by Alice Broder, 11 July 1940, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S495] John Broder Land Grant; 2570; General Land Entry Files; Susanville, California; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
[S617] RG76, Princess Beatrice, 21 Jan 1906, Passenger List, Library & Archives Canada T-510 (www.ancestry.ca: accessed 28 Jun 2009).
[S618] RG76, Princess Beatrice, 6 Feb 1906, Passenger List, Library & Archives Canada T-510 (www.ancestry.ca: accessed 28 Jun 2009).
[S81] Robert Broder & Violet Jones, Marriage certificate 45650 (18 April 1916), BC Vital Statistics Agency, Victoria, British Columbia.
[S82] Marriage announcement: Violet Jones & Robert Broder, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S410] Robert Broder & Violet Jones marriage, 18 April 1916, Copy privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta. MAR 011.
[S514] A Lovely Home for Sale, unknown newspaper (probably the Daily Columbian), New Westminster, BC, 1949.
[S498] Robert Roswell Broder will (27 Sep 1949), Will of Robert Roswell Broder, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta. WIL 003.
[S460] Robert Broder, Membership Card, 14 May 1954, DOC 007, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S166] Jones & Broder Families, notes of Violet Broder, c 1960, DOC 084 & 085, privately held by Faye West, Edmonton, Alberta.
[S476] Founder of Vegetable Canning Industry Succumbs, Lethbridge Herald, Lethbridge, Alberta, 1 Nov 1956, 9.
[S443] John Broder, 1900 Federal Census (Skagit, Washington), HeritageQuest, http://heritagequestonline.com
[S468] 1911 Census (New Westminster, British Columbia), Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Page 14, lines 21-23.
[S172] Marion Violet Broder, Birth Certificate 22-B-25 Vol 496 (13 Jun 1925), BC Vital Statistics Agency, Victoria, British Columbia.
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10.4236/psych.2017.814158
Vicarious PTG after Fireworks Trauma
Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Received: November 2, 2017; Accepted: December 22, 2017; Published: December 25, 2017
Studies about fireworks-related trauma are scarce. Research on other traumas indicates not only the negative reactions and consequences, but also some important positive experiences. This falls within the remit of post-traumatic growth. More complicated may be the possibility of growth through trauma experienced by another person. Vicarious posttraumatic growth refers to positive changes from vicarious or secondary traumatic exposure. In this study, we looked at the trauma experiences by relatives of victims of fireworks’ explosions in Malta, and the potential growth that may have ensued. Method: By using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, we interviewed 8 individuals who met the inclusion criteria. Analysis of data was guided by the Smith method (1999). Results: Key themes highlighted in this study focused on participants’ appreciation of the present, acceptance of reality (others & events), and spiritual growth (sense of relatedness with a God and with others). These themes conform to Tedeschi and Calhoun theory of post-trau- matic growth (2004).
Vicarious Post-Traumatic Growth, Positive Changes, Fireworks Trauma, Holistic Wellbeing, Resilience
Although research on vicarious trauma related to firework tragedies is scarce, a number of similar studies suggest a mixed bag of consequences. This includes positive experiences as well, besides the obvious negative impacts.
Positive experiences fall within the gamut of post-traumatic growth, whereby individuals may report positive changes in their personal life, not in the sense of happiness or some kind of satisfaction for what occurred, or for the people lost, but a new meaning-making personal experience was borne out of the tragedy.
In this study, we targeted a number of fairly recent fireworks tragedies in Malta, and their impact on victims’ relatives.
Firework displays are considered an important element in the typical Maltese religious festa, celebrated mostly during summer weekends. In Malta, a Catholic nation with a population of less than half a million, each parish seeks to outdo its neighbors in a summer of passionate frenzy. According to an article in the local Times of Malta (14.08.2009) , Maltese fireworks have been developing rapidly recently, with some localities using computerized systems to fire hundreds of colorful petards that characterize the nocturnal sky displays, against synchronized music. Some villages are using the same computerized system as those popular abroad, including at the New Year’s Sydney Bridge show, in Australia. Enthusiasts start producing their fireworks from months before, dedicating long hours per week. While a number of enthusiasts earn a living by manufacturing fireworks, many others do it free of charge as a hobby. One evening’s display can easily run in excess of €50,000 (almost USD 60,000) for large village festas. Each festa will have daytime and nighttime firework displays, spanning a number of days but intensifying closer to the feast day. Malta boasts more than 80 village festas, varying in degrees and costs. Such exhibitions present awe for thousands of tourists and locals alike, pure obsession for many enthusiasts (who manufacture it and/or follow it from one village to another), to noise and air pollution to many others, particularly the young and the elderly.
Obviously, all this comes at a price, and not just financially. Chemical expert Alfred Vella found that environmental contamination from fireworks is a nasty reality in Malta (Muscat, 2014) . Although no specific data exists so far on this topic, it is a known fact that fireworks impact public health and cost the country millions of euros. It is no wonder then that an increasingly opposing body at such displays is beginning to be felt more than before.
The aim of this study was to explore the aftermath personal experiences of family members who lost relatives due to fireworks tragedies in Malta. According to a UK study of firework accidents between 1950 and 1977, it was found an accident rate of 0.0001 per year (The Malta Independent, 2012) . If the same rate was translated locally, considering the size differences, Malta should have one accident every 250 years. Instead, in the past three decades alone, fireworks caused an average 2.3 fatal accidents per year! In the last 35 years, 37% of all deaths due to fireworks tragedies came from the island of Gozo, the region where this study has been conducted.
In fact, recent news reported that the stark tradition of having a tragic accident related to fireworks in Malta has been broken since 2013. There are currently 34 fireworks factories in Malta with more than 2000 involved full-time. Between 1981 and 2010 around 2 individuals annually lost their lives due to such accidents. Between 2010 and 2013, 9 died in 3 major related explosions (TVM news, 2017) . It is pertinent to this study to highlight the psycho-social and holistic needs of relatives who experienced the trauma of significant others or individuals very close to them. Personal experiences emanating from psychotherapy, as well as feedback from nurses and health care professionals involved in this field, continuously point at the local gap to attend to these individuals’ holistic demands. Through such research, such issues may hopefully be appropriately addressed.
1.1. Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) and Related Factors
For ages, suffering and growth that results there from have been understood to be interrelated, as is clear in various religious beliefs (Pargament, 1997) . Positive reactions following adverse and traumatic events have been labelled as “positive psychological changes” (McMillen et al., 1995) , “flourishing” (Ryff & Singer, 1998) , “stress related growth” (Park et al., 1996) , and others.
Tedeschi and Calhoun prefer the metaphor of “seismic event” instead of “traumatic event” since PTG is possible only if the event has had a tremendous impact, or at least must be challenging enough to set in motion the specific mechanisms of cognitive processing indispensable for growth. The model of PTG is built on Lazarus’ Cognitive-Motivational-Relational theory of stress.
The PTG posits that traumatic events serve as huge challenges to one’s pre- trauma schemas and worldview by shattering one’s beliefs, goals and life’s general assumptions. Calhoun and Tedeschi (2006) stress that schema restructuring, being the ability to find meaning from traumatic experiences, and the adjustment of one’s worldview to contain and accept both pre- and post-trauma realities, are crucial for PTG. According to Calhoun and Tedeschi (2006) , PTG may include more appreciation for life, increased meaningful interpersonal relationships, higher sense of personal strength, changed priorities, and a richer existential and spiritual life (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006) .
Triplett et al. (2011) suggested the possibility that growth can indeed influence well-being positively, but its effects may be primarily indirect. This is an area where findings have been inconsistent at best, and thus require further research on addressing the relationship between PTG and general psychological well-being. To help us understand this more, Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) spoke of the posttraumatic growth (PTG) as the functional-descriptive model.
According to O’Leary and Ickovics (1995) , after experiencing a relatively big trauma, a human person may have different experiences: succumbing (when one is crushed by distress), survival with impairment (partial recovery without attaining pre-event level of functioning), resilience (referring to pre-event level of functioning; the authors here equate this to recovery, although related literature indicate more divergences than otherwise), or thriving (recovery after adverse event, returning to pre-trauma functioning, and even exceeding it on some dimensions).
Factors associated with higher PTG include: a moderate level of adversity, higher social support, cognitive processing of the trauma, self-efficacy, reflection, a search for meaning, and the ability to change core beliefs. On the other hand, factors associated with lower PTG include: brooding, rumination and lower spiritual well-being (Arnold et al., 2005) .
A number of issues have arisen from the PTG literature, namely, what does PTG refer to, is it related to wellbeing, do any factors facilitate its development and what do we mean by growth? Literature and research evidence are mixed when it comes to explaining the link between PTG and wellbeing. Park and Helgeson (2006) mention three main hypotheses that have been put forward, namely: 1) PTG leads to positive life changes and better well-being, 2) PTG leads to life changes which are stressful and therefore, leads to lowered well-being, and 3) PTG is a coping strategy and its effectiveness as a coping strategy mediates the relationship between PTG and wellbeing. Research is inconclusive as to which hypothesis is accurate and so further work is required. The research suggests that 1) victims of trauma are more likely to experience PTG two years after their trauma has occurred (Affleck et al., 1987) , 2) people from ethnic minority backgrounds are more able to derive benefit from adversity (Helgeson et al., 2006) , and 3) optimism experience more PTG (Milam, 2006) . Further research is required to clarify all these findings and understand the mechanisms that underpin the links between PTG and positive outcomes.
Moreover, the literature does not distinguish between PTG as a process or as an outcome, which may have implications for the way PTG research is conducted (e.g. if PTG is an outcome, is it accurate to try to link PTG to other outcomes of trauma such as wellbeing?). Further research is required to clarify these issues. Existing measurement tools such as the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) do not distinguish between these two types of growth either, so it is very difficult to examine the different ways that PTG may occur. Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) found that PTG occurs across three domains: interpersonal relationships, self-perception, and life philosophy.
In conclusion, therefore, considering that research on PTG has only really taken off post millennium, the literature covers a vast amount. Research is examining who is most likely to experience PTG, what PTG actually is, what the benefits of PTG are, and how we can facilitate its development. Further research is required in all areas but progress is being made. For the purpose of this study, PTG is understood as finding positive psychological change experienced as a result of trauma or adversity related to fireworks tragedies.
1.2. Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG)
More complicated may be the possibility of growth through the traumatic event by another person. Present research has mostly focused on vicarious or secondary PTG resulting from experiences by those whose work exposes them to trauma, such as mental health professionals (Engstrom et al., 2008) , and emergency services personnel (Shakespeare-Finch et al., 2003) , amongst others. There is a growing research base focusing on vicarious PTG among cancer survivors and their families too (Thornton & Perez, 2006) . Vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG) refers to the development of positive changes as a result of vicarious traumatic exposure (Arnold et al., 2005) . Vicarious traumatic exposure has been used in literature to refer to indirect exposure of trauma, such as exposure to direct trauma survivors or the aversive details and logistics of a traumatic incident, rather than exposure to the trauma itself.
Manning-Jones, et al. (2015) , in the first comprehensive review of VPTG literature, reviewed 28 articles on the subject. They found that VPTG to be highly similar to direct PTG, albeit with subtle differences.
Lisa (2014) found that personal growth and changes in one’s worldview best explained vicarious PTG. While admitting that research into vicarious PTG is limited, Lisa (2014) mentions another context in which this reality has been studied, that is, within families in which one member dies because of an illness. Thornton and Perez (2006) researched growth by prostate cancer survivors and their partners. They suggested that growth is not limited to those directly affected by trauma. It also results among individuals who lose significant others, normally through an illness. Consistent with this, Davis, Nolen-Hoeksema and Larson (1998) also found that vicarious PTG related to better psychological adjustment after trauma. Courtois (2008) defined vicarious trauma as a special form of counter transference stimulated by exposure to the client’s traumatic material.
One of the objectives of this study was to assess whether family members exposed to the instant traumatic death of a significant other would report any VPTG as a result. Related literature may shed more light on the nature of dynamics of what may be taking place vis-a-vis the trauma experienced.
This study investigated three aspects of the phenomena under study: 1) the victim (family background, relationship to participant, common experiences), 2) the nature of the tragedy (logistics, time-lapse, memories, how tragedy news broke out, reaction/s of relative, etc.), and 3) the psycho-social and emotional impact of the trauma on the participants.
Studies about the aftermath of fireworks tragedies and the impact on victims’ relatives are scarce. However, similar research on vicarious trauma suggests that psychological reactions to the events are not necessarily always negative, but positive experiences are also recorded (Galea, 2014b) . These experiences fall within the gamut of post-traumatic growth, whereby individuals may report various personal experiences, and not just the usual negative effects.
2. Method
This study was conducted in Malta in 2012. In the last 24 years, there have been 15 fatalities related to fireworks’ tragedies. Statistics are skewed because in just 4 years, there were 10 fatalities, and all came from the island of Gozo, with a population of around twenty four thousand inhabitants. Pyrotechnics is a dangerous sport that is complicated not just because it requires professional handlers and manufacturers, but also demands rigorous rules when chemicals are mixed and produced, under stringent conditions. Just to give a simple example, Malta’s weather (especially the common Southern wind called “Xlokk”) is often one reason why certain mixtures in pyrotechnics are not done, due to higher risks of explosion.
In order to understand better the dynamics and processing of relatives who suffered the loss of family members due to fireworks tragedies, we conducted interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). A total of 8 individuals met the inclusion criteria and thus were selected for this study. Individuals were personally contacted and interviewed. Data analyzed was according to IPA guidelines.
IPA enables the researcher to reach a deeper understanding of the dynamics, coping strategies, strengths and challenges among relatives stricken by the tragic loss of loved ones due to fireworks accidents. IPA seeks the meaning from ideas emanating from phenomenology, idiography and hermeneutics, based as it is on in-depth analysis of reflective personal accounts and from homogeneous samples. IPA assumes that every individual is equally capable to express themselves. However, results indicate that each person has his or her own way of expressing and explaining their traumatic experience including body language, non-verbal cues, metaphors and emotive language, amongst others (Smith et al., 2011) .
Data was collected using in-depth semi-structured questionnaires investigating the subjective experiences and perspectives of close relatives of victims of fireworks tragedies. Questions targeted information about the victim, how the tragedy unfolded, and the aftermath consequences, challenges and potential of growth there from.
Demographic data concerned age of respondent, past and present family situation, children, and future considerations.
2.1. Participants
The sample consisted of 8 individuals aged between 18 and 68 years old (M = 43.87, SD = 22.64). All were Maltese. Participants included four parents who lost their children, one lost her father, another lost a son and a spouse (during same accident), one who lost a brother and one who lost a relative, all due to firework accidents. Among the victims, four were volunteers were involved in pyrotechnics as a hobby, while the other four did it as their main employment. Two of the victims died alone, while the others died with other colleagues at the scene. The participants’ status ranged from being a student (2), housewife (4), self-employed (1) and civil servant (1). Details about the participants’ demographics can be seen in Table 1. Seven of the participants were female.
An average 90 minute semi-structured interview schedule was conducted with each participant, at their place and time of preference. Open-ended questions explored the relationship of participants to their lost relatives, the logistics of the fireworks tragedy, and the after-effects on their well-being and life thereafter.
The interviews were recorded using digital audio equipment and then transcribed verbatim. Data were then analyzed using IPA, according to Smith,
Table 1. Participants’ demographic information.
N = 8. W = Work, H = Hobby.
Jarman, and Osborn (1999) . This follows the idiographic approach whereby interviewees’ accounts were read and reread until broad claims representative of the group could eventually be arrived at.
Smith et al. (1999) indicated that the analysis consists of the researcher’s own acknowledgment of their own perspectives, which guides a better understanding of the participants’ personal sharing and experiences. This is done through the researcher’s reflective engagement with the transcripts in view of producing a meaning with respect to the phenomenon under investigation, which is called the interpretive method.
First, multiple reading of each transcript and taking notes. While listening to the audio recordings, pauses, silence and other tone variations were registered, having the potential for further interpretation (Smith et al., 2011) .
Secondly, transforming notes into emergent themes. This was done through organization of data, both as a reduction of data technique, but also to focus the text into more coherent and latent thematic analysis. At this stage, the analysis was guided by “meaning units”, that is, identifying certain key phrases and metaphors used to help enrich and guide the analysis per se. Thus, meaning units within this context help guide the researcher understand better the worldview of the subject, to reach a logical but more importantly a valid appraisal of what exactly the person is trying to convey.
Clustering the emergent themes brings us to the third stage. Comparisons for similarities and differences are noted, in order to place them in a coherent perspective. This is technically called “mapping”. By fitting one theme to another, the researcher through coding will be constructing the world-view of the subject under study.
Finally, comes perhaps the most important step in this process: that of writing the narrative account in a systematic and comprehensive way (Smith et al., 1999) .
To minimize researcher bias, participants were given the opportunity to receive a copy of their transcripts, and to validate the content of the interviews. Participants’ names were changed to ascertain anonymity. All codes and themes were given to a second coder who checked each code and theme with anonymized transcripts. All themes were agreed. Discrepancies found numbered 3% of the total codes, and a consensus was reached through discussion between the researcher and the second coder.
A summary of themes was sent to all participants after the final interview. They all returned their questionnaires validating both the categories and overall model.
Confidentiality protocols were followed throughout the process. Participants were given codes so that no identifying information was presented, except obviously the nature and time of the tragedy per se. Participants were aware of their rights, freedom of participation, and right to stop their participation at any point in time, with no explanation requested of them. Moreover, psychological service was available, had anyone requested it during the study.
Three superordinate themes, each with a number of subthemes, were identified from the sharings of these 8 participants. Table 2 presents these results. As with the protocol of IPA, each theme is discussed in this section, supported by key excerpts from the interview data.
Table 2. Summary of sub-ordinate and super-ordinate themes developed from participant’s quotations.
3.1. Appreciation of Life
An inherent part in the grief process and growth from trauma refers to appreciation of life. Despite the shock and dramatic loss involved in such situations, appreciation of life becomes a key ingredient. In view of life’s finiteness, one surely is moved not to take own life for granted, but tries to cease and cherish each moment to the best of own ability. Four subthemes emerged from this study, namely a) fragility of life; b) acceptance of reality despite others’ obsession with fireworks and insensitivities, c) letting go, and d) moving on with life.
Fragility of life. Most of the participants shared the fact that they were awestruck by the suddenness at which events unfolded during their tragic events. Mary recalled how she was still tormented “at the speed at which everything occurred...” She continued that:
“Life is too short. I used to think that our life is just given to us for a set period of time. But after the tragedy, I started appreciating more what I have… in one second, your world will turn upside down…”
Research on grief indicates that when tragedy strikes, those impacted by it are left in shock and denial (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2014) . Among the aspects that were highlighted from these relatives, we find: memories of shock and disbelief, vulnerability and loneliness, and challenges in moving on. Jane reiterated that to her, life stopped on the day of tragedy, thus losing all enthusiasm in life: “...do you blame me? He is now gone, forever.”
To stress this aspect, Lina recalls an image that comes to mind each time she remembers her father: that of an empty hole which could never be filled up (by no one else). The void left behind is satisfied by no one. Obviously certain times, like birthdays and family occasions, make the loss harder still.
Tragic occasions have the potential to challenge our inner beliefs and bring us face to face with our finiteness (Galea, 2006) . Participants repeated the loneliness and void that their respective losses brought upon them. To Sarah, the days after the tragedy were very lonesome, despite being surrounded by family and friends: “…surrounded by people, but strangely enough still lonely, wondering on my own…” Having suffered another explosion with no casualties, Sarah now feels that the present one, having lost her husband and two children, is surely the last straw of the burden she could carry!
Acceptance of reality (despite others’ Obsessions and Insensitivities). As described over and over again, firework-manufacturing seems to carry an innate obsession on those involved in it. During this study, fireworks were described as “obsession”, “drug”, “passion”, “addiction”, and even “life’s true love”, by respondents.
John, who lost his son, described pyrotechnics as (his son’s) “..childhood passion...and his main objective in life…” Surviving three prior related accidents, he still persisted in his hobby. He was so obsessed by it, that he even put it before his love life―in fact, he never had a steady relationship despite being at the prime of life. Vicky, on her part, opined that “despite having little children, (her husband) pursued with his hobby nevertheless...they seem to see nothing else except their obsession with fireworks…”. To most, it seems that their real pay is the personal satisfaction when it is let off-something quite difficult to comprehend by their families.
The appeal of pyrotechnics was at times maintained and covered up by lies, as Sarah mentioned. In Jane’s case, her husband tried on several occasions to water down the risks involved. Most believed that it was easier to die in a traffic accident than in a firework incident.
It is understandable that one be troubled by a degree of guilt. However, despite the fact that all participants did try to convince their relatives to quit repeatedly, their warnings failed. Debbie summarized it succinctly: “we cannot understand it...their passion is only logical to them...to us it’s mere foolishness, a waste of life…” Jane agreed with this line of thought. She felt that her son died doing what he honestly enjoyed doing.
Insensitivity hurts. Another related issue regards insensitivity. Most participants felt deeply hurt and angered by the apparent insensitivity of their relatives to their repeated warnings. Vicky:
“..it’s not easy to reason with them...but they need to remember the price that relatives pay...it’s a no win situation for us, their families: we worry for their safety all the time, and if tragedy occurs (as it did with mine), we live condemned…yes, their insensitivity hurts deeply…”
Being fully licensed, having experience and using due diligence are three key safety ingredients when manufacturing fireworks. However, they are not enough! As Sarah clearly emphasized, “...one’s carefulness won’t make up for others’ mistakes… if one is blown up, all around will perish...but it hurts knowing that my warnings fell on deaf ears...”
Insensitivity may result also during the aftermath of tragedy. Mary narrated in detail that her tragedy was twofold: the tragic loss of her husband and the way she was treated in hospital. Although naturally his death distraught her, the apparent insensitivity of some hospital staff (towards her), was too much to bear during that tragedy: “…losing my husband was bad enough...but to have insensitive hospital staff...was something I still cannot digest... that hurts…I still cannot forgive them…”
Letting go. A key aspect in the mourning process is that of letting go. It is the hard truth of life that to grow, one must let go (of things and people). Judith Viorst (2003) explains that this is the ingredient to help a person grow, from an infant to a child, to an adolescent, and on to an adult. No matter how much one strives to retain to past childhood dreams, unless it is forsaken, one cannot earnestly grow further in life. This is also the case when a person is grieving the loss of someone significant in one’s life. Jane summed it up succinctly: “…no matter what you tell your children, they will eventually do what they want to do.” Such tragedies defy normal expectations where adults die before their children. For this reason, Debbie felt that no closure ever seems enough.
Letting go involves the experiencing of shattered assumptions and dreams in life. Jane clarified that “my biggest dream was shattered…was of meeting him again, but that is gone, period…” To Sarah, the letting go experience meant drastically altering one’s dreams and expectations.
Experience and time seems to have taught the participants to move on and somehow let go of the past. The process of letting go involves also seeking a new meaning in life in light of one’s trauma. Jane recalled that nothing of that magnitude ever occurred in her life before: “…his absence is very dramatic, very bold...once you have him, once you don’t, is unbelievably hard… Even losing an infant, is hard, let al. one a young man...” Lina recounted that whenever similar tragedies occur, she is overcome by many horrible feelings and memories…
“…But then again, those who work in fireworks know very well of the high risks involved. Adult relatives feel much worse in such times than little ones, as I was...”
Letting go may involve learning new hobbies, seeking new relationships and adjusting to new routines. Mary opined that “…it was a lost battle trying to convince him to quit that hobby...true, time heals, or rather you learn to get distracted…”
Moving on. Participants were also queried on how their trauma following the loss of their loved ones affected their lives. Naturally, responses varied, as expected, from positive growth (social support and coping skills), to mere existence and despair.
To young Claire, who was 15 at the time, the death of her older brother instilled in her more appreciation and carefulness in life. She learned to treasure each moment.
A common thread was that relatives were offered support and assistance. However, that was often not enough. Digesting and processing the tragic and dramatic loss, and adjusting to life after death, was a challenge each had to face on their own. Some acknowledged the generosity of friends, while others were left to fend on their own. As always, some (Mary and Sarah) even recounted how they were misunderstood by others and prejudged for what they did to move on.
When facing tragedy, each person has their own particular coping skills, and each family her own dynamics in facing such troubling and sudden traumas. To some, they prefer to ignore it, not to open past wounds, as in Jane’s case: “…however, as a family, we never mention him. He remained our greatest secret...our elephant in the room... to each his own…that remains our weakest point still…”
Lina recounted that being still young at the time of tragedy, her family tried to shield her by not talking and expressing emotions in her presence. However, there were times that she wanted to ask her mother many troubling questions. Ironically, each member kept their feelings and troubling questions at bay. Lina learned to suppress her feelings as well to move on:
“...the loss left enough trouble and pain in my family... no one wanted to increase it… I learned to hide it...but secretly I retained many newspaper bits with stories about my father’s tragedy…”
Moving on does not always imply positive adjustment. Sarah confided that she is “…always depressed, and frequently cry, alone… other tragedies open up past wounds, it’s awful… (crying)” To add insult to injury, her daughter recently confided in her: “..’mom, I now believe that he won’t ever come, since he didn’t come yet…” She was somehow still expecting him back!
Having dependents may be both an advantage and disadvantage. Jane found that having dependents meant more challenges in life. Although at first, she found temporary solace in anti-depressants, she had to face the hard facts of life and attend to her dependents’ needs: “…it’s hard to help dependents when no one attends to your brokenness…” Agreeing with this line of thought, Mary reiterated that she hit the ground running after the tragic loss of her husband: “…having dependent children, having to prepare lunches, wash clothes, cook, and all―that helped distract my thoughts and keep me going… in a way…” Moving on may also mean growing further. Lina opined that the tragedy, if anything, assisted her to become more independent in life, even though acknowledging the fact that her father won’t be present to her upcoming marriage: “what changed? I became more independent... like I matured before my time. I had to fend on my own, because there was no father to protect me…”
However, one thing is clear: moving on and positively adjusting always comes at a price. Life is never meant to be an easy ride. Moving on to some may be a slow and a delicate shift from ruminating why me?, to accepting new challenges as new opportunities of growth. Mary explained that moving on with life, after such an ordeal, is harder still:
“This year I experienced 2 miscarriages. ...why? Why this pain again? (pause) ...true, but it’s better to realize that such is life and move on...it’s not easy to address grief alone, let al.one to help your dependents as well… deep down I was torn apart… the challenge is that life moves on―and thank God for that. Hard as it may be, some routine will eventually be born again...he is gone, but we moved on, and are maturing from it...”
3.2. Richer Interpersonal Relationships
Suffering can lead a person to turn negative and detach from others or it can open one to become more altruistic, empathic, and understanding. Looking outside oneself requires that a person pushes own limits towards the unknown, learns to be creative, and does not get stuck within oneself. Of course, this comes at a price. Sarah explained that some occasions still remain: “...a chore, even going to grocery at times, but I have to force myself… (crying)”. Forcing herself helped her move on and establish a new routine in life. Sub-themes under this domain included: altruistic identity, and meaningful interpersonal relationships.
Altruistic identity. Evident mostly among participants (John, Debbie, Mary, Jane and Sarah) who had dependents at the time of tragedy. In different ways, the trauma impelled them to focus on the needs of their young ones, more than on their own. Although this increased pressures and stress on them, it did serve as a positive alienation and somehow assisted them in the healing process and growth.
Another common variable amongst many participants in such tragedies is the family component. John and Debbie, shared their experiences on how their tragedy somehow resulted in more cohesion in their family, despite the void and emptiness. John said that his: “family became more united...and we focused more on our two other children, on their school work, their well-being...”
The participants explained that the tragedy of loved ones brought about lots of changes and adjustments. To some, it shook even the foundations of families and caused friction, as narrated by Jane: “...eventually we realized it was all futile (to keep arguing), ...only then we got closer…” To others, it caused other changes, as spelled out by Sarah: “...I turned my home into a shrine in his honor at first, hung his pictures in each room...lit candles...but eventually, I removed it all...my younger son could not stand it any longer...now, things are better…as a family, I believe we became closer…”
Meaningful interpersonal relationships. The help offered at the time of tragedy, and its aftermath, was varied. Some acknowledged the generosity of many around them, while others were left to fend on their own. Jane’s experience was mixed: “...I found lots of assistance through family and close friends, even financial help…but still I had to learn to face my daily battles, on my own steam...” Sarah was also assisted financially which was well appreciated at the time. In hindsight though, she preferred social support than monetary donations: “…after all, financial donations can be an easy way to quiet one’s conscience in view of others’ suffering!” For example, some of her friends distanced themselves after the tragedy. To her it was another blow, even though she sometimes excuses them: “...after all, not everyone is comfortable addressing sheer tragedy and pain.”
For Lina, after the initial shock, the tragedy produced a new energy and positivity. She learned to suppress her feelings and move on “...the tragedy infused a new energy in our family... I never felt abandoned really...my eldest brother took particular care of me...soon enough, we all started working...that was a good positive alienation…” Jane and Vicky established new routines. Vicky described how creating other friendships, even through her parish, helped her expand her social network. She felt that it was positive alienation which worked quite well to her. She enthusiastically shared that: “... new friendships, and joining a crafts-class, helped me alienate myself positively...addressed my emptiness… keeping busy helped me stay focused and be altruistic…”. Mary has established a new relationship. There are instances when a person finds secret solace and an interesting positivity is born. Mary opined:
“I found it hard to enter church at first…but God did bring into our lives another person, another partner to me, a second father to my children, who loves them dearly…even though the void left by my husband will remain for ever with us…”
3.3. Spiritual Growth
Tragedies tend to make us question our faith, evaluate our existential priorities in life, and somehow enable us to reorganize what we value in life. Spiritual growth is broken down into religious coping skills and a new relationship with God.
Religious coping skills. To many, religion offers coping mechanisms and ways to deal with a number of doubts. Vicky noted that: “what helped was prayer, my spirituality… it took months for me to get some normalcy though…, I had to force myself… (crying)...but it works”
Religious coping skills may translate into rituals and pilgrimages, as in the case of Sarah:
“...my faith, believing in God, in the virgin Mary…I did go to Medjugorje... three times...in my prayers I sought to know where they (my sons) are now...I believe that they are at peace. It took lots of crying and praying though…”
New relationship with God. Debbie had undergone normal doubts about her faith: “…where was our God in all this?” Although she believes that she has moved on forward with faith, she still harbors at times troubling and existential questions as to why certain events occur. Jane believed that she has grown in faith, even though doubts have never ceased:
“...even my belief has now changed or rather matured...maybe before I took things for granted...not anymore, my faith goes through highs and lows...my son is gone, for ever...but his memory, his voice lives on within...”
Faith seemed responsible to help and empower a number of participants to find strength and move on, despite their tragic loss. Mary clarified that having faith was crucial to her, to keep moving on, despite all existential doubts: “...at first, yes, I was angry at God...religion was responsible somehow… (husband died while preparing for a religious festa), I found it hard to enter church…my children lost their loving father. But God did bring us another loving person, partner to me and a second father to my children, who loves them dearly…”
Lina felt that faith played a major role in her coping skills and ability to grow spiritually:
“My faith has empowered me a lot...somehow, my faith kept me going. My father was gone, but his spirit lived on within…I do feel that I have also grown in my spirituality... I mean I don’t take things and life in general for granted now. It’s a more mature, deeper and grounded faith...”
Another young participant at the time, Claire, shared how the loss of her big brother initiated in her an urgency to make spirituality more relevant in life. This resulted in appreciating life more. To Mary, the tragic loss of her husband encouraged her to face her daily challenges squarely and in so doing, she became a stronger person:
“...God gives me the push to face any challenges that come my way. I survived my husband’s tragic death, and am sure I can survive anything…in this respect I strongly believe that my God is closer to me and my pain, much closer, than... before...”
Summing up this section was perhaps Mary comment, that at hindsight, she believes that: “... this suffering primed me to have a different relationship with my God...now I believe in a God who is closer to me, and whom I can see more down to earth...I have learned to remove empty childhood expectations...then I was more entitled...now I live life day by day, and moment by moment…” Suffering can indeed bring out the worst or the best in a human person!
The primary purpose of this research was to examine the varied effects of vicarious trauma and lived experiences of participants who lost relatives and family members to firework tragedies in Malta. It is to be expected that traumatic tragedies result in highly negative impact on both the surviving victims, and their relatives. Of interest to this study were the dynamics on how a very negative tragedy can in effect have positive consequences as well among relatives after suffering the loss of their family members, and how they could be life-changing. As Thornton and Perez (2006) found, post-traumatic growth occurs also among relatives of individuals who die from a traumatic event, and not just in victims only. This study identified three superordinate themes: 1) appreciation of the here and now; 2) more meaningful relationships; and 3) spiritual growth. These themes are according to Tedeschi and Calhoun’s latent dimensions (2004) .
Appreciation of life considers the recognition and acknowledgement of the here and now. Four sub-themes highlighted this super-ordinate theme: first, fragility of life. This included the sheer suddenness of their tragic trauma and the realization that the present is really the only time available to one and all. Secondly is acceptance of reality. In this study, participants had to accept the reality of their loved ones’ obsessions with fireworks, despite their warnings. To add to this, their obsessions led to perceived insensitivity to these participants’ worries and loving concerns. Some victims even went to great lengths (lying and excuses) to maintain their hobby. Third, letting go experience, which includes: letting go of our control over own children’s values and future pursuits, shattered dreams (about their future), and adjusting to new realities while learning new lifestyles and hobbies. Finally, appreciation of life translated into moving on with one’s life, through social support and other coping skills. For some, this had a negative connotation (denying reality or seeking anti- depressants to cope); yet for others it meant positive alienation, a way to grow further.
Carver et al. (2002) clarify that in such reports, it is often the case of changed priorities in life as well. Whatever goals were adhered to pre-trauma, the adjustment to the aftermath may also include a broader spectrum, with a particular focus on the here and now reality. Considering the three main hypotheses being researched in related literature, as cited by Park and Helgeson (2006) , it seems that this study relates to some respects to all three hypotheses mentioned. This study in fact considered some participants in viewing VPTG as enriching well-being through positive life changes, others who experienced VPTG as a stressful reality that lowers well-being, and yet others who perceived growth as a coping strategy. What seems clear though is that as pain and suffering are a different reality to each individual, despite similarities in the events and the people themselves, so also post-traumatic growth seems to have a unique meaning to those experiencing it. To this effect, a person may find growth from trauma as a positive life changer, but still encounter it as very stressful.
More meaningful interpersonal relationships resulted in two sub-themes: first, family cohesion, including a new family identity; and secondly, richer interpersonal relationships, which is highlighted by an altruistic identity, social integration, creativity and positive alienation. Obviously, social support may not always produce positive results. As suggested by Ingram et al. (2001) , more researchers are highlighting the fact that more work is required regarding the differences between positive and negative aspects of social support and interpersonal relationships.
Spiritual growth was the final superordinate theme of this study’s interpretative results. Studies have shown that struggling with trauma can deepen one’s self-transcendence, spirituality and religious beliefs (Galea, 2010, 2008) . Spiritual growth included two sub-themes: first, religious coping skills which included more involvement in one’s religion, through rituals and pilgrimages; and secondly, a new relationship with God which results in empowerment and personal strength to become a stronger person. Spirituality and religion are increasingly cited to have big importance in adaptation and adjustment, particularly after trauma (Calhoun et al., 2000; Overcash et al., 1996; Weaver et al., 2003; Galea, 2007, 2012c, 2014c) .
In line with this, a growing body of research is suggesting that individuals who experience PTG may not necessarily experience less pain nor an increase in their happiness (Janoff-Bulman, 2006; Galea, 2014d; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004; Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004) . It is evident that more research is required on these correlations. In fact, Park & Helgeson (2006) found that there is inconsistent research data on the relationship between PTG and psychological comfort.
This study has found that one important super-ordinate theme highlighted is that of appreciation of life. Breaking down this super-ordinate theme provides a clearer picture that growth to these participants does not simply mean a naive sense of a better or happy life. Surely, reality is not that straightforward. Results suggest that for these participants, going through the traumatic loss of their loved ones means acknowledging life’s vulnerability, in that one accident may change the whole spectrum of one’s life. As one participant said, it takes just one second! Furthermore, this also includes accepting others’ decisions which may not reflect one’s own. Life is full of adjusting our own expectations to the reality around which may not be in synch with our own priorities. Accepting the reality of life involves letting go of one’s dreams, expectations and one’s perceived control over others. Only finally can one reach the last aspect of appreciating life, that of moving on with one’s life.
This study has spelled out that appreciation of life includes a number of necessary albeit difficult steps of the experience of pain, in the process of one’s own transformation. PTG does not necessarily refer to growth as a carefree, happy, or feeling good. As King et al. (2004) asserts, living one’s life at a deeper and more meaningful level of personal, interpersonal and spiritual awareness is not necessarily the same as feeling good!
Limitations and Future Directions
Although offering some intriguing findings and suggesting areas for further inquiry, this study has some limitations as well. It was based on self-report data by participants who suffered their traumas around 2 years or more prior the interviewing. Some ways in which biases may contaminate reports of growth are: social desirability, biases in cognitive reconstruction, downward comparisons and effects of subsequent events and interactions (Pyszczynski & Greenberg, 1992) .
That literature about PTG experiences are not limited to traumatized individuals only, but also extended to their significant others, family members and close friends is increasingly being manifested in lots of research, as mentioned earlier. Much of this literature concerns cancer-survivor research and their families (Manne et al., 2004) . However, this present study continues to extend research on vicarious PTG beyond cancer-related studies, to other traumas as well. Moreover, the fact that such conclusions resulted from a new culture to related research found elsewhere is another plus. Recognizing psychological, social and culturally-related PTG is important―an area that continues to require further investigation.
Of the implications for health and pastoral workers when facing tragedies of this nature, we need to recommend: a) the ongoing and long term attention to families struck by such fireworks trauma. This is more critical considering that consequences (and life in general) normally become more complex as time moves on. It is evident that assisting such families immediately after trauma, and later on, require different help-modalities altogether; and b) although financial assistance remains always beneficial, as results suggest, it can never replace true social support.
Positive achievements in PTG are outcomes that result from this Maltese study. This study adds to the increasing research on vicarious PTG, not only among cancer-related survivors and their families, but also to families who lost loved ones in fireworks tragedies, and in a different culture. Highlighted themes in this study are generally according to Tedeschi and Calhoun’s theory of post-traumatic growth. Positive achievements are instrumental in enriching the qualitative and quantitative reality of life among relatives of pyrotechnics’ tragedies. All caregivers are asked to attend more to this enhancement.
Galea, M. (2017). Vicarious PTG after Fireworks Trauma. Psychology, 8, 2496-2515. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2017.814158
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The absence of an ontological definition of phenomenology in Simon Blackburn (confused views of the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy-IX)
About phenomenology, Simon Blackburn wrote in his Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy:
«Phenomenology A term that emerged in the 18th century, in the writings of Johann Heinrich Lambert (1728-77) and Kant to denote the description of consciousness of its intentional content (see INTENTIONALITY). In Hegel, phenomenology is instead the historical enquiry into the evolution of self-consciousness, developing from elementary sense experience to fully rational, free, thought processes capable of yielding knowledge. The term in the 20th century is associated with the work and school of Husserl. Following Brentano, Husserl realized that intentionality was the distinctive mark of consciousness, and saw in it a concept capable of overcoming traditional mind-body dualism. The study of consciousness, therefore, maintains two sides: a conscious experience can be regarded as an element in a stream of consciousness, but also as a representative of one aspect or “profile” of an object. In spite of Husserl ´s rejection of dualism, his belief that there is a subject-matter remaining after “epoché” or bracketing of the content of experience, associates him with the priority accorded to elementary experiences in the parallel doctrine of phenomenalism., and phenomenology has partly suffered from the eclipse of that approach to problems of approach to problems of experience and reality. However, later phenomenologists, such as Merleau-Ponty, do full justice to the world-involving nature of experience. In a different usage, the phenomenology of a subject (such as religion) is the study of what it means to pursue a particular form of life, regardless of whether anything that is said in following it out is true or false.» (Simon Blackburn, Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, page 275, Oxford press, 2005).
Let´ s explain two fundamental critics to the content of this article. First, opposite to the speech of Blackburn, Husserl does not reject dualism: he, just like Descartes, suspends the existence of external world, characterized by continuous changes and movement, to “photograph” the quiet essences of things. The rejection of dualism is merely instantaneous, not definitive, in Descartes as in Husserl.
Second, phenomenology is not characterized in this article on ontological level by Simon Blackburn: in fact, despite the ignorance of Blackburn, phenomenology is placed between realism and idealism, is the third ontological position, as Heidegger postulated. This is not theorized by Blackburn in the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy and in any of his books (at least to my knowledge).
I sustain that phenomenology is phenomenalism added or distorted with a metaphysical description in some aspects. Blackburn seems to be absolutely ignorant about this. He has lack of theorist visualization as many academics of the so called “Analytic philosophy” – only some confused minds sustain that «analytic philosophy» is clearer than «continental philosophy». The term analytic has not magic proprieties. The analysis is not only a question of internal coherence of concepts and propositions but is also a question of external correct reference to ideal or material objects.
ww.filosofar.blogs.sapo.pt
© (Direitos de autor para Francisco Limpo de Faria Queiroz
tags: analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, dualism, idealism, internal coherence, phenomenalism, realism
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Fusion technology breakthroughs and business incentives join forces at ISFNT-11
Right to left: H.Bindslev, F4E Director, welcomes J.Sanchez, CIEMAT Director and P.Torres, Secretary of Enterprise and Competitiveness of Catalonia at the F4E exhibition stand
The International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT-11) is one of the three major events that the fusion community proudly organises in order to exchange know-how, debate technology breakthroughs and report on new achievements carried out by fusion Associations and industry. During the scientific sessions, technology is being reviewed rigorously and lively discussions unfold about the next steps the fusion community needs to take.
Dr. Joaquin Sánchez, Director of Spain’s National Fusion Laboratory and General Chair of this year’s ISFNT, opened the event by confirming that the symposium gathered more than 800 participants with particular focus on plasma technology, breeding blanket technology, the Broader Approach and DEMO. “The fusion community is growing. I’m not only talking in terms of numbers but also in terms of ambition. We are here to discuss the progress we have made so that we position this technology as a viable alternative” he explained in his opening speech.
Dr. Hideyuki Takatsu, Chair of the ISFNT International Standing Committee, stressed that “one of the novelties of this event is the possibility to discuss near and long term challenges that fusion technology faces. We will go beyond the state of the art and aim to inspire the future generations by discussing for instance the fusion roadmap and DEMO” he stated.
Given the fact that this year’s ISFNT was taking place in Barcelona, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of IREC and CIEMAT to organise the event in collaboration with the Catalan authorities, CDTI, b-TEC and F4E, ensuring a wide presence through a series of presentations and posters as part of the scientific programme. Furthermore, sessions targeting industry and SMEs were also planned in order to stimulate business interest and raise awareness about the direct benefits through their involvement.
Professor Henrik Bindslev, took the opportunity to welcome all participants to Barcelona, the seat of F4E, and highlighted the need for closer collaboration between Associations, industry and policy-makers. “We need to work in this knowledge triangle and deliver fast. We need to build communication channels between these communities so that technology breakthroughs turn into commercial realities” he explained. On the same train of thought, Perre Torres, Secretary for Labour and Competitiveness of the Catalan authorities, emphasised the tangible benefits stemming from a project like ITER in terms of jobs, knowledge and its contribution to a new diversified and sustainable energy model. It was the perfect moment for Professor Osamu Motojima to take the floor and deliver a status report on ITER. “Fusion is not a dream. It has become a target” he explained and then reported on a series of key events like the ministerial meeting that took place earlier in September, the inauguration of the ITER IO headquarters, the French prime ministerial decree on ITER and elaborated on the progress of several components in the fields of magnets, cryogenics, vacuum vessel, buildings and construction.
Investing in fusion is important not only for the success of ITER but also for stimulating further progress on the technological front. Industry and SMEs play a key role in fulfilling this task. Therefore, an industrial exhibition was planned to offer visibility to all companies attending the event and an industrial workshop to raise awareness of the upcoming business opportunities. Belén del Cerro, Spain’s Industry Liaison officer for ITER, chaired the workshop and in her opening remarks reminded the audience that “strengthening the participation of industry in the ITER project is a top priority.”
Professor Henrik Bindslev took the opportunity to present the F4E industrial policy together with a list of actions that will facilitate and assist the participation of industry and SMEs. “In spring, we established four working groups in collaboration with ILOs to address the concerns expressed by European economic operators. We have listened and revised our rules to make them compatible with the business ethos of our times. We will make participation simpler across all levels with ILOs, reduce administrative burden, limit liabilities as well as guarantees and afford contractors exclusive intellectual property rights and ownership in almost all cases.” The new guidelines were perceived as a positive signal to industry and SMEs with ILOs stressing the need for more interaction with F4E and ITER IO.
So where do we stand in terms of Europe’s procurement packages and are there any business opportunities in the horizon? Jean- Marc Filhol, Head of F4E’s ITER Department, gave answers to these questions offering a wealth of data. Since 2009, 25 Information Days have been organised bringing together more than 1340 representatives from industry, SMEs and Associations. 50 market surveys have been conducted to identify expertise across business operators in Europe. As of July 2013, F4E has signed more than 200 operational procurement contracts and approximately 100 grants with a total value of 2.4 billion EUR, a substantial share of Europe’s in-kind contribution. The presentation gave an overview of the progress made on different ITER components and provided a preview of the big tenders carried out this year mainly from the areas of magnets and buildings. The presentation was complemented by two F4E interventions reporting on the cryoplant and fuel cycle by Alain Teissier and another on the Neutal Beam Test Facility and gyrotorn power supplies by Tulio Bonicelli.
The uniqueness of the ITER project has raised the need for new ways of collaboration between industry and research centres. Maite Dominguez representing the Fusion Industry Innovation Forum (FIIF) explained why industry is of fundamental importance so that fusion technology takes off. F4E’s Victor Saez reported on a cluster of activities that will consolidate the partnership between research centres and industry and highlighted the added value of both parties.
The 11th ISFNT offered participants the possibility to present the current progress of fusion technology by means of presentations and posters, debate the energy roadmap and the evolution of future fusion devices in plenary sessions and bring research closer to business, industry and SMEs through networking events and seminars. The symposium broke the news about F4E’s industry policy and gave the impression that fusion technology is moving in the right direction. The next ISFNT will take place in South Korea between 14-18 September 2015. See you all there!
Professor Osamu Motojima, ITER IO Director General with Jean-Marc Filhol, F4E Head of ITER Department
Technical experts discuss new findings during the ISFNT-11 poster sessions
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Home / 19th Century / Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1875
Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1875
Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1875 quantity
Item #: 9773-m Categories: 19th Century, eBooks, Immigration, World-Canada/Canadian, World-Scotland/Scottish
Nineteenth-century emigration from Scotland to the United States was a continuation of a process that had its roots in the seventeenth century. Unlike the majority of European emigrants, who represented surplus rural workers from an agrarian society, the Scottish emigrants of the Victorian period were skilled educated workers from urban industrial backgrounds whose expertise was in great demand in the rapidly industrializing cities of North America. While the total number of Scots emigrating is difficult to estimate with accuracy, as Irish and Continental emigrants often sailed from Scottish ports, it is likely that over 100,000 emigrants traveled to North America between 1825 and 1880 from Scottish ports.
The volume at hand represents the third in a series by Mr. Dobson to list Scottish emigrants of this era. In the absence of official passenger records, this volume is compiled overwhelmingly from Scottish newspapers such as the Edinburgh Evening Courant and the Perthshire Courier, and from the Register of Sasines, Register of Deeds, and other original documents in the National Archives of Scotland. In all, Mr. Dobson names an additional 1,500 Scottish emigrants not mentioned in the earlier volumes, with such identifying characteristics as place of residence, date, and source, and sometimes names and residence of family members and the name of the sailing vessel.
World-Canada/Canadian, World-Scotland/Scottish
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Rendezvous with science
Memorial to participate in Canada-wide celebration of science
By Kelly Foss
Science Rendezvous, an all-ages and free public event, will allow participants to do fun and safe hands-on science activities on Memorial’s St. John’s campus.
Visitors will get to watch a chemistry magic show, explore a travelling touch tank, discover glow-in-the-dark crystals, take part in interactive physics demonstrations and experience much more on Saturday, May 13. Free parking will be available in lot 15B.
Culture of science
Representatives from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Faculty of Science, departments of Ocean Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Biology, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computer Science and Physics and Physical Oceanography, Let’s Talk Science and Bricks 4 Kidz will be setting up activities in the lobby of the Science building, labs on the second floor of the Chemistry-Physics building and in the Engineering building from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
“Last year we had record attendance and we are hoping to increase those numbers this year,” said Lisa Breen, co-ordinator, SHAD, and Science Rendezvous co-ordinator at Memorial.
“By celebrating science and bringing researchers together with the public, we hope to help foster a strong culture of science in this province, as well as across Canada.”
This is the 10th anniversary of Science Rendezvous. Festivals will take place simultaneously in 30 Canadian cities, with full support from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council. More than 300,000 people attended Science Rendezvous events across the country last year and more are expected this year.
Ten days of discovery
Science Rendezvous is the marquee event to kick off Science Odyssey, formerly known as National Science and Technology Week, 10 days of discovery and innovation taking place May 12-21.
It strives to highlight the nation’s best and most innovative research with the goal of improving student enrolment as well as public involvement in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. The event offers visitors of all ages a chance to meet with world-class researchers, take part in experiments and, above all, have fun while discovering science in a whole new way.
Dr. Erika Merschrod during a previous Science Rendezvous event.
Every year Science Rendezvous partners with research and community organizations to give the public exciting, hands-on and unprecedented access to Canadian research. This year, there will be more than 300 free events taking place in partnership with 40 of Canada’s top research institutions and more than 120 community organizations across 30 cities.
For more information, about Science Rendezvous, please visit the website.
Kelly Foss is a communications advisor with the Faculty of Science. She can be reached at kfoss@mun.ca.
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Physics and Physical Oceanography
Nicholas Ryan, Department of Chemistry, performs an experiment with liquid nitrogen.
Photo: Kelly Foss
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Joe Jackson – Night and Day II
A-J Charron Reviews
It’s always a treat to get a new Joe Jackson album. He started back in 1979, doing straight Pop, then he touched Rock, Big Band, Jazz, Swing and Classical. Maybe he hasn’t been in the charts for ten years, but the albums he’s released since then are the best he’s ever made.
Night and Day II is no exception! This album is a return to the concept of 1982’s Night and Day, a night and a day in New York City. As Jackson says, there are so many things to see in New York City and so many stories that it was worth coming back to for a second look.
Oddly, the synth basses sound like real basses and the programmed drums sound like the real thing.
The album starts with a little drum pattern and synthesized (although you’d never tell) violins. Then in Hell of a Town, Joe pretty much gives his reason for the album. The songs all fall INTO one another, making the whole thing a nice suite.
Nice vocal work on Why by Sussan Devhim and on Glamour and Pain by Dale Devere. A bit of a strange voice, difficult to actually say whether it’s male or female, though still rather nice for the concept.
Dear Mom is probably the best song on the album, although they are all good. Love Got Lost is perhaps a little out of place on the album, but it features the great vocals of Marianne Faithfull. For those of you who don’t know who she is, she’s one of the original women of rock FROM days of long ago.
With Love Got Lost and Just Because, the album takes a darker stride which is remedied with Happyland, a pleasant song with more or less of a Latin beat and piano. The album ends with a piece called Stay.
Overall, a nice mixture of Jazz and Rock with a touch of Pop. Well executed. The only fault I could find with it is that it ends too soon.
A-J Charron
Between 2000 to 2005 A-J wrote over 300 articles and reviews for Guitar Noise. Many of them have been translated into other languages. A-J is a singer and songwriter from Montréal, Québec. In 2005, A-J left to begin his own music media website.
Featured on Guitar Noise
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Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby arrested on battery charge
He’s accused of punching someone after arguing with a music promoter
FILE-In this Sunday, June 23, 2019 file photo, DaBaby performs "Sugar" at the BET Awards, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby was arrested on a battery charge in Miami on Thursday night Jan. 2, 2020, and is being held on an arrest warrant out of Texas, according to court records.(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Grammy-nominated rapper DaBaby was arrested on a battery charge on January 2 in Miami after arguing with a music promoter over payment for a performance, Miami police said in an arrest warrant.
After police arrested the rapper, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, they found a warrant for his arrest from Texas, also on a battery charge. He was booked into the Miami-Dade jail and a judge ordered him held without bond because of the Texas warrant.
Kirk will stay in custody until further notice.
Kirk, who’s best known for his single ‘Suge’, was in South Florida for a New Year’s Eve performance at a Miami Beach nightclub.
Kirk, 28, approached the music promoter, who said he’d made an agreement with the rapper to perform at Cafe Iguana in nearby Pembroke Pines, the report said. The man told police he gave Kirk $30,000 (Dh110,172) but when the rapper counted it he claimed it was $10,000 short. When Kirk demanded the money, an argument broke out and Kirk punched a man who was with the music promoter.
The promoter told police he fled to his hotel room out of fear for his safety. The man who was punched told investigators that one of the men with Kirk took his mobile phone, a bank card and $80 in cash.
Later in the evening, Kirk returned to the hotel and the two victims identified him to police, who arrested him. The arrest report said Kirk denied involvement in the incident.
Leslie Jones is ready to rock the boat, hard
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Essays & PapersAngry Birds Essay
Angry Birds Essay
he Angry Birds characters have been referenced in television programs throughout the world. The Israeli comedy show Eretz Nehederet (in English: a Wonderful Country), one of the nation’s most popular TV programs, satirized recent failed Israeli-Palestinian peace attempts by featuring the Angry Birds in peace negotiations with the pigs. Clips of the segment went viral, getting viewers from all around the world. The sketch received favorable coverage from a variety of independent blogs such as digitaltrends. com,[5] hotair. com[12] and intomobile.
om,[13] as well as from online news media agencies such as Haaretz,[14] The Christian Science Monitor,[6] The Guardian,[15] and MSNBC. [16] American television hosts Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart and Daniel Tosh have referenced the game in comedy sketches on their respective series, Conan, The Daily Show, and Tosh. 0. [17][18][19] In the 30 Rock episode “Plan B”, guest star Aaron Sorkin laments to Liz Lemon, “Our craft is dying while people are playing Angry Birds and poking each other on Facebook”. He then provides a tip for Liz to improve her score in the game.
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In February 2011, American journalist Jake Tapper mockingly introduced U. S. Senator Chris Coons as the “Angry Birds champion of the Senate” during the National Press Club’s annual dinner. [20] Some of the game’s more notable fans include Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, who plays the iPad version of the game, and author Salman Rushdie, who claims he is “something of a master at Angry Birds”. [21] Basketball star Kevin Durant is an avid fan of Angry Birds, and regularly plays other NBA stars in matches, although he is weary of cheating. 22] In August 2011, the Milwaukee Brewers played the Angry Birds theme song during the pre-game introductions of the arch-rival St. Louis Cardinals players, in reference to former Cardinals’ manager Tony LaRussa’s propensity to bean opposing players. Angry Birds also appears briefly, for comic relief, during a scene in the 2013 film G. I. Joe: Retaliation, in which the villain of the film plays the game while waiting for the world leaders’ response to his threats of annihilation.
A screenshot from the T-Mobile advertisement. The advertisement was shown in Greece by Cosmote. Angry Birds and its characters have been featured in advertisements for other products. In March 2011, the characters began appearing in a series of advertisements for Microsoft’s Bing search engine. [23] At the 2011 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, Nokia used scrims on a downtown building to project an advertisement for its new N8 handset that included the game’s characters. 24] A June 2011 T-Mobile advertisement filmed in Barcelona, Spain included a real-life mock-up of the game in a city plaza,[25] while Nokia used the game in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to promote an attempt to set a world record for the largest number of people playing a single mobile game. [26] Finnair has also used Angry Birds in their advertising, including taping an Airbus A340 airliner with the Angry Birds figures and holding an Angry Birds tournament on board a flight to Singapore. 27] Rovio has also prepared a number of web-based promotional variants of Angry Birds themed around creations of other companies, such as Finnish snack company Fazer,[28] Spanish pizza delivery chain Telepizza,[29] and Japanese television network Fuji TV,[30] as well as promotions of American brands including Cheetos,[31] Wonderful Pistachios[32] and Coca-Cola. [33] One of the 2012 New Models for Hot Wheels cars from Mattel is based on the Red Bird from Angry Birds. The package card bears both the Hot Wheels and Angry Birds logo. The game’s characters have been used, officially or otherwise, in amusement park attractions.
In September 2011, the Window of the World theme park in Changsha, China opened an unlicensed Angry Birds attraction. [34] Visitors to the park use a large slingshot to launch stuffed versions of the bird characters at green balloons representing the pigs. [34] Upon learning of the attraction, Rovio Mobile was reported to be considering working with the theme park to officially license it. [35] In March 2012, Rovio announced plans for an official Angry Birds land (opened April 28, 2012) at the Sarkanniemi adventure park in Finland. 36] Also in March 2012, Formula 1 driver Heikki Kovalainen unveiled an Angry Birds crash helmet that he will use in the 2012 season, following sponsorship from Rovio. Kimi Raikkonen has also a Angry Birds Space logo on his cap. Angry Birds has teamed up with the Lotus F1 Team for the upcoming 2012 Monaco Grand Prix, with its logo on the top of each Lotus Renault F1 car’s nosecone,[37] as well as a promotional web-based version of Angry Birds in honor of Kovalainen. [38] HockeyBird, an angry hockey playing bird, was the official mascot of the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships.
It was designed by Toni Kysenius and Rovio Entertainment. [39] Angry Birds Land in Sarkanniemi, Finland. The game’s popularity has spawned knock-off and parody games that utilize the same basic mechanics as Angry Birds. For example, Angry Turds features monkeys hurling feces and other objects at hunters who have stolen their babies. [40] Another game, entitled Chicks’n’Vixens and released in beta form on Windows Phone devices, replaces the birds and pigs with chickens and foxes, respectively. 41] The developer of Chicks’n’Vixens intended the game as a challenge to Rovio Mobile, which stated at the time that a Windows Phone port of Angry Birds would not be ready until later in 2011. [41] Angry Birds has inspired works of religious analogy. A five-part essay entitled “Angry Birds™ Yoga – How to Eliminate the Green Pigs in Your Life” was written by Giridhari Dasa of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (i. e. Hare Krishna) of Brazil, utilizing the characters and gameplay mechanics to explain various concepts of yoga in Gaudiya Vaishnavism as understood and interpreted by the Hare Krishna. 42][43][44][45][46] The piece attracted much media attention, in Brazil and abroad, for its unique method of philosophico-religious presentation. [47][48][49][50] The piece was also recognized and appreciated by Rovio Mobile’s Peter Vesterbacka, who was prompted to comment on Twitter, “Very cool! I can see Angry Birds Yoga becoming a worldwide craze;-)”. [42] Rovio is investigating ways to expand the Angry Birds brand, including merchandise, television shows and movies. 51] The game’s official website offers plush versions of the birds and pigs for sale, along with T-shirts featuring the game’s logo and characters. [52] In May 2011, Mattel released an Angry Birds board game, entitled “Angry Birds: Knock on Wood”. [53] Over 10 million Angry Birds toys have been sold thus far. [54] Rovio opened the first official Angry Birds retail store in Helsinki on November 11, 2011 at 11:11am local time. [35] It expects to open its next retail store somewhere in China, considered the game’s fastest-growing market. 35] Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio Mobile, has envisioned a feature film in the stop-motion animation style of Aardman Animation. [51] To that end, Rovio has purchased a Helsinki-based animation studio to prepare Angry Birds short cartoons on the Nicktoons station’s Nickelodeon Extra,[54] the first of which was a Christmas special named “Wreck the Halls” that debuted in December 2011. [55] Rovio also hired David Maisel, former executive producer of Marvel Studios films such as Iron Man and Thor, to head up production of feature-length films. 54] Hed acknowledges that such a film would be years away, and that Rovio must keep the characters relevant until then, by producing sequels or new ports of the original game. [51] Rovio officials have hinted that one such “sequel” will be told from the pigs’ point of view. [56] On March 20, 2012, National Geographic published a paperback book titled Angry Birds Space: A Furious Flight Into The Final Frontier[57][58] shortly before the release of Angry Birds Space which became available on March 22, 2012.
At Spring 2012, Olvi started to manufacture Angry Birds softdrink, when It made a deal with Rovio for making of them. [59] First there came two different tastes, Tropic (tropical fruits). [59] and Paradise (pineapple-mandarin). [59] At September 2012 Olvi released two new tastes to the softdrink collection, they were Lagoon (pear-apple) and Space Comet (orange-cola). [60][61] Angry Birds Toons, a TV series based on the game will make its debut on March 16, 2013. Initially it will consist of 52 episodes, with a duration between two and a half and three minutes each.
Toons will be released through third-party video distribution platforms, including Comcast’s Xfinity On-Demand in the US, Samsung Smart TVs, and Roku set-top boxes. It will also be available in a number of countries on traditional television broadcasts. Rovio will also be bringing Angry Birds Toons on the mobile devices by adding an additional Toons channel on the Angry Birds apps homescreen. [62] A 3D computer-animated film has been officially announced for release in 2016. [63]
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Malo A. Hutson
Associate Professor of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Director of the PhD in Urban Planning Program; Director, Project Development, Columbia World Projects
413 Avery Hall, Mail Code: 0330, United States
mah2328@columbia.edu
https://www.maloandrehutson.com
Malo André Hutson is an academic scholar and practitioner in the areas of community development; urban sustainability/circular economy; racial and ethnic inequalities and urban policy (metropolitan fragmentation, segregation and health); built environment and health. He is currently an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and the founder and Director of the Urban Community and Health Equity Lab at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). Dr. Hutson is also an Associate Member of the Earth Institute faculty at Columbia University. More recently, he has accepted an expanded role at Columbia the Director of Project Development for Columbia World Projects, a new initiative at Columbia University that aims to systematically bring university research out into the world in the form of projects that will have a significant and lasting positive impact on people’s lives and will help guide the way to solutions to intractable problems, while also enriching research and scholarship.
Dr. Hutson has received numerous awards and grants for his research, writing, and practice. He also has over 15 years of experience working on numerous academic and community-centered projects, both nationally and internationally, in cities such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, New Orleans, Oakland, San Francisco, Santiago, Chile, and Toronto, Canada. Dr. Hutson was also invited as a guest to the White House as an expert in the area of community development, environmental justice, and urban health to participate in the first-ever Environmental Justice Forum.
Dr. Hutson earned both his bachelor of arts in sociology and master of city planning degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and his doctorate in urban and regional planning from the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining the faculty at Berkeley, Professor Hutson was a Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar at the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan.
Tech Giants Want to Solve the Housing Nightmare They Helped Create
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Hornet Golf FAQ
Women's Golf Ranked 23rd in Team GPA
Photo by Kimberly Moss
CORAL SPRINGS, Florida - The Kalamazoo College women's golf team tied for 23rd in the nation in NCAA Division III with a 3.54 team grade point average the Women's Golf Coaches Association announced today.
Kalamazoo tied with Ithaca College for the 23rd spot. It is the first known Top 25 team GPA ranking for the Hornets.
Earlier this week, Darby Scott, Cydney Martell, and Claire Kalina were recognized as WGCA All-American Scholars as each had at least a 3.50 GPA.
The Women's Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women's collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 600 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.
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Jan. 13, 2020 HPI Daily Wire sponsored by Wine + Spirits Distributors of Indiana
Monday, January 13, 2020 7:39 AM
WHITE DEMS DEBATE TUESDAY: Six Democratic presidential candidates have qualified for Tuesday's debate in Iowa, the final televised encounter before the state’s Feb. 3 caucuses," per WSJ. The final six: "The Democratic National Committee said Saturday the participants in the debate will be: former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren." Between the lines: As the Washington Post's Annie Linskey notes, "Only white candidates have qualified, ... the first time in this election cycle that no minority contender will make the stage.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR EXTENDING POLL HOURS BILL: Legislation to extend Indiana’s Election Day voting by two hours – to 8 p.m. – got a hearing this week in the House Elections Committee (Smith, Indiana Public Media). Current poll hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Indiana is one of only three states whose polls close that early. It’s also one of only 18 states where polls are open just 12 hours. The Hoosier State also regularly ranks near the bottom of the country for voter turnout. Indiana county clerks worry the change would put a greater burden on their already strained resources. Christine Traina lobbies for the clerks. “The fear is that this will lead to more poll workers not participating in the election process," Traina says. "We’ve already seen a trend of less qualified poll workers.” There’s no guarantee the bill will get a vote. Several Republican committee members expressed doubts the poll hour change would have any impact.
PROTESTS ERUPT ACROSS IRAN OVER DOWNED AIRLINER: Protests erupted across Iran for a second day on Sunday, increasing pressure on the Islamic Republic’s leadership after it admitted its military shot down a Ukrainian airliner by accident, despite days of denials that Iranian forces were to blame (Reuters). “They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here,” one group of protesters chanted outside a university in Tehran, according to video posted on Twitter. Other posts showed demonstrators outside a second university and a group of protesters marching to Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Square, as well as protests in other cities. Some state-affiliated media carried reports of the university protests, which followed demonstrations on Saturday sparked by Iran’s admission that its military mistakenly shot down the plane on Wednesday, killing all 176 aboard, at a time when Tehran feared U.S. air strikes.
TRUMP SIGNED OFF ON SOLEIMANI ATTACK 7 MONTHS AGO: President Donald Trump authorized the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani seven months ago if Iran's increased aggression resulted in the death of an American, according to five current and former senior administration officials (NBC News). The presidential directive in June came with the condition that Trump would have final sign-off on any specific operation to kill Soleimani, officials said. That decision explains why assassinating Soleimani was on the menu of options that the military presented to Trump two weeks ago for responding to an attack by Iranian proxies in Iraq, in which a U.S. contractor was killed and four U.S. service members were wounded, the officials said.
TRUMP PROPOSES BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AS AUSTRALIA BURNS: President Trump pushes the biggest changes to environmental law in 50 years. The world’s biggest investor is going big on global warming. The proposals are likely the biggest changes to the law — the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — in its 50-year history, and could implicitly exclude climate change from consideration.House Democrats are going it alone on climate policy. And all that happened just last week (Axios). It was easy to miss, amid hostilities with Iran, Australia burning, and other crises, Axios' Amy Harder writes in her weekly "Harder Line" energy column. But big changes are happening on the energy and climate change front that suggest more polarization and acrimony that could last long after the presidential election. Democratic leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced a sweeping legislative framework on Wednesday, laying out policies that the lawmakers say could achieve net-zero U.S. greenhouse gas emissions within the next three decades. It adds policy substance to what has otherwise been mostly rhetoric coming from House Democrats.
IMPEACHMENT TAKES SHAPE THIS WEEK: This week we'll see kinetic action on impeachment for the first time in a while (Politico Playbook). And here's what you can expect: The House will come into session tonight, but the weekly caucus meeting will be TUESDAY morning. It is there that Speaker Pelosi will discuss the next steps on impeachment with House Democrats. We anticipate a vote to send the impeachment articles and name the managers sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. Once the Senate gets the articles, expect three or four days of housekeeping and logistical work before the trial actually begins. Senate Majority Leader McConnell anticipates keeping the Senate in SIX DAYS A WEEK until impeachment is over. In closed meetings, McConnell has been pressed on this, and he's been consistent that he wants to keep the chamber in all week, save Sundays -- in line with the Senate's guidelines for impeachment. MLK Day is also probably an off-day. In recent days, McConnell allies have told us multiple times that we should expect a robust conversation in the Senate GOP about calling witnesses in the trial. We'll see just how robust the debate is, and what the rules call for.
PROGRESSIVES SURGE TOWARD SANDERS: Something’s happening with Bernie Sanders that looked unlikely to many a few months ago: Progressive leaders and organizations are lining up behind him, not Elizabeth Warren, in the lead-up to voting (Politico). Two groups run by young people — the Sunrise Movement, which seeks to combat climate change, and Dream Defenders, which advocates for people of color — endorsed him last week. He’s also won the backing of People’s Action and the Center for Popular Democracy, which together claim more than 1.5 million members, as well as three lawmakers in the so-called “Squad” and liberal-minded labor unions. The consolidation of left-wing support is a remarkable turnaround for Sanders. In September, the Working Families Party became the first major national progressive group to endorse a candidate when it picked Warren — despite siding with Sanders in 2016. Warren was surging at the time, and looked poised to overtake Sanders as the leader of the progressive movement and a frontrunner for the nomination. But now it’s Sanders with the wind at his back.
HPI DAILY ANALYSIS: The CNN/Des Moines Register Poll revealed that 49% of Bernie Sanders supporters are locked on their choice. This compares to just 26% of Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden supporters. Sanders now leads in Iowa, though Buttigieg, Biden and Elizabeth Warren are within or close to the margin of error. This is a turnout caucus, so anyone can emerge, but Sanders support appears to be solidifying. As for second choices, 16% named Warren while 15% chose Buttigieg. The wildcard in 21 days is the Senate impeachment trial, which is going to take Sanders, Warren and Sen. Amy Klobachar out of the mix for a week or so. - Brian A. Howey
MYERS EXPANDS CAMPAIGN STAFF: The Democratic gubernatorial campaign of Dr. Woody Myers is expanding his campaign staff by hiring one of the best fundraisers in the country and adding senior staff members (Howey Politics Indiana). The Myers campaign hired one of the top fundraising consultants in the country, Scott Gale with Fundraising Management Group (FMG). Gale most recently helped propel Democrat Andy Beshear to victory in the Kentucky governor’s race. Myers’ new Campaign Manager, Zakiya Thomas, is battle-tested, helping to elect Democrats statewide in red-to-blue states. Thomas most recently worked on Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign as the Deputy National Political Director. Thomas is the former Executive Director of the National Woman’s Party and teaches a course on campaigning for public office at Georgetown University Law Center. Indianapolis-native Aaron Schaler is taking on the role of Deputy Campaign Manager. Schaler is the former president of Hoosiers for Justice and of Indiana Stonewall Democrats, where he helped bring awareness to LGBTQ issues. Mary Klinkose is coordinating fundraising for the campaign. Klinkose’s long resume shows she began her career with Governor Evan Bayh and has worked as a fundraiser for the Marion County Democratic Party and raised money for former Congressman Baron Hill’s U.S. Senate campaign and other Democratic statewide campaigns. Aaren Myers, an Indianapolis native, recently moved back to support the campaign. Aaren brings fundraising and project management experience to the team from her work in charitable giving for a nonprofit in Chicago. Jack Metcalfe rounds out the finance team. Metcalfe most recently worked at a boutique consultancy in Los Angeles, where he managed open-source research investigations. Communications veteran Kate Shepherd remains in charge of media relations and communications strategy. Shepherd has nearly 30 years of experience in broadcast journalism and public relations and is president of Kate Shepherd Communications. “We’ve assembled a dynamic and experienced team that’s ready to win this race,” said Dr. Myers. “We’re looking ahead to rolling out our vision for Indiana.”
SANDERS PICKS UP KEY NH ENDORSEMENT: Sen. Bernie Sanders has picked up the endorsement of one of New Hampshire’s largest and most influential unions, POLITICO has learned, dealing a blow to other Democratic presidential campaigns that have spent months fighting for it (Politico). The decision, as related by several people with knowledge of it, comes one month before the state’s primary contest and ends a long battle — both public and behind-the-scenes — to get the state employees union on board with a campaign. SEIU Local 1984 represents more than 10,000 people and is widely regarded as having the most sophisticated political operation, routinely driving its members both to volunteer and vote for candidates it has endorsed.
BIDEN'S VOTE FOR IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION: Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. proposed a compromise. It was the fall of 2002 and the Bush administration was pushing for sweeping authority to act against Saddam Hussein, claiming he had weapons of mass destruction. Some Democrats questioned the stated threat posed by Iraq and bristled at President George W. Bush’s broad request (New York Times). Mr. Biden, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, had been scrambling to draft a bipartisan resolution that would grant Mr. Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq, but was more restrictive than the war authorization that the president had sought. As he often had in his long career, Mr. Biden sought bipartisan middle ground — this time, between those opposed to potential war and the White House desire for more open-ended power. Some antiwar members of his committee resisted his effort, worried that it would still pave the way to conflict. “We disagreed very strenuously,” said former Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California. Mr. Biden’s plan ultimately did not succeed, and he chose to focus on Mr. Bush’s reassurances of a diplomacy-first approach. “At each pivotal moment,” Mr. Biden said of Mr. Bush, “he has chosen a course of moderation and deliberation, and I believe he will continue to do so. At least that is my fervent hope.” On Oct. 11, he was one of 77 senators to authorize the use of military force in Iraq. Twenty-three colleagues, some of whom harbored grave doubts about the danger Iraq posed at the time, refused to back the president’s request.
CARVILLE ENDORSES BENNET: James Carville, the last Democratic strategist to unseat an incumbent Republican president, today endorsed Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) for president, per the campaign (Axios). "The best way to beat Donald Trump is to show you’re not him," Carville said. "Senator Bennet has less in common with Donald Trump than any human being in the United States when it comes to worldview, priorities, and demeanor."
PELOSI SAYS GOP WILL 'PAY PRICE' FOR NO WITNESSES: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said House Democrats will determine on Tuesday when to send formal impeachment charges against President Donald Trump to the Senate and warned that Republicans will pay a political price for denying a trial with witnesses. Pelosi, speaking on Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” program, said her caucus at a regular meeting on Tuesday morning would vote on the timing of sending articles of impeachment to the Senate and naming trial managers in the House. “I have always said I would send them over. So there shouldn’t be any mystery to that,” Pelosi said.
BANNON SAYS TRUMP SHOULD DELAY SOTU UNTIL AFTER TRIAL: Former White House adviser Steve Bannon called on President Trump to delay the State of the Union until after the impeachment trial in the Senate. Bannon told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that the president should push back the annual address until after he is acquitted so that there is no hovering uncertainty regarding impeachment. “He will be acquitted and exonerated,” Bannon said. “That should happen. And then he should do the State of the Union because the whole world will watch this.”
KERRY SAYS SANDERS DISTORTS BIDEN'S WAR VOTE: Former Secretary of State John Kerry said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is “distorting” his presidential primary opponent former Vice President Joe Biden’s record over his vote in favor of the Iraq War. “I think Bernie is regrettably distorting Joe’s record,” Kerry, a Biden campaign surrogate, said Sunday on CBS “Face the Nation.” He added that Sanders “doesn’t have what Joe Biden has,” in terms of eight years on the national security council. Kerry continued that he knows “very well what Joe’s position” since he answered the same questions in 2003 and 2004, when he was running for president.
KAINE SAYS INTEL DOESN'T BACK TRUMP ON THREATS: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said on Sunday that President Trump’s claim that Iran was plotting to attack four U.S. embassies was not supported by intelligence shared with him during a briefing last week. “I was at the classified briefing because I'm both an Armed Services and Foreign Relations member, that wasn't told to us in the classified briefing, nor was there a suggestion that multiple embassies were threatened,” Kaine said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
SEN. LEE SAYS HIS PROBLEM WITH BRIEFERS, NOT TRUMP: Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said Sunday his concerns with a briefing on the Trump administration’s decision to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani are with the briefers and not with President Trump. Lee, who called last week’s Iran briefing “insulting and demeaning,” said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that the first time he heard about a potential Iranian plot to attack four U.S. embassies was during Trump’s interview with Fox News. “Do you have a problem with learning that on television?” host Margaret Brennan asked. “Yes, but the problem there is not with the president the problem is with those who were briefing us,” Lee responded.
MNUCHIN DISMISSES CHINA DEAL RUMOR: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Sunday dismissed the “rumor” that China’s commitments in phase one of the trade deal were changed in translation. During an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Mnuchin denied that China’s commitment to buy $40 billion to $50 billion of U.S. agricultural products and $200 billion of U.S. products over two years changed when translating the trade deal. “It wasn’t changed in translation,” he said. “I don’t know where that rumor started. We have been going through a translation process that I think we said was really a technical issue,” Mnuchin said.
HOUSE SCHEDULE: The House is expected to pass a resolution to appoint House managers and transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate (Axios). They will also consider the "Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act," which would amend current law to declare that a complainant is not required to demonstrate that age or retaliation was the sole cause of an unlawful employment practice (therefore allowing what are commonly known as "mixed motive" claims). The House will also vote on H.J.Res. 76, which would formally disapprove of the rule submitted by the Education Department relating to "Borrower Defense Institutional Accountability."
SENATE SCHEDULE: The Senate will vote this week to confirm Peter Gaynor as FEMA administrator. Worth noting: As Axios' Alayna Treene first reported, Trump tapped Gaynor for the position in September, after quietly withdrawing the nomination of Jeffrey Byard due to a "personal issue."
IDOR: KRUPP RESIGNS TO RUN FOR A.G. - State Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp is stepping down from that role to run for Attorney General (Darling, WIBC). The Republican, originally from Plymouth in Marshall County, now lives in Zionsville. Being the top guy at the Department of Revenue means he's good with numbers, but he has also been a practicing lawyer in the private sector in the past, experience he told Indy Politics makes him right for the job. "The cases that I worked on and the skills that we developed were everything from bankruptcy, to breach-of-contract, to anti-trust investigations," Krupp said. "I've been watching and learning the process and I've engaged with the office of Attorney General." Krupp has been the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Revenue under Gov. Mitch Daniels, Gov. Mike Pence, and Gov. Eric Holcomb. Krupp acknowledges the bad taste in everyone's mouth about the Office of Attorney General given the recent legal troubles current Attorney General Curtis Hill finds himself at the center of. "This process will run its course," Krupp said of the matter. "I'm looking forward to some closure from this. I think delegates and voters are too."
DNR: YELLOWWOOD ACREAGE SET ASIDE - Portions of Brown County State Park and nearby Yellowwood State Forest are getting special designation as a high conservation value forest area because of the rare yellowwood trees found there, and only there in Indiana (Bloomington Herald-Times). The certification through the Forest Stewardship Council is a way to ensure that 591 acres where the trees are growing is managed so they remain part of the landscape, according to Mike Spalding, resource specialist with Monroe-Monroe and Yellowwood state forests.
MEDIA: BOOK ON DOOMED EVANSVILLE TEAM - Like so many, Steve Beaven remembers exactly where he was on the evening of Dec. 13, 1977 (IBJ). He was at a high school basketball game inside Roberts Stadium as a 10-year-old. People in the crowd rumbled about there being a plane crash near the airport, but the game continued like usual. Beaven, a former IBJ reporter, didn’t learn the severity until he got home and turned on the news. The entire Evansville Purple Aces men’s basketball team and coaching staff died after the plane carrying them crashed on takeoff. It was a seminal moment for the city and the University of Evansville. “For most of us, the crash is a historical moment we remember once a year,” Beaven said. “But for the families and the moms and siblings of the people who were on that plane, they still feel that loss.” Because Beaven was only in fifth grade at the time, he decided in graduate school decades later to explore the events leading up to and following the crash. The result is the true story behind the tragic loss and the extraordinary rebirth of the Purple Aces in his debut book, “We Will Rise.” Physical copies of “We Will Rise” are now available in both hardcover and paperback, as well as a Kindle ebook option. It’s for sale on Amazon.
WHITE HOUSE: TRUMP TWEETS ON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL - "Many believe that by the Senate giving credence to a trial based on the no evidence, no crime, read the transcripts, 'no pressure' Impeachment Hoax, rather than an outright dismissal, it gives the partisan Democrat Witch Hunt credibility that it otherwise does not have. I agree!"
WHITE HOUSE: TRUMP SCHEDULE - President Trump's schedule, per a White House official: Monday: Trump will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence. Trump and the first lady Melania Trump will travel to New Orleans to attend the college football national championship (LSU vs. Clemson). Tuesday: Trump will speak at a campaign rally in Milwaukee. Wednesday: Trump will participate in a signing ceremony for "Phase One" of the U.S.-China trade agreement. Thursday: Trump will announce guidance on prayer in public schools. Friday: Trump will speak at a fundraising dinner in Palm Beach.
VIGO COUNTY: 2 OF 18 CHILD DEATHS OCCURRED - The recently released annual report of child abuse and neglect fatalities included the Vigo County death of a 2-month-old child who died of severe dehydration, and the death of a 3-month-old female due to co-sleeping (Trigg, Terre Haute Tribune-Star). One of those deaths led to criminal charges against a parent who removed a feeding tube in her infant. Because of confidentiality maintained in the cases, it is unclear if criminal charges were filed in the co-sleeping case. DCS is required to review all child fatalities involving children younger than age 1 when the child’s death was sudden, unexpected, unexplained or involves allegations of abuse or neglect, and must investigate all fatalities for children age 1 or older when the death involves allegations of abuse or neglect. “Child abuse or neglect do not discriminate by socioeconomic status,” said Heidi Decker, director of the Vigo County DCS office. “This can happen to any family. It takes communities working together to ensure families that are struggling have what they need. Everyone in Indiana is a mandatory reporter, and we encourage anyone with concerns about a child’s well-being to make a report.”
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by Alia Hoyt Mar 22, 2019
Laparoscopy involves making small incisions into the body part, and inserting a device fitted with a tiny camera that broadcasts images on a screen, so the surgeon can see and navigate the area. bymuratdeniz/Getty Images
Surgery isn't exactly something to look forward to, but you're likely to dread it less if the incision is smaller and the recovery time is quicker. Laparoscopy (laparoscopic surgery), also known as minimally invasive or "keyhole" surgery, is now the standard of care whenever possible these days. That's because it's just so much easier on the body than traditional open abdominal surgery.
It might surprise you to learn that this technique has been around for a very long time. Pioneering physicians Dimitri Ott, Georg Kelling and Hans Christian Jacobeus are some of the docs credited with exploring the potential for minimally invasive surgery way back in the early 1900s. As is often the case with major scientific developments, laparoscopy progressed slowly, with just some doctors daring to dabble in the practice, although usually for diagnostic, rather than surgical, purposes. Finally, the late 1980s, some physicians began performing successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) procedures, inspiring scores of other surgeons to reevaluate the potential for this game-changing technique.
Nowadays, laparoscopy is the surgery style of choice for dozens of diagnostic and surgical procedures. Diagnostically speaking, laparoscopy is used to confirm a particular diagnosis or to figure out what's going wrong when X-ray, ultrasound and other non-invasive imaging efforts just aren't cutting it. Many painful gynecological conditions are diagnosed and/or treated using the method, including ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis and ovarian cysts.
On the surgical side, laparoscopy can be employed to remove problematic organs, like the appendix or gallbladder, and repair hernias and ulcers. Many patients turn to laparoscopy for hysterectomies and even weight-loss surgeries, and minimally invasive techniques are also helpful for suspected cancer biopsies.
How Laparoscopic Surgery Is Done
When it comes to surgery, size actually does matter. Laparoscopy usually involves small incisions ranging from 0.2-0.4 inches (0.5-1 centimeter), up to no more than about a half an inch (1.27 centimeters) in length. This is tiny compared with standard open surgery incisions of several inches, or even more! A tube-shaped instrument called a trochar is inserted into each incision, and it's through these devices (sometimes more than one is used) that other instruments can be inserted.
One of these is the aptly named laparoscope, which is a long, skinny device fitted with a tiny camera that broadcasts images on a screen, so that the surgeon can adequately see and navigate the area. The area is inflated using carbon dioxide gas to allow for better visibility when the surgery starts. Sometimes, additional incisions are necessary to be able to insert instruments like scissors or biopsy forceps, but those cuts are also very small in size.
Laparoscopy is used to remove problematic organs, like the appendix or gallbladder, and repair hernias and ulcers, as well as to perform gastric bypass.
thelinkeGetty Images
So how do surgeons get an organ, like an appendix or gallbladder, out through those tiny incisions? We asked Dr. Gerald M. Fried, surgeon-in-chief at McGill University Health Center in Quebec to explain. "The appendix is usually small enough to bring either into a 10-12 mm [0.4-0.5 inch] diameter trocar which we usually place at the belly button," Fried says in an email interview. "Otherwise, we put the appendix in a plastic bag, remove the trocar and bring the appendix out through the incision. This sometimes requires mild stretching of the incision."
And the gallbladder? "[It] is bigger but is filled with liquid (bile). It is pear-shaped. We first pull out the narrower part of the 'pear,' then as we pull further the pressure pushes the liquid from the part of the gallbladder that is in the abdomen out into the portion that is outside the abdomen, allowing the remaining gallbladder to collapse and be removed. If the gallbladder contains stones larger than 12 mm, we use the bag and stretching technique described above, " he adds.
Risk vs. Reward of Laparoscopy
The success rates and reduced pain associated with minimally invasive surgery have turned laparoscopy into the preferred surgical method whenever possible. It produces less bleeding, less pain and scarring, as well as shorter hospital stays than regular surgery, according to studies. It's also associated with a lower infection risk, which is key because surgical site infection is linked to higher risk of death, as well as lengthier hospital stays and associated costs.
Amanda Marshall, a customer service representative in Brookhaven, Georgia would definitely choose laparoscopy over the more typical surgery, having experienced both. "Laparoscopic was significantly easier. The only discomfort I felt were gas pains in my shoulders and back immediately following but it couldn't even be considered 'pain,'" she recalls, noting that she had surgery on Thursday, spent the night at the hospital, and was back to work on Monday. "I never had any discomfort that couldn't be managed with Advil or Tylenol."
Laparoscopy isn't totally without risk, though. Often, the surgeries take longer to perform than traditional surgeries, which means that patients are under anesthesia longer, and therefore at greater risk of complications. Other possible problems can include infection, internal bleeding, hernia and/or bleeding at incision sites, and even damage to internal organs or blood vessels.
Not everyone is a prime candidate for laparoscopy, however. Fried notes that the technique is not advised for unstable trauma patients because bleeding can cover the lens and make visualization impossible. He also says that people with extensive prior abdominal surgeries are typically not candidates.
"In these cases scarring (adhesions) from the previous surgery may make it difficult or impossible to appropriately view the abdominal contents to do the surgery safely," he explains. Large tumors that require bigger incisions for removal will also exclude laparoscopy as an option.
Now That's Cool
Laparoscopy is poised to get even better in the coming years thanks to improved training technique using simulations. "This is now embedded in all residency training programs," Dr. Gerald Fried explains, adding, "these simulation programs have been shown to shorten the learning curve for the surgeon to become proficient at laparoscopic surgery. Simulation will continue to improve and make laparoscopic surgery more widely available and safer."
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Diphtheria outbreak response - Bangladesh
Diphtheria outbreak response -.....
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released US $1.5 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to scale up response to a diphtheria outbreak among the Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
The funds are being used to support immunisation, provide essential medicines and supplies, improve capacities for laboratory testing, case management and contract tracing and engage with communities.
Diphtheria is an infectious respiratory disease. It spreads through air droplets by coughing or sneezing. Risk factors include crowding, poor hygiene and lack of immunisation. Between 8 November and 31 December, 28 deaths and 3014 suspected cases of diphtheria were reported from Cox’s Bazar. Nearly 10,594 contacts of these suspected cases have been put on diphtheria preventive medication.
In a vaccination campaign that ended on 31 December 2017, 149,962 children aged six months to six years were administered vaccines for diphtheria and other life threatening diseases. Additionally, 165,927 children and adolescents aged seven years to 15 years were given diphtheria tetanus (DT) vaccine.
School children, living in areas close to the Rohingya camps in Ukhia and Tekhna sub-districts have since been administered a dose of DT vaccine, as part of the outbreak response. Childhood vaccination coverage is already high in Bangladesh. Protecting children with another dose of DT as a precautionary measure, is intended to further curtail the spread of the disease.
Source: WHO South East Asia Regional Office, 2 January 2018
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Multiple myeloma-derived MMP-13 mediates osteoclast fusogenesis and osteolytic disease
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New opportunities for the management of cancer-related bone complications.
Lipton, A., Brown, G. A., Mundy, G. R., Roodman, G. D. & Smith, M. R., May 2009, In : Clinical Advances in Hematology and Oncology. 7, 5 Suppl 11
Bone Neoplasms
New potential targets for treating myeloma bone disease
Roodman, G. D., Berenson, Clohisy, Bruland, Suva & Weilbaecher, Oct 15 2006, In : Clinical Cancer Research. 12, 20 PART 2
Normalizing the bone marrow microenvironment with p38 inhibitor reduces multiple myeloma cell proliferation and adhesion and suppresses osteoclast formation
Nguyen, A. N., Stebbins, E. G., Henson, M., O'Young, G., Choi, S. J., Quon, D., Damm, D., Reddy, M., Ma, J. Y., Haghnazari, E., Kapoun, A. M., Medicherla, S., Protter, A., Schreiner, G. F., Kurihara, N., Anderson, J., Roodman, G. D., Navas, T. A. & Higgins, L. S., Jun 10 2006, In : Experimental Cell Research. 312, 10, p. 1909-1923 15 p.
Novel approaches in the management of myeloma-related skeletal complications
Reddy, G. K., Mughal, T. I. & Roodman, G. D., Oct 2006, In : Supportive Cancer Therapy. 4, 1, p. 15-18 4 p.
Novel targets for myeloma bone disease
Roodman, G. D., Nov 2008, In : Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets. 12, 11, p. 1377-1387 11 p.
Nutritional parameters observed during 28-day infusion of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α
Hardin, T. C., Koeller, J. M., Kuhn, J. G., Roodman, G. D. & Von Hoff, D. D., 1993, In : Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 17, 6, p. 541-545 5 p.
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Terpos, E., Roodman, G. D. & Dimopoulos, M. A., Apr 25 2013, In : Blood. 121, 17, p. 3325-3328 4 p.
Osteoblast function in myeloma
Roodman, G. D., Jan 1 2011, In : Bone. 48, 1, p. 135-140 6 p.
Osteoclast differentiation
Roodman, G. D., 1991, In : Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine. 2, 3, p. 389-409 21 p.
Osteoclast differentiation and activity
Roodman, G. D., 1998, In : Biochemical Society Transactions. 26, 1, p. 7-13 7 p.
Osteoclast function in healthy subjects and in patients with Paget's disease
Wirfel, K. L., Bruder, J. M., Vardag, A. & Roodman, G. D., 1999, In : Endocrinologist. 9, 4, p. 263-269 7 p.
Osteoclast function in Paget's disease and multiple myeloma
Roodman, G. D., 1995, In : Bone. 17, 2 SUPPL. 1
Osteoclast inhibitory peptide 2 inhibits osteoclast formation via its c-terminal fragment
Choi, S. J., Kurihara, N., Oba, Y. & Roodman, G. D., 2001, In : Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 16, 10, p. 1804-1811 8 p.
asparaginylendopeptidase
Osteoclast-like cell formation and its regulation by osteotropic hormones in mouse bone marrow cultures
Takahashi, N., Yamana, H., Yoshiki, S., Roodman, G. D., Roodman, G. D., Jones, S. J., Boyde, A. & Suda, T., 1988, In : Endocrinology. 122, 4, p. 1373-1382 10 p.
Carboxylesterase
salmon calcitonin
Osteoclast-like cell formation in fetal and newborn long-term baboon marrow cultures is more sensitive to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 than adult long-term marrow cultures.
Takahashi, N., Mundy, G. R., Kuehl, T. J. & Roodman, G. D., Aug 1987, In : Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 2, 4, p. 311-317 7 p.
Osteoclast-like cells formed in long-term human bone marrow cultures express a similar surface phenotype as authentic osteoclasts
Kukita, T., McManus, L. M., Miller, M., Civin, C. & Roodman, G. D., 1989, In : Laboratory Investigation. 60, 4, p. 532-538 7 p.
Osteoclast-like cells form in long-term human bone marrow but not in peripheral blood cultures
Takahashi, N., Kukita, T., MacDonald, B. R., Bird, A., Mundy, G. R., McManus, L. M., Miller, M., Boyde, A., Jones, S. J. & Roodman, G. D., 1989, In : Journal of Clinical Investigation. 83, 2, p. 543-550 8 p.
Sperm Whale
Blood Culture
Osteoclasts are important for bone angiogenesis
Cackowski, F. C., Anderson, J. L., Patrene, K. D., Choksi, R. J., Shapiro, S. D., Windle, J. J., Blair, H. C. & Roodman, G. D., Jan 7 2010, In : Blood. 115, 1, p. 140-149 10 p.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
Osteoclasts expressing the measles virus nucleocapsid gene display a pagetic phenotype
Kurihara, N., Reddy, S. V., Menaa, C., Anderson, D. & Roodman, G. D., Mar 2000, In : Journal of Clinical Investigation. 105, 5, p. 607-614 8 p.
Osteoclasts formed by measles virus-infected osteoclast precursors from hCD46 transgenic mice express characteristics of pagetic osteoclasts
Reddy, S. V., Kurihara, N., Menaa, C., Landucci, G., Forthal, D., Koop, B. A., Windle, J. J. & Roodman, G. D., 2001, In : Endocrinology. 142, 7, p. 2898-2905 8 p.
Osteoclast-specific inactivation of the integrin-linked kinase (ILK) inhibits bone resorption
Dossa, T., Arabian, A., Windle, J. J., Dedhar, S., Teitelbaum, S. L., Ross, F. P., Roodman, G. D. & St-Arnaud, R., Jul 1 2010, In : Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 110, 4, p. 960-967 8 p.
Osteoclasts Pump Iron
Roodman, G. D., May 6 2009, In : Cell Metabolism. 9, 5, p. 405-406 2 p.
Bone Matrix
Osteoinductive factor inhibits formation of human osteoclast-like cells
Kukita, A., Bonewald, L., Rosen, D., Seyedin, S., Mundy, G. R. & Roodman, G. D., Apr 1990, In : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 87, 8, p. 3023-3026 4 p.
Osteotropic factor responsiveness of highly purified populations of early and late precursors for human multinucleated cells expressing the osteoclast phenotype
Kurihara, N., Civin, C. & Roodman, G. D., Mar 1991, In : Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 6, 3, p. 257-261 5 p.
Pagetic osteoclasts formed in vitro: Absence of paracrystalline inclusions
Roodman, G. D., Ohsaki, Y., Miller, M. M., Demulder, A., Hosking, D., Singer, F. R. & McManus, L. M., Apr 1998, In : Journal of Submicroscopic Cytology and Pathology. 30, 2, p. 315-327 13 p.
Distemper
Paget's disease and osteoclast biology
Roodman, G. D., Sep 1996, In : Bone. 19, 3, p. 209-212 4 p.
Paget's disease - A VDR coactivator disease?
Kurihara, N., Ishizuka, S., Demulder, A., Menaa, C. & Roodman, G. D., May 2004, In : Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 89-90, p. 321-325 5 p.
Mediator Complex Subunit 1
Paget's Disease of Bone: A Disease of the Osteoclast
Reddy, S. V., Kurihara, N., Menaa, C. & Roodman, G. D., 2001, In : Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. 2, 2, p. 195-201 7 p.
Paget's Disease of Bone
Roodman, G. D., 1998, In : Advances in Organ Biology. 5, C, p. 661-675 15 p.
Pathogenesis of myeloma bone disease
Roodman, G. D., Mar 2004, In : Blood Cells, Molecules and Diseases. 32, 2, p. 290-292 3 p.
Roodman, G. D., 2009, In : Leukemia. 23, 3, p. 435-441 7 p.
Roodman, G. D., Feb 1 2010, In : Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 109, 2, p. 283-291 9 p.
Pathophysiology of Multiple Myeloma Bone Disease
Lentzsch, S., Ehrlich, L. A. & Roodman, G. D., Dec 2007, In : Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 21, 6, p. 1035-1049 15 p.
Pathophysiology of myeloma bone disease
Esteve, F. R. & Roodman, G. D., Dec 2007, In : Best Practice and Research: Clinical Haematology. 20, 4, p. 613-624 12 p.
Perspective on the osteoclast: An angiogenic cell?
Cackowski, F. C. & Roodman, G. D., Nov 2007, In : Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1117, p. 12-25 14 p.
Perspectives interleukin-6: An osteotropic factor?
Roodman, G. D., May 1992, In : Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 7, 5, p. 475-478 4 p.
Phase I trial of bortezomib (PS-341; NSC 681239) and alvocidib (flavopiridol; NSC 649890) in patients with recurrent or refractory B-cell neoplasms
Holkova, B., Perkins, E. B., Ramakrishnan, V., Tombes, M. B., Shrader, E., Talreja, N., Wellons, M. D., Hogan, K. T., Roodman, G. D., Coppola, D., Kang, L., Dawson, J., Stuart, R. K., Peer, C., Figg, W. D., Kolla, S., Doyle, A., Wright, J., Sullivan, D. M., Roberts, J. D. & 1 others, Grant, S., May 15 2011, In : Clinical Cancer Research. 17, 10, p. 3388-3397 10 p.
alvocidib
Maximum Tolerated Dose
Febrile Neutropenia
Phase I trial of bortezomib (PS-341; NSC 681239) and "nonhybrid" (Bolus) infusion schedule of alvocidib (Flavopiridol; NSC 649890) in patients with recurrent or refractory indolent B-cell neoplasms
Holkova, B., Kmieciak, M., Perkins, E. B., Bose, P., Baz, R. C., Roodman, G. D., Stuart, R. K., Ramakrishnan, V., Wan, W., Peer, C. J., Dawson, J., Kang, L., Honeycutt, C., Tombes, M. B., Shrader, E., Weir-Wiggins, C., Wellons, M., Sankala, H., Hogan, K. T., Colevas, A. D. & 6 others, Doyle, L. A., Figg, W. D., Coppola, D., Roberts, J. D., Sullivan, D. & Grant, S., Nov 15 2014, In : Clinical Cancer Research. 20, 22, p. 5652-5662 11 p.
Phase I trial of dacarbazine with cyclophosphamide, carmustine, etoposide, and autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma
Adkins, D. R., Salzman, D., Boldt, D., Kuhn, J., Irvin, R., Roodman, G. D., Lyons, R., Smith, L., Freytes, C. O. & LeMaistre, C. F., Sep 1994, In : Journal of Clinical Oncology. 12, 9, p. 1890-1901 12 p.
Prognostic factors and response to fludarabine therapy in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia: Results of United States intergroup trial (Southwest Oncology Group S9003)
Dhodapkar, M. V., Jacobson, J. L., Gertz, M. A., Rivkin, S. E., Roodman, G. D., Tuscano, J. M., Shurafa, M., Kyle, R. A., Crowley, J. J. & Barlogie, B., Jul 1 2001, In : Blood. 98, 1, p. 41-48 8 p.
Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia
Purine Nucleosides
Immunoglobulin M
Prostaglandin E2 inhibits formation of osteoclastlike cells in long-term human marrow cultures but is not a mediator of the inhibitory effects of transforming growth factor β
Chenu, C., Kurihara, N., Mundy, G. R. & Roodman, G. D., Jul 1990, In : Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. 5, 7, p. 677-681 5 p.
Dinoprostone
RANK ligand as a therapeutic target for bone metastases and multiple myeloma
Roodman, G. D. & Dougall, W. C., Feb 2008, In : Cancer Treatment Reviews. 34, 1, p. 92-101 10 p.
Recent developments in Paget's disease
Roodman, G. D., May 2003, In : Advanced Studies in Medicine. 3, 5, p. 286-292 7 p.
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The Bullock Texas State History Museum, is a history museum in Austin, Texas. The museum is a division of the Texas State Preservation Board. Its stated mission is to tell "the Story of Texas." The history museum is named after former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, who championed its creation. The museum is located at 1800 North Congress Avenue in Austin, a few blocks north of the Texas State Capitol. The museum has three floors of interactive exhibits; the first floor theme is "land," the second floor theme "identity," and the third floor theme "opportunity." On the second floor of the museum, 'The Spirit Theater' host a feature presentation entitled 'Star of Destiny.' Designed by award winning experience designer Bob Rogers (designer) and the design team BRC Imagination Arts, the special effects theater presentation takes audiences on an epic journey through the history of Texas, narrated by the character of Sam Houston. In addition to playing several shows, daily, the 200 seat Texas Spirit Theater is also used by the museum as a multimedia special effects theater for alternate film and lecture presentations The museum also has a 70mm film-based IMAX theater. The theater seats 400 and has a projector with both 2-D and 3-D capability.
AustinHistoryMuseum2.jpg
America American Austin Bullock Texas State History Museum Lone Star North America Texas US USA United States architectural architecture building buildings capital cityscape culture dome dusk evening flag government historic history landmark landscape legislature light lights museum nature night place skyline star state stone sunset
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When Did Ukraine Become a ‘Critical Ally’?
· December 5, 2019 ·
On hearing the State Department’s George Kent and William Taylor describe President Donald Trump’s withholding of military aid to Ukraine, The New York Times summarized and solemnly endorsed their testimony:
“What clearly concerned both witnesses wasn’t simply the abuse of power by the President, but the harm it inflicted on Ukraine, a critical ally, under constant assault by Russian forces.”
“‘Even as we sit here today, the Russians are attacking Ukrainian soldiers in their own country, and have been for four years,’ Taylor said. ‘I saw this on the front line last week; the day I was there a Ukrainian soldier was killed and four more wounded.'”
Kent compared Ukrainian resistance to Russia’s intervention on the side of the Donbass secessionists to “our own Minutemen in 1776.”
“More than 13,000 Ukrainians have died on Ukrainian soil defending their territorial integrity and sovereignty from Russian aggression. … American support in Ukraine’s own de facto war of independence has been critical.”
Kent went on:
“The American colonies may not have prevailed against British imperial might without help from transatlantic friends after 1776. In an echo of Lafayette’s organized assistance to General George Washington’s army and Admiral John Paul Jones’ navy, Congress has generously appropriated over $1.5 billion over the past five years in desperately needed train and equip security assistance to Ukraine…”
“Similar to von Steuben training colonials at Valley Forge, U.S. and NATO allied trainers develop the skills of Ukrainian units at Yavoriv near the Polish border, and elsewhere. They help rewrite military education for Ukraine’s next generation, as von Steuben did for America’s first.”
“One would think, listening to this,” writes Barbara Boland, the American Conservative columnist, “that the U.S. had always provided arms to Ukraine, and that Ukraine has relied on this aid for years. But this is untrue and the Washington blob knows this.”
Indeed, Ukraine has never been a NATO ally or a "critical ally."
Three decades ago, George H.W. Bush implored Ukraine not to set out on a course of "suicidal nationalism" by declaring independence from the Russian Federation. Despite constant pressure from Sen. John McCain and our neocons to bring Ukraine into NATO, wiser heads on both sides of the Atlantic rejected the idea.
Why? Because the "territorial integrity and sovereignty" of Ukraine is not now and has never been a vital interest of ours that would justify a U.S. war with a nuclear-armed Russia.
Instead, it was the avoidance of such a war that was the vital interest that nine U.S. presidents, from Truman to Bush I, secured, despite such provocations as the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 and the building of the Berlin Wall.
In February 2014, the elected pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by U.S.-backed protesters in Maidan Square, cheered on by McCain. This was direct U.S. intervention in the internal affairs of Ukraine. Victoria Nuland of the State Department conceded that we had dumped billions into Ukraine to reorient its regime to the West.
To Vladimir Putin, the Kyiv coup meant the loss of Russia's historic Black Sea naval base at Sebastopol in Crimea. Rather than let that happen, Putin effected an uprising, Crimea's secession from Ukraine, and the annexation by Russia. In eastern Ukraine, the pro-Russian Donbass rose up in rebellion against the pro-NATO regime in Kyiv.
Civil war broke out. We backed the new regime. Russia backed the rebels. And five years later, the war goes on. Why is this our fight?
During the Obama years, major lethal aid was denied to Ukraine.
The White House reasoned that arming Ukraine would lead to an escalation of the war in the east, greater Russian intervention, defeat for Kyiv, and calls for the U.S. to intervene militarily, risking a war with Russia.
Not until Trump became president did lethal aid begin flowing to Ukraine, including Javelin anti-tank missiles.
So where are we?
Despite dramatic depictions of Ukraine as our embattled ally, Ukraine has never been an ally. We are not now nor have we ever been obligated to fight for its sovereignty or territorial integrity. Efforts to bring Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia into NATO have been repeatedly rebuffed in the United States and by our European NATO allies.
Kent and Taylor are honorable men. But they are career diplomats of the Department of State and veteran advocates of a foreign policy that sees Russia as an enduring aggressor and Ukraine as a fighting ally entitled to U.S. military assistance.
They have, in the old phrase, gone native. They champion the policies of yesterday and the embattled countries to which they are accredited and to whose causes they have become converted.
But Trump was elected to overturn the interventionist policies America has pursued since the century began. He was elected to end Cold War II with Russia, to reach a modus vivendi as Reagan did, and to extricate us from the endless wars into which Presidents Bush and Obama plunged the nation.
One thought on “When Did Ukraine Become a ‘Critical Ally’?”
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Foxy Brown Booed Off Stage During NYC Performance
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
New York City, NY – Foxy Brown was a special guest at Kandi Burruss’ Welcome to the Dungeon Tour in New York City on Saturday night (May 18). But rather than go out in a blaze of glory, the veteran rapper was booed off stage following what was deemed by the crowd a less-than-stellar performance.
As Foxy started to perform her 1996 cut “I’ll Be” originally featuring JAY-Z, she struggled to spit out the lyrics and was quickly ushered off the stage. Burruss, who attempted to do a little damage control, attributed the lackluster display to Foxy’s attire, which included a ornate mask covering almost her entire face.
“Y’all gotta respect my girl,” she said in a clip posted to Twitter. “Let her take the mask off.”
Yikes Foxy Brown booed off stage in her own city, during Kandi’s #WelcomeToTheDungeon tour in NYC. @Kandi 👀 pic.twitter.com/DGZcQXwsfH
— Jerome Trammel (@JeromeTrammel89) May 19, 2019
Adding insult to injury, the DJ jumped in and began to play a Lil Kim song as the crowd went wild.
Foxy has been relatively inactive on the rap scene since her last solo album, 2001’s Broken Silence, the follow-up to 1999’s Chyna Doll. She did, however, release a mixtape in 2008 called Brooklyn’s Don Diva that was intended to be the Broken Silence follow-up.
Last September, she was accused of pocketing $10,000 from a promoter and failing to deliver the show as promised. The organizers of the event issued an ultimatum — either Foxy paid back the money or they’d sue. It’s unclear if that matter has been resolved.
Foxy Brown joined Kandi Burruss’ ‘Welcome To The Dungeon’ Tour for the show in NYC, but difficulties on stage led to Foxy being escorted off stage, an angry crowd, and the DJ playing Lil’ Kim music. pic.twitter.com/TBWx4oCCuG
— Female Rap Room (@FemaleRapRoom) May 19, 2019
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In 1989-90 I undertook a survey of Scottish Hospitals, funded by a grant from the Scottish Research Council. This resulted in an unpublished gazetteer and formed the basis of a short book, published by Historic Scotland in 2010 entitled Building up your Health – available free as a PDF here.
I thought it was high time that the gazetteer should be both updated and shared more widely and so I started this blog. There are pages covering each area of Scotland in which there is a list of the hospitals, past and present. I am slowly updating the original gazetteer entries and adding maps and illustrations. This is a work in progress, so will change and grow over time. In addition I have been writing occasional posts, highlighting particular sites or building types.
I would also like to share some of the work that I was involved in for the Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England’s survey of hospital buildings undertaken in 1991-4, and which resulted in a large body of work deposited in Historic England’s archives at Swindon and a book published in 1998 English Hospitals 1660-1948. A team of six worked on the hospitals project, based in the RCHME offices in York, Cambridge and London. Robert Taylor in the Cambridge office produced a monthly newsletter which he circulated amongst the team, entitled the Hospitals Investigator. Here you will find extracts from the newsletter in occasional blog posts.
Between 1991 and 2018 I worked on the Survey of London, latterly on Oxford Street, and contributed to the volumes on Knightsbridge, Clerkenwell, Battersea and South East Marylebone. I moved back to Scotland, and am now a PhD student at Edinburgh College of Art researching post-war hospitals in Scotland.
ROBERT MCDOWELL says:
Dear Harriet,
Please get in touch re. the RHfSC Edinburgh. I’m trying to compile a bid whereby the buildings are not lost to public use – cultural and arts like Summerhall – and maintaining a history of the place.
Summerhall
Dear Robert,
Happy to help if I can, you can email me at Harriet.Richardson@ucl.ac.uk
Jesse Thomas says:
Can you tell me where the Lennox Castle Hospital in located. I’m doing research for a school project. This would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The Hospital was to the north-west of Lennoxtown. None of the hospital buildings survives, apart from some staff houses on Netherton Oval. New housing was built in 2009-10 on the site of the maternity hospital (Castle Circle) and Celtic’s Lennoxtown training ground is on the site of the former institution. The castle itself is in ruins.
good luck with your project,
best wishes from Harriet
Mrs Isobel Brolls says:
Been trying to find a hospital that looked like a airbase there was three barracks that was changed into a small hospital and a tower was there two it was outside Dumfries.
Joseph Norman McIvor, BEM says:
Isobel, dont know if this would help. During the 2nd. WW I was evacuated from Glasgow to the Dumfries area. We were put into an old country mansion named BROORIGG HOUSE on the banks of the River Nith. Across the river was an aerodrome. I dont know where Broomrigg House is, neither can I trace the aerodrome.
Joe McIvor, BEM (East Kilbride)
Should read Broomrigg House (was close to a railway or railway station.
No idea if you’ll ever read this, but there’s a Broomhill House at 55° 05′ 46.69″ N,003° 36′ 53.28″ W. Sits in between the old railway and the River Nith. The aerodrome may be RAF Dumfries, which lies about a mile and a half east by south from there.
Sorry – that should also read Broomrigg House (not Broomhill!).
Stevie Galloway says:
I found this purely by accident and the hours this must have undertaken is amazing. The details in the article are fascinating to say the least. I live close to Bangour Village Hospital and it’s truly amazing. The locals here love it too and sad to watch the elements and vandals slowly destroy our history…
Spent one year as a medical student in Kingseat hospital in Newmachar in late 1980s. The staff accommodation was in the main building, and I would do venepuncture on patients in the evenings for routine tests. I remember walking from one cottage to another to locate the patients. Each cottage had a name attached. Recall the patients were very cooperative! Saved enough to buy a very used car to drive to Aberdeen for classes.
Chris Thornton says:
Good morning. I am after any info I can find on Calverley Isolation Hospital. I was a patient there in about 1949-1950 with Meningitis yet I can find very little trace of it although I find that you have listed it in Bradford Hospitals. Do you have any further info on it please such as location, etc
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People (1620) Apply People filter
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Viktor Hamburger to Jane Maienschein [draft], August 5, 1995
Viktor Hamburger to Martha Hamburger, April 20, 1950 and April 30, 1950
Letter about trip to Cambridge, lecturing at MIT and Harvard, Victor Twitty, Rita
Created: 4/20/1950 and 4/30/1950
Viktor Hamburger to Ludwig von Bertalanffy, July 31, 1952
Invitation to Bertalanffy to give a lecture at Washington University with funds from the Sigma Xi Society
Discovery Never Ends. 2011 MBL Annual Report. Marine Biological Laboratory.
Published in two parts. Printed document includes message from the Chairman and the President, research highlights, education highlights, MBL at-a-glance, finanicals, gifts and leadership. On-line only additional information includes details for research, education, MBLWHOI LIbrary, and people. Lists of employees, students and faculty are contained in the additional information section.
2012 MBL Annual Report. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Published in two parts. Printed document includes message from the Chairman and the President, research and education highlights, MBL at-a-glance, finanicals, gifts and leadership. On-line only additional information includes details for research, education, MBLWHOI LIbrary, and people. Lists of employees, students and faculty are contained in the additional information section.
Published in two parts. Printed document includes message from the President & Director, highlights, MBL at-a-glance, finanicals, gifts and leadership. On-line only additional information includes details for research, education, MBLWHOI LIbrary, and people. Lists of employees, students and faculty are contained in the additional information section.
Field and buildings
100 Years Exploring Life, 1888-1988: the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole
In 1988 the Marine Biological Laboratory celebrated its centennial. In this well-researched, sometimes humorous, always human "biography" of this eclectic institution, historian of science Jane Maienschein catches a glimpse of what it is that has made the MBL so special to all who have spent any time there.
James David Ebert (1921-2001)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"??>James David Ebert (1921-2001)
James David Ebert studied the developmental processes of chicks and of viruses in the US during the twentieth century. He also helped build and grow many research institutions, such as the Department of Embryology in the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Baltimore, Maryland and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. When few biologists studied the biochemistry of embryos, Ebert built programs and courses around the foci of biochemistry and genetics, especially with regards to embryology. He eventually directed the MBL's Embryology Course, and later, the MBL itself.
Ebert was born on 11 December 1921 in the town of Bentleyville, Pennsylvania. He attended public schools while growing up and then graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1942. Not long after graduation he joined the United States Navy and eventually became a lieutenant. Ebert was stationed on a destroyer in the Pacific Ocean that was attacked by a kamikaze pilot. The destroyer sank and Ebert spent twenty-four hours in the ocean until being rescued. Afterwards, as a biologist, Ebert befriended and trained several Japanese developmental biologists.
In 1946 Ebert began working towards his PhD in developmental biology under the instruction of Benjamin Willier at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. In the same year he married Alma Goodwin, who was a Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency during the war. Ebert received his PhD in 1950 and immediately became a member of the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After one year at MIT, Ebert moved to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Ebert became an associate professor of zoology by 1955, and he had started a program of experimental embryology. He studied chick embryos and the processes by which the protein make-up of the embryos changed throughout development.
Six years after receiving his PhD, Ebert became the director of the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Department of Embryology, in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to Ebert's term as director, the department had had three other directors. The Institution's president, Caryl Haskins, had contemplated closing the department and starting something new. However, with some persuasion from Willier, Haskins spoke with Ebert and decided to give him the opportunity to run the department. Ebert and Haskins agreed that the department needed to focus on the study of genes and their regulation as well as the ways cells influence one another. Haskins said that Ebert's youth and enthusiastic personality made Haskins believe that Ebert would provide a fresh perspective to the department.
Ebert argued that it was his job to recognize and to recruit new talent and then support them in their work. He stressed the use of biochemistry and genetics, which in the 1960s blended together to form molecular biology. During this time, Ebert started to study the relationship between muscle cell differentiation and the propensity to infection in the Rous sarcoma virus.
While still director of the Carnegie embryology department, in 1970 Ebert also became the president and nonresident director of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) at Woods Hole. At the MBL he researched, with Keiko Ozato, the response of murine lymphocytes to mitogens.
In 1977 Ebert ended his term at the Carnegie Department of Embryology, but he remained the director of the MBL. From 1978 until 1987, Ebert lived in Washington, D.C., and he was the president of the whole Carnegie Institution of Washington. As the institution's president, he made the decision to help build a large optical telescope in Chile at Las Campanas Observatory, and he worked towards the creation of a common campus for both Carnegie departments in Washington.
Ebert remained involved with scientific institutions for the rest of his life. When leaving one institution, he found another one to join. He retired from the Carnegie Institution in 1987 and became the president of the Chesapeake Bay Institute at the Johns Hopkins University, where he was a professor of biology for six years. Ebert was elected to many societies including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine. He was the vice president of the National Academy of Sciences from 1981 through 1993 and he also chaired its Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable from 1987 through 1993. His colleagues elected him as president of the Society for the Study of Development and Growth, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, and the American Society of Zoologists.
In retirement, Ebert and his wife Alma spent half of each year in Woods Hole and at the MBL. Ebert and Alma died on 22 May 2001 in an automobile accident while en route to Woods Hole.
DeHaan, Robert L., and James D. Ebert. "Morphogenesis." Annual Review of Physiology 26 (1964): 15–46.
Ebert, James D. "An analysis of the effects of anti-organ sera on the development, in vitro, of the early chick blastoderm." Journal of Experimental Zoology 115 (1950): 351–77.
Ebert, James D. "An analysis of the synthesis and distribution of the contractile protein, myosin, in the development of the heart." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 39 (1953): 333–44.
Ebert, James D. "The effects of chorioallantoic transplants of adult chicken tissues on homologous tissues of the host chick embryo." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 40 (1954): 337–47.
Ebert, James D. "The formation of muscle and muscle-like elements in the chorioallantoic membrane following inoculation of a mixture of cardiac microsomes and Rous sarcoma virus." Journal of Experimental Zoology 142 (1959): 587–621.
Ebert, James D., and Ian M. Sussex. Interacting Systems in Development. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970.
Ebert, James D., and Fred H. Wilt. "Animal Viruses and Embryos." The Quarterly Review of Biology 35 (1960): 261–312.
Obituaries. "Jim and Alma Ebert." Marine Biological Laboratory. http://www.mbl.edu/news/obit/obit_ebert.html (Accessed December 8, 2007).
Ozato, Keiko, William H. Adler, and James D. Ebert. "Synergism of bacterial lipopolysaccharides and concanavalin A in the activation of thymic lymphocytes." Cellular Immunology 17 (1975): 532–41.
Singer, Maxine. "James David Ebert." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 148 (2004): 124–27.
James David Ebert studied the developmental processes of chicks and of viruses in the US during the twentieth century. He also helped build and grow many research institutions, such as the Department of Embryology in the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Baltimore, Maryland and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. When few biologists studied the biochemistry of embryos, Ebert built programs and courses around the foci of biochemistry and genetics, especially with regards to embryology.
The Marine Biological Laboratory
The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) was founded in 1888 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Woods Hole was already the site for the government’s US Fish Commission Laboratory directed by Spencer Fullerton Baird, and it seemed like the obvious place to add an independent research laboratory that would draw individual scientific investigators along with students and instructors for courses. From the beginning, the lab had the dual mission of teaching and research, and from the beginning leading biologists have found their way to this small village on the “heel” tip of Cape Cod.
Supported by trustees who were largely in the Boston area, the lab opened its doors that first year with one small wooden building and great enthusiasm. Advertising was largely word of mouth since the building was still being constructed and the supplies had not yet arrived up to the last minute. Nonetheless, eight students and seven investigators made up the pioneer group in a six week session with a budget of just over $10,000 to build and equip the new laboratory building. With a focus on marine life, Balfour H. Van Vleck served as first instructor for a general zoology course.
The second year brought considerable expansion to six instructors and the addition of botany. After that, the lab was on its way to becoming an international presence in marine biology and eventually in certain defined areas of biology generally. From the beginning, embryology was one of the primary focus areas of the lab, and it has remained so throughout the MBL’s 120-plus years. The leadership of the laboratory had a strong embryological interest from the beginning, as did the individual investigators and trustees. Especially when the work was experimental, the emphasis was sometimes labeled “physiology” instead of “experimental embryology” to get at fundamental processes of development.
Charles Otis Whitman served as first director of the lab. He had directed the small private Allis Lake Laboratory near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then directed the biology program at Clark University, and then the biology program at the University of Chicago. Whitman was an able administrator who inspired people intellectually, and he somehow managed to make things work even when money was short. This is probably due in large part to the talents of Frank Rattray Lillie, who followed Whitman at Chicago and at the MBL where he became Assistant Director and then second Director. Where Whitman left financial matters to hope, saying things like “well, what is money for?,” Lillie was an astute manager with support from his wealthy brother-in-law Charles Crane and other individuals and foundations. Whitman and Lillie made a fine team, and they attracted a board of trustees that included top research biologists and also loyal donors. This has remained true, as the MBL has developed a Corporation of research scientists who pay a membership to be part of the group, plus installed a governing Board of Trustees to oversee operations. Despite some challenging times and some tempting take-over offers, the lab has always remained independent; research and instruction both have increasingly come to rely on federal grants and private foundations but the lab has resisted various attempts to make it an arm of a university, the government, or other organizations.
In 1890 the lab started a series of evening lectures that became known as the Friday Evening Lectures. The goals of offering these lectures and advertising them widely to the public were twofold: first to take science to the larger public and increase interest in science, and second to bring specialists together to learn from each other. Lecturers were instructed to make their talks accessible to beginners as well as of value to senior researchers. These were not intended to be courses, but rather to supplement the systematic organized instruction of the courses. For the years 1890–1899, the lectures were published as the Biological Lectures Delivered at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Holl.
Courses included zoology, of course, and botany starting in the second year. In addition, Jacques Loeb added physiology as a focus. By 1893 the lab announced instruction in zoology, botany, embryology, physiology, and microscopical technique. In particular, Whitman was directing a course of lectures in embryology, working with Lillie. The Embryology Course has remained a core part of the MBL instructional offerings since 1893, with additional specialized training programs at different times with different emphases.
From the beginning, individuals or institutions could rent lab space and carry out investigations. Since embryological research drew heavily on comparative studies of marine development, it made sense for universities to send their embryologists to the seashore to do work. As Philip Pauly noted, the combination of doing one’s research while summering at the seashore was a tremendously attractive option. The MBL has always been a place for the world’s top embryologists to gather in the labs, in lectures, on sailing picnics, and with their families at the beaches. Annual Reports show the range of work done at the MBL, and since 1897 the publication of the Biological Bulletin has added an outlet for research carried out by MBL researchers and others.
For the early decades of the lab, embryological work centered on descriptive and comparative studies, especially cell lineage work that reported the details of each cell division for as long as it could be followed in each organism. Different researchers took up different organisms and compared their results, developing concepts of determinative and regulatory development depending on how much the cell divisions could respond to changing environmental conditions. Edmund Beecher Wilson placed cells at the center of developmental research, with his masterful The Cell in Development and Inheritance (1896; second edition 1900; much revised third edition 1925). Then the early twentieth-century brought experimental embryology, and by the 1950s and 1960s embryology embraced genetics and became known as developmental biology. Leaders such as James Ebert and Eric Davidson led the lab and also the Embryology Course in the direction of studying differentiation through processes like organogenesis or genetic regulation of development, for example.
While other places often gave up the embryos, the MBL has retained an interest not just in the cells and molecules but also in the developing organisms, which exist in specific environments and depend on complex systems of interacting cell signals and environmental cues. The Embryology Course and the investigation carried out in labs has changed over the 120-plus years at the MBL, but the MBL has played an important role in securing the central place of embryos and the value of comparative study of developmental processes. Perhaps being near the organisms and being able to have them delivered directly from the collectors in the Supply Department makes them more real and the interactions of the parts more salient.
Complex systems, modeling, molecules, and physiological systems all join together in the study of marine and related material at the Marine Biological Laboratory. Researchers have gone out to collect their specimens and have kept them alive in the on-demand seawater running through designated pipes. They have studied normal development, pathologies, and experimental conditions. Generation, regeneration, and new generation are on the research agenda. As the Annual Reports show starting with the very first years, the MBL has been a place for leading investigation and instruction in several areas including embryology, neurobiology, and physiology. Over the years, this has placed the MBL in a solid position to develop such diverse promising areas of research as molecular genetics, neuroembryology, and regenerative medicine.
View a timeline of the MBL here.
Lillie, Frank R. The Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. Chicago: the University of Chicago Press, 1944. Reprinted as a Supplement to The Biological Bulletin Vol. 174 (1988) available at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/17426.
Maienschein, Jane. 100 Years Exploring Life, 1888–1988. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1989.
Marine Biological Laboratory Annual Reports: available in the MBL Biological Bulletin Vols. 17 and 21–105 at ,http://www.archive.org/details/biologicalbullet01mari and beginning with 2004 at http://www.mbl.edu/governance/gov_annual_report.html.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Symposium Supplement to The Biological Bulletin Vol. 168 (1985): 1–204.
Pauly, Philip. “Summer Resort and Scientific Discipline: Woods Hole and the Structure of American Biology, 1882–1925.” In The American Development of Biology, eds. Ronald Rainger, Keith R. Benson, and Jane Maienschein, 121–150., Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1988.
The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) was founded in 1888 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Woods Hole was already the site for the government 's US Fish Commission Laboratory directed by Spencer Fullerton Baird, and it seemed like the obvious place to add an independent research laboratory that would draw individual scientific investigators along with students and instructors for courses.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-first report for the year 1978. Ninety-first year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-second report for the year 1979. Ninety-second year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighth report for the year 1977. Nintieth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Sixty-third report for the year 1960. Seventy-third year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Fifty-ninth report for the year 1956. Sixty-ninth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-ninth report for the year 1986. Ninety-ninth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Ninetieth report for the year 1987. One-hundreth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Ninety-first report for the year 1988. One-hundred and first year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-fifth report for the year 1982. Ninety-fifth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-fourth report for the year 1981. Ninety-fourth year.
Marine Biological Laboratory. Eighty-sixth report for the year 1983. Ninety-sixth year.
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Top 10 Heads That Rolled During the Reign of Henry VIII
Edward Stafford
Edward Stafford carried Henry's crown at the coronation of the king and his queen, Catherine of Aragon.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Executed 1521
Edward Stafford was of royal blood, a descendant of King Edward III. He was powerful in Henry VIII's court, he bore the crown at Henry's coronation and he was popular with the people. Stafford also won a battle against Cornish rebels in the English countryside in 1497 [source: Luminarium] and was considered to be a great military leader. Henry VIII was not.
However, stirrings at court ended his friendship with Henry when people began to whisper about Stafford's claim to the throne. The king put Stafford on the sidelines, and Stafford fought back. He became the central figure around which many marginalized nobles gathered, and he came to be a voice of opposition against the king.
Stafford may have been simply ignored, or imprisoned, had it not been for a rumor that surfaced in 1521. People said Stafford was speaking about the king's death. Some claimed they'd heard Stafford describe visions of Henry's demise. Henry's top advisor at the time, the powerful Cardinal Wolsey, hated Stafford and encouraged the king to take the accusations seriously.
After questioning witnesses himself, Henry must have been convinced by the accusations because he had Stafford beheaded for treason that year. Henry VIII never faced another serious claim to his throne.
Threats to his policies, though, persisted throughout his reign. They became common practice once he started his quest to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. One source of significant protest came from an unlikely source, a young servant who claimed to have supernatural insight. Henry didn't care for her mystical visions.
The Story of Eric Rudolph, the Real 1996 Olympic Park Bomber
A Portrait of Jimmy Carter, America's Oldest Living President Ever
9 Little-known Nuggets About Honest Abe
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Personal statement phd chemistry
Tulsa application essay
Monsters point of view essay
Home write persuasive essay thesis Italy india shooting issue
Italy india shooting issue
Italian marine case summary
Italy insists the Enrica Lexie was in international waters at the time of the incident. Italian sailors Salvatore Girone R and Massimiliano Latorre leave the police commissioner office in the southern Indian city of Kochi January 18, The second condition was that he will not tamper with any evidence, nor influence any witness in the case. Antony were killed allegedly as a result of gunshot wounds following a confrontation with the Enrica Lexie in international waters, off the Indian coast. Italy criticised the prosecution pursuant to the SUA Convention as equating the incident to an act of terrorism. India argues the case is not a maritime dispute but "a double murder at sea", in which one fisherman was shot in the head and the other in the stomach. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today allowed Massimiliano Latorre , one of the two Italian marines accused of killing an Indian fishermen duo off the Kerala coast in , to substitute those persons who had stood as his sureties at the time of grant of bail in the case. In the meanwhile, the bank guarantees be given by Vishal Talwar and Vikas Talwar. In particular, UNCLOS swayed somewhat from the more interventionist approach taken in the Arctic Sunrise case when the Tribunal ordered a state to return a person subject to Annex 7 proceedings. Latorre has been in Italy since for medical treatment after suffering a stroke in India. Italy has also complained that after four years the two marines have yet to be formally charged with any crime.
From their side, Indian authorities longly delayed the formalization of accuses, thus stemming reaction from Italian authorities, which sought support from the European Parliament. Two fishermen, Ajesh Binki and Valentine, were killed.
Unlike other international courts, parties who bring the disputes nominate the arbiters and set other conditions, such as the language. The apex court had also asked the Italian Embassy here to give an undertaking to abide by the conditions under which Latorre was allowed to leave India.
Italian marine case upsc
In response, the court granted one week's time to Kerala state and Central government in Delhi to file counter affidavits. From their side, Indian authorities longly delayed the formalization of accuses, thus stemming reaction from Italian authorities, which sought support from the European Parliament. Antony that had been involved in the incident, but that bullets used in the incident were fired from rifles assigned to two other marines. On 24 August ITLOS by a majority opinion of issued provisional measures in the case and ordered that "Italy and India shall both suspend all court proceedings and refrain from initiating new ones which might aggravate or extend the dispute submitted to the Annex VII arbitral tribunal or might jeopardise or prejudice the carrying out of any decision which the arbitral tribunal may render," [] [] The provisional ruling also demanded that India and Italy each submit to ITLOS by 24 September their respective Initial Report on the incident. The waters close to India are generally considered safer. Girone returned in , following a decision by the PCA on provision measures. They do not match some details of the vessel I have seen and what I have been shown in the picture of the officials of the Indian Merchant Navy. And they are prosecuted under the anti-piracy and anti-terrorism law, according to Lady Catherine Ashton and the Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino , this implies that Italy is a terrorist state.
Italy took the issue to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague insaying that the tribunal should hear the case under maritime law as the incident happened in international waters off India's southern coast.
Insisting that the incident happened in India's "exclusive economic zone", he added that the "quick efforts of the Indian authorities deserve not criticism as was levelled by Italy, but praise.
I saw that there were 5 or 6 people on board, but I'm not sure if it was more. After the bank guarantees are given by them, the bank guarantee given by Jyothikumar and Rajmohan will be discharged," the bench said while disposing of Latorre's plea.
The issue has the potential to impact the overall European Union-India relations and has also a bearing on the global fight against piracy, to which the EU is strongly committed," she stated. The PCA is one of the oldest venues for international dispute resolutions, established in by the Hague Convention.
Salvatore girone
A fight which is in all our interest! Since the attempted attack was averted, the vessel continued on its scheduled course of journey. Antony was approximately New Delhi insists both Italians should return to India for a final judgment by an Indian court. They do not match some details of the vessel I have seen and what I have been shown in the picture of the officials of the Indian Merchant Navy. But New Delhi insists that the two marines -- one of whom was allowed home in and the other in -- should both return to India for a final judgement by an Indian court. In December Rome threatened to withdraw its ambassador from India after a court rejected Latorre's original request for medical leave. The waters close to India are generally considered safer. Italy has sought to pile both public and private pressure on the Indian government to allow the marines to be tried at home. He also stressed that the boat was in international waters at the time and that Chief Master Sergeant Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Salvatore Girone were acting as agents of the Italian government.
The tribunal asked India to allow the marine to return home while the arbitration proceedings take place. Mogherini told the European Parliament in January that "it's good for everyone to be fully aware of how much of an impact the unresolved dispute of the two Italian Navy officials can have on relations between the EU and India.
India claims victimhood in Italian marine shooting row
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CONCORD, NH: Era (Kimberley) Holmes 93 died October 26, 2016, peacefully in her home at Havenwood-Heritage Heights, where she lived for the past five years.
Born in 1923 in Harbin, China, the daughter of a British customs officer and a Russian refugee, Era grew up in China and spent World War II as a prisoner in the Yanchow Internment Camp because she was a British citizen.
Following the war, Era moved to Hong Kong where she met Al Holmes. Al and Era were married in 1950, and one year later moved to Wisconsin. Era became a citizen five years later. While raising her family in Wisconsin and then in Altamont, NY, Era was a homemaker and served as a volunteer for various organizations including as a guide at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center. Later she worked at the Construction Employers Labor Relations Association and in the Development Office of the Albany Boys Academy.
After retirement, Era and Al moved to New Hampshire in 1994, settling in Hopkinton where they were members of the Hopkinton Congregational Church and other civic and community organizations. Era was active in local politics, ran for the NH Legislature in 2000, and enjoyed playing tennis with her friends at the Racquet Club of Concord.
Era was predeceased by her husband, Albert Holmes. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Holmes of Boston, MA, son and daughter-in-law, Nicholas and Brigette Holmes of Dunbarton, and two grandchildren, Henry and Hillary Holmes.
The Holt-Woodbury Funeral Home & Cremation Service Henniker, NH is assisting the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SPCA of Merrimack County, Habitat for Humanity, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
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OT: AC/DC latest news and more - now with Axl Rose
Posted by: Deathgod ()
Date: April 15, 2014 00:51
Breaking news in Australia that ACDC will never perform or record again.
Peter Ford, show biz reporter has details on 3AW in next 15 mins
[www.3aw.com.au]
He tweeted :
More exclusive info on the end of AC/DC after 8 on
@3AW693
EXCLUSIVE- "The end of ACDC... my information is we may never hear them perform or record EVER again" @mrpford
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2016-04-17 12:25 by bv.
Re: O/T ACDC
Happened this not already in February 2012: [www.nme.com] , [www.guitarworld.com]
Story just ran.
Softly, softly.
Malcolm has returned to Australia to live for 'personal reasons'
Reading between the lines it doesn't sound good.
Bittersweet day with Aussie Stones dates coming.
Posted by: spsimmons ()
Deathgod
Why is it bad that he returned to Australia?
ACDC are extremely respected in Australia, as they are around the world.
The story was 'respectful'
But phrases used were :
retirement announcement expected
will never record or perform again
Malcolm was named
band members will never be replaced
return home to family for personal reasons
Posted by: treaclefingers ()
Damn...doesn't seem to be confirmed yet though.
[www.news.com.au]
WORLD famous Australian band AC/DC are reportedly set to announce their retirement.
The rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, are one of the highest-grossing bands of all time.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said on 3AW radio this morning that his information was that “we may never hear them perform or record ever again”.
...and the 40th Anniversary album/tour was the news just a couple of months ago:
[www.nme.com]
AC/DC have revealed plans to enter the studio later this year in order to record their first new album since 2008's Brendan O'Brien produced 'Black Ice'.
The band will also be heading out on a 40th anniversary tour, which, says frontman Brian Johnson, will comprise 40 special gigs. Speaking to Florida radio station Gater 98.7 - via Rolling Stone - Johnson said the band would be heading to a Vancouver studio in May to record their 16th studio album. Of a proposed anniversary tour, he added:
"Its been 40 years of the band's existence. So I think we're gonna try to do 40 gigs, 40 shows, to thank the fans for their undying loyalty. I mean, honestly, our fans are just the best in the world, and we appreciate every one of them. So, like I said, we'll have to go out, even though we're getting a bit long in the tooth. You know what? It's been four years, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Bruce Springsteen recently opened his set at the Perth Arena in Australia with a cover of AC/DC's 1979 hit 'Highway To Hell'. The veteran US performer appeared on February 6 and his cover of the Australian rock band's classic track saw four guitarists on stage: Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Steven Van Zandt and Rage Against The Machine man Tom Morello. The late AC/DC singer Bon Scott grew up near Perth. 'Highway To Hell' was the final album he recorded with the band before his death in 1980.
Read more at [www.nme.com]
[www.dailytelegraph.com.au]
I know this is about AC/DC, but it also makes you realize at one point or another there is going to be this breaking news about the Stones.
treaclefingers
And what a sad day that will be.
Posted by: shadooby ()
Marketing geniuses...can't wait for the next album and tour !!!
shadooby
It would definitely get headlines, but why, it's not as though they wouldn't sell out? Very odd, but I hope it's isn't true as well.
I'm not a big AC/DC fan, but as far as I know, they've never needed to do this kind of marketing. And it has been reported that Malcolm has some health issues, so their retirement it's kind of expected, somehow.
I don't know if this is the definitive AC/DC forum, but they don't seem to know much either...
[www.acdcfans.net]
BTW, there are more posts on this subject on IORR than on the AC/DC site.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-04-15 02:12 by treaclefingers.
If one of the boys is really sick, godspeed.
Posted by: shattered ()
spsimmons
Everyone is getting older.
Well, honey, it's no rock 'n' roll show.
Posted by: DGA35 ()
I remember back in 88 Malcolm wasn't well so nephew Stevie Young filled in for him on the Blow Up Your Video tour. Saw the show at BC Place in Vancouver and I didn't know it at the time.
Hopefully they can do one last album/farewell tour. Brian joined Billy Joel on stage at Madison Square Gardens a couple weeks ago to sing You Shook Me.
RETIREMENT rumours have again surrounded Australia’s most successful rock band AC/DC.
Rumours surfaced this morning that the band’s 40th anniversary tour may be axed due to the health of one member.
The band’s publicist has been contacted for comment.
Showbiz commentator Peter Ford tweeted “there was some sad detail” behind the rumoured decision.
Ford wouldn’t elaborate further, saying “the band/management may choose to reveal this”.
Posted by: DeanGoodman ()
We almost went down that road a decade ago when Charlie was diagnosed with cancer. Both bands have had a great run, and their music will always be with us. Nothing lasts forever. It could be a sad day, or - preferably - a day for gratitude.
Sydney Morning Herald has some more detailed speculation about AC/DC - albeit attributed to some anonymous guy calling into a radio station. Unbelievable.
Paul Cashmere has some analysis: [www.noise11.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-04-15 06:35 by DeanGoodman.
Posted by: dcba ()
They need to make one more album... to erase the dreadful "Black ice" disc from our memories!
Re: OT: AC/DC future in question
[theorstrahyun.blogspot.com.au]
RIP AC/DC: 1973 - 2014
Brothers Malcolm Young, George Young and Angus Young, 2012 (photo from Facebook)
By Darryl Mason
AC/DC are ending their 41 year career on a terribly sad note.
Plans were underway for a new studio album, their first since 2008's monumental Black Ice, and a '40th Anniversary' world tour, 40 huge shows across the globe.
About 3 weeks ago, founding member, rhythm guitarist, co-producer and co-songwriter Malcolm Young had a stroke, which left a blood clot on his brain.
When AC/DC reunited at the start of April to begin a month of rehearsals, in the lead-up to new album recording sessions, Malcolm discovered he couldn't play. At least, he couldn't play like he used to play.
Nothing has been officially confirmed, as of this writing, but friends and family members have been discussing what happened to Malcolm for the past couple of weeks. The blood clot, resulting from the stroke, is believed to be why Malcolm couldn't keep working.
Although friends have described Malcolm's condition as serious, it doesn't mean he won't recover. People do get better after strokes, and people do recover lost skills.
But friends and family of band members believe the decision was made last week to call it quits.
Media in Australia have gone ballistic today on rumours of The End Of AC/DC, and it appears the news got out ahead of a planned official announcement from the band and management.
Right now, that announcement is expected Tuesday, April 16, and a press conference has been scheduled.
AC/DC won't continue playing and recording without Malcolm. It can't be done.
While Angus Young is the more famous, and more recognisable, AC/DC is most definitely Malcolm Young's band, he started AC/DC, under the guidance of big brother George Young (ex-Easybeats, and co-producer) and encouraged his younger brother Angus to join him, and take on the world.
Malcolm Young has been the quiet motivator and boss of the band for four decades, co-writing nearly all of AC/DC's classics, and making sure nothing happened to harm or damage the band's reputation, or disappoint the fans who've stuck by them for decades.
His passion for the band and its music, and integrity, were so intense, back in the 1970s he used to have fistfights with his younger brother, Angus, in the studio, when disagreements about a sound or riff couldn't be resolved. Proper punch-ups, teeth were lost, blood was drawn.
So that's it. AC/DC are coming to an end.
But what a career. AC/DC set out to conquer the world, and they did it, multiple times. Even the death of singer Bon Scott barely slowed them down, and only slightly delayed recording sessions for Back In Black.
Back In Black is still one of the biggest-selling albums in rock history, and AC/DC have easily sold more than 180 million albums, and probably half as many singles and DVDs and videos and special edition packages. They've influenced pretty much every hard rock, heavy rock and heavy metal band that has followed in their wake, including Nirvana, Metallica, you name them, they probably grew up loving AC/DC. And AC/DC are still in the record books for one of the biggest live audiences in rock history, playing to more than 1.6 million people in Moscow, in 1991. They were invited to play by the youth of Russia, who grew up on AC/DC bootlegs, after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The band have been written off by critics, numerous times, but they stuck to their guns and beliefs and never compromised their sound. They were rarely, almost never, tempted by the musical fades that came and went over the decades. They dabbled in glam rock at the start of their career, but that barely lasted through the recording sessions of their debut album. Their fans wanted rock n roll, heavy rock, they could rely on, and that's what AC/DC delivered, across more than 14 albums, and numerous live-in-concert releases.
Malcolm Young never gave up on his belief that 1950s and 1960s rock n roll was rarely bettered, and he used the riffs and rhythms of black blues players as the basis for AC/DC's sound. He's also cited The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards as a key influence, and talks about that influence in the below interview.
The secret to Malcolm's playing, as Guitar Magazine explained, was open chords with the amps turned down, not up, and mics shoved right up close to capture all the details. He didn't churn out huge rock riffs through blasting amplifiers, his playing, and magic, is much more subtle than that, despite the rawness of the early studio albums.
I still reckon AC/DC's 2008 album Black Ice was amongst the best they made, right up their with Back In Back and Highway To Hell (their last album with Bon Scott), it's absolutely killer, and filled with excellent playing, classic AC/DC songs about rock n roll and some of Brian Johnson's better vocal performances. It's also pretty much a live-in-the-studio album, with minimal overdubs, just like they did it back in the Alberts Studio days in the mid-1970s.
Malcolm's work on Black Ice, in particular, is superb, not just the detail of his playing, but also his songwriting with brother Angus. They worked on the writing of the Black Ice songs for five years, and gave themselves the time to get it right. They nailed every single one, and Black Ice became the 2nd highest selling album of 2008.
Rock N Roll Dream, from Black Ice, is everything AC/DC was about. They wanted the rock n' roll dream, they got it, then they lived it.
"And it could be the very last time..."
Malcolm Young and his family have now returned to Australia. Everyone is hoping he makes a recovery, but close friends are saying the situation is not looking good, right now. Things may change. We can hope they change, and Malcolm recovers.
Instead of linking to an AC/DC classic, most of which you've probably heard a thousand times already, here's a rare treat instead - Malcolm Young's rhythm guitar from Let There Be Rock, way back in 1976.
Updates to follow
From The Orstrahyun archive:
When AC/DC Were Glam
AC/DC: The Product
AC/DC: Kings Of Father's Day
2008: AC/DC - The Musical?
Darryl Mason at 1:30 PM
Posted by: capsula ()
All the best for Malcom
Very sad...I feel fortunate I was able to see them in 2008.
Hopefully he fully recovers. Seems pretty drastic to end the band though, which may be a sign for how bad it is.
Very sad...
Posted by: MartinB ()
Sad, although the condition may improve over time.
Do we realize how lucky the stones (and we) have been?
Posted by: muenke ()
This is very sad news, good luck to Malcom and his family! I was hoping to see them live with my kids next year in Europe ... but it looks like they will miss the best und well known hard rock band of all time ...
Posted by: GasLightStreet ()
dcba
Oh come on, that was a damn fine LP!
Posted by: RollingFreak ()
So is it absolutely official now?
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IPEN Executive Committee Member Ken Geiser presented with the “Frank Hatch Environmental Health Leadership Award"
Dr. Geiser has been presented with the “Frank Hatch Environmental Health Leadership Award” from the Environmental Health Strategy Center (EHSC) in Maine, United States. The award marks his outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of environmental health regionally and nationally. Michael Belliveau, Executive Director of the EHSC and a co-founder of the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, presented the award at the 2015 Annual Celebration for Healthy Families, which was co-hosted by EHSC and Prevent Harm.
As EHSC explains: "The award is given in honor of the late Frank Hatch of Castine, Maine who served as Minority Leader in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where in 1965 he authored the first wetlands protection act in the United States, commonly known as the Hatch Act. Following a highly regarded political career, Mr. Hatch championed and led nationally renowned environmental campaigns to protect Maine’s environment and public health. Frank’s leadership helped create the Environmental Health Strategy Center in 2002 and launch the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine in 2003."
Dr. Geiser is a Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Lowell. Dr. Geiser is one of the authors of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act and served as Director of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute from its founding in 1990 until 2003. His research and writing focus on pollution prevention and cleaner production, toxic chemicals management, international chemicals policy, safer technologies, and green chemistry, and, in 2001, he completed a book, Materials Matter: Towards a Sustainable Materials Policy, published by MIT Press. As a recognized expert on environmental and occupational health policy, he has served on various advisory committees for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the United Nations Environment Programme. He recently released a new book: Chemicals without Harm: Policies for a Sustainable World.
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When last we left Wonder Woman #49, the battle brewing ever since DC's METAL cracked open the Multiverse seemed to be reaching its climax. With the Dark Gods playing similar roles to the Greek pantheon, but with all-powerful demands, enslaving humanity, Diana and her twin brother Jason were splitting up to oppose them around the globe. Just as they seemed to knock back their leader, King Best, the Dark Gods launch an assault on Jason.
^ Sanderson, Peter (September–October 1981). "Thomas/Colan Premiere Wonder Woman's New Look". Comics Feature. New Media Publishing (12/13): 23. The hotly-debated new Wonder Woman uniform will be bestowed on the Amazon Princess in her first adventure written and drawn by her new creative team: Roy Thomas and Gene Colan...This story will appear as an insert in DC Comics Presents #41.
Vox stated "Trevor is the superhero girlfriend comic book movies need".[210] The San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle lauded the performances of Gadot, Pine, Huston, and Thewlis while commending the film's "different perspective" and humor.[211] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times described Gadot's performance as inspirational, heroic, heartfelt and endearing and the most "real" Wonder Woman portrayal.[212]
The most recent version of the character’s origin (since the new 52) has not yet been told in totality, but certain things are known. It has been revealed how the Amazons replenish their numbers (they do so by kidnapping sailors and using them for procreation before killing them) as well as the fact of Wonder Woman’s divine lineage. Despite the fact that Zeus is her father it does not necessarily remove other facts about her origin from canon (for instance the blessings of the gods) though it remains to be seen how or if this will be incorporated into the ongoing stories. In the Zero month of the new 52 in which DC was planning to tell the origins of the character from the new 52, the story for Diana focused on the fact that she had been trained by Ares when she was a teenager though she eventually rebelled against him. It is as of yet unclear how this factors into her new origin. When Diana first came to Man’s World she encountered a group attacking the Pentagon. Because of this she befriended Barbara Minerva who was working there on ancient antiquities and Barbara helped her acclimatize to Man’s World.
^ "Superhero Makeovers: Wonder Woman, part two". The Screamsheet. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2011. Desperate to save her daughter, she claimed that Diana had failed in her role as an ambassador to Man's World and called for a do-over on the contest that had determined Diana fit to carry the Wonder Woman mantle in the first place.
In 2016, DC Comics once again relaunched all of its publications as part of the "DC Rebirth" continuity reboot, and the new fifth volume of Wonder Woman was released bi-monthly with writer Greg Rucka. This fifth volume of Wonder Woman is part of the "DC Universe", the current continuity established after Rebirth. Initially, the new series does not use a regular storyline that exists between each issue; instead two separate storylines share the book, with an installment of one story published every other issue, and those of the other storyline published in between those. This practice began with the storyline "The Lies" for the odd numbered issues, and "Year One" for the even numbered issues. The new storyline as presented in these issues effectively retcons the events from the previous New 52 series. "The Lies"[51] storyline reveals that a number of events from the previous Wonder Woman series in which Diana was made the Queen of the Amazons and the God of War, was in fact all an illusion created by a mysterious villain, and she had never once been back to Themyscira ever since she left, nor is she capable of returning there. The "Year One" story is presented as an all-new origin story for Diana,[52] which reveals how she received her powers from the Olympian Gods,[53] which was intended to bring her back to her classical DC roots. Wonder Woman appears in DC Rebirth with a revised look, which includes a red cape and light armor fittings. Along with her lasso and bracelets, she now regularly utilizes her sword and shield. Wonder Woman: Rebirth artist Liam Sharp described the new armor as a utilitarian piece which allows her to move more freely.[54] Starting from Issue 26, the series returned to a regular storyline between each issue.
Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot reacted positively to Diana's rebooted orientation, and agreed her sexuality was impacted by growing up in the women-only Themyscira. Gadot stated that Wonder Woman feels she need not be "labelled sexually", and is "just herself". "She's a woman who loves people for who they are. She can be bisexual. She loves people for their hearts."[251][252] Coming from a society that was only populated by women, "'lesbian' in [the world's] eyes may have been 'straight' for them."[253] "Her culture is completely free from the shackles of heteronormativity in the first place so she wouldn't even have any 'concept' of gender roles in sex."[254]
In her debut in All Star Comics #8, Diana was a member of a tribe of women called the Amazons, native to Paradise Island – a secluded island set in the middle of a vast ocean. Captain Steve Trevor's plane crashes on the island and he is found alive but unconscious by Diana and fellow Amazon, and friend, Mala. Diana has him nursed back to health and falls in love with him. A competition is held amongst all the Amazons by Diana's mother, the Queen of the Amazons Hippolyta, in order to determine who is the most worthy of all the women; Hippolyta charges the winner with the responsibility of delivering Captain Steve Trevor back to Man's World and to fight for justice. Hippolyta forbids Diana from entering the competition, but she takes part nonetheless, wearing a mask to conceal her identity. She wins the competition and reveals herself, surprising Hippolyta, who ultimately accepts, and must give in to, Diana's wish to go to Man's World. She then is awarded a special uniform made by her mother for her new role as Wonder Woman and safely returns Steve Trevor to his home country.[86][87]
After Darkseid and Grail's retreat, they returned to a base in the Amazon Rainforest, where Darkseid was setting his mysterious plans into motion. He tasked his loyal Female Furies with tracking down a godly relic he needed, but they were unable to do so thanks to the intervention of Steve Trevor and his A.R.G.U.S. forces. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman fought a number of villains that had been recruited by Veronica Cale: Zara of the Crimson Flame, Blue Snowman and Anglette. As Diana caught up with Steve at A.R.G.U.S. HQ, Jason returned wearing a suit of armor gifted to him by the gods, but with no knowledge of its purpose.[96] As news came in of an attack by Grail, Wonder Woman and Jason immediately responded just in time to prevent Grail from killing another demigod. Wonder Woman bound Grail in the Lasso of Truth and forced her to reveal Darkseid's plans. Grail explained that Darkseid was looking to build himself an army of Amazons. Due to her half-Amazon blood, Grail was able to break free from the Lasso's grip and retreated.[97]
Wonder Woman was minorly associated with the series 52, and in the One Year Later universe following Infinite Crisis she becomes a member of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. The most memorable story arc from this era was the much maligned Amazons Attack story arc, which many fans felt was not engaging nor did it do enough service to the well-established characters. After Gail Simone took over the series, a number of memorable story arcs took place, foremost among them Rise of the Olympian and Warkiller. Following the departure of Gail Simone the character was relaunched into the storyline Odyssey, where she must discover who she is and what has happened to her life. During this period she also took part in the events of Blackest Night where she was first a Black Lantern and later a Star Sapphire.
She is seen fighting the Metal Men at the beggining of the Movie. Wonder Woman is in charge of the organization of the Intergalactic Games. She is under pressure because she wants to impress the Ambassador Bek so she can get an invitation to spent a week with them, which she think will help in her preparation to be a Queen in the future. During the competition, she races agains Lashina and Bleez in the "Flying with obstacles" game. She wins despite Lashina constant cheating.
When she is preparing for the final game (Teaming up with Supergirl, Starfire, Bumblebee and Batgirl against Lobo, Maxima, Bleez, Mongal and Blackfire), the competition is interrupted by Lena Luthor. Wonder Woman starts putting civilians safe, including the Embassador, who, out of fear, orders her to star with him to protect him. She refuses and returns to the batlle, angering the Embassador. She fight Lena and then Brainiac. Upon their defeat, Wonder Woman rejoins with her mother, thinking she dissapointed her by no following the Embassador orders, but Hippolyta is proud instead, stating that Wonder Woman will be an amazing Queen.
Warner Bros. is now pushing back the release date of Wonder Woman 1984 by seven months. It was originally slated to drop Nov. 1, 2019, but it will now premiere June 5, 2020, which falls right in the middle of the summer blockbuster season and just over three years after the first film debuted in theaters. According to Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein, it cited the first film’s successful release during the summer as to why it was making the move. (Wonder Woman was the third highest-grossing film of 2017.)
For millennia, the goddess Athena waited patiently for the chance to prove herself worthy of the crown of Olympus. As Earth society developed, the goddess of knowledge grew in power and cunning, and ultimately challenged her father Zeus for the throne. To win this challenge, Athena sent for her champion, Wonder Woman, to face that of Zeus — Briareos of the Hecatoncheires. Though she was still blind, Diana was aided by the winged Pegasus but seemingly fell to Briareos. Unknown to Zeus, this was a trick played by Athena and Diana to prove to the latter that Zeus had no compassion and was not a worthy ruler. Athena agreed to forfeit if Zeus would spare Diana's life, but he denied her, proving his unworthiness. This prompted the other goddesses to deliver the head of Medusa unto Diana, which she used to turn Briareos to stone. Athena took the throne at last, but Zeus immediately began plotting a coup with his brothers in Tartarus.[30]
Following the events of the Darkseid War, Wonder Woman is told by the dying Myrina Black that on the night of Diana's birth, Hippolyta gave birth to a twin child. This child was revealed to be male, known as Jason, and is said to be incredibly powerful. Wonder Woman makes it her mission to find him.[160] At the same time, she finds the truth behind her origin and history is now cluttered, as she remembers two versions: the pre-Flashpoint one, and the New 52 rendition. She cannot locate Themiscyra or her fellow Amazons and the Lasso of Truth does not work for her anymore.
With a new decade arriving, DC president Jenette Kahn ordered a revamp in Wonder Woman's appearance. Artist Milton Glaser, who also designed the "bullet" logo adopted by DC in 1977, created a stylized "WW" emblem that evoked and replaced the eagle in her bodice and debuted in 1982.[39] The emblem in turn was incorporated by studio letterer Todd Klein onto the monthly title's logo, which lasted for a year and a half before being replaced by a version from Glaser's studio.[40] With sales of the title continuing to decline in 1985 (despite an unpublished revamp that was solicited), the series was canceled and ended in issue #329 (February 1986) written by Gerry Conway, depicting Steve Trevor's marriage to Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman's character was created during World War II; the character in the story was initially depicted fighting Axis military forces as well as an assortment of colorful supervillains, although over time her stories came to place greater emphasis on characters, deities, and monsters from Greek mythology. Many stories depicted Wonder Woman rescuing herself from bondage, which defeated the "damsels in distress" trope that was common in comics during the 1940s.[13][14] In the decades since her debut, Wonder Woman has gained a cast of enemies bent on eliminating the Amazon, including classic villains such as Ares, Cheetah, Doctor Poison, Circe, Doctor Psycho, and Giganta, along with more recent adversaries such as Veronica Cale and the First Born. Wonder Woman has also regularly appeared in comic books featuring the superhero teams Justice Society (from 1941) and Justice League (from 1960).[15]
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Category Archives: von Arnim Elizabeth
Recent Reads – Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss and Vera by Elizabeth von Arnim
Brief thoughts on a couple of relatively recent reads, both of which explore the theme of overbearing, abusive men and the alarming power they exert over impressionable young women.
Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (2018)
Just as good as I expected it to be given the tidal wave of positive reports and reviews. This is a taut, skilfully-crafted novella in which the twin horrors of past and present-day abuse come together to devastating effect.
The story takes place in the midst of a heady summer at some point in the 1970s or ‘80s (I can’t quite recall which). Sixteen-year-old-old Silvie and her parents are participating in a student encampment in the Northumberland countryside, complete with its wild surroundings and natural terrain. The camp is being run by Professor Slade, an archaeologist with an interest in the Iron Age world; more specifically, its way of life, mysterious rituals and ancient beliefs. During their stay, the participants must live their lives as the ancient Britons once did – existing in the wild, hunting for food and observing Iron Age traditions.
I don’t want to say very much about Silvie or what happens to her at the camp – it’s best you discover that for yourself if decide to read the book. (Throughout the narrative, Moss carefully reveals specific information about Silvie and her family in a way that never feels calculated or manipulative.) What I will say is that the final chapters shook me to the core – this is a striking book in more ways than one.
There is some beautiful writing about the natural world here, particularly in the author’s evocative descriptions of the countryside: the feel of the ground underfoot; the wild plants and berries along the way; the images of water breaking up the terrain.
You move differently in moccasins, have a different experience of the relationship between feet and land. You go around and not over rocks, feel the texture, the warmth, of different kinds of reed and grass in your muscles and your skin. The edges of the wooden steps over the stile touch your bones, an unseen pebble catches your breath. You can imagine how a person might learn a landscape with her feet. (p. 27)
All in all, an excellent novella. It has that blend of beauty and brutality which I love, a little like Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome or Willa Cather’s My Antonia.
Dorian has written about this novel in more detail here.
Vera by Elizabeth von Arnim (1921)
A thoroughly chilling tale of the innocence of love and the oppressive nature of tyrannical men. Quite different from her other, lighter books – The Enchanted April in particular.
Devastated by the sudden death of her father, Lucy Entwhistle – young, vulnerable and terribly innocent – comes into contact with Everard Wemyss, a man also recently bereaved and seemingly in need of a kindred spirit for support. At forty-four, Everard is much older and worldly-wise than Lucy, putting him in a position of authority and control. As such, he takes charge of the Entwhistle funeral arrangements, relieving the pressure on Lucy at a traumatic time.
Aside from Lucy, everyone at the funeral assumes Everard is an old family friend, returning to pay his respects to the late Mr Entwhistle. At this point in time, only Lucy knows about Everard and his personal circumstances – more specifically, the recent death of his wife, Vera, following a mysterious fall at the couple’s country home. (A little later it emerges that the incident has created something of a scandal around Everard, a point intensified by the open verdict at the inquest into Vera’s death.)
Dazed by the trauma of grief, Lucy finds herself strongly drawn to Everard with his confident, capable manner and kinship in a shared sense of loss. However, as Everard inveigles his way into the Entwhistles’ company, a more sinister side to his character begins to emerge – something the reader is privy to even if Lucy is not.
She had the trust in him, he felt, of a child; the confidence, and the knowledge that she was safe. He was proud and touched to know it, and it warmed him through and through to see how her face lit up whenever he appeared. Vera’s face hadn’t done that. Vera had never understood him, not with fifteen years to do it in, as this girl had in half a day. (p. 26)
Much to the concern of her benevolent Aunt Dot, Lucy soon agrees to marry Everard, believing him to be a source of comfort, reassurance and love. However, it is only once the couple are married that the true nature of Everard’s merciless personality comes to light. In truth, Everard is unpredictable, cruel and intolerant – even the smallest details are liable to spark a tantrum if they are not in line with his orders or wishes.
At first, Lucy is quick to try and forgive Everard for these outbursts, rationalising them to herself as the consequence of his grief. There soon comes a point, however, when these eruptions prove more challenging to excuse…
She was afraid of him, and she was afraid of herself in relation to him. He seemed outside anything of which she had experience. He appeared not to be – he anyhow had not been that day – generous. There seemed no way, at any point, by which one could reach him. What was he really like? How long was it going to take her really to know him? Years? (p. 168)
To make matters worse, Everard thinks nothing of bringing Lucy to The Willows, the foreboding house in the country where Vera fell to her death. Once firmly ensconced in her new home, Lucy must contend with the shadow of Vera, something that feels virtually impossible to ignore in spite of her best efforts. The house is littered with reminders of the first Mrs Wemyss – from her books in the sitting room, to her portrait in the dining room, to the place where she fell to her death, just outside the library window.
Vera is a very powerful novel, one that highlights the destructive nature of tyrannical men when their behaviour is left unchecked and allowed to run rampant. The tone is chilling and sinister, all the more so when we learn that the story was inspired by von Arnim’s own troublesome marriage to Earl Russell, brother of the philosopher Bertrand Russell. There is a childlike innocence to Lucy, with her trusting nature and wide-eyed view of the world, something that leaves her open to abuse by the autocratic Everard.
At first, I was a little surprised by the novel’s ending, but looking back on it now it all feels sadly inevitable. This is a cautionary tale that still holds some relevance today in spite of the radically different times. Definitely recommended, particularly for fans of character-driven stories with a dark or disturbing edge.
Several others have written about Vera, including Ali and Simon.
My copies of Ghost Wall and Vera were published by Granta Books and Hesperus Press respectively; personal copies.
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, Moss Sarah, von Arnim Elizabeth and tagged #ReadWomen, Book Review, Elizabeth von Arnim, Fiction, Granta Books, Hesperus Press, Novella, Sarah Moss on October 8, 2019 by JacquiWine.
Oh my goodness, what an enchanting novel this turned out to be! I read it over that beautifully sunny weekend just before Easter, and I couldn’t have chosen a better time – it matched the glorious weather to perfection.
First published in 1922, The Enchanted April, tells the story of four very different English women who come together to rent a medieval castle on the Italian Riviera for the month of April. The rather shy and mousey Mrs Wilkins proves to be a somewhat unlikely catalyst for the trip when she sees an advertisement in The Times appealing to those who appreciate ‘wisteria and sunshine’ to take a small castle on the shores of the Mediterranean, furnishings and servants provided – a prospect that captures her imagination on a dark and dreary afternoon in February. Before long Mrs Wilkins is joined in her quest by Mrs Arbuthnot – a woman previously known to her only by sight – who also appears to be transfixed by the very same ad and the idea of a break from her dismal routine.
As it turns out, both of these women are unhappy with their current lives, albeit in rather different ways. Lotty Wilkins feels trapped and belittled in a stifling marriage; her husband, Mellersh-Wilkins, is a stuffed shirt and a bully, someone who demands prudence and thrift in every department of their home life except the one that relates to his food. In this respect he is highly critical, dismissing any shortfalls in standards as poor housekeeping on Lotty’s part. Rose Arbuthnot, on the other hand, has all but abandoned any chance of ever being noticed by her husband, Frederick, a highly successful writer of rather salacious memoirs of the mistresses of kings. In the early days of their marriage, the Arbuthnots were very much in love; but all too soon the situation changed as Frederick began to throw himself into his work. As a consequence, Rose has filled her life with other things to occupy her time, mostly self-sacrificing charitable work in support of the poor and needy, primarily as a means of easing her conscience about the somewhat grubby nature of the source of Frederick’s income. In short, Lotty and Rose feel constrained by their respective circumstances, worn down over the years by a lack of love and affection – even though they are only in their early thirties, both of these women seem old before their time.
Why couldn’t two unhappy people refresh each other on their way through this dusty business of life by a little talk – real natural talk, about what they felt, what they would have liked, what they still tried to hope? And she could not help thinking that Mrs Arbuthnot, too, was reading that very same advertisement. Her eyes were on the very part of the paper. Was she, too, picturing what it would be like – the colour, the fragrance, the light, the soft lapping of the sea among little hot rocks? Colour, fragrance, light, sea; instead of Shaftesbury Avenue, and the wet omnibuses, and the fish department at Schoolbred’s, and the Tube to Hampstead, and dinner, and tomorrow the same and the day after the same and always the same… (p. 7)
Having overcome their initial reluctance to do something so daring, these two ladies from Hampstead decide they will reply to the ad and take the castle in Italy. The only real obstacle that remains is finding a means of funding the cost of the trip from their respective nest eggs, a task that would prove particularly challenging for Lotty given her personal circumstances. So, as a solution to their dilemma, Lotty and Rose decide to place their own advertisement in the paper in the hope of finding two suitable companions for the trip. Thus they are joined by Lady Caroline Dester, a glamorous young socialite who is seeking refuge from all the charming men who want a piece of her back in London, and Mrs Fisher, a rather crabby old lady who seems determined to live in the past, forever lamenting the loss of old friends and acquaintances from her beloved literary world.
On their arrival at the San Salvatore castle, these four very different ladies begin to connect and interact with one another, often with the most amusing consequences. There are some priceless scenes, especially at mealtimes, as the different personalities start to emerge, frequently clashing over the smallest and most telling of details. In this early scene, the elderly Mrs Fisher has adopted the role of grande dame at the breakfast table, almost as if she were the hostess or chief facilitator of the trip. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Rose Arbuthnot is more than a little put out by this development, and so she tries to establish her own standing as joint hostess with Lotty Wilkins, a move which doesn’t quite go according to plan! The indomitable Mrs Fisher is the first to speak here.
She turned more markedly than ever to Mrs Arbuthnot. ‘Do let me give you a little more coffee,’ she said.
‘No, thank you. But won’t you have some more?’
‘No indeed. I never have more than two cups at breakfast. Would you like an orange? ‘
‘No, thank you. Would you?’
‘No, I don’t eat fruit at breakfast. It is an American fashion which I am too old now to adopt. Have you had all you want?’
‘Quite. Have you?’
Mrs Fisher paused before replying. Was this a habit, this trick of answering a simple question with the same question? If so it must be curbed, for no one could live four weeks in any real comfort with somebody who had a habit. (pp. 66-67)
Gradually over time, the castle begins to work its magic on the occupants, often in profound and surprising ways. Lotty Wilkins is the first to experience its bewitching effects, transformed as she is by the abundance of beauty and resplendent atmosphere at San Salvatore (the descriptions of the gardens are magnificently lush). And how could she fail to be when she opens her curtains for the first time in the morning, only to be greeted by the following sight?
All the radiance of April in Italy lay gathered together at her feet. The sun poured in on her. The sea lay asleep in it, hardly stirring. Across the bay the lovely mountains, exquisitely different in colour, were asleep too in the light; and underneath her window, at the bottom of the flower-starred grass slope from which the wall of the castle rose up, was a great cypress, cutting through the delicate blues and violets and rose-colours of the mountains and the sea like a great black sword. (p. 50)
Almost immediately upon her arrival at the retreat, Lotty Wilkins comes right out of her shell, becoming bolder, more impetuous, more enthusiastic about life and all the possibilities it has to offer. As a consequence, she makes an audacious decision, one that she hopes will lead to the promise of greater happiness in the future. To reveal any more might spoil things for the reader. Suffice it to say that Lotty’s enthusiasm is infectious, so much so that it catches the attention of the previously reclusive Lady Caroline. As a consequence, these two women strike up an unlikely friendship, one that looks all set to last beyond the duration of the trip. Lady Caroline, for her part, also begins to question the value of her life to date and what may lie ahead for her in the months and years to come. Even the disagreeable Mrs Fisher starts to soften as she realises that the members of the younger generation are not all as shallow and as frivolous as she had previously assumed.
Nevertheless, perhaps the one person who is most affected by Lotty’s optimism and enthusiasm is Rose Arbuthnot. As she reflects on the transformation in her new friend, the rather lonely and sensitive Rose longs to experience something similar. If only her life with Frederick were different, if only they could recapture the early days of their marriage, the first flushes of love and affection for one another, the feeling of being cared for and valued by an attentive partner.
[…] and once again Rose wondered at Lotty, at her balance, her sweet and equable temper – she who in England had been such a thing of gusts. From the moment they got into Italy it was Lotty who seemed the elder. She certainly was very happy; blissful, in fact. Did happiness so completely protect one? Did it make one so untouchable, so wise? Rose was happy herself, but not anything like so happy. Evidently not, for not only did she want to fight Mrs Fisher but she wanted something else, something more than this lovely place, something to complete it; she wanted Frederick. For the first time in her life she was surrounded by perfect beauty, and her one thought was to show it to him, to share it with him. She wanted Frederick. She yearned for Frederick, Ah, if only, only Frederick… (p.103)
Without wishing to give away too much about the ending, this utterly charming novel has a touch of the fairy tale about it as the lives of these four women are altered in various ways by their time at San Salvatore. At times, I was reminded of Winifred Watson’s equally adorable book, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, a story that also captures a sense of joie de vivre and escapism from the constraints of an unfulfilled life.
Von Armin takes great care in portraying each of her central characters with enough subtlety and depth, thereby encouraging the reader to invest in these women from an early stage in the story. Lotty Wilkins and Rose Arbuthnot are particularly well developed, especially in the fleshing out of their marriages and the different challenges they face with their respective husbands. Lady Caroline is also painted in a nuanced fashion. At first, it would be tempting to assume that she is simply selfish, spoilt and rather ungrateful for the attention others lavish upon her; but as the novel progresses, a different side to her personality starts to emerge, one that is more thoughtful and vulnerable. Even the fusty Mrs Fisher is portrayed in a manner which ultimately encourages the reader’s sympathies as it becomes clear that she too is rather lonely and isolated in her restricted life.
All in all, this is a most delightful novel with much to commend it – another strong contender for my end-of-year list.
The Enchanted April is published by Penguin Classics and Vintage Books.
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, von Arnim Elizabeth and tagged #ReadWomen, Book Review, Classics Club, Elizabeth von Arnim, Fiction, Penguin Modern Classics, UK, Vintage Books on April 18, 2017 by JacquiWine.
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May 5, 2014 by Moreland
So I don’t know about any of you out there, but today starts finals week. And this is the song that’s getting me through this week. Just like back when Nothin’ But a Good Time was all that was getting me through, The Final Countdown is my life support.
First of all, how can you not love this song? The opening piece just gets you pumped up and ready to go.
The song is supposed to be a remake of Space Oddity by David Bowie. The song was based on a keyboard riff that Joey Tempest had written. Originally the band had never planned to release the song as a single, but its great they did because its awesome! It is one of their most famous songs having gained 10 on Billboard Hot 100. The song was named the 66th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. And #16 on the list of the “Most Awesomely Bad Songs…Ever”.
“We’re leaving together,
But still it’s farewell
And maybe we’ll come back,
To earth, who can tell ?
I guess there is no one to blame
We’re leaving ground
Will things ever be the same again?
We’re heading for Venus and still we stand tall
Cause maybe they’ve seen us and welcome us all
With so many light years to go and things to be found
I’m sure that we’ll all miss her so.”
It just perfectly describes how i feel trying to push through finals and to graduation, and then after graduation who know’s what will happen. “Will things ever be the same again?”
It’s a fabulous song and I hope it inspires all of you out there as well.
For more of my musical favorites, go to The Anniversary if its Formation
Posted in Musical Stylings of Me
Tagged '80s Hair, '80s Music, '80s Music Video, All About the '80s, Billboard Hot 100, David Bowie, Europe, Finals, Graduation, Hard Rock, Joey Tempest, Keyboard Riff, Life Support, Nothing But a Good Time, Poison, Remake, Single, Space Oddity, The Final Countdown, VH1
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Cognitive Neuroscience Other Neuroscience Behavioral Neuroscience Postdoctoral
Post-doctoral Fellow Management Division of Columbia Business School
Dear Colleagues, The Management Division at Columbia Business School is pleased to announce that it is seeking to hire a qualified Postdoctoral Fellow for a period of two years. The Postdoctoral Fellow will receive a research budget and collaborate on projects of mutual interest with faculty. In addition, the Postdoctoral Fellow will be mentored in, and then teach, the MBA course entitled Managerial Negotiations. The position requires someone with a strong background in psychological and behavioral research methods who seeks exposure to a mix of basic and applied research and to the teaching that occurs in a business school. Applicants should have a PhD degree (or expect to complete theirs by Fall 2020) in a relevant social science field, such as psychology or organizational behavior, from an accredited institution, and a record of being an outstanding scholar. The Management Division is a dynamic center of behavioral research, with faculty, post-doctoral and visiting scholars, and doctoral students taking a wide range of approaches to basic social science research with applied implications. Our micro-organizational faculty members include Modupe Akinola, Daniel Ames, Joel Brockner, Shai Davidai, Adam Galinsky, Tory Higgins, Sheena Iyengar, Malia Mason, Sandra Matz, Michael Morris, Katherine Phillips, and Michael Slepian. More information about the Management Division can be found at: https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty-research/divisions/management Applicants should submit a cover letter and research statement describing their research interests and accomplishments, a C.V., and three letters of recommendation to: mgmtjobsearch@gsb.columbia.edu . Materials should be submitted by February 1 in order to receive full consideration. Fly outs for job talks will occur in mid-February, and we expect to make a selection early March. Warm regards, Michael Slepian -- Michael Slepian - Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics - Management Division - Columbia Business School http://www.columbia.edu/~ms4992/
Columbia University New York, NY, USA Postdoc
One-Year Position in Behavioral Neuroscience
The Reed College Department of Psychology seeks applicants for a one-year position in BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE. The selected individual will teach four courses (two each semester), including a team-taught introductory psychology course, and a core course in behavioral neuroscience, both of which have an animal laboratory component. Two additional courses are required. The individual will also supervise year-long senior thesis projects including those utilizing animal models. Preference will be given to candidates with a Ph.D. but strong ABD applicants may be considered. We especially welcome applications from candidates with experience teaching undergraduates. Reed College is a community that believes that cultural diversity is essential to the excellence of our academic program. In your letter of application, please address how your scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and/or community service might support Reed College's commitment to diversity and inclusion articulated in the College's diversity statement (http://www.reed.edu/diversity). Applications should include a CV, statements of research and teaching interests, three letters of recommendation, and any other materials that will help us assess the candidate's research and teaching experience. An Equal Opportunity Employer, Reed values diversity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Review of applications will begin January 31, 2020 and continue until the position is filled. Send materials to Paul J. Currie, chair of the search committee, at http://apply.interfolio.com/72522 .
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