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Clinical 13 Abnormal 7 Research 5 Child/Adolescent 5 Education 4 Behavioral Neuroscience 4
Cognitive Neuroscience 4 Postdoctoral 4 Government 3 Experimental 3 Psychopathology 3 Other 2 Aging 2 Biopsychology 2 Clinical Decision-making 2
California 2 Maryland 2 New York 2 Pennsylvania 2 District of Columbia 1 Illinois 1
Massachusetts 1 Rhode Island 1 South Carolina 1 Tennessee 1 Virginia 1 West Virginia 1
Development Neuroscience Cognitive Statistics Quantitative Counseling Personality Behavioral
Research Analyst - Statistician
Overview IDA is a federally-funded research and development center that produces objective, high-impact analyses for the Department of Defense (DoD). IDA prides itself on the quality and timeliness of these analyses, and its multi-disciplinary problem-solving approach. The Operational Evaluation Division (OED) is the largest division at IDA. Its primary task is to support the DoD in evaluating how effective, suitable, and survivable weapons systems and other major defense systems are under operationally realistic conditions. Currently, OED is seeking a Research Staff Member to join our test science team in Alexandria, VA. Responsibilities Assist in the design, planning, and observation of operational tests (e.g., develop test designs leveraging experimental design principles, produce power calculations); Provide quantitative analytic support to the government sponsor and other researchers within OED (e.g., data management, statistical analysis of human and system performance data); Assist in the preparation of documents (e.g., briefings and reports on the design, conduct, and findings of operational tests, graphs that clearly present findings from analyses, meeting materials); Communicate information about test design methods and findings from operational tests to the government sponsor in a clear, professional manner; Develop methods for dealing with the challenges of operational testing and improving data quality (e.g., small sample sizes, safety constraints, operational realism); Develop materials to educate the operational test community (e.g., quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques, test design methods, survey methods). Required Qualifications A minimum of a Doctoral degree in a quantitative social science or interdisciplinary program that emphasizes the quantitative analysis of human-generated data; OR a Master’s degree in one of these fields coupled with 8+ years relevant experience relevant career experience in the government, military, or industry. Candidates must have experience with one or more of the following statistical packages: JMP, R, SPSS, Matlab, SAS, or Python. Candidates must have demonstrated ability in applied statistics (e.g., design of experiments, linear modeling, reliability, or Bayesian methods). Ability to work independently or in teams. Expertise in Bayesian methods and computer programming is desired. Military or civilian DoD acquisition or test experience is desired. Travel is required (25-30%) U.S. Citizenship is required Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is required Equal Opportunity Employer
The Institute for Defense Analyses Alexandria, VA, USA Full time
Director, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine
Director, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine The Miriam Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University seek an outstanding behavioral scientist to serve as Director of the Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine (CBPM). Building upon the CBPM’s 43 years (to date, the CBPM has received more than $100-million in research funding) and the enormous institutional strengths of Lifespan Health System, the Miriam Hospital, Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, the Warren Alpert Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, the School of Public Health, and other departments, the new Director will have the opportunity to cast an ambitious vision for the CBPM’s future. There are numerous possibilities to deepen current research areas and to initiate new research ones. The new Director will lead the CBPM and its faculty toward the goals of (a) maintaining and strengthening the research portfolio, (b) optimizing the scientific yield and public health impact of the work, and (c) facilitating training in clinical research through Brown University’s excellent clinical psychology residency and postdoctoral training programs. The CBPM has funded investigators who hold academic appointments across several departments, including the Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Medicine, Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Epidemiology at The Warren Alpert Medical School and School of Public Health. Funded by NIH, foundation, and Center grants with strong financial support from The Miriam Hospital, the CBPM has 14 faculty members, many of whom have national and international reputations and are recognized as thought leaders in their fields. The faculty has expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods ( e.g., psychometrics, biostatistics, and meta-analysis) and conduct research in clinical, community, laboratory, and online venues. Faculty seek to discover the mechanisms underlying behavioral factors in health and illness, and to translate those discoveries into interventions for health promotion and disease management. The CBPM’s 45 administrative staff is dedicated, talented and instrumental in supporting activities of the faculty. The CBPM serves as Brown’s training center in behavioral and preventive medicine. The CBPM provides research placement for psychology residents in the Brown University APA-accredited and widely-renowned clinical psychology internship program. It also serves as a mentor and research home for postdoctoral fellows who are supported by several NIH-funded T32 training grants. With an international reputation, the Director is expected to maintain (at least 50 percent of the time) a high level of scientific productivity within an area of behavioral medicine and must qualify for a faculty position at the rank of Full Professor in Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. The Director will recruit and mentor residents, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty and facilitate their development as independent research scientists. The Director will provide strong administrative, financial, and operational leadership and management. Serving as the CBPM’s champion, the Director must also offer excellent leadership to guide the CBPM’s educational, training, and teaching activities and programs. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package and an attractive start-up package. For more information on the CBPM, please visit, https://www.lifespan.org/centers-services/centers-behavioral-and-preventive-medicine . The CBPM has retained the services of Diversified Search to assist in this search. Please submit a CV and cover letter in confidence to http://apply.interfolio.com/72201
Greystone Group Advertising Providence, RI, USA Full time
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Tag: Polar Diving Program
Cold Water Scuba Regulator Testing — U.S. Navy vs. EN 250
Under thick ice in the Ross Sea, near McMurdo, Antarctica.
When scuba diving under 3-m thick polar ice with no easy access to the surface, the last thing you want to worry about is a failure of your scuba regulator, the system that provides air on demand from the aluminum or steel bottle on your back.
However, cold water regulators do fail occasionally by free-flowing, uncontrollably releasing massive amounts of the diver’s precious air supply. When they fail, the second stage regulators, the part held in a scuba diver’s mouth, is often found to be full of ice.
The U.S. Navy uses scuba in polar regions where water temperature is typically -2° C (28° F). That water temperature is beyond cold; it is frigid. Accordingly, the Navy Experimental Diving Unit developed in 1995 a machine-based regulator testing protocol that most would consider extreme. However, that protocol has reliably reflected field diving experience in both Arctic and Antarctic diving regions, for example, in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, or under the Ross Sea ice near McMurdo Station.
There are currently both philosophical and quantitative differences between European standards and the U.S. Navy standard for cold water regulator testing. Regulators submitted for a European CE mark for cold water diving must pass the testing requirements specified in European Normative Standard EN 250 January 2000 and EN 250 Annex A1 of May 2006. In EN 250 the water temperature requirement for cold water testing ranges from 2° C to 4° C. Oftentimes, regulators that pass the EN 250 standard do not even come close to passing U.S. Navy testing.
An iced up, highly modified Sherwood SRB3600 Maximus second stage regulator
The Navy’s primary interest is in avoiding regulator free-flow under polar ice. The breathing effort, which is a focal point of the EN 250 standard, is of lesser importance. For instance, the 1991 Sherwood SRB3600 Maximus regulators long used by the U.S. Antarctic program have been highly modified and “detuned” to prevent free-flows. You cannot buy them off-the-shelf. Detuning means they are not as easy to breathe as stock regulators, but they also don’t lose control of air flow to the diver; at least not very often. Here is a photo of one that did lose control.
NEDU performs a survival test on regulators, and any that pass the harshest test are then tested for ease of breathing. The so-called “freeze-up” evaluation breathes the regulator on a breathing machine with warmed (74 ±10°F; 23.3 ±5.6°C) and humidified air (simulating a diver’s exhaled breath) at 198 feet sea water (~6 bar) in 29 ± 1°F (-1.7 ± 0.6°C) water. Testing is at a moderately high ventilation rate of 62.5 L/min maintained for 30 minutes. (In my experience a typical dive duration for a dry-suit equipped diver in Antarctica is 30-40 min.)
To represent polar sea water, the test water is salted to a salinity of 35-40 parts per thousand. The possible development of a “freeze up” of the regulator 2nd stage, indicated by a sustained flow of bubbles from the exhaust port, is determined visually.
In contrast, the European standards call for slightly, but critically, warmer temperatures, and do not specify a duration for testing at an elevated respiratory flow rate. I have watched regulators performing normally under EN 250 test conditions (4° C), but free-flowing in water temperatures approaching 0° C. Those tests were run entirely by a non-U.S. Navy test facility, by non-U.S. personnel, using a U.K. produced breathing machine, with all testing being conducted in a European country. The differences in testing temperatures made a remarkable difference.
Haakon Hop of the Norwegian Polar Institute in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard.
The NEDU testing results have been validated during field testing by scientific diving professionals under Arctic and Antarctic ice. The same regulators that excel in the NEDU protocol, also excel in the field. Conversely, those that fail NEDU testing fare poorly under the polar ice. For instance, a Norwegian biologist and his team exclusively use Poseidon regulators for their studies of sea life inhabiting the bottom of Arctic ice. (The hard hat in the photo is to protect cold skulls from jagged ice under the ice-pack.) Poseidon produces some of the few U.S. Navy approved cold-water regulators.
As is usual for a science diver in the U.S. Antarctic Program, a friend of mine had fully redundant regulators for his dive deep under Antarctic ice. He was fully prepared for one to fail. As he experienced both those regulator systems failing within seconds of each other, with massive free-flow, he might have been thinking of the words of Roberto “Bob” Palozzi spoken during an Arctic Diving Workshop run by the Smithsonian Scientific Diving program. Those words were: “It’s better to finish your dive before you finish your gas…”
In both NEDU’s and the Smithsonian’s experience, any regulator can fail under polar ice. However, those which have successfully passed U.S. Navy testing are very unlikely to do so.
A previous blog posting on the subject of Antarctic diving may also be of interest.
Author jclarke45Posted on August 2, 2012 August 8, 2012 Categories Diving, Science and TechnologyTags Antarctica, Arctic, cold water diving, EN 250, Polar Diving Program, scuba regulators, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Navy1 Comment on Cold Water Scuba Regulator Testing — U.S. Navy vs. EN 250
Liquid Breathing - It's Not As Easy as It Looks
Diving with Hydrogen – It’s a Gas
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Home » Proof Positive
It might have been Saint Patrick’s Day, but for long stretches of time, the only thing that mattered to me today was the bravery and beauty of these young writers sharing their stories:
This 4th/5th grade mixed level class told realistic flash fiction and magical realism flash fiction stories. They incorporated sensory detail, specific place, and similes. Although many of them worked from the same photo prompts, their stories were as diverse and varied as each child’s imagination itself. One wrote of a magical apartment with a secret for turning things to gold…but if the tenants grew greedy, the secret turned things to ash. Another wrote of a lonely girl walking through the forest who didn’t feel lonely anymore after she realized that she had the surrounding birds, trees, and clouds as her friends and that, no matter where she travelled, these three things would always be there. Another student wrote about a young boy in the streets of Port au Prince Haiti who found a soccer ball and a pump one day. After that day, his life was never the same as he trained hard and played and dreamed and eventually made it to the World Cup.
My favorite quote from a 4th grader, when asked what surprised her about flash fiction: “I was surprised by how painful it was for me to stop writing,” she said. (I’m not kidding, she actually used the word “painful.”) She continued: “Because you let us write without worrying about conventions and spelling, I found out that I actually had a lot to say.” Then she laughed, a nervous laugh, but a genuine one at that. In Oregon, 4th graders take a state writing assessment exam that requires them to write a timed short story with—get this—no dialogue and perfect spelling and punctuation. Ack!
Later, in the 11th/12th mixed level class, the high school students surprised me with their appreciation for craft. I’ve struggled with this class a bit, mostly because I think they were expecting I’d teach them under a punish/reward system and I simply don’t do that. I didn’t grade any of their work, but I also didn’t let anyone off the hook. If a student refused to engage, I tried to meet him/her where he/she was and engage them on their turf…then slowly meet in the middle. Likewise, I think some students expected I’d back down if I called on them for an answer and they gave me anything less than their best. If a student couldn’t answer a question, I rephrased it or asked a different one until we came to one that they could answer and feel proud about. I got the sense that many of them were used to being brushed over or ignored if they only gave a half-assed answer. I pushed for more and risked appearing stern in their eyes, but in the end I think most of them appreciated it.
The high schoolers wrote stories with specific, smart language. They incorporated emotional details and action-packed scenes. One student wrote about a young girl who was teased so much that she committed suicide. Another wrote about a venomous argument with her parents. Still another wrote a story about date rape at a rock concert. One boy wrote about the sinking of the Titanic, imagining a family on board. Another wrote about a magical peephole in his apartment that enable him to see into his neighbor’s mind.
I’d been feeling a little uncertain about my efforts in the classroom, but today was proof positive that I am in fact reaching some kids…perhaps reaching more of them than not. Certainly the younger students enjoy what I have to offer. And certainly the older students are dutifully skeptical. But maybe, just maybe, some of those older kids were also a little surprised by their own talents. I was sure pleased with what they read. I hope they remember this positively.
Stephanie Thomas Berry March 18, 2011
I want to be your cheerleader. Way to go, Katey! Way to go!
Jan Priddy, Oregon March 20, 2011
The state writing assessment doesn't require perfection to meet the standard; it requires that errors be few enough that they do not interfere with readability. And I agree, it's awful. The entire country is focused on standards… while the countries that are passing us in achievement focus on other way to improve education.
Teaching to the test isn't just an ugly rumor and that means that a lot of things that can't be easily measured in the required multiple choice tests aren't being taught at all. In that sense we're lucky that we even have a writing test. If we didn't, it too would be neglected along with logic, reasoning, inference, not to mention art, music, history, culture, philosophy, and creativity.
Thank you for what you're doing. Those are some lucky kids.
Trying Not to Think Too HardArchive
The Joyful PostsArchive
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Rock Chalk Weekly
Sport Spotlights
Kansas ready for NCAA Championships in Austin
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Mike A. Myers Stadium
Meet Schedule (PDF)
Meet Notes (PDF)
Men’s Start Lists | Women’s Start Lists
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas men’s and women’s track & field teams are sending a total of six entries to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, June 5-8.
The KU men tallied four entries at the NCAA Championships, with three freshmen earning qualifying spots, while the Jayhawk women qualified two entries for Austin.
FOLLOWING THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Live results of the NCAA Track & Field Championships will be hosted through FlashResults.com. All events will be available to watch via live stream at WatchESPN.com. Wednesday’s action on the track will be aired on ESPN2 starting at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday’s running prelims will be aired on ESPNU starting at 7 p.m. for one hour before switching to ESPN2. Friday’s men’s running finals will be on ESPN starting at 7:30 p.m. and the women’s track finals on Saturday will air on ESPN2 starting at 5:30 p.m.
Kansas junior Bryce Hoppel continues to dominate on the track in 2019. Including the indoor season, Hoppel has yet to lose in an individual race—prelims or finals—and has brought his win streak to 17 after wins in both the first round and the quarterfinal at the NCAA West Prelims in the 800 meters. Of the 17 wins, 14 have come in the 800, eight of which were during the outdoor season.
HOPPEL LOOKS TO SWEEP NCAA 800 TITLES
With the 2019 NCAA Indoor 800-meter title in the bag, Kansas junior Bryce Hoppel will look to sweep the NCAA titles in the event at the Outdoor Championships. If he does so, Hoppel will be the fifth men’s athlete to sweep the 800 in the last 10 years, joining Oregon’s Elijah Greer (2013), Mississippi State’s Brandon McBride (2014), Iowa State’s Edward Kemboi (2015) and UTEP’s Emmanuel Korir (2017). If Hoppel were to win the outdoor 800-meter title, he would be the first Kansas men’s athlete to do so. A top-eight finish at the NCAA Championships would mark Hoppel’s second First Team All-America honor and just the third in KU men’s history in the event (Jeremy Mims, 2005).
KANSAS MEN NO. 21 IN USTFCCCA RANKINGS
The Kansas men’s team came in at No. 21 in the USTFCCCA week nine track & field rating index. The No. 21 ranking is a one-spot drop from week eight when the Jayhawks earned their highest ranking (20) of the 2019 outdoor season.
EMILIANOV BACK FOR MORE
Kansas sophomore Alexandra Emilianov is back at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second-straight year, and this time around she will look to improve on her 12th-place finish and Second Team All-America honors in the discus at the 2018 championships. Emilianov enters the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a season-best mark of 58.01 meters (190-4 ft.) set at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, which earned her the conference title. Emilianov has yet to hit a personal-best this season after notching a school record-breaking throw of 60.24 meters (197-8 ft.) at the 2018 Big 12 Championships. Following her Second Team All-America performance at the NCAA Outdoors in 2018, Emilianov went on to have an extremely successful summer in which she won the IAAF World U20 Championships in the discus for her home country of Moldova and later placed eighth at the European Championships.
DUDAREV LOOKS FOR THIRD HAMMER ALL-AMERICA HONOR
Kansas junior Gleb Dudarev is making his third trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the hammer throw, where he will look to earn his second First Team All-America honor. Dudarev placed third in the hammer throw at the 2017 NCAA Championships for first team honors, and notched second team honors with a 12th-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
YOUNG KID, BIG BARS
Kansas freshman Zach Bradford was one of the most highly-touted men’s pole vaulters of a very stacked freshman class across the country. With a second-place finish at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, Bradford came to Kansas, a program that already had a pole vault national champion on the team (Hussain Al Hizam, 2018 Indoor), and elevated his performance to the next level. Bradford had a successful indoor campaign in which he finished the season as the No. 4 performer in school history and placed fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships to earn First Team All-America honors. The rookie parlayed that success into an already eventful outdoor season, where he broke a 36-year-old school record, clearing 5.77 meters (18-11 ft.) at the Kansas Relays and placed third at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Bradford hopes to earn the fourth Outdoor First Team All-America honor in the event at Kansas in the last 10 years, where he would join Jordan Scott (2010) and Al Hizam (2017-18).
FERGUSON COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME
Freshman Treyvon Ferguson figured things out at just the right time to earn a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. On the outside looking in and down to his final attempt in the triple jump at the West Preliminary, Ferguson used a personal-best mark of 15.68 meters (55-5.5 ft.) to move into qualifying position. Ferguson’s qualification in the triple jump marks the third-straight year the Jayhawks will be represented in the event, after Barden Adams qualified in 2017 and 2018.
WOMEN’S 4X400 BACK ON THE BIG STAGE
The Kansas women’s 4×400-meter relay is back at the NCAA Championships, after qualifying for the big stage in 2017. Mariah Kuykendoll, Jedah Caldwell, Marleena Eubanks and Honour Finley posted a time qualifier at the NCAA West Prelims to earn the trip to Austin. Should the quartet earn All-America honors, it would be the first in the event for Kansas since winning the team national championship in 2013, where the 4×400-meter relay team of Denesha Morris, Diamond Dixon, Taylor Washington and Paris Daniels placed sixth to earn first team honors.
@KUTrack
/KUTrackandField
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Why Hong Kong?
By Jeffrey Wasserstrom
ON JULY 1, 1997, Hong Kong stopped being a British Crown colony and became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). During the lead-up to this shift, many people speculated on how this would alter economic, social, cultural, literary, and political life in the city. More than 15 years later, it continues, in some expected and some surprising ways, to stand apart. Edward Snowden’s decision to go there underscores Hong Kong’s persistent distinctiveness — he could hardly have said that an ongoing “strong tradition of free speech” had drawn him to Shanghai, Nanjing, or any mainland urban center — even though, as many commentators have noted, he may have overestimated its difference from those locales, overlooking the extent to which Beijing can determine the fate of people living or just staying in Hong Kong.
Snowden’s choice has prompted a growing list of Snowden-focused analyses of “what makes Hong Kong special,” and impelled me to put the topic into longer-term perspective, with an admittedly personal twist that is more attentive to bookstores than to extradition treaties, more to campus life than to elections, more to literature than to law. Over the last 25 years I’ve stopped in Hong Kong many times, either midway through or at the end of trips to the mainland, and each time I’ve spent time trying to sort out how the place feels like and unlike the other Chinese cities on my itinerary. And I’m convinced that tracking these changes over time — as they accumulate, disappear, or are reshuffled — reveals some intriguing things not just about Hong Kong but about the PRC as a whole.
1987: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
I first crossed the Pacific in August 1986, heading to Shanghai to spend an academic year doing dissertation research, accompanied by my wife, who worked as an English teacher at Fudan University, where I was based. Early in 1987, we took advantage of her Chinese New Year break from work to travel around the mainland and then spend a couple of weeks in Hong Kong, where I’d poke around in archives and we would both get a needed break from life in the PRC. Arriving there was like entering a completely different world, a much more colorful and vibrant one. What hit us most was that we suddenly had consumer choices again.
Shanghai stood as China’s great consumerist mecca in the early 1900s and has now again become a shopping and entertainment hub, but it was different during the 1980s. Choices about what to buy and where to dine were incredibly limited, even if slightly less so than in other mainland cities, and the only Hollywood movie that played in Shanghai during the 11 months we were there was Superman, the Christopher Reeve version. It was paralyzing to be confronted by the options in Hong Kong stores, figuring out again how to choose between shampoos and toothpastes after more than half a year living where stores only carried one brand. It was a shock to once again be able to ponder seeing any one of dozens of films on a given night. And as good as some of the meals we had had on the mainland were, in people’s houses and elsewhere, it was a welcome change to be able, again, to ruminate at night over whether to grab a pizza or go to a pub, try that nearby Austrian place or go out for Indian food; in Shanghai, at that time,there were just a handful of restaurants. Going from Shanghai to Hong Kong in the mid-1980s was probably comparable, in many ways, to going from East Berlin to West Berlin before the Wall fell.
1996: In the Shadow of Tiananmen
By the time of my next Hong Kong stopover, nine years later, Shanghai’s department stores were almost a match for Hong Kong’s, and its restaurant scene, while still lagging behind the Crown colony’s, had become much more varied. What stood out in 1996 were the many kinds of books, including those dissecting the private lives of Mao and other Chinese leaders, that were available in Hong Kong but not on the mainland. As someone who had been researching protest, I was particularly aware of how many books on the Tiananmen struggle of 1989 were available in Hong Kong, while not a single one had been on the shelves of the mainland bookstores I’d visited.
And the same with film. I was invited by a student association at City University of Hong Kong to answer questions after a showing of The Gate of Heavenly Peace they sponsored. This is a documentary film about Tiananmen, which aired in the United States as an episode of Frontline and for which I had served as a consultant. Needless to say, there was no way the film could be screened publically anywhere on the mainland, though black market copies had begun to circulate there and still do.
As a general rule, I try to avoid making concrete forecasts about the future where any part of China is concerned, but I slipped up after that City University event. Writing in The Chronicle of Higher Education, I went on record with a prediction about how Hong Kong would change after the handover the following year. Screening The Gate of Heavenly Peace would, I said, become impossible. I was wrong: the film was shown every night for a month in a Hong Kong cinema right after the city became an SAR.
1999: Big Events on Campus
Three years later, I made my first post-handover visit to Hong Kong and was struck again by a Tiananmen-related contrast. My trip began with an early May visit to the mainland, and while I was there a NATO bomb hit the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three citizens of the PRC. The American and British governments insisted the bombing had been a mistake, but many in China thought it was an intentional act of aggression. This triggered the first significant campus demonstrations since 1989 in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities.
These protests have often been portrayed as government-manipulated ones. My own sense was that they were ones that the government allowed to take place — even encouraged — but also worried about. Before long, the authorities were reining them in, fearing that, once on the streets, students might move from expressing outrage at foreign governments to speaking out about other issues as well.
What was absent on mainland campuses was any reference during these 1999 protests to the 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen events, public discussion of them still completely taboo. Hong Kong was then, as it remains to this day, the only part of the PRC where it was possible to speak publically about the demonstrations of 1989 and the crackdown that curtailed them.
On Hong Kong campuses in 1999, placards lambasted NATO, just like those in Beijing and Shanghai. There were also, though, some that encouraged local students to remember the martyrs of June 4, 1989, who lost their lives when People’s Liberation Army troops fired on protesting students and workers and ordinary passerby. And there were placards that drew connections between the protests of 1989 and 1999, describing them both as the actions of patriotic youth.
2002: Start Spreading the News
My 2002 trip to Nanjing and Hong Kong coincided with Jiang Zemin’s handover of power to Hu Jintao, the man who has just, a decade later, passed the baton to Xi Jinping. On the mainland, even though newspapers and magazines had begun to develop more varied journalistic approaches, every periodical covered the transition in the same respectful way. In Hong Kong, on the other hand, some publications hewed to that official line, but others lamented the lack of democracy and transparency involved, or openly mocked the leader stepping down, the leader taking over, or both. One, for example, ran a political cartoon portraying Hu as a hapless marionette whose strings were being pulled by Jiang, who had only seemed to leave the political stage, while actually continuing to control the action from behind a curtain.
2009: Let’s Go Surfin’ Now
Seven years on, I spoke at first the Shanghai International Literary Festival and then the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. Rather than the material conditions in Hong Kong making me feel like I was back on familiar ground, it was the virtual that gave me that sense — the internet. In Shanghai, if I wanted to read — let alone post to — the online publications I was engaged with, such as the “China Beat” group blog (2008–2012) that I had co-founded with two UC Irvine colleagues, I needed to use a cumbersome and machine-slowing virtual private network (VPN), a proxy that fooled my computer into thinking it was logging on outside the mainland’s “Great Firewall” censorship apparatus. In Hong Kong, no such work-around was needed. The net was worldwide.
2013: White Powder Tales
When I went to Hong Kong this March, stopping there on my way home from Shanghai, certain old differences between Hong Kong and Shanghai had disappeared, some had remained fundamentally unchanged, and some were still there but not quite what they once were.
Little difference remained now between the two cities when it came to leisure activities, like going out to restaurants. There are still very different kinds of youth movements in Hong Kong than exist in other parts of the PRC — I had the chance to meet a high school student very active in the inspiring — and ultimately successful — protests to block the sort of “patriotic education” curriculum on local schools that is the norm on the mainland. And locals continue to push back in dramatic ways against efforts to chip away at freedom of speech. Only in Hong Kong could placards calling for resistance to “thought control” be carried openly in the streets by students, as they were in 2012, without police immediately whisking away those holding them.
In bookstores the contrast was not quite what it once had been. There was a time when you could buy Orwell’s 1984 and works by Hayek in Hong Kong but not Shanghai, whereas now you can pick these up in bookstores in either city. So long as they don’t deal directly with how China is governed or with certain specific taboo subjects, there is much wider latitude on the mainland when it comes to publications that could be described as anti-Communist or pro-capitalist or (in Mao’s day) “reactionary.”
Other very important differences remain, which go beyond the mainland’s lack of books celebrating the Dalai Lama or honoring the martyrs of 1989. Chan Koonchung’s The Fat Years, a 2009 dystopian novel with a clear debt to both Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, set in a mainland of the near future, can be sold openly in Hong Kong, the city he grew up in, but only distributed secretly in the one he now calls home, Beijing. When Ezra Vogel’s biography of Deng Xiaoping was translated into Chinese, there were two editions produced — a Hong Kong one with more and a mainland one with fewer references to the events of 1989. When I speak in Hong Kong, it is easy for people to buy English language copies of my books, but it is always hit or miss whether mainland booksellers will be allowed to stock them. So many taboo subjects are addressed in my China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know that it did not surprise me at all that, when the Chinese rights to the recently updated 2013 edition of this Oxford University Press book were just sold, it was to a publisher that will bring out an edition intended exclusively for the Taiwan and Hong Kong markets.
These similarities and differences were all things I expected, but one thing I experienced during my March pass through Hong Kong was completely unexpected: announcements in the airport when I landed that told me inspectors would be looking carefully to see that passengers did not try to board planes for the mainland with more than an acceptable amount of white powder. The contraband substance was not, as one might have thought, cocaine — though that surely would not be allowed in any quantities. Instead, what was being checked for was baby formula, as mainland scandals involving tainted powdered milk had led to the growth of a black market in this commodity. The inspectors were determined to keep travelers from buying up large quantities of the substance in Hong Kong, where supplies were assumed to be safe, and distributing it to friends or selling it on the mainland.
In a bizarre way, thanks to fears of tainted products, my moves between mainland cities and Hong Kong have now, in one sense, come full circle. Once again, a key contrast has to do with buying and eating. It is just that now, the contrast no longer has to do with a greater variety of things to consume. Now it is that in the still special city of Hong Kong, they are less likely to be dangerously adulterated.
Jeffrey Wasserstrom is the author, most recently, of China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know (2010), a new edition of which is published this month by Oxford University Press.
image: Kin Cheung/AP
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Between The Red Lines: An American Writer in China
By Amelia Gray
Beyond the Electric Fence: One Man’s Odyssey from North Korea to the West
By John Delury
A Storm of Change: The Journalism of China’s Growth
By Pankaj Mishra
Punk and Protest in China and Russia
The Sideways Gaze: Roland Barthes’s Travels in China
By Dora Zhang
By Albert Wu
The Last Rant: On Ai Weiwei
By Alec Ash
Hot Dystopic: Orwell and Huxley at the Shanghai’s World Fair
Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, and American Jews
By Peter Dreier
The Proliferation of Profilicity
By Paul J. D’Ambrosio
Navigation Through Longing: On Laurie Stone’s “Everything is Personal: Notes on Now”
By Daisy Alioto
Step by Step Across California: A Conversation with Nick Neely
By Scott Burton
Unconsciousness Raising: On Franny Nudelman’s “Fighting Sleep”
By Benjamin Reiss
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Residency Artists 2020
CHOOSE RESIDENCY TYPE YksilöRyhmä CHOOSE FIELD OF ART TanssiTeatteriSirkusEsitystaide, performanssiNukketeatteriMaalaus, piirustustaide, grafiikkaKuvanveisto, installaatiotaideValokuvataideMedia- ja videotaideYmpäristötaideYhteisötaideSarjakuvataideAnimaatioÄänitaideMusiikkiKaunokirjallisuusRakennustaideElokuvataideTutkimusMonitaiteinenMuu CHOOSE RESIDENCY PERIOD Tammi-helmiMaalis-huhtiTouko-kesä-heinä-eloSyys-lokaMarras-joulu
Ville Aalto
Photo: Jussi Virkkumaa
During his residency, Helsinki-based musician/sound artist Ville Aalto will produce electronic bird song and other nature sounds. He aims to complete a multi-channel sound installation to be premiered in January 2020, the purpose of which is to create a natural soundscape that is as realistic as possible using only electronically produced sounds. He will also be working on a recording of electronic music with electric bird song.
“I produce electronic birdsong with synthesizers. I listen to recordings of birds and try to copy them as accurately as possible. For an installation, you need to produce a fairly large amount of birdsong, which means immersing myself in hours of detailed and monotonous craftsmanship. When there’s enough audio material, I will start mixing it into a work that can be reproduced with a multi-channel speaker system. My purpose is to create a living, breathing soundscape that surrounds the listener in every direction. In addition, I will produce material for a recording, for which some of the birdsong created at the residence is also destined,” he explains.
Ville Aalto is a composer and sound artist who grew up in Vantaa and currently lives in Helsinki. He graduated as a sound designer from the Department of Lighting and Sound Design of Uniarts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy in 2018, as well as a music technologist from the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory in 2011.
As an independent artist, Aalto produces electronic music and sound art using synthesizers and other electronic instruments. Aalto’s EP Alice in Underland was released in 2019, and he is currently working on a project called Avian Electronics, with electronic bird song at its centre. The project involves live performances, a recording to be released in 2020 and a creative sound installation of an artificial soundscape of nature which will also be debuted in 2020.
Aalto produces music and sound design also in other contexts, such as for performing arts projects. Aalto’s most recent works as parts of wider projects are the sound installation Puu (belonging to the Wild Wild Wood exhibition, produced by Heureka & the Embassy of Finland, Berlin), the stage work Ilmastokirkko: Riippuvainen (a performance in G major) (written by Ronja Louhivuori & Laura Halonen), the radio play Suomenlinna 1918 (Yleisradio, directed by Susanna Airaksinen), the stage work Legenda pienestä luusta, osa IV – Rán (Kolmas Tila & Turku City Theatre, directed by Susanna Airaksinen & Juha Malmivaara), and the touring performance VIRE (directed by Meri-Maija Näykki) which combined a high-wire act with electronic music. To counterbalance this part of his life, Aalto lives an honest and full rock ‘n’ roll life playing keyboards in Maija Vilkkumaa’s band.
As an artist, Aalto hopes to draw attention to the interdependence between people and nature. On the one hand, his aim is to raise concerns about the belief that people can manage, shape and destroy the environment without serious consequences – and on the other hand, to share his belief that a balanced coexistence with the rest of nature is possible and desirable.
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MALIN ARNELL & MAR FJELL
Mar Fjell and Malin Arnell with their dog Loi. Photo: Jussi Virkkumaa
Swedish visual artists Malin Arnell and Mar Fjell are planning to use their two-month residency establishing sustainable collaborative long-term queer engagements under the name In Each Other’s Company (IEOC). The company explores opportunities for sustainable performative practices and formats. It engages itself in the buildup of energy and the creation of new fault lines that disrupt, unsettle, and undermine even the most seemingly solid grounds, thus keeps on asking what a livable life is. “It is especially urgent in this time-space, when it has become clear that the transnational capitalist, anthropocentric and odd-phobic system only melt down the worlds recourses and aims to limit our nature-cultural queer potentials,” they point out.
When Malin Arnell, PhD (b. 1970) och Mar Fjell (b. 1981) come together they become an interdisciplinary art worker, collaborator, organizer, researcher, educator and musician. Since 2017 they have shared breaths through Los Angeles, New York, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin, Treignac, Skomvær, Bolzano, Turku among others. Now they are inhaling Saari.
They explicitly do affectivity within a queer eco-erotic ethics of polymorphous perversity and care making. They explore conditions for participatory practices in territorial environments by emphasizing the sticky shivers of (self-)touching through vibrating togetherness. Masturbatory cooperation, and a dis-location of those frictions, opens up for an unending dynamism of entanglements aka everything in the name of all things queer.
With the support of The Swedish Arts Grants Committee and the Saari Residence in Finland they are now working towards establishing sustainable collaborative long-term queer engagements under the name “In Each Other’s Company”.
JULIANA HYRRI
During her time at the Saari Residence, Helsinki-based visual artist Juliana Hyrri will be working on her graphic novel Venäläinen lapsi (Russian Child). In it, she will examine the misunderstandings that lead an individual to live their life in an imaginary reality, as it were. “In my book, I analyse moments of revelation that make you see the world in a new way. The starting point for my work are the childhoods shaped by the Russian and Soviet culture, and I will draw from my own roots and experiences in my examination. I will reflect on the concepts, changes and linguistic and cultural heritage of cultural identity and integration. I particularly want to explore these themes from a child’s perspective, because that will best allow me to tackle the aspects that are difficult to conceive with any other forms of narrative,” she explains.
At the Saari Residence, she will focus on the groundwork for the book, its design and script writing. “During the working process of my first graphic novel Satakieli joka ei laulanut (The Nightingale That Would Not Sing, Suuri Kurpitsa, 2019) I feel I discovered a new approach to graphic novel narration: a way to tell two stories nestled inside each other in one story. What makes this type of narration fascinating to me is the correlation and reciprocal dialogue between the two stories, and I want to keep refining it in my coming graphic novel, “Juliana explains.
“In terms of my working process, the residency takes place at a significant time, as I will be taking my first steps to work on my next graphic novel in Saari. Of course, the book and its contents have existed as an idea for some time already, but I have tried to keep everything open and undecided. It will be exciting to see how the project proceeds and what kinds of challenges and surprises it will bring. It is particularly important to be able to maintain a certain level of sensitivity and also to give the book space to settle,” Juliana says.
Juliana Hyrri (born 1989) is a visual artist living in Helsinki who mainly works with drawing, painting and prose, and she combines these forms of expression in her comic art. Her debut graphic book, Satakieli joka ei laulanut (Suuri Kurpitsa, 2019), was published in March and describes different, sometimes sinister, childhoods. For Hyrri, art is a journey of exploration; she is inspired by secrets, satellite maps and old photographs.
Hyrri’s works have been exhibited in both private and group exhibitions in Finland, France, Japan, China and Germany, among other places. In November 2019, you can explore her work at Galleria Huuto in Helsinki. She has also been involved in several comic anthologies and finished first and second in the Oulu Nordic Comics Competition 2017 and 2018.
Hyrri is close to completing her Master of Arts studies in the programme of Visual Communication Design at Aalto University’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Her works can be found in the collections of Basware, Aalto University and several private parties.
PENNIE KEY
During her time in the Saari Residence, London based multidisciplinary artist Pennie Key researches female artists who made sex-positive or pornographic work, focusing on questions such as: When does sex-positivity become pornography? What is the line between celebrating sexuality and sensationalism? And in which way have attitudes changed, from the 1970’s to nowadays, where shock value has lost its currency, and we are overexposed to explicit images of women?
“I’m interested in sex and porn, as they have always been controversial points in conversations about feminism and female art. Both sex positive artists and sex workers are still often seen as ‘bad feminists’, and as someone who identifies as both, I’m interested in the ongoing discourse between feminisms, art and popular culture,” Pennie describes.
She uses many different media (photography, performance, writing) in her work and therefore her working methods vary as well. “Most of the times, I have a combination of visual research (mainly photographs that are taken by me but also found online) and a huge number of notes and scribbles. I also do some parallel reading and watching, but it’s never premeditated, or strictly limited to my subject. Then by playing around at the studio and trying out different things, I will zero in on an idea and work towards it more intensively. How that idea makes itself known is a process that usually involves a lot of stress, believing that I’ve lost all my abilities and should quit being an artist, before things somehow resolve themselves,” Pennie explains.
Pennie Key A.K.A Penelope Koliopoulou (b.1987, Athens) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in London. Her work is often informed by her every day: her identity as a queer woman, a practicing Mixed Martial artist, and various forms of sex work, including female domination and fetish wrestling. She uses personal experience to look into the politics of desire, intimacy and how societal norms and power structures can be subverted within certain groups or situations. Pennie competed an MFA in Fine Art with Distinction at Goldsmiths University of London (2016) and is a Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten fellow for 2020. One of her recent projects is a collaboration with director Lola Clavo, in a documentary that records her daily life, it premiered in November Film Festival. Pennie is part of SHAM collective, who have exhibited in various locations in London.
ENRICO MINAGLIA
During his residency, Italian composer, conductor and arranger Enrico Minaglia is working on Thin Ice, his new piece for solo flute (Finnish pitkähuilu and classical C flute), live electronics and fixed media. The main concept behind this piece is the idea of skating on thin ice as a metaphor of today’s western way of life, values and society.
“In the liquid society (as described by Zygmunt Bauman), life circumstances are changing so rapidly, that the individuals cannot adapt to them, and everything becomes precarious: knowledge, job, love. Liquid life is also founded on consumption: once deprived of their true historical identity, through forced mass migrations and life in non-places and nowhere cities, the individuals are pushed to desperately consume goods. These goods are being marketed to them no more as goods in themselves, but as fragments of a long-lost identity: this kind of consumption won’t produce satisfaction, but just the creation of further needs, first of all the need to be up-to-date in everything, getting constantly rid of the obsolete elements. Like skaters on thin ice, the members of liquid society know only one survival strategy: to keep running as fast as they can, or else they are going to fall and drown in the freezing water,” Enrico explains.
He is recording a vast palette of ice sounds: all that hissing, bubbling and crackling that an ice mass emits, as it reaches the melting point. After that the samples will be electronically processed and transformed into an orchestra of icy/glassy/eerie musical instruments. “After this, I’m going to study the pitkähuilu playing technique, and build a live sound processing system that is suitable both for the instrument and for the project. Then I’ll start composing the piece, every now and then getting back to process some other ice sounds, or to make some changes in the live system for the flutes,” Enrico describes.
I was born in Bologna and I live in Roma. I graduated in composition (Conservatorio di Milano), conducting (Conservatorio dell’Aquila) and philosophy (Università“La Sapienza”, Roma). My composition teachers have been Alessandro Sbordoni, Fabio Vacchi and Alessandro Solbiati at the Conservatory; and Detlev Glanert, Brice Pauset, Joshua Feinberg, Azio Corghi, Michelangelo Lupone, Alvise Vidolin, Luis Bacalov and Ennio Morricone in various other masterclasses I have attended.
Since 2002 I’ve been working as a composer for short films, documentaries, theatre plays, video-art and art exhibitions. In the last 10 years I’ve also been working as an arranger, conductor and orchestrator on several TV/movies/theatre soundtrack productions of the major italian broadcasters and theatres. At the same time I’ve also been hired as an arranger by the publisher Ricordi: I’ve made orchestral reductions of several famous italian operas that are being hired out to small theatres throughout the world. In 2016, with a piece for orchestra, I won the Kompolize Composition Competition in Berlin; in 2019 I with a piece for ensemble I won the 3rd prize at the Franz Josef Reinl Composition Competition of Vienna; I’m currently among the finalists at the 40th Composition Contest “Premio Valentino Bucchi” in Rome.
Artist, independent researcher – and sometimes educator – Kira O’Reilly is developing a concept of ‘menopausal batteries’ which plays with notions of ‘endochrine piracy’ that will be explored through working with materials and ideas of indeterminacy. Related to these, she also would like to learn how to make a microbial fuel cell. During her residency period, she plans to be very productive and, drawing on her field work from the summer months, she will also process some of the material on ticks and tick-borne pathogens. She is also working very slowly on a dance of mourning, a multimedia work that is emerging as an act of mourning – some of it is movement, some of it writings. She has also two book projects that she is completing whilst in Saari in the capacity of a co-editor for one, and a contributor for the other.
“The concept of thinking through doing is fundamental to my practice, and the idea that creative processes are nonlinear currents that can be cultivated and experienced in tangential ways” she describes her working methods.
“I move a lot – I practice psycho-physcial exercises that enable working with sensation nonconceptually, this has a pronounced effect on the artistic practice. These practices are generous in opening up perceptual faculties, how one experiences ones senses and in turn, ones environment. These are systems I have been taught within the methods of Vajrayana Buddhism. Writing has become increasingly fundamental to my overall practice, I write texts that I read to others but I also use writing as a method in processes of discovering and unfolding” she continues.
Kira O’Reilly is a Helsinki based artist who works with ephemeral forms to consider ideas of the body, it’s mutability and limits. This includes collaborations and articulations with other species, living materials, objects, and audience. Crossing disciplinary categories her practice arcs visual art, art, science and technology, performance, live art, and dance. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe, Australia, Asia, and North America where she has also taught widely.
Kira O’Reilly Untitled (Bodies) (2017) was co-edited by Harriet Curtis and Martin Hargreaves, and includes essays by Marina Abramović, Shannon Bell, and Tracey Warr.
HILMA SALONEN
Doctoral researcher Hilma Salonen from the University of Helsinki is a recipient of the Kone Foundation’s grant and will spend her time at the residence working on her non-fiction book Löylyssä naapurissa – havaintoja itäiseltä banjavyöhykkeeltä (Going to Sauna Next Door – Observations from the Eastern Banya Zone). In Saari, she intends to arrange her notes into text and search literary material for information. Funded by the Kone Foundation, the non-fiction book project aims to chart the folklore of public saunas in all its forms in Northwest Russia, the Baltic states, Ukraine and Belarus. The project examines public saunas from various perspectives and also the local manifestations of sauna culture, such as bath broom rituals, food and drink taken in the sauna, the unwritten rules of the washroom and the rhythm of throwing water on the heated stones. Sauna culture cannot be viewed as a separate entity; instead, it also reflects the recent history of Eastern Europe, the changes that have occurred in public urban facilities in the area, and the neighbourly relations in transition and their potential tensions.
I’m a researcher of Russia by profession and in my private life. I am revising my doctoral thesis on Russia’s domestic energy policy and, at the same time, writing a non-fiction book about the culture and history of public saunas in Eastern Europe together with my spouse, Otto Pipatti. In general, I’m interested in all the phenomena of the country, from the Arctic outlying districts to Moscow politics.
NIENKE SCHOLTS
.. Keep exploring, keep asking questions. Hold on to the slowness of our practices. Determine your own rhythm and depth… Take your time and take your freedom. – Marianne van Kerkhoven
Dramaturgy as a politicized practice, a ground onto which to address artistic production, by working within structures and re-imagining our relation to them at the same time, in order to produce something that exceeds them. – K. Georgelou et all.
Dutch freelance dramaturge and curator of discursive programs and projects Nienke Scholts finds working in Saari Residence, “a remote Finnish countryside artist in residency”, as a case study for exploring dramaturgy as artistic practice and the field (discipline / method / substance etc.) through which she can do research.
“As a practitioner of dramaturgy, I have been mainly involved in emerging practices that break through the borders of the art-disciplines as we know them. It challenged me to think and work with dramaturgy in relation to more than performance alone. I have come to understand dramaturgy as a site of a collaborative dialogical work that attends to situations that aren’t only artistic, but also social, political, ecological, etc. This made me gradually shift from a dramaturge of others towards an author of artistic projects in which I take initiative in addressing questions and concerns that I consider urgent.” Nienke tells.
At Saari, she wants to explore further this evolvement in her practice. “This work is all about, as Lucy Cotter framed it so well for me: ‘…spending time in the challenging but productive space of not-quite-definable areas. It’s about feeling out the way forward slowly, moving intuitively and consciously operating in the dark (at Saari both metaphorically and literally!) for good reasons that have everything to do with attending to processes while they are still in process.’ “
Engaging in dramaturgy as an artistic practice, the residency allows her to explore which knowledges are ‘composed together’ through the process of handling, working, thinking with, organising, and ‘form-ing’ of research material in the context of a studio, in a residency, in Finland, in nature, in winter.
“My practice is very much entangled with the field of performing arts in Amsterdam, and in the past few years particularly involved with the question what practices of organising performing arts differently are desired today? Through my work I co-created and observed from within, these emergent artists and institutional practices that searched to reorganise themselves in ways that are not predicated on neo-liberal value systems; but that are for example endurable, fair practice, and attentive. Among the material gathered in this light so far is the experience of working on ‘institutional actions’ as dramaturge at Veem House for Performance (2013-2019); a performing arts venue in Amsterdam at the forefront of Fair Practice developments that made the radical transition to the 100 Day House in 2017. The pioneering, and therefore as intriguing as vulnerable, organisational practice that followed from that decision, forms the main research material that I bring into Saari context as a 2-month case study of what dramaturgy as artistic practice is/can be” she continues.
Scholts’s current works-in-progress demarcate a space for dramaturgy to bring knowledge from different fields and diverse locations together. The greater how of that coming together remains an open question, answerable only through the making of new tools and methodologies. – Lucy Cotter
Nienke Scholts (1984) is a freelance dramaturge and curator of discursive programs and projects. Since her graduation at the MA Theatre Studies (Utrecht/Berlin) in 2009, she works/ed (inter)nationally with several performance artists, and as house dramaturge at Veem House for Performance (2013-2019) in Amsterdam, in collaboration with whom she developed the multi-voiced publication series Words for the Future (2017–2018). She is currently (2018-2020) a fellow of THIRD at DASresearch (Amsterdam University of the Arts), and part-time programme coordinator of ARIAS Amsterdam platform for discipline-transgressing research practices. Recent writings include ‘Dramaturges That Do Not Work For A Work’, in The Practice of Dramaturgy (Valiz, 2016) and ‘Zorg, ergens aan gaan staan’ in nY magazine #37 (2018). She is also co-founder and editor of Platform-Scenography (P-S), and an inspired beekeeper apprentice.
SASHA HUBER
Visual artist and art-based researcher Sasha Huber is a Swiss-Haitian resident of Helsinki who has been working at the Saari Residence in September and October 2019 in a different way than ever before. ”This is the first time for me at an artist residency where I am focusing entirely on reading and writing, instead of developing and producing new work. I will be reflecting on and writing about the work I have done as part of my practice-based PhD project, which is about my artistic engagement in the Swiss cultural-activist campaign Demounting Louis Agassiz. I will also be working on co-authored chapters for publications about visual activism in the 21st century together with Dr. Temi Odumosu, and on rethinking the visual landscape in Finland together with Dr. Faith Mkwesha.”
She expects the residency to give here the opportunity to concentrate fully on herself and her work. The remote location of the Saari Residence and its peaceful nature close to the sea has meant detachment from her everyday habits.
”It allows me to focus on myself once again and on getting my writing work moving forward, which can be challenging at times when I am in the city and have work and the family. It is also a place where I expect to be able to recharge and recalibrate in peace,” she says.
Although Saari represents breaking away from the everyday, Sasha has already created new routines for herself at the residence. ”I have been starting my days early as usual, but here I do yoga routines daily before breakfast. Then my working day of writing and reading starts with daily walks in nature, watching the birds gathering in the bay as they are getting ready to head south again now that autumn has arrived. This, combined with the weekly gatherings with fellow residents, is inspiring and gives me some social life, but not too much, which is perfect.
Sasha Huber (1975, Zurich) is a visual artist and art-based researcher of Swiss-Haitian heritage. She lives and works in Helsinki. Her multidisciplinary work is primarily concerned with the politics of memory and belonging, particularly in relation to the remnants of colonialism in the environment. Sensitive to the subtle threads connecting history and the present, she uses and responds to archival material in a layered creative practice that spans video, photography, collaborations and performance-based interventions. She has also laid claim to the compressed-air staple gun, being aware of its symbolic significance as a weapon, while it offers the potential to renegotiate unequal power dynamics. She is known for her artistic-research contribution to the Demounting Louis Agassiz campaign aimed at dismantling the glaciologist’s lesser-known, but contentious racist heritage. She holds an MA from the University of Art and Design Helsinki and is presently pursuing practice-based PhD studies at the Department of Art and Media at Zurich University of the Arts. Huber also works in a creative partnership with artist Petri Saarikko. Together they have initiated the long-term project Remedies Universe (since 2011), which explores methods of self-help and medical healing in different geographical and cultural contexts, and has led to invitations to artist’s residencies around the world. Huber shows her work solo and collaboratively in Finland and internationally (29th São Paulo Biennial 2010; 19th Sydney Biennial 2014; 1st Riga Biennial 2018, with Remedies Universe) and is represented in various public and private collections in Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. In 2018 Arts Promotion Centre Finland awarded her Finland’s State Art Award in the visual arts category.
http://www.sashahuber.com/
VICTORIA MACKENZIE
During her residency, writer and creative writing tutor, Dr Victoria MacKenzie is studying and writing a book about plants called Vegetal Souls. The name derives from Aristotle’s division of the soul into the human, animal and vegetable, with the vegetable being the least sophisticated, lacking the ability to move or perceive.
“Yet recent botanical research suggests plants have far more awareness than they have been given credit for. They perceive their environment in many different ways, being responsive to light, sound and smells, but they have other senses that humans lack, such as the ability to sense water and minerals at some distance, and then grow roots towards what they need. They also respond to their environment in many different ways and even change it – in ways we are only just beginning to understand,” Victoria explains.
“Through a series of interconnected poems, short stories and essays, I’m responding to some of these ideas about what it might be like to be a plant, to have a ‘vegetal soul’ and to experience the world vegetally. I’m interested in thinking about how this new understanding of plants might have implications both for how we treat plants and for how we understand what it means to be alive. How should we respond to this new knowledge and these new ways of thinking? Could it inform how we live as humans?” she asks.
On arrival at the Saari Residence, Victoria hoped to be able to slow down and settle to work. “I’m hoping for a long stretch of time in which I can read, think and write. I really enjoy talking to other artists, so hope to share ideas and have fruitful discussions with the other residents about their work too. I’m also hoping for the unexpected – that can sometimes be the best part of a residency!” she says.
Victoria’s working methods during her residence mean a lot of reading, but also walking and exploring the local forests and gardens, observing the plants and living with them one day at a time.
Usually she begins her day in Saari with a plate of porridge served with cloudberry jam. “I usually try to read something, often poetry, to get my thoughts ticking over, and I try to keep away from emails and the news for as long as possible. I have my notebook to hand and jot down things while I’m reading, such as ideas for poetry or fiction, or just concepts I want to think more about. This is pretty much what I do all day, apart from taking breaks for meals and a late afternoon walk to the bird tower to see what the geese are up to. I’m also enjoying getting acquainted with the Finnish sauna habit!” she describes.
https://victoriamackenzie.net/
HENRIIKKA KONTIMO
Tampere-based artist Henriikka Kontimo is spending her time at the residence continuing her work on a text-based, spectator-driven, interactive piece created a few years ago which deals with the similarities and differences between our relationship with nature and a significant human other. In addition, she would like to create a work designed specifically for the Saari Residence. Henriikka is currently studying to become a cabinet-maker and, during her time in Saari, intends to also ponder ways to combine carpentry with her artistic work.
The way she works is usually tied to the place and situation, and she is interested to see how the residence as a place and social situation can inspire her. “It’s wonderful – unlike in my everyday life – to be able to focus in peace solely on my own artistic work. I have worked in many residencies, and those periods have been extremely important for my work and my development. A new environment generates new ideas and new connections with old ideas. I hope I will be able to complete some unfinished things and start new ones during my residency,” says Henriikka. ” In Saari, I have particularly enjoyed the long walks and how far you can see here; how expansive the landscape is.”
In the early stages, Henriikka’s artistic work usually takes place at the level of thoughts and ideas. “I turn my works over in my mind for a long time and give them a conceptual form before they achieve their tangible, physical shape. When I engage in thinking or I’m writing, I prefer to work in periods of two, three hours and between them I take a walk, feed myself, meditate, knit my jumper and read. I let my brain rest. When I’m working on the physical implementation of the work, on the other hand, I may carry on for long periods at a time,” she says.
Henriikka Kontimo (born 1981) is a Finnish visual artist who graduated from the department of space-time art at Uniarts Helsinki in 2008. She is currently studying cabinetmaking at the Ikaalinen College of Crafts and Design.
http://www.henriikkakontimo.com/
ROB LA FRENAIS
At the Saari Residence for artists, the independent curator of contemporary art and writer Rob La Frenais is working simultaneously on two themes: the Moon and Water. ”I have created a ‘Moon Room’ in the Barn where I am collecting material about art and the Moon, from time to time I am inviting the other fellows to come and watch films about the Moon (I have the first flim night last night) and add their own comments and ideas for research. I am working on an extended essay ‘Mirroring The Moon’ that will be the basis for a book that has been commisioned by Intellect Books. I am also working on a young adult fiction novel ‘Wild Way To The Moon’,” he says.
His second project involves exploring the archipelago surrounding the Saari Residence. ”In the harbour, I am using the Saari vessel the “Lovisa” to explore this part of the Archipelago. I have already taken some of the fellows on an expedition to a small island in the middle of the sea. I am hoping to research a new project that will be realised in Finland about artists floating vehicles. I am hoping to do some active research on a new floating vehicle in the harbour, weather permitting,” he tells.
During his time there, he hopes to combine thinking and pondering in his own workspace with exploration of the Saari Residence’s environment. In his work, he utilises action research, dialogue with the other artists at the residence and surveys. In Saari, Rob starts his day by going to the Moon Room. Weather permitting, he will go to the shore of the island, the bird observation tower and other interesting places. In the evenings, he continues his research in the Moon Room.
www.roblafrenais.info
V. S. Luoma-aho
Jyväskylä-based poet V. S. Luoma-aho spends his time at the Saari Residence editing his fifth collection of poems, Safar, which will be published next spring. “In Safar, the themes are, if you insist on looking for them, artificial intelligence, human history and the time after humans, as well as game(theory),” he explains. In addition, V. S. Luoma-aho tries – alongside abundant reading – to write short stories for his short story collection.
In addition to advancing his book projects, he expects to outdo himself, to work on himself. “I have never spent such a long time away from home all in one go, which for a security-driven homebody like me with anxiety disorder is a bit of an ordeal in itself,” he says.
“On the other hand, I want to quiet down, I want to spend time in nature, I want silence. People work far too much in any case, or consume too much. The end result of this is evident, for example, in the IPCC report, as long as you take its overly optimistic viewpoint into account. So, should we do much less or exponentially more than ever?” he continues.
“The nature of poetry allows me to be always at work and never. When taking notes and thinking, it doesn’t matter what time it is, where you are or how many hours you’ve worked, for which you will, of course, pay with sleeping difficulties and your mental health. The flexibility of working hours and not having a boss is both bliss and devastatingly awful,” V. S. Luoma-aho says, describing his artistic work.
In Saari, he reads a lot and jots down outlines for poems. Nature has a special meaning for him at the residence: “I walk about watching birds and looking for mushrooms – while the weather still permits, I take more notes, watch movies or look at artwork. When the time is right, I sit down and squeeze out some text or edit intensively for a few hours, then I repeat the pattern. Sometimes I chat with the others here, or go to sauna.”
“I have written all my books using a similar method, although the possibilities of spending time in nature are quite different here than in the city. It’s as if I was on another planet. Once the autumn and its grey rain begins, I move on to writing prose, because it requires much more sitting and putting up with yourself at the desk,” he sums up.
V. S. Luoma-aho (born 1984) is a poet and translator from Jyväskylä. He has studied literature and writing at the University of Jyväskylä and is also a founding member and editor of the cooperative publishing company Poesia. Luoma-aho has published four poetry books, “Ruumiita” (2009), “Remora” (2011), “Kronologi” (2014) and “Mantra” (2016), as well as the short work of prose “Luonteita” (2018), illustrated by Jaakko Pallasvuo. Luoma-aho has also translated into Finnish Sam Pink’s work, “I Am Going to Clone Myself Then Kill the Clone and Eat It” (2013).
Lotta Toivanen
During her residency, Lotta Toivanen, a Finnish literary translator from Helsinki, is translating the French Édouard Louis’s novel “Histoire de la Violence” into Finnish.
For her too, the Saari Residence offers an opportunity to focus on her own work. “This is the ideal tranquil setting for throwing yourself into creative work. While in Saari, I will try to achieve a fairly well polished version of my translation of Louis’s novel,” she says.
At the Saari Residence, breaking away from everyday routines gives you the freedom to work at your own pace, and as an early riser, Lotta begins her literary work in the morning and continues for several hours. In the evening she spends time outside, reads and exchanges thoughts with the other artists at the residence.
I have been interested in languages ever since I was a little girl and can speak several languages. As a literary translator, I dive deep inside the skin of the foreign author and convey the world they have created to Finnish readers. Through literature, I open new horizons of the world for Finns.
Tessa Zettel
Australian artist and writer Tessa Zettel is working with mushrooms during her residency in Saari. ”I’m working mainly on collecting different ways of being with mushrooms. By this I mean relationships that people have with mushrooms, the embodied cultural practices they develop around them, the often complex ways of knowing that come from reciprocal more-than-human dynamics involving mushrooms on the surface but underneath so many ‘others’ as well (plant, animal, forest, rocks, weather patterns, tonttu and so on)”, she says.
Over the past five years, Tessa has toured various international residencies and learned what can realistically be achieved in a short time in a new place.”I hope to find some people willing to share their stories and take me mushroom picking, and I’d like also to begin translating this material loosely into the format of a small publication. I know suppilovahvero and kantarelli from previous visits to Finland so would love to meet and get to know some new mushrooms this time”, she says.
Discussion plays an important role in Tessa’s artistic work, and the process and dialogue are of particular interest to her at the various stages of the project. ”Just as fungi are the communicators of the forest floor, I’m interested in how they could become catalysts of exchange above ground. This may entail literally trading dried mushrooms I’ve collected for stories from others. Always I read whatever feels relevant, from theory to fiction, to help shape my approach to the bodies of knowledge I’m connecting with. And I do sometimes set tasks like drawing a mushroom each day, since observing (the real business of drawing) is itself an interesting way of slowing down and attuning oneself to other beings and what they might teach us”, Tessa says.
In Saari ”I’m finding a rhythm in various combinations of walking, reading, drawing, cooking, breathing, watching, collecting, resting, listening, working, writing, sleeping, talking, eating and sauna-ing (no word for that in English!).”
http://oumopo.com
LES BARRICADES MYSTÉRIEUSES
In life repetition is essential. Every gesture, situation and word is repeated thousands of times without ever being identical to the one before. In the performance characters metamorphose, their physical aspects change et their body deteriorates continually. Moving towards death or a transformation?
There is something in this re-commencement that speaks to us. The idea of always re-producing the same but never being the same. Having a total liberty of action and to still be condemned to eternally re-doing the same thing.
And then there is the exception. the moment that does not follow the rule. That is the moment of the jump, of mutation. Sometimes it comes after a long period of hesitations and failures but often it is instantaneous, brutal and irreversible.
We have a strong curiosity towards folklore, customs, traditions and beliefs of heathen and pre-Christian people. The folklore and traditions have exited our imagination and have entered into the creative process. We draw on something that is intuitive and that constructs us profoundly. Ancient beliefs participate in this because they often present archetypes, events and characters that can be found all over the world with variations and aspects typical to every location. Apart from this our interests are multiple (the atmosphere and aesthetics of the cinema of Tarkovsky).
Concerning the form and genre of this piece we take the liberty of using the forms of artistic expression that we consider most adapted to our needs.
NYNNYT
Introduction coming soon.
KRISTIINA KOSKENTOLA & MEGUMI SHIMIZU
Introductiong coming soon.
MAKESHIFT COMPANY
PLACE OF THE BODY
Katie Ward is a choreographer who is based in Montreal. Her performance scores are works that index reality, setting conditions for disrupting the way we see it so that our relationship to it may be re-imagined.
Katie is working on a co-danced project with Taru Miettinen called The Place of the Body and a group piece called Imagination Reality. Both works highlight performer’s subjectivities by accessing their own body archives. These works are minimalist – maximalist pieces in which Katie makes a place for things of all kinds: whole things, parts of things, anythings…
Past works include Infinity Doughnut and Rock Steady , two ensemble works that treat interconnection. These pieces toured in France and England they were performed at Nottdance festival – hosted by Dance4, Festival Exit at Maison Des Arts de Creteil and Festival Via at Maubeuge. Katie created Matière Grise , a relational solo piece presented at Festival Trans Amériques in Montreal; and Human Synthesizer a solo with two additional performers about reanimating objects from the Theatre.
Taru Miettinen is a dancer and performance artist based in Helsinki. Currently Taru works in a collective formed by 10 artists called PRECARIOUS PRACTICES that organizes a performance- and artistic-research platform in Helsinki area. PRECARIOUS PRACTICES fosters the development of different bodily performative art practices and creates conditions for dancer artists to further their artistic thinking and expertise as something other than (only) hired bodies. Taru has also organized an open reading group/lecture practice, where current philosophers, artists and bodily thinkers lead conversations on topics such as post-humanism, gender, power and different choreographic practices.
Taru’s own artistic work can be described as the appearance of primordial shapes and forms emerging out of a physical research around fluidity, repetition and dark and lighter bodies densities. Taru works with how things come to be through weight, direction and human voice.
MELINA & KATARINA KOLJEVIC
A film story about a German woman married to a Serbian man that is coming for the first time to her husband’s native country, under stressful circumstances. The trip changes their relationship profoundly because she realizes her husband is not the man she thinks she knows. He completely changes his behavior and she is not ready to compromise with this new personalty he presents. This is a story about different views on the social and biological concept of family. It examines the archetypes and the role of women today, in different cultures. Told through a personal and emotional perspective, this is a film that takes on a wide social range of modern society and its mixed cultures. Within a family portrait, we confront the residues of ancient tribal and patriarchal social laws that are resilient to the changes of modern society with the liberal and conscious ways of contemporary lifestyle.
With the isolation that Saari Residence provide, and that is necessary at this stage of working on a film, we are planning to write the first draft of the script, the director’s statement, to create a mood board and preliminary production plan.
Through 4 weeks of work and using different method, such as structural constellations and personal testing rehearsals on dialogue list, we will shape the characters and map the structure of the film.
Two women that are authors gathered around one film project that deals with the topic which is a real problem in world of our country that is quite determined by its patriarchal issues and very hostile towards real gender equality both in private and public lives. This film story opposes a lot of prejudices about Balkan as a space of pure emotion and open hearts, since it becomes only fake image that almost the whole society supports since it is shaped to suit men more than women.
INVISIBLE FLOCK CO.
Earth Tones looks to highlight the hidden, magical and often unseen elements of nature. Through melding digital technologies and natural materials the work allows audiences to see, hear and experience landscapes in impossible ways, with hidden ecosystems heightened and re-imagined.
Earth Tones melds locative data capture, field research, science and digital art.
The project begins as a journey mapped through a landscape where multiple techniques are used to capture a spectrum of data; ambisonic (3D) sound recordings, air, water, earth, bio and seismic data. The journey and corresponding data act as a time based footprint of the mapped ecosystems, that are re-imagined as a beautiful immersive installation for an audience to play within.
The resulting installation will be entirely responsive to the data captured, it may take place in a gallery space, in a site specific public space or both. We will build an interactive, sensory environment in order to represent the data in a beautiful digital/physical artwork, with an invitation to touch and explore the installation in order to affect it.
Earth Tones addresses issues of communication and proximity; how do we communicate complex environmental data in a way that audiences can not only understand but can build a relationship with. This work looks at how we can feel data, as opposed to reading and analysing it, evoking our emotional senses and a deeper understanding. We will meld data capture, field research, science and digital art, highlighting the unseen elements of nature and how quickly it is shifting under our influence.
PROSODIC BODY
Landing Sites
“Landing Sites” is a performance commissioned for a 2020 premiere by the Chocolate Factory in New York City. It is an inquiry into experiences of reality and their consequences in our lives. It will look at the immediate and long-term effects that our perceptions of reality have on the way we produce meaning, belief systems, and changes on environment.
The piece is inspired by the writings of Helen Keller, an iconic figure in 20th century America, who was blind and deaf and a fervent activist for women’s and disabled people’s rights. It aims to zoom in and out between the intimate dynamic of one’s inner experience and the collective principles through which one’s experience develops into belief systems.
Choreographer Daria Fain will be 60 years old in 2020, and she feels she is at the end of a cycle. “Landing Sites” grows out of her need to manifest on an intimate scale her 30 years of research in somatic practice, social art experiments, and performance craft.
In the residency, Fain, Kocik, Laitinen and Konrad will engage in hands-on exploration of historical facts, interpersonal dynamics, and the subtlest sensory perceptions, and dialogue through action, movement, speech, text, architectural/material space, sound, and light.
The title “Landing Sites” alludes to the way reality lands as fragmented perceptions, one’s own experience of reality, as relative rather than absolute. Some cultures see the sun as masculine, and others, as feminine. It’s interesting to contemplate how each belief creates a different experience through thought process and action. As THEA in ancient Greek translates in TO SEE, theater becomes an “instrument of observation”. This can be a tool for transformation and hopefully liberation.
Halil Balabin & Merava Kamel
Photo: Din Ahahroni
We are an artist duo, working together since 2012.
Our joined work allows us to move freely and to give up the elements identified with each of us, to transform ourselves through art.
Our works are divided into two types of practices – the first is sewing of dolls, and the other is site-specific installations.
Our installations deal with documentary and autobiographical content, through which we examine new possibilities of documentary representation.
In contrast, our work with dolls brings out an associative way of thought — the attachment of different organs born of amputations, hybridizations and compositions that create a new object.
During our stay in Mynämäki we would like to film a puppet show based on the dreams and nightmares of blind people.
The dreams we have collected and other dreams we will collect during our stay in Saari residency will become the basis of a film that will be composed of dolls and a set both created by us.
HTTPS://HALILANDMERAV.WEEBLY.COM/
Jalostamo2
Vice Versa -työryhmä
Liinu Grönlund and Okku Nuutilainen
Hypnagogia work group
Intruduction coming soon.
Frankie Gaffney
Frankie Gaffney is a writer from Dublin. His bestselling debut novel, Dublin Seven, described by the Irish Times as “Love/Hate meets Ulysses”, was published to critical acclaim and controversy in 2015. He is currently completing a PhD in linguistics and English literature, and developing new writing for various media.
Alexander Manuiloff
Alexander Manuiloff is a Bulgarian writer, playwright and screenwriter whose works have been invited to important theatre festivals and venues on four continents, among which Theatertreffen, Berlin; Under the Radar, New York; and L’Europe de Théâtres, Paris. Winner of the EURODRAM 2017 award (Mannheim, Germany).
Two separate Silver Lion prize winners at the Venice Biennale, Rimini Protokoll and Ferran Dordal, chose him to work with on their projects in 2016.
Alexander’s writing has been translated into ten languages so far and it is already studied in some university programmes in the US. (Georgetown University).
After his 2017 tour to Washington’s ForumTheatre/Woolly Mammoth, the DC Theatre Scene gave the show five stars, calling Alexander “a rare creator”, the Washington Post found his piece “exceptionally thoughtful”, while the Broadway World defined Manuiloff’s writing as being “akin to magical realism”.
Receiver of the Bulgarian Writers’ Guild Award for the best fiction debut book of the year (for the book “Film”, 2004), Alexander went on to publish some of his following works in Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, the USA, and France, while his journalistic writing has also received official accolade by the Association of European Journalists (2012).
Alexander has been granted scholarships by institutions such as the Charles University, Prague, the American foundation TFAS, Goethe Institut Munich and Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut Heidelberg. The first Bulgarian writer to be ever presented with a text at Berlin’s top theatre forum Theatertreffen (2015).
Erol Mintaş
Erol Mintaş is a filmmaker who was born in Kars and based in Helsinki. He completed his graduate studies in cinema—his MA thesis was about the cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky. His first short Butimar, and second short Berf (aka Snow) received many awards, and competed in various important film festivals around the world. In 2014, Mintaş’s first feature, Song of My Mother, made a major splash on the festival circuit, playing around the world and being awarded plenty of prizes, including the Heart of Sarajevo award for best film and best actor, and numerous awards. He moved to Helsinki in January 2017, where his new project (“Earth Song (working tittle)” with collaborator Mikko Viljanen) is currently taking place, supported by the Finnish Film Foundation (Suomen elokuvasäätiö) scriptwriting grant. His documentary film, “From Mesopotamia to The North: Dzamil Kamangar”, received funding from Kone Foundation, and is in production.
For more info about my previous films you can visit https://www.mintasfilm.com/Films”
At the Saari Residence, mainly I will be working on these two projects:
HUMAN GAZE, which is an experimental film and video installation about the history of the human gaze. What if the first part ever of the human being was an eye? In the beginning there was only one eye and then this eye got a disease and because of this disease all our organs started to appear and we ended up with what we consider today a normal human body. This film tells us the experimental story of the human body from the point of view of an eye.
FROM MESOPOTAMIA TO THE NORTH: DZAMIL KAMANGER – The documentary film tells the story of Dzamil Kamanger, the grandson of the Khan (a title for a ruler in Kurdish society) born in 1948 in a small village in east Kurdistan- part of Iran-, became a well-known international artist in Finland, even though he had to start his life from the beginning many times. The film focuses on his life journey from Kurdistan to the Finland.
On the other hand I will be busy with doing many works for Academy of Moving People and Images as the founder and the artistic director of the academy.
Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) is a platform in Helsinki for mobile people. Our aim is to design a new learning model and a sustainable pedagogical platform where people who have arrived in Finland from different backgrounds get to contribute to the film industry, and initiate change.
We provide 1 year of hands-on, fee-free courses for participants. They will make their own short films under the guidance of mobile filmmakers and Finnish film industry professionals, performing all the essential roles necessary to release their films.
For more info about AMPI, you can visit our website: www.academyofmovingpeopleandimages.com
Meri-Maija Näykki
I’m Meri-Maija Näykki, a 27-year-old circus and theatre director.
At Saari Residence, I intend to create templates for three performance concepts. I’ll work in collaboration with the Rakastajat Theatre, the Minimi Dance Theatre and Tampereen Työväen Teatteri. My goal is to create performance concepts suitable for these theatres which will allow the circus and theatre to operate on an equal footing and engage in organic cooperation.
I see circus art as an opportunity to introduce modern forms of dramaturgy to the viewers of traditional theatre. At the same time, I believe that contemporary circus can act as a door to the theatre for new viewers and international audiences.
For me, the circus is about seeking and stretching the boundaries of prevailing conditions, such as gravity and social absurdity. Consequently, the budget and the theatre space, for example, are circus instruments to me, and I explore and stretch the possibilities they present. The theatre, on the other hand, I see as a show window of deficient human animals. The way I see it, the deficient animals of the theatre and the freaks of the circus can together give us a space in which to marvel at the absurdity of life and laugh at our own limitations. We need to welcome the state of marvelling and laughing together to be able to be merciful to ourselves and others.
www.meri-maija.com
Dılşa Perinçek
I am a writer, cartoonist, digital artist from Diyarbakır. During 2004-2018, I worked on various productions in several disciplines such as writing, media and communication technologies. 2016-2018, I produced several cartoon films for Kurdish children.
Recently, I focus on the past, present and future, in order to bring traditional artistic content in to the new formats of the media art, to understand impact of the new technological productions and the new art perceptions on societies and in conclusion, to interplay with what has not yet taken place in the perception future of humankind that rapid technological progress has created in different shades of utopia and dystopia.
In Saari, I will focus on my readings, researches and experiments on digital technologies in pursuit of the best way of expressing. In the meantime, I want to enjoy all beauty of the meditating nature. And if lucky enough, I will be writing few poems.
Timo R. Stewart
The past is a foreign country whose habits and thinking require interpretation. The historian’s task is not only to identify past events, but to make the thinking of the people from that time understandable. This becomes particularly fascinating when examining things that seem difficult to explain. For example, the fact that a group of English noblemen travelled to Jerusalem between 1909 and 1911 to search for the Lost Ark mentioned in the Old Testament, simply on the basis of a cipher discovered by a Finnish poet in the Book of Ezekiel, may sound strange today. But how did it sound to the noblemen’s contemporaries? Or to the members of the expedition themselves? And on what grounds?
It is with questions like these and an enormous archive of notes that I will be travelling to the Saari Residence. My aim is to revise my book, which is based on my historical research on Valter Juvelius and Montagu Parker‘s undertakings in Jerusalem, as well as on the concepts of the Lost Ark, science and myth that prevailed in Europe in the early 20th century. I’m an optimist, so I’ll be bringing my skis along too. If all goes well, my script will be pretty much complete at the end of February, in spite of the skis. Here is a short summary of my work in the form of a video presentation.
Karen Werner
I am a radio artist & sociologist. I’m currently working on a series of experimental radio broadcasts called Strange Radio about the stranger, war, forced migration, and the intergenerational transmission of political trauma. During the Saari Residence I’ll be working with live performance and sampling of this material.
Leena Ylä-Lyly
During my two-month residency at the Saari Residence I will be exploring the connection between the photograph and Zen meditation. I will be sitting on my zabuton with my eyes cast downwards, facing the wall in front of me. I will take walks in the manor grounds and photograph the pictures I find and write down the thoughts that the silence invites in.
More than anything in a photo, I have always been fascinated by its core characteristic: silence. Yet that silence is not quiet, but contains the power of movement and observation. Just like meditation, which holds everything for the person who dares to stop and really see.
Kajsa Gullberg
Photo: Kajsa Gullberg
My name is Kajsa Gullberg. I was born (1977) and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden and moved to Copenhagen, Denmark after high school (1996) where I have been based ever since.
Photography is my main media but I hope to integrate text more in my production.
The project I am going to work on in Saari is one project including two products. One book with images and one book with text.
The headline for the project is: The swinger club – the ultimate sexual safe space for women. I place where she can go to have all (kind of) sex she wants without the risk of getting raped, assaulted or slut shamed.
I have photographed women in a swinger club in Copenhagen for almost a year. In Saari I am going to edit the images and the sequence and create a text to it. The project is not documentaristic but a poetic and subjective comment on the social world outside the swinger club.
The other book is going to be a document in text about my journey through this environment during one and a half years.
Tiia Kasurinen
Photo: Tiia Kasurinen
Tiia Kasurinen is a dancer, choreographer and artist who works between Helsinki and Stockholm. In her work, she explores the themes of identity, gender, power and pop culture, often through make-up and visual transformation. YouTube tutorials and somatic movement go hand in hand in her performances, creating identifiable aesthetics. When Tiia is not working on her own projects, she works as a dancer, performer and collabator for and with other artists.
“At the Saari Residence, I will be exploring the encounter of make-up and movement. I’m interested in the bodily experience resulting from the direct or long-term effects of transformation. I’m particularly fascinated with changes in the quality of movement, but I also study the themes of gender, power and taking space in my practice.
“The residence will allow me to engage in one of my long-term dreams and goals: to spend a large amount of time in bodily experiences inspired by make-up. When inhabiting a new body born out of make-up, it often takes hours for its potential to be revealed. This gives me the opportunity to exist, eat, interact, write, move and dance in a changed and moulded bodily entity – and consequently to explore the impulses for movement inspired by the transformation.
“I will be carrying out new artistic research and working on the bodily experiences of two of my previous works: the drag queen character Vulva T from the performance Vulcano (2017) and the character Harmony from the work The Life of Harmony (2018), which drew its inspiration from objects and robots that look like women. I will also begin the process of creating a new solo.
“Make-up and visual transformation are indirect ways for me to examine my position in society. Transformations unsettle my perception of my own power, identity and humanity.”
Read more and follow Kasurinen during her residency: https://tiiakasurinen.wordpress.com
Instagram: @tiiagasolina
Teemu Korpela
I’m a painter who spends his days pondering ways to see things through art that can’t be seen. My particular area of interest are phenomena that define the way we experience our own existence. These phenomena are often abstract or formless, but through works of art they can be made visible and into something that can be tackled.
I believe the cause for many of our universal and current problems relating to humanity are to be found in the relationship between our perception of the world and actual reality: we often interpret reality incorrectly, which results in us harming ourselves, others and the environment. Painting is a medium that offers a lot of possibilities for examining and presenting mechanisms of experience, since it brings together many different registers of observation and structure, from the sensory to the symbolic. Painting also offers numerous possibilities for expression, ranging from quick and intuitive to slow and analytical.
I believe that through the reactions of observation produced by the works, I will be able to examine the way meanings and values are created. We are living in a time of an epistemological crisis of meaning and value. The ways in which we produce meaning in our lives have proven unsustainable. This is why we will have to reassess our relationship with reality. This requires the re-encoding of the symbolic values in our culture that govern our activities. For me, this re-encoding begins with striving to drive more sustainable values through the metaphoric example of my own practice into the reality existing outside the world of art.
At its core, my work consists of examining the ways our perceptions of matter and concepts change according to how I design an object and whenever I add some other material to it; how the symbolic meanings of images and objects change depending on how and in which context I present them.
My work includes theoretical research into how meaning is created and transmitted, studying the chemical properties of substances, analysing the effects of various production processes and examining the opportunities offered by new, ecological innovations in materials. I try to apply materials that in themselves contain various cultural meanings and that have a functional analogy with the contents I deal with.
Although my motives are often didactic, it’s not my intention to limit the creative freedom of art and its content, but to find ways of creating works in such a way that the methods used have a philosophical, practical and ethical relationship with ongoing global processes. For many years, my works have been extremely large, but during my residency, I want to find ways to produce meaning with less material and smaller works.
Juhani Räisänen
Photo: Juhani Räisänen
I am a composer, poet and artist from Helsinki. I have long been fascinated with building electronic musical instruments. The possibilities offered by new technology in particular, such as sensors and touch screens, have captivated my musical imagination. In 2011, I completed my doctoral thesis on this subject at the Aalto University.
My new instrument is called Zorm, and I intend to focus on developing and improving it at the Saari Residence. I will try, for example, to use my own poems as part of the soundscape of the instrument. Zorm has a lot in common with the Sormina instrument I developed for my doctoral thesis; in a way, it’s an improved version of it. Its features include cordlessness and the use of audio synthesis methods for creating the sound. Its appearance has changed completely.
I have already performed with the Zorm on a few occasions, both in the context of a performance and as a member of a group for classical music.
Maija Linturi
I’m a puppet theatre artist and director from Helsinki. My work usually lies within the broader sphere of the visual theatre, and puppet or object theatre is just one of the media I use. I’m interested in balancing between the interfaces of various art forms and have collaborated with artists from fields such as dance, theatre and video art.
At the Saari Residence, I will be working on my future piece, Decomposition, which will be the first part of a series of three performances. At the residence, I will concentrate on the background research and script writing for Decomposition, as well as the concept design of this series of works. In this series, I will be investigating what the removal of focus away from the human and the human experience could mean in the context of a performance. Decomposition focuses on the world of decomposers such as insects, fungi and bacteria. During the process, I also want to study whether I myself can create a more empathetic relationship with these organisms.
Photo: Mireia c. Saladrigues
Mireia c. Saladrigues (Terrassa, 1978) is researcher and visual artist at the Doctoral Programme of the Finnish Art Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki.
Via her research Behaving Unconventionally in Gallery Settings. Alteration in Cultural Practices for Rearticulating Relations among Makers, Objects, Audiences, and (Virtual) Museums, she documents and fosters human and non-human cases of alteration and strangeness in cultural practices by proposing an artistic and theoretical re-reading of nonconformity.
Her work participated the 2nd Research Pavilion in occasion of the 57th Venice Biennale (2017). She has also exhibited at: Espai 13 in Joan Miró Foundation (2011), Antoni Tàpies Foundation (2014), Centre Cultural Caja Madrid (2011), La BF15 in Lyon (2014), Centre d’Art Le Lait in Albi (2015), Videonale.13 in Bonn (2011), National Museum of Photography in Copenhaguen (2010), Kiasma Museum in Helsinki (2009), DIA Art Foundation (2008), Art Museum in Pori (2008), Onomatopee in Eindhoven (2015 i 2012), Midway Contemporary Art in Minneapolis (2010).
She has talked at the 9th Annual Conference of the Society of Artístic Research in Plymouth, 104th Annual Conference by CAA in Washington DC, the EARN Symposium at GradCAM@DIT in Dublin, KUVA Research Days in Helsinki, as much as others.
She has received numerous awards, which the most recents are Kone Foundation Research and Art Production Grant (2016-2019), KUVA Grants (2016, 2015, 2014), ETAC Artistic Research Residency (2014), OSIC Research and creation grant, Catalunya (2012).
Her work is represented by àngels barcelona gallery
She is a governing board member of Hamaca, Media and Video Art Distribution
She has co-founded the cultural association Trama34 and is its current president.
www.mireiasaladrigues.com
www.virtualpresentotur.com
Paul J. Kalemba
Photo: Paul J. Kalemba
Paul Kalemba’s (b. 1980, Melbourne) latest work explore the notions of nature and ecology in the Anthropocene though found object, still life compositions. His work takes inspiration from the natural sciences and contemporary ecological philosophy, as well as object based narratives, phenomena and the absurd.
Informed directly by constructing assemblages of found objects collected while walking in ‘nature’, Kalemba’s Still life compositions playfully tell contemporary stories of ecology and place. His multidisciplinary practice extends across drawing/work on paper, photography, new media and sculpture.
Since being awarded Honours in Digital art and Multimedia from VU and Master of Visual Art at the Victorian College of the Arts, Kalemba’s work has exhibited in Australia, Korea, Germany, Finland and Iceland. He was awarded the Hume Art Award in 2018 and has been a finalist in numerous national art awards and prizes.
Through partnering with institutions including, Parks Victoria, The Department of Primary Industries, The Australia Council for the Arts, and The Icelandic Association for the Visual Arts, Kalemba has undertaken many cross disciplinary projects and arts residencies. He has produced temporary public sculptures for City of Melbourne, and Hepburn Shire and his drawings, sculpture and mural work are represented in Private, Public and Institutional Collections including Hepburn and Nillumbik shires, and Victoria University.
Saddam Jumaily
Although best known as a painter, Saddam Jumaily is also an accomplished designer and a published author. Regardless of the art form, Jumaily’s works are characterized by their depth and philosophical nature. Memory and nostalgia are recurring themes in his paintings, and they are also frequent plot elements that he explores in his writings. His inclination towards nostalgia can be attributed to a sense of belonging he has often craved while moving from country to country.
In most instances, his paintings employ symbols as devices. In Jumaily’s own words: “Painting is an opportunity to emote.” The art he presents is a depiction of the ongoing chaos that the peoples of this region have experienced the past two decades.
Saddam Jumaily was born in Basra, Iraq in 1974.
Kholod Hawash
Born in Basrah, Iraq, Kholod Hawash has a BA in accounting. After teaching herself art, she started painting illustrations for children’s magazines, then
turned to painting in the style of art nouveau. She later found herself involved in the art of quilting.
She held her first exhibition in Amman at the Jacranda Gallery in 2015 and her second at the Dar Al-Anda gallery in Amman in 2018.
“In my art I present the everyday craft of the people of Iraq and the larger region.
Women in Iraq have been manufacturing mattresses and rugs in the ancient tradition to produce
up cycled home furniture. Households historically embraced both the aesthetic and economic advantages of the craft.
For my work, I borrowed the techniques as well as the imagery of the popular folklore of Iraqi heritage in order to
intensify the relationship between technology and form, which contributes to the emphasis on the aesthetic and away from
the consumer industry, thus elevating it to contemporary art.”
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The New Age Educator: An Advocate for Equity
One of the earliest acknowledgments of the achievement gap came from James
Coleman’s 1966 study, The Equality of Educational Opportunity. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, section 402, required the commissioner of education to study and report to the President and Congress concerns regarding the “lack of availability of equal educational opportunities for individuals by reason of race, color, religion, or national origin in public educational institutions.” Coleman’s study followed the landmark Supreme Court decision of 1954 in Brown v. Board of Education that directed schools in the South to desegregate “with all deliberate speed.” In the years following this monumental and philosophical shift in the education of America’s public school children, few school districts expedited desegregation efforts. Using “freedom of choice” plans as a method of superficial compliance, Southern school districts were especially able to remain as equally segregated as they were prior to the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. By 1968, 77% of Black students attended majority Black schools nationwide (Orfield, 2001, as cited in Reardon and Owens, 2014). This resistance to follow the directive of the highest court in the land, accompanied by additional dissatisfaction regarding the lack of moral courage and political will to comply, resulted in hundreds of school districts being placed under court-order desegregation mandates by the mid 1970’s (Logan and Oakley, 2004, as cited in Reardon and Owens, 2014). In response to court-ordered desegregation, many Whites abandoned the public school system altogether, while others elected to enroll their children in districts that mirrored the demographics of the segregated schools they were more accustomed to having their children attend (Reardon & Owens, 2014), and when these court-ordered desegregations ended, a resurgence of segregation emerged. This response to the ending of mandated integration flies in the face of one of Coleman’s most notable conclusions from his 1966 report: “the social composition of the student body is more highly related to achievement, independent of the student’s own social background, than is any school factor” (p.22).
Although Coleman found differences in school resources among Black and White students, those variations were not large enough to account for the difference in achievement (Alexander and Morgan, 2016). However, James Coleman’s 1966 study concluded something very important, and that is that family background was more indicative of a child’s achievement than other factors such as class size, per-pupil expenditures, curricular resources, and even teacher qualifications. This finding led to a fundamental shift in measuring school quality. Instead of focusing on the factors and inputs that affect student achievement, a focus on outcomes, notably standardized test scores, would consume the nation’s attention and efforts. This long-held view, that outcomes matter more than inputs, has led to a variety of policy decisions, public opinions, and scholarly recommendations. Coleman et al. (1966) noted:
Taking all these results together, one implication stands out above all: That schools bring little influence to bear on a child’s achievement that is independent of his background and general social context; and that this very lack of an independent effect means that inequalities imposed on children by their home neighborhood, and peer environment are carried along to become inequalities with which they confront adult life at the end of school. (p.325)
Several scholars have criticized Coleman’s research methods, yet further review confirms this particular finding regarding the impact of socioeconomic status on student achievement. According to Hanushek (2016), additional analyses have found aspects of family background to have a significant impact on achievement differences (p.23). Similarly, Khalenburg (2013) cites the 2012 study by Mantril, Perkins, & Aberger as confirmation of this finding as well:
In 2012, researchers found a strong statewide correlation between socioeconomic school segregation and the size of the achievement gap between low-income and higher-income students. Examining achievement gaps on NAEP for math and reading in 2007 and 2005, they found that Black and Latino students had smaller achievement gaps with Whites when they were less likely to be stuck in high-poverty school environments. (p.4)
Citing the American Educational Research Association’s 2006 brief on the Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No.1, Darling-Hammond (2018) highlights the overwhelming conclusion regarding the inequity of segregated schools: “More often than not, segregated minority schools offer profoundly unequal educational opportunities. This inequality is manifested in many ways, including fewer qualified, experienced teachers, greater instability caused by rapid turnover of faculty, fewer educational resources, and limited exposure to peers who can positively influence academic learning. No doubt as a result of these disparities, measures of educational outcomes, such as scores on standardized achievement tests and high school graduation rates, are lower in schools with high percentages of nonwhite students” (p.4).
Segregated schools are not a thing of the past. Bartz (2016) notes that the percentage of segregated schools has risen from 5.7% to 18.6% across our nation. The United States Government Accountability Office affirms this notion in their 2016 report, Better Use of Information Could Help Agencies Identify Disparities and Address Racial Discrimination. They concluded that between 2001 and 2013 public schools with high concentrations of Black and Hispanic students grew from 9% to 16%. The central problem of the achievement gap is clear: poverty and socioeconomics matter a great deal. Khalenburg (2013) agrees, stating, “the major problem with American schools is not teachers or their unions but poverty and economic segregation”(p.14). Yet educational leaders are reluctant to cite this overwhelming body of research and use their voices to activate a higher degree of moral courage and political will. Despite having substantial research and knowledge regarding the benefits of more integrated schools, school and district leaders look to politicians and government leaders to lead the way in making this a reality for America’s poorest children. Practitioners have an enormous opportunity to make the case that America’s schools can improve when America’s moral courage and political will to address its persistent opposition to equity improves as well. Scholars such as Bartz (2016) rightly note that educators across the country have had minimal success in narrowing the achievement gap between Black and White students. The response to this lack of success in closing the achievement gap can no longer result in “whatever it takes” and “no excuses” mantras, billions of dollars in test prep curriculum, and demoralized professional educators who treat their efforts as an isolated variable. We have already determined what it will take, just as Coleman’s 1966 report noted, a more balanced socially comprised student body. This is what educators across the country should be advocating for in addition to improved compensation, higher quality working conditions, and sharpened preparation programs. Internal conversations regarding the impact of concentrated poverty must extend themselves beyond the walls of the teacher’s lounge. Educational leaders must arm themselves with the research needed to redesign the notion of accountability that focuses solely on educational outputs while giving minimal credence to the critical inputs that substantially influence academic and life outcomes for children in our public schools.
In the December 2017 article, “A New Path for School Integration”, McDaniels frames the problem quite well. Concentrated poverty combined with racially isolated student bodies present educators and students with numerous challenges: limited curricular access and opportunities, minimal enrichment experiences, and a revolving door of inexperienced teachers. McDaniel (2017) highlights two startling statistics that seem to confirm Darling-Hammond’s (2018) contention that our schools are becoming more segregated. “More than a third of students attend schools in which 90% of their peers are of the same race. Furthermore, 40% of the natation’s more than 1, 700 school districts are hypersegregated, meaning that most low-income students attend schools where 75% of the student body is also low-income” (p. 2). While an analysis of 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) results point to a continued gap in achievement between White and minority students (Bartz, 2016), the court-mandated desegregation era offers a counter-narrative. Efforts made to make the public education experience a more equitable one through the targeting of resources via the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act through programs like Title I and bilingual education, which supported school desegregation and in turn helped improve academic achievement for minority students. According to Darling-Hammond (2018), the achievement gap in reading decreased by over 50% for the nation’s 13-year-olds based on NAEP results between 1971 and 1988 and reduced by 20 points in math during the same period. The results of more socially and racially integrated schools ought to be enough to convince educational leaders to activate their voices and advocate for what we know works to improve academic outcomes for our most marginalized students. Instead of asking what programs will help reduce today’s achievement gap or what cocktail of consequences might motivate educators to produce better results, we should be asking a different question: What is keeping us from doing what we know works for all students and does harm to none?
There is substantial evidence that socioeconomic integration disrupts a pattern of concentrated poverty and produces improved academic outcomes for those who are on the deficit end of the achievement gap and at a minimum, does no harm to those who are not (Khalenberg, 2013). Educators cannot afford to refrain from this conversation. School reform efforts must include the voices of practitioners who can speak to the impact of segregated schools with high concentrations of poverty firsthand. If educational leaders stand down instead of speaking up, the resistance to doing what we know works may continue and the gaps in achievement are likely to widen. The resistance to address school inequity through means of integration is strong. According to McDaniels (2017) “since 2000, 71 communities have tried to secede from their school districts. 47 of these efforts were successful” (p. 47). In June of 2018, the North Carolina House ratified HB514 that would make it possible for suburban municipalities to create, operate, and partially fund their own charter schools, giving enrollment priority to area children. This type of political maneuvering to resist integration has already proven itself disastrous via Coleman’s 1966 report, yet the idea is popular in Southern suburban communities. In Bauman’s June 2017 Chalkbeat article titled, “Memphis-Shelby County Spotlighted in National Report on School District Secession”, she cites research from EdBuild (2018), a nonprofit group that focuses on inequity and education funding. Additionally, Bauman notes two important factors: the timing of the Shelby County secession and the reasoning behind the desire to secede. Prior to this effort to separate, a merger of Memphis City Schools, a mostly black and lower-income district, with Legacy Shelby County Schools, a suburban, and mostly white and affluent district, had taken place. Shelby County wanted to establish a special school district that would significantly and negatively impact funding for the lower income Memphis district and had sought to do so since 2008. To avoid this reduction in funding on top of an already financially strained situation, members of the Memphis City Schools voted to dissolve its school system in 2010, which left its schools under the control of Shelby County Schools. Shelby County citizens, however, didn’t share the same sentiment. In essence, members of the Shelby County community did not agree with their suburban tax dollars being used to support Memphis City Schools. Additionally, the Shelby County School Board worked with their legislative delegation to reverse a ban on the creation of new school districts and a new law allowed for the suburban areas of Shelby County to “break away while opening the door for any municipality in the state with a population of 1, 500 to secede, as long as it had the support of a majority of municipal voters” (EdBuild, 2018). Due to the Shelby County Schools secession, six affluent communities in Tennessee followed their lead and by the start of the 2014-15 school year, each community had established separate school districts. While some say the motivation to separate centered around socioeconomics and local control rather than race, there is an important lesson to learn here: creating separate and smaller districts is fiscally irresponsible and inherently inefficient. Bauman cites EdBuild’s 2018 report affirming such in her July 2017 Chalkbeat article: “The United States spends $3,200 more on students enrolled in small districts (of fewer than 3,000 students) than on larger districts (of 25,000 to 49,999 students) according to the report. Small districts also tend to spend about 60 percent more on per-pupil administrative costs.“ This growing trend of more affluent communities creating separate districts should be concerning to all educators. The implications are broad and go beyond the impact on student outcomes. There are other important factors that come in to play as a result of concentrated poverty such as frequent turnover at the teacher and leadership levels, greater limits in curricular and enrichment experiences (Bartz, 2016) and reduced quality in professional development opportunities for educators. Yet these types and degrees of resistance aren’t new. In an effort to put off integration, South Carolina enacted a school equalization program whereby legislators approved a multi-million dollar effort to keep schools segregated. In doing so, the state would build new schools for African-American children to prove its’ efforts toward providing equitable facilities and escape the potential desegregation ruling that was sure to come after the 1951 Briggs v. Elliot case in Clarendon County, South Carolina. The case resulted in a three-judge panel ordering the school board to make an effort to equalize school facilities (Dobrasko, 2018).
Educational leaders must not underestimate their role in advocating for a balanced and more integrated school experience for our students. If we cannot appeal to people’s hearts, perhaps an appeal to their mind or their pocketbooks might work. We know the financial waste that comes from the creation of small school districts (EdBuild, 2018). We are aware of the impact on achievement in schools with high concentrations of poverty (Bartz, 2016). Despite this knowledge, we’ve been reactive in dealing with the effects of these factors, trying to work within the limitations and constraints placed upon us, rather than putting forth efforts to address the causes of this challenge and change those policies and decisions that we know create gaps in achievement for students. As we move forward, educators have a new role to play and must be willing to speak out if we are serious about dismantling the achievement gap and the institutionalized and systemic structures of racism that accompany it. According to Khalenberg (2013), some school districts have successfully encouraged socioeconomic integration. Some of the most notable recommendations to support solving this challenge include the following:
State and local leaders should consider consolidating school systems to advance the potential of integrating schools at scale (McDaniels, 2017).
Policymakers should look beyond attendance zones and boundary maps to consider the consolidation of schools or school districts as a mechanism of breaking up large concentrations of poverty or racially isolated student populations (McDaniels, 2017).
States and local communities should invest in high-quality preschool for children from low-income households (Darling-Hammond, 2018).
Local communities and large metropolitan cities should consider expanding and/or preserving affordable housing in high performing school zones (Darling-Hammond, 2018).
If educational leaders intend to play a role in dismantling the inequity in public education, it will mean raising awareness through the sharing of scholarly literature, engaging in political discourse and policy creation, and using our democratic power to demand that America addresses its persistent approval of policies and accountability requirements that perpetuate the very gap it seeks to close. Failure to do so will result in a continuation of the popular, yet faulty widespread negative narrative that our public schools are failing our children, especially those in our most vulnerable communities. We know better and therefore, we must do a better job of being informed thought leaders and advocates for equity. We can start by asking parents, community members, policy makers, legislators, and other stakeholders a new question to answer: What are we willing to do to close the achievement gap?
Alexander, K., & Morgan, S. L. (2016). The Coleman report at fifty: Its legacy and implications for future research on equality of opportunity. The Ru¡ssell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(5), 1–16. Retrieved from http://www.rsfjournal.org/doi/full/10.7758/RSF.2016.2.5.01
Bartz, D. E. (2016). Revisiting James Coleman’s epic study entitled equality of educational opportunity. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 34(4), 1-10.
Bauman, C. (2017, June 21). Memphis-Shelby county spotlighted in national report on school district secession. Chalkbeat. Retrieved from https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2017/06/21/memphis-shelby-county-spotlighted-in-national-report-on-school-district-secession/
Coleman, J. S. (1966). Equality of educational opportunity. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED012275.pdf
Darling-Hammond, L. (2018). Education and the path to one nation, indivisible. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. Retrieved from https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/Education_Path_To_One_Nation_BRIEF.pdf
Dobrsako, R. (2018). South Carolina Equalization Schools 1951-1960 [Website]. Retrieved from http://www.scequalizationschools.org/equalization-schools.html
EdBuild. (2018). Fractured: the breakdown of America’s school districts [Report]. Retrieved from https://edbuild.org/content/fractured#shelby
Hanushek, E.A. (2016). What matters for student achievement. Education Next, 16 (2), 18-26.
Kahlenberg, R. D. (2013). From All Walks of Life: New Hope for School Integration. American Educator, 36 (4), 2.
Logan, J.R. and Oakley, D. (2004). The continuing legacy of the Brown decision: court action and school segregation, 1960-2000. Retrieved from http://mumford.cas.albany.edu/schoolsegregation/reports/Brown_report_1_28.pdf
Mantil, A., Perkins, A. G., & Aberger, S. (2012). The challenge of high-poverty schools: How feasible is socioeconomic school integration?. The Future of School Integration, 155-222.
McDaniels, A. (2017, December 19). A New Path for School Integration. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/news/2017/12/19/444212/new-path-school-integration/
Orfield, G. (2001). Schools more separate: Consequences of a decade of resegregation. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED459217.pdf
Reardon, S. F., & Owens, A. (2014). 60 years after Brown: Trends and consequences of school segregation. Annual Review of Sociology, 40.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2016). Better use of information could help agencies identify disparities and address racial discrimination (GAO 16-345). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-345
Author Latoya Dixon, Ph.D.Posted on January 12, 2019 April 2, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
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Table of Contents » Title 8. Education » Agency 60. Norfolk State University » Agency Summary
Search Agency
8VAC60. Norfolk State University
VAC AGENCY NO. 60
AGENCY SUMMARY
Founded in 1935, Norfolk State University’s mission is to provide an affordable, high-quality education for an ethnically and culturally diverse student population, equipping them with the capability to become productive citizens who continuously contribute to a global and rapidly changing society. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. The University has eight academic colleges or schools and 49 degree programs that operate on one campus. Chapter 19 (§ 23.1-1900 et seq.) of Title 23.1 of the Code of Virginia.
The board of visitors or other governing body of every state-supported institution of higher education in Virginia is authorized to establish regulations or institution policies for the acceptance of students; for the conduct of students in attendance and for the rescission or restriction of financial aid, suspension, and dismissal of students who fail or refuse to abide by such regulations or policies; for the employment of professors, teachers, instructors, and all other employees; and for parking and traffic on property owned by the institution. In addition, the board of visitors or other governing body is authorized to establish programs to promote compliance among students with laws relating to the use of alcoholic beverages and to establish guidelines for the initiation or induction into any social fraternity or sorority. § 23.1-1902 of the Code of Virginia.
Regulations may be obtained from Norfolk State University, 700 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23504.
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Spaces-in-Between: The City Becoming Ideas Camp
Research seminar hosted by Theatrum Mundi
In collaboration with Dome of Visions, Theatrum Mundi occupied the temporary Dome -built by NCC- on Copenhagen’s harbour front, for six days in April, conducting an interdisciplinary design charette to imagine what can be done to repair the leftover spaces in this part of Copenhagen. This repair might be physical, temporal, sonic, visual, political, or a mixture of all this. With daily interventions (masterclasses and crits) from established creators in our network, the meeting resulted in a new conversation about urban life and in a public exhibition of the outcomes on the final day, with participation from the municipal authorities.
Peter Gregson, Gry Worre Hallberg, Silas Harrebye, Edwin Heathcote, Hana Loftus, Markus Miessen, Nick Ryan, Richard Sennett, Andrew Todd
Saturday 20 April 2013 to Thursday 25 April 2013
Edwin Heathcote
Edwin Heathcote is an architect and designer. He has been the architecture and design critic of The Financial Times since 1999, and is the author of a number of books on architecture and design including 'The Meaning of Home'. He has a monthly column on architecture and design in GQ Magazine, is on the editorial board of AD and ICON and is editor-in-chief of online design writing archive readingdesign.org.
Richard Sennett
Richard Sennett is Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and University Professor of the Humanities at New York University. His research interests include the relationship between urban design and urban society, urban family patterns, the urban welfare system, the history of cities and the changing nature of work. His books include The Craftsman (2008), The Culture of the New Capitalism (Yale, 2006), Respect: The Formation of Character in an Age of Inequality (Penguin, 2003), The Corrosion of Character (1998), Flesh and Stone (1994) and The Fall of Public Man (1977). He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Society of Literature, the Royal Society of the Arts and the Academia Europea. He is past President of the American Council on Work and the former Director of the New York Institute for the Humanities. Recent honours and awards include The Schocken Prize, 2011; Honorary Doctorate from Cambridge University, 2010; The Spinoza Prize, 2010; The Tessenow Prize, 2009; The Gerda Henkel Prize, 2008; The European Craft Prize, 2008; and The Hegel Prize, 2006.
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Home / Bollywood / Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth to kick off golden jubilee celebration of IFFI
Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth to kick off golden jubilee celebration of IFFI
Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth, arguably two of the country’s biggest film personalities will throw open the golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India in Goa.
Updated: Nov 19, 2019 21:24:15
By Gerard de Souza, Hindustan Times
Rajinikanth will be honoured with a special Icon of Golden Jubilee award at IFFI.
Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth, arguably two of the country’s biggest film personalities along with Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar and a host of film personalities will throw open the golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India in Goa on Wednesday throwing open the eight day film extravaganza often billed as India’s answer to Cannes.
Addressing a press conference, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promised delegates that the festival would offer a complete spectrum of the film cultures from across the country which he said would be the special feature of the golden jubilee participation.
“States from across the country will set up pavilions at the IFFI venue displaying the film culture and personalities. So far eight states of the country have confirmed that they will set up pavilions,” Sawant said. The festival this year will have a special focus on films from Russia.
The highlight of the festival is the international competition section in which 15 films representing 20 countries competing for the Golden Peacock Award.
John Bailey Ex. President Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to head the International Jury of this year’s edition.
Marathi film ‘Mai Ghat: Crime No. 103/2005’ directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan and Malayalam film Jallikattu directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery are the two Indian films competing in the international competition section.
Besides the International Competition, Indian Panorama section is a flagship section of IFFI, which showcases the best of contemporary Indian feature and non-feature films of the year.
This year’s edition will feature 26 feature films and 15 non feature films including mainstream films like Uri: The Surgical Strike, Gully Boy, F2 (a Telugu film), Supre 30 and others.
Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. The 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will honour superstar Rajinikanth with a special Icon of Golden Jubilee award, announced the Minister during the conference. ( PTI )
The 50th International Film Festival of India, 2019 will witness around 200 best films from 76 countries, 26 feature films and 15 non feature films in Indian panorama section and more than 10,000 people and film lovers are expected to participate in the golden jubilee edition.
The festival will open with the Italian film ‘Nonostante La Nebbia’ (Despite the Fog), directed by Goran Paskaljevic while “Marghe and Her Mother” directed by Iranian filmmaker, Mohsen Makhmalbaf will bring the festival to a close on November 28.
IFFI is jointly organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, a Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting agency and the Goa government’s Entertainment Society of Goa, which have collectively spent around Rs. 40 crore for organising the 50th edition.
A special felicitation will recognise the contribution of legends of Indian cinema like Ramesh Sippy, N Chandra and PC Shreeram at the inaugural event. John Bailey (Chairman of Jury), Robbin Campillo, Zhang Yang, Lynne Ramsay and Sippy, as juries will be judging films screened in the festival’s competition section.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already announced a special award titled ‘Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI’ which will be conferred upon the eminent film personality S Rajinikanth “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, during the past several decades.”
Similarly French actor Isabelle Huppert to be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award The Lifetime Achievement Award, IFFI, is the highest honour and the most prestigious award of the festival. The award carries a cash prize of ₹1-lakh.
The festival will also feature master classes by experts from the industry, panel discussions and interactive sessions with celebrities.
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) aims at providing a common platform to the cinemas across the world to project the excellence of the art of filmmaking.
IFFI was started way back in 1952, the first ever IFFI was organized by the Films Division, Government of India, with the patronage of the first Prime Minister of India – Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
International Film Festival
Pramod Sawant
International Film Festival of India
Leopard that killed three people, shot dead in Haridwar
Thieves cut open ATM in Sector 5, decamp with ₹69,000
Virat Kohli breaks MS Dhoni’s massive ODI record as skipper
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Police believe Mr Dick’s tattoos could help them find him. Picture: Victoria Police
Distinctive tattoo could catch ‘killer’
by Ben Graham
A DISTINCTIVELY tattooed man - who is alleged to have killed his own brother with a sword and attacked a mate with a hammer - has been "hiding in plain sight" for almost two years.
That's the claim of Victoria Police, which is today announcing a $100,000 reward as part of the ongoing search for Jonathan Dick.
The alleged killer is wanted by police for the murder of his brother, David, on February 3 last year in Keilor, northwest Melbourne.
A personal training group stumbled across David after he had been attacked near a lift at a Westfield shopping centre. He was suffering severe head injuries and died at the scene.
Detectives believe the two brothers may have fallen out in an argument over property.
The fugitive is also wanted over a non-fatal hammer attack on a former friend - also in Keilor - on August 23 this year.
In that attack, police allege a 38-year-old man was assaulted with a hammer in a residential driveway on Church Street just before 7am.
He sustained a minor laceration to the back of his head and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Jonathan Dick. Picture: Victoria Police
Detectives have previously said Jonathan Dick can survive on little to no money for long periods of time by attending homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
However, the officer in charge of the Homicide Squad, Detective Inspector Tim Day, said Mr Dick's distinctive leg tattoos may help lead to his capture as the weather warms up and he is forced to wear less clothing.
The first tattoo is of Wolverine v Sabretooth on his right thigh, while the second depicts The Incredible Hulk and is believed to be on his left lower leg.
"It's our belief that over the past year, Jonathan has essentially been hiding in plain sight," Det Insp Day said.
"His movements over the past 18 months are a mystery and we require the public's help.
"The recent footage of him (from Keilor) shows that he is clean-shaven, has not lost a significant amount of weight and is wearing clean clothes. On that basis we suspect he is not sleeping rough and may have access to stable lodging and funds.
Cops say the public should look out for these tattoos. Picture: Victoria Police
"We obviously want to know where he is staying, where he is buying his food and how he's getting around."
Police have now uploaded pictures of the tattoos on social media and a computer-generated image of what the alleged killer may look like now with long hair.
"This is not a man who stands out and is probably taking care to ensure he doesn't stand out, but he will have to come into contact with members of the public at various times and it is crucial that the community are our eyes and ears," Det Insp Day said.
"We are urging people to keep a lookout for him in their local area and if they do see him, to call triple-0 immediately."
Mr Dick's family said they were "completely shattered" when they were told Jonathan was being treated as a suspect in his brother's murder.
"It's almost surreal at the moment," his mum told 9NEWS.
"I had no idea it was Jonathan. It was totally unbelievable."
He added that there was nothing at this stage to indicate that Mr Dick was a risk to the wider community.
"What we do know is that the two incidents he has been involved in involved people who were known to him," he said.
Freshly released video footage shows Jonathan Dick giving a speech at a wedding. Picture: Victoria Police
"We do not have any evidence at this stage that he has been involved in any other incidents."
Victoria Police has also today released a video Mr Dick, filmed at a friend's wedding in 2007.
The force says the footage has been released in a bid for the community to hear his voice and see his mannerisms.
Investigators have also released footage of Jonathan leaving the scene at Keilor, along with a computer-generated image which shows how Jonathan is likely to look at the moment with longer hair.
He is described as being of caucasian appearance, about 176cm tall with a solid build and mousy brown hair.
Police are appealing for Mr Dick to hand himself in and urge anyone who sights him not to approach him but to call triple-0 immediately.
His deceased brother David. Picture: David Caird
Australia’s most wanted fugitives
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Every Commonwealth Games volunteer named
editors picks fugitive tattoo
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SciFi Weekend: Torchwood’s Immortal Sins; Doctor Who, Let’s Kill Hitler; The Doctor and Other Time Travelers Win Hugo Awards, The Hour (A Great Show To Watch While Waiting For Mad Men To Return)
August 21, 2011 — Ron Chusid
This week’s episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, Immortal Sins, is more Jack-centric, showing how his back story plays into the events of the Miracle, and presumably why there was a signal for Torchwood on the day that the Miracle began. The series has seemed to take a long time to move towards a conclusion at times, but I suspect that the pace will pick up in the final three episodes now that we have a better idea of where it is headed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d–_kOhavH4&feature=player_embedded
The episode even has two references to the Doctor in the scenes above. Those who complained to the BBC about the explicit gay sex won’t like this episode either. My only complaint is that there wasn’t a matching sex scene with a female as occurred earlier this season. Captain Jack gets the best line of the episode: “Forgive me father for I have sinned… so many times… and that’s just today!”
Season six of Doctor Who resumes next week. Above is a preview of the episode from BBC America. Karen Gillan also introduces Let’s Kill Hitler plus two clips from Doctor Who Confidential have also been released:
The Daily Mirror, which is not the most reliable of sources, claims that Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman and Catherine Tate will all return in the episode. Consider how the Doctor left both Billie Piper (Rose) and Catherine Tate (Donna), this would seem difficult. Perhaps he meets them before his final encounters with them, or perhaps the actresses are there but they aren’t what they seem.
A prequel scene to Let’s Kill Hitler was released last week. The scene is posted here.
While nothing has been officially confirmed, based upon interviews with both Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill it appears like Amy and Rory will leave as regular companions at the end of the season, most likely to raise their newly-rescued baby, and a new companion will be introduced. Both have also said they will be returning in the future, and it is assumed they mean as recurring characters similar to how River Song has appeared intermittently.
Doctor Who, as well as other time-travel stories, did well in this year’s Hugo Award ceremony at the World Science Fiction Convention in Reno last night. Black Out/All Clear, a pair of novels dealing with time travel to England during World War II by Connie Willis, won best novel.
The season five Doctor Who two-part story, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang, won the Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. Two other episodes of Doctor Who, A Christmas Carol and Vincent and the Doctor, were also nominated this year.
The winning episodes were written by Steven Moffat, who previously won the Hugo Award for these episodes of Doctor Who: Blink in 2008, The Girl In The Fireplace in 2007 and The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances in 2006. An episode by Russel T. Davies, The Waters of Mars won in 2010 when there were only specials and no regular episodes written by Moffat.
Doctor Who was also responsible for a non-fiction award. Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It, edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea, won for Best Related Work.
Inception won for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form. My interpretation of the movie was previously posted here.
Here’s something to watch if you can’t wait until next year for Mad Men to return. The Hour premiered on BBC America last week–trailer above. The DVD set of the series will be released in September. After watching the first episode I quickly obtained episodes two through five, in preparation for the sixth and final episode of the season which airs Tuesday in the U.K.
There are several new shows which are trying to capitalize on the nostalgia value of Mad Men (but most ignore the fact that it is quality which made Mad Men a success). Both have a feeling of a previous era but one which is not all that different from today. The creative type people on a news show in The Hour versus those in advertising on Mad Men, along with the drinking and smoking scenes, give the shows a similar feel. The third episode also reminded me of scenes from Brideshead Revisited.
American network shows trying to capitalize on the Mad Men feel such as Pan Am and one on the Playboy Club are also starting this fall, but I doubt they will show the same quality as either Mad Men or The Hour.
They are also very different shows too. Beyond its late 1950’s backdrop on a television news show, The Hour gets involved with a murder mystery and Cold War espionage. In some ways the show feels like a combination of the two AMC series, Mad Men and Rubicon. Being six hours has allowed it to develop the season-long arc without stretching it out too long. It is also reminiscent of Mad Men, which previously took place at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, by dealing with the Suez crisis and Soviet invasion of Hungary.
The Hour has a superb cast. Best known to American audiences is Dominic West from The Wire. Romola Garai (pictured above) and Ben Whishaw are also excellent in their lead roles. Burn Gorman, who previously played Owen Harper on Torchwood, has a significant role. Now I can’t wait for Mad Men to return, and I know that once the series conclude its U.K. run on Tuesday I will be anxiously awaiting a second season of The Hour.
Posted in Science Fiction, Television. Tags: 9/11, Amanda Peet, Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill, Catherine Tate, Doctor Who, Donna Noble, Inception, River Song, Rose Tyler, Rubicon, Russell T Davies, Science Fiction, Steven Moffat, The Hour, The Pandorica Opens, Torchwood, Torchwood: Miracle Day, Vincent and the Doctor. RSS feed for comments on this post.. TrackBack URL.
Dr Who News says:
August 21st 2011 at 9:53 pm
SciFi Weekend: Torchwood's Immortal Sins; Doctor Who, Let's Kill … http://t.co/jaNyzmd #Torchwood
antmousie says:
August 22nd 2011 at 5:32 pm
#SciFi Weekend: #Torchwood Immortal Sins; #DoctorWho, Let's Kill Hitler; #Hugo Awards; The Hour. http://t.co/KWdT6Z4
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Tag Archives: Dr Dan Peters
Crisis & Fear Podcast Available Now!
Posted on October 13, 2014 by normanbradio Leave a comment
The latest edition of Life Elsewhere is available now at Sticher
Dr . Dan Peters , licensed psychologist and author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears joined the program to discuss how to talk to your children about fear, specifically the latest headline news of an Ebola scare. Dr. Dan has devoted his career to working with children and families. His practice focuses on the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families with diverse issues and challenges including overcoming worry and fear.
Both Erin Arvedlund and Martin Wolf have written books that read like fiction, but as the saying goes: Truth is stranger than fiction. We could not resist booking the two authors for the same edition of Life Elsewhere because they have both written exceptional books relating to the financial crisis. Martin Wolf, CBE widely considered to be one of the world’s most influential writers on economics and associate editor and chief economics commentator at the Financial Times has written The Shifts and the Shocks: What We’ve Learned and Have Still to Learn from the Financial Crisis. Mr. Wolf’s book, full of graphs and charts, is a riveting read, explaining a complex subject for the layman. His book coincides with the release of Open Secret: The Global Banking Conspiracy That Swindled Investors Out of Billions by Erin Arvedlund, a financial writer for thePhiladelphia Inquirer. Ms. Arvedlund documents Libor and the interest rate rigging scandals that emerged out of the 2008 Financial Crisis. We have gave this edition of Life Elsewhere an ominous title, but as you’ll hear from Norman B’s interviews, it’s not all doom and gloom, Ms. Arvedlund and Mr. Wolf both offer (thankfully) glimpses of optimism.
Sensing the program’s darker tone than usual. Norman began with an example of new music he recently discovered. 19-year-old Billie Black from London and the sublime I Waited For You. Later in the show, we present this week’s Hit That Never Was, featuring, from Portland Oregon, Cohen with I Have A Dream from the splendid Owl Said EP .
Life Elsewhere airs every Monday at 9.00am ET (1400 GMT)
Dr. Dan Peters
Erin Arvedlund
Hit That Never Was
Norman B
WMNF
Crisis & Fear.
Timing is everything. We had scheduled two authors with exceptional books, both relating to the Financial Crisis. Martin Wolf, CBE widely considered to be one of the world’s most influential writers on economics and associate editor and chief economics commentator at the Financial Times has written The Shifts and the Shocks: What We’ve Learned and Have Still to Learn from the Financial Crisis. Mr. Wolf’s book, full of graphs and charts, turns out to be a riveting read explaining a complex subject for the layman. His book coincides with the release of Open Secret: The Global Banking Conspiracy That Swindled Investors Out of Billions by Erin Arvedlund, a financial writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ms. Arvedlund documents the interest rate rigging scandals that emerged out of the 2008 Financial Crisis. Both Erin Arvedlund and Martin Wolf have written books that read like fiction, but as the saying goes: Truth is stranger than fiction. We could not resist booking the two authors for the same edition of Life Elsewhere.
As we prepared our show on the Financial Crisis, we could not have predicted another Crisis would be headline news. Only this time Crisis was coupled with Fear. Ebola is dominating the news. The words Crisis and Fear are everywhere. Across the country, children are asking parents and each other, “Did you hear about the person who got it in Texas?” and, “What’s Ebola? or “Can I get it?” To help us understand how we can manage our children’s fears (and our own), we invited back to Life Elsewhere, Dr. Dan Peters , licensed psychologist and author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears .
The subject matter for this edition of Life Elsewhere may seem a little serious, but we guarantee it will be essential and informative listening. To lighten the tone a little we present our weekly Hit That Never Was, featuring, from Portland Oregon, Cohen with I Have A Dream from the splendid Owl Said EP .
Posted on May 27, 2014 by normanbradio One comment
The latest edition of Life Elsewhere, Podcast featuring an extended interview with Dr. Dan Peters on the aftermath of the recent shooting in Isla Vista, California, is available here and here.
Coming up, June 9, at Life Elsewhere, we will celebrate World Cup Brazil 2014 with acclaimed creative director and soccer aficionado, Robert Priest who is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Eight by Eight a brilliant new magazine all about The Beautiful Game. Robert and his co-partner Grace Lee, have created a magazine that is not only beautiful to look at, its fascinating and entertaining, even to the non-soccer fan.
June 2, Jowita Bydloska, joins the program, author of Drunk Mom: A Memoir, a new book that pushes boundaries as she courageously shines the light on the twisted logic of an addicted mind and the powerful transformative love of one’s child. Norman B will explore with the author, the harrowing details and how her new book also gives hope, especially to those struggling in some way .
Further ahead on Life Elsewhere we will be talking with Richard Gabriel about his new book Acquittal: An Insider Reveals the Stories and Strategies Behind Today’s Most Infamous Verdicts which reads like fiction, only the explicit detail is all too real. New York Times Best Selling author Kate Kelly has a new book,
“>The Secret Club That Runs the World: Inside the Fraternity of Commodity Trader We’ll ask Ms. Kelly, “What shocked her the most during her research for this book” and “Should we the 99% be worried by the antics of traders?”. The Devil’s Workshop (Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad) is a new historical thriller by Alex Grecian. perfect book for reading on vacation, lying in the sun as the author takes into dark, dank places where Jack the Ripper roamed. We’ll ask Alex Grecian how he researches his books to provide such chilling detail and why his fascination with the past?
Last week, as way of showing our gratitude for your support of Life Elsewhere, we made an exclusive music mix for you to download. The response has been outstanding, but our server space can only handle so many downloads before it begins to cost us money to upgrade in order to accommodate the traffic. We want you to have the music mix, go download it now! To economize on our costs the download link will be disabled on June 1, 2014.
Here is a sample of the music we have included in the FREE mix, the late, great Gregory Isaacs from a Jamaican 12″ EP, Soon Forward
https://lifeelsewhereradio.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/1-03-soon-forward.m4a
Download Norman B’s Exclusive Thank You Mix Here
Reggae-Lovers Rock
What Do We Tell Our Children?
Sadly and oh so predictably, yet another senseless attack on our right to civilization happened at Isla Vista, California, last Friday night. The televised statement from the father of Christopher Martinez the distraught parent of one of the victims is unbearable to watch, not only because of witnessing the agony this man is suffering, but also because of the unequivocal truth he speaks. Once again so many questions must be addressed. How can this happen? What should or could we have done t prevent it? The pundits and talking heads on TV will no doubt go on ad infinitum. Yet, most importantly, what do we tell our children about such a tragedy? How do we talk to the about such a wretched event? To help us, we have asked Dr. Dan Peters to join us once again at Life Elsewhere. Dr. Dan Peters is the author of “From Worrier to Worrier – A Guid To Conquering Your Fears” and also Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears . We will ask Dr. Peters, “What do we tell our children about tragedy’s like this? With easy access to Youtube, kids are bombarded with images and “thoughts” like the alleged killer’s posts?” and “Are the professionals, the psychologists, psychiatrists and general practitioners now more subject to public scrutiny?”
Life Elsewhere
Live 9.00am EDT, Monday, May 26
www.wmnf.org
Podcast at Stitcher
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Home » MAGIX acquires Sony Creative Software products
MAGIX acquires Sony Creative Software products
Middleton/Berlin, May 24, 2016 – MAGIX Software GmbH, a German software and app provider, is acquiring a majority of the Sony Creative Software (SCS) products.
MAGIX Software GmbH is a leading creator of video, music, and photo-editing software and apps in Europe and is already well established in the US market. By purchasing Sony Creative Software products, including the full Vegas Pro, Movie Studio, Sound Forge Pro, and ACID Pro product lines, MAGIX is further cementing its position in the market and accelerating its international growth. The SCS Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Production Suite will continue to be developed by Sony for professional broadcast and production applications.
“These products from Sony Creative Software are the perfect addition to our portfolio. We have already strengthened our presence in the United States in order to propel development and sales. This autumn, we plan to release new versions of the video-editing programs Vegas Pro and Movie Studio, which are heavily oriented toward the customer requirements of today,” says MAGIX CEO Klaus Schmidt.
MAGIX will continue to support all current SCS customers who purchased products from Sony to ensure a seamless end user experience.
MAGIX is a global provider of software, online services, and digital content for the use of multimedia products and services for general and business communication. Established in 1993, MAGIX offers private and professional users a technologically sophisticated and user-friendly range of products for designing, editing, presenting, and archiving digital photos, videos, music, documents, and websites.
Based on retail sales figures, MAGIX is the market leader in multimedia software in Germany and the other most prominent European markets and is also one of the most successful market players in the United States.
MAGIX see.feel.hear.create
Freecom Launches Slim, Sleek, High-Speed Portable Drive With Type-C and USB 3.0 Cables For Mac And PC Users
LIFX Color 1000 smart bulb
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The debate How Many Artists Does It Take? hosted as part of Manchester Histories Festival 2018 Debating Day set the ball rolling for an ongoing discussion about artist visibility. It was passionate and informative.
I am one of three artists who will now take the discussion on the road, sharing views, inspirational stories, ideas, suggestions, and grievances with people we meet along the way.
On 29th July, Eve Robertson (theatre make), John-Paul Brown (photographer), and I will start the 250mile walk that the Blanketeers attempted in March 1817; from Petersfield, Manchester, to London.
The project is called March of the Artists, inspired by the March of the Blanketeers, which took place 200 years earlier, and driven by the recent creative response of Manchester’s artists to their displacement due to intense property development.
The March of the Blanketeers was one of a run of events, which culminated in the Peterloo massacre. It led to parliamentary reform and many of the rights that we now benefit from in the UK. Hundreds of spinners and weavers gathered in Peter’s Field, Manchester in March 1817. They each carried a blanket each to identify themselves as textile workers, and a portion of a petition to give to the Prince Regent. The plan was that all the portions were to be joined together on arriving in London, and would highlight the desperate hardship faced by textile workers in the North West. The marchers were attacked by soldiers almost as soon as they set off; in Stockport several received sabre wounds and one man was shot dead. Around four or five hundred got as far as Macclesfield and Leek, some 20 miles away; most of them were turned back at the Hanging Bridge over the Dove as they were about to enter Derbyshire. Only one ‘Blanketeer’, Abel Cauldwell, managed to reach London.
Like the Blanketeers, artists in Manchester are currently experiencing a moment of evolution. In the last 18 months, at least eight studio groups have been forced to move from city centre premises to make room for the development of mainly luxury accommodation. This has stimulated a number of exciting and dynamic artist-led projects to develop, with the intention of becoming autonomous and sustainable.
The March of the Artists is our way to let people know about these changes, to keep artists visible, and to encourage their value by engaging people directly with how we work and create art.
The Send Off
We start our walk, is on 29th July at 11.30am from Manchester Central, the site where Petersfield was originally. Balladress, Jennifer Reid, will be reading us the Riot Act, as were the Blanketeers, and sending us off with our Marching song, words written baby Mike Hugo, tune by Jennifer. Everyone is welcome to come and wish us a good and safe journey.
From there, our first stop is Arc creative arts centre in Stockport, and then onto Macclesfield the following day.
The project can be followed on;
Twitter @CallForCloth
Facebook facebook.com/marchoftheartists/
Instagram @marchoftheartists
Image: From How Many Artists Does It Take? Courtesy Amanda Hennessey
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Sending your child off to college is a big moment in their life, and in yours as a parent or guardian. But you can be assured that your child will be in good hands here at Manhattan College.
Watch Video: Manhattan College Parents
Meet Manhattan College parents and learn about how their sons and daughters have succeeded here through academics, internships and student life activities.
What Makes Manhattan College Special?
Our Lasallian Tradition
At Manhattan College, your child will be a part of a truly unique community. We are a mission-focused Lasallian Catholic college that strives to promote faith, respect, education, community and social justice.
Our Lasallian tradition means that we value faith and inclusion. Our population includes students of all faiths including Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews.
As Lasallians, we are committed to creating lasting social change by working to fix the root causes of poverty and injustice. Your child will have the opportunity to participate in numerous programs, ranging from community service projects in our local neighborhood, to service-immersion trips where students experience an unfamiliar culture in the U.S. or abroad, learn about issues of social justice and engage in hands-on service work.
Your child's college education is one the biggest, and most important, investments you'll ever make. By choosing Manhattan College, a nationally-ranked leader in return on investment, you will be setting your child up for future career success.
Our New York City location gives your child access to internships that are simply not available anywhere else. More than 75% of our students complete an internship, providing them with valuable professional experience and networking opportunities.
Nearly 90% of our graduates are employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation. The median base starting salary is more than $55,000. No matter your child's career goals, we can help them succeed.
Your child won't get lost in the crowd at Manhattan College. Our undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1 and our average class size is 23 students. Our faculty get to know students individually and form relationships that extend beyond graduation.
We offer numerous research programs that give undergraduate students the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on research, including writing research papers and presenting at conferences — an opportunity many universities don't offer until the graduate level. And we have a Center for Graduate School & Fellowship Advisement to support students who want to pursue grad school.
Your child will be supported by a dedicated academic advisor who they will regularly meet with to discuss course registration, major or minor selection and career goals.
Safety & Support Services
Your child's new home-away-from-home on our campus is a safe and welcoming environment. Our campus is tucked away in an upscale and safe neighborhood near the border of Westchester. On campus, we employ more than 50 public safety officers who patrol 24/7 to ensure student safety.
We offer numerous services to assist students with adjusting to college life. Our Center for Academic Success provides tutoring for all freshman level courses, as well as many upper-level courses. And the Writing Center can help your student master term papers with assistance from brainstorming through final edits.
Our counseling center is staffed with a team of therapists who provide services at no cost. And our on-site health services office provides urgent care for common minor illnesses and injuries.
Requirements & Application Process
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About Manhattan College
Contact an Admissions Counselor
Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
O'Malley Library, 6th Floor
admit@manhattan.edu
Monday ‐ Friday
9 a.m. ‐ 4:30 p.m.
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Lessons From the Loft
Students in ART 370: Current Trends: The New York City Art Scene visit an artist's home studio in TriBeCa and take part in a hands-on demonstration of two techniques.
Printed on the syllabus for ART 370: Current Trends: The New York City Art Scene, is the classroom Hayden Hall 107.
But on a Friday in November, much like other weeks throughout the semester, the classroom is the city — specifically, artist Renee Magnanti’s eclectic home studio in TriBeCa; in which the podium is a kitchen table, and the lesson is hands-on.
That afternoon, the small class of four students stepped into Magnanti’s work room for a demonstration of her favorite artistic medium, encaustic painting, a technique that involves carving through layers of colorfully painted wax. On the walls around them hang dozens of her pieces — explosions of yellow, orange and turquoise paint scraped into tribal patterns and phrases — some that took years to finish.
“That’s what makes it interesting to be an artist,” she says, handing out paintbrushes to the students and encouraging them to add personal touches to her own works-in-progress. “You can keep moving ahead to the next project. You can grow with your work.”
Donning an apron, Grace McDermott ’14, an art history major and digital media minor, tries her hand at scraping, as the others take turns stirring the hot wax and painting.
“I’ve lived in New York for five years now, and this class has taken me to places I’ve never thought to go,” McDermott says. “I’ve met some really interesting artists.”
The course, taught by Marianne Eggler, visiting instructor of visual and performing arts, has taken students everywhere from the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, to the (since closed) 5 Pointz graffiti exhibit in Queens, to the Bronx’s Gramsci Monument, a commissioned art space created in a low-income housing development.
“New York’s got to be the most diverse art scene in the world,” says Eggler, an old friend of Magnanti’s. “And the scene reflects the city. Artists come from all over to study.”
Back in the workroom, Magnanti’s husband and fellow artist Bill Pangburn switches the focus to his forte, monoprinting. He invites each student to etch original designs into small metal plates and then pass them through a massive printing press in the kitchen.
Gabe Quiroz ’14, a management and global business studies major, carefully reproduces an etching of the Manhattan College logo — a souvenir to take home, along with the ink on his elbow.
Class finishes up with cannoli and coffee at the table and a conversation about the living, breathing art gallery surrounding them.
“These field trips are the best possible way to experience history while it’s still being made,” Eggler says.
Photos courtesy of Darcy Rogers
By Julie Benns Monday, July 21, 2014 12:37 PM
5 Tips to Land Your Dream Job or Internship
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8 Mobile Apps That Can Help Low Income Families
Posted: March 14, 2018 Tags: App, Aspiration Summit Comments: 0
This article, originally published in June of 2017 as “6 Mobile Apps That Can Help Low-Income Families,” was one of our most commented on and referred to. An ever-growing segment of today’s population, low-income families are typically underserved by the mobile app market and perhaps technology in general, but here are a few that we feel noteworthy. We’ve updated the article with two new additions that cater to the underbanked and to the underemployed populations.
We live in era of the internet. We can web surf or stream movies directly from our smart TV’s, or watch the ball game on a tablet or laptop connected invisibly to a wireless router. The internet of things completely envelops our lives, and while we complain about the price, we know we would not want to live without it.
But for some, there are no wireless routers at home, there may not even be a computer. According to research, about 70% of low-income consumers have smartphones as their as their primary means of connecting to the web. For them, the information age is limited to what can be easily retrieved on a small screen.
In that vein, here are seven mobile applications (plus two online only) that can help low income families access information such as “Where can I get free summer meals for my children”, or “Where is the nearest grocery store that accepts food stamps,” or “What kinds of jobs am I qualified for?”.
Fresh EBT – (iOS/Android/English/Spanish/Free)
For those who qualify, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly Food Stamps helps those struggling to put food on the table. Benefits are paid out through a monthly credit via Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT card, similar to a debit or gift card. These benefits can be used to purchase qualified food items at participating grocery stores. But like a gift card, knowing your balance after you’ve made some purchases can be tricky.
Some, but not all states have an online access program to check your account balance. If not, it’s a call to an 800 number where you must enter your 16 digit card number and PIN to find out just how much is left for groceries
The Fresh EBT app, available in every state, gives the 42 million food stamp recipients an easy way to check their balances from their smartphone. Users can view their balance, pull up a map showing locations of stores, farmers markets and food pantries that accept SNAP, or browse featured deals at nearby grocery stores. The app also contains a convenient shopping list feature nas well as budgeting tools.
Range – (iOS/Android/Windows Store/English/Spanish/Free)
For millions of youth, the beginning of summer also signals the beginning of a long period of food insecurity. With schools closed students who count on their free or reduced-price school meal programs may face hardships, as well as families who now have additional meals to buy. The Summer Meals program administered by the USDA tries to cover that gap by providing free meals at community sites for any child 18 years old or younger.
Depending on the site, meals can include a combination of breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner and can sometimes also offer fun/educational activities. The meal sites are typically hosted by libraries, schools, churches, and community centers and may change from year to year, so finding a site nearby is sometimes problematic.
The Range app uses the USDA database to let parents see the current locations of these sites on a map, get directions, obtain hours of operation and a list of services provided. With Range, parents and children have mobile access to various meal site locations in their area. The database will continue to be updated throughout June so keep checking back if no sites immediately show up on your map.
Aspiration – (iOS/Android/English/Free)
For those living paycheck to paycheck, banking itself has become a luxury. Most financial institutions now charge checking accounts a monthly service fee or require a high minimum monthly balance to maintain. If you use an ATM at a different bank you may incur additional fees. For the affluent or the middle class, the fees are more of a nuisance than a barrier – but for those in poverty, the fees can use up a significant percentage of the account balance.
Aspiration’s Summit account has no minimum monthly balance, no monthly service fees, and no ATM fees.
Accounts are available to any US citizen or permanent resident with a Social Security Number and a permanent US address.
Aspiration also donates a dime of every dollar it makes to charities helping struggling Americans start businesses and build better lives.
Earn Starter Savings Program – (online only/English/Spanish/Chinese/Free)
We’ve all heard the adage “It’s not how much you earn, it’s how much you save.” Unfortunately, research shows that far too many of us are having a difficult time with the second part. According to a recent report by Bankrate, nearly six in 10 Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $1,000 unplanned expense. For many low-income families, there are no savings at all.
Earn Starter Savings Program is an online program designed to kick-start a habit of saving. For those who meet an income requirement (household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income for the county of residence) and have a bank account, they can set up a savings rewards program. The six-month program will pay a $10 reward for each month that at least $20 is saved – a maximum of $60 in rewards. After the six month period, users can continue with the program but no rewards will be given.
An incentive to open a bank account, an incentive to save and once completed, $60 in the pocket of the saver. For those struggling, each dollar counts.
Mint – (iOS/Android/English/Free)
To create a path to financial self reliance, you first need to know where you are then create a budget to get you where you want to be. With Mint, created by Intuit – the people who brought you QuickBooks and TuboTax – it’s made simple. Mint links your accounts to their all-in-one resource mobile app to give you a snapshot of your checking, savings and investment account balances as well as your current and upcoming bills. The big mile marker, your net worth, is displayed on a daily basis.
You can easily set up a budget based on current spending patterns or create a custom one to help meet your financial goals. Be warned, if you go past your clothing budget for the month, you make get snarky message like “You may want to take a look at this.”
Mint gives weekly summaries detailing your spending a well as reminders of upcoming bills, but also hints on how to save money with programs from their many financial partners. Looking for a higher interest rate on your savings account, Mint may have the answer. A free credit score check is also part of the free service.
CareerOneStop’s Skills Matcher – (online only/English/Spanish/Free)
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, CareerOneStop offers free employment and career resources to job seekers throughout the United States.
The newest tool in their toolbox is an online (although it works well with tablets & smartphones) program called Skills Matcher that rates a person’s skill set to a range of over 900 O*NET occupations – complete with the average pay, education needed, and current outlook for job opportunities.
It also works in reverse, jobs seekers can research specific jobs to see what skills, education or certifications are needed, as well as search for local training programs and job postings. Skills Matcher is available in English and Spanish.
Fed 40 – (iOS/Android/English/Free)
Fed 40 is looking to transform the typical food pantry model by delivering food directly to those in need. The app allows the user to fill out a basic form detailing their income, household size, and food need. If approved, Fed 40 will send 40 healthy meal packs out the very next day.
Dave Green, CEO of Feeding Children Everywhere that created the app describes it as “the food pantry of the future, designed to disrupt hunger here in the U.S.”
Currently, there are two types of meal packs, Red Lentil Jambalaya – composed of lentils, rice, dehydrated vegetables and Pink Himalayan Salt and Apple Pie Oats – containing crispy puffed brown rice, Scottish oats, dehydrated apple and nutmeg. The packs can be eaten by themselves as a meal or combined with a protein such as chicken (recipes are offered on the site and instructional cooking videos can be found on YouTube).
Fed 40, which launched in early June, has already distributed over 36,000 meals. While initially focusing on providing emergency food services, Feeding Children Everywhere envisions the app eventually linking low income individuals to other needed resources such as financial literacy, job search aid, and for some, getting their first ID.
Flipp – (iOS/Android/English/Free)
No longer get the Sunday paper but still want to know what’s on sale?
Flipp is a way to bring circulars from over 800 retailers directly to your phone. You can search for specific items or simply browse through your favorite store’s flyer.
Create a shopping list to instantly compare prices on hundreds of grocery items and load in your reward card information for more savings. It’s an easy way to save money off your grocery bill each week.
As a side note, many low income people try to stretch their food budget by buying inexpensive, lower quality foods. Typically, these foods are high in sodium, fat and sugar. Regular consumption of these foods invites long term health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. The treatment for those conditions is often multiple doctors visits and expensive medications, further exacerbating the already tight budgets.
The Luvo CheckIt app (iOS/English/Free) is a convenient way to see if a packaged food item is healthy for you by simply scanning the bar code.
The app gives good ratings on less processed foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, and lower ratings on foods that contain added sugars or high saturated fat or sodium content.
The app also offers general wellness and nutrition tips.
Food Keeper – (iOS/Android/English/Spanish/Portugese/Free)
Ever looked in the back of your refrigerator to find something so old it’s unrecognizable? Surveys estimate that over 20% of the food we bring back from the grocery store gets wasted. Fresh produce, meats, fish and poultry are some of the items most vulnerable too being tossed – and some of the most expensive. That unrecognizable item in your fridge, it’s just money thrown away.
The FoodKeeper mobile app, a collaboration of the USDA, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute, helps reduce food waste in the home by providing storage life information for over 400 food and beverage products. Filled with tips on the best ways to store food, it can also be programmed to send you a reminder when something in your fridge is about to spoil. Easy to use with either swipe gestures or voice control, it helps answer the age-old question – “Is this still good?”
Let’s Green the Pantry
Hunger Collaborative
info@mavfoundation.org
MAV Foundation © 2018. All rights reserved.
About Meera
Meera Vasudevan is Co-founder of Preferred Brands International, a Connecticut-based food company that makes Tasty Bite, a range of natural, ethnic food sold in major supermarkets around the world.
Meera also co-founded ASG-Omni a US and India based consulting firm involved in the design and execution of entry strategies for large US corporations looking to do business in India.
Meera began her career in market research at MARG (Marketing & Research Group), India. MARG is now part of the Nielsen group. After nearly a decade there, Meera co-founded India’s first specialist and largest qualitative research firm, Quantum Market Research. She worked on a number of entry strategies for global brands looking to enter the Indian market and on national social research projects for UNICEF.
She has served on some non-profit boards in the US, and is currently on the board of the United Way of Western Connecticut.
Meera has a Bachelors in English with post-graduate qualifications in Marketing from the University of Madras and INSEAD, France.
About Ashok
Ashok Vasudevan is Co-founder & CEO of Preferred Brands International, a Connecticut-based food company that makes Tasty Bite and a range of other natural, ethnic and specialty foods sold in major supermarkets globally.
Prior to Tasty Bite, Ashok headed the India desk of Pepsi World Trade in Somers, New York. He received Pepsi’s prestigious MVP award in 1991.
Before joining Pepsi, Ashok spent 10 years with Unilever in various functions that included Management Development, Sales & Marketing and International Business
He is involved in several non-profit organizations in India and the US including:
Director on the Board of The Fairfield County Business Council
Member of the Chairman’s Circle of the US-India Business Council,
Distinguished Visiting Professor of International Entrepreneurship and a member of the Business advisory Council of Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai, India.
Ashok Vasudevan graduated in Agricultural Sciences from Bangalore, and post graduate degrees at Bajaj Institute of Management in Bombay and the Harvard Business School.
About Anil
Dr. Nigam worked at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center for over three decades as Research Staff Member. His research at IBM spanned a broad range of areas, including Parallel Processing Architectures and Database Machines, Artificial Intelligence and Qualitative Reasoning, and Operational Business Modeling and Business Design. Over his last decade at IBM, he worked extensively on conceiving, developing, practicing and evolving the “business artifact” approach to building Business Operation Models. The technique was used in a number of engagements with a range of businesses. At IBM he has received Research Division Awards, Research Commercialization Award, an IBM Consulting Group Engagement Excellence Award, a Technical Group Award and an Outstanding Technical Achievement Award. In 2007 he was named Master Inventor. He has published extensively in the areas listed above.
He holds a B Tech (Mechanical Engg) and M Tech (Computer Science) from IIT/Kanpur. Later he obtained MS and PhD, both in Computer Science, from University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. He worked as Research Assistant (Computational Fluid Dynamics) at Imperial College, London. He also worked as a systems analyst at Tata Consultancy Services, during the early years of the company.
Chris Bruhl is the president and chief executive officer of The Business Council of Fairfield County, a private, non-profit corporation. The Business Council leads private sector involvement in developing public policy that promotes economic growth in Fairfield County and is the vehicle for a network of business leaders to work cooperatively to strengthen their enterprises and their communities. The organization has gained a national reputation for its work in transportation, education, workforce development, support for entrepreneurship and health care policy.
Mr. Bruhl has been a frequent consultant, writer, and speaker on the subjects of the relationship between education and economic competitiveness, leadership network development, economic issues and trends, and workforce development. He serves on a variety of boards, commissions and advisory groups, including the Connecticut Institute for the 21st Century, Connecticut Planning Commission for Higher Education, Connecticut Campus Compact, Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau, Connecticut Employment & Training Commission, the Sea Research Foundation’s President’s Council, and the Stamford Partnership. He is an adjunct faculty member in the UConn School of Business MBA program and taught in a similar capacity at Manhattanville College, in New York.
He has represented the United States at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and has addressed conferences presented by the national Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the U.S. Department of Labor, Arts for America, the National Association of State Land Grant Colleges and Universities, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials, Clean Air, Cool Planet (environmental policy advocates), the YMCAs of America, the Regional Plan Association (NY, NJ, CT); and higher education faculty convocations of Connecticut State University, the Connecticut Community College System, Housatonic Community College (Bridgeport), and Norwalk Community College. As a consultant, he has served clients in the public and private sectors throughout the United States.
Mr. Bruhl is a U.S. Army veteran, a contributing author to two books and was, for four years, the director of a national training program for non-profit board and staff, conducted in affiliation with faculty from Yale University. He holds a BA, in American Civilization, from Brown University, an MA, in English, from Louisiana State University, and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
Kim Morgan is the Chief Executive Officer for United Way of Western Connecticut. With more than twenty five years experience working in the non-profit field, she has worked to improve the quality of life for those impacted by mental health and substance abuse issues, homelessness, and poverty. Kim has consulted with non-profits on outcome measurements, strategic planning and grant writing.
Kim has served on several boards including the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, Christian Community Outreach Ministries and the New Fairfield Community Foundation, and currently serves on the board of the United Way of CT. She holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Management Communications.
She has been with United Way of Western Connecticut for the past eleven years. Kim is a native and current resident of New Fairfield, CT. She and her husband have 3 daughters. They served as licensed foster/adoptive parents for DCF for over 10 years.
About Supriya
Supriya Srinivasan is a scientist and professor at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Her lab is focused on finding answers to the following questions: How do we regulate our metabolism, and how does this impact how we age? To what extent do our genes, behavior and the environment influence the ability to defend metabolic homeostasis? What are the genes and molecules that underlie behavior and physiology over a lifetime?
Her lab studies these fundamental questions in neuroendocrine biology using the nematode C. elegans, in which the core functionality of these processes has been preserved. Using a simple model system allows her group to query biology across several orders of magnitude, from small molecules and neural circuit activity to the whole genome, and to discover the most important and ancient features of animal metabolism.
Supriya was raised in India and in Australia before coming to the US for graduate study, where she has remained ever since. She is deeply interested the biology of nutrition, metabolism and healthy aging in humans. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.
Charles Hill is Executive Program Manager, Information Governance and Data Lake. In this role, Mr. Hill is responsible for implementing IBM’s internal Data Lake and Information Governance programs within the Chief Data Office.
Charles joined IBM in November 1978. Since then, he has held a variety of leadership positions in Sales, Marketing, Information Technology, Information Governance, Consulting and Business Transformation. Mr. Hill has extensive global experience, having lead teams in the US, India, Brazil, Germany, the UK, Australia, Japan and recently concluded a two year consulting engagement in China.
He has led many key projects for IBM, including leading the successful delivery of large, complex projects in information management, including customer information, product information, data integration, ERP deployments, data warehousing and service oriented architecture solutions across the entire enterprise (Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain, Fulfillment & Finance). He has effectively built and led global teams focused on driving business benefits leveraging business process and information technology.
Charles attended the University of Rochester, and participated in executive education programs at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, M.I.T., and the Harvard Business School.
Charles enjoys singing and traveling to different parts of the world learning about new cultures. Charlie currently resides in Stamford, CT USA with his wife and their 2 children.
About Saurav
Saurav Adhikari is responsible for driving corporate strategy at HCL (www.hcl.com), and institutional development for the Shiv Nadar Foundation. HCL, established in 1976 is an original IT-garage start up turned into a $6.6 billion global technology enterprise.
Saurav brings over three decades of global strategic business insight to the role, from his diverse experience of leading global firms like Unilever, Pepsi and Group SEB in markets across North America, EMEA, APAC and India. His responsibilities include visioning and execution of HCL’s mid- to long-term business strategy, as well defining its corporate brand and communications positioning. In his 14-year career at HCL, Saurav has been responsible for building valuable relationships with consulting majors, private equity funds, investment banks, partners and customers that have had significant revenue and profit impact for HCL.
More recently, Saurav has also been helping conceptualize and build up Shiv Nadar Foundation’s landmark institutions. The Foundation is one of India’s largest philanthropic institutions focused on empowering individuals to bridge the socio-economic divide, through transformational education, creativity and art.
Saurav spearheads the Foundation’s partnerships with some of the world’s premier educational institutions including the Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania and Babson.
Saurav was earlier President – North America for HCL BPO and was based in Stamford CT, USA from 2002- 2005, after having joined HCL in January 2000 as the President of an enterprise networking startup company.
Saurav schooled at Mayo College, Ajmer in Rajasthan. He earned his B.A. in Economics from Hindu College, Delhi University, an MBA from JBIMS, Bombay University and an AMP from INSEAD Fontainebleau, France. Saurav has a passion for integrating strategic and creative thinking processes into delivering business impact. He enjoys writing, eclectic reading, traveling and fitness.
About Ramu
Ramu is a General Partner at A.Capital Ventures where he heads the enterprise software investing practice. Founded in 2014, A. Capital Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, CA.
Prior to A.Capital Ventures, Ramu was a Partner at Andreessen Horowitz where he worked on over a dozen investments in the enterprise software space. In addition, he helped shape the firm’s investment thesis in Cloud infrastructure and Big Data. Past investments include Instart Logic, Databricks, Mesosphere and Actifio.
A computer scientist by training, Ramu has over a decade of operating experience in product management and engineering at both startups and public companies. Prior to Andreessen Horowitz, Ramu led new product initiatives in Big Data for Aster Data (acquired by Teradata). Earlier in his career, Ramu was an engineer at VMware where his team developed the industry’s first virtual switch for VMware’s flagship server product line.
Ramu holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, an MS in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering (with University Honors) from Carnegie Mellon University.
I started off at SoundView Technology Group, a boutique investment bank specializing in high tech stocks that was located in Stamford, CT. I was a Vice President on the Syndicate Desk and in my tenure we raised over 26 Billion in new capital for our clients. After the internet bubble collapse and SoundView was no more, I moved to Wachovia Securities and headed branch operations for their Greenwich office which was later downsized during a restructuring. After that I was called back to work for Wells Fargo Advisors, which had bought Wachovia Securites during the financial crisis of 2008 and worked on a compliance team that would oversee 220 brokers in CT and NY.
During that time, the local food bank knew me by name, since each year I would fund raise among friends and family and make an annual cash donation for the needy. It was important for me to share, since I and my friends had been fortunate, and as the saying goes “there but for the grace of God go I.” That phrase is more timely today than it has ever been.
I am very fortunate to be able to work for the MAV Foundation at this point in my life. After almost 20 years in finance, with a job description amounting to “Make the rich, richer” I reached a point where it’s not about enriching your own net worth, but enriching the lives of others. We will certainly do that and more at MAVF.
About Byron
Byron is the CEO of the Center for Board Excellence and is architect of CBE’s unique board and CEO evaluation platform, including the trademarked Board Excellence Assessment.
Prior to CBE, Byron was CEO at Select Homes, Inc., from 1998 to 2009, and an investment manager at AIG-VALIC from 1989 to 1998. Byron has held board positions at Select Homes, Inc., Arkosian Software, Greensboro Soccer Club, Guilford County PTA, and Greensboro Downtown Parks, Inc.
Byron is a graduate of James Madison University (BA) and Harvard Business School (OPM). Byron lives in Greensboro, NC with his wife. He has four adult children and two grandsons. When he is not working, he enjoys skiing, golf, traveling, cooking and studying wine.
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New York Unlawful Imprisonment Defense Lawyers
Mayo Bartlett is an Unlawful Imprisonment Defense Attorney who has the experience and dedication that you or your loved one needs on their side when facing criminal mischief charges. He is a former Westchester County prosecutor who served more than 10 years in the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office in White Plains New York and he was selected as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. He has also been a criminal defense attorney since 2003, and he has a thorough understanding of police procedure from years spent working with officers and detectives in White Plains and throughout Westchester County, New York City and the Hudson Valley. He has handled thousands of criminal cases, and has successfully reduced the many violent felony charges to misdemeanors, or had them dismissed entirely. He has obtained a verdict of not guilty for a variety of criminal charges that would have resulted in sentences of decades, and sometimes life in prison.
Mayo Bartlett has extensive experience in New York State and Federal Courts, and he is familiar with every aspect of handling cases involving Unlawful Imprisonment from the investigative stage through trial. Our criminal defense team works frequently with private investigators and forensic experts to provide you with the best defense.
Unlawful Imprisonment Cases
Penal Law 135.05 is Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. A person is guilty of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree when he or she restrains another person. Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor and carries a maximum jail sentence of one year in jail.
Penal Law 135.10 is Unlawful imprisonment in the first degree. A person is guilty of unlawful imprisonment in the first degree when he or she restrains another person under circumstances that expose that person to a risk of serious physical injury. Unlawful imprisonment in the first degree is a class E felony which carries a maximum sentence of four years incarceration. Moreover, if the alleged victim is under 17 years old, sex offender conditions may also apply.
Penal Law 135.15 provides a defense to Unlawful Imprisonment. It is an affirmative defense that the person restrained was a child under sixteen
years old, and the defendant was a relative of the restrained child, and his or her only purpose was to assume control of the restrained child.
If you have prior felony convictions, you may face a higher sentence.
At the Law Offices of Mayo Bartlett, PLLC., our legal team has experience in defending Unlawful Imprisonment cases. Mayo Bartlett has been involved in the New York criminal system for more than 10 years as a prosecutor and now as a defense attorney. We serve all of the boroughs of New York City, as well as Rockland County, Putnam County, Dutchess County, Ulster County, Westchester County, and more. Contact us for a consultation.
Our Unlawful Imprisonment defense team consists of experienced attorneys, forensic experts and private investigators with law enforcement experience. We will carefully scrutinize all of the allegations against you and we will present evidence of your innocence, if it exists, to the prosecutor in an effort to avoid charges from being brought against you if they have not already been filed, or to get filed charges reduced or dismissed.
With offices located in the Westchester Financial Center which is one block from the White Plains Train Station and bus depot, and two blocks from the Westchester County Court, our criminal defense team handles felonies in Federal Court, as well as New York State Courts in New York City, Westchester County, including White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Rye, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Dobbs Ferry, Armonk, Peekskill, Mount Pleasant, Chappaqua, Greenburgh, Elmsford, Valhalla, New Rochelle, Bronxville, Eastchester, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, Hartsdale, Harrison, Mount Vernon, Pelham, Port Chester, Somers, Cortlandt, Briarcliff, Ossining, Yorktown, Croton on Hudson, Brewster, Southeast, Bedford, Putnam Valley, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, Lewisboro, South Salem, North Salem, Hastings, Pleasantville, Nyack, Ardsley, Irvington, Larchmont, Tuckahoe, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Putnam County, Dutchess County, Ulster County and throughout the Hudson Valley.
If you or someone you know is facing allegations of Unlawful Imprisonment, don’t hesitate. Contact our Unlawful Imprisonment Lawyers now to begin the fight to protect your business and to keep your freedom.
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mbc1955 in Books'n'stuff November 13, 2019 November 10, 2019 1,562 Words
The Man Who Wrote Lafferties: Archipelago
According to Continued on Last Rock, Archipelago was R.A. Lafferty’s first completed novel. I did not learn of its existence until about 1980/81 when I discovered a sealed hardback copy of it in a Manchester City Centre Second Hand Shop (still there to this day). It was £20.00 in an era when hardback novels weren’t yet £10.00.
The book was published by Manuscript Press, and the back page blurb explained that it was no 2. (of 2.) in a series of Unpublished Manuscripts.
My first surprise, and revelation, was a list of other works vaster than any I’d seen for Lafferty before. This was the book that listed Where Have You Been, Sandaliotos? and The Three Armageddons of Enniscorthy Sweeny as novels. It listed no less than fifteen unpublished novels (including one not named or yet written that, alas, I believe never achieved either state), amongst which list five would in later years appear.
And it told me that The Devil is Dead, which I’d read years before and always believed was a standalone novel, was instead part of a trilogy, and the middle part too, and Archipelago (which does explain certain otherwise confusing references in the original work) was the first book. The third book, though never released under its true title, later formed a sixth book to appear.
Archipelago is on the surface a mainstream novel. It begins in the South Pacific, at the end of the Second World War, with a group of five American soldiers winding down until being shipped back to civilian life. There are five of them, friends from before the War. Each come from different ethnic backgrounds, one Irish, one French, one Polish, one Dutch and one Italian, who is also Irish, because he is living two different lives in different recensions. There is also a sixth man, Jewish of name though not necessarily of religion or ethnicity. The five are known as the Dirty Five, but they are also something more, and their duties and trials in the world that follows are matters of legend and immortal peril, for they are Argonauts, Jason and others, and their duty is to save the World.
This is the beginning of the Episodes of the Argo mythos, one of three inter-connected strands that run all through Lafferty’s fiction that in later years he considered to all be part of an unfinished novel entitled ‘A Ghost Story’. Finnegan in particular, or John Solli, artist, as he is in one version of his life, roams the world, a famous drinker (as was Lafferty in his own life).
The Argo is both the world, and the Church, Church here being the Roman Catholic Church, that Lafferty regarded as the binding institution of the world, its teachings the bedrock from which all that is supposedly liberal and progressive is but a Devil’s diversion, worse still than Communism.
Needless to say, these are beliefs that I cannot and do not share. All of Lafferty’s thinking is in complete opposition to the basic tenets of my socio-political beliefs. Yet I still love his writings, and collect his works avidly.
Archipelago begins with its own creation myth, two men in a bar in the morning in a southern town. That is always how the world begins, according to Lafferty, and who would contradict him? The two men are Finnegan, who we already know and who is also John Solli, and Vincent Stranahan. Both men are Sergeants in the US Army, in the Pacific, and are currently on leave in Australia. Four of the Dirty Five are there, Hans, or John Schulz, who casually wins a drinking contest with a famed Australian Sergeant, one of the heroic labours of the Argonauts, and Casey, Kasimir Szymanski, who is the odd man out in the Dirty Five.
There are the Fivers, there are the Australian soldiers, Freddy Castle and Tom Shire, there are red-headed girls like Loy Larkin and Margaret Murphy, but this is only a context for Finnegan, the first man in the world, who is Jason, and Vincent, the least-outstanding member of his family and yet is Meleager, to appear before our eyes. Then there is the return to the islands, where Henry Salvatore, the Fat Frenchman, a mean Cajun who is Euphemus, and who will stand for ordination as a Priest after the War, has been standing for all.
Originally, I understand that Archipelago was a much longer book, in excess of 300,000 words, including long sections upon the War that is its initial background, all of which is cut out, and that it was rewritten three times. There is a chapter during which the American forces head towards Japan, that concentrates more upon the soldiers off duty, and which introduces Absolom Stein, who is also Hugo Stone and who is also Red in the same way that everyone else is of the Church.
The War itself ends quietly, a long way away, and the Dirty Five go home, all except for one, unnamed but not unidentifiable, who goes into Limbo in a medical ward because he cannot remember who he is. He will remember after several weeks, and go back into the world, as do all those with him, who are sane and stable except on the odd one or two points, such as Private Gregory, who is the same as Papa Diabolus, in his purple-headed glory, and who lives forever.
But it is not until Chapter 4 that everyone gathers together and the book reaches its more-or-less climax, long before halfway. For Vincent Stranahan is to be married to the little urchin, Theresa ‘Showboat’ Piccone, and everyone is in town, which is St Louis. There are the rest of the Dirty Five, including Hans, who is Orpheus, and his bride Marie Monohan, Casey, who is Peleus, with his girl Mary Catherine. There is the patriarch, Melchisedech Duffey, there is Dorothy ‘Dotty’ Yekouris, the Beautiful Barmaid, who is Finnegan’s girl, but their meeting is an ending, Mary Virginia, who would have been Henry’s girl, and more.
This is Vincent and Theresa’s wedding, but it is also Finnegan and Showboat’s first meeting, one that both have dreaded, knowing as they do that their relationship is special. Indeed, they will marry and live together twelve years, and have three children but this not in an world recognisable by what is known of either’s life, not even Finnegan, who lives many lives all at the same time and not one after another.
Of the marriage and the meeting comes the Bark, or Barque, in opposition to the Crock. The Crock is Casey’s paper, printed and distributed to a small but vitally influential audience of 25,000. Duffey used to work with Casey on the Crock, but he has been ousted and replaced by new backers for Casey, the weak link, the proto-pinko. Duffey, with Dotty’s practical experience and a board of editors drawn from the Dirty Five and their girls (Finnegan in absentio, wandering, drinking, on the biggest and most permanent tear, including the period of The Devil is Dead) sets up the Bark, to save the Church for loss, to speak to that same 25,000.
In a sense, the story ends there. This whole story is being told against the background of the post-War period, the late Forties into the early Fifties, the Red Menace, the Communist threat. Lafferty doesn’t make overt reference to the times, relying on his audience’s memories and knowledge for true understanding.
There is no ending, not to this story. There are no endings. Lafferty explores extensively the Dirty Five, one by one, drawing upon their pasts to light their presents, placing each of them in their mythical personae, even when, as with Henry, they are barely present in their own story. In one sense, the book is a ghost story,each person split, most obviously in the case of Casey and Stein, who are rather halves of a whole than persons by themselves.
The book covers a wide area of study, not all of it directly relevant to this introduction of the Argo mythos, but all of it involved. For an ending, Lafferty draws upon The Devil is Dead, and the death of Finnegan, caught in cross-fire between Niccolo Croutos, the left-footed killer, and Dotty, defending him. Eight, nine shots, and nobody’s missed yet. And a brief statement that all stories are improved by destroying their first and last scrolls. The world began on a morning and ends on an afternoon. There are no endings.
There are many ways of reading Archipelago, and none of them conventionally. It is not a novel in the sense of a story. It is in some part a primer, for things to be written. It is in its way an off-angle picture of a time that even when it was first published was a history. It begins in War Physical and concerns itself with War Spiritual. It is funny and it is melancholy, staunch in support of its cause, faithful in its belief in its necessity, yet recognising the precariousness of its position. In shape, in style, in tone and texture, it has nothing to do with The Devil is Dead yet more than Finnegan, the wanderer, the Teras, connects these two books, because they are two faces of a coin with more faces than two.
It would be close to twenty years before I would read the final part of the Trilogy.
Absolom Stein
Dotty Yekouris
Hans Schulz
Henry Salvatore
Hugo Stone
John Solli
Kasimir Szymanski
Melchisedech Duffey
Niccolo Croutos
R A Lafferty
The Bark
The Crock
Thresea 'Showboat' Piccone
Vincent Stranahan
A Portsmouth Expedition: Day 1
12 thoughts on “The Man Who Wrote Lafferties: Archipelago”
Kevin Cheek says:
Wow! _Archipelago_ is a difficult book to tackle. It is an utter joy to read, there is none of the graphic off-putting gruesomeness of _Not To Mention Camels_ or a story like “Berryhill,” but it is so dense and at the same time spread out, that it is hard to pin down. The best parallel to awakening from reading it is coming up from deep, meaningful dream or reflecting on a drunken reverie (I blogged about the drunken reverie parallel here: http://www.yetanotherlaffertyblog.com/2016/06/drunken-reveries.html).
I’ve never really been able to unpack all the levels of Archipelago. I need to read it again at depth, but first need to reacquaint myself with Jason and the Argonauts. That Finnegan is Jason (Iason) and that their vessel (really their entire journey together through life) is Argo, which is the Church, which is (to Lafferty) the World, is undisputed. But Damned if I can remember how the parts fit together to embark (now there’s a word for you – em-bark, to be on the barque, to set sail) on the quest.
On the other hand, it has some of Lafferty’s very best writing in the little vignettes. There’s the drunken reverie of Hans as he sits and waits for Marie, slipping from imagining talking to her to actually talking to her without clear transition (see DOJP’s blog: http://antsofgodarequeerfish.blogspot.com/2016/02/reading-argo-cycle-part-2-archipelago.html) and there’s the opening, fittingly Genesis (reflection in my blog: https://www.yetanotherlaffertyblog.com/2014/06/in-beginning.html), and many, many more incidences.
Wonderful to see a writer so maturely in charge of his powers so early in his career, but his powers here demand equal power from the reader. A joy, but one you have to let wash over you in a dream.
To me, Archipelago stands out from all Lafferty’s other novels because of its deliberately non-fantastic milieu, and yet I can’t help but feel that it encompasses his every other book, that everything is implied within its pages, without any direct reference. I would love to see a greater Archipelago, to see deeper and wider, and to be longer in a Lafferty world.
Martin Heavisides says:
Is there an original title to More than Melchisedech that I don’t know about. It was released in three parts, but the overall title they were issued under was More than Melchisedech.
Hi Martin. So far as I’m aware, there was no other title than More than Melchisedech, though when it was finally published, it was as three volumes: Tales of Midnight, Tales of Chicago and Argo. I did, once, see an intended publiction as More than Melchisedech and tried to order it as such, but that edition never appeared and I know nothing more about it.
Maybe it’s just how they’re grouped at Spaced Out Library, but all three volumes are available there (to be read onsite) and known collectively as More than Melchisedech.
Lucky those in that catchment area, any good to you Kevin?
Yup, never been published as a single volume. I was lucky enough to find a copy of Tales of Chicago (with the wonderful R. Ward Shipman illustrations some years ago. More recently, I landed a copy of Tales of Midnight, but it arrived just before we moved to Colorado, and it’s in a box in the basement somewhere! I’ve never been able to score a copy of Argo.
Here’s a breakdown of the publishing history of the Argo Mythos books and related stories and novellas: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?24555
Great link. I’m lucky enough to have everything in the list. Of course, I was lucky enough to get all the novels in the /nineties, including all three parts of Melchisedech, before the prices ballooned.
I’m afraid the Spaced Out Library is a bit over 1500 miles away.
I figured the odds were against it being in your neighbourhood.
Daniel Otto Jack Petersen says:
Really like the last paragraph of your review. It catches the feel of the novel, as does Kevin’s likening it to waking from a dream or reflecting on a drunken reverie.
I think this statement really nails it for me: ‘It is in some part a primer, for things to be written.’ Aside from Devil is Dead (which I agree is a different beast), I find the whole Argos trilogy to have this primer-like quality. It seems like a blueprint or overlay or some such thing for the whole body of Lafferty’s works but in itself it is difficult to pin down as fully solid. As Kevin mentions, there are many, many passages in both Archipelago and MTM that shine out as vignette gems in Lafferty’s corpus, but the full novels are… what, exactly? (Or even approximately.) They’re diffusive and dense at the same time (as again Kevin mentioned), or maybe they oscillate a bit between these. The long passages in Archipelago about the magazines and visits between the friends seemed to have very little literary depth to me, craft-wise or theme-wise. They’re often peppered with theological or philosophical chat, which I’m prone to love, but they still feel slight. But these are interspersed with incredible passages that are as deep as anything Lafferty wrote (like the meditations on Finnegan’s split personas/lives) or as wildly inventive as anything he wrote (like the storytelling in the mental ward, as well as the passages Kevin cited).
I’m actually very glad that I read Devil is Dead first and then Archipelago and MTM and I usually recommend people approach it that way. There’s something about being thrown into the mythos the exact way that the amnesiac Finnegan is at the beginning of Devil is Dead that is good for the reader too. After all, Lafferty does preface Devil by urging readers to arrange it as they will.
That was my reading order as well, and I think I agree with you. Archipelago and MTM are clearly beasts of the same genus whereas Devil is Dead is very much the horse of the different colour. In this order, the series goes from a definitive fantasia to an increasing diffusion of progression where the fantasy is left largely to the reader’s imagination: we may all of us, if we possess the true beliefs, be Argonauts and conduct battle via our own symbols.But the Devil never really dies…
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time to be channeling oprah?
Time magazine's Karen Tumulty watched the Obama press conference yesterday and sensed some relief amongst Obama's key supporters...
The other sound I think I heard was a big sigh of relief from some of Obama's leading backers, who have been distraught in recent days by what they believe is Obama's unwillingness--and even inability--to show anger and passion when he needs to.
It's an interesting observation because it goes to the heart of Obama's style. One of his strengths is the coolness of his demeanour and temperament. It's the kind of quality you'd want in a Commander-In-Chief: grace under pressure and all that.
But the flipside of it is that voters can find it hard to connect with him emotionally, at least through the TV screen. Even yesterday, although you could sense a kind of cold fury if you looked hard enough, he didn't quite communicate, in his body language and tone, the kind of passion and outrage that were present in his words. I think this may have been in part a result of his tiredness. But it's also just his style. Sometimes, at least for moments like this, he'd do himself a favour by acting up a bit. Showing a bit of raw emotion now and again can be good for a candidate.
make up our minds for us
These two students happen to be Democratic superdelegates. They haven't made up their mind who to vote for, and they want to hear what their peers think they should do, via facebook and email. Given the way that Obama-ites dominate the blogosphere and the youth vote generally I think we can mark down two more votes for Obama.
Remember, you were this annoying too, once.
man overboard!
He does what he needed to do: repudiate Wright as well as his views, and in quite personal terms. It's good, though he does look weary.
should obama rid himself of wright?
There's no doubt that Rev. Wright's media grandstanding over the weekend has made the issue of Obama's relationship with him an urgent problem again. So far, Obama has refused to disown Wright. But perhaps this latest episode might force him, or provoke him, to throw the Reverend overboard.
Salon asks a collection of pundits what Obama should do about Wright now. Andrew Sullivan, a keen Obama supporter, has this to say:
Obama has to disown his own surrogate father. I see no other way forward. It's terrible it has come to this, but the combination of Wright himself and the mainstream media makes it impossible to avoid.
Gosh, it's like Star Wars!
obama doing well with prog rock stars
The Floyd endorse Obama:
snap out of it, man
Michael Tomasky has written a brilliant rant about the Obama campaign's failure to refresh its message. I agree wholeheartedly with everything he says, especially the bit about new policy ideas. If Obama is so keen to get the campaign coverage away from trivialities, then he needs to come up with some non-trivial bits of news.
I noted yesterday that the Obama campaign has been incredibly impressive during the course of this nomination race, and one of its virtues has been consistency of message - a refusal to be blown off-course by events or media soothsayers. In the run-up to Iowa, for instance, when he didn't seem to be making enough headway against Clinton, there were plenty of people demanding he go negative. Obama and his advisers kept their heads, remained true to their core message of change, and won the day. But perhaps that success and his subsequent victories have bred complacency, even arrogance. There's a fine line between consistency and a lack of creativity.
Underlying this is the question of motivation. Obama's lack of prepared answers to the questions about flag-pins and Wright at the ABC debate was appalling. You don't have to think those are worthy questions to agree. If he'd thought about it he could have used those questions to make powerful statements about who he is and why he's in this race. But he came off like a man who thinks he's above having to explain himself to anyone. That and the hints that he's bored by the whole thing are beginning to give the impression that he lacks the stomach for this fight. As Tomasky says, voters can smell that.
the reverend wright show
It's pretty bad. Here, for instance, he basically suggests that America is a terrorist state. And doesn't he look pleased with himself?
(Report and more video here)
all about the reverend
Obama's turbulent pastor Jeremiah Wright seems to be rather enjoying his new-found notoriety. Last weekend he did an interview with Bill Moyers on TV; today he spoke and took questions at the National Press Club Breakfast in D.C.
You might have thought that if he wants his old friend to do well he'd be staying away from press conferences and the like. But nope, he seems to relish going over the issues raised by his sermons again and again, giving the news shows endless excuses to play the same old clips of him raising hell from the pulpit, before cutting back to Obama.
As NBC'S Chuck Todd says here, the Reverend's media blitz is an act of extraordinarily selfish vanity, and there's no doubt that it's damaging Obama in the days leading up to that crucial contest in Indiana.
At this point, no matter one's political inexperience, Wright has to know he's not helping his friend; his decision to go public and defend his reputation at this point in the campaign is doing nothing to help Obama, if anything, it's leading some to believe he's actually trying to sabotage him. He's hurting him and hurting him very badly. Frankly, it’s as selfish of a move as we've seen in some time...Still, if Wright Vol. 1, “bitter,” and Pennsylvania didn’t move superdelegates, what will? Nevertheless, Obama seems to be starting off this week in about as bad of shape as we've seen in him in some time.
oh just give me the nomination already
He's bored by it all apparently.
Not a good look.
deano speaks
Howard Dean, the Democrats' national chairman, has the uncomfortable task of holding the ring in this fight. Here's what he said to the New York Times on Friday:
I think the race is going to come down to the perception in the last six or eight races of who the best opponent for McCain will be. I do not think in the long run it will come down to the popular vote or anything else.
He said a similar thing on Meet The Press yesterday. It's a view of the race that Clinton would enthusiastically endorse. He's didn't say, for instance, "the superdelegates are most likely to follow the will of the primary voters", or "we'd like to get this wrapped up as quickly as possible" or "some people just don't know when to quit". He's saying, it's up to the party establishment to make a call. He's effectively legitimizing the superdelegates' right to put Obama's lead in the race so far to one side, and to make up their minds based on their own judgment of who's going to do better against McCain.
What he didn't add, however, is that part of that calculation will involve what will happen to the party should the nomination be tipped to Clinton at this stage. If you believe that the party will rally behind whoever wins, then you'll be able to make a decision based purely on the candidates' respective strengths and weaknesses. If you suspect that all hell will break lose amongst the rank and file if the nomination is taken away from a much-admired African-American candidate with a lead in pledged delegates, then that might give you pause, even if you think Clinton the stronger candidate.
no mark penns
As question marks appear over Obama's viability as a general election candidate, it's worth remembering that he has run one of the exemplary campaign operations of modern times: cohesive, disciplined, talented, and far-sighted. One of its strengths has been the fact that - unlike a certain other campaign - everyone at the top seems to like each other. This is not by accident; here's Obama's chief strategist attempting (successfully) to persuade consultant Jim Margolis to join the campaign:
You gotta come spend a little more time with Barack,” Axelrod told him.
“You know what these things are like,” Margolis said.
“There are no assholes,” Axelrod responded. “There are going to be no assholes on this campaign.”
It's April. In the Democratic nomination race, Governor Bill Clinton is the only candidate left standing after his main rival, Paul Tsongas, drops out. But the party's superdelegates are very wary about backing the young governor from Arkansas because of serious doubts over his electability:
Eventually, most of the superdelegates are likely to back Mr. Clinton, if only because there is no place else for them to go. But they will do so "with extreme reluctance," one said, and the delay and the grudging spirit makes it harder for Mr. Clinton to move his campaign onto a higher plateau, free of character issues...
..."There's a real tug-of-war up here," said one House member. "Especially on this side, there are a lot of people who are terrified that all the character questions, all the negatives about Clinton that showed up in New York, make him so weak that a lot of people will lose their seats."
that's how to tell 'em
John McCain got asked today about remarks made by a semi-prominent supporter of his (Rev. John Hagee), suggesting that Hurricane Katrina was God's payback for the gays and sins of New Orleans. This is what he said:
It's nonsense, it's nonsense, it's nonsense, it's nonsense, it's nonsense. I don't have anything additional to say. It's nonsense, it's nonsense, it's nonsense, I don't have anything more to say....it's nonsense. I reject it categorically.
Might be good for Obama to show a bit of that attitude when he's asked about Rev. Wright's crazier contentions.
maybe he's heard there are no second acts in american lives
Although I don't agree with everything in Peggy Noonan's column today, I agree with this:
This is an opportunity, for Mr. Obama needs an Act II. Act II is hard. Act II is where the promise of Act I is deepened, the plot thickens, and all is teed up for resolution and meaning. Mr. Obama's Act I was: I'm Obama. He enters the scene. Act III will be the convention and acceptance speech. After that a whole new drama begins. But for now he needs Act II. He should make his subject America.
Obama can wrap up the nomination without an Act II. But it's become clear over the last few weeks (Wright/Cling etc) that he's got a way to go to convince many Americans that he's not just a media darling, or just a creature of the liberal middle-class. That he's a president for everyone. And for that to happen he needs to move his story along. It's in danger of getting stuck.
I think, if you spend the amount of money he did in Pennsylvania, and you campaign as hard as he did, and you lose by nine points, you should maybe take that as a sign that it's time to freshen things up. Most candidates reinvent themselves somewhere along the line, and the best ones do it without losing touch with who they are. Obama and his team should pause for a moment and have a think about how they can use Indiana and North Carolina as pivots to propel them towards the next part of his story.
But, er, apparently not.
how clinton can win
With pictures and stuff. It does involve a meteor.
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Gen Zs call for brands to step up to climate change challenge in Havas Media Group study
By newsroom on October 29, 2019 Comments Off on Gen Zs call for brands to step up to climate change challenge in Havas Media Group study
90% of 18 to 20-year-olds believe that brands have a responsibility to tackle climate change in some way, according to a new research study from Havas Media Group.
The study, entitled Coming of Age, uncovers insights into the two million young people who have become eligible to vote since the EU referendum in June 2016. The research reveals how this specific group of Gen Zs, 18 to 20-year-olds, view the world and their place in it, as well as shining a light on their expectations of and relationships with brands.
Brexit not the defining issue
Brexit is not the defining issue for this generation. When asked to choose three areas that were most concerning to them, only 30% chose Brexit, putting it at number eight in the list. Mental health was the biggest concern, chosen by 58%, followed by climate change (56%), knife crime (53%) and the NHS (48%).
While 67% want another referendum and 70% would vote remain if a second vote materialised, this generation are far more concerned with global and local issues than national ones. This may be linked to the fact that just 19% think Boris Johnson will be a good prime minister, while 60% believe that the UK can no longer be taken seriously.
Brands must step up to climate change challenge
While government is seen as having the greatest responsibility to address the climate crisis, the study shows that 9 out of 10 of those surveyed believe that brands have some kind of role to play.
29% of this group say that brands have the biggest responsibility to combat climate change, second only to the government, at 37%. More generally, 68% of respondents have stopped buying products or services from a company due to their ethics, and 55% have written to a company or brand about a specific issue.
‘Aware, concerned, scared’
Mental health is the main source of concern for this generation, which describes itself as ‘aware, concerned and scared’. Having been born around the time of 9/11, and growing up with technology from an early age, these Gen Zs acknowledge the negative impact of social media. 88% think that social media is dangerous for vulnerable people and 73% think the need for ‘likes’ is damaging.
18 to 20-year-olds present a carefully curated self when online, with only half saying that their online persona represents their real self, 35% having multiple profiles within the same platform and 28% saying that their online profiles show a completely different person.
However, this group recognises the value of digital interactions, with 50% stating that a conversation doesn’t need to take place offline in order for it to be meaningful. Text and instant messages are the preferred mode of digital communication, with 68% preferring to text and 65% choosing instant messaging platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. These means of communication are favoured ahead of social media (58%), phone calls (56%), email (18%) and voice notes (14%).
Fighting for change
18 to 20-year-olds believe they have the power to make a difference, with 68% of respondents saying that their generation will change the world. However, they feel that they are not always taken seriously, with 85% saying their opinions are dismissed because of their age.
This generation takes action. 86% have signed an online petition, 31% have written to their MP and 40% say they have attended a rally.
Eva Grimmett, Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Media Group said: “This group of young people missed out on the opportunity to vote in the EU referendum, but they are coming into adulthood with their futures very much defined by what happened back in 2016. That’s why we felt it was so important to understand more about how this specific section of Gen Zs feel about themselves and the world around them. The study clearly demonstrates that these people have high expectations of brands and the role they should play in tackling major issues like climate change, and smart advertisers should realise that their long-term health relies on contributing something of value beyond their core product or service, particularly from an ecological perspective.”
Coming of Age is based on input from a bespoke qualitative community during the first half of July 2019 and a quantitative survey of 2000 regionally and nationally representative 18 to 20-year-olds over the first half of August 2019. Havas Media Group also used supporting insight from several industry partners, to add further context around the findings.
Source: Havas Media Group
Brands, Climate Change, Coming of Age, Digital, Gen Z, Generation Z, Havas Media Group, Marketing, Politics, Report, Research, Study
Gen Zs call for brands to step up to climate change challenge in Havas Media Group study added by newsroom on October 29, 2019
View all posts by newsroom →
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Humans, Humans (24th century), Architects, Diplomats
Richard Bashir
Amsha Bashir (wife)
Julian Bashir (son)
Richard Bashir was a male human and the father of Starfleet officer and Doctor Julian Bashir. He was also the husband of Amsha Bashir. Bashir was an Earth native. He once served as a third-class steward on a shuttle run, but he resigned from the position after a mere six months. Richard eventually found a more successful career in landscape architecture, designing parks and public spaces. He took pride in doing such projects, because he knew they would be enjoyed by thousands of people long after he was gone. He said that it was his legacy and his gift to succeeding generations. (DS9 episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume", ST website: Startrek.com)
During Julian's early childhood, his parents became quite concerned about Julian's development, Julian was developing quite slowly compared to other children his age. In approximately 2348, Richard and Amsha had Julian subjected to genetic engineering which involved the resequencing of his DNA and the accelerated growth of neural pathways. This was however highly illegal and would've resulted in Bashir being barred from Starfleet service or practicing medicine if the truth was known. (DS9 episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")
Richard was a former Federation diplomat to Invernia II in 2351. He and Julian were once trapped in a cave by a storm with an injured Invernian girl. After the storm passed, Richard left to get help while Julian stayed with the girl. Unfortunately he did not return in time and the girl died. (DS9 episode: "Melora")
Given the revelations of "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" about Richard's career, it is probable this was a made-up or highly exaggerated story.
In 2373, the truth of what they had done was finally revealed. Richard Bashir reached a deal with Admiral Bennett which allowed Julian to retain his medical practice and remain in Starfleet. Bashir pleaded guilty to illegal genetic engineering, and was sentenced to serve two years in the New Zealand Penal Settlement. Bashir was later released in mid-2375. (DS9 episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")
DS9 episode: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume"
DS9 - Millennium novel: Inferno
Richard Bashir article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Retrieved from "https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Richard_Bashir?oldid=579209"
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It all goes hell for leather in Sons Of Anarchy
metrowebukmetroThursday 7 May 2009 12:01 am
Hamlet on Harleys. It sounds like a TV pitch made in heaven. Only when writer Kurt Sutter was trying to sell the idea of Sons Of Anarchy, the everyday saga of a leather-clad Californian outlaw motorcycle club, he had a different dynasty in mind.
‘Yes, it’s true, I originally described it as a West Coast Sopranos. I really regret ever having said that,’ laughs Sutter. ‘It was to do with the sense of family and because it took place in an outlaw community.
Exploring the underbelly: Charlie Hunnam (left) and Ron Perlman star in Kurt Sutterâs Sons Of Anarchy
But it is true to say The Sopranos paved the path for Sons Of Anarchy in the way that Homicide: Life On The Street paved the way for The Shield. It allowed me to pitch the idea for bad guys to be the protagonists.’
The mention of cult cop drama The Shield is no accident. It’s where Sutter cut his teeth as a writer and the success of the series gave him the clout to get Sons Of Anarchy on the road.
Lifting the lid on the clandestine world of motorbike clubs, it’s a daring crime thriller with Shakespearean overtones, charting the fortunes of the club that rules the roads around the small town of Charming. Vrooming through the middle of the action, like the lost member of Hanson with a butch makeover, is Charlie Hunnam.
The Geordie teen star of Queer As Folk is now as American as you like, every inch dirty blond biker hero Jax, whose uneasy relationship with his mother and stepfather (the Hamlet axis) forms Sons Of Anarchy’s emotional hub.
Though he landed parts in Cold Mountain and Children Of Men, and starred in footie hooligan movie Green Street, Hunnam has been trying to crack the US for nearly a decade. ‘I don’t ever feel it’s a stretch playing American,’ he says with an accent that’s four parts LA to one part Geordie.
‘It was always my dream to build a big American career. I look back on Queer As Folk with pride but it didn’t help me in the States, it didn’t have any cachet there.’
Sons Of Anarchy is certainly a move in the right direction. Its on-the-road authenticity and attention to detail â Hunnam, in best method style, rode with a biker club to break himself into the part â has won a growing audience in the US, where its portrayal of a self-sufficient community that lives by its own laws has, Sutter believes, touched a raw nerve. ‘I’ve been fascinated by the subculture of the clubs for a long time.
They started post-World War II, as a place where soldiers returning from the war could blow off steam. They had quite idealistic roots but then they morphed into kind of crime syndicates.’
In that way, Sons Of Anarchy plays to the growing sense of people needing to take care of their own business in a world that’s increasingly lawless and out of control.
The motorbike clubs operate to a rigid, almost militaristic code, creating a kind of Pleasantville in leather jackets.
‘We all need to feel some sense of community. It’s the same way with street gangs. There are worlds that are laws unto themselves. What Sons Of Anarchy is asking is the price you’re prepared to pay for your own sense of security. Is this what you’re prepared to do in order to be safe?’
So what about the Shakespearean angle? ‘I don’t want to overplay that but it’s there. It was Jax’s father who started the club, so he’s the ghost in the action. You wonder what he would have made of the way it turned out. It’s not a version of Hamlet but it’s definitely influenced by it.’
Sons Of Anarchy is on Bravo from Tuesday.
Pet owners warned after Zoflora disinfectant poisons dog
You Don’t Look Sick: ‘I was told I was imagining my symptoms for three years’
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Norway looks to ban therapeutic cloning:
The Norwegian government has drafted a proposal to ban therapeutic cloning as a method to create stem cells for research purposes. But it has also decided to sponsor research into adult stem cells to the tune of NKr1.5 million ($166,500). Health minister Dagfinn Hcentybraten said that while the government considered it important to invest in research that offered a potential hope to seriously ill patients, it was ethically indefensible to use therapeutic cloning to produce stem cells. Research into adult stem cells did not carry the same ethical problems, however, and this is why the government was prepared to offer its support, he said.
Subject: Norway looks to ban therapeutic cloning:
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16,983 Grants awarded for $6,975,397,631
New York Institute for the Education of the Blind Diagnostic Clinic and Educational Treatment Center 09/24/69 $200,000 Bronx, NY, United States Other
New York University Medical Schools Program 06/19/73 $275,000 New York, NY, United States Past Programs
New York Botanical Garden Conservatory Project 06/19/75 $500,000 Bronx, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
Literacy Volunteers of New York City, Inc. Evaluation & Writing Project 06/15/83 $25,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
New York Shakespeare Festival Regional Theatre Program 06/15/83 $150,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
New York Academy of Medicine Library Collection Access 06/18/99 $435,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Alliance of Resident Theatres New York, Inc. New York Theater Program 09/21/01 $1,200,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
New York Public Library Dance Film & Video Needs Analysis 10/01/04 $340,000 New York, NY, United States Scholarly Communications
New York University Scholar Librarians Training 07/05/05 $48,300 New York, NY, United States Scholarly Communications
New York Theatre Workshop, Inc. National Theater Program 09/15/06 $150,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
New York Botanical Garden Latin American Plants Initiative 09/15/06 $482,000 Bronx, NY, United States Past Programs
New York University Graduate Student Support in the Humanities 12/04/14 $2,725,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Humanities New York Humanities Center Initiative Expansion 12/04/14 $500,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. General Support 09/12/16 $75,000 New York, NY, United States Other
New York Botanical Garden Publication Costs 12/14/71 $200,000 Bronx, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
Opera Orchestra of New York, Inc. general support 12/14/72 $5,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
New York University 1980s Fund 12/17/80 $1,000,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Planned Parenthood of New York City, Inc. General Support 12/15/82 $250,000 New York, NY, United States Past Programs
New-York Historical Society Self-Study 12/15/88 $50,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
New York Shakespeare Festival National Theater Program 12/16/02 $300,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York Emeritus Fellowships [Treitler] 12/17/04 $55,000 New York, NY, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
New York Botanical Garden Digitization - Collections - Puerto Rico 12/12/05 $100,000 Bronx, NY, United States Past Programs
New-York Historical Society Art Conservation 10/02/85 $135,000 New York, NY, United States Arts and Cultural Heritage
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19 Grants awarded for $8,527,200
University of Maryland at College Park Born Digital Archive in Cultural Heritage Institutions 06/19/09 $81,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Preservation Archives 07/23/07 $35,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park M. Feldstein Project 10/06/82 $25,000 College Park, MD, United States Other
University of Maryland at College Park Coastal Research 12/13/93 $720,000 College Park, MD, United States Past Programs
University of Maryland at College Park African American History, Culture, and Digital Humanities Initiative - Phase II 06/06/19 $2,000,000 College Park, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Maryland at College Park Feminist Demography 07/20/94 $30,000 College Park, MD, United States Past Programs
University of Maryland at College Park Digital Humanities and African American Studies 06/04/15 $1,250,000 College Park, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Maryland at College Park Summer Institutes 10/02/85 $150,000 College Park, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Maryland at College Park Cataloging Special Collections 12/06/12 $251,700 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Anthropological Demography Fellowships - Shariff 12/17/99 $60,000 College Park, MD, United States Past Programs
University of Maryland at College Park Optical Character Recognition of Arabic Texts 06/06/19 $800,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park African/Black Diaspora Research Seminar 12/09/19 $500,000 College Park, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
University of Maryland at College Park Computational Linguistics for Metadata Building 09/17/05 $841,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Anthropological Demography Fellowships - Srinivas 12/06/96 $50,000 College Park, MD, United States Past Programs
University of Maryland at College Park Documenting the Now: Phase 2 09/06/18 $1,200,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Computational Linguistics for Metadata Building 01/24/05 $50,000 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Books.Files: Assessing Digital Assets in the Book Industry for Scholarly Use 10/18/17 $48,500 College Park, MD, United States Scholarly Communications
University of Maryland at College Park Research on Gender and Population Policy - Demography Center 06/16/95 $400,000 College Park, MD, United States Past Programs
University of Maryland at College Park The National Foreign Language Center 11/03/00 $35,000 College Park, MD, United States Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
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Instagram To Ask For New Users' Birthday To Reinforce Its Age Rules
Aadhya Khatri - Dec 05, 2019
According to Instagram, asking for users’ birthday is the way to keep young people safe as well as helping it to provide an age-appropriate experience
Instagram Curbs Fake News By Fact-Checking, Labelling 'False' Content
Now You Can Post Up To Six Photos On One Stories In Instagram
In a blog post made public recently, Instagram announced that it would reinforce the age gates. The platform has long been restricted users under 13 years old. However, it was not until today that it had a way to check if the person registering is lying about his or her age.
According to the blog post, asking for users’ birthday is the way to keep young people safe on the site as well as enabling Instagram to provide age-appropriate experience for its users.
Those who sign up for Instagram with their Facebook account will see their birthday updated automatically, but fear not, this information will not be public.
In another statement, the company said that its target was to prevent any tweenager from joining Instagram. However, it said nothing on whether its number of new users will decrease as a result of this change.
Instagram said nothing on whether its number of new users will decrease as a result of this change
A spokesperson of the site said that in order for the site to keep users safe, it needed to know how old they are. The young community of users needs special content curated just for them. This extra step of requiring new users’ birthdays will help to reinforce Instagram’s rule of no user under 13 years old are allowed to join the platform.
Instagram is quite late to roll out this method to check ages. Snapchat has done the same thing long ago, along with some of its other competitors.
According to COPPA, or Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law of the United States, the information and privacy of children under 13 years old must be protected online.
This year has seen TikTok getting a fine of a hefty amount of $5.7 million for violating COPPA. In answer to this, the short video-sharing site now requires users to enter their birthday when signing up too.
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UN rapporteur urges sanctions on Israel for driving Palestinians ‘back to the dark ages’
Philip Weiss on October 31, 2017 38 Comments
S. Michael Lynk at UN press conference on Oct. 26, 2017.
Last week there was a significant development in the international response to the Israeli occupation when the UN rapporteur for human rights in the occupied territories came out with a harsh report saying the world was too passive about the occupation.
The “duration of this occupation is without precedent or parallel in today’s world,” the report said. Israel has “driven Gaza back to the dark ages” due to denial of water and electricity and freedom of movement. There is a “darkening stain” on the world’s legal framework because other countries have treated the occupation as normal, and done nothing to resist Israel’s “colonial ambition par excellence,” which includes two sets of laws for Israelis and Palestinians.
At a press conference about his report, S. Michael Lynk, a Canadian professor of law and human rights expert, said it is time the international community reach into its “toolbox” of enforcement mechanisms, so as to “raise the stakes” against the occupation and change international “opinion” of Israel. The country had been worried by the Goldstone Report in 2009 and is today worried by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), Lynk said; so if the international community took “unified actions on an escalating basis” to declare the occupation illegal and demand Israel’s withdrawal, Israel would respond.
That means sanctions.
Israel is very dependent upon trade with the outside world, it’s very dependent upon its market with the United States, it’s very dependent upon its market with Europe. If there was an understanding that all of a sudden Israelis wanting to travel abroad needed to have visas, if all of a sudden Israel wasn’t going to get preferential trading agreements with the EU. If all of a sudden, the many and multitude of forms of military or economic cooperation or academic cooperation with Israel were now going to come to an end as long as Israel continued that, I think you’d begin to see a sea-change in the attitude of ordinary Israelis and in the attitude of the Israeli government…. Every journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.
“I didn’t use the word boycott,” Lynk said in the press conference, though he called for a refusal to purchase settlement goods.
He got an immediate reaction. US ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley on Friday said that the U.S. was “deeply disturbed” by Lynk’s report and by his support for “economic and academic boycott” of Israel. The Jerusalem Post turned on Lynk for seeking to turn Israel into a “pariah state” (don’t worry, it’s happening on its own).
Lynk’s report is the big news here. Its characterization of Israeli actions in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza as flagrant violations of international law that are causing huge suffering that the world ignores, along with its implicit endorsement of BDS, are as important an intervention as earlier efforts by Richard Goldstone and Jimmy Carter.
As Peter Belmont wrote on his blog, Lynk is seeking to revive the dead letter of the two-state solution:
Prof. Lynk may have come up with a powerful reason for the nations to act together with a program of minimal steps which they might take while getting up the nerve and determination to take really effective steps—sanctions against Israel to compel Israel to comply with [international law]. Such sanctions, one supposes, could result in bringing the occupation to an end…. Voilà! A two-state solution!
Israel refused Lynk access to the occupied territories. Here are excerpts from the report that convey its emphatic character.
The occupation affects all of Palestinian life:
The human rights and humanitarian law violations associated with the occupation impact every aspect of life for Palestinians living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza
Gaza is in misery:
In addition, water supplies are at risk, with most homes receiving water through the piped network for only a few hours every 3-5 days, while the desalination plants are functioning at only 15 per cent of their capacity. More than 108 million litres of untreated sewage were reportedly being discharged into the Mediterranean every day…
In August of 2017, five cancer patients died while awaiting permits to travel for needed care
The settlements have choked the two state solution and threatened human rights.
[T]he two state solution [is] on life support, with a fading pulse…
The world just treats Israel as the lawful occupant of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This represents an “abject failure” of international law and “a darkening stain.”
This is the longest-running military occupation in the modern world. Notwithstanding insistent calls by the international community, most recently in 2016, that the Israeli occupation must come to a complete end, that many of its features are in profound breach of international law, and that its perpetuation both violates the fundamental right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and undermines the possibility of a two-state solution, it has become more entrenched and harsher than ever. Indeed, the Israeli occupation has become a legal and humanitarian oxymoron: an occupation without end.
Thirty-seven years ago, in June 1980, the Security Council – sufficiently alarmed by the duration and severity of the occupation and Israel’s defiance of prior resolutions – adopted Resolution 476. At the time, the Israeli occupation was already thirteen years old. In its 1980 resolution, the Security Council reaffirmed “…the overwhelming necessity to end the prolonged occupation of Arab territories…by Israel” and “strongly deplore the continuing refusal of Israel to comply with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly.”
The inability to end the Israeli occupation has been an abject failure of international diplomacy, a darkening stain on the efficacy of international law and the source of multiple broken promises to the Palestinian people. Nor does the prolongation of this occupation serve the people of Israel, for it corrodes their society and their public institutions by entangling them in their government’s drive to foreclose a viable and just solution to the half-century of occupation and the century-long conflict, and makes them the beneficiaries – unwittingly or not – of a profoundly unequal and unjust relationship.
The prevailing approach of the international community has been to treat Israel as the lawful occupant of the Palestinian territory, albeit an occupant that has committed a number of grave breaches of international law in its conduct of the occupation, including the settlement enterprise, the construction of the Wall, the annexation of East Jerusalem and the systemic violations of Palestinian human rights. In the view of the Special Rapporteur, while the lawful occupant approach may have been the appropriate diplomatic and legal portrayal of the occupation in its early years, it has since become wholly inadequate both as an accurate legal characterization of what the occupation has become and as a viable political, diplomatic and legal catalyst
It’s a colonial project, par excellence:
The duration of this occupation is without precedent or parallel in today’s world.
The only credible explanation for Israel’s continuation of the occupation and its thickening of the settlement regime is to enshrine its sovereign claim over part or all of the Palestinian territory, a colonial ambition par excellence. Every Israeli government since 1967 has pursued the continuous growth of the settlements, and the significant financial, military and political resources committed to the enterprise belies any intention on its part to make the occupation temporary…
It’s apartheid, though Lynk doesn’t use that word.
According to recent reports by the World Bank and the United Nations, the expanding Israeli settlement enterprise and the supporting apparatus of occupation has deepened the already separate and distinctly inferior civil and economic conditions imposed upon Palestinians in the West Bank. There, the Palestinians are subject to a harsh and arbitrary legal system quite unequal to that enjoyed by the Israeli settlers.
And ethnic cleansing, though he doesn’t use that word either:
Israel employs practices that in some cases may amount to the forcible transfer of Palestinians, primarily those living in rural areas, as a means of confiscating land for settlements…
As for East Jerusalem, the occupation has increasingly detached it from its traditional national, economic, cultural and family connections with the West Bank because of the Wall, the growing ring of settlements and related checkpoints, and the discriminatory permit regime…
The dark ages line. Gaza is unique in the world for suffering a decline in GDP in the last 11 years:
Israel has maintained a suffocating economic and travel blockade that has driven Gaza back to the dark ages. More than 60 per cent of the population of Gaza is reliant upon humanitarian aid, it is unable to secure more than one-third of the electrical power that it requires, it will soon exhaust its sources of safe drinking water, and, virtually unique in the world, its gross domestic product is actually lower than it was in 2006…
The international community refused to impose the “robust tools” of law to counter these human rights abuses:
the international community recoiled from answering Israel’s splintering of the Palestinian territory and disfiguring of the laws of occupation with the robust tools that international law and diplomacy provide. International law, along with the peoples of Palestine and Israel, have all suffered in the process.
We need international pressure:
[The world must] devise and employ the appropriate diplomatic and legal steps that, measure by measure, would completely and finally end the occupation. As Amos Schocken, the publisher of Ha’aretz, has written about his own country’s leadership: “…international pressure is precisely the force that will drive them to do the right thing.”
Lynk likens the occupation to the South African occupation of Namibia, which was ruled illegal, and calls for an International Court of Justice opinion stating that every bit of the occupation, not just the settlements, is illegal. That would lead to a wideranging program of sanctions:
A determination that Israel’s role as occupant is now illegal would serve several significant purposes. First, it would encourage member states to take all reasonable steps to prevent or discourage national institutions, organizations and corporations within their jurisdiction from engaging in activities that would invest in, or sustain, the occupation. Second, it would encourage national and international courts to apply the appropriate laws within their jurisdiction that would prevent or discourage cooperation with entities that invest in, or sustain, the occupation. Third, it would invite the international community to review its various forms of cooperation with the occupying power as long as it continues to administer the occupation unlawfully. Fourth, it would provide a solid precedent for the international community when judging other occupations of long duration. Most of all, such a determination would confirm the moral importance of upholding the international rule of law when aiding the besieged and the vulnerable.
Lynk is essentially endorsing BDS. The story has not been covered in the New York Times or other leading U.S. papers, yet.
eljay on October 31, 2017, 12:30 pm
… The only credible explanation for Israel’s continuation of the occupation and its thickening of the settlement regime is to enshrine its sovereign claim over part or all of the Palestinian territory, a colonial ambition par excellence. …
Jewish supremacism in/and a religion-supremacist “Jewish State” in as much as possible of Palestine is the Zionist dream…and the nightmare of geographic Palestine’s non-Jews.
MHughes976 on October 31, 2017, 1:08 pm
Zionism has always been a claim about Jewish rights in all, not just in some, of the Holy Land, the religious and moral arguments connecting the people to the land being the same in every foot’s length. This is, I suppose, an important reason why the 2ss is so constantly aborted.
jon s on November 2, 2017, 3:37 am
MHughes,
You may find this interesting:
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.818795
MHughes976 on November 2, 2017, 9:48 am
Thanks, jon, at first sight comprehensive, fair-minded and well written. I’ll read it through again more carefully. Mind you, I think that Finkelstein regards himself as centrist rather than minimalist like the hard cores in Copenhagen and Sheffield.
eljay on November 2, 2017, 10:38 am
|| jon s: … https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.818795 ||
… At an event marking 50 years of settlement a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not dwell on the nuances of the archaeological debate. “What has enchanted me more than anything was the simple, clear and distinct fact that we are walking in the paths of the Bible,” Netanyahu stated. “Here, right here, the fathers of our nation trod the paths from Hebron to Jerusalem. Near here, in Bethlehem, King David was born. There he was anointed king, and not far from here David fought Goliath, the Hasmoneans fought the Greeks and Bar Kochba – the Romans.” Maybe he did. Maybe not.
Either way, the religion-based identity of Jewish does not grant to those who choose to hold it a right to a colonialist, (war) criminal and religion-supremacist “Jewish State” in Palestine or anywhere else.
JLewisDickerson on November 2, 2017, 9:34 am
■ AUDIO (90 min): “Can an Occupation Become Unlawful? Israeli practices in the Palestinian territories and third party responsibilities”
LSE – London School of Economics and Political Science
Speaker(s): Professor Michael Lynk, Dr Valentina Azarova, Dr Federica Bicchi, Dr Victor Kattan, Hugh Lovatt
Chair: Professor Toby Dodge
Recorded on 15 June 2017 at Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
[Editor’s note: We apologise for the poor audio quality of this podcast.]
Download ► MP3 Audio
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict presents us with a paradox. While it has generated notable developments in international law, it seems to be unaffected by international law.
Closing this apparent gap requires an examination of what international law stands for in the current situation, when Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories shows every sign of permanence. What has UN Security Council Resolution 2334 added to the debate? How should we assess the lawfulness of Israeli practices in the occupied territories? Has Israel’s prolonged occupation become illegal? And what does this mean for Palestinian rights and third state responsibilities? This lecture, followed by the discussants’ comments and Q&A, will be the opportunity to analyse concepts and issues from an academic perspective.
• Michael Lynk is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University, in London, Ontario.
• Valentina Azarova (@ValentinaAzarov) is Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Global Public Law, Koç University, Istanbul.
• Federica Bicchi is Associate Professor of International Relations at LSE.
• Victor Kattan (@VictorKattan) is Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute and an Associate Fellow at the Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore.
• Hugh Lovatt (@h_lovatt), Policy Fellow and Israel/Palestine Project Coordinator for ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.
• Toby Dodge (@ProfTobyDodge) is Professor of International Relations and Director of the Middle East Centre at LSE.
The Department of International Relations (@LSEIRDept) is now in its 89th year, making it one of the oldest, and largest in the world.
Event posting
MP3 ► https://richmedia.lse.ac.uk/publiclecturesandevents/20170615_1830_canAnOccupationBecomeUnlawful.mp3
SOURCE (WITH PLAYER) ► http://www.lse.ac.uk/website-archive/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=3844
Kay24 on October 31, 2017, 5:35 pm
Israel is either “bombing Gaza to the dark ages”, or “driving Gaza back to the dark ages”. There is something vicious and evil, about Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. That said, it won’t be too long for Michael Lynk, to be accused of, you guessed it, being “anti-semitic”.
Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur on “the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. learnt that the hard way.
No credible, qualified, or rational official, can criticize Israel for it’s sorry treatment of the Palestinians, and not be accused of anti-semitism. That is the only way to silence those who speak the truth.
Emory Riddle on October 31, 2017, 6:06 pm
Isn’t it about time we treated accusations of anti-semitism like the cynical ploy they are and start bringing legal consequences to those people who so readily smear and malign people? Is this not “hate speech”?
pabelmont on November 1, 2017, 8:41 am
Can’t you just imagine the false brayers of the “anti-Semitism” canard, if adequately faced down, saying, “Oh, I’m so sorry I called you an anti-Semite, but, you know, I get so emotional when Israel is attacked that I cannot reason anymore, my ability to discern flies right out the window, and I just react by calling out “anti-Semitism” to the attacker of Israel. I really cannot help myself. I am a victim of past anti-Semitism, and in particular of The Holocaust ™, I’m really the victim here, not this person whom I have just insulted. What I just said is NOT a hate-crime; if a crime at all it is a victimization crime with me as the victim.”
Yeah, sure. Years and years of Pavlovian training to feel a victim of anti-Semitism when Israel is attacked had nothing to do with it.
Ozma on November 1, 2017, 10:38 am
Two can play at the anti-Semitism game. I’m waiting for the time when Not in My Name and True Torah Jews get it together and say that anyone who disagrees with them is anti-Semitic. Why should the government of Israel have all the fun? There is no such thing as a Jewish pope so True Torah Jews have just as much right to say what is true Judaism and by extension what is anti-Semitism as the government of Israel.
True Torah Jews and Not in My Name could sue Israel, with good reason, for defamation of character. The govt of Israel endangers Jews worldwide by using the biggest media system on the planet to tell the whole world what a Jew is supposed to be and than committing war crimes that make them as popular as AIDS in a bath house. This is endangerment and identity theft.
eljay on November 1, 2017, 12:15 pm
|| Noodles: … The govt of Israel endangers Jews worldwide … ||
All Zionists anti-Semitically endanger Jews by deliberately conflating all Jews with a blatantly and unapologetically colonialist, (war) criminal and religion-supremacist “Jewish State” project.
Resident Zionist JeffB’s comments are a fine example:
There is nothing anti-Semitic with blaming Jews for stuff that Jews institutionally support. … Not holding the Jews responsible for Jewish policy on the excuse that “well some Jews didn’t agree” is denying them agency. …
Jews in America have chosen to identify with and institutionally support Israel. While not Israeli, they are cousins. As such they get some degree of collective credit for Israelis achievements and some degree of blame for Israel’s failings.
Keith on November 1, 2017, 3:32 pm
PABELMONT- “Years and years of Pavlovian training to feel a victim of anti-Semitism when Israel is attacked had nothing to do with it.”
Indeed. And notice how the emphasis on the Holocaust and criticism of Israel as anti-Semitism has INCREASED the longer it has been since the historical Holocaust?
DaBakr on November 3, 2017, 1:16 am
@er
“we” you(as in the collective bubble of anti-israel, anti-zionist commenters) already do. Is your referring to the world as a whole (minus the Muslim/arab block and far left European fringe, good luck and fat chance
Mooser on November 3, 2017, 1:13 pm
“Is your referring to the world as a whole (minus the Muslim/arab block and far left European fringe, good luck and fat chance”
I know what you mean, “Dabakr”. If we exclude the “the Muslim/arab block and far left European fringe” everybody loves the Jews, and always have.
That’s why there is an Israel, right?
@m
pretty much, yes. though, some don’t always know it. it isn’t in them. at least in this realm. otherwise, why are any of us here, as in here, “right”?
Misterioso on November 1, 2017, 10:05 am
Greetings all!!
Check out these just released photos. It will do you good and make you even more determined to stand shoulder to shoulder with the dispossessed and oppressed Palestinians, the indigenous inhabitants of historic Palestine.
International Committee of the Red Cross – October 17, 2017
Young photographers from Gaza capture moments of joy
A sneak peek into how young Gazans live their lives while waiting for long overdue political solutions
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/competition-gaza-young-photographers
xanadou on November 1, 2017, 8:37 pm
“Antisemitism” is NOT an acceptable, let alone logical argument/accusation. I have expanded and posted on this just a few minutes ago. It’s an ad hominem, i.e., an attack on the person making the argument, not the person’s apparent incontrovertible arguments.
JosephA on October 31, 2017, 9:33 pm
Lynk appears to be telling the world that the emperor has no clothes, while simultaneously discussing the elephant in the room. Amen!
I think the Israeli stranglehold on Palestine will not slowly crack and erode. It will be a quick, if begrudging, effort brought on only by one of two actions: International isolation (sanctions), or a shift in US policy (including aid/unconditional support).
RE: “[T]he international community recoiled from answering Israel’s splintering of the Palestinian territory and disfiguring of the laws of occupation with the robust tools that international law and diplomacy provide. International law, along with the peoples of Palestine and Israel, have all suffered in the process.” ~ Lynk’s report
DRAMA: It’s possibly a matter of ‘do or die’ for the entire concept of ‘International Law’.
To blow the conch, or not to blow the conch: that is the question.
A nascent Global Plutocracy is ‘waiting in the wings’.
Citizen on November 1, 2017, 11:43 am
Seems AIPAC & Israel have copied Goering’s view of the Nuremberg Trials’ ex post facto law, & of Hitler’s social darwinism.
the Nuremberg trials left many legal questions unanswered and while they made a seminal mark on the legal view of warfare post 1945, it’s unknown how different the world would be had they taken Churchill and Stalin’s (naturally stalin) view to round up every senior nazi and shoot them all dead. and how can the left wingers complain about that approach when they knew(back then) all along that Stalin was murdering millions of ‘anti soviet commies’ quietly and efficiently.
Ossinev on November 1, 2017, 10:57 am
“He got an immediate reaction. US ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley on Friday said that the U.S. was “deeply disturbed” by Lynk’s report and by his support for “economic and academic boycott” of Israel”
This woman is truly embarrassing. It`s almost as if her Zionist masters on a regular basis are sticking a hot poker where the sun don`t shine to get her to respond instantly to any perceived slight against the Chosen People and the Promised Land – with cuddly little Fascist Danny Danon snapping at her heels to make sure that she doesn`t slacken. Total lack of integrity total lack of independent thinking. The Zios must be p…ing themselves laughing at how easy it is to manipulate these braindead goyim.
Kay24 on November 1, 2017, 11:34 am
What she should have said was the fact that the US keeps sending billions of dollars to a despicable nation, and arming their ruthless military, to turn on civilians, and send precision bombs into their homes, wiping out entire families, is truly disturbing. It is frustrating to think that US tax dollars keep pouring in to prop up and support an apartheid nation, who disregards all international laws, to keep their damn occupation going.
Yes, she is ethically Indian, so I guess she feels comfortable with the notion of untouchables & white man’s royal world?
JeffB on November 2, 2017, 6:37 am
@Citizen
She’s Sikh which is not the same ethnicity as “indian”. Sikhs all belong to the same caste which is likely the best they could do in undermining the system given their minority status.
John O on November 2, 2017, 8:50 am
@JeffB
There you go again: talking about the Sikhs and the Indian caste system from a position of total ignorance; conflating religion and ethnicity; attributing a bizarre motivation for Sikhs to be following their own religion.
Ossinev on November 1, 2017, 2:13 pm
No excuses there I`m afraid. Her family were/are Sikh and my understanding is that Sikhs reject the caste/untouchables system which is Hindu. Still it may be that she has opted for some form of closet Judaism ( financed or non financed by the ZIO lobby ) which might go some way towards explaining her contempt for the native Palestinian people and passionate affair with the Fascist Colonists ?
Ottawa observer on November 1, 2017, 5:01 pm
What’s new in UN Special Rapporteur Lynk’s report is not his description of the consequences of occupation, but his challenge to its legality.
If his argument is accepted, it could even lead to Israel’s suspension from the UN. See here:
https://canadatalksisraelpalestine.ca/2017/11/01/un-special-rapporteur-raises-new-issue-in-report-on-human-rights-in-occupied-territories-has-the-occupation-become-annexation/
Is anybody else getting tired of the tedious abuse of the “antisemite” ad hominem? When a (pro)israeli entity is incapable of countering an argument with one of his/her own, it will resort to name-calling to shut down the exchange that clearly exposes said entity’s lack of arguments worth considering.
Palestinians, not the lily-white ashkenazis, are the crushing majority of Semitic descendants of the native population who have lived on the land since long before Judaism was invented. As is a small group of native Palestinians who had elected to convert to Judaism at the latter’s inception in the waning centuries of the Antiquities and shortly before the massive proselytising effort around the Mediterranean (Shlomo Sand, “Invention of the Jewish People”) that had elevated Judaism from a local cult to a religion that survived into the modern (AD) era, and/or conversions from paganism or Judaism to Christianity and/or Islam..
The arguments are not aimed at Semites, the Palestinians, Jews of whatever origin, race or denomination. The arguments are aimed at WHAT ghetto-israel has been doing to the Muslim and Christian Palestinians for SEVENTY years, and counting. The arguments are aimed at the genocide, racism, apartheid, abuse of children, bombings, theft of Palestinian and Bedouin homes, destruction of schools and utilities, etc., ad nauseam. And the continuous violation of international laws, by ghetto-israel, with impunity, and at the end of lots of gun barrels.
Will there ever be an interlocutor with the necessary equipment who might wish to consider using that argument to once and for all take the “antisemite” non-argument out of the equation?
Keith on November 2, 2017, 12:29 am
XANADOU- “Is anybody else getting tired of the tedious abuse of the “antisemite” ad hominem?”
I am and I am sure others as well. However, perceived anti-Semitism is a core component of Zionism and won’t go away until Zionism goes away.
The times they are a-changin’ and so are perceptions. The time has come to give the misleading and corrupt “core component” a kick that will land and bury said core deep in the landfill of History. N’est-ce pas?
@xanadou
There is an easy way to avoid being called an antisemite. Stop using racial language towards them. “ghetto-israel”, ” lily-white ashkenazis” and fake history about nations. Shlomo Sand believes all nations are constructions, why apply his arguments to Jewish nations exclusively and not say France when the same argument would apply.
Mostly yeah the Palestinians have been a troublesome minority for the state of Israel. They have refused to live under Israeli law, sided with Israel’s enemies and been treated badly as they have violently rebelled. The Israelis have tried negotiation and compromise which mostly failed and they tried violence which is mostly successful, hence violence becomes the preferred method. Lots governments have problems with interior groups that are hostile. Generally one doesn’t find westerners expressing much hostility towards those governments especially ethnically. We just had an ethnic cleansing by Myanmar, yet western leftist were emotionally indifferent. Similarly right before that we’ve had several large scale ethnic cleansing by Sunni Muslims with Western Leftists being supportive. Iran and Russia are horrifically oppressive towards rebelling minorities and yet your group often supports them. I have yet to hear a good argument from leftists why they don’t just group Israel in with say the 100 or so countries that ethnicities problems and leave it at that. The passion in this particular case deserves explanation.
The two countries Israel has the most culturally in common with are Lebanon and Turkey. Look at the differences in language from western leftists towards those 3 cases.
“Mostly yeah the Palestinians have been a troublesome minority for the state of Israel. They have refused to live under Israeli law, sided with Israel’s enemies and been treated badly as they have violently rebelled. The Israelis have tried negotiation and compromise which mostly failed and they tried violence which is mostly successful, hence violence becomes the preferred method.”
A very convincing statement of the position of affairs, if made to another Zionist.
lonely rico on November 2, 2017, 9:32 am
> JeffB
…just group Israel in with say the 100 or so countries that ethnicities problems and leave it at that
A truly brilliant idea JeffB!
Israel and fellow racists joined together in one happy, extended family.
JeffB need no longer waste his precious time with MW; he’ll be too busy with his friends from Myanmar, Sudan, China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc.
On the downside – we’ll have to do without his wisdom and careful analysis of I/P.
JeffB,
Your arguments clearly follow the old and very tired hasbara rules: first lob the ad hominem that makes no sense as per my argument that precipitated this exchange. My argument is against ghetto-israel’s genocide, racism and apartheid, the destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure, and the unconscionable savagery of ghetto-israel’s soldaten imposed on the sick, the old, and the children of Palestine. Where’s the antisemitism here? My criticism is aimed at WHAT the foreign, endlessly belligerent, imposition on a sovereign country is doing. It is directed at Palestine’s executioners pursuing their own version of the Final Solution of the Palestinians, whatever the executioners’ own racial make-up that is of utterly no consequence to the issue at hand, beyond being corrupted to be used to intimidate and shut up.
The ad hominem was useful to the 19th century zios vis a vis the scarcity of scientific info that was only just being brought to light by archeologists. Two centuries later, we know that the foreign body imposed on Palestine has no right to be there as proven by the international cohort of archeologists that include Finkelstein/Silberman in their “Bible Unearthed”. There never was an israel of the non-existent david, solomon, etc.
The one-of-many local cults had originated in Judea (hence Judaism, not israelism) and without the massive proselytising effort would have entered Oblivion together with all the other local cults that did not survive into the modern (AD) era, rather than survive by evolving into a massive regional religion, linked to (sic) and shared by diverse Med. cultures.
Next, you change the subject to France, Myanmar… The issue is ghetto israel, its growing military non-stop military presence that is growing in brutality, not what other political entities are doing and which have zip, zilch, nada, nothing in common with what ghetto-israel has been doing in Palestine, non-stop, for SEVENTY years.
Oh, and ghetto-israel is a ghetto. It is surrounded by self-built walls that lock inside overwhelmingly resident Jews who are given a much higher standard of living to make them a happy if ignorant lot with little to complain about, and highly brainwashed, to realise that they are being used by their govt as useful idiots to propagate brutal antisemitism with impunity. To wit: the internet is replete with videos that are true representations of ghetto-israel’s violent antisemitism expressed on the walls of Palestine and all too often physically executed on the streets of Palestine. Pot, kettle, paint, black… hmmm? (no racism of the kettle is implied)
If Lebanon is (one of the two countries) with which ghetto-israel, as you imply, has the most culturally in common, that what’s with the need to periodically invade Lebanon? The Lebanese, a truly multiracial country, their own troubles and strife notwithstanding, don’t want ghetto-israel’s culture of violence in their country: starting with the separating walls, raids on family homes at 2am, military detention centres for children, let alone dropping white phosphorus on defenceless civilians. Altho’ why you would imply the latter as examples of ghetto-israel’s “culture” eludes my powers of comprehension.
The sad and lonely truth be told: ghetto-israel has no friends. The useful idiots in positions of political power are all bought and/or intimidated, neither of which makes for lasting “friends”.
Lastly, with the progressive rot of the foreign imposition and increasingly uncertain future, I wonder if any of the musical chairs participants is contemplating the foolish decision to abandon Birobidjan. Granted: not too many had contemplated the massive historical reversal of fortunes in 1948, and the rabid invaders’ desperate attachment to Europe to consider the slowly crashing US empire and the slow rise of China and Russia a mere half century later.
The brutality of ghetto-israel soldaten has just been ratcheted to a new level of antisemitic bestiality: shooting their Palestinian targets in the penis/vulva.
Marnie on November 3, 2017, 2:44 am
Waiting for JeffBee to give a sanitary explanation of why this is okay. Explain away zioturd! And continue to prop up and defend (not with your life of course, some other useful idiot – maybe a zionist christian – ooh yeah!) the shithole called israel.
” Explain away zioturd!”
Good old “Jeff b”, Zionism’s Dr, Panglosstein! ‘It’s always the best of all possible worlds for Israel and Zionism.’
He does give us a good example of what Zionists say to each other. And the notion that maybe those things won’t be convincing to non-Zionists never seems to occur to him.
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Bank failure tally reaches 130
Regulators shutter Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank, and five other banks. Closures will cost the FDIC $2.384 billion.
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By Hibah Yousuf, CNNMoney.com staff reporter
Last Updated: December 4, 2009: 7:22 PM ET
Where the banks are failing
Bank failures and foreclosures keep mounting
An eyeblink glance at the economy
The economy has grown for five straight quarters, but there are signs that the recovery is still fragile.
What are you doing this Thanksgiving weekend?
Staying home and doing little
Shopping for holiday bargains
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The nation's tally of 2009 bank casualties hit 130 Friday when regulators shuttered a large Ohio bank, an Illinois bank, a Virginia bank and three small Georgia banks.
The largest bank to fail was AmTrust Bank in Cleveland.
Regulators also closed Benchmark Bank in Aurora, Ill., and Greater Atlantic Bank in Reston, Va.
The Buckhead Community Bank in Atlanta, Ga., First Security National Bank in Norcross, Ga., The Tattnall Bank in Reidsville, Ga., were also closed.
Customers of all the six failed banks are protected, however. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which has insured bank deposits since the Great Depression, currently covers customer accounts up to $250,000.
AmTrust Bank. The Office of Thrift Supervision closed AmTrust Bank because it "was in an unsafe and unsound condition because of substantial loan losses, deteriorating asset quality, and insufficient capital."
The agency said the failed bank's core capital declined 68% in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, and a high level of AmTrust's asset problems were due to residential and land acquisition, development, and construction lending in Florida, California, Arizona and Nevada.
AmTrust operated under the agency's approved risk reduction plan since the start of 2009, but the bank was unable to comply with the minimum capital requirements, the OTS said.
The agency said attempts to find an investor to recapitalize the bank, which was first established in 1889 as The Ohio Savings and Loan Company, were unsuccessful.
New York Community Bank in Westbury, N.Y., will assume AmTrust Bank's $8 billion in deposits and purchase $9 billion of the failed bank's $12 billion in assets, according to the FDIC.
The 66 branches of AmTrust Bank located throughout Ohio, Florida and Arizona employ 1,728 workers and will reopen as branches of New York Community Bank.
Benchmark Bank. MB Financial Bank, National Association, in Chicago will assume Benchmark Bank's $181 million in deposits and will purchase "essentially all" of the bank's $170 million in assets, according to the FDIC. MB Financial Bank, National Association entered into a loss-share agreement with the FDIC on $139 million of the failed bank's assets.
The five branches of Benchmark Bank will reopen as branches of MB Financail Bank, National Association.
Greater Atlantic Bank. Sonabank in McLean, Va., will assume Greater Atlantic Bank's $179 million in deposits, and will purchase "essentially all" of the bank's $203 million in assets, the FDIC said. Sonabank entered a loss-share agreement with the FDIC on $145 million of the failed bank's assets.
The four branches of Greater Atlantic Bank will reopen as branches of Sonabank.
Georgia banks. State Bank and Trust Company in Macon, Ga., will assume The Buckhead Community Bank's $838 million in deposits and purchase "essentially all" of the bank's $874 million in assets, according to the FDIC. State Bank and Trust Company also entered into a loss-share agreement with the FDIC on $692 million of the failed bank's assets.
The Buckhead Community Bank will reopen as State Bank and Trust Company, as will its six branches in Georgia operating under the following names: The Sandy Springs Community Bank, The Midtown Community Bank, The Alpharetta Community Bank, the Cobb Community Bank, The Forsyth Community Bank and The Hall Community Bank.
State Bank and Trust Company will also assume First Security National Bank's $123 million in deposits, according to the FDIC, and purchase approximate $118 million of the failed bank's $128 million in assets, the FDIC said. State Bank and Trust Company also entered into a loss-share agreement with the FDIC on $82.4 million of First Security National Bank's assets.
The four branches of First Security National Bank will reopen as branches of State Bank and Trust Company.
HeritageBank of the South in Albany, Ga., will assume The Tattnall Bank's $47.3 million in deposits and purchase $48.5 million of the failed bank's $49.6 million in assets.
The two branches of The Tattnall Bank will reopen as branches of HeritageBank of the South.
Customers of the failed banks can access their money over the weekend by writing checks or using ATMs or debit cards. Checks will continue to be processed, and borrowers should make mortgage and loan payments as usual.
The FDIC also said customers should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice that the takeover has been completed.
FDIC's fund. An average of 11 banks have failed per month this year, and the federal agency's deposit insurance fund has slipped into the red for the first time since 1991.
At the end of the quarter on Sept. 30, the value of the fund was $8.2 billion in the hole, but the figure includes $21.7 billion the agency has accounted for future bank failures. Friday's closures will cost the FDIC an estimated $2.384 billion.
0:00 /2:16FDIC fund on red alert
After recently approving a measure for banks to repay their insurance premiums over the next three years, however, the FDIC expects to raise $45 billion. The move expects to send the fund back in black in 2012.
The bank failure count for 2009 is still far from 1989's record high of 534 bank closures which took place during the savings and loan crisis, when the insurance fund also carried a negative balance.
The tally is nearly five times the number that failed in 2008, and the highest tally since 1992 when 181 banks failed.
Last week, the FDIC announced that 552 banks are at risk of going under, the highest level since 1993, when the agency had red-flagged 575 banks.
But history has shown just 13% of the so-called "problem" banks have failed on average.
First Published: December 4, 2009: 5:48 PM ET
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A Closer Look at the $36,000 Four Seasons Pen
Garrett Parker 7 months ago
Many people wonder what advantages that a $36,000 pen could give to convey its value. Many people simply think of a pen as only something to write with. However, there are avid pen collectors who view the most rare pens as investments that will yield a return with proper care and time. These investors can wait years or decades before deciding to sell or auction their pens on open market. The most luxurious pens are more than writing utensils, they are status symbols. There are not many things that can uniformly turn heads, but a $36,000 pen is one of them. For those interested in seeing the most expensive and finely crafted pens in the world, turn no farther than the Four Seasons Pen set by “Ferrari da Varese.”
Ferrari da Varese has been designing the fanciest pens for years and many collectors felt that the Four Seasons pen set was the pinnacle of their success. The Four Seasons pen set consists of 4 pens that have each been made to represent one of the four seasons. The spring pen is an emerald green that had been crafted by the finest jewelers in the world, the summer is a deep red that represents the heat of the season, fall is a shallow brown that often matches the changing of the leaves, and winter is a mild grey shade that represents the “death and growth of new life.” It is clear that the Four Seasons pen set has been designed for only the most luxurious of collectors. The attention to detail cannot be lost on this set. Though it does take a true collector to appreciate the craftsmanship and design that went into these pens. Rest assured; these are no ordinary pens. They are a gateway into the 1%, the writing prospects of only the richest of the rich. While most of us mere mortals only write on pens worth less than a dollar, there are people out there that have the audacity to write with pens that cost $36,000.
While there has been much intrigue about this pen set, there has also been much confusion. Many articles claim the Four Seasons Pen is actually a single pen that “changes colors.” Unfortunately, the facts conclude that this is not true. Much confusion surrounds the Four Seasons Pen set. This is mostly because so few people actually know what it is. Fake news like this only adds to confusion surrounding a pen which is already rare and elusive. In reality it is a designer set of pens that come with special features and designs for only the most elite pen collectors. The set also comes with features that many people did not even know was available. It even comes with an automatic reloading ink slot that allows writers to quickly refill their ink when it gets low. However, it is not known how many people actually write with this pen. Some view it as purely a collector’s item and seek to keep it in pristine shape in hopes that it will increase in valuation over time. It would be a shame if these pens were ever lost for all of time, which is why so many people go out of their way to keep them pristine.
Another aspect that adds to the allure of the pens is how rare they are. Only 33 sets of the pens have ever been made, creating a strong market for the pens which drives up their price. Many people do not feel the need to shell out $36,000 for a pen in and of itself, so it makes sense to drive the demand by limiting the supply. The creator, Ferrari da Varese is, known for their unique and outrageous designs. Regardless of the reason that the people want the pen, it is undeniable that the story behind the Four Seasons Pen is worthy of a novel by itself. The great confusion around the pen has allowed investors to capitalize on their gains. However, the main problem is that these pens are rarely for sale. In fact, it is almost impossible to find them even if you desired to spend $36,000. It seems that the strategy to keep this pen set rate and exotic is working.
If you are lucky enough to write with this pen, then consider yourself one of the rare pen experts in the entire world. The richest of the rich will pay top dollar for products like this because they always want things that are rare and exotic. Yes, writing in style is nice but it seems that ink is generally ink. The only way to really see the advantages of this pen are to be a skilled calligrapher who has been trained in the art of writing. Only the true expert can understand the nuance and sophistication that goes with creating a set like. The pens are made from “18k caret gold,” which leaves them sturdy enough to write with. Unfortunately, gold is too soft of a substance to make a pen out of exclusively, so Ferrari da Varese had to settle for an alloy that retained more of its strength. It is little tweaks like this that show the practicality and luxuriousness of the pen. If you are lucky enough to ever see or handle these pens, know that you are truly in the league of elite craftsmanship.
Overall, this pen is a great purchase if you can get your hands on it. But beware, the collectors of these pens are very particular about them. Therefore, it is hard to see them in the open. Sadly, most of us will have to settle with run-of-the-mill ballpoint pens that cost around $1. While these pens are not as nice as the Four Seasons Pen set, at least you won’t have to worry about breaking them. If you lose a them, just buy a new one. Given all the care that goes into maintaining these pens, it’s a wonder that the 1% have any time to manage their money at all.
Garrett Parker
Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.
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20 Things You Didn’t Know About Jennifer Aniston
Although it has been more than a decade since Jennifer Aniston starred as Rachel Green in the role that made her famous on the 1990’s hit Friends, she remains a Hollywood superstar and doesn’t appear to be disappearing from the public eye anytime soon. She is constantly photographed and mentioned in the tabloids, has managed to maintain a busy movie career, and is frequently named one of the “Best Dressed” on any red carpet she walks.
From the days when she was seen as the jilted one in one of the country’s most high profile couples to today, when her body is constantly being scrutinized for any signs of pregnancy, it is hard to get away from Jennifer Aniston, both in magazines and on the internet. Of course, this might lead you to believe that you know everything there is to know about her. However, you might be surprised.
From her family’s original last name to who slapped her on the streets of NYC, here are 20 things you didn’t know about Jennifer Aniston
Although she tries to adhere to a healthy diet, when she feels the need to cheat, she opts for salty over sweet.
According to a 2016 interview Jennifer did that was published in People magazine, “Whatever my guilty pleasure is in terms of a greasy meal or some sort of saucy, salty or savory. I’m not much of a sweets person, so my treat would never really be sweets.” She also admitted that she isn’t quite as strict when it comes to her diet as she used to be.
She has a famous godfather.
Jennifer’s godfather is actor, director, and producer Telly Savalas, who starred in several hit TV shows and movies, such as Kojak and Birdman of Alcatraz. Telly and Jennifer’s father, John Aniston, were best friends when Jen was born in 1969. Jennifer attended Telly’s 1994 funeral after his death from complications related to bladder and prostate cancer.
Jennifer prefers a certain style of jeans.
In a 2015 interview, Jen reported, “”My husband loves me in skinny jeans.” However, she admitted that she has a “love/ hate relationship” with the tight fitting jeans and actually prefers wide legged jeans. She said, “I personally love a nice flared option, kind of a ’70s vibe or a ripped-up jean or something that’s kind of loose.” Apparently, she prefers comfort over fashion.
A painting she did hung in one of the most prestigious art museums in the world.
At the very young age of 11, Jennifer accomplished a feat that many artists only dream of. One of her paintings hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. At the time, she was a student at the Rudolf Steiner School, an elementary school with a curriculum based in the arts, including drama, artistic movement, instrumental and vocal music, and crafts. Although her focus was on acting, she showed significant artistic talent.
Chaz Bono was one of her high school classmates.
As a teen at LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in NYC, Jen went to school was Chaz Bono, who was known as Chastity at the time. The two were actually good friends who hung out together. Chaz, who was the child of Cher and Sonny Bono, knew what it was like to have a parent who was famous. (At the time, Jen’s father was a soap opera star on Days of Our Lives.)
Jennifer has a problem letting go a particular type of shoes.
In a 2015 interview with Bobbi Brown, Jennifer stated that she really prefers heels over flats because she likes a bit of height. In particular, she has a great love of wedges. In fact, she admitted, “Once I find a beautiful wedge, I will never, ever, ever let it go.”
Jen went through a Gothic period.
According to Jen, she looked like a “goth nightmare” in high school, which was back in the 1980’s. In fact, she said, “At one point, my hair was shaved about an inch above the ear. I had the short hair and the big black outfits and the black liquid eyeliner that made me look like a vampire, with all sorts of pins sticking out of my body parts.” Obviously, she has since grown out of this phase.
She and Justin Theroux opted for a non-traditional honeymoon and invited a few friends along with them.
When Jen and Justin headed to the Four Seasons Hotel in Bora Bora after their 2015 wedding, they had quite the entourage of their closest friends with them. They included Jason Bateman, Courtney Cox, and Chelsea Handler. However, they had a good reason for this, according to an interview Justin did. He said, “We had thought about it; we could just do a normal honeymoon, or we could go with some friends, keep the party going, relax, and have fun. It was really special, it was really beautiful.”
As a child, she was slapped by a very unlikely culprit.
Growing up on New York City’s swanky Upper West Side, you would assume that Jennifer lived a completely charmed life. While she mostly did, she also had her fair share of weird experiences, including the time she was slapped by a man dressed like Santa Claus. In a 2006 interview, she explained that she and a friend were walking down Broadway after a dance class when the man “backhanded me really hard” for no apparent reason. She also said that nobody bothered to stop to see if she was okay. In the end, she said, “Very strange. It’s fun growing up in New York.”
Although she was not diagnosed until she was in her 20’s, Jen struggles with dyslexia.
In a 2015 interview with Hollywood Reporter, Jen revealed that she had been diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability in her 20’s, which actually came as somewhat of a relief. She mentioned that growing up, “I thought I wasn’t smart. I couldn’t retain anything.” She also said that her extreme struggles with reading hurt her self-esteem while she was growing up and is the reason she rarely reads.
She had quite an array of jobs before she finally made it as an actress.
Like many people trying to become famous, Jen tried her hand at several jobs between acting auditions. She started out as a bike messenger, although she has said that she wasn’t particularly good at it, thanks to being “not so good on the directions.” Next, she turned to waiting tables, which was even worse. According to Jen, “I was very friendly but clumsy and generally incompetent.” She also took on a number of roles as an extra in different TV series, including Search For Tomorrow, which her father was starring in.
Her dad wanted Jennifer to become a lawyer.
Despite the fact she struggled in school, thanks to her undiagnosed learning disability, Jennifer’s dad thought she should work to become a lawyer instead of an actress. However, he had a good reason for discouraging her from following in his acting footsteps. He told her, “I do not want your heart broken. The rejection is brutal. Please, please, please don’t do that. Become a lawyer.
She is absolutely terrified of going underwater.
While doing interviews for her 2014 film Cake, Jen let it slip that the pool scene required an astounding 30 takes because she is so scared of having to go underwater. Apparently, when she was a child, she was riding a tricycle around a pool and ended up driving her trike right into the swimming pool. As the trike floated to the bottom and her brother tried to pull her out, she wouldn’t turn loose of the handlebars. Eventually, he got her out, but she still hasn’t been able to get past the experience.
As a child, Jen was slightly cross-eyed.
Jennifer has said in several interviews that she has a “little bit of a lazy eye, like a cross-eye” that always has to be corrected in photos. She mentioned that the condition was the result of a weak muscle in her right eye. While we are on the topic of Jen’s eyes, here is another interesting fact. Although her eyes are brown, she usually wears contacts that are tinted blue
In one of her first roles, she played Blossom’s stepsister.
Jen was cast in the role of Courtney Molloy in the 1990 Fox series Molloy. The show’s star was Mayim Bialik, who went on to star in Blossom. The show ran from July 25 until August 29, 1990 before it was cancelled (7 episodes actually aired on TV) due to poor ratings, leaving two episodes unaired. This was actually Jen’s first TV appearance.
Her family’s last name has not always been Aniston.
When Jennifer was born on February 11, 1969, she was named Jennifer Joanna Aniston, although her father had only recently adopted the last name. His original last name was Anastassakis, but he opted to change it because it was too hard for most people to pronounce. He got the idea from good friend and eventually Jennifer’s godfather, Telly Savalas. (On a side note, Jennifer shares her middle name with her paternal grandmother.)
Her marriage to Brad Pitt started with a blind date.
Once referred to as “Hollywood’s Golden Couple,” Jen first met Brad Pitt after being set up by their respective agents on a blind date. They immediately clicked and were married on July 29, 2000 in a lavish ceremony held on a Malibu estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The ceremony had everything from tens of thousands of flowers to a gospel choir, four bands, and an elaborate fireworks display. In March 2006, they announced they were separating after 4 ½ years of marriage
If she had not made it as an actress, Jen wanted to be a therapist.
When Jen starred in the 2014 comedy She’s Funny That Way, she played a therapist, which just happens to be her alternative career aspiration. In a 2012 interview, she stated, “I don’t know why. I was just always the girl that people would come and talk to about their problems, and I still am.” By the way, Jennifer has also admitted on multiple occasions that she has seen a therapist for several years herself.
She was not a fan of her iconic haircut.
Jennifer first debuted “The Rachel” in 1994 after her stylist Chris McMillian created the highlighted and layered shaggy cut while he was high. Despite the fact that America absolutely loved the hairstyle and women flocked to their own hairstylist in an effort to replicate the look, Jen did not feel the same way. She admitted in a Glamour interview, “I was not a fan of the ‘Rachel’. That was kind of cringe-y for me. Looking back — honestly, even during that time — I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed [my hairstylist] Chris [McMillan] attached to my hip. Left to my own devices, I am not skilled with a hairbrush and blow-dryer.”
Jen is the actual owner of Pat the Dog.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Pat the Dog is the name of the big white dog that is seen in Joey’s apartment on Friends. The dog eventually became a running gag on the show. In fact, when Joey was forced to sell everything in his apartment, Ross went to the trouble of tracking the dog down and buying him back for Joey. In real life, Jennifer owned Pat, who was given to her by a friend as a congratulations for getting the role of Rachel on the show.
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MSDTaxLaw.com
Is a state, or are multiple states, auditing your business? Sometimes, answering even this first question is difficult based upon your initial correspondence from the state. Unfortunately, however ambiguous their notice may be, it likely triggers a strict timeline for both taxpayers and the state to conduct an audit. It is vital for taxpayers to act immediately upon receiving communications from the state regarding their state and local tax remittance to preserve the rights they are entitled to.
Audits in one state may potentially trigger audits in neighboring states. While states are not required to rely on out-of-state audit results, the outcome of one audit may serve as some support in a subsequent audit on the same issue in another jurisdiction. Audits in multiple states, even on the same issue, are handled very differently state to state. A thorough understanding of each state’s audit procedures is required along with a larger understanding of where a particular tax issue fits in the national scheme.
What is a Taxpayer Bill of Rights?
Most states have explicit rights provided to Taxpayers which may be invoked during and after an audit. These rights vary, but generally provide for transparency and access to information during an audit and the right to contest an audit informally within the acting agency. Such rights may also include access to payment plans and waivers of penalties and interest in certain cases. Not only do Taxpayer Bills of Rights provide certain benefits during an audit, but any violations of these rights by the state may also jeopardize the validity of an audit itself. In short, the denial of certain rights may give rise to a challenge that an entire assessment is invalid.
What is a Statute of Limitation?
Statutes of Limitation provide limitations on how far back in time an audit can go to assess tax. In some cases, such as fraud, or if a taxpayer has never been registered with a state, there is no limitation and the state can audit all the way back to the very beginning of a business. However, in other cases, the state can be limited to as little as three years. These limitations vary from state to state, but one thing is for certain: a violation of these statutes is a huge misstep by the state and ripe for challenge by an affected taxpayer. It is easy for taxpayers to get lost in the weeds of an audit and miss a statute of limitations violation. In other cases, the statute itself may prove ambiguous when applied to your case. It is in every case, however, that these statutes address the scope of an audit and consequently the scope of liability your business may be facing.
What types of audits are there?
Audits can come in a variety of forms. Sometimes, an auditor will want to conduct a field audit. A field audit is an audit that takes place at the taxpayer’s location. The auditor will likely want to do a walk-through of the premises and will certainly want to look through the taxpayer’s digital and hardcopy records. Alternatively, the taxpayer may receive a desk audit. A desk audit occurs at the auditor’s desk without any visit, and sometimes without even any contact, with the taxpayer. These often are initiated by third-party reports, or are conducted based on estimations made from prior returns.
Audits are full of procedural technicalities that are best handled by a professional. Whether it is understanding taxpayer rights, statutes of limitation, or the various methodologies used in different states to calculate or estimate an amount of tax due, your team at MSD is sure to have the comprehensive knowledge and experience necessary to properly defend your case.
Once an audit is finalized and the amount of tax due is fixed, most states provide for a short window of time to contest the assessment informally within the taxing agency. Such challenges are typically faster and cheaper than filing immediately in court, and provide a unique opportunity to either (1) resolve a case before incurring the costs of formal litigation or (2) lay the groundwork to present the strongest case possible down the road when in litigation. Often, the taxing agency is motivated to settle cases to avoid their own cost of litigation and the risk of unfavorable precedent in the courts.
Multistate businesses may find that the informal tax assessment challenges have varying procedures across states. The length of the process, and the rights and privileges available through it can certainly differ. Competent council will be familiar with the often complex procedures for navigating these challenges and the right approaches for obtaining the best result within a particular taxing agency.
What is the difference between litigation vs. an informal assessment challenge?
The differences between the two are substantial. To start, litigation allows for an impartial judge to rule on a case whereas an informal assessment challenge is performed through the agency itself. In short, the state still has the final say. It is an understandable concern that the state will simply uphold its own assessment, and sometimes that is the case, but informal protests generally take the case out of the hands of an auditor and into the hands of an attorney. Agency attorneys will address at this stage, often for the first time, legal challenges that an auditor is not trained to deal with. Agency attorneys will have a better understanding than auditors of where your case fits in the legal spectrum and also have authority to settle cases. An informal assessment challenge, if available, can be a great option for taxpayers to get the Department to reevaluate your case at a higher level. However, these informal assessment challenges are often only available for a short window after an assessment is issued, so it is vital for taxpayers to pay attention to these dates and contact qualified counsel immediately.
If I informally challenge an assessment, can I still bring the case to court at a later date?
Absolutely. In fact, many cases are strategically put through the informal challenge process to lay the groundwork for a stronger case in court. The higher the dollar amount and the more complex the issue, the less likely that a case will be resolved through an informal challenge within the agency. However, that does not mean such informal challenges are useless for a high dollar amount case. In many cases, it is quite the opposite, as the informal protest process may allow for a taxpayer to provide additional documentation and result in the Department issuing formal rulings that can provide additional challenges down the road.
In many cases, taxpayers are left with no option but to bring their case to court. Often, the decision to file in court comes after months, or years, of working internally with a taxing agency through an audit and informal protest to contest an assessment. In other cases, the best option in a case is to file directly in court. Litigation against the government can seem overwhelmingly intimidating, particularly when your business’s financial security is potentially at stake. However, an experienced team can guide you through and help you to make the best decisions for you and your business.
Multistate businesses may find that litigation in one state creates a domino effect, resulting in litigation on substantially similar issues in other states as well. Even if the underlying tax issue is the same, the applicable statutes, rules, and case law may vary from state to state, resulting in dramatically disparate approaches to litigation in different jurisdictions.
There are usually at least two places to bring an action to court. While litigation options vary from state to state, most have the option of bringing tax cases either to administrative court or circuit court. Both options provide an impartial judge, but there are important differences between the two.
What are the main differences between administrative court and circuit court?
Again, this varies state to state. However, generally speaking, the cost of bringing a case to court can be different between administrative and circuit court. For example, many circuit courts require taxpayers to pay the entire assessment before challenging it in court. Meanwhile, administrative courts may require only the uncontested amount to be paid to enter court.
The other main difference between the two is the finality of a ruling. An administrative law judge may be overturned by the taxing agency in certain circumstances, while a circuit court judge may not. In both cases, either the taxpayer or the agency can appeal the final ruling.
Finally, some states have their own state tax court, available exclusively for tax cases. Tax case procedures vary state to state.
Do all tax cases go to trial?
The vast majority of tax cases do not go to trial. Typically, either the Department or the taxpayer will initiate settlement proceedings at some point during the pre-trial process.
How long does the litigation process take?
The litigation process varies in length. Generally speaking, it can take between several months and a couple years until the case is complete. However, there are always exceptions to the rule. The length of litigation depends on the complexity of a case, the resources of the state, and often times even the intent of the client.
Tax litigation is technical and complex, requiring an experienced team to guide you through to the best outcome possible. Your team at MSD is dedicated to providing the highest level defense of your case as it navigates through the litigation process. Whether your case is resolved in the administrative or circuit courts, or requires appeal all the way to the state supreme court, we are here to guide you through each step of the process as we work to give your case the strongest chance we can for the best possible outcome.
Sometimes a taxpayer does not realize they were under audit until the audit is far past complete. In these cases, the taxpayer may only find out upon realizing their bank account was frozen. This occurs when a case has gone past audit and is now in collections. Other times, a taxpayer is fully aware of an audit but suddenly encounters problems after the fact during enforcement.
Collections can be an intimidating division of a taxing agency. By the time a case is in collections, it is likely that many of a taxpayer’s rights to challenge an underlying assessment have expired. With the law on their side, collectors can be aggressive and demanding in their approach to obtaining the balance of an assessment as quickly as possible.
Adding to the challenge is the multijurisdictional aspect to it. If your business has a large number of locations across a state, you could be facing different collections issues at different service centers despite the origination of the underlying balance being from a single audit. Compliance can be difficult too when a taxpayer has entered collections in several states, all of which have different rules and procedures.
Regardless of how a taxpayer finds themselves in collections, one thing is for certain: a misstep in the collections process can have devastating effects on a business. Whether a taxpayer is looking to reopen a case in collections or resolve an outstating liability as efficiently and effectively as possible, it is vital to navigate the process with competent and experienced counsel.
It is a bittersweet moment for taxpayers when they realize they have overpaid tax to the state. Perhaps it was because they erroneously applied one state’s tax laws to a neighboring state. Alternatively, the taxpayer may have simply missed a narrow exemption buried deep in the applicable statute. Regardless of how a taxpayer came to overpay tax in the first place, it is a relief to realize there is opportunity to get it back. The reality, unfortunately, can be quite disappointing. States will fight vehemently over refunds, particularly when they are for a high dollar amount.
Can refunds be settled like traditional assessment cases?
Refund cases are generally not “all or nothing” cases. For example, the Department may prorate the refund based on factors like square footage. Alternatively, the taxing agency may offer a compromise by refunding tax for only a portion of the refund period. While “all or nothing” refund cases certainly do exist, that is not always a taxpayer’s only anticipate result.
Do the statutes of limitations apply to refund cases?
Yes. In many states, the statute of limitations for a refund is shorter than for an assessment case. For example, while the Department can go back five years to conduct an audit, a refund applicant might only be able to apply for repayment of taxes going back three years. Each month a taxpayer waits to file a refund, they may lose one month of refunded tax from the beginning of the period. Therefore, it is important to start the process as quickly as possible to maximize refund opportunity.
Filing for refunds across several states can be complex due to varying statutes of limitations, sales tax laws and rules, and applicable case law. The same exact refund case may be successful in one state while unsuccessful in another. It is important for taxpayers to have professionals identify the areas with the highest refund potential and act quickly to preserve refund rights while they are available. A professional team experienced in both assessment challenges and refund cases will work together to craft a case that gives the taxpayer their best chance at obtaining their tax refund in the particular jurisdictions they are filing within.
In some industries, the state laws haven’t caught up to the technology your business hinges upon and you are left uncertain as to the taxable status of your sales, or even purchases, based on the information available by the state. In other circumstances, a complex transaction appears right on the line between exempt and taxable. When a business is unsure whether its practices are creating an exposure to a potential tax liability, the best option may be to seek technical guidance directly from state agencies.
What is a technical guidance?
A technical guidance is a determination, made by the taxing authority, of the taxable status of a transaction, or set of transactions, based on the particular facts of the transactions as provided by the taxpayer.
Can a technical guidance be requested anonymously?
Some states allow for an anonymous technical guidance. These determinations often do not carry the same weight as one in which the taxpayer’s identity is revealed and, in some cases, may not be relied upon by the taxpayer. However, the benefit of an anonymous technical guidance is for a taxpayer to see the Department’s position on an issue before revealing the identity of the taxpayer. Should the determination be favorable, the taxpayer can then seek to formalize it with a request for technical guidance that reveals the business identity.
When a business has discovered that the taxability of their sales is questionable across varying states, the safest thing to do may be to seek technical guidance directly from the taxing authority. In many cases, these guidance requests require a legal analysis and documentation that could potentially expose a business’s unforeseen liabilities to the very agency that has the authority to initiate an audit. Therefore, it is important to approach them carefully and with competent council familiar with the procedures for requesting guidance and consequences of revealing particular facts, records, or identifying information.
After years of operation, a business may come to find on accident that they have been erroneously handling their state and local taxes all along. The potentially devastating tax liability exposure that follows this realization can weigh heavily on business owners. Owners may furthermore be rightfully concerned about changing policies going forward for fear of highlighting their prior error to the taxing authority. Not wanting to continue in their error but unwilling to expose their business to an audit, taxpayers may feel trapped.
Fortunately, most states offer voluntary disclosure programs that allow for businesses to begin proper collection and remittance of state and local taxes while limiting the look-back period to only a few years. While the taxpayer may be required to pay interest and penalty on taxes owed for previous years, the program prevents the taxing authority from initiating an audit for the state and local taxes at issue on any periods prior. When a business operates and owes tax in multiple jurisdictions, limiting the exposure is vital when the financial security of the business is at stake.
Are voluntary disclosures available for taxes collected but not remitted?
If a taxpayer has collected tax from customers but failed to remit it to the government, they have committed a crime. As a result, some voluntary disclosure programs do not cover tax collected but not remitted exposures. However, other states do allow for such taxpayers to enter the program when a penalty is paid. It is important to clearly understand a particular taxing jurisdiction’s policies before applying for the program, as the application itself exposes the taxpayer’s error to the same agency with the authority to initiate a criminal investigation.
The rules and privileges of voluntary disclosures vary from state to state, so it is important for taxpayers to have competent council to navigate the process. When multiple jurisdictions are involved, it may benefit taxpayers to prioritize voluntary disclosures based on the exposure in a particular jurisdiction along with the protections provided there. A misstep in the process may render a taxpayer ineligible for the program and expose a tax liability to the very same taxing agency that has authority to initiate an audit. An experienced legal team can help avoid such errors and establish a business with proper tax collection and remittance procedures going forward while also limiting exposure for past error.
As businesses grow, so do states’ jurisdictional reach. It is not always clear when the threshold has been reached for a state to have the authority to impose its state and local taxes on a business. Each state has its own set of rules for determining when a business’s presence within its borders allow for the imposition of tax, but an analysis of those rules in a vacuum is only the first step.
What exactly is nexus?
Nexus is a sufficient physical presence with a state. If your business has a sufficient physical presence with a particular state, that state may find that you have nexus. Nexus subjects a business to state and local taxes within the jurisdiction. It is possible for one business to have nexus with many states if they operate in multiple jurisdictions.
Many states have conflicting and overlapping rules regarding nexus, the sufficient level of contact with a state to subject a business to the state’s taxing authority. If two states have nexus with your business, they may both claim taxes owed for the very same transaction. As a result, a nexus study may prove helpful in making strategic business plans and determining the potential liabilities that may arise with business growth.
A nexus study can provide a business with the tools necessary to understand the tax consequences of various business interactions in different states. Whether the goal is to uncover and limit tax exposures, or to establish proper procedures from the start of a business, a nexus study can provide much needed answers on crucial jurisdictional issues. Your team of competent professionals at MSD will help guide you and your business through the complexity of varying nexus rules and procedures in each jurisdiction you have interactions with and recommend a plan of action going forward to keep your business on track for success.
CONTACT US TO DISCUSS YOUR CASE
The Law Offices of Moffa, Sutton, & Donnini, P.A. are comprised of attorneys with strong accounting backgrounds, CPA licenses, and a dedicated focus to defend taxpayers. Serving clients since 1991, the firm’s attorneys have over 100 years of collective experience.
Wills, Trusts and Probates
Trade Centre South., Suite 930
100 W Cypress Creek Rd.
© 2018 – All Rights Reserved – Moffa, Sutton, & Donnini, PA.
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Pillsbury Session Examines Radio's Financial Future Where Reduced Regulation Creates New Opportunities to Compete
For RAB inquiries
Leah Kamon
For NAB inquiries
Ann Marie Cumming
David Santrella
Kevin Perry
Susan Patrick
Beth Neuhoff
Garret Komjathy
Bill Hendrich
Davis Hebert
Scott Flick
WASHINGTON, D.C. � A dynamic lineup of radio industry executives and financial experts will discuss the business impact of significant regulatory changes affecting radio. �Pillsbury�s Broadcast Finance 2019: Radio Unleashed - Preparing for a New Regulatory World,� hosted by Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, will take place Tuesday, September 24 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at the Radio Show in Dallas, Texas.
The 2019 Radio Show, produced by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), will be held September 24-26 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.
Scott Flick, a partner at Pillsbury, will moderate the session, which will focus on the opportunities for radio broadcasters presented by deregulation, such as the elimination of the main studio requirement and the FCC�s potential relaxation of local radio ownership rules.
�That the FCC is recognizing radio�s challenges where listeners� audio alternatives�and the competition for ears and advertisers�have grown exponentially may be as big a game-changer as the new competition itself,� said Flick, who will lead a conversation on how radio stations can adapt their operations and better compete in a more relaxed regulatory environment.
This year�s panel features Bill Hendrich, executive vice president of radio, Cox Media Group; Garret Komjathy, senior vice president of media and communications, U.S. Bank; Beth Neuhoff, president and chief executive officer, Neuhoff Communications; Susan Patrick, managing partner of Patrick Communications and co-owner of Legend Communications; and David Santrella, president of broadcast media, Salem Media Group. Kevin Perry, president and CEO of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting, will introduce the session, and Davis Hebert, director and senior high yield analyst, Wells Fargo Securities, will precede the panel with a visual presentation on the current financial state of the radio industry.
As a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Scott Flick represents media entities on transactional, regulatory, business, finance, litigation and policy matters. He has handled over $30 billion in broadcast acquisitions and mergers in addition to a variety of other types of transactions. He has represented many of the largest companies in the broadcast industry and is regularly quoted by both mainstream and trade press on communications law and policy matters.
Davis Hebert is director and senior high yield analyst at Wells Fargo Securities covering the Media, Cable and Telecommunications sectors. Hebert started with the company in 2007 as an associate analyst covering the healthcare and gaming sectors. Previously, Hebert provided loan underwriting and portfolio management functions for media and telecom entities.
Bill Hendrich is executive vice president of Cox Media Group (CMG). In this role, he currently oversees radio and television in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tulsa, as well as radio in Miami, Tampa, San Antonio, Long Island and Houston. Hendrich is also responsible for overseeing CMG�s Radio Programming, Radio Revenue team, and the Radio Digital Strategy team in addition to driving overarching industry issues for Radio. Previously, Hendrich was responsible for programming, operations and sales for CMG�s more than 61 radio stations in 11 markets. He is currently on the NAB Radio Board of Directors and has served as the Chairman of the Florida Association of Broadcasters.
Garret Komjathy has more than 30 years of corporate banking experience, including 20 years in media and communications new deal origination, structuring and relationship management. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, he was responsible for managing the New Jersey Department of Banking as part of Governor Chris Christie�s administration. He has also served as managing director & originator in GE Capital�s Media, Entertainment & Communications Group in New York and as an originator in Bank of America�s (formerly FleetBoston Financial) Media, Communications & Entertainment Group. In 2015, Komjathy received the U.S. Bank�s Summit Award as recognition for being among the top wholesale bankers.
Beth Neuhoff is a senior executive and media, marketing and consumer segmentation expert recognized for creating innovative revenue growth and brand-building strategies in both national and local markets. Serving as CEO of Neuhoff Communications since 2012, Neuhoff has enhanced the privately held broadcast and digital media company�s operations and increased its value. She serves on the NAB Radio Board and is a director of the Broadcasters Foundation of America.
Susan Patrick is co-owner and managing partner of Patrick Communications and is also co-owner of Legend Communications, the licensee of 14 radio stations in Wyoming, Ohio, and Missouri. She has been involved in the media brokerage business for 25 years and has personally brokered the sale of broadcast properties totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Patrick has provided investing banking services and private placement of equity and debt for scores of broadcasters and spearheads all appraisals and economic studies done by the firm.
Kevin Perry is the president and CEO of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting, a second-generation family owned company based in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company owns and operates 18 radio stations in Oklahoma, Arkansas and South Carolina. In addition, the company owns the Oklahoma statewide newspaper, The Black Chronicle, and an apparel and music store in Oklahoma City, O�City Source. Perry serves on the NAB Radio Board of Directors as well as on the board of the NAB Leadership Foundation.
Throughout his 37-year professional career in the radio broadcast communications industry, David Santrella has provided leadership in promotions, marketing, sales, and management. Since 2015, Santrella has served as Salem Media Group�s president of broadcast media, overseeing all local stations as well as network assets. He joined Salem in 2001 and is chair of the NAB Radio Board.
FREE news media registration is available here.
About the Radio Show
The 2019 Radio Show, produced by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), will be held September 24-26 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. This year�s event brings together radio, podcasting, streaming and technology professionals to share knowledge, discover the latest innovations, network with industry leaders and explore creative business strategies. To learn more about the 2019 Radio Show, visit www.radioshowweb.com.
About RAB
The Radio Advertising Bureau serves more than 6,000 member radio stations in the U.S. and over 1,000 member networks, representative firms, broadcast vendors, and international organizations. RAB leads and participates in educational, research, sales, and advocacy programs that promote and advance Radio as a primary advertising medium. Learn more at www.rab.com.
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Next CEO Wolfson says no-deal Brexit would not lead to disorder and chaos - BBC
LONDON — The chief executive of Next Simon Wolfson said a no-deal Brexit would not lead to disorder and chaos as the British government’s contingency planning meant the economy was better prepared.
“We are a long way from disorder and chaos,” Chief Executive Wolfson told the BBC. He said that Next had moved all its imports and exports out of Calais to other ports.
Wolfson, the boss of one of Britain’s biggest clothing retailers, said the government of Theresa May had failed to adequately prepare for a no-deal, a situation he said was now being addressed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Wolfson said he still hoped a deal would be struck, probably at the last minute.
“In the vast majority of deals I’ve done, if the deadline is midnight, the deal gets done at 11.55 but we need to have nerves of steel and prepare ourselves for either outcome,” he told the BBC. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton)
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Brendan Fraser's ex-wife Afton Smith's facts and biography
Afton Smith (born December 3, 1967) is an American actress and writer.
Smith has appeared in a few movies, but she is more famous as the ex-wife of actor, Brendan Fraser.
She first met Fraser while working in the movie, George of The Jungle.
They got married in a lavish ceremony on September 27, 1998, at the Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles.
They have three sons Griffin Arthur Fraser, Holden Fletcher Fraser and Leland Francis Fraser.
They filed for divorce in 2007 citing internal conflicts as the reason, and it was finalized on April 17, 2008.
The case was settled with a contract that asked Fraser to pay $50,000 monthly plus $300,000 in child support annually.
In 2013, Fraser filed a case to lower the alimony payment citing his declining net worth as the reason.
The initial settlement was made when Brendan was enjoying the prime time in his career and had a net worth of $45 million.
Afton on her defense presented the fact that he still made $3 million per year and had no difficulty in paying the given amount.
Even though Afton still gets the alimony, she has been backlashed by millions.
She is mainly criticized for depending on others money while she has the capabilities to work and earn.
Rumors suggest she's been hiding her current relationship status in fear of losing the compensation from her ex-husband.
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‘The Church you go to, when you don’t really go to a Church.’
We live in an age when the world seems obsessed with profits, and margins, an increase in privatisation of public assets, creating private monopolies. It is a world where 1% of the population holds 46% percent of the worlds wealth, where wars are being kept alive by private companies such as is the case in Afghanistan and as a result millions are seeking asylum around the globe.
There is a church on the Central Coast, a predominately, Anglo Saxon population in New South Wales that is addressing such matters with its provocative signs, one of which has gone viral on social media.
The Gosford Anglican Church is perched at the top of a hill next to a beautiful older sandstone church at Gosford, a town that was established in 1885. Father Rod Bower has been at the helm of this Church since 1999 and his signs are a response to happenings in this world and what he says is, ‘the oppressed of society’. The signs out front are constantly changing. His current focus is comments from great leaders, such as a recent sign quoting John Kennedy (JFK), ‘Sometimes party loyalty asks too much.’
On the Website of the Gosford Anglican Church it reads:
‘We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich or dirt poor. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organised religion,” we’ve been there too.
I decide to attend a Saturday night service, which starts at 6pm. I am thankful that the occasion is not filled with a fire and brimstone sermon. Rod thinks the books of Revelations, Ezekiel and Daniel is a genre of apocalyptic literature, the graphic language and images being a symptom of oppression. He said the same literature came about in Apartheid, so therefore you have to see it in its context. ‘It tends to be a hunting ground for the crazies.’ ‘It is my conviction that the life and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth is to alert us, by his teaching and modelling to the reality of what he called the “Kingdom of God”. This “Kingdom” is not restricted to Christians or even people of faith, but is available to all creation and any human who seeks to live, justly, love mercy and walk humbly.’
The gathering is no more than thirty souls in this restored old church. The group consists of about a third pensioners and the rest in their forties. The vibe is welcoming and the service is peaceful. We are asked to shake hands with one another, uttering “Peace be with you”. It a lovely gesture which adds to the feeling of inclusion. The topic Rod discusses this evening is “To think different”, a slogan made famous by the late founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. Father Rod asks us to focus on the word “Metanoya”, a Greek word meaning – “the change in one’s life resulting from repentance”.
Everyone is offered communion and those who don’t wish to take it are not made to feel outcasts. After the forty five minute service, Father Rod leaves the Church first and greets everyone individually outside. It has been an uplifting and meditative experience. Days later I am thankful for such an enriching ritualistic event that appealed to the intellect. It is not surprising that those in the Church, have been going there for years.
Father Rod Bower, was adopted and grew up in the lower Hunter Valley on a farm. At the age of twelve, his father died; this event changed the course of his life and together with his adoptiveness, was a catalyst for his internal pilgrimage.
It was at the age of twenty in the year 1982, after attending an Anglican Church, he said, he was ‘captured by the transcendence of the liturgy, the movement, colour and incense. ‘I loved the atmosphere’, Rod said. His experience previous to this was to the occasional Sunday school at a nominal Anglican Church.
There was no turning back for Rod and he then went off to the seminary in 1988 and was ordained in 1992. He spent a couple of years in Cessnock, Dee Why and Toukley before ending up as the Rector of the Gosford Anglican Church.
Friendly and accommodating, short and sporting a beard, Father Rod Bower has been married for decades, has a daughter and a son and is a grandfather whose eyes light up when talk turns to his grandchildren, one of whom lives around the corner, and the other in Perth.
Rod is active on Social Media, Facebook; his page has 8,309 likes, and Twitter. He has written a book called ‘Plan B Attitude.’ On the Facebook page it states ‘We are a progressive Christian community. We share very little common ground with literalist, fundamentalist or evangelical Christians so while we wish them well we do not enter into dialogue as we have found this only serves to be mutually frustrating.
‘We have considered the views of the “tea party” and have no need to do so again. Rod does not respond to hateful messages and bans those that put ‘ugly’ messages on the Facebook page.
Rod says ‘In our country today, somewhere deep down in the place that is reserved for what is right, we are a hungry nation. Way down in that secret place we all know that mandatory detention of asylum seekers is wrong, that anti-terror laws only serve the terrorists, that we are in no real danger of invasion by marauding hoards from the north. Yet we allow our politicians to sow the seeds of doubt and we choose to believe that it’s okay to keep these people locked up because it maintains the illusion of safety.’
Rod’s diary is now full with speaking engagements, as well as all the daily ministry duties of running a church. He has already attended two funerals on the day we meet and will head off to read someone their last rites, but says it won’t matter if he is a bit late.
Rod will be speaking in Canberra at the “March in March”, a national event being organised by a key group of four people in an executive role with a broader team of specialist volunteers supporting them.
Rod says ‘I wonder what would happen if we just did what was right? What would happen if we accepted the truth, that these frightened, homeless, hungry people were in fact really us and that we could not feel safe until they did?’
The purpose of March in March Australia 2014 is to provide the people of Australia with the opportunity to come together to protest a unity vote of no confidence in the Abbott Government in Canberra, capital cities and regional centres throughout Australia and as Rod adds ‘to address some of the abhorrent policies around, Asylum seekers and Climate Change.’
Rod feels that the current government deals with the church by choosing to silence it and not give it any oxygen. The same government that seems to think it is not obliged to tell people when boats come to our shore and if they are turned back – the same government that seeks to control what can and can’t be reported.
On his Facebook page it says ‘We call upon the Opposition to present viable alternative policies that respect human dignity and engender compassion in the Australian psyche’.
“Rupert Murdoch’s News is very very limited” was the sign that went viral and was picked up by media outlets throughout the world, including independent advocacy organisation “Get Up” who used it in one of their campaigns.
There have been countless articles on the church globally, including “The Huffington Post and The New York Metro.’
When I suggest that perhaps he has become a poster boy for the gay community, given the huge response to another of his signs “Jesus had two dads” and “Some people are gay get over it” Rod replies, ‘yes, I am a bit of a gay icon, like Barbara Streisand.’ There is a float he will be on for gay Mardi gras this year.
As for the contentious issue of homosexuality, which Rod gets sent a lot of hate mail with quotes from the bible, often from Leviticus, Rod says ‘The bible says absolutely nothing about homosexuality and it is a mistranslation. Further he adds ‘In the Bronze Age, the nomads had no concept of anything other than heterosexuality, and so therefore the bible doesn’t even understand they exist.’
Rod has put up many signs in response to the treatment of those seeking asylum, what he terms, the ‘oppressed.’
Scott would you bring your pregnant wife to Nauru?” (Morrison’s’ wife is pregnant).
“Every Asylum seeker has a name”
“Women 22 weeks pregnant sent to Nauru”
“Every Asylum Seeker has a mum”
“Now we separate Mother and Baby Shame”
He is often told he should stay out of politics. ‘I don’t know how many times I have heard that statement. I have heard it at the church door on a Sunday morning. I have heard it on a phone through an angry voice and I have received it in the written form of hate mail.’
Rod gets sent hate mail daily, most of which is anonymous. The worst one; an anonymous picture of the boat smashed on Christmas Island, (which killed all on board). Someone had cut and pasted a bottle of champagne over the top with the caption saying “when this happens, we should celebrate”.
Rod says, ‘We humans cannot stay out of politics, because politics is simply the way we relate to each other and organise ourselves and by definition, it is the total complex of relationship between people living in society.’ He feels that being a priest neither disqualifies, nor excuses him from politics. ‘On the contrary, my priesthood requires that I be deeply involved in every aspect of human existence.’
Jesus wanted to create a new kingdom and that is what Stage Two is about. Rod says ‘It is my conviction that the life, and purpose of Jesus of Nazareth, is to alert us, by his teaching and modelling, to the reality of what he called the “Kingdom of God”. This “Kingdom” is not restricted to Christians or even people of faith, but is available to all creation and any human being who seeks to live justly, love mercy and walk humbly.’ He offers the example of The Sermon on the Mount as a model of how we can live our lives.
A man by the name of Fowler identified the 6 stages of faith and M. Scott Peck (author of the best selling book “The Road Less Travelled” narrowed it down to four stages of spiritual growth. ‘We are a Stage 3 Church’ Rod says, explaining that ‘Stage 2 gives me the rules and regulations; gives me the boundaries and how I can be saved’. The church generally likes to keep people in Stage 2, but people leave those churches because of the dogma.
Stage 3 people aren’t really church goers; He says it is like opening a bottle shop amongst a dry town. Stage 3 people have normally given up religion. They tend to be more spiritually advanced and less religious than Stage 2 – less need for other people to be the same as them.
Stage 3 Churches according to Peck contain the individual, the questioner, including atheists, agnostics, and those scientifically minded who demand a measurable, well researched and logical explanation. Although frequently “non-believers,” people in Stage 3 are generally more spiritually developed than many content to remain in Stage 2. Although individualistic, they are not the least bit antisocial. To the contrary, they are often deeply involved in and committed to social causes. They make up their own minds about things and don’t need everyone to be the same.
Stage 2 being the bigger churches are Formal, Institutional, and Fundamental – they are all about being and getting saved. There are clearer boundaries.
Rod gets sent a lot of scripture quotes. An example of this is a response from an article written in the “Sydney Morning Herald” about Rod. One reader from Brisbane responds to what he considers God thinks about boat people with a Bible quote: Acts 17.26, “God made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth having determined allotted periods and boundaries of their habitation”. Rod says ‘this is just an abuse of the scripture, any scholar would say that. It has nothing to do with what we are talking about.’
Are we a racist country?
According to Rod we are all racists. It is a part of everyone who is afraid of difference. He feels that the term “I’m not a racist” should be turned around and we should say,“I am a racist”.
He uses the example of a story about Jesus encountering a Canaanite woman.‘Jesus was raised in an intensely racist culture and he would have been brought up thinking all the Canaanites were bad.’ Jesus said, “it is not fair to give the children’s bread to dogs”, and the woman pleads with him, so he has to overcome his entrenched racism.’
Rod thinks it is a model to us to acknowledge our racism first before we can overcome it. ‘Acknowledge and overcome in self and challenge it in others. It is more complex than we think,’ he says.
Rod thinks that supporting the oppression of another human being for any reason requires a form of justification that is unacceptable to his spirit.
The Church has always been up to date on the current communication of the day. It had the first printing press in the Fifteenth Century to print Bibles.
Rod says ‘It has always used the media of the day. Other churches are making a stance. The Reverend Dr Lowe has put a banner outside St Paul’s Cathedral inviting people to welcome refugees’, and Rod is convinced that future generations of Australians will judge this policy for what it is: inhumane to those seeking our protection, and demeaning to Australia as a nation.
‘These actions will not only be judged by our children and grandchildren but by God himself. Christ’s judgement will be based on a simple measure: “What you have done to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done to me” (St Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 25 Verse 40).
He says the banner outside his church will remain ‘as a daily reminder and appeal, until these policies change.’
‘For Jesus, the Kingdom of God was set up as an alternative way of being. It isn’t an oppressive way of governing’.
Rod believes there is only one way to truly overcome an enemy, and that is to make them a friend.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/anggos
http://anggos.com.au/Bower. R, 2006 ‘Plan B attitude’ Anggos Publishing.
Interview Rod bower, Dec/Jan 2013/14.
http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/NewsAndViews/Pages/St-Paul’s-
banner-to-stay-until-asylum-policies-change-000507.aspx
http://www.exploring-spiritual-development.com/SpiritualGrowthandMScottPeck.html
St James edition Bible
Posted in feature articles
Grandmothers bringing up grandchildren
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The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
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Mirror in the Bathroom is a single by British ska band The Beat released as a single in 1980 from their debut album I Just Can't Stop It. It reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart and consequently was their highest charting release in the UK until 1983. It was the first single released in the UK to have been fully digitally recorded. The song was ranked at #3 among the top ten "Tracks of the Year" for 1980 by NME. The design on the front of the t-shirt is a representation of the singles picture cover from the French release and there is a couple of lines from the song and the band logo on the reverse print.
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Home » vietnambreakingnews » Beach widening proposed in Da Nang
Beach widening proposed in Da Nang
Authorities of an administrative area in Da Nang have submitted a proposal to the central city’s administration for a seaward beach enlargement aimed at improving the local environment and tourist activity. The reason for the plan is that the ten-kilometer long beach stretching along Nguyen Tat Thanh, the local coastal street, accumulates a large quantity of trash every year, Nguyen Van Tinh, head of the administration of Thanh Khe District, said on Friday. This waste causes pollution, requires high cleaning-up costs and hampers the growth of tourism in the area, he said. The last effect was also mentioned by Nguyen Thanh Quang, secretary of the Thanh Khe District Committee, who said the full tourist potential of the beach has not been realized. He clarified that this coastal interface shrinks considerably in width whenever the tide rises; and despite its length, it is dotted only with more than ninety spots selling sugarcane juice and several hotels. The Da Nang administration has shown signs of bolstering tourism in Thanh Khe , as evidenced by a sea dyke at the mouth of Phu Loc River they have built in the district to prevent sand loss. Also included in the above proposal is revamping Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, a suggestion that the city-level officials already gave green light to in 2016, said the district chief Tinh. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Hanoi (VNA) – The Government has issued a number of policies in investment, finance, budget and management decentralisation specifically designed for the central city of Da Nang. The policies are aimed at boosting the city’s sustainable growth and making it a major urban area of the country and an industrial, trade and service hub of the central region in 2020. The policies allow the city to borrow domestic loans through issuing local government bonds in line with the law, and by re-borrowing the Government’s loans. The total loan outstanding must not exceed 40 percent of local budget collection allocated to…... [read more]
At the exhibition The displayed photos were carefully selected from more than 900 entries, reflecting important meetings, dialogues, receptions for APEC economic leaders, artistic performances, preparations of Da Nang city and other localities before and during the APEC Economic Leaders' Week 2017, hospitality of Da Nang people and other sidelines activities, including delegates’ visits to landscapes and relics in Da Nang city and Quang Nam province. The exhibition reflects the common concern of APEC member economies in seeking new momentums for regional integration, linkage and economic growth and in fostering a shared future of peace, stability, development and prosperity. The…... [read more]
The event, co-organised by the Da Nang city Department of Culture and Sports and the Da Nang Union of Literature and Arts Associations, runs from February 1-5. The exhibition displays 60 artistic photos introducing major APEC events in the year such as APEC Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOMs), the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM), the Viet Nam Business Summit, the APEC CEO Summit, the 29th APEC Ministerial Meeting, welcome ceremonies for APEC leaders and other sidelines activities. This was the second time Viet Nam had hosted the APEC Year, with the peak being the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang city. The event is hoped to contribute to the common success of the APEC Viet Nam…... [read more]
The Investigative Security Agency under Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has issued a wanted notice for a business tycoon, notoriously known as a ‘mafia boss’ of the central city of Da Nang, local police confirmed on Friday.The wanted notice for Phan Van Anh Vu was signed on Thursday, one day after the Investigative Security Agency initiated legal proceedings against the 42-year-old mogul on charges of “deliberately disclosing state secret,” an official from the Da Nang police department told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.Vu, also known as Vu “nhom” (aluminum), had his house in the central Vietnamese city searched on Thursday night.Vu…... [read more]
Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party has fired the top leader of Da Nang and dismissed him from a powerful grouping as punishment for his misconduct that has been uncovered in the host city of the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The Party on Friday signed off on a proposal by the Politburo to strip Nguyen Xuan Anh of his role as Party chief of Da Nang and removed him from the Central Committee, a powerful grouping of 200 senior Party members. The 18-member Politburo is the Party's decision-making body. The move took place at a time when the Central Committee has…... [read more]
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The Incredible Hulk, Shine a Light, Be Kind Rewind, Nim’s Island, Made of Honor
Film reviews for July 17, 2008
Reviews by Jason Pirodsky
for Expats.cz
Unsatisfied with Ang Lee´s 2003 Hulk, a meditative tale that didn´t deliver enough action for the average comic book fan, Marvel Studios has ‘re-booted´ the franchise with Louis Leterrier at the helm of The Incredible Hulk. What we have here isn´t really any better or worse than the previous film, less ambitious, sure, but maybe it ought to be; here´s a Hulk film that delivers what audiences have come to expect from the big green guy, delivering lines like “Hulk, smash!” with a big toothy grin.
Directed by Louis Leterrier. Starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, Christina Cabot, Peter Mensah. Written by Zak Penn.
Edward Norton stars as Dr. Bruce Banner, currently working in a bottling factory in Brazil, on the run for five years after the genetic accident that mutates him into the Hulk every time he gets angry. He´s scouring for an antidote, but his latest efforts have proven fruitless; his cover is also compromised when some of his blood drops into one of the bottles at the plant, giving the final recipient a bit more buzz from his soda than he bargained for. Soon government agents, led by General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) and Soviet import Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) are after Banner, forcing a Hulk incident in Brazil and a trip back to the Washington. Here, Banner re-unites with old love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) while her father Thunderbolt´s efforts to capture the Hulk become increasingly futile; this leads to ‘genetic modifications´ on Blonsky in an effort to build a force capable of bringing Hulk down.
Things culminate in New York City, with a destructive showdown on the streets less than fully effective; as Hulk battles the monstrous Abomination, it becomes painfully evident that we´re watching little more than two cartoons bash each other up. While the animation looks fine, the characters seem to lack real-world weight, bouncing up and down and taking hits without repercussions; by the end, one character has beaten the other into submission, but we´re never sure that he won´t just pop back up again.
Norton is good, and Leterrier´s direction perfectly capable, but the film lacks the wit and raw energy that Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau brought to Iron Man, which opened earlier this summer. Supporting cast is excellent, especially Roth, who gives us the menacing villain Ang Lee´s film sorely lacked. One big plus: Craig Armstrong´s twangy, pulsating original score.
Watch closely for amusing cameos from Stan Lee (creator of the Hulk) and Lou Ferrigno (who portrayed the title character in the late-70´s TV show); and later in the film, there´s an especially satisfying appearance by another character from the Marvel film universe.
Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy, Jack White.
The next best thing to seeing the Rolling Stones live in concert: Martin Scorsese´s Shine a Light, which follows the band over the course of two nights at the New York City´ intimate Beacon Theatre. In fact, it may be even better; rarely has a concert film brought you so close to the band. It´s been said before, but you truly feel like you´re up on the stage here.
We begin with behind-the-scenes footage (shot by Albert Maysles) of Scorsese and company preparing to shoot and setting up equipment at the Beacon Theatre, which included a front light so hot that Mick Jagger will burn if he stays in it too long. Shortly thereafter, Bill Clinton introduces the Rolling Stones to an eclectic audience (look for Bruce Willis in a yellow hat), and Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts perform some 20-something classic hits and newer material, from Jumpin´ Jack Flash and Shattered through Sympathy for the Devil and Brown Sugar up to the title track, which is played over the closing credits. A few guest stars join them for selected songs, including Jack White and Christina Aguilera (neither of whom matches up favorably against the Stones), before Buddy Guy steals the show during the concert´s most memorable tune, a riveting version of Champagne and Reefer. Interspersed quite sparingly alongside the concert footage are interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the band over the years, tracing their career trajectory from little-known to the most famous rock band on the planet.
The film is right up there with the best concert films ever produced, alongside Scorsese´s own The Last Waltz (featuring The Band and others) and Jonathan Demme´s Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads); if it falls short on any level it has more to do with the band itself, who aren´t quite the same as they were 40 years ago: less gritty, perhaps less real than in, say, Albert & David Maysles´ Gimme Shelter. They´re flashy, spectacular entertainers in Shine a Light, but the music has been better. Not that this affects what Scorsese had intended to capture; that the Rolling Stones still exist is nothing short of extraordinary. This film is an exceptional document of the band today and the years behind them.
This is one of the finest, most technically proficient documents of a specific time and place ever put to film. It doesn´t hurt that you´re watching the Rolling Stones.
A specially-designed IMAX print of the film was screened in the US, and received significant praise, though this hasn´t made it to Prague yet.
Be Kind Rewind
Written and directed by Michel Gondry. Starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, Irv Gooch, Chandler Parker, Arjay Smith, Quinton Aaron.
There´s a lot of good, and surprisingly, a lot of heart in Michel Gondry´s Be Kind Rewind; the end result, however, is simply a mess. Mike (Mos Def) and Jerry (Jack Black) work at Be Kind Rewind, a last-of-its-kind VHS rental store owned by Elroy Fletcher (Danny Glover). When a botched siege on a power plant leaves Jerry magnetized, he accidentally erases all of the videotapes in the store. So what do they do when the store´s only customer Miss Falewicz (Mia Farrow) wants to rent Ghostbusters? Re-film it themselves. Their ‘sweded´ version of the movie, shot in a day and edited as they go, runs about 20 minutes and removes all the unnecessary junk. Unfortunately, the duo does too good a job, and more requests for sweded videos; soon they´re neighborhood stars but Mr. Fletcher doesn´t seem to care for what they´ve done, nor do some government agents who hit them with copyright infringement charges.
While this is likely the director´s most mainstream film – it is, mostly, your standard goofball comedy – the patchwork plot is about as strange as it gets. The movie jumps from one idea to the next with reckless abandon: there are strands of romance, depressing inner-city realism, backstory on the video store and nostalgic remembrances of an obscure jazz artist. While this is a relatively short film, things tend to get boring without much in the way of plot to follow. And it can get quite depressing, too. Still, I liked a lot of the film and have some amount of admiration for what Gondry has done here. This will (deservedly) become a cult item for years.
Search YouTube for Mike and Jerry´s sweded videos from the film, and a seemingly limitless amount of sweded videos inspired by them; you´ll likely get more out of these than the actual movie.
Nim’s Island
Directed by Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin. Starring Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, Michael Carman, Mark Brady, Anthony Simcoe, Christopher Baker, Peter Callan, Rhonda Doyle. Written by Joseph Kwong & Paula Mazur and Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett, from the book by Wendy Orr.
A likable but mostly inconsequential and too often illogical fantasy-adventure, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin´s Nim´s Island should prove modest entertainment for younger audiences. Abigail Breslin stars as Nim Rusoe, a young girl who lives on a deserted island with her father Jack (Gerard Butler) and some colorful animal sidekicks and spends her days reading adventure novels starring Alex Rover (also played by Butler). When Nim´s father gets lost at sea following a torrential storm, she petitions help from the author of her favorite novels, expecting an adventurous hero to come save the day; unbeknownst to her, Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster) is a reclusive Howard Hughes-like figure who hasn´t left her home in months but nevertheless promises to help Nim. Meanwhile, a cruise ship discovers Nim´s island; her home threatened, she must scare them off.
Film presents a real danger – father lost at sea – a bit too lightly, allowing the situation to be resolved via convenience rather than action of the characters. Meanwhile, we´re asked to take a threat of tourists invading the island seriously; throughout the movie I was asking myself why Nim didn´t petition the cruise ship for help in finding her father rather than concerning herself with driving them away. Overall, the film represents a mild diversion where nothing of much importance seems to happen; kids should like the island scenes but will likely be baffled by the obsessive-compulsive/agoraphobic Alexandra Rover material which seems to take up at least a quarter of the running time. At least Foster and (especially) Butler seem to be having fun with the light material.
Note: film is screening only in a Czech-dubbed version on Prague screens.
Directed by Paul Weiland. Starring Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kadeem Hardison, Chris Messina, Richmond Arquette, Busy Philipps, Whitney Cummings, Emily Nelson, Kathleen Quinlan, Selma Stern, Sydney Pollack, James Sikking. Written by Adam Sztykiel and Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont.
A middling, paint-by-numbers romantic comedy, Paul Weiland´s Made of Honor has had about as much thought put into it as that awful pun of a title. Take My Best Friend´s Wedding and replace Julia Roberts with Patrick Dempsey and you have a good approximation of what to expect here: womanizer Tom Bailey (Dempsey) finally realizes he´s in love with best friend Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) just as she announces she´s getting married and moving to Scotland, asking him to be an unlikely maid of honor at the wedding. Will Tom be able to successfully sabotage the wedding and reveal his true feelings to Hannah? Will audiences still come to these movies no matter what 80´s relic they resurrect? I hear Steve Guttenberg is looking for work.
Made of Honor goes through the usual motions and gives us the usual ensemble of colorful stereotypes, including the bitchy best friend, the overweight best friend, the clueless grandmother who dons a necklace made of glow-in-the-dark anal beads and Colin McKidd as the Scottish He-Man who we´d rather see Hannah marry. The film ultimately fails because of the lack of chemistry between the leads (though, admittedly, they share a great on-screen kiss) and our obnoxious, arrogant leading man. Here´s a guy who beds a new woman each night and refuses to see any of them more often than once a week; how are we supposed to root for him? Conspicuously absent in the film is the scene where Tom realizes the error of his ways.
Dempsey is a likable enough actor, but not likable enough to overcome those character flaws; I´m glad to see him getting work, but the attempt to turn him into some kind irresistible hunk here is laughable; it´s been 20 years, but anyone who remembers his quintessential nerd in 80´s classics like Can´t Buy Me Love and Meatballs III isn´t buying the new persona.
Sydney Pollack shows up briefly as Dempsey´s equally womanizing dad; this was the acclaimed director´s final acting appearance.
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Emergencies in the digital age
by Angela Herring August 19, 2013
We know exercise is good for your skin. This protein mimics those effects in…
He’s on a quest to find the patterns that built everything around us
Can gun violence be traced back to its root causes?
He’s training computers to find new molecules with the machine learning algorithms used by…
Superconductor or not? They're exploring the identity crisis of this weird quantum material.
What do the brains of children tell us about their mental health as teens?
The deep ocean is not on fire. So what’s all that soot doing in…
A whole new way to measure pain
Get ready for the next Industrial Revolution
Photo via Thinkstock.
On April 15 I was walking my dog in Franklin Park, a big beautiful green space just at the edge of the city. At 3:32 pm my cousin sent me a text message: “You guys good?”
“Yeah,” I responded. “Why? Are you?”
“We’re in JP — there was a bomb @ the marathon”
“Holy $h*!. Really?”
“Yes — scary”
“Are people hurt?”
“Yes. Turn on NPR.”
I was one of less than about 20 percent of Bostonians who learned about the Boston Marathon bombing via cell phone, according to a new report from Northeastern professor David Lazer. Roughly half of us learned about it on the TV, according to the study, which also included contributions from former Northeastern post-doctoral researcher Drew Margolin and visiting professor Ryan Kennedy.
After I heard the news, I opened the public radio app on my phone and listened to the coverage as Ledley and I wandered around the woods. I texted my future husband and now-mother-in-law. More people texted me and I responded. I texted my sister and other cousins, family members, and friends to make sure they were all safe. This was apparently pretty standard behavior around that time on April 15: It was the dominant means by which people inquired about their loved ones.
I was nervous and a little scared, but I felt safe buried in the forest, away from the crowds. In Massachusetts, about 30 percent of the respondents in Lazer’s study also felt “somewhat frightened.” A little more than 20 percent felt “very frightened.” The results were a bit different when the question was posed to people outside the state, where respondents were less angry, less sad, and less frightened in the aftermath of the event. According to the report, the largest location-based gaps were in the level of fear. “Those within Massachusetts felt a much stronger sense of danger than residents of other states,” write the authors.
By the time I made it back to my house, Facebook and Twitter were flooded with marathon-related posts. Rumors of other attacks around the city were bubbling up. I learned via Twitter that there was another bomb at the JFK Library (from someone outside of Massachusetts) and then later, also via Twitter, I learned that wasn’t true. According to Lazer’s study, people in general were most likely to learn of these rumors via the television. If you were located outside of the state, you were less likely to ever learn they were false.
The study is part of an ongoing effort from Lazer’s lab to understand how people communicate during and after emergencies. For more information you can find the full report here and read some of Lazer’s commentary on the findings here. These results came from a survey that his team issued between June 27 and July 5. They are also working on a project looking more deeply at our cell phone use specifically in the aftermath of the event. If you would like to volunteer for that study, visit VolunteerScience.com. They will donate $3 to the One Fund for each person that participates.
Blogs Boston Marathon bombings CCIS cell phones communication CSSH Import-Insolution iNSolution Lazer marathon network science research security security technology
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Family Acceptance Project earns "best practice" distinction
Caitlin Ryan and her colleagues at SF State's Family Acceptance Project (FAP) have spent more than a decade conducting groundbreaking research on how family support -- or the lack thereof -- can affect gay and transgender youth. Now, one of the results of that work has been designated a "best practice" resource for preventing suicide among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) children, youth and young adults.
FAP's educational booklet, "Supportive Families, Healthy Children: Helping Families with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Children," received the designation from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The two groups jointly coordinate the peer-reviewed national Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention. Resources in the registry must address the specific aims of the national suicide prevention plan and meet objective criteria based on accuracy, safety, likelihood of meeting prevention objectives and adherence to prevention guidelines.
The best practices designation is a validation of FAP's research and culturally grounded approach, said Ryan, FAP's director.
"For families and communities that are struggling with balancing deeply held values and beliefs with how to support LGBT youth and how to reduce their risk, this is another assurance that our work is high quality and seen as an important resource to help them," she said.
The booklets, published in 2009, are based on years of research by FAP into what happens when LGBT youth from different backgrounds come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to their families. FAP identified 106 specific positive and negative reactions and documented how each one affected the youth's well-being and risk for suicide and other health problems. Many of these actions are outlined in the booklets, which are aimed at helping ethnically and religiously diverse families understand how their reactions to their children's LGBT identity can contribute to or protect against these risks. Supportive behaviors include talking with an adolescent about his or her LGBT identity or welcoming LGBT friends and partners into the home, while negative behaviors include physical and verbal abuse and blocking access to LGBT friends, events and resources.
FAP will begin publishing versions of the booklet for faith-based audiences this summer and is developing versions at third- and fifth-grade reading levels to reach those with lower literacy levels. The goal is to educate families about the outcomes of varying levels of acceptance while respecting cultural and religious sensitivities.
"We meet families where they are. And we can show now with our research that family reactions have consequences,” Ryan said. "It's revolutionary to have an approach to educating, informing and guiding parents and families that's based on research, not opinion."
One key finding is that a little acceptance can go a long way toward preventing risky behavior. LGBT youth who experienced high levels of rejection from their families were eight times more likely to attempt suicide than those who experienced low levels of rejection, but youth who experienced moderate levels of rejection were only twice as likely to try to take their own life. Similar trends played out when examining rates of illegal drug use and risks of HIV infection.
More than 100,000 copies of the booklets have been sent throughout California, the U.S. and other countries to schools, health care providers, clergy, parents and families and others. Ryan says the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
"At a critical time in history when people are searching for answers, we have an answer," she said. "We have a solution that is evidence-based and supports LGBT youth in the context of families, culture and faith traditions."
To learn more about the Family Acceptance Project and to download "Supportive Families, Healthy Children," visit http://familyproject.sfsu.edu.
--Jonathan Morales
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UMSL professor looks at history of weather in St. Louis, impact on urban development
By Caitlin Lally • Sep 10, 2018
Andrew Hurley is the historian for the five-year project “The Missouri Transect: Climate, Plants and the Community.”
The Great Flood of ’93 took a severe toll on St. Louis as an unprecedented weather phenomenon. But St. Louis is no stranger to floods, tornadoes, heat waves, ice storms and more.
Amid dealing with the effects of these events, St. Louisans should be aware that climate change has the potential to increase the frequency of them as well.
On Monday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh spoke with Andrew Hurley, a history professor at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, about his examination of the climate from a historical perspective in St. Louis.
“Really what we’re talking about is weather – that’s how most people experience climate,” Hurley said. “When people think of history and people think of the history of their city, or their neighborhood, weather is typically very far from their thoughts. We think of history in terms of major events that tend to come and go – wars, particular political leaders or technologies, [but] the weather’s always there, so we kind of take that for granted.”
According to Hurley, weather plays an important role in history and “it’s so intricately integrated into the urban fabric and the history of urban development.”
Hurley uses historical research to aid Missourians in prepping for climate change as a part of a project referred to as “The Missouri Transect: Climate, Plants and the Community.” The project is in its fifth and final year.
“What I’ve been attempting to do over the last few years is just going out to the neighborhoods and working with neighborhood organizations and different civic activists who have an inclination and the power to make changes in their neighborhood,” Hurley said. “My particular approach has been working with groups who are involved in planning processes in particular.”
Through his research, Hurley has taken a look at the neighborhood level to understand how weather events have shaped urban development and how urban residents have responded – primarily over the 20th century.
“There’s been a tremendous change in the way weather impacts urban society and the way we respond to it,” Hurley said.
When asked if that change had to do with the climate, he responded that, “climate change has been the least of it; it’s actually change as in the urban form and the way the urban landscape has changed, mediating the impact of weather on urban life.”
Hurley then provided an example for clarification.
“One hundred years ago, we didn’t have air conditioning, so the way we coped with heat was very different,” Hurley explained. “One of the interesting things that has come up in the research is that during heat waves in the past, people used to sleep in the parks, and if you talk to St. Louisans who have been around a while, they’ll love to tell you stories about no matter what part of the city you were in people would go to the nearest park and kind of camp out there all night.”
While climate change is generally regarded as a phenomenon that is indeed occurring, Marsh asked Hurley about those who deny it.
“In the city of St. Louis, what I’ve encountered is a very high acknowledgement of climate change as a real phenomenon,” Hurley said. “The challenge that I have faced … is convincing people that it matters to them in a place like St. Louis … people in coastal cities understand what the peril is; it’s harder to make that case here in St. Louis.”
For those interested in submitting a testimony of the way climate has influenced their neighborhoods specifically, visit placestories.missouriepscor.org.
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill, Caitlin Lally and Xandra Ellin give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
STLPR Talk Shows
Great Flood of '93
University of Missouri - St. Louis
Danforth Center’s corn study could make crops more resilient to climate change
By Eli Chen • Aug 31, 2018
Brian Heffernan | St. Louis Public Radio
Researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center want to learn how a changing climate could affect the fertility of corn and other major crops.
Scientists at the Danforth Center, Stanford University and the University of Delaware have received a $3.5-million grant from the National Science Foundation to take a closer look at anthers in maize plants. Anthers — the male reproductive part of the plant — generate pollen.
Missouri could offset carbon emissions from agriculture by conserving the soil, report says
By Eli Chen • Jul 27, 2018
Stephen Ausmus | U.S. Department of Agriculture
Farmers and ranchers in Missouri could help cut the state’s contribution to climate change by using practices that store carbon from the atmosphere in the soil, according to a climate science report released this month.
In Missouri, many farmers use no-till or reduced-till practices, which means not using mechanical equipment to overturn the soil. They do this to improve soil health and prevent erosion, but research also shows that no-till farming can store carbon in the soil. Missouri could cut carbon dioxide emissions further if farmers adopted more practices that not only enhances soil quality, but also promotes carbon sequestration, concludes the report from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate science group.
Wash U speaker finds middle ground on climate change, wants less politicization of science
By David Baugher • Oct 18, 2011
This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 18, 2011 - Richard Muller says the global warming debate in the media seems to break down into two clear sides.
And Muller doesn't want to be on either of them.
"So much of what is reported in the newspapers is the debate between the deniers and the alarmists," he said. "The truth is in between."
Congress seems frozen as climate-change evidence accumulates
By Robert Koenig • Nov 15, 2011
This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Nov. 15, 2011 - WASHINGTON - When physicist Richard A. Muller reported last month that global temperatures had warmed since the 1950s, his finding was met with a collective yawn among mainstream climate scientists who had reached the same conclusion years before.
But Muller's study made waves in the media because he had been a prominent climate-change skeptic, partly funded by a foundation linked to global-warming deniers, and his research focused on skeptics' objections to previous studies of warming.
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Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Christmas I. Cocos Is. Gaza Strip Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq X Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkey X Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen
Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda Aruba Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Is. Canada Cayman Is. Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Montserrat Netherlands Antilles Nicaragua Puerto Rico X St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre & Miquelon St. Vincent & the Grenadines The Bahamas Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Is. United States Virgin Is.
American Samoa Australia Cook Is. Fiji French Polynesia Guam Jarvis I. Kiribati Marshall Is. Micronesia Nauru New Caledonia New Zealand X Niue Norfolk I. Northern Mariana Is. Palau Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Is. Samoa Solomon Is. Timor-Leste Tokelau Tonga Vanuatu Wallis & Futuna
New Zealand US Consular Information Sheet
New Zealand is a highly developed, stable parliamentary democracy, which recognizes the British monarch as sovereign. It has a modern economy, and tourist fa Read More Show Less
ilities are widely available. The New Zealand Tourist Board, which has a wide range of information of interest to travelers, can be contacted via the internet at http://www.newzealand.com/USA/.
Read the Department of State Background Note on New Zealand for additional information.
U.S. citizens eligible for a visa waiver do not need a visa for tourist stays of three months or less. For more information about visa waivers and entry requirements, contact the Embassy of New Zealand: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 328-4800; or the Consulate General of New Zealand in Los Angeles: 2425 Olympic Blvd Suite 600E, Santa Monica, CA 90404, telephone (310) 566-6555.
Visit the Consulate of New Zealand web site at http://www.nzcgla.com for the most current visa information.
U.S. citizens in New Zealand should review their personal security practices, be alert to any unusual activity around their homes or businesses, and report any significant incidents to local police.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or for other callers, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their personal security while traveling overseas.
For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves overseas, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
Crime rates in New Zealand are low but have increased in recent years. The most prevalent crime is theft or attempted theft from cars, camper vans and hostels. To help protect against theft, do not leave passports, or other valuable items in unattended vehicles. Violent crime against tourists is unusual; however, visitors who are traveling alone should be especially vigilant, and avoid isolated areas that are not frequented by the public.
In New Zealand, a private organization called Victim Support works both independently and with the NZ Police to assist victims of crime. Victim Support is available 24 hours per day on 0800-842-846, 0800-Victim, by email at victim@xtra.co.nz.
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in New Zealand is 111.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Quality medical care is widely available, but waiting lists exist for certain types of treatment.
High-quality medication (both over-the-counter and prescription) is widely available at local pharmacies, though the products’ names may differ from the American versions.
Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.
Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of New Zealand.
The information below concerning New Zealand is provided for general reference only.
All traffic travels on the left in New Zealand, and drivers should exercise extra caution if accustomed to driving on the right. Driving on the wrong side of the road is a leading cause of serious injury and death for American tourists.
Cars turning left must yield to oncoming cars that are turning right.
Proceed carefully through intersections.
Red means “stop”—do not turn at a red light.
New Zealand has only 100 miles of multilane divided motorways. Most intercity travel is accomplished on two lane roads.
While these are in good condition, New Zealand's rugged terrain means motorists often encounter sharper curves and steeper grades than those found in the U.S. interstate highway system. Renting a car or camper is a popular way to enjoy New Zealand's natural beauty, but visitors unfamiliar with local conditions should drive particularly conservatively.
Posted speed limit signs should be observed. Drivers should use caution to avoid animals when driving in rural areas.
Pedestrians are advised to look carefully in all directions before crossing a street or roadway, and to use crosswalks.
Pedestrians do not have the right of way except in crosswalks.
New Zealand law requires that cars yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and that cars stop at least two meters (approximately 6 feet) from a crosswalk that is in use.
Traffic circles are common throughout New Zealand.
When approaching a traffic circle, always yield to traffic coming from the right –noting that traffic already in the circle has the right-of-way-- and merge to the left into the circle.
Public transportation, including buses, trains and taxis, is for the most part reliable and safe.
In case of emergency, phone the local police at 111.
For specific information concerning the operation and rental of motor vehicles, contact the New Zealand Tourist Board via the Internet at http://www.newzealand.com/USA/ or the Land Transport Safety Authority at http://www.ltsa.govt.nz.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of New Zealand’s air carrier operations.
Some heavily populated parts of New Zealand are in areas of very high seismic activity. General information regarding disaster preparedness is available from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov.
Many tourists come to New Zealand to participate in extreme adventure sports, such as bungee jumping, sky diving, hiking, rappelling, climbing, motorcycling, and kayaking.
All too often, injuries and even death result from participation in such activities.
Travelers are advised to employ caution and common sense when engaging in adventure sports.
Never participate in such sports alone, always carry identification, and let someone else know where you are at all times.
Before kayaking, check the river conditions and wear a life jacket.
When hiking, rappelling, or climbing, carry a first aid kit, know the location of the nearest rescue center, and bring a friend along.
New Zealand is an island nation, and the government is serious about preserving its delicate ecosystem.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) imposes strict regulations regarding what can be imported into New Zealand.
People failing to declare goods that could be quarantined can be fined up to $100,000 NZ and/or face up to five years in prison. People failing to declare risk goods such as fresh fruit, seeds, and plants can receive an instant fine of $200 NZ.
When importing a pet, thorough veterinary documentation and a quarantine period are required.
Unfinished wood products, used hiking shoes and gardening tools, fresh food items, and items such as used pet carriers may be seized and destroyed by MAF.
More information can be found at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/personal-travel-belongings-and-mail/arriving-by-air/what-you-cannot-bring
Persons violating New Zealand laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession of, use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in New Zealand are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.
Americans living or traveling in New Zealand are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within New Zealand.
The U.S. Embassy in Wellington is located at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington.
The telephone number is (64) (4) 462-6000.
The fax number is (64) (4) 471-2380.
The Embassy’s web site is http://wellington.usembassy.gov.
The U.S. Embassy in Wellington does not have a consular section and thus cannot provide consular services to American citizens.
All consular services for American citizens are provided by the Consulate General in Auckland.
The U.S. Consulate General in Auckland is located on the third floor of the Citigroup Centre, 23 Customs Street East, between Commerce and Queen Streets. The telephone number is (64) (9) 303-2724. The fax number is (64) (9) 366-0870.
See information on services to Americans at http://wellington.usembassy.gov/service.html.
The Consulate General in Auckland handles all consular matters in New Zealand.
For after-hours emergencies anywhere in New Zealand, a duty officer can be contacted by telephone. Persons seeking after-hours assistance may call (64) (4) 462-6000; after listening to a brief recording, the caller may leave a message on the voice mail system, describing the nature of the emergency and giving a point of contact. The phone system will automatically call the duty officer in Wellington or in Auckland, who will listen to the message and take the appropriate action .
This replaces the Country Specific Information dated January 31, 2008, to update the Information for Victims of Crime, Medical Facilities and Health Information sections.
Measles alert in New Zealand for those who travelled on the Interislander over the holidays
Disease Measles New Zealand - 6 days ago
Source: Stuff [abridged, edited]
<https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/118661524/more-than-2400-people-on-interislander-sailings-potentially-exposed-to-measles>
More than 2400 people travelling on the Interislander over the holidays may have been exposed to measles. A child, whose family had chosen not to vaccinate, likely contracted the measles in Auckland, then crossed Cook Strait on the Interislander's Kaitaki ferry twice during the holiday period.
There were 1219 passengers on the 1st crossing and 1220 passengers on the 2nd. KiwiRail, which runs the Interislander, became aware of the issue after the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) publicly notified the case on Tuesday [7 Jan 2020].
The CDHB urged people who had not been vaccinated and may have come into contact with the child to isolate themselves. "We are contacting all passengers and crew who travelled on the 2 affected sailings to provide health advice from the Canterbury District Health Board," KiwiRail tourism and marketing executive general manager Ahleen Rayner said. [See URL above for locations, dates of possible exposure.] [Byline: Oliver Lewis]
7 new cases of Measles identified in Hawke's Bay in New Zealand during the past weeks
Disease Measles New Zealand - 22 days ago
Date: Fri 27 Dec 2019
Source: NZ Herald [abridged, edited]
<https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12296863>
A total of 7 new cases of measles have been confirmed in Hawke's Bay in the past 2 weeks, taking the total to 26 for the year [2019]. Hawke's Bay District Health Board Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rachel Eyre said the new cases were linked to an infant too young to be immunised, who had been hospitalised recently.
"Public health has worked hard over the Christmas break to identify other close contacts to identify those not immune (protected against measles) because of the high likelihood they could get it too," she said. Dr. Eyre said, as the cases were all closely linked, any risk to the wider general public was low. [Byline: Christian Fuller]
New Zealand adventure tourism under the spotlight after recent volvanic disaster
Tourism New Zealand - 1 month ago
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2019 05:24:44 +0100 (MET)
By Neil SANDS
Wellington, Dec 13, 2019 (AFP) - Adventure tourism is a key part of New Zealand's international appeal but the White Island volcano eruption is a tragic reminder that such activities carry genuine risk that must be better explained to travellers, experts say. The South Pacific nation offers a wealth of adrenaline-fuelled pursuits, from heli-skiiing on snow-capped mountains to ballooning and blackwater rafting through caves.
Some, such as bungee-jumping, jet-boating and zorbing -- where you hurl yourself down a hill inside an inflatable ball -- were invented or popularised in a country that prides itself on catering to intrepid visitors. The tourism industry as a whole is among New Zealand's biggest earners, generating about NZ$16.2 billion ($10.7 billion) and attracting 3.8 million international visitors annually. "Adventure tourism is a massive sector in New Zealand. We are promoting ourselves as the adventure capital of the world," professor Michael Lueck, a tourism expert at Auckland University of Technology, told AFP.
New Zealand is also renowned for its rugged landscapes, which feature prominently films such as Kiwi director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings". Day-trips to White Island combined both, taking tourists including cruise ship passengers to a desolately beautiful island off the North Island coast where they could experience the thrill of standing on an active volcano. Instead, at least 16 people are believed to have died and dozens suffered horrific burns when 47 tourists and guides were caught on the island during Monday's eruption.
The disaster has raised questions about why tourists were allowed on a volcano where experts had recently raised threat levels, as well as broader issues about the regulation of risky activities in the tourism sector. "There will be bigger questions in relation to this event," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told parliament after the eruption. "These questions must be asked, and they must be answered."
- 'Slapdash' or world's best? -
The disaster on White Island -- also known as Whakaari -- is not the first mass-fatality accident to affect tourists in New Zealand. In 2015, seven people were killed when a scenic helicopter flight crashed into Fox Glacier. Two years earlier, a hot-air balloon claimed 11 lives and in 2010 nine died when a plane carrying skydivers plunged into a paddock.
Briton Chris Coker's son Brad, 24, died in the skydive plane crash and since then he has campaigned from afar for tighter regulations in New Zealand's adventure tourism sector. "In my opinion, the New Zealand authorities... are still slapdash about tourist safety," Coker told news website stuff.co.nz after the White Island eruption. "To run tourists there is insane. I know they signed a waiver and so on, but it's not really taking care of people."
Trade body Tourism Industry Aotearoa disputes such assessments, saying operators are "working within a world's best regulatory framework", but could not eliminate risk completely. "Operators put safety first, but adventure activity inherently carries some risk and it's critical that 'adventure' remains in adventure tourism," TIA chief executive Chris Roberts told AFP. "Operators take all practical actions to minimise the risks and the safety culture of individual operators remains the key factor in preventing accidents."
Roberts said the issue was not tourism operators, but the alert system they relied on at volcanic destinations such as White Island, which attracts about 17,000 visitors a year. The GeoNet monitoring agency raised White Island's threat level in the week before the eruption but also advised current activity "does not pose a direct hazard to visitors". "The reviews need to look at the science and specifically the guidance provided about volcanic activity, and whether the operating practices followed for the past 30 years need to change," Roberts said.
- 'Understand the risks' -
Travel companies such as White Island Tours brief customers before setting off and require them to sign a waiver declaring they understand the risk, as well as supplying equipment such as hard-hats and gas masks. However, some relatives of those affected by the eruption have expressed scepticism that their loved ones truly appreciated the potential danger they faced. Options for legal redress are limited under New Zealand's Accident Compensation Commission scheme, which covers victims' medical bills and provides modest compensation but does not allow civil suits for damages.
Neither Roberts nor Lueck expected the White Island eruption to hit international arrivals in New Zealand, which have continued to climb despite major earthquakes in 2011 and 2016. The nature of any review arising from White Island remains uncertain, but Lueck said at the very least tourists needed to be better informed about any risks. "Operators and tourism boards should have tourists understand what these risks are, and not brush over quickly signing a waiver," he said. "Only then can tourists make an informed decision and decide whether or not they want to take that particular risk."
Sixth person dies after New Zealand volcano eruption
Natural Disaster New Zealand - 1 month ago
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2019 10:50:09 +0100 (MET)
Sydney, Dec 10, 2019 (AFP) - The death toll from New Zealand's White Island volcano eruption rose to six late Tuesday, after an injured person died in an Auckland hospital, police said. "Police can confirm a further person has died following the eruption on Whakaari/White Island, bringing the official toll to six," a police statement said. Eight more people who remain missing are presumed dead after the volcano erupted Monday.
Deadliest volcanic eruptions of the past 25 years
Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2019 14:14:15 +0100 (MET)
Dec 9, 2019 (AFP) - New Zealand, struck by a deadly volcanic eruption Monday, lies in a zone where Earth's tectonic plates collide, making it a hotspot for earthquakes and volcanic activity. In one of its worst natural disasters, a huge mass of volcanic debris from the eruption of Mount Ruapehu triggered a mudslide in 1953 that washed away a bridge and caused a passenger train to plunge into a river with the loss of 151 lives. After Monday's eruption on New Zealand's White Island, here is a recap of some of the deadliest volcanic eruptions around the world in the past 25 years.
- 2018: Indonesia -
In December the Anak Krakatoa volcano, a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, erupts and a section of its crater collapses, sliding into the ocean and generating a tsunami. More than 420 people are killed and 7,200 wounded.
- 2018: Guatemala -
The June eruption of the Fuego volcano, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the capital, unleashes a torrent of mud and ash that wipes the village of San Miguel Los Lotes from the map. More than 200 people are killed.
- 2014: Japan -
The sudden eruption in September of Mount Ontake, in the central Nagano region, kills more than 60 people in Japan's worst volcanic disaster in nearly 90 years. The mountain is packed with hikers at the time. In 1991 an eruption of the southwestern Unzen volcano kills 43.
At least 16 people are killed on the island of Sumatra in February by a spectacular eruption of Mount Sinabung, which had lain dormant for 400 years before roaring back to life five months earlier. In 2016 villages are scorched and farmland devastated after another eruption kills seven.
Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi on Java island, starts a series of explosions in October, eventually killing more than 320 people. An 1930 eruption of the volcano killed 1,300 people and one in 1994 claimed more than 60 lives.
- 2002: DR Congo -
The eruption in July of Mount Nyiragongo in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo destroys the centre of Goma town, along with several residential areas, and kills more than 100 people.
- 1997: Montserrat -
The capital of the small British colony, Plymouth, is wiped off the map and 20 are killed or left missing in avalanches of hot rock and ash clouds when its volcano erupts in June.
- 1995: The Philippines -
At least 70 are killed and another 30 missing after the crater of the Parker volcano in the south of the island of Mindanao collapses. Five years earlier the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, 80 kilometres north of the capital Manila, kills more than 800 people.
- Worst ever -
The explosion of Indonesia's Krakatoa volcano in 1883 is considered the worst ever seen. The eruption sent a jet of ash, stones and smoke shooting more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) into the sky, plunging the region into darkness, and sparking a huge tsunami that was felt around the world. The disaster killed more than 36,000 people.
The most famous eruption in history is that of Mount Vesuvius in modern-day Italy in 79 AD, which destroyed the towns of Herculaneum, Stabiae and Pompeii, wiping out an estimated 10 percent of the population of the three cities.
Geographical Information:
Turkey is officially known as the Republic of Turkey and is bordered on the northwest by Bulgaria and Greece, on the north by the Black Sea and on the south by Syria, Iraq and t Read More Show Less
e Mediterranean Sea. The capital is Ankara with a population of about 2.5 million though Istanbul is a much larger city (6.6 million). The population of the country is estimated at 62 million with the majority in the cities and along the costal regions.
The Mediterranean and Aegean shores of Turkey have long and hot summers with a milder winter. In Istanbul the average July temperature reaches 230C while in January it can drop to 00C. Throughout the country the annual rainfall is about 29". This is mainly during the months of December and January.
Health Care Facilities:
The level of adequate health facilities vary considerably within the country. Most of the better hotels will have access to English speaking doctors but care may be required if hospital admission is required.
Disease Profile:
Cholera and other water borne diseases are frequently reported from Istanbul. In the southeastern city of Diyarbakir there are regular reports of dysentery, typhoid, meningitis and other contagious diseases.
General Food & Water Hygiene:
There can be little doubt that travellers to Turkey who disregard basic hygiene precautions will run a risk of developing significant illness and a ruined holiday. With simple general care most tourists will remain healthy.
Food Rules:
Always eat in clean restaurants and hotels. Eat freshly cooked hot food. Stay away from cold salads, especially lettuce. Don’t eat any of the bivalve shellfish dishes such as oysters and mussels. Never eat food prepared by street vendors. Always peel your own fruit if at all possible.
Water Rules:
Never use the hotel tap water for drinking or brushing your teeth unless you can easily smell chlorine. Don’t allow ice in your drinks and be wary of the hotel water jug which may be in your room each day. Any of the canned drinks or bottles are usually quite safe. Just check the seal first!
Rabies in Turkey:
This disease is only a particularly risk for travellers who plan to have extended trekking holidays throughout Turkey. Most tourists travelling for a ‘sun’ holiday would be very unfortunate to be exposed but nevertheless care should be taken at all times to ensure that there is no contact with warm blooded animals. This is mainly true for dogs and cats but any infected
warm blooded animal can transmit the disease through its saliva. Any bite, lick or scratch should be treated seriously.
Wash out the area
Apply an antiseptic
Attend for urgent medical attention
Sun Stroke:
The immense strength of the sun in the Middle East can often be underestimated by the Irish traveller. This is especially true for small children and the elderly. Try and stay out of the direct sunlight between 11am to 4pm. Use a wide brimmed hat if possible to protect yourself. Drink plenty of fluid (about 2 or 3 times as much as in Ireland) and remember to increase your salt intake unless this is contraindicated because of high blood pressure or heart disease etc. Any signs of dehydration should be recognised and treated early (dry lips, headache etc.).
Anthrax:
This bacterial disease is sometimes contracted by travellers who purchase untreated leather goods while abroad.
Drug Trafficking:
Remember that Turkey is regarded as a gateway to Europe. Never agree to carry belongings for others unless you are certain of the contents.
Malaria in Turkey:
The risk of malaria in Turkey is very limited and transmission usually only occurs between the months of March to November in the Çukurova / Amikova areas and from mid-March to mid-October in southeast Anatolia. These are mainly away from the standard tourist routes and so prophylaxis will usually not be required. Nevertheless there may be an abundant supply of mosquitoes and other insects around. Travellers should carry insect repellents and wear longer sleeved clothing when at risk.
Vaccinations for Turkey:
There are no compulsory vaccines for entry to Turkey from Ireland. However, travellers are advised to ensure that they are adequately covered against Poliomyelitis, Typhoid, Tetanus and Hepatitis A. Those spending longer in the country or undertaking a trekking holiday may also need to consider vaccination cover against Rabies and Hepatitis B .
Travellers can obtain further health information for overseas travel by contacting either of our offices. Useful web sites for information on Turkey include;
www.WHO.int
www.CDC.gov
www.FCO.gov.uk
Increasing number of food poisoning cases due to spinach consumption in Turkey
Poisoning Turkey - 2 months ago
Date: Wed 6 Nov 2019
Source: FreshPlaza [edited]
<https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9160947/health-minister-koca-urges-calm-over-spinach-poisoning/>
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged citizens not to panic amid an increasing number of food poisoning cases due to spinach consumption.
The number of patients poisoned from spinach mixed with toxic herbs has risen to 196, Minister Fahrettin Koca said on [Tue 5 Nov 2019], adding there was no need for panic as none of the cases was life threatening.
Koca said all patients were located in Turkey's north-western provinces, namely Istanbul, Edirne, Tekirdag, and Kocaeli. The minister said only 21 patients remained hospitalized and that all instances were considered food poisoning cases.
"What we actually see is the patients come in with (complaints of) food poisoning but what they all have in common is they have all consumed spinach. The patients were admitted with symptoms of dry mouth, flushed skin, nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision -- common side effects of atropine overdose. The problem seems to be weeds growing around the same area mixing with the produce," Koca said. The minister urged citizens to carefully inspect any produce they buy and thoroughly wash them.
Murak Kapikiran, an official from the Istanbul Chamber of Agriculture Engineers, said a wild plant very similar in appearance to spinach might be the likely culprit. While officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on [Mon 4 Nov 2019] said weeds from the Solanaceae plant family were suspected to be the cause for the poisoning, Kapikiran said it was a wild plant called _Atropa belladonna_, also known as deadly nightshade, [which, with other members of the Solanaceae or nightshades family contains] the naturally occurring chemical atropine.
Kapikiran said both spinach and deadly nightshade grew around the same times and were visually similar, which could have easily fooled farmers, causing them to be mixed up.
"The other option is adulteration. Since they look very similar, nightshade might have been intentionally mixed to increase the harvest. And the amount needed to be consumed to show poisoning symptoms is somewhat substantial. We hope this is not the case," he said. Kapikiran urged more inspections for produce, adding that a potential mix-up could happen in the future again with other leafy greens.
A food technology expert urged citizens to wash their spinach with baking soda instead of vinegar, which is a common habit in Turkish kitchens. "Vinegar can make some pesticides and herbicides more potent. Therefore, it is important to use baking soda instead of vinegar. The consumer should first let spinach sit in water with baking soda and then rinse it," Sibel Bolek said.
Contaminated spinach sickens over 100 in Turkey
Date: Tue 5 Nov 2019
Source: Ahval News [edited]
<https://ahvalnews.com/health/number-victims-istanbul-poisoned-spinach-outbreak-rises-108>
Health officials in Istanbul said on Tuesday (5 Nov 2019) the number of people admitted for care after eating tainted spinach had risen to 108, Turkish news site Diken reported. The Istanbul Health Directorate said 28 patients had stayed in hospital for observation, and the rest had been discharged.
Health authorities said they suspected foreign plants containing poisonous chemicals had been mixed in with spinach. They said scopolamine and atropine, both chemicals found in many plants in the nightshade family, had caused the poisoning.
The symptoms include blurred vision, dry skin, constipation, a rapid heartbeat, and hypertension, the directorate said.
News of a poisoned spinach outbreak spread quickly over the weekend as dozens of people were admitted to hospitals after eating the leaves.
[The clinical signs associated scopolamine, and atropine, mentioned in the article make me think of a Datura species, specifically Jimsonweed, a _Datura_ sp.
Jimsonweed grows wild and is used as an ornamental plant in much of the United States and other countries. It contains alkaloids such as atropine and scopolamine, which can cause anticholinergic toxicity. The concentration of anticholinergics can vary over time and in different parts of a plant, with the seeds having the highest concentration, containing approximately 0.1 mg of atropine per seed (1). A dosage of 10 mg or more of atropine can be fatal (1).
This article does not provide enough information to estimate how much Jimson weed could have been in the spinach or how much could have been ingested. Cooking does not substantially affect the potency of the leaves, and atropine and scopolamine remain intact during baking (2).
Jimsonweed poisoning causes dry mucous membranes and skin, thirst, flushing, fever, blurred vision, altered mental status, mydriasis, urinary retention, tachycardia, coma, and, in rare cases, death (1,4). Treatment with physostigmine is indicated only in severe cases to reverse anticholinergic toxicity (1). Jimsonweed is sometimes consumed intentionally by persons seeking to experience its hallucinogenic effects (1,4), often in a jimsonweed tea (1). Because previous reports of toxicity have involved adolescents and young adults using jimsonweed to experience its hallucinogenic effects (1,4), health-care providers might be less likely to suspect ingestion of jimsonweed in older adults with signs and symptoms of anticholinergic toxicity.
The diagnosis of jimsonweed poisoning can be difficult because of the wide range of signs and symptoms associated with anticholinergic toxicity and the inability to obtain an accurate history of exposures (1,6,7). No clinical laboratory tests are routinely available to detect anticholinergic toxicity. The diagnosis generally is based on history, physical findings, and symptoms. The signs and symptoms among the patients described in this report varied over time.
Again, this article does not provide us much information regarding the patients. However, patients often report thirst, hallucinations, and dizziness. Clinicians might not suspect jimsonweed poisoning in a lone patient with coma or altered mental status, tachycardia, and mydriasis (6), especially if no specific exposure history is available.
Health-care providers and public health officials should be aware of the signs of anticholinergic toxicity and should consider jimsonweed poisoning as a cause of any compatible food-related outbreak of anticholinergic toxicity. A thorough history of food consumption and drug exposures should be obtained, if possible, for all persons with anticholinergic toxicity. Health departments might have limited experience investigating the types of noninfectious foodborne illnesses, as described in this report. Consultation with horticulturalists, poison control centers, and specialized laboratories can be an important component of such investigations.
Hopefully, the suspect spinach will be taken to the appropriate facility to verify whether it is tainted with Jimsonweed, or whether some other plant has contaminated the spinach.
1. CDC. Jimson weed poisoning---Texas, New York, and California, 1994. MMWR 1995;44:41--3.
2. Friedman M, Levin C. Composition of jimson weed (_Datura stramonium_) seeds. J Agric Food Chem 1989;37:998--1005.
3. US National Library of Medicine. Toxicology data network (TOXNET). Available at <http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov>. Accessed 28 Jan 2010.
4. Spina SP, Taddei A. Teenagers with Jimson weed (_Datura stramonium_) poisoning. CJEM 2007;9:467--8.
5. Shervette RE, Schydlower M, Lampe RM, Fearnow RG. Jimson "loco" weed abuse in adolescents. Pediatrics 1979;63:520--3.
6. Lazzarini D, Baffoni MT, Cangiotti C, et al. Food poisoning by Datura stramonium: an unusual case report. Intern Emerg Med 2006;1:88--90.
7. Chang SS, Wu ML, Deng JF, Lee CC, Chin TF, Liao SJ. Poisoning by Datura leaves used as edible wild vegetables. Vet Hum Toxicol 1999;41:242--5.
Portions of this comment were extracted from:
<https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5904a3.htm>. - ProMED Mod.TG]
Turkey: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/87>]
5.7-magnitude earthquake shakes Istanbul leaving eight injured
Natural Disaster Turkey - 4 months ago
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:59:36 +0200 (METDST)
Istanbul, Sept 26, 2019 (AFP) - A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Turkey's largest city on Thursday, driving residents to evacuate buildings, AFP journalists witnessed. Eight people were "lightly injured", President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a press conference in Istanbul. "Some buildings have been lightly damaged," he added.
Istanbul's Bogazici University Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said the quake's centre was in the town of Silivri, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of the city. It said the quake measured magnitude 5.7 and struck at 1:59pm (1059 GMT). Several smaller after-shocks were also recorded. Turkish broadcasters showed images of a minaret tower that had been snapped in two. Schools in Istanbul and nearby provinces of Bursa and Yalova were closed for the day, NTV broadcaster reported.
Istanbul lies near a major fault line and experts have forecast that a severe earthquake is due there in the coming years. On August 17, 1999, a huge earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude centred on the city of Izmit devastated vast areas in the country's densely-populated north-western zone, notably around Istanbul. At least 17,400 people were killed including 1,000 within Turkey's economic capital. A large quake could devastate the city of 15 million, which has allowed widespread building without safety precautions.
Report on Hantavirus in Turkey
Disease Hantavirus Turkey - 5 months ago
Date: Mon 5 Aug 2019 20:42 TRT
Source: Daily Sabah [edited]
<https://www.dailysabah.com/science/2019/08/05/turkish-scientists-identify-4-deadly-but-rare-subspecies-of-hantavirus-in-turkey>
A group of Turkish scientists has identified 4 rare viruses in Turkey that cause haemorrhagic fever and lead to death due to renal failure, a scientist said [Mon 5 Aug 2019].
A team from the Biology Department of Bulent Ecevit University, led by Professor Mehmet Ali Oktem of Dokuz Eylul University's Medical Virology Department, conducted research on hantavirus types that develop in rodents and small mammals in Turkey and 4 particular subspecies that can cause human disease.
Oktem said he has been doing fieldwork on the hantavirus since 2000, adding that the presence of the virus in rodents was discovered in Turkey for the 1st time in 2004 in the Black Sea region. Meanwhile, the 1st cases in which the viruses developed in humans were reported in 2004 in the Aegean region, and subsequently in Zonguldak and Bartin provinces in the western Black Sea region in 2009.
The newly-identified rare viruses which can be transmitted to humans from rodents, have been named after the provinces or towns they were found in, namely the "Dobrava Hantavirus Igneada", "Dobrava Hantavirus Giresun", "Puumala Hantavirus Bartin", and "Tuula Hantavirus Palandoken."
[Cases of hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome have been reported in Turkey previously. In January-March 2009 there were 12 laboratory confirmed cases that were serologically positive for Puumala virus subtype.
Ertek M, Buzgan T; Refik Saydam National Public Health Agency; Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey: An outbreak caused by hantavirus in the Black Sea region of Turkey, January-May 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009; 14(20). pii: 19214; <https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/ese.14.20.19214-en>
Finding Puumala virus in rodents in Turkey is not surprising, since it has caused human cases there in the past. Dobrava-Belgrade orthohantavirus (DOBV) was first isolated from yellow-necked mice (_Apodemus flavicollis_) found in Dobrava village, Republic of Slovenia. It was subsequently isolated in striped field mice in Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe and this rodent occurs in Turkey. The report above indicates that it harbors DOBV in Turkey. It will be interesting to see a genomic comparison of these viruses from Turkey with sequences of these same viruses from other geographic areas. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Turkey:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/87>]
15 infected with Brucellosis in Kirkoy 9n Turkey
Disease Brucellosis Turkey - 6 months ago
Date: Tue 30 Jul 2019
Source: Time Turk [in Turkish, machine trans., edited]
<https://www.timeturk.com/mus-ta-15-kisi-brucella-hastaligina-yakalandi/haber-1150899>
A total of 15 people engaged in animal fattening in the town and highlands of Kirkoy have been infected with brucellosis. A resident of the town said that many small ruminants in the town had suffered a miscarriage during the birth season and that 4 people in one family are now being treated for brucellosis. The patients had been seen at the Elazig Ataturk Research Hospital and "the doctors made the examinations and tests and as a result a brucellosis diagnosis was made. The patients were constantly sluggish and sleepy.
Currently, 15 people are receiving treatment for the same disease, "he said. Mus Provincial Health Director Serdal Turkoglu stated that 119 cases were encountered in Muay in 2019 and that the patients were treated in the hospitals in the province and that they made the necessary studies and tests on the subjects in the field. He reminded that the source of animal products should not be consumed in order to prevent the disease: "cheese, cream, butter, cream, ice cream made from pasteurized or well boiled milk should be preferred. Pickled cheeses should be consumed after waiting for at least 3 months. Frequent abortions and stillbirths should be examined by a veterinarian immediately.
The animals' wastes and the feeds that these wastes come into contact with, should be buried in sealed bags. Animals should be vaccinated against brucella," he said. -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org> [This infection, a bacterial zoonosis, is classified among the category B biowarfare agents. Natural transmission to humans occurs after occupational exposure or through ingestion of contaminated food products. Although brucellosis has become a rare entity in the United States and many industrialized nations because of animal vaccination programs, this condition remains a significant health problem in many developing countries.
Each species of _Brucella_ has a specific animal reservoir in which chronic disease is present. The bacilli tend to localize in the reproductive organs of the animals, causing sterility and abortions, and are shed in large numbers in the animal's urine, milk, and placental fluid. This localization allows for efficient spread to farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse workers, and consumers.
Among the 4 species known to cause disease in humans, _Brucella melitensis_ (from goats, sheep, or camels) may be the most virulent, producing the most severe and acute cases of brucellosis with disabling complications. A prolonged course of illness, which may be associated with suppurative destructive lesions, is associated with _B. suis_ (from feral or commercially raised pigs) infection. _B. abortus_ (from cattle, buffalo, and camels) is associated with mild-to-moderate sporadic disease that is rarely associated with complications. - ProMED Mod.LL]
[HealthMap/ProMED map available at: Turkey:
Iraq US Consular Information Sheet
In 2005, Iraqi citizens adopted a new constitution and participated in legislative elections to create a permanent, democratic government, and in May 2006, a new Gove Read More Show Less
nment of Iraq (GOI), led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, was sworn in. Although the GOI has made political, economic and security progress, Iraq still faces many challenges, including overcoming three decades of war and government mismanagement that stunted Iraq's economy, sectarian and ethnic tensions that have slowed progress toward national reconciliation, and ongoing (even if abating) insurgent, sectarian, criminal, and terrorist violence. Conditions in Iraq are extremely dangerous. While Iraqi Security Forces now take the lead in providing security in most provinces, Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) continues to assist the Iraqi government in providing security in many areas of the country. The workweek in Iraq is Sunday through Thursday. Visit the Department of State Background Notes on Iraq for the most current visa information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Passports valid for at least six months and visas are required for most private American citizens. An Iraqi visa may be obtained through the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, D.C. Travelers should not rely on obtaining a visa upon arrival at an airport or port of entry in Iraq. Visitors to Iraq who plan to stay for more than 10 days must obtain a no-fee residency stamp. In Baghdad, the stamps are available for all visitors at the main Residency Office near the National Theater. Contractors in the International Zone may also obtain exit stamps at the Karadah Mariam Police Station (available Sunday and Wednesday, 10:00-14:00.). There is a 10,000 Iraqi dinar (USD 8) penalty for visitors who do not obtain the required residency stamp. In order to obtain a residency stamp, applicants must produce valid credentials or proof of employment, two passport-sized photos, and HIV test results. An American citizen who plans to stay longer than two months must apply at the Residency Office for an extension. Americans traveling to Iraq for the purpose of employment should check with their employers and with the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, D.C. for any special entry or exit requirements related to employment. American citizens whose passports reflect travel to Israel may be refused entry into Iraq or may be refused an Iraqi visa, although to date there are no reported cases of this occurring.
U.S. citizens who remain longer than 10 days must obtain an exit stamp at the main Residency Office before departing the country. In Baghdad, they are available for all visitors at the main Residency Office near the National Theater. Contractors in the International Zone may also obtain exit stamps at the Karadah Mariam Police Station (available Sunday and Wednesday, 10:00-14:00). Exit stamp fees vary from USD 20 to USD 200, depending on the length of stay, entry visa and other factors. Those staying fewer than 10 days do not need to get an exit stamp before passing through Iraqi immigration at the airport. Visitors who arrive via military aircraft but depart on commercial airlines must pay a USD 80 departure fee at the airport.
Note: For information on entry requirements for other countries, please go to the Entry/Exit Requirements section in the Country Specific Information Sheet for the country you are interested in at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html. You may also contact the U.S. embassy or consulate of that country for further information.
Visit the Iraqi Embassy web site at http://www.iraqiembassy.us for the most current visa information. The Embassy is located at 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; phone number is 202-742-1600; the fax is 202-333-1129.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.
The risk of terrorism directed against U.S. citizens in Iraq remains extremely high. The Department of State continues to strongly warn U.S. citizens against travel to Iraq, which remains very dangerous.
Remnants of the former Baath regime, transnational terrorists, criminal elements and numerous insurgent groups remain active throughout Iraq. Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)-led military operations continue, and attacks persist against MNF-I and the ISF throughout the country. Turkish government forces have carried out operations against elements of the Kongra-Gel (KGK, formerly Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan (PKK)) terrorist group that are located along Iraq’s northern border. Despite recent improvements in the security environment, Iraq remains dangerous, volatile and unpredictable. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue, including in the International (or “Green”) Zone. Targets include hotels, restaurants, police stations, checkpoints, foreign diplomatic missions, and international organizations and other locations with expatriate personnel. Such attacks can occur at any time. Kidnappings still occur; the most recent kidnapping of an American citizen occurred in July 2008. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), and mines often are placed on roads, concealed in plastic bags, boxes, soda cans, dead animals, and in other ways to blend with the road. Grenades and explosives have been thrown into vehicles from overpasses and placed on vehicles at intersections, particularly in crowded areas. Rockets and mortars have been fired at hotels, and vehicle-borne IEDs have been used against targets throughout the country. Occasionally, U.S. Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to certain areas depending on prevailing security conditions. In addition to terrorist and criminal attacks, sectarian violence occurs often. Detailed security information is available on the Embassy's web site at http://iraq.usembassy.gov and at http://www.centcom.mil.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for Iraq, and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found. Travelers are also referred to the U.S. Embassy Baghdad’s Warden Notices which are available on the Embassy web site at http://iraq.usembassy.gov.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad and Tips for Traveling Abroad.
CRIME: The U.S. Embassy and MNF-I are working with Iraqi authorities to establish law enforcement and civil structures throughout the country. U.S. and British military personnel are providing police protection as well, as the security situation permits. Petty theft is common in Iraq, including thefts of money, jewelry, or valuable items left in hotel rooms and pick-pocketing in busy places such as markets. Carjacking by armed thieves is very common, even during daylight hours, and particularly on the highways from Jordan and Kuwait to Baghdad. Foreigners, primarily dual American-Iraqi citizens, and Iraqi citizens are targets of kidnapping. The kidnappers often demand money but have also carried out kidnappings for political/religious reasons.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. While U.S. Consular Services in Iraq are limited due to security conditions, the Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.See our information on Victims of Crime.There is no 911-equivalent emergency telephone number in Iraq.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Basic modern medical care and medicines are not widely available in Iraq. The recent conflict in Iraq has left some medical facilities non-operational and medical stocks and supplies severely depleted. The facilities in operation do not meet U.S. standards, and the majority lack medicines, equipment and supplies. Because the Baghdad International Airport has limited operations for security reasons, it is unlikely that a private medical evacuation can be arranged.
Iraq does not allow visitors with HIV/AIDS to enter the country. At this time there is no waiver available for this ineligibility. However, please inquire directly with the Embassy of Iraq at http://www.iraqiembassy.org before you travel for any changes.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en.
AVIAN INFLUENZA: The WHO and Iraqi authorities have confirmed human cases of the H5NI strain of avian influenza, commonly known as the "bird flu." Travelers to Iraq and other countries affected by the virus are cautioned to avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals. In addition, the CDC and WHO recommend eating only fully cooked poultry and eggs. For the most current information and links on avian influenza, see the State Department's Avian Influenza Fact Sheet.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation as well as whether medical evacuation would be possible from Iraq. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Iraq is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
All vehicular travel in Iraq is extremely dangerous. There have been numerous attacks on civilian vehicles, as well as military convoys. Attacks occur throughout the day, but travel at night is exceptionally dangerous and should be avoided. There have been attacks on civilian vehicles as well as military convoys on Highways 1, 5, 10 and 15, even during daylight hours. Travelers are strongly urged to travel in convoys with at least four vehicles in daylight hours only. Travel in or through Ramadi and Fallujah, in and between al-Hillah, al-Basrah, Kirkuk, and Baghdad and between the International Zone and Baghdad International Airport, and from Baghdad to Mosul is particularly dangerous. Occasionally, U.S. Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to select areas depending on prevailing security conditions. There continues to be heavy use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and/or mines on roads, particularly in plastic bags, soda cans, and dead animals. Grenades and explosives have been thrown into vehicles from overpasses, particularly in crowded areas. Travel should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary and with the appropriate security.
Buses run irregularly and frequently change routes. Poorly maintained city transit vehicles are often involved in accidents. Long distance buses are available, but are often in poor condition and drive at unsafe speeds. Jaywalking is common. Drivers usually do not yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and ignore traffic lights (if available), traffic rules and regulations. Roads are congested. Driving at night is extremely dangerous. Some cars do not use lights at night and urban street lights may not be functioning. Some motorists drive at excessive speeds, tailgate and force other drivers to yield the right of way. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by air carriers registered in Iraq, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Iraq's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.
There is credible information that terrorists are targeting civil aviation. Military aircraft arriving and departing from Baghdad International Airport (ORBI) have been subjected to small arms and missile fire. Travelers choosing to utilize civilian aircraft to enter or depart Iraq should be aware that, although there have been no recent attacks on civilian aircraft, the potential threat still exists. Official U.S. Government (USG) personnel are strongly encouraged to use U.S. military or other USG aircraft when entering or departing Iraq. All personnel serving in Iraq under Chief of Mission (COM) authority are prohibited from entering or departing ORBI on commercial airlines unless they receive COM approval, which is granted on a case-by-case basis for emergency purposes only. Other personnel not under COM authority must be guided by their own agencies. Personnel under COM authority assigned to the Erbil and Sulaymaniyah areas are permitted to use commercial flights in and out of Erbil on a case-by-case basis.
As of September 21, 2006, Iraqi law prohibits adult Iraqis and foreigners from holding and transporting more than U.S. $10,000 in cash out of Iraq. In addition, it permits adult Iraqi and resident foreigners to hold and transport no more than 200,000 Iraqi dinars to cover travel expenses. Iraqi law also prohibits taking more than 100 grams of gold out of the country. Iraqi customs personnel are taking action to enforce these laws and may pose related questions to travelers during immigration and customs exit procedures. (Civil customs personnel also will verify passport annotations related to any items such as foreign currency, gold jewelry, or merchandise that were declared by passengers upon entry into Iraq on Form-8.)
All U.S. citizens are reminded that it is their duty to respect Iraqi laws, including legal restrictions on the transfer of currency outside of Iraq. If you are detained at the airport or at any other point of exit regarding your attempt to transfer currency out of Iraq, you should contact – or ask that Iraqi authorities immediately contact -- the American Embassy.
Transporting large amounts of currency is not advisable. Almost all of the international companies working in Iraq have the capability to make payments to their employees and at least four Iraqi banks are also able to convert cash into an international wire transfer directed to a bank account outside Iraq. Branches of the Credit Bank of Iraq on Al-Sa’adoon St., Baghdad (creditbkiq@yahoo.com), Dar Es Salaam Bank (info@desiraq.com), Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank (coinvst@iraqimdlestbank.com) and Al-Warqaa Investment Bank (warkabank@hotmail.com) all have this capability. Please be aware that large wire transfers may require Central Bank of Iraq approval because of measures in place to combat money laundering. Such approvals can be obtained by the sending bank, if information on the origin of the funds and the reason for its transfer are provided. Additional information on banking in Iraq is available at the Central Bank of Iraq web site http://www.cbi.iq/.
Customs and MNF-I officers have the broad authority to search persons or vehicles at Iraq ports of entry. Officers may confiscate any goods that may pose a threat to the peace, security, health, environment, or good order of Iraq or any antiquities or cultural items suspected of being illegally exported. Goods that are not declared may be confiscated by an officer. Persons may also be ordered to return such goods, at their expense, to the jurisdiction from which they came. Please see our Customs Information.
The banking and financial infrastructure has been disrupted and is in the process of rebuilding. Hotels usually require payment in foreign currency. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are extremely limited but the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) provides ATM services in dinars and U.S. dollars at the TBI head office in central Baghdad and two other locations (See http://www.tbiraq.com.)
Telecommunications are very poor. There is limited international phone service in Iraq at this time. Local calls are often limited to a neighborhood network. There are no public telephones in the cities; however, calls may be made from hotels, restaurants or shops. Limited cellular telephone service and Internet service are available in Iraq.
Due to security conditions, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy is able to provide only limited emergency services to U.S. citizens. Because police and civil structures are in the process of being rebuilt, emergency service and support will be limited.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Iraqi laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Iraq are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: The U.S. and international media have occasionally reported on the difficult situation faced by Iraq's children, and it is completely understandable that some American citizens want to respond to such stories by offering to open their homes and adopt these children in need. However Iraqi law does not permit full adoptions as they are generally understood in the United States. It is not possible to adopt Iraqi children at this time. For more information on this issue, please refer to our flyer Intercountry Adoptions – Iraq.
Iraq is not party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, nor are there any international or bilateral treaties in force between Iraq and the United States dealing with international parental child abduction. The security situation in Iraq limits consular access to children. For more information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
The Travel Warning on Iraq urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Iraq. However, Americans living or traveling in Iraq despite that Warning are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Iraq. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. U.S. citizens may also contact the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq located in the International Zone via e-mail at baghdadacs@state.gov, via landline at 1-240-553-0581, extension 2413 (this number rings in Baghdad) or the U.S. Embassy's web site at http://iraq.usembassy.gov. The after-hours number in case of extreme emergency is GSM 1-914-822-1370 or Iraqna 07901-732-134.
This replaces the Country Specific Information for Iraq dated January 22, 2008, to update sections on Country Description, Entry/Exit Requirements, Safety and Security, Crime, Information for Victims of Crime, Medical Facilities and Health Information, Aviation Safety Oversight, and Registration/Embassy Location.
H1N1 Influenza outbreak in in Kurdistan region of Iraq
Disease Swine Flu (H1N1) Iraq - 9 days ago
Date: Mon 6 Jan 2020
Source: Rudaw [in Kurdish, trans. ProMED Mod.NS, abridged, edited]
<https://www.rudaw.net/sorani/health/060120202>
The number of patients infected with seasonal influenza H1N1 in Kurdistan region has reached 38. Khalis Qadir, director general at the Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Health, told Rudaw that 4 of these patients have died and only one is from Kurdistan region. Qadir indicated that most cases were from Erbil governorate as of the 38 patients, 17 were from Erbil, 11 were from Duhok and 10 were from Sulaymaniyah.
Scabies outbreak in Mosul in Iraq
Disease Scabies Iraq - 2 years ago
Date: Thu 5 Jul 2018
Source: IraqiNews.com [edited]
<https://www.iraqinews.com/features/scabies-invades-iraqs-mosul-rapidly-growing-health-workers-say/>
Mosul, Iraq's former Islamic State (IS) capital, is witnessing a growing rate of scabies infections in its western region, medical workers reported as the city struggles to overcome destruction resulting from the war against the extremist group. Moamen Shahwani, a doctor at the health department in Mosul, was quoted by the Iraqi website Sky Press in a press statement that western Mosul has recorded 150 scabies cases, warning that parasites causing the disease are spreading in the city.
He attributed the spread of the disease to several factors, most importantly the return of displaced families to the regions, which are still scarred by the war against Daesh (IS) and the resulting waste matter. "Garbage, debris and remains of corpses are almost at every corner; moreover, there is a shortage in water, electricity and other essential services," Shahwani said.
The doctor noted that, besides registered cases, there are other unregistered ones, with infected persons seeking treatment at outpatient clinics or resorting to herbal medicines. "The disease is highly dangerous and rapidly progressing, and it is difficult to contain it in a short period [in] an environment that lacks the simplest services," he added.
Mosul was IS's capital and base of operations in Iraq. It was from its Grand Nuri Mosque that IS founder, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, proclaimed the group's rule. Iraqi forces recaptured the city last July [2017] after an operation that lasted for more than 8 months. Most of the city's infrastructure was demolished due to battles, and authorities continue to extract dead bodies from under the debris. [Byline: Mohamed Mostafa]
[Scabies is found worldwide and is an indicator of poor hygienic conditions, including lack of personal hygiene and clean clothes, crowded sleeping conditions and inadequate water resources. Thus, it is not surprising that scabies is found in Mosul under the present circumstances. More importantly, scabies can be an indicator of infections transmitted by human lice, like _Borrelia recurrentis_, _Rickettsia prowazekii_ and _Bartonella quintana_. Thus, those treating persons with severe febrile illness in Mosul should consider these infections. - ProMED Mod.EP]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Iraq: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/89>]
Cases of Haemorrhagic Fever in Iraq's Euphrates Valley causing alert
Disease Haemorrhagic Disease Iraq - 2 years ago
Date: Tue 26 Jun 2018
Source: Rudaw [edited]
<http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/26062018>
After 3 reported deaths caused by viral haemorrhagic fever in Iraq's Euphrates Valley, a rights group has called on the government to undertake measures to prevent the disease from spreading, while officials say: "The situation doesn't call for worry." "The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights warns of spreading the viral haemorrhagic fever, which causes human deaths and has great dangers to public health and the economy of Iraq," read a statement from IHCHR on Tuesday [26 Jun 2018].
The virus is spread by mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, and bats into livestock and humans, or when humans butcher already-infected livestock. "We call on the Ministry of Health and Diwaniyah Health Department to fumigate animal sheds in the province and carry out rapid preventive measures to prevent the spreading of the disease to Iraq's provinces," added the rights group.
They call for butchers only to work at licensed locations and for the police and relevant administrations to issue instructions. Additionally, posters should be displayed, and seminars should be offered as part of an educational campaign. "After 2 people lost their lives due to the hemorrhagic fever in the Diwanyah province, our ministry has swiftly undertaken the necessary measures to prevent the disease and provide necessary medications," Sayf Badir, a spokesperson for the ministry, said in a statement.
A source from the Diwanyah Hospital told Baghdad Today of another death on Monday [25 Jun 2018], increasing the number to 3. The Provincial Council of Diwanyah held a meeting in the presence of the governor and the head of the province's police to discuss the issue. Dr. Sabah Mahdi, the director of the National Center for Containing and Preventing Diseases, said on Monday [25 Jun 2018] that the 1st recorded case of the disease in Iraq was in 1979. He revealed that there are continuous efforts by the veterinaries to spray pesticides on cattle fields.
"To prevent this disease, we advise all ranchers, laboratory employees, and veterinary employees to wear personal protection gear while dealing with animals," added Mahdi. "The preventive measures are continuous, and by following up on all the cases, the situation doesn't call for worry." The World Health Organization defines viral haemorrhagic fever as "a general term for a severe illness, sometimes associated with bleeding, that may be caused by a number of viruses." Symptoms are sudden and include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, and sore eyes, among other symptoms. The mortality rate is 30 percent. There is no vaccine available for humans or animals. There have been no reported cases outside of Diwanyah.
[If the virus is believed to be spread by mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, and bats into livestock and humans, the identity of the virus has not been determined. However, if it is transmitted to humans when they butcher livestock, that raises the possibility that the etiological agent is Congo-Crimean haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus.
Cases in Iraq would not be surprising because cases have occurred this year (2018) across the region, including Iran and Afghanistan, and was suspected in 2 fatal and 4 suspected cases in Iraq in 2010. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is caused by infection with a tick-borne Nairovirus in the family Bunyaviridae. It is a viral zoonosis (animal to human) caused by infection with a tick-borne virus.
The hosts of the CCHF virus are mostly wild and domestic animals, including cattle, sheep and goats. Human transmission may occur when human beings come into contact with infected ticks (through tick bites) or direct contact with blood or tissues of an infected animal. CCHF can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids. In humans, until the etiological agent is identified, effective prevention will be difficult. ProMED-mail would appreciate receiving the name of the virus involved and the laboratory tests used to identify it. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map: Qadisiyyah Governorate, Iraq:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/25538>]
Latent Visceral Leishmaniasis identified among US personnel following service in Iraq
Disease Leishmaniasis Iraq - 2 years ago
Date: Mon 9 Oct 2017
Source: MedPage Today [edited]
<https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/idweek/68416>
US service members deployed to Iraq showed signs of having been infected with latent visceral leishmaniasis during their service, researchers said.
In one study, latent visceral leishmaniasis was identified in asymptomatic Operation Iraqi Freedom soldiers (10.2 percent of 88), potentially putting them at risk of activation of the disease if they are immunosuppressed, according to Edgie-Mark Co of the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas <https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/4/suppl_1/S122/4295608/A-Stealth-Parasite-Prevalence-and-Characteristics>.
In another study, 20 veterans with asymptomatic latent visceral leishmaniasis had no active disease, although it was not clear how likely the condition was to resurface and cause serious health problems, reported Nate Copeland of the Clinical Trials Center at Walter Reed Army Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues <https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/4/suppl_1/S122/4295606/Clinical-Evaluation-of-Latent-Visceral>.
Both studies were presented at the annual ID Week meeting, sponsored jointly by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA).
Leishmaniasis is spread by sand flies and is common in the Middle East. The zoonotic parasitic disease can cause chronic fever, weight loss, spleen problems, and pancytopenia. Bacterial infections, malnutrition, and severe bleeding can also occur. Researchers are concerned because visceral leishmaniasis, unlike the more common cutaneous form, can cause serious health problems.
"Visceral leishmaniasis can be severe, and even life-threatening if not recognized and treated appropriately," Copeland told MedPage Today.
He said that more than 20 cases of active visceral leishmaniasis were reported among US service members in the Iraq region from 2000-2013, along with hundreds of cutaneous cases.
The study by Copeland [et al.] checked 88 soldiers from the El Paso area who'd served in areas with endemic visceral leishmaniasis from 2002-2011 (86 percent male, median age 39). Via various tests, they found that 10.2 percent showed signs of asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis.
"If you have a healthy immune system, it shouldn't be an issue. That's what your immune system does, it suppresses the disease," Co told MedPage Today. "But once you have conditions that weaken the system, that's when the disease reactivates." HIV, treatment with immunosuppressant drugs, and the use of steroids could put these soldiers at risk of emergence of active disease, he said.
"Reactivation has been reported in the literature among immunocompromised patients such as solid organ transplants patients and rheumatologic patients with immunosuppressive treatment," said Kanokporn Mongkolrattanothai of Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, who has treated leishmaniasis patients.
Mongkolrattanothai, who was not involved with the studies, told MedPage Today that the new studies are "useful" in light of the life-threatening nature of visceral leishmaniasis.
In the study of 20 soldiers with active visceral leishmaniasis (all male, median age 38.5), "the majority tested positive with a test showing a good cell-mediated immune response, which is essential for control of the _leishmania_ parasites," Copeland said. "These service members were all counseled on the clinical syndrome of visceral leishmaniasis as well as potential risk factors for activation based on what is known at this time."
These patients will be able to visit for re-checks every 1 or 2 years, Copeland said, "but if they remain asymptomatic they likely do not need further care in light of being a healthy and immune-competent group."
Tests revealed that another 2 service members showed signs of genetic material from leishmania parasites in their blood. "While they are also without symptoms, we are following them very closely, every 3-6 months, and monitoring their levels of parasite," Copeland said. "We have also been doing some evaluation as to whether these individuals have any evidence of an immunodeficiency allowing them to have parasites circulating in their blood stream."
"Neither service member is being treated at this point, " he said, "because there are definite known risks to treatment, but no clearly defined benefit to treating people without symptoms. [But] if they were to develop symptoms, there would be a very low threshold to treat them."
The next steps are to understand the risk to service members of latent visceral leishmaniasis infection and gain insight into risk factors for activation, he said.
"In tuberculosis, we have a very similar disease, conceptually," he said. "You have a parasite that most often causes no problems in healthy people exposed, but a certain subset go on to active disease early on after exposure, and others reactivate months to years later, often as a result of some risk factor."
"While we are not sure if the later reactivation is the case in leishmaniasis, we are concerned it may be," Copeland added. "In tuberculosis, there is clear evidence that if you treat those with latent infection, especially those with risk factors for reactivation, you can decrease the risk of future active disease. So that begs the question, would the same be true in leishmaniasis? In other words, can we treat these asymptomatic people now and prevent them from ever getting disease?" [Byline: Randy Dotinga]
[We know very little about latent Leishmaniasis in healthy subjects. There is no doubt that the exposure to leishmaniasis in the US armed forces in Iraq was extensive (see ProMED reports below from 2001 to 2004).
The tests described here respond with an Interferon-gamma response to stimulation with Leishmania antigens. The test may be false positive or negative and we have no data showing that even if the tests correctly identify people who have been exposed to Leishmania, they will eventually become ill with clinical visceral leishmaniasis.
The authors draw a comparison with tuberculosis. We know a lot more about latent tuberculosis but even here treating latent tuberculosis based on a positive quantiferon test in healthy, asymptomatic individuals is controversial. These people, if treated, are exposed to side effects and the benefit is not well quantified. It is a good rule in clinical medicine, that we treat patients and not laboratory results. Thus a sensible scenario would be to do follow up in Leishmania test positive, asymptomatic individuals.
For subjects with a confirmed (repeated) positive PCR for Leishmania in their blood or other samples like a bone marrow, the infection is no longer asymptomatic and should be treated accordingly, probably with liposomal amphotericin B. - ProMED Mod EP]
[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/89>.]
Call for programme to control Plague in Iraq
Disease Plague Iraq - 2 years ago
Date: Sun 24 Sep 2017
Source: Alghad Press [in Arabic, trans. Mod.NS, edited]
<https://www.alghadpress.com/news/Iraq-News/119679/AlghadPress>
The Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee revealed on [Sun 24 Sep 2017] the spread of plague and called for a national campaign against rodents that are causing the disease.
The deputy head of the Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee, Fares Al-Barefkani, told Alghad Press that "new cases of plague have been identified, and the causes of the disease are known and are related to the poor municipal, disease control, sewage, and landfill services, in addition to widespread residential slums."
Al-Barefkani indicated that "there are a lot of residential slums that have emerged and are not under the control of Baghdad municipality and lack health services." He called for "a serious national campaign to combat rodents in the residential neighbourhoods that cause plague and provide medicines that help to eliminate the disease" and stressed that "there is a need to support Baghdad municipality and the health and the environment directorates to educate people on how to combat plague."
Al-Barefkani added that "the Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee does not have accurate data on the number of cases because we are in the process of follow-up in all the governorates."
On Tuesday [12 Sep 2017], the Ministry of Health denied some social media and other media reports about the occurrence of plague cases.
[ProMED would again appreciate more information regarding whether plague cases have occurred in Iraq as it had been previously denied. If plague is present there, a program to eradicate rodents alone will not be effective in preventing human cases as the infected flea vector will seek other blood sources, such as humans.
This publication regarding the history of _Yersinia pestis_ in Iran also reviews the history of plague in other countries in the Middle East including Iraq:
Hashemi Shahraki A, Carniel E, Mostafavi E: Plague in Iran: its history and current status. Epidemiol Health. 2016 Jul 24; 38: e2016033; available at
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037359/>.
"Throughout its history, Iraq has experienced multiple epidemics of plague. In 716 and 717 CE, a large outbreak known as al-Ashraf (the Notables) was recorded in Iraq and Syria. In an epidemic of bubonic plague in 1772 and 1773, many victims died in cities such as Basra (with 250 000 deaths) and Mosul. In 1801 CE, a large plague epidemic occurred in Mosul and Baghdad. A plague epidemic occurred again in Baghdad in 1908. From 1923 to 1924, approximately 90 cases of pneumonic plague were reported in Baghdad, and some plague outbreaks were reported in Basra." - ProMED Mod.LL]
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/54548>.]
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Defiant Trump doubles down on threat to Iran cultural sites
Elodie CUZIN
AFP January 6, 2020
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump doubled down Sunday on a threat to attack Iranian cultural sites despite accusations that any such strike would amount to a war crime.
After his top diplomat, Mike Pompeo, had insisted that any military action would conform to international law, Trump said he would regard cultural sites as fair game if Iran resorted to deadly force against US targets.
"They’re allowed to kill our people, they're allowed to torture and maim our people, they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people and we're not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way," Trump told reporters.
"If they do anything there will be major retaliation."
His comments on his return from a break in Florida followed a welter of criticism over a Tweet on Saturday night in which he said sites which were "important to... Iranian culture" were on a list of 52 potential US targets.
Tehran's foreign minister had reacted to those initial comments by drawing parallels with the Islamic State group's destruction of the Middle East's cultural heritage.
And as Twitter was flooded with photos of revered Iranian landmarks in ancient cities such as Isfahan under the hashtag #IranianCulturalSites, leading US Democrats said the president would be in breach of international protocols if he made good on his threat.
"You are threatening to commit war crimes," Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the top Democrats hoping to challenge Trump in November's election, wrote on Twitter.
"We are not at war with Iran. The American people do not want a war with Iran."
"Targeting civilians and cultural sites is what terrorists do. It's a war crime," added fellow Senator Chris Murphy.
In a flurry of interviews on the Sunday talkshows, Secretary of State Pompeo said the US would not hesitate to hit back hard against Iran's "kleptocratic regime" if it came under attack, but pledged that any action would be consistent with the rule of law.
Both sides have traded threats since a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday killed Qasem Soleimani -- one of the most important figures in the Iranian government.
"We'll behave lawfully. We'll behave inside the system. We always have and we always will," Pompeo told the ABC network.
"The American people should know that every target that we strike will be a lawful target, and it will be a target designed with a singular mission, of protecting and defending America."
His comments came after his opposite number in Tehran Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that "targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME".
"A reminder to those hallucinating about emulating ISIS war crimes by targeting our cultural heritage: Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries," said Foreign Minister Zarif.
"Where are they now? We're still here, & standing tall."
- Threat 'Un-American' -
Nicholas Burns, who served as US ambassador to NATO under president George W. Bush, said the Trump administration would be guilty of hypocrisy given it was part of international efforts to deter IS from destroying countless pre-Islamic artefacts, including in the Syrian UNESCO-listed site of Palmyra.
"Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iranian cultural sites would be a war crime under UN Security Council resolution 2347 – supported by the Trump Administration itself in 2017 to warn ISIS+Al Qaeda of similar actions.
"His threat is immoral and Un-American," said Burns, now a professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Others drew comparisons with the Taliban's 2001 destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan
Pompeo refused to give details on the 52 potential targets which Trump said had been drawn up to represent each and every hostage held in the standoff at the US embassy in Tehran four decades ago.
But one former official expressed skepticism that military planners would agree to target cultural sites.
"I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites," said Colin Kahl who was National Security Adviser to former vice president Joe Biden.
"Trump may not care about the laws of war, but DoD (Department of Defense) planners and lawyers do... and targeting cultural sites is war crime."
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Western Michigan at Northern Illinois - Tuesday, November 26, 2019
WMU 0 0 7 7 14
NIU 3 7 0 7 17
Touchdowns T. Harbison 8
Rushing T. Harbison 1021
Passing R. Bowers 2130
Receiving C. Tucker 531
Interceptions D. Haney 1
Total Yards 358.9 104
Points Scored 22.8 103
Field Goal % 57.1 5
8/31/19 7:00 PM ET ILST W 24-10
9/7/19 1:00 PM ET @UTAH L 17-35
9/14/19 8:00 PM ET @NEB L 8-44
9/28/19 12:00 PM ET @VAN L 18-24
10/5/19 3:30 PM ET BALL L 20-27
10/12/19 3:30 PM ET @OHIO W 39-36
10/19/19 2:30 PM ET @M-OH L 24-27
10/26/19 3:30 PM ET AKR W 49-0
11/2/19 12:00 PM ET @CMU L 10-48
11/13/19 8:00 PM ET @TOL W 31-28
11/19/19 7:30 PM ET EMU L 17-45
11/26/19 7:00 PM ET WMU W 17-14
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Mexican president prays with family of dead US dual citizens
byAssociated Press
Mark Stevenson
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador prayed for the safety of the country with the relatives of nine U.S. dual citizens slaughtered in northern Mexico last month and assured them "at least four" suspects have been detained, a family member said.
Julian LeBaron said that during the family's Monday meeting with López Obrador and his Cabinet at Mexico City's National Palace, the president pledged to visit the region where the Nov. 4 massacre took place.
Mexican politicians traditionally avoid open displays of faith, and López Obrador has been unusual in recent comments referring to himself as a "follower of Jesus Christ."
"We just bowed our heads" and "prayed for the president and the country, for peace and goodwill, and to protect our loved ones, and protect our country," LeBaron said Tuesday.
The extended LeBaron family has lived in northern Mexico for decades and identify as part of the Mormon tradition though they are not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. Dual nationals, they were hotly criticized by some for asking U.S. President Donald Trump to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, something Trump said he would do.
"We think we should all be humble enough, and that's something we discussed with the president, to recognize that we have an immense problem on our hands and we need help," LeBaron said. "Of course, we wouldn't like to see a military invasion."
Three young mothers and six children were killed in the attack near the border of the northern states of Sonora and Chihuahua. Officials have said a drug cartel is suspected in the attack, but they initially suggested that one of the mothers' vehicles was set afire unintentionally, when a bullet hit the gas tank.
LeBaron said officials have confirmed to them that the killers filmed the attack themselves and set fire to the SUV in which one mother — LeBaron's cousin — and her four children died. He said family members have seen the video.
LeBaron is now trying to press for the kind of local anti-crime organizing that his community in Chihuahua state put together in 2009 after a previous attack by drug cartel gunmen.
He envisions communities allowed to form a posse, deputize citizens and bear arms to fight cartel incursions.
"We've been invaded by criminal terrorist organizations within our own country, within our own communities, and our government has absolutely failed to stop the thugs," said LeBaron. "At some point we have to assume responsibility as citizens to put a stop to it."
"The whole western United States was basically built on a structure that worked for communities, what we call the Wild West was never the wild West," he said. "Within the community they basically had all the powers to hold people accountable. The whole town could be deputized to bring criminals before justice."
Brink of extinction; trying to save koalas, kangaroos and wallabies
Royal rift: UK monarchy will look smaller when dust settles
Senate passes US-Canada-Mexico trade deal, a Trump priority
Experts say Med Sea altered by Suez Canal's invasive species
Immigration agency subpoenas sanctuary city law enforcement
Iran warns Europe as diplomat says officials 'lied' on crash
Judge refuses to second-guess family separations at border
WNBA players' deal: Lifting women in sports, basketball and society
Iran announces arrests over downing of plane that killed 176
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Fleet Farm Newsroom
Fleet Farm media portal.
Go to FleetFarm.com >
Home | News | Fleet Farm Purchases Secura Insurance Building for New Corporate Headquarters
Fleet Farm Purchases Secura Insurance Building for New Corporate Headquarters
Appleton, Wis. (July 10, 2019) — The current home of SECURA Insurance at 2401 South Memorial Drive in Appleton, Wisconsin will have a new owner. Fleet Farm Group LLC has agreed to purchase SECURA’s 192,000 square foot facility, and plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from its current location on South Lynndale in Appleton, where it has maintained its offices for the last 45 years.
“As SECURA continues to grow and moves to a different location, it creates an opportunity for another Fox Cities business to expand,” said Garth Wicinsky, SECURA Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. “We’re excited for Fleet Farm to start their next chapter in this great location, and we feel they will continue to be an excellent corporate anchor in the City of Appleton and the neighborhood that has served SECURA so well for more than 50 years.”
For Fleet Farm, the move means an opportunity to bring six locations under one roof, while remaining in the Fox Cities.
“We looked at a lot of locations, including some in other cities and states, and the current SECURA location is perfect,” said Derick Prelle, Fleet Farm’s Chief Executive Officer. “It allows us to stay in the Appleton area, and the SECURA facility answers our needs. It is a perfect size for us, and it has been beautifully maintained.”
The decision to purchase the building as its corporate headquarters reflects Fleet Farm’s commitment to the Fox Valley area and the Midwest. Approximately 500 employees will occupy the facility, including as many as 70 jobs that will be transferred from Fleet Farm’s Brainerd, Minnesota location. Fleet Farm will begin moving after Jan. 1, 2020, and will have all operations consolidated in the location by the end of March.
SECURA is completing construction of its new home office along County Highway CB in the Village of Fox Crossing and plans to move associates to the new headquarters in October.
About FLEET FARM
FLEET FARM has been serving Midwest families since 1955. With 43 stores across the upper Midwest, and three more opening in 2019, its more than 7,000 employees are focused on providing quality products at a great value. Over the years, customers have trusted FLEET FARM to provide everything they need for the jobs and joys of daily life. Whether it’s hunting, harvesting, tree-tapping, yard clean up, baking, family game night, pet grooming, or snow blowing, FLEET FARM has you covered. Customers have been known to say “If FLEET FARM doesn’t have it, I don’t need it.” At FLEET FARM, we’re more than just a store, we’re Built for Real Life.
About SECURA
SECURA Insurance is headquartered in Appleton, Wis. More than 550 independent insurance agencies in 12 states represent the company, which provides a broad range of competitive commercial, personal, farm, nonprofit, and special events products. It is known for providing exceptional service to its agents and policyholders since 1900 and is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best for its excellent ability to meet policyholder obligations. The carrier also is a Ward’s Top 50 company for outstanding results in financial performance and consistency over a five-year period. Visit www.secura.net to learn more.
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Mayoral Candidate: Doug McLean
Katee Shanks
My vision for the Eastern Bay is to make it the most livable place in New Zealand. Let me give you two examples. We’ve got to stimulate economic growth to help bring out the huge potential I see in young people, particularly business skills
Doug McLean
Age: In my 60s
How does the community know you best?
As Principal of Whakatane Intermediate. A position I have held for the past 18 years.
What do you have to offer the district?
My biggest strength is experienced leadership. I’ve always led 50 to 70 staff. Other strengths are my knowledge of bureaucracy at the highest level, and my knowledge of business and finance. I understand young people and I also have experience as a peacemaker with all age groups. And I’m a little crazy most of the time, I think that’s important!
Why should people vote for you as opposed to the other candidates?
I’ve had a lot of life experience, and that includes living within diverse communities. I’ve also had a lot of experience with leadership in those communities. The school principal is often, especially in rural communities, a leader of the community. You have responsibilities to bring everyone together. I don’t just talk about things, I actually do them. In Coromandel I initiated a sports complex and swimming pool projects, and we built them. When I look around me here, I take satisfaction in knowing we’ve almost, but not quite entirely, rebuilt the Intermediate since I’ve been there. I’ve created the Environmental Science Unit I like to think of myself as an environmentalist. I understand farming, and was brought up in a farming area, so I understand rural life. I also spent 13 years living in Auckland. I’ve lived in Taihape, I’ve lived in the South Island. And I know what it’s like to be part of a team. Whether leading a school staff team or coaching a rugby team I have experience in both.
What is your vision for the Eastern Bay / how do we achieve this?
My vision for the Eastern Bay is to make it the most livable place in New Zealand. Let me give you two examples. We’ve got to stimulate economic growth to help bring out the huge potential I see in young people, particularly business skills. Young people don’t need to work in the cities anymore, they can open up their own online businesses here. We need to make them welcome we need to support them. Council has the power and influence to resolve what I se as real conflict between recreational fishing and commercial fishing in local waters and trawling, for example, inside Whale Island. I don’t believe we have room for both if we’re looking at longterm sustainability for our fish stocks. There’s been research that suggests fish do not move outside a 50 km diameter in their life span so you can fish them out. I think that, as part of making Whakatane the most livable place, we need to focus on recreational fishing which is a billion dollar industry. Recreational fishing could bring a lot of tourism and wealth to the town, but it’s not going to happen if there’s no fish.
What are we currently doing right / what we are doing wrong?
I think there is a proper focus on looking after the environment. We have the new recycling bins. I was impressed recently to see the organic waste being turned into compost. We need to develop more walkways and cycleways and that’s on its way. I think the Strand could become an exceptional place and there’s been some progress there for shopping. When I fly from Whakatane to Auckland, which I do a lot, I’m always disappointed by the land devastation. The only forest that’s healthy is in the Kaimais that I can see from the air and I think we need to do a lot of replanting. And I think when you replant, and I’m also talking about river banks and fence lines, it’s amazing how the bird life comes back very quickly. However, I do believe there are transparency issues within Council. There has been a bit of an outcry recently about the tendering process and issues around the openness of it we have local contractors saying they do not have any knowledge of the tenders until they have been awarded to outside businesses. I have also spoken to builders who say they have difficulty with council’s consent timeframes and costings.
Where do you think we should be in ten years a tourist or agriculturebased economy?
We can have both. We are certainly both now. We have great sunshine hours, we’ve got great soil and we’ve got good rainfall. And tourism we’ve got amazing things. We’ve got beaches, bush walks, White Island. When you talk to people overseas they’re always interested in White Island people seem to be fascinated by volcanoes. We need to be equipped to host major events. As President of the New Zealand Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools, I have had a wonderful opportunity this year to showcase the Eastern Bay. The AIMS conference was suggested to me, which is unusual as they normally hold it in a major city. So I’m really excited about hosting it here. There are Australians coming as well as people from throughout New Zealand and I’m confident it will bring big money into the economy. And if people like the town they’ll come back and bring their families.
How should we be cooperating with our neighbouring districts?
We’ve got no choice but to cooperate with both. Let me give you an example. Right now Opotiki is steaming ahead with aquaculture plans and, I believe that could be massive for the region. There’s an ongoing effect from aquaculture in the sense that it generates service industries, for example manufacturing the ropes, the muslin socks, the plastic buoys. Also there’s a lot of engineering work, transport work and even a factory could spring up for value added chilli mussels, smoked mussels, something like that. It’s not just aquaculture, there’s all sorts of things we should be doing collaboratively.
Do we have anything to learn from Tauranga and Rotorua?
We could learn about how to market our tourism through Rotorua they do it very well. We’re heartland Maori in the Eastern Bay and I think that’s a huge tourist attraction in itself. People are fascinated by the Maori culture. And I think that now there are so many cruise ships going in Tauranga, we need to work out why the tourists aren’t coming here. It’s only an hour away with the arterial link. I’ve been on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean and when we docked, we just got on buses and went. But they don’t come here. We have to market ourselves as a destination place.
Where do you stand on a Piripai development?
I think we’ve got to be careful with it because all the people involved need to be on the same page, and they’re not. I think there’s still a lot of negotiation, a lot of talking, a lot of sorting it out, to go. I’m not 100 percent convinced we need a traditional retirement village I’m for what people want. And I’m hearing from a lot of elderly local people, that they want to stay independent in their own homes, but they want to be supported in doing this. They want to be able to buy into maybe a cluster of houses and support each other but be close to medical facilities. I need to talk to our older people and see what they want. But if we do go ahead with a village, I think the campground is the best suggested site.
Where do you stand on a second bridge?
We have to have a second bridge. Agriculture and horticulture continues to grow with us, Opotiki and the East Coast. Also we need another bridge because, if our one bridge was out of action through a natural disaster, we’d be in a lot of trouble. Access out of our area relying on one twolane bridge is a big risk. I’d like to see a bike bridge more toward Coastlands in the first instance but, as far as the positioning of a second bridge goes, I think we’d have to first see where the population grows before making any firm decisions. And also, where it can be and is it practical to connect it to a road network.
Do you believe we have a housing shortage both low cost and retirement? How do we solve this? The shrinking amount of affordable housing is our key issue, since we can’t rely on developers alone to address that shortage. Council has a role to play as landowner, funder, planning agency and community leader. Is council red tape hindering economic growth? From what I’m told it is. Councils are not traditionally user friendly to business development. We definitely need to make sure we are encouraging and enabling as opposed to making things harder.
Should council look at external funding sources to help economic growth?
This council is very rates dependent. It does need to look further afield to ease the burden on ratepayers. I think we also need to look to try and attract big events here. I know, through my involvement with AIIMS New Zealand and the AIMS Tournament, there is an opportunity for a cash injection into the economy with events and conferences. We have to think outside the square to bring more money into Whakatane. What do you think is the most underutilised asset Whakatane has? I believe it is the people. If I was Mayor one of the things I would do would be to make sure the best and the most passionate people are in the roles that ensure Whakatane is the most livable place. I’ve always been part of really strong teams, I’d like to think I had a hand in forming those teams, that set out to achieve the best outcomes. I also think we have so many talented youngsters in Whakatane. Many of them, I believe, don’t go on to reach their potential. Maybe we don’t have the facilities here for them to get to that highest level or maybe we are not doing enough to support them to reach that top level. Listening to the community, from young to old, is vital and something I feel strongly about.
Is it time for a change or are we better to stick with what we know?
People say to me, to be Mayor you need to be on council for three years. I don’t want to be a councilor for three years. I want to go in as leader with a comparatively blank canvas, and have fun doing it. We’ll do it our way not necessarily the traditional way. When I go into a new school I actively don’t want to know what my predecessor has done. I set up my own management systems, my own way of doing things that suits me. I can’t operate under someone else’s structure because it doesn’t suit my leadership style and it doesn’t suit my personality. Elected officials have a governance role, I support delegation to subcommittees, otherwise it loads too much on one person. People with particular strengths can lead those subcommittees. They’ve got all the ideas and, rather than be accountable to me, they can be accountable to the leaders of the sub committees. I want to tap into other people’s knowledge and skills because they will make me look good!
-Katee Shanks / NewsWhakatane
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City of Duluth Honors Gwinnett Medical Center for 75 Years of Service
In 1944, community members united to launch the humble Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital in Duluth. Much has changed over the past seven-plus decades—a new name, several facility upgrades, and a change in services as a new hospital was built down the street in 2006, just to name a few—but its mission of providing quality care has not.
Since Glancy merged into Gwinnett Health System in the 1960s, the system has grown into one of the largest and most respected in Georgia. The original site of Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital has changed significantly over the years while remaining an important part of GMC. It is currently home to the Center for Weight Management, the Diabetes and Nutrition Education Center and Glancy Rehabilitation Center.
Gwinnett Medical Center now operates acute care hospitals in Lawrenceville and Duluth that, combined, house more than 550 beds and are staffed by approximately 5,000 employees and 800 physicians serving more than 400,000 patients annually.
In honor of GMC’s service to the citizens of Duluth and the region as a whole, Mayor Nancy Harris recently issued a proclamation declaring July 2, 2019, as “Gwinnett Medical Center Day.” The proclamation honors 75 years of the shared history and great relationship between Duluth and GMC. It was issued during a recent celebration at the Duluth Business Association’s July meeting held at GMC-Duluth.
Harris recognized Gwinnett Medical Center for the more than $75 million in charitable care and services it provides each year and for its nationally recognized expertise in a number of medical disciplines.
In the proclamation, she cited GMC for outstanding achievements in cardiology, pulmonology, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, radiology, obstetrics, neonatal intensive care, bariatrics, weight management, diabetes and nutrition education, orthopedics and sports medicine, rehabilitative therapies and other medical disciplines.
Thomas Shepherd, GMC’s chief operating officer and executive vice president who began his three-plus decades of service to the hospital system in the Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital lab, was excited by the recognition.
“We are truly honored that Mayor Harris recognized GMC for many years of providing quality healthcare services to the citizens of her great town. Duluth is such an important part of our history and our present-day service offerings,” Shepherd stated. “We are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our patients and associates at all of our facilities, and we believe the mayor’s gesture is validation that we are achieving that goal.”
Category : Gwinnett Medical Center
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December 9, 2019 by NOW National
NOW Celebrates Feminist Champions on Human Rights Day
Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 10th is UN Human Rights Day, commemorating the day in 1948 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eleanor Roosevelt was the first Chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights and played an instrumental role in drafting the Declaration and communicating its message of a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations” to the public.
As an organization devoted to advocating for the rights of humans with diverse experiences, we could not be more proud of the role women have played throughout history in protecting human rights.
Hansa Mehta of India, the only other female delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1947-48, is credited with changing the phrase “All men are born free and equal” to “All human beings are born free and equal” in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Minerva Bernardino, a diplomat and feminist leader from the Dominican Republic, was instrumental in arguing for inclusion of “the equality of men and women” in the preamble of the Declaration.
Begum Shaista Ikramullah of Pakistan championed the inclusion of Article 16 of the Declaration on equal rights in marriage, which she saw as a way to combat child marriage and forced marriage.
Bodil Begtrup of Denmark advocated for the Declaration to refer to “all” or “everyone” as the holders of the rights, rather than “all men.”
Marie-Hélène Lefaucheux of France successfully advocated for a mention of non-discrimination based on sex to be included in Article 2 “birth or other status.”
Evdokia Uralova of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic strongly argued for equal pay for women. Thanks to her, Article 23 states that “Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.”
Lakshmi Menon, delegate of India to the General Assembly’s Third Committee in 1948, argued forcefully for the repetition of non-discrimination based on sex throughout the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as for a mention of “the equal rights of men and women” in the preamble.
In acknowledging these women and their successes, we want to reaffirm our commitment to championing human rights. Injustice and inhumanity have long been crimes of the patriarchy that NOW strives to abolish, and today’s challenges are no exception.
While our mission to protect society’s most vulnerable manifests in many of our projects, our nationwide campaign to “Unlock the Future for Women and Girls” and demand humane treatment for immigrant families seeking refuge is emblematic of our human rights advocacy goals. We are joined by a coalition of allies and activists to put forward a Bill of Rights for People Housed in Immigration Detention Prisons that is rooted in the values and principles of our constitutional democracy.
NOW is also engaged in the “End the Demand” campaign to empower prostituted women and stop the commodification of women, children and individuals of the transgender community. We support the Nordic or Equality Model legislation, under which the demand for sex acts continues to be criminalized; however prostituted women and others are decriminalized and offered much-needed and much-desired support.
On UN Human Rights Day, and every day, we honor the vision and commitment of women who defended women’s rights as human rights, and also the women and girls who are most at risk of having those rights taken away.
Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745
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2nd annual Global BASH
« 2nd annual Global BASH
Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate
Awna Teixeira House Hootenanny and Chili Feed »
While maintaining the infectiously melodic mix of bluesy rock ’n’ roll and rootsy soul that’s long endeared the three brothers who make up Los Lonely Boys to their fiercely loyal fan base, the band’s latest outing, Revelation (2014), adds an expansive range of new sonic elements—including conjunto and reggae. It’s the band’s first recording since Henry Garza (vocals, guitar) sustained serious injuries in a fall from the stage in 2013, necessitating a lengthy recovery. “The whole experience was a wake-up call for us,” says JoJo Garza (bass, vocals). “It made us rethink every aspect of our lives and our careers, and it reminded us of what’s really important.” The abiding sense of family unity and creative rapport that allowed the band to weather such a potentially devastating event has been built into Los Lonely Boys from the beginning. Indeed, Henry, Jojo and Ringo (drums, vocals) have been making music together for their entire lives. Their father, Ringo Garza Sr., was a member of another sibling band, the Falcones, which played throughout southern Texas in the ’70s and ’80s.
When that group disbanded, Ringo Sr. went solo, and recruited his three young sons to back him. Soon Henry, Jojo and Ringo Jr. began writing and performing their own material as a trio, recording their debut in 2003 at Willie Nelson’s studio in Austin, with Willie himself guesting on the sessions. Epic Records picked up Los Lonely Boys for major-label distribution in early 2004, and the album quickly won the band a large national audience. Its lead single “Heaven” became a Top-20 pop hit, reached #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and won a Grammy. The brothers solidified their success with 2006’s Sacred, which brought two more Grammy nominations, 2008’s Forgiven, the all-covers EP 1969, the unplugged Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live!, and 2011’s Rockpango. All the while, the band continued to build its reputation as a singularly powerful live act.
“We want to make music that brings people together, not music that divides people,” says Jojo. “We’re all about having a good time, but we also make an effort to write about things that really matter. A lot of people write songs about superficial things, like how you look and what kind of car you drive and how much money you have, but we’re not interested in that. We want to create music that’s about the love and the energy and the spirit that we all carry as people…. We’re very thankful that God blessed our family with a drummer, a guitar player and a bass player, and that the three of us get to make music together. There’s been a few bumps in the road here and there, but that happens in any family and in any band. The main thing is that we stick together, and that we’re trying to pass on that feeling of brotherhood, of familia, in the music that we make.”
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Century-old elm tree in Windsor receives patriotic transformation
tfasano@mywindsornow.com
COVERtree-WNW-093012-1
COVERtree-WNW-093012-1-2
A large eagle was cut out of the stump of a tree by chainsaw sculptor Faye Braaten in Windsor. The patriotic creation was designed for Gerry and Dian...
The last thing Gerry and Diana Adams wanted to do was cut down the century-old, 60-foot tall elm tree in their front yard on Locust Street in Windsor, but the final product turned out to be a piece of artwork that has passersby doing a double take.
When falling limbs from wetwood disease made it too dangerous to keep the tree, the Adams wanted to find a way to pay tribute to the old elm.
"We've had limbs fall in the street that have blocked the entire street. I've had limbs fall off that landed in my neighbor's driveway right where his wife parks her car," Gerry said. "I've had them fall on the house from the (2008) tornado. It wasn't healthy, and it hanged right over the sidewalk. We were just afraid that it was going to kill somebody one of these days so we had to cut her down. We really hated to cut it, but it was just dangerous. We wanted to leave a tribute for it."
The Adams contacted Faye Braaten, a master carver from Loveland who does custom chainsaw art and goes by the moniker of Chainsaw Mama. She carved out a bald eagle in full flight from the 8-foot tall, 4-foot wide stump earlier this month. Braaten also carved out the word "America" underneath the eagle.
"The tip of the wing of this eagle is 8-feet tall," Gerry said. "She used every inch of it, and she carved this thing out in two days. It was amazing to watch her do this. She's definitely an artist. Day 1, she wielded a 24-inch chainsaw the entire day. Day 2, she brought out some smaller chainsaws. Apparently, they're made just for this kind of work and made to do art with. She got a dremel tool on the face and the eyeballs. It's amazing the eyes and the details she has on the face. She just worked from the big saw down to the smaller saws down to the dremel tool."
The finished product cost $700.
"We just sold our old camper for $800 the week before, so we decided to take the money from the camper and have her do this thing," Gerry said.
Diana said she's thrilled with the look of the bald eagle.
"I think it's beautiful, and she just does remarkable work," Diana said of Braaten. "We just loved that old tree. The house was built in 1897, so we figured the tree was planted about then."
Gerry and Diana are bird watchers who love their country. Gerry, 61, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 and was awarded a Purple Heart at the age of 19, after being wounded in Vietnam in 1970.
"It's mostly a tribute to the tree, but in the same breath there were two other issues that made us go with the eagle," Gerry said. "It's an opportunity to show our patriotism because we have a lot of military in both families. My wife has four brothers and a sister who served, and my father and my one older brother served, and myself in Vietnam. We have a lot of military in our family. The eagle is an American icon. We're both bird watchers, and as far as birds go, the bald eagle is the top of the line. It's the king of all birds as far as we're concerned."
Gerry said they initially were going to have a pelican carved out of the stump.
"We thought Windsor probably has enough pelicans. Let's do something different," he said. "The artist said, 'I can do an eagle flying right across your picture window in your front yard.' We basically killed two birds with one stone. Let's show some patriotism and honor the bald eagle who we adore."
The Adams have received numerous compliments on the carving.
"It's just been amazing. People are stopping by," Gerry said. "I've had some people knocking on the door. People are just amazed. I guess the word I hear most often is, 'Awesome.' Everybody loves it. A 10-year-old boy walked down the street the other day and I hear this kid go, 'Whoaaa!' I looked out and he said, 'Did you do that? That's awesome.' He was screaming at the top of his lungs."
Peg Bryant, who lives two doors down from the Adams, said the carved tree looks beautiful.
"I'm not a rah-rah person, but I just think the message is great," Bryant said. "It broke both of their hearts to cut that tree down, but it had to come down. Gerry and Diana decided to do sort of do a tribute to the tree."
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Home Your Views PMB at 77: ‘Please tell Baba we are with him all the...
PMB at 77: ‘Please tell Baba we are with him all the way’
By FEMI ADESINA
I boarded a commercial airliner heading to Lagos from Abuja. I was already seated, and strapping my seat belt, when a young man approached me. He must have been in his late 20s, or at most, early 30s. I shook hands, greeted him warmly, and he slipped something in my palm. He went back to his seat.
It was a piece of paper, and on it was written: “Please, tell Baba we are with him all the way.”
My eyes became misty. I knew who he was talking about. My principal and Baba of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, who turns 77 today.
“Please, tell Baba we are with him all the way.” What a message! What confidence! What love! And what reassurance.
At times, if you listen to the Babel of voices in the country, particularly on social media and some critical segment of the traditional media, you think everything is all wrong with the land. You think it’s all sorrow tears and blood, the regular trade mark of failed or failing countries.
The biblical prophet, Elijah, felt at a time that he was the only true prophet of God left in Israel. And he complained to God: they have all followed Baal, the strange god. I am the only one left with you.
But God gave him a tutorial: you only think so. I have for me in this land 7,000 other prophets, who have not bowed the knees to Baal.
That was what happened in that aircraft. The young man who slipped the note into my hand is like millions upon millions of quiet Nigerians, “who have not bowed the knees to Baal.” People who love President Muhammadu Buhari, who appreciate that he is here for such a time as this, and who believe that he is leading us to a new Nigeria, a land flowing with milk and honey. I believe. I am in the number of millions of people, who daily wish Buhari well, and pray that he will lead the land to fair havens, halcyon shores, before 2023.
If all the information you consume is from social media, and the critical segment of the traditional media, you will likely miss the correct pulse of the country. Let me share an experience here.
Some months before the 2019 general elections, I ran into Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the Presidential Villa, as he was going in to see the President. We greeted warmly, and I asked if he could please stop by in my office on the way out. He promised to do so.
What was my worry? The trend on social media, as to how the elections would go. I had a broader view of the reality, but I needed some reassurance. And I knew El-Rufai was analytical, and constantly had statistics at his fingertips. He’s not a first class quantity surveyor for nothing.
The governor turned up. I unfolded my worries, and asked for his opinion. He merely opened his laptop computer, and shared the result of a scientific research with me.
What did the research say? With large sample size from across the country, and painstaking state by state analysis, it stated that President Buhari was going to beat his closest opponent by millions of votes. And wait for this: the social media would account for just between nine and 11 percent of the votes. And wait again: that percentage would not go to one party alone. It would be shared between the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). It turned quite prophetic.
The young man in the plane is among the millions of Nigerians who tilted the scale. They know that Nigeria is not where she should be, not yet, but it is not business as usual. There is one man who is laboring hard to turn the country right side up. He is Muhammadu Buhari, and the journey may be tedious, arduous and slow, but we are headed in the right direction.
Friends, Nigerians, countrymen. Yes, I have come to celebrate Muhammadu Buhari, as he turns 77 today. See the sycophant, the fanatic, some people would say. But do I mind them? I don’t. I have chosen my own hero, let them choose theirs. As we say in local parlance, ‘say your prayers, and let me say amen. No quarrel for church.’
I have said it before, and I say it again. I have followed Buhari since he was a military ruler, when I was an undergraduate, and if that regime had lasted for longer, Nigeria would not be in the doldrums that she found herself. It was a tough administration, but which was leading us on the right path. Till forces of reaction struck, and we were back to worse than square one.
You could imagine my joy when Buhari eventually emerged civilian President after 12 years of struggle. I didn’t think I was going to ever serve in government, but I found myself in it. Just because it was Buhari. More than four years down the line, have I changed my mind? No. Is it a perfect government? There’s none anywhere. But I still remain a Buharist, just like millions of other Nigerians.
I know many people who started with us in the Buhari camp, but who are now on the other side. Some were were lured away by the garlic, cucumber, onions and leeks of Egypt, while some others jumped ship because of the color of the currency they saw. Some others, who expected quick fixes, are now singing the Lord’s song in a strange land. Some others are vacillating between many opinions. But for some of us, it is the immortal words of Sir Walter Scott: “Other people’s resolutions may fluctuate on the wild and changeful billows of human opinions. Our’s, now and forever, are anchored on the rock of ages.”
Why are we dyed-in-the-wool Buharists? Is he a perfect, infallible man? Show me who is. So, why do we remain resolute, irrespective of what people on the other side see as foibles and failings of the administration? Many reasons.
Buhari is not a thief. Can you say the same of many past leaders in this country? No, you can’t. I’m not saying they’ve all been light fingered, but we know those who served us honestly, and those who stole the living daylights out of the country. They and their confederates.
When I then see a honest man, the Mai Gaskiya, should I not follow him? Should I not trek from here to China for his sake? I would even trek further from Beijing to Yokohama. Larceny and plunder have been bane of our country. That was why we were consigned in gross backwardness and underdevelopment. Now that I see a man who has come to make a difference, I choose to stand by him all the way.
We know people who were worth only thousands when they got into leadership positions in this country. But they came out in obscene wealth. In other words, they went not to serve the country, but themselves. And here is Muhammadu Buhari, a man who wants nothing from Nigeria, but who has come to empty himself in the service of the country. And some people say we are fanatical supporters? Yes, for the sake of our country. For the future of our children. For the good of ordinary people, we are Buharists.
Simplicity. President Buhari is a Muslim, a good one, and I am a Christian, trying daily to be a good one. I see him at close quarters. At home, in the office, in the country, out of it. What a simple man. He holds power with simplicity. He eats simply. Wears the most modest things. No swashbuckling, no ostentation. And when we talk privately, I love when he indicates that he’s in a temporal position, which he wants to use for the good of the larger majority of Nigerians. That’s why I’m a Buharist, and no apologies.
Abhorrence of corruption. I said it before. President Buhari is not a thief, and he cannot vouch for you if you are tarred with the brush of corruption. You will simply be on your own. There is the jaded talk of the anti-corruption war in the land being selective. Well, those who say that are merely operating from a mindset. No matter who you are, however close you can be to him, when it comes to corruption, this President speaks up for no one. That is why the anti-corruption agencies are making conquests. He tele-guides them in no way.
An eye on history. That’s where the President keenly focuses. He wants to be positively remembered as a man who came, who saw, and made a difference. That’s why the country is one big construction site. Roads, rail, airports, power, water projects, and many others. Nigeria must get a new lease of life, and history must record it that the revolution started under one man: Muhammadu Buhari.
A kind man. Don’t mind the names you hear. Tyrant. Iron fist. Military ruler. Violator of rule of law. Major General (as if he’s not one). And many others. But you know what? This President is a kind man.
In 2015, some months into office, a proposal was thrown up at a meeting. The civil service was unwieldy, the economy was down, and salaries were being paid through the noses. It may well be time to cut the civil service strength by half, since most of them were even idle.
But the idea didn’t sell. The President said if he had his way, not a single civil servant would be sent home due to rationalization. Things were tough enough for them, not to add loss of jobs. And so it happened.
When labor unions came some years later to agitate for higher pay, the President first balked. He said it was not sustainable, which was the truth. But eventually, he buckled, due to a kind heart, and new wages are being paid at serious cost to government.
Let me say this, with the presumed permission of the President. He kept the Service Chiefs he inherited in 2015 for a couple of months. And when it was time to let them go, he sent for me one afternoon. He gave me the names of the new appointees, and told me not to announce till the next day.
“I have informed the outgoing Service Chiefs some minutes ago. But I don’t want their families to hear the news over radio or television. I want them to get home, and break the news themselves,” the President said.
I told him we would not be able to keep the news under wraps till the next day, that it should rather be announced immediately. He looked at me, laughed, and said: “You have not been sacked before. That’s why you are talking that way. Me, I’ve been sacked from office before, and I know how it feels.” We laughed.
When the chief executive of a major corporation was also going to be replaced, he gave me the new name, and said I should not announce for an hour or two, so that the outgoing man would have received his letter, and not hear it from the media.
Many acts of kindness have I seen the President shown to many, and also to me, yet some people want to call him strange names. And I should believe it? I hear!
On this auspicious day, I celebrate our President. Cynics and scoffers would say why won’t you applaud him since you are part of the largesse of office. Yes, I hold office under the President, but I am yet to see the largesse. Maybe tomorrow. Or day after. And whether in government or out of it, count me among those who believe.
I am a Buharist. So are also millions of Nigerians. We thank God for bringing him our way. May his strength be renewed daily. He’s our miracle man, whom nobody could have predicted two years ago would still be with us today. We love him because he first loved us, and is serving us with all that is in him. Like that young man in the aircraft, “Please, tell Baba we are with him all the way.”
.Adesina is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari
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Crazy Nissan GT-R R35 built for Jaguar Simola Hillclimb
Brett Davis Apr 29, 2019
Nissan, Performance News, Turbo
What on Earth is this? Yep, we can hear you. In short it’s basically two massive wings that are propelled by a Nissan GT-R. It’s the work of Franco Scribante Racing, and it’s designed purely to go hillclimb racing.
More specifically, the outlandish Nissan GT-R R35 is built to take on the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb event in South Africa this coming weekend. You may have heard the phrase ‘purpose-built’? Well this is exactly what this car is.
Starting with a current-gen R35 GT-R, Franco Scribante Racing has completely overhauled every aspect to make sure it can sprint up the hill as fast as humanly and physically possible. To start with, all of the panels have been replaced by lightweight carbon fibre items to reduce weight.
Then, the team has extensively reworked the engine. Complete details on what has been done exactly are being kept a secret for now, however, the car is said to produce up to 1641kW (2200hp). It’s also said this will be turned down to a modest 1193kW (1600hp) for racing.
With all of that power you might expect a degree of wheelspin and some traction problems. It looks like the team have rectified that potential problem by fitting one of the most outrageous aero kits you’re ever likely to see on an R35 GT-R.
There’s a huge wing at the back with adjustable planes, and some of the biggest end plates we’ve ever seen. A deathly diffuser sits along the bottom, leading to the road-hugging side skirts. There’s also a set of lightweight racing wheels, in black to match the stealth matt black body.
Okay, so the elephant in the room is obviously that awkward front wing and splitter system. The dual-plane wing looks like it’s taken from the rear of a serious racing car, and the splitter looks low enough to plough a new road. A custom bonnet has also been fitted.
We don’t know about your gut feeling, but ours suggests this car will win the hillclimb event. We don’t know what it is exactly, but something tells us it’s going to do alright. The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb takes place on May 2 to May 5.
Mazda3 given crazy widebody treatment by JGTC April 30, 2018
Ginetta supercar revealed as crazy road-legal race car February 27, 2019
Kuhl Racing developing crazy bodykit for new Toyota RAV4 September 24, 2019
BMW M5 to reclaim world's longest drift with crazy refuelling (video) January 9, 2018
Brett is the editor and founder of PerformanceDrive. He's obsessed with driving, having played with Matchbox cars until he was tall enough to drive a real one. After initially working as a mechanic, Brett earned a degree in journalism and entered media as an editorial assistant at Top Gear Australia magazine. He then worked at CarAdvice.com.au. His dream is to live next door to the Nurburgring in Germany.
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NFZs and other benevolent interventions
By Jacinda Woodhead
There is a fissure in the Left at present; in Australia, it’s playing out on the pages of Crikey, liberal blog Larvatus Prodeo and Benjamin Solah’s Blood and Barricades. The Left is divided between western intervention in the Libyan uprisings, or not. About a UN-endorsed no-fly zone over Libya, or not. About whether such interventions are right, tactically speaking, or not.
On Crikey’s The Stump, Guy Rundle accused the far left of ‘a bizarre passivity’ that has made them ‘conservatives’. He alleged that to show solidarity with Libyans was to support the no-fly zone; everything else was counter-revolutionary.
For me, the equation is pretty simple: there are no such things as benevolent dictators, benevolent governments, benevolent government interventions, benevolent invasions or benevolent imperialism. These terms are paradoxical. Show me an instance of benevolent imperial intervention and history will show the bodies, the oppressed workers, a propped-up regime.
Western nations do not intervene unless they have something to gain. Unfortunately, the Libyan people’s welfare does not rank highly on their list of ‘gains’. Given the profits numerous countries in the EU have made exporting weapons to Gaddafi’s regime, it is in fact something they stand to lose from.
Intervening in Libya is a reactionary narrative, and not unlike the argument of a ‘war for democracy’, which an imperialist intervention has the genuine potential to become. Advocating for some kind of military intervention makes it much harder to stop a military invasion if, say, the intervening governments became taken with Libya’s oil reserves. How would we get millions out on the streets to stop that invasion?
Arguing for such an intervention is an absolute denial of the power and the role of the working class in revolutionary situations. It substitutes a now-recognised brutal regime with a pro-US government, and what’s more, could allow foreign troops on the ground in a region revolting, the last thing any uprising wants or needs.
Honestly, where has a country been better off after Australian intervention? It wasn’t East Timor, where thousands of civilians were killed and where Australian companies were given free reign to move in and fill the void. It wasn’t the Northern Territory, where Indigenous people are still living in abject poverty, subject to dehumanising laws. It wasn’t Iraq or Afghanistan, where there are too many dead to count and quality of life is abysmal. The truth is, when it comes to killing people, the West has a long, bloody history.
In any case, the urgency of this debate is fraudulent, because the Left is, for all intents and purposes, incapable of determining the behaviour of western governments. If we can’t end the war in Afghanistan, we certainly can’t force the government to go to war if it doesn’t want to.
Which means these countries will only introduce a no-fly zone if they want it. Why would they want it?
The answer could lie in Craig Murray’s observations about Bahrain:
The fatter of these two evil ugly bastards is the King of Bahrain. Having invited in foreign armies to crush the pro-democracy protests of his own people, he has immediately let them loose on the demonstrators, who are being viciously attacked by them even as I type.
In classic anschluss fashion, the King has invited his people to “co-operate fully and to welcome” the invaders, as they attack them. He has immediately declared a state of emergency, made demonstrations illegal, and attacked the protestors. Today they killed two and injured 200, many very seriously.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in Bahrain the day before the Saudi invasion. The British Embassy issued a first travel advisory for Brits not to travel to Bahrain, also the day before the Saudi invasion. As I reported yesterday, the US agreement to the Saudi military crushing of democracy movements in the Gulf was part of a complex deal which included the surprise Arab League agreement to a no fly zone over Libya. Interestingly, in the BBC report linked above the US admit to advance knowledge of the Saudi invasion, but BBC News is now reporting they are denying it.
So why isn’t the US/UN debating a no-fly zone over Bahrain or Saudi Arabia to help support the democratic freedoms of ordinary people? Precisely because it’s never about the welfare of ordinary Bahranis or Libyans or Afghans or Iraqis.
It’s healthy for the Left to have these debates; it helps everyone orient themselves. But alarm bells should ring when you find your argument aligns with that of Christopher Hitchens.
Jacinda Woodhead is the outgoing editor of Overland. This is her final edition.
More by Jacinda Woodhead
From Benjamin Solah on 16 March 2011 at 3.40 pm
On this point, certainly the Left can’t force governments to intervene, but as the example of East Timor shows, when the Left backs an invasion or a ‘humanitarian’ intervention, it gives cover for imperialism. Post East-Timor, the left’s support for the intervention, meant there was a substantial increase to the defence budget whilst it was also used to intervene into the Middle East.
Left-wing political organisations, even though weak, can lead political arguments and influence people and so any soft position on imperialism can weaken anti-war movements as a whole.
From Jeff Sparrow on 16 March 2011 at 4.14 pm
That misses J’s point.
In these kind of cases, the argument takes on an irresistible urgency on the basis that ‘we must do something’.
It’s crucial, then, to ask who that ‘we’ is. If that ‘we’ is the Left, well, the reason the whole issue manifests itself in the way it does is precisely because the Left isn’t capable of doing very much at all. A mass Left might be able to make a real contribution to the defence of the Libyan people against the dictator. The tiny Left that exists in Australia can’t do anything much more than write articles and hold very, very small demonstrations.
What then is the meaning of demands for the Left to call for military intervention? The Left is manifestly incapable of forcing a government to send troops anywhere. As J says, if we could do that, well, we could get them to send troops home from Afghanistan.
In other words, the US will only intervene in Libya if it decides that such interventions are in its own interest.
In that context, left wing posturing does nothing other than confuse what’s taking place, by pretending that it is something that ‘we’ have directed.
In any case, it’s far from clear what a no-fly zone would achieve. Gaddafi clearly has control of Tripoli, the biggest population centre in the country. No planes are gonna dislodge him from there: he’s only going to be overthrown by an uprising of the people in that city. A no fly zone might prevent him using air strikes against the rebels but it’s not going to stop his artillery or rockets.
That’s why people like Hitchens are calling for a full-scale invasion. I assume we don’t have to argue about why that’s not a good idea.
From Benjamin Solah on 17 March 2011 at 8.44 am
Wasn’t missing the point, but merely making another one extending from that. But I do agree with that point.
From Dr_Tad on 16 March 2011 at 6.07 pm
Great post, Jack.
Rundle seems to have taken this one step further to see it as emblematic of the failure of “Teh anti-imperialist Left” more generally. His posts could easily be the kinds of op-eds The Australian runs from pro-imperialist ex-Leftists who’ve “seen the light”. In doing so he risks joining the long line of Leftists who have gone over to the other side when they become enamoured of the liberatory properties of imperialist interventions.
Equally disappointing are Adam Bandt’s gung-ho demands for a no-fly zone: http://bit.ly/e4BnPI
There is something logical about electoral Leftism falling into a view of the state as the inescapable agent of social change. To do so just as popular revolutions have challenged once monolithic regimes next door to Libya suggests how deep the reformist ideology runs.
From Simon on 16 March 2011 at 6.42 pm
A NFZ, instituted as it would be by imperialist forces, would be used to advance imperialist interests. This means that it may be used against Qaddafi (arguably) and definitely used against the revolutionary masses (undoubtedly).
The US can have advantageous trade relations with a Qaddafi dictatorship. Likewise, the US can have advantageous trade relations with a different regime led by former military generals. The US cannot have advantageous trade relations with a revolutionising democratising people’s government.
In response to Jeff Sparrow, the tiny left in Australia can continue to set a precedent by rejecting imperialist intervention in all its guises and understanding that capitalist armies serve the capitalists. Our actions now can provide a firm foundation for the left to grow. This approach will enable the left to stop the inevitable calls for war in the future.
From jeff on 17 March 2011 at 8.42 am
Again, I think that misses my point.
These debates become so strident because the situation is so desperate that people insist that the Left must do something to stop the carnage. At the same time, everyone knows that the Left as it currently stands is incapable of providing any material support. That’s what provides the force behind the demand that the Left support a US intervention: namely, that seems the only likely way that anything will be done.
My point is that the argument contains its own negation.
If the Left were a substantial force, in Australia or around the world, then other, more palatable options would present themselves — think, for instance, of the Spanish Civil War.
But if the Left is so weak that it has no options for independent interventions, then what’s the meaning of the insistence that the Left declare itself in support of a ‘no fly zone’? We, quite evidently, are not strong enough to force governments to do anything (for, as I say, if we were, we would have other options available). The US will intervene if it sees material advantage in an intervention (most likely, if the White House calculates, Gaddafi could be easily overthrown and a conservative puppet installed in his place). The call for the Left to support an attack is a call for the Left to provide ideological cover, to pretend that the tail is wagging the dog, that a military campaign is being waged for humanitarian ends, that the US generals have been forced to support a revolution by our sterling efforts. All of that is fantasy.
The first imperative of the Left is to recognise the truth. It’s foolish to pretend to the Libyans or to anyone else that the Left in Australia can save their revolution. We can’t. There’s no shame in saying that, because it happens to be true.
At the moment, the Left largely consists of a set of ideas. Which is why maintaining some kind of theoretical clarity actually matters quite a lot — especially in situations where everyone seems to be losing their heads.
In any case, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the demand for a’no fly zone’ (which is what the Greens and others are calling for) is simply silly. There is something like a conventional war raging in Libya at the moment. Even if Gaddafi can’t use his air force, untrained and unequipped civilians are not going to prevail in battles against professional soldiers. Securing a military victory for the rebellion would therefore entail the US troops doing most of the fighting — in other words, a full scale invasion, which would then have to march into Tripoli to dislodge the regime.
By contrast, the revolution’s only chance lies in convincing the troops to desert, to abandon Gaddafi and come over to the rebellion, so that the tyrant’s army melts away.
Gaddafi is explicitly rallying his forces by warning of the threat of foreign intervention, which makes everyone think of Iraq. In that sense, the calls for no fly zone and the rest of it are, in all probability, strengthening the regime, by adding credence to his propaganda.
From Boris Kelly on 16 March 2011 at 8.09 pm
I’m not supporting a NFZ but what if the revolutionary leadership should specifically call for one? What then? Would that diminish their revolutionary standing in the eyes of the Left?
Pingback: Libya and the anti-imperialist left 2 – ideology, audacity and revolution – The Stump
From guy rundle on 17 March 2011 at 4.51 am
I’ve replied to the substance of this here:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2011/03/17/libya-and-the-anti-imperialist-left-2-ideology-audacity-and-revolution/
But a couple of points on some of the cheaper shots. This nonsense about having some agreement with Hitchens or whoever is a ridiculous game. Those opposing support for any involvement in Libya include the right of the Tory party, and the American Conservative magazine group, among others – many of whom increasingly use the language of ‘anti-imperialism’. I don’t think that discredits your argument, and there’s a desperation to such arguments. It should be obvious that since 2001, people have ended up in all sorts of different, and floating, alliances and connections.
The Tories and other sections of the ruling class oppose intervention for entirely different reasons i.e. as someone in the Financial Times argues, a NFZ inevitably has to mean ground troops which the US in particular does not want to get involved in.
If you think the Tories even use the language of anti-imperialism, then perhaps you need to go back and read Bukharin or something.
From liz_beths on 17 March 2011 at 12.00 pm
Am following your contributions with interest on this question, but ‘first stones’ ‘n all about cheap shots. I used to love reading your contributions to Farrago when I was a student, and we were both less grumpy it would seem. Recently though, your famous good humour seems replaced with bitterness and frustration when you suggest things such as Tiedze (sic) is trying to substitute his own views for that the revolution. In fact he has repeatedly said this is not about substituting views (and how can he, he is not there to substitute) but a disagreement with a (majority) view.
I thought this was a debate as to the relative merits of a range of views??? Perhaps I am wrong.
From jack on 17 March 2011 at 7.22 am
Boris and Guy:
Even if a popular revolutionary movement requests help from an imperialist country, it doesn’t make it right. All sorts of campaigns and movements need to learn from history, not from desperation. Surely the international Left’s role is to make it clear how imperialist interventions wind up.
And imperialism isn’t the only place we can add support. Trade unions can send money. We can stop trade. We can pressure our governments to stop selling weapons to arm these states.
Re weapons, they still come with strings attached. Perhaps an oil company or two.
From Anonymous on 17 March 2011 at 8.46 am
It’s a difficult thing, the urgency. Yes, we do need to learn from history but if the popular revolutionaries are being mercilessly killed right now, and they ask for the no fly zone assistance, and we know what Gaddafi is and will be again…And as for trade sanctions haven’t we learnt from history that these hurt the general populace much more than the leaders? One of the problems with the Libyan situation is also that there is no clear rebel leadership for the UN/NATo (West) to negotiate with about the options.
From wrong+arithmetic on 17 March 2011 at 12.06 pm
I think Jeff Sparrow in on the money here. The bizarre part of this isn’t ‘passivity’, but the belief that the Left is a power of any sort – if the Left is going support a NFZ, it presumably has the power to do just that. Guy Rundle would have to sustain that argument, for anything else he says to matter.
I’ve posted a reply to Guy at Left Flank today: http://left-flank.blogspot.com/2011/03/guy-rundle-anti-imperialist-left-and.html
From Rjurik Davidson on 17 March 2011 at 1.26 pm
Leaving aside the immediate question of ‘intervention’ in regard to Libya, I do want to register my disagreement with a number of the theoretical and historical points made by Jack and others here. Rather than write a long post, I’d point people towards the article written by Terry Townsend (a leading member of the DSP at that time) in Links Journal Issue 14, which deals with the question of intervention into East Timor, here: http://links.org.au/node/155
In that article, Terry pretty much outlines the reasoning as to why one might support intervention by the UN (or other capitalist states), an action which does not necessarily imply “sowing illusions” in those institutions, or indicate “support” for them.
It might be worthwhile here quoting from the article something written by Barry Shephard a former member of the US SWP, who had participated in the campaign for civil rights in the US in the 1960s:
“An analogy that I think is useful was the demand the SWP [Socialist Workers Party] raised in relation to the fight of Blacks in the South against the Jim Crow [apartheid] system, when they were met with massive violence by [state] police forces and vigilantes.
We called on the federal government to send troops to defend Blacks under attack by mobs and the armed forces of the Southern states. We also championed the idea that Blacks had the right to arm themselves in self-defense from these attacks. Sometimes we combined these demands, as in the Battle of Birmingham in 1963, when Blacks began to arm and defend their meetings, and we called on the federal government to arm and deputize Blacks in the face of the violence of the racists.
The fact was that the Black people were not prepared or able to defend themselves on the scale necessary. Neither, as we have seen, are the East Timorese.
When federal troops were used in the desegregation battle, it was with great reluctance and foot-dragging by Washington. But whenever they were forced to do this, the racists were beaten back, and Blacks were emboldened to fight harder. By demanding federal troops, we also were exposing the reluctance of Washington to intervene in defense of what most Americans considered to be a just cause.
At no time did our position mean we were “sowing illusions” in the federal government, or did we ever give it political support. Quite the opposite. We exposed the complicity of Washington with the Southern establishment at every turn.”
How all this relates to the specific question of Libya depends on an analysis of the situation there. My main aim here is really to point out that a lot of the matters of “principle” espoused here seem to me to be off-the-point.
From jeff on 17 March 2011 at 2.31 pm
But what about the analysis of Libya would change your mind?
I mean, you quote Shephard argues:’By demanding federal troops, we also were exposing the reluctance of Washington to intervene in defense of what most Americans considered to be a just cause.
At no time did our position mean we were “sowing illusions” in the federal government, or did we ever give it political support.’
In what circumstances would that possibly be true about US intervention in Libya? It seems to me that it’s self-evidently a demand put forward by those with illusions in the federal government, the illusion that it’s a force for progress and human rights.
As for the last point, an attitude to the state seems to me self-evidently a question of principle. Yes, there are difficult questions but that’s precisely why principles matter.
Well, it seems to me that the question of Libya is unlikely to be relevant for very long. And I don’t think I’ve done enough research into the situation there, or its history, to take a position. Obviously, calling for the UN – say – to intervene would be the very last option, in a situation where a liberation movement is about to be crushed, and there are no practical alternatives and (say, in the case of Timor) it’s in the objective interests of the working class and against the interests and current strategy of imperialism.
In Timor, for example, the Australian government had a long-standing strategic interest in keeping Timor under the control of Indonesia. To send troops to Timor, for them, was a retreat – a defeat. That’s why they refused to do it for so long. Once they accepted this defeat, they had to try a different strategy. The unfortunate events since that moment reflect the weakness of the Timorese movement itself (its inability/unwillingness to resist the new imperial strategy), and the weakness of the solidarity movement.
My point the BASIS on which many people here argue against intervention in Libya is simplistic and schematic. It’s easy to hold onto the position “all interventions are bad under all circumstances”, but alas the world and politics is complicated.
In terms of Libya, well, does the situation correspond to any of the conditions above? Is the real alternative between the destruction of the movement by Gaddafi’s forces or some form of intervention which would see the movement survive for the moment, if in a compromised position? Or is there a third possibility – say, survival of the movement in some other way (international brigades?)? Is the attitude of the US/Britain and other imperial states to try to support the Gaddafi regime and hence they have an interest in not intervening? In watching the rebels be crushed? Personally, I was hoping that the Libyan rebels would be strong enough to hold out and that there would be an uprising in Tripoli. But that possibility seems gone now. It seems to me that it may be too late for anything but destruction at the hands of Gaddafi, unfortunately.
In any case, attitude to the “state” as some kind of principle is pretty ambiguous. The point is, you might use all kinds of tactics towards the state, including running for elections, boycotting it, calling on it to take actions (reforms). Calling on the state to take action doesn’t mean that you are sowing illusions in it. Rather, you call on it to to take action to expose it, to show that it’s not a force for progress and human rights, there for the good of all, and so on. Sometimes the state does what you demand – you win your reforms, it retreats. Then you press it further.
You didn’t bother to read Terry’s piece though, did you? 🙂 Because I basically agree with his theoretical points, which is why I linked to it. The central one is that there are times you might need to call on the the UN or other states to intervene internationally, and that – as many socialist groups internationally (The LCR, etc) – this is perfectly compatible with a Marxist attitude towards the state.
From liz_beths on 17 March 2011 at 2.53 pm
Indeed Jeff.
I find it difficult to reconcile your view Rjurik, with a Marxist understanding of the nature of the state. The state is created out of and in relationship to civil society, by a dominant class of people to protect certain interests (i.e. to protect the process/circuit of accumulation), which it does through both consent and coercion. This consent process, includes seeking openings when circumstances change and present themselves to take action for what can be given the gloss of a foreign people’s interest (the ‘rescuing’ of the East Timorese) but is really about other long term strategic interests (oil and regional dependence). I do not think there is a case of East Timor exceptionalism…the state is the state is the state so to speak.
How can a Marxist understanding of the state be reconciled with your view except by saying it has some more pluralist purpose?
Liz, you’re summary of the state is pretty fair. We might note, though, that the state’s essential task is to maintain to long-term viability of capitalism. In that process, it mediates between different fractions of the capitalist class, but also is forced regularly to retreat under pressure from the working class (here is where the notion of the state as ‘relatively autonomous’ originates – see the debate, for example, between Poulantzas and Miliband). It sometimes must act against the immediate interests of the capitalist class, in order to maintain capitalism’s long-term stability. Hence it gives in to reforms all the time, or has to change from one strategy to another. Part of the problem with a lot of the positions put here, it seems to me, is that they don’t recognise that there is an ongoing balance of class forces, which shifts back and forward, and which means that the state must sometimes give in to the demands of the working class. In the case of Timor, I think Terry put it well:
“The pressure applied on Jakarta to hold the August 30 referendum represented a concession a retreat by imperialism in the face of the stubborn and heroic 24-year-long resistance struggle by the East Timorese people and the persistence of the solidarity movement in the West. The blow delivered by the democracy movement inside Indonesia with the May 1998 overthrow of Suharto was decisive in forcing Jakarta, Canberra and Washington to change tack in the hope of politically stabilising Indonesia.
In the same sense, the decision to commit troops was a further retreat by imperialism, forced upon it by massive popular unrest in Australia and parts of Europe and growing popular concern in the US. As in the referendum, imperialism made a concession with the intention of regaining control of the situation.
Faced with the political impossibility of continued Indonesian rule over East Timor an option Australian and US imperialism clung to for as long as possible until they blinked at the prospect of losing the lot imperialism was forced to switch to “Plan B” consolidate East Timor as a formally independent neo-colony and hope that the weakened Indonesian regime does not lose control in Indonesia.
How successful imperialism’s gambit will be can be decided only in struggle within East Timor and Indonesia and by the continued strength of the solidarity movement outside. It has to be acknowledged that the fact that progress remains on the agenda is only because imperialism’s retreat has allowed the Timorese liberation movement to survive.
To refuse to accept such retreats because the imperialists have ulterior motives is the height of foolishness. Every wage rise won by workers through militant strike action no matter how large and every reform ever extracted from capitalist governments through mass action no matter how fundamental are also retreats by the capitalists in order to regain control and ensure that the private profit system survives. Should revolutionaries then, as a matter of principle, reject all wage rises and all reforms, this side of the socialist revolution? Of course not.”
Yes while there can be tensions between the state and capital, they are not essentially opposed. The ‘relatively autonomous’ conception of Nicos Poulantzas (contra Milliband’s emphasis that the state’s pro-capitalist character is a product of its infestation with bourgeois elites and their close allies) argued such autonomy was a result of the state managing the interests of many individual capitalists yes. He later refined this to argue that the autonomy was a function of class struggle and therefore no one class had absolute control of the state. This strikes me as pretty rubbishy given an analysis of how states arose in relation to capital and civil society, and in my view the ongoing/similar relationship present now.
It leads back to the same place, as an understanding of the state in a pluralist sense (albeit with a Marxist gloss).
I don’t mean no reforms can be won from a capitalist state, but I think the distinction I’m drawing is important in relation to imperialist adventures.
I think I’m done now.
From Rjurik Davidson on 19 March 2011 at 8.10 am
Well, I’m suggesting that the East Timor intervention was akin to a reform. The imperialist’s had a strategy that was working perfectly well for them. Their strategic allies were ALREADY THERE, organising the physical liquidation of the liberation movement (Indonesian military). I.E. Imperialism already had armed forces there. The didn’t want to change that policy, but were forced to – after much resistance – under the pressure of the movement. That’s essentially what happens when reforms are won. They are forced to do it, against their will. That’s why statements like “the state will always act in capital’s interest” are ambiguous (I’m tempted to suggest that it’s more influenced by Anarchism than Marxism, except that I have a fairly pluralist notion of Marxism, if not of the state), because in general it’s true, but in practice it obscures the real process, which is two sided. They give in, in order to reconsolidate their power – exactly what occurred in Timor. Sadly, the liberation movement was too weak, too compromised, to resist this consolidation, just as the solidarity movement was too weak to influence the outcome.
I think I’m done too.
From guy rundle on 17 March 2011 at 8.35 pm
well, part two of this from me at
anyone wishing to criticise me for excessive length of response, engagement etc, should see head office and apply for a transfer – haiku and mime 101 are still taking applications.
As for regards cheap shots, well I made a couple of snide remarks, so i’m not concerned about getting them back. But argument by association in this period is bad argument, and unhelpful. Take this point of view for example:
‘[in Libya] a no-fly zone would be hardly more than prelude to the Americans coming…..Iraq after the gulf war is instructive….loose talk of intervention costs lives….the West’s friends in Riyadh are already suffocating the region’s cries for freedom. That leaves the Libyans to win their own freedom…..[intervention] would involve America and Britain in another war as disastrous as the one into which Bush led his poodle’
The piece could more or less go in any AI left publication. It is the lead foreign policy piece in this week’s UK Spectator (by Daniel McCarthy, a ‘paleoconservative’). But I would not suggest that mere fact damns an AI position coming from the left.
I’ll reply to points in the comments stream in part 3 (‘deleted scenes’) on The Stump.
“Even if a popular revolutionary movement requests help from an imperialist country, it doesn’t make it right. All sorts of campaigns and movements need to learn from history, not from desperation.”
Jack, I must assume that you did not make this statement rashly because it is certainly extreme and I am going to ask you to further defend it.
The assertion that ‘we’ can sit comfortably outside the combat zone and make tactical or moral pronouncements as to what is ‘right’ for an under-resourced revolutionary movement under attack from a ruthless military dictator is simply astounding. To further assert that it is somehow good for those genuinely desperate people to merely reflect on the lessons of history in their time of need is quite beyond the pale.
In my view, the problem with your argument and with Tad’s is that they proceed from an assumption that counter arguments can only be valid if they arise from a similarly cohesive, ideological, if oppositional, doctrine. It’s a case of your monolithic ideology vs. whoever’s.This is precisely the reason why Marxist orthodoxy persistently fails to provide functioning exemplars of successfully transitioned societies and economic systems and why the Left’s stocks are so very low at a time when they need to be on the rise. Ideology, any ideology, is dangerous because it leads to an intellectual atrophy in which the capacity to think flexibly is diminished by slavish adherence to doctrine – political, religious, economic or other.
I’m not at all sure that an NFZ or military intervention is the right thing to do in Libya, Bahrain or anywhere else and I accept your point that it can result in dire long term consequences for the recipients. However, when it is called for by active revolutionaries I think it is unjust and callous for others to invoke notions of sacrifice in the name of history. Now, that call has not to my knowledge come loud clear from the Libyan opposition at this point. I have heard conflicting reports on that front. But if it does come, I cannot see how refusing to support it could be morally and politically justifiable.
From jack on 17 March 2011 at 9.53 pm
Well, this ideology didn’t come out of a vacuum. It comes out of a long history of concrete examples.
But I don’t believe I am blinded by ideology. I take a rationalist perspective: it has been shown, as recently as East Timor, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan, that imperialist forces quash people’s movements, install occupier-friendly governments, disappear people, strangle economies and kill.
Why would we trust our government to intervene to aid the Libyan people (with tactics that won’t even be successful!) when they won’t even withdraw troops from Afghanistan – where thousands of Afghans are dying, thousands are maimed, and who knows how many homeless and terrorised – and we live in a country that forces Indigenous Australians to live in third world conditions?
So, please, point me to an example where an invasion has been good for the people as a whole.
And who/what is this all-encompassing ‘we’ everyone keeps referring to?
I feel like a broken record for saying this, but:
1. Revolutionary forces ask for aid
2. The US, NATO et al decide that it’s in their interests to give ‘aid’
It ain’t rocket science to work out step 3.
I think there are always ways to help revolutionary movements – with the real ‘we’: the working class and the Left. This ‘we’ does not include the governments who do everything to oppose us.
Further to which, this latest call for assistance seems quite clear to me http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hana-elgallal-he-will-kill-everyone-do-something-please-2244162.html
Yes, but look what’s actually happening. The Obama administration now seems to be contemplating intervention — not just NFZs, mind you, but air strikes on the ground, etc. Why? Because it’s been forced into action by the Left or because it’s been moved by appeals by the Libyans?
No, cos it’s under pressure from neocons to ‘send a message’ about US power across the world and, in particular, the region, as per the original neocon project.
http://www.salon.com/news/libya/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/03/17/obama_libya_un_attack
Again, what will this do for the situation in Libya? Will air strikes overthrow Gaddafi? If so, how? Will US planes liberate Tripoli? Quite clearly, they won’t. So what then?
Buying serious time for Benghazi will entail, one imagines, sustained air strikes — that is, something like a full scale war. And then what? What happens after that?
The revolution is not going to win in places where it doesn’t have much support (most notably Tripoli) on the basis of air strikes. If anything, US backing will cost it popular support, since nationalist demagoguery is all Gaddafi has left. What happens next? Will the US march on Baghdad? Will the country be partitioned? How long will the Americans protect Benghazi? A week? A month? A year?
None of that seems to have been thought through at all — or even really considered. Which is not a coincidence. The US wants action to prove that it’s not impotent, that it alone sets the agenda in the region and determines the outcomes in the Arab spring. Actual improvements for the people there are not what this is about.
I hope I am wrong but I think the situation in Libya is about to get much, much worse.
I think that’s right. The “Western Nations” are main strategic aim to re-establish control over the region: Libya in particular, but not just Libya. The Western Left/the appeals by the Libyans probably have no influence over this aim, or the decision to bomb (though the fact of the liberation movements probably does). It is a direct imperial intervention, which may well result in Western troops stationed in Libya. So Libya would then face a foreign imperial force on its soil, starting the need for a national liberation movement rather than a movement against its own rulers. One consequence is that this might strengthen the right of the liberation movement – the more extreme right-wing end of Political Islam. (As an aside, this does separate Libya from East Timor, which was already under occupation by an Imperial force (Indonesian) in strategic alliance with Western Imperialism at the point prior to intervention; at that point, the ET liberation movement was facing annihilation by that force). Worse still, it is likely to reconcile the Libyan people to their own ‘powerlessness’ – i.e. diffuse the mass action of the movement. Politics is shifted back from the street to the board rooms of elites.
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Following on from that, what’s noteworthy about this debate is that it’s pitched in terms of what the Western Left should do. Which is just weird. It’s not the Left here that’s just made a revolution. We should really be talking about what’s happening in Egypt and Tunisia, the movements which not only inspired the uprising in Libya but border the country.
Nothing would do more to revive the Libyan insurgency than the further radicalisation of those countries.
It’s pitched at what the Western Left “should do” because it’s really about delegitimising any dissent to intervention. There’s a weird kind of panic about this when in fact the radical Left is a marginal social actor, almost as if even the mention, the whisper of a contrary view could lead to the whole thing collapsing like a pack of cards.
Tad, I think you’re being a little over sensitive. A minority view does not result from
the deligitimisating of dissent. It’s just that a lot of people don’t agree with you which is not the same as being shut down or your views being censored in some way. I don’t see anyone objecting to your right to hold a contrary view. The ‘weird kind of panic’ is probably a result of the seriousness of the central subject which is the immediate fate of people under siege and not the prevarications of the Left. That’s a sideshow, as you suggest.
From Dr_Tad on 18 March 2011 at 11.06 pm
I was kind of getting at how nervous the pro-intervention Left are about this. I recall the debate over the NATO bombing of Serbia and the pro-bombing Left was much more considered and backed themselves with legal arguments, with much less OTT talk of urgency overriding other considerations.
Maybe my memory is faulty, but they seemed more confident then.
Bahnisch’s Drum article struck me as particularly hysterical. Several commenters not familiar with him seemed to assume he was a right-winger.
Given how battered the West is in the Middle East this could very quickly go pear-shaped.
From Peter on 18 March 2011 at 8.12 am
Thanks Jacinda,
I will not be renewing my subscription to Overland.
First, we get your post declaring that rape can only be understood as a product of the capitalist system, and now we get this ridiculous ideological rant.
You sound like a member of Socialist Alternative.
From Jacinda Woodhead on 18 March 2011 at 9.50 am
I’m sorry to hear that, Peter. Overland supports political discussion on the Left (which doubtless leads to political arguments). But I am confident that we publish a wide range of political opinions and positions of the Australian left, both in the journal and on the website.
From Dave on 18 March 2011 at 3.24 pm
Can I take out a second subscription?
From Zoe on 18 March 2011 at 8.36 am
What a terrible article! A couple of immediate responses:
It is contradictory – ‘Libyan people’s welfare does not rank highly on their list of ‘gains’ vs ‘reactionary narrative’. Cf ‘arguing for such an intervention is an absolute denial of the power and the role of the working class in revolutionary situations’.
The suggestion that the Left has no influence on governments makes you wonder why you would be in the Left.
It sounds like trot propaganda that just opposes all action unless it is a socialist revolt led by paesants wielding farm tools. I agree that solidarity is active and the Guy Rundle article is far more in line with my sense of support for self-initiated uprisings.
Overland basically plots a position that means governments can do nothing without being accused of self-interest and some sort of conspiracy.
Glad to see that we should still have the Indonesians controlling East Timor, the Taliban in charge in Afghanistan etc. missions fail but doesn’t mean that they weren’t an attempt to make people safer etc.
Thankfully, this Woodhead “Left” does not even believe in its own ability to make decisions or influence people.
From Jeff Sparrow on 18 March 2011 at 8.56 am
So the resolution has passed at the UN, and it looks like this is happening.
In all seriousness, then, can someone from the Left who supports this tell me how they see events unfolding, because I genuinely don’t understand what’s supposed to happen. Yes, the US/UN will easily overwhelm Gaddafi’s airforce or bomb his artillery or whatever but what happens after that? How does this actually end, short of a full-scale invasion to depose Gaddafi?
The country will still be divided, there’s still a civil war. Will the country be Balkanised? Will the west back one side in an ongoing war? What is supposed to happen?
Can someone point me to a link?
From Ben Courtice on 18 March 2011 at 11.03 am
I haven’t had time to read every back-and-forth comment here, but it struck me in Jacinda’s original article it was highly misleading to say \where has a country been better off after Australian intervention? It wasn’t East Timor, where thousands of civilians were killed and where Australian companies were given free reign to move in and fill the void\
This implies that the Australian troops did the killing, whereas in the initial intervention they were protecting people against pro-Indonesian militias who were massacring people.
But I think a comparison with East Timor is useful. Whether or not you think it was worth supporting sending Australian troops in 1999, consider apart from everything else, all the East timorese liberation movement called for international intervention – not so the current Libyan rebels.
The Libyan rebels are also fairly well armed, whereas the Timorese were basically unarmed. And Timor had little resources developed to support an independent anti-imperialist government for any length of time, whereas Libya has a well developed oil industry.
(More detailed commentary on my blog at http://bccwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/libya-why-im-against-no-fly-zone.html)
From Rjurik Davidson on 18 March 2011 at 11.32 am
Actual link to Ben’s blog is:
http://bccwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/libya-why-im-against-no-fly-zone.html
Rjurik, Australian forces went into East Timor as the worst of the TNI and militia violence was actually winding down. The ACTU/soft left campaign for intervention was a gift to Howard and acted to legitimise Western military intervention from then on, particularly in Afghanistan.
Australia definitely had an interest in seeing Indonesia dislodged from East Timor. Its the enormous oil and gas deposits in the Timor Gap.
May I recommend this article by Sam Pietsch, ‘Australian imperialism and East Timor’.
http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/mi/2/mi2pietsch.pdf
From Ben Courtice on 18 March 2011 at 9.05 pm
@Dave: As I acknowledged, an independent Timor Leste probably gave Australian capital more direct access to East Timorese oil and gas. But they already had pretty good access – remember Gareth Evans signing the Timor Gap treaty with Ali Alatas?
From Steve Owens on 18 March 2011 at 10.06 pm
I fail to see what the fuss is about. Theres a dictator and a popular uprising where the forces arguing for a democratic Libya are being pounded to dust. The leaders of the Libyan revolution are now desperate enough to ask for any assistance that might be forthcoming.
I think that the best historical parallel is the Warsaw uprising. With the Red Army coming the Nazis left Warsaw and there was a popular uprising. When the Nazis realised that the Red Army wasn’t going to take Warsaw they returned and had a huge fight with the Polish Home Army who were ground into dust. Before this happened the Poles asked for any help that could be given. The Red Army refused help (for their own reasons) and the US air force gave help (again for their own reasons). The question for the left at the time(no matter how impotent that left was) was do we agree that enemies of fascism should be given the help that they ask for or should that help be refused?
My oppinion is that arguing for progressives to be given the help that they request is the left position. To let democrats be killed by better armed fascists is a right wing position.
From Jeff on 19 March 2011 at 10.44 am
Gosh, what a mess.
One of the problems is that the debate in Australia has been bizarrely framed (I’m thinking of Mark B’s very silly Drum article, for instance) as an argument between humanitarian liberals and anti-imperialist Marxists, as if the main obstacle to the air strikes was a few recalcitrant Green Left Weekly readers. But that analysis never bore any relationship to the truth. Obama, Rudd and co weren’t held back by the awesome power of the far left (which, in both Australia and the US, numbers perhaps a few thousand people at best, and despite a certain, though pretty feeble, intellectual influence, has no weight whatsoever on public policy. Quite obviously, the real debate was that between the neo-cons, who wanted the US to demonstrate its power, and the realists, who (rather understandably) worried about the US involving itself in three wars simultaneously, with no exit strategy for any of them.
The push for a UN resolution represents the triumph of the neo-cons, not some victory for nice liberals. I mean, seriously: when has (say) Obama ever showed the slightest concern about what nice liberals think or want? To use a quote that Glenn Greenwald often reposts, Republicans fear their base — but Democrats despise theirs.
After all, if Obama and Rudd and co had suddenly been won over to seeing human rights as taking precedent over imperial interests, well, perhaps we’d hear a little more about Yemen, where US-backed forces have just shot down civilians in the street, or Bahrain, where another US ally is blatantly conducting massacres as ferocious as Gaddafi’s.
No, what’s taken place in Libya is not the result of some mass humanitarian pressure from below but rather another demonstration of the susceptibility of US democrats to the kinds of arguments put forward by Bill Kristol, etc, people for whom demonstrations of US firepower trump any other considerations.
Having been entirely sidelined during the Arab Spring, the White House was convinced of a Libyan intervention as a way of re-asserting itself as the key player in the region, while ensuring that events in Libya don’t take on too radical a character.
And like every other plan put forward by Kristol and co, the results promise to be disastrous for the ordinary people in that country.
Yes, Gaddafi has declared a cease fire. But what happens now?
It’s not only that the logic of this campaign seems to be pushing toward partition, a Balkanisation of the country, enforced by foreign powers (and what could possibly go wrong with that?) but no-one seems able to explain how there will be any humanitarian outcomes. Yes, Benghazi might be spared the retribution of the tyrant (for however long the UN continues to protect it: days? weeks? months?) but that seems to have come at the cost of entirely abandoning the bigger, more important city of Tripoli. The UN resolution essentially freezes the situation, while transforming a revolution into a conventional war. Where once there seemed a real prospect of the people of Tripoli overthrowing the dictator, now the US pundits are consumed with missile strikes and drone attacks and all the rest of it, none of which has any prospect of removing Gaddafi.
Thus, unless the US sends in ground troops, which the resolution explicitly doesn’t mandate, and which would, in any case, involve another prolonged war and occupation, it seems increasingly likely that Gaddafi will consolidate power in the most important city of Libya. Which, presumably, means that the revolutionaries there will be subjected to whatever was previously in store for the people of Benghazi. That is, one would imagine that Gaddafi’s police are, even now, doing all they can to identify the rebels in the city (which, given the relative side of Tripoli, would be a fair chunk of the populace), and deciding how to punish them.
Thus, the UN intervention, by transforming a social upheaval into a conventional war, is, in all probability, paving the way for renewed repression in Libya. Obviously, I don’t say this with any pleasure and I would love to be proved wrong. But perhaps some of the supporters of this resolution might explain how, exactly, the people of Tripoli are going to be spared?
Ah, but there was no choice! We had to act! We couldn’t sit back and do nothing!
That’s really the intellectual substance of the liberal interventionist case, a moral insistence that WE MUST DO SOMETHING.
But, of course, there is such a thing as the precautionary principle, that one’s first duty is not to worsen matters. And no matter how bad a situation is, there’s always plenty of scope for military intervention to make matters worse. Think, for instance, of Afghanistan, where exactly the same arguments were made: ‘WE MUST ACT to save the Afghanistan from the Taliban — and anyone who doesn’t agree is a Taliban-sympathiser, a vulgar Marxist, blah blah blah.’
Well, look how that worked out!
In any case, let’s look again at that injunction WE MUST DO SOMETHING.
As I argued above, we — if by that we mean the Left — haven’t done anything. This adventure is entirely driven by the neocons, with liberals cheering from the background.
But that’s not the point, is it! Of course, when people insist WE MUST DO SOMETHING that ‘we’ doesn’t, for the most part, really refer to the Left. Actually, though it’s rarely openly acknowledged, the WE in these discussions refers to the West — which is why liberals can hail a UN resolution driven by the folks who gave the world the Iraq war as a great victory for ‘us’.
But think about that for a minute.
The revolution in Libya was never inspired by the West — let alone by the prospect of military intervention. It wasn’t a revolt triggered by the war in Iraq or the occupation of Afghanistan. On the contrary, it was explicitly sparked by the revolutions of Tunisia and Egypt, revolutions that not only didn’t involve the West but were, to a greater or lesser degree, against the West (or, at least, the US, as the backer of local dictators.
‘We’ had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
So why, then, was the debate so totally focused around the proposition that WE would save these revolutions, when WE had hitherto played no part whatsoever?
It’s not just that the focus smacks of arrogance, it’s also that the emphasis on US made the terms of discussion so very narrow.
For had the debate shifted from one totally focused on the West to one oriented to the people who actually, like, lived in the region, a few better options might have raised themselves. Had, for instance, the border to Egypt being thrown open, the people of Benghazi might have been reinforced by the Egyptian Left, something that would have made the prospect of revolution in Tripoli more, rather than less, likely. No guarantees of course but, even now, the fate of the Libyan revolt rests on what happens in Tunisia and Egypt, places where the revolutions are not complete. But assistance from the armed people who inspired the Libyan revolt would be of a qualitatively different nature than US drone strikes.
Yet this never even came up in a debate that was entirely focused on US and OUR responsibility to intervene. Instead, we have a UN resolution makes a regional, popular solution much less likely, while raising all kinds of terrible possibilities for the future.
After all, the neocons are now angling more or less explicitly for regime change. Hitchens, for instance, always wanted a full-scale war, something which seems far more likely now, because the status quo mandated by this resolution is so untenable.
If I sound a little bitter about all of this, well, that’s because I am. Again, I would love to be wrong but I think very bad things are looming.
From Boris Kelly on 19 March 2011 at 12.13 pm
Well, even if things improve in Libya the West has inherited a pile of shit to deal with in Bahrain and Yemen not to mention the post revolutionary situations in Tunisia and Egypt. It will be untenable for the West to back intervention in Libya without taking a stand against the regimes in Bahrain (backed by Saudi boots) and Yemen. To do so would escalate the situation beyond redemption. Like it or not, realpolitic dictates that the West will seek to hang on to its historical influence in the region. Note how quickly the French were to move and even Italy has opened up its bases for assaults against Berlo’s old mate. Capital runs thicker than blood, it seems.
Notwithstanding the influence of neocon beliicosity in all this, I take an optimistic view, perhaps naively, I admit. I sense a shift in US foreign policy under Obama that is currently below the surface as a matter of expediency. By that I mean that I have little doubt that Obama the man would like to extricate the US from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and, let’s not forget the big sleeper, Pakistan. His 2009 speech in Turkey was significant and controversial because it opened the door to improved relations with Muslims in the Middle East region and even extended a hand to Iran. The speech was soon followed by the appointment of George Mitchell to negotiate with Israel and Palestine which, again, I think was a sincere effort by Obama to mend that wound, a move that made him immediately unpopular with Israel. One of his first moves as President was to seek to distance himself from the inheritance bequeathed to him by the neocons and I think he is working through that in his first term.
Therefore, my sense in the current situation is actually that Obama does not want to take the lead on the Libyan intervention because he is wary of making the US reputation in the region even worse than it is now. Furthermore, the domestic situation in the US does not allow for the expansion of global military engagement and thus the expansion of a burgeoning foreign debt to China and Saudi Arabia. The last thing Obama wants now is another protracted war so the view that old school US imperialism is at work in Libya is, I think, miscalculated. I think it is wrong to burden Obama with the sins of Bush et al.
In fact, I see Obama working a line towards reshaping US diplomacy in the Middle East notwithstanding the faltering tactics of the State Dept. (e.g. Clinton’s lovefest with Mubarek early in the uprising). On domestic and international policy I believe Obama is an entirely different player than his predecessors albeit one lumbered with the consequences of their crimes and the awful political system that operates in the US. My view is that we will not see escalating US engagement in the region as a result of the Libyan intervention. However, the proxy role of the Arab League – in particular the Saudis – is disturbing not to mention the Europeans whose interests in the region are extensive. Furthermore, the spread of war in the region could allow the Egyptian military to consolidate its position in resisting the subaltern revolution by engaging in support for US interests, most immediately in Libya under the guise of supporting the Libyan people. It is this kind of proxy activity that seems to me more likely and perhaps more dangerous than direct US involvement.
I concede this is a reformist argument that will not cut the mustard with many readers but in reality we are hardly in a pre revolutionary environment in the West so the challenge, in my opinion, is to consider what is likely to ensue from current circumstances.
Boris, there’s your hopes for Obama’s strategy & then there’s his administration’s strategy. Sorry if you’ve read this before: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580004576180522653787198.html
It strikes me he wants to manage a declining empire’s strength, not diminish its imperial characteristics yet alone nature.
From Boris Kelly on 20 March 2011 at 8.14 am
Tad,
Yes, I agree there is a split between Obama and the administration.
I think the Crowley resignation was an indication of tension between the Obama
camp and the military, for example. My argument, and my guarded optimism,
stems from a hope that Obama can muster sufficient momentum within the
administration to build a new foreign policy culture in Washington. The current
composition of Congress makes this that much more difficult as does Obama’s
political strategy for survival into a second term.
However, there is little appetite for war among the American people who are tightly focused on domestic issues. This is an entirely different context to that in which Bush et al launched the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions. The difficulty the Obama camp faces now is the combination of the uprisings elsewhere in the region and the very real possibility of becoming bogged down in Libya. The UN has set a precedent in Libya which may bring pressure from the movements in Bahrain, Yemen and
elsewhere for similar which is why, in my opinion, the Saudis moved unilaterally into
Bahrain notwithstanding the strategic benefits that move brought to the US and its 5th Fleet base etc.
Let me be clear, I am extremely uneasy about the intervention in Libya for many of the reasons raised in this thread. However, I do sympathise with those people who sense the momentum of change in their countries being crushed by tyrannical oligarchies. At this time, I see the intervention as the lesser of two evils
but I have a strong sense of foreboding about the enterprise.
From Nick R on 19 March 2011 at 12.51 pm
Jeff, I am confused by your mention of the injunction WE MUST ACT. Are you suggesting that you believe that there is a space of neutrality where responsibility is absolved that ‘we’, whomever that is, can go to, or, at least, not leave? Whilst military intervention can make matters worse, so can the refusal of military intervention. As in Hamlet, things may be set up in such a way as to suggest action will only result in a pile of dead bodies but this does not mean that inaction will not result in a pile of dead bodies just as attributable to us. Are you suggesting that we can escape this dilemma?
Are you suggesting that that space of neutrality is the impotence of the left (its estrangement from the ‘real’ debate)? With the consequent suggestion that by presenting an argument for military action in conjunction with the non-left (the ‘real’ debate) ‘the left’ is providing some sort of tool for the non-left to carry out its machinations?
If that is the suggestion then isn’t there a contradiction here. If the left is impotent and has no influence on affairs then it doesn’t really matter what the left does: it can support the intervention, it can oppose it, it can call for the nuking of Tripoli or the opening of the Egyptian borders and for Egyptian forces to invade, it can do whatever it wants because nothing matters. All these acts are equivalent, they are non-acts. To criticise the actions of the left is therefore silly, those acts don’t matter. But, if they do, then ‘the left’ really does have a part in responding to the question of intervention. Doesn’t the leverage gained out of whatever it is that means that ‘ideological cover’ (the term you used in an earlier comment) is useful to the non-left provide that significance to the left’s acts?
The left is part of a broader ‘we’: ‘the west’, ‘Australia’ etc etc. Consequently, ‘the left’ is obliged to act. Obliged in a factual, not normative sense.
There is another idea that you seem to present. That the west has no influence on the events in the middle east. This might provide a similar space of neutrality by way of impotence. But, I just don’t think that that can be sustained. Especially, when we are debating whether or not very real violent capabilities should be applied to areas of the middle east.
But all this is not really what you are suggesting, is it?. In the end aren’t you suggesting that a better course for military intervention would be an Egyptian invasion of Libya (or some other variant based ‘on the ground’?) and are attempting to explain why that idea has not been taken up? You assume that this has not been raised in the ‘real debate’ because it is incommensurate with the broader ‘we’. I don’t see how this is incommensurate with a focus on that ‘we’, being the USA, Australia, ‘the left’ or even ‘the west’, should do. Can’t all these identities make the argument that Egypt should invade Libya and that that invasion should be conducted by people holding certain opinions? It seems more likely that this option has not come up because the prospect that this is more likely to mitigate Gaddafi violence (or even force Gaddafi to leave) than the NFZ/air intervention stuff is dubious, rather than because it is incommensurate with the ‘US’ or ‘the west’ in some sort of absolute sense.
As to the future. If your fears rest upon the belief that neo-cons, realists and Hitchens are after war for wars sake then you have nothing to fear. I don’t think that any of these characters can be said to put war before peace.
Another idea that seems to explain your argument is the suggestion that unless the left has total control then it must consider all its interventions effectively impotent because they are in some way contaminated by the motives of the ‘non-left’. Is it that the Egyptian ‘left’ should invade Libya so that ‘the left’ can take full control of the government? This would certainly make such action incommensurate with ‘the west’ considering ‘the west’ contains people who do not subscribe to ‘the left’ and would therefore not agree to such subjection (even though there are presumably masochists amongst the non-left I think one can safely say that at least some of them would not be and therefore hold disagreement with such domination).
Difficulties here are what Mark’s Drum article seems to be highlighting when he notes: “There seems, in some quarters of the left, an inability to conceive that human action always has multiple motivations. So, while juridical concepts like the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ are not entirely innocent, nor can they always be discarded as bourgeois frippery.” Such total control is impossible.
Hi Nick,
Not really sure that I understand your argument.
You write: “The left is part of a broader ‘we’: ‘the west’, ‘Australia’ etc etc. Consequently, ‘the left’ is obliged to act. Obliged in a factual, not normative sense.”
But that was precisely my point, that a ‘we’ defined as ‘the west’ or ‘Australia’ or whatever obscures contradictory or antagonistic interests. The leaders of the US are acting in Libya on behalf of their own interests, interests that the Left (at least in the terms I understand it) doesn’t share.
Yes, of course the Left should respond to the situation in Libya. My point is that many people are writing as if the White House’s decisions have been made in response to the humanitarian concerns raised by liberals or pro-intervention Leftists.
This, I would suggest, is utter fantasy, indicative of an entirely delusional sense of the relative social forces involved.
The rsocial weight of the Australian Left is relevant here because of the way that the demand to take a position has been put. That is, I could argue that, well, the way the Left should respond to Libya is by raising an Abraham Lincoln Brigade of volunteers to go and fight there, as per the Spanish Civil War. But people would quite rightly respond that such an idea was a fantasy, since the Left has no capability of making it happen.
My point is that it’s equally delusional to think that the Left has the capacity to force the leaders of the US to go to war. And given that the US now going to war, we might ask why and on whose behalf.
As I’ve said, I think the political class in the US has its own interests, and these are shaping the intervention. The pro-war left are merely providing political cover.
I never suggested that the West has no influence on the middle east. In fact, I argued the exact opposite: that the West has long intervened in the Arab world, and the Arab Spring has been largely directed by the people of the Arab world against western-backed despots. That’s what happened in Egypt; that’s what’s still happening in Yemen and Bahrain, where the allies of the west are conducting massacres even as we speak.
Again, I’m not calling for the Egyptian state to declare war on Libya (which seems to be what you suggesting). I’m just noting that the rebellion in Libya was inspired, not by Western air strikes, but by the risings of ordinary people in Tunisia and Egypt, and thus the actions of ordinary people in those countries are far more likely to be decisive in Libya than either Western air strikes or, I regret to say, anything I might write on this blog. Had, for instance, the Egyptian Left mobilised people and resources in support of Benghazi, the situation might be different now.
But I think it’s probably too late for that now.
In any case, the point was simply that the key determinant of a successful Libyan revolution was what happened in the region, not what happened here.
That doesn’t mean that the Left in Australia shouldn’t have the argument; what it does mean is, to put things crudely, everything is not always all about us.
From Gary on 19 March 2011 at 2.40 pm
Sorry I don’t get it at all. Part two of GR’s series at Crikey ramps up the urgency by talking about the need for revolutionary audacity in acting, decisive revolutionary moments etc. This is the key lesson relevant to the very tiny and weak left in western countries? More, the left is meant to be a player in getting Western states to substitute as the agent not just for intervention but for intervention at a key radical moment (rather than at a moment of the state’s choosing)? The other part of the argument is that this revolutionary moment has now passed – which leaves him arguing for what the left “should have” done. The argument is therefore entirely academic except as an opportunity to lecture said tiny and weakened left on one of what are, no doubt, its many deficiencies. Part three now at crikey seems to agree with some of the points Jeff makes in the above comment on what will be the consequences of a “late” intervention. So the argument now wraps up with disavowal of what will be the consequences of western intervention. Can’t help feeling we are having our collective leftist legs pulled.
Jeff you are correct that the issue is not about us. The issue is about whether a dictator wins or a popular democratic movement wins. Initially it looked like the popular uprising would win but then the dictator using mercinaries and better weapons turned the tide. To survive the revolutionary leadership compromised their independance by asking for specific outside intervention. So the question is will the uprising survive and the answer is no without compromise and yes with compromise.
Now revolutions compromising their purity is nothing new. The Americans compromised themselves when they accepted French intervention. Lenin compromised when he accepted German help. The Vietnamese compromised when they accepted Soviet and Chinese help. One of the tradgedies of Spain was that during the civil war the USA and Britain refused to sell arms to the democrats while the Facsists fully understood that to win you must mobilise every resource.
Luckily for us the question is academic and luckily the revolutionaries in Libya (for whom it’s not academic) are aware that it’s better to live a compromised life than to die for revolutionary purity.
With all due respect, that’s just rhetoric. The intervention is on now. So perhaps you or someone else who supports this adventure can explain how this is going to work.
The revolution seems to have now become a conventional civil war, in which the rebels are reliant on UN forces. So what happens now? As I asked above, for all the talk of humanitarianism, what will happen to the people of Tripoli? There’s revolutionaries there, too, you know. IMO, UN intervention makes a social uprising in Tripoli infinitely less likely. So what’s your plan? Is the UN going to occupy Tripoli or are all the rebels there just abandoned to Gaddafi? Are you cheering on the Balkanisation of Libya? A permanent civil war? What, in short, do you actually think is going to happen?
IMO, this war makes the invasion of Afghanistan or the occupation of Iraq seem well-planned and thought through.
Incidentally, on that topic, I don’t really understand how you can support the Libyan intervention and not, say, the US invasion of Afghanistan, which was argued for in pretty much the same way. The Taliban were at least as brutal as Gaddafi, and there were plenty of people in Afghanistan who saw a US invasion as their only chance of liberation, as the neocons repeatedly told us. So was opposing that war simply a matter of purity, too? Was Bush right all along? If not, why not?
From Steve Owens on 20 March 2011 at 8.42 am
Jeff you ask what is my plan? Here’s my plan. I listen to the democratic revolutionaries inside Libya and I don’t presume to know more than them. This morning Gadaffi’s tanks entered Benghazi I believe him when he said that within 48 hours all the criminals there would have been delt with.
As to Afghanistan I opposed that war because the USA just reignited the Afghan civil war between the Taliban and the War Lords of the Northern Alliance. There was no progressives in the fight so there was no side to choose between.
Libya is part of a region wide democratic revolution. The sides are clear. Reactionaries in power and democratic movements challanging them. As we have seen a victory in Tunisia leads to a victory in Egypt which leas to struggles being initiated in Libya, Bahrain, Yemem, Jordon, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
If a dictator can drown a revolution in blood then this is a set back for everyone. Moving forward has a lot to do with peoples confidence to overcome fear. Barhain and Libya (if Gaddafi wins) will be set backs for regional revolution.
The worst outcome is for Gaddafi to win. The second worst is fo Gaddafi to hold on to say Tripoli but even this outcome is much better than the first as any liberated city represents a victory for the Libyan people who previously had no freedom that you and I would take for granted.
With all due respect, that’s an abdication of responsibility. I mean, one of the advantages of being safe in the west is that one can think and one can write. OK, you have that ability, so use it. A few weeks ago, the majority of Libyan demonstrators opposed Western intervention. Now some (and who here can claim to understand the internal politics of the Libyan opposition?) support it. They might be right and they might be wrong. What do you think?
As for spreading the revolution, this is explicitly about not doing that. Andrew Sullivan puts it like this: ‘In the grand scheme of things, this new war could even risk derailing democratic movements elsewhere, by turning the Arab 1848 into a Western intervention question.’
And that, I think, is precisely the point.
As I said above, Libya was sparked, not by Iraq or Afghanistan, but by Tunisia and Egypt. Again, by suggesting that regime change sponsored by Western powers can spread democratic revolution you are explicitly endorsing a key plank of the neocons. It used to be called ‘the Bush doctrine’.
As for Tripoli, it’s not just that the intervention, as far as I can tell, has no plan whatsoever for preventing a humanitarian crisis. It’s that, by turning an uprising into a conventional war, the intervention makes the task of rebels in that city almost impossible.
From Stephen on 20 March 2011 at 10.15 am
Not that this thread needs another contribution….Jeff and Jack have more or loess bookended it nicely anyway. But I’m somewhat gobsmacked that there’s even an argument. As the military assault on Libya begins I’m starting to feel like I’m watching a Bruce Willis film. The very fact that we find ourselves in these corners wondering whether or not to bomb should tell us that something has gone very, very wrong somewhere. In these weird and schizoid times whenever there’s an international political crisis three quarters of what is euphemistically called ‘the Left’ wants to start waving guns around and using the arsenals of the military-industrial bloc to achieve change. It’s bizarre. Things in Libya risk going very seriously pear-shaped. There doesn’t seem to be any thought put into what will happens when the bombing stops; apparently there will suddenly be democracy. There are a whole mix of reasons why half the nations of the West think bombing Gaddafi translates to ‘doing something’ but achieving democratic change in the Middle East isn’t one of them. Apparently ‘doing something’ doesn’t extend to putting the same kind of ‘humanitarian’ focus on Bahrain or Saudi Arabia or asking questions of Israel about Gaza. The West has been very happy to sell weapons to Gaddafi by the container load. His armoury didn’t fall from the sky. If the West seriously wanted change in Libya we’ve had decades in which to think about it. We’re back to cheering on the bombers kicking the asses of evil-doers again. Whoopee.
From Steve Owens on 20 March 2011 at 10.16 am
Jeff, abdication of responsibility? There is a revolution, that revolution has produced a leadership. At the beginning that leadership said “We the Libyan people can do this alone” after Gaddafi with the aid of weapon that he had bought pushed the revolutionaries back to Benghazi the leaders of the Libyan revolution rethought their position and said “if we don’t get oitside help we will be drown in blood” I take the responsibility to agree with the assessment of the leadership of the revolution. I have no information to disprove their position. If they are wrong then an alternate view would emerge from the Libyan revolution. Then I would have to make a choice but no credible alternative view has been expressed.
So there’s my answer I have thought it through and I agree with the current revolutionary leaders in Libya.
As to the regional upsurge being transformed into a question of Western intervention I think that to be unlikely. The US has interviened in Libya because they don’t like Gaddafi. They don’t intervene in Bahrain because they like the royals there. We are witnessing the contradictory nature of US Imperialism. We have seen that before with Regan saying Mr Gorbachov tear down this wall (progressive) whilst at the same time saying Mr De klerk keep that terroris Mandela in prison (reactionary)
I don’t believe in the neo con fantasy of the US spreading democracy.
As to Tripoli well there was a time that an uprising could occur but that time passed and a conventional war did start and Gaddafi was winning. If Gaddafi’s army goes into retreat then a Tripoli uprising becomes more likely rather than less. Historically uprisings are more likely to occurr after the leaer suffers a military defeat.
Stephen what is your definition of “pear shaped” Ive just seen a CNN report and they interviewed a guy who had been fighting tanks inside Bengahzi. He said that the tanks were indiscriminatly firing into houses. His family was in one of these houses. If Gaddafi overruns Bengahzi the streets will literally flow with the blood of people that took a stand against dictatorship.
Yet you think that if NATO attacks his other tanks that are waiting to murder people in Bengahzi that things might then go pear shaped.
The people of Libya are about to get massacred by the victorious forces of a dictator. Faced with certain annihilation every one has the right to be saved even if your saviour is not your real friend.
Steve, this kind of moral outrage, one which seems to be in use by everyone from Hitchens to Cameron at the moment, is exactly the problem, and obscures many other issues. Gaddafi has been oppressing his own people for decades and it’s apparently never been worthy of anything like draconian action. There are other questions, all unasked, hanging in the air such as; How did it come to this and how did the West contribute to it? Skimming through the other comments I think Jeff Sparrow’s use of the term Balkanisation to describe what could happen in Libya is on the money.
Blood has been flowing in Gaza for decades, children indiscriminately killed in their hundreds. Is there a NFZ over Israel? Not bloody likely. If the West had really been committed to helping Libyans resist Gaddafi we’d have taken very different action a long time ago. The NFZ is a sign of failure, not a sign of success.
Ad I should that the lucid Lizzie O’ Shea summarises the arguments against a NFZ pretty deftly at http://left-flank.blogspot.com/2011/03/humanitarian-intervention-international.html
Stephen I don’t think that I am approaching this question from a position of moral outrage.
Lizzie O’Shea ends her piece with the suggestion that we build an international solidarity movement. My point is that if the revolutionaries don’t get help today then there will be little point in solidarity with the dead.
In a revolution the forces of good and the forces of evil do not form up into lines facing each other. The balance of forces changes quite dramatically and imperialists will do quite contradictorty things. I think our job is to support every rebellion and point out every failing of imperialism.
The job of every Libyan revolutionary is to survive today so that they can fight tomorrow. How they survive is their call and I am prepared to support them even if Obama comes to the same conclussion.
From Stephen on 20 March 2011 at 3.55 pm
Steve, you and I seem to have come in at the fag end of this debate, which rapidly went circular. Now that the Tomahawks are actually falling, we shall have to see how things pan out. But I think that even as a military operation the whole intervention doesn’t seem to have been thought through. There isn’t even a clear military objective.
I think I am pointing out a failing of imperialism; to use imperialist military forces to solve a problem imperialist thinking and action has partly created doesn’t make sense. This situation has a long history with many causes. And the fragmented remnants of the Left cheering the Tornados, Mirages and Tomahawks is certainly a weird, weird sight.I think too, with some respect that if you and Obama or Cameron or Sarkozy come to the same conclusion, that can mean that some kind of strange category error has occurred.I might support the bombing of Libya, and Obama might, but that doesn’t mean that we have the same reasoning or intention, and as he is the one with the hi-tech weaponry, that matters quite a lot.
From Steve Owens on 20 March 2011 at 4.19 pm
Thanks Stephen just to be clear I opposed the Gulf War, the bombing of the Serbs, the Afghan war and the invasion of Iraq. Generally the instinct to oppose anything that imperialism does is a good instinct and will be correct 99% of the time but I think that this is the 1% and its clearly a political question, do we support every effort that supports the democratic revolution or is the democratic revolution something that can be sacrificed on the alter of our anti imperialism.
I said to a pro war friend before the Iraq invasion. No matter what their motivation the Americans will find a way to fuck this up. Or as Hitler once said about a previous invasion of Libya “not one fening not one German soldier” oops Im am not blind to the law of unintended consequences.
From Nick R on 20 March 2011 at 6.46 pm
Jeff, before you go,
With respect to the issue regarding the political interest of the west and ‘the left’ I think that our point of difference lies in the following line.
“The leaders of the US are acting in Libya on behalf of their own interests, interests that the Left (at least in the terms I understand it) doesn’t share.”
As I understand it, at the very least, the US leaders (as well as Sarko and the rest of the west) are acting in Libya under the justification of supporting democracy against dictatorship (it is ‘protecting’ the humanitarian interests of democrats, not dictators). This means that, at least partially, the left shares the interests involved here – if we understand the left as being similarly in favour of democracy over dictatorship.
Now, while it is true to say that such interests do not determine actions in their entirety (even if they are not lies), this does not mean that the influence of the left can be discounted. Such influence is not ‘utter fantasy’, merely partial. And, to critique such influence for being partial only makes sense when it is imagined that a level of total determination can be achieved. That, to me, is fantastic.
On the other side of the coin, doesn’t your position rely upon an over-riding and determining interest that can be identified with the US? That seems to be a really hard task. How does one differentiate indicators of such interests from indicators of moves that may be simply strategic ‘political cover’ or moves that are predicated upon the ‘realities on the ground’ (such as the proverbial over-extension of forces) or truth from lie? What are the ‘interests of the US’ and how can we distinguish indicators of such interests from those statements and acts that can be described as providing political cover or are simply technical limitations?
The basic point of contention here seems to be repeated in the west’s affect on the rest issue. I do not think one can use the term ‘key determinant’ with respect to the Libyan uprising (or any other political event). How does one prove that without one-factor events would have been the same (or even different), how does one prove that, for instance, military intervention in Iraq did not inspire action or that all would have been impossible without facebook or that Egyptian events would have been even without those of Tunisia?
My objection to all this is that basing an argument on such difficult to prove propositions paralyses one and kind of becomes self-negating. Action becomes predicated upon the provision of answers that are forever deferred within a finite world yet are only relevant within a finite world. One places infinite demands upon a finite world.
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Day Four: It’s not looking good.
Day four looks good to me. I see crowds of revolutionaries cheering, their lives have clearly been saved and now they can once again plot to liberate their country. Only days ago we saw crowds of the dictators supporters cheering because they were about to put an end to this democracy nonsense.
BTW earlier you stated that if leftists came to the same conclussion as Obama, Cameron and Sarkoszy then some kind of strange catagory error has occurred. This reasoning is faulty just as faulty as me saying that some kind of catagory error has occurred if leftists come to the same conclussion as the rulers of China and Russia which is also true but wrong.
Remember war, what is it good for absolutly nothing…. except ending slavery and fascism
best regards Steve
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Fellowship 2017
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WENDY MARIJNISSEN | Photographer | Antwerp, Belgium
WENDY MARIJNISSEN PHOTOGRAPHER | ANTWERP, BELGIUM
Wendy Marijnissen is a freelance documentary photographer from Belgium. Intuition and personal interests have always played a major role in her work and naturally guided Wendy to her subjects.In 2008 she completed a long-term reportage in Israel and Palestine, using music to show a different side of daily life in this violent and conflicted region.In the summer of 2009 she covered the East-Jerusalem evictions and later that year traveled to Pakistan for the first time. For the following 3 years she worked in Pakistan focusing mainly on photographing the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth there. From fistula, traditional midwives to a camp pregnancy after the devastating flood in 2010 which displaced millions of people in the country. A part of this work was used for the ‘End fistula campaign’ of the UNFPA.
In 2012 she traveled to Afghanistan for the first time to document the lives of women in this warn torn country and photographed Fawzia Koofi, the then first female presidential candidate. A year later she worked with Doctors Without Borders in Tajikistan on children with TB and in Belgium she produced a series ‘Us/Them’ on Muslim women and the headscarf issues in her country. The project was a part of the European group project ‘The rise of populism in Europe’, produced by Fotodok.
In 2015 she returned to Pakistan twice to continue working on what now will become her first book ‘In Praise of Shadows’ and she founded the non profit organization ‘Bending The Frame’, which tries to create new platforms and finds ways to bring strong photography out into the world.
She was a finalist for the Fotovisura Grant for Outstanding Personal Photography project 2010 and received an honorable mention at the Photocrati Fund 2011 Grant. In 2012 she was a finalist in the Save the children photo competition. Her work has appeared in media like Le Monde, Arte, De Standaard, L’Express, De Tijd, De Morgen, The Jordan Times, The Eyes, Le Vif/L’Express, Worldpulse,
Website : www.wendymarijnissen.com
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Tales of the Reincarnated Lord - Chapter 411 The Wedding
Chapter 411 The Wedding
“In marriage there are no manners that must be kept, and beneath the wildest accusations no criticism. Each is familiar with that ancient child in the other whom may erupt again at any moment. We are not ridiculous to ourselves; we are ageless. That is the luxury of the ring.” ~ Empress Fisablen Sylvia on marriage in a letter to her daughter.
“Your Grace, word of Princess Sylvia burning all of the gifts Duke Fisablen sent has spread all over Ragebear. The knights and officials, as well as the landed nobles, are praising Her Highness. They all have good things to say about her becoming house matron,” reported Charade the next day.
He himself found Sylvia’s actions quite praiseworthy. Lorist didn’t really know how to react. Human imagination was practically boundless. Sylvia had burned everything the day before to vent her feelings. She was torn when she saw Duke Fisablen send over everything she’d ever owned, as if he wanted them out of the house, as if he no longer acknowledged her as his granddaughter. Why hadn’t even a single member of the House come over to attend the wedding if this was not so? She took it as an act of cutting ties with her. She was filled with grief and pain. In a fit of rage, she’d burned all the toys, clothes, and products she’d used since her childhood.
Since you won’t acknowledge me, I won’t acknowledge you. Let’s burn it all so nothing remains to remind me of you. I’ll have nothing to do with House Fisablen from now on.
After accompanying Sylvia for the night, Lorist had realized she was rather naive when it came to such things. She was like a ten-year-old lass, still immature. He could understand why this was the case, though; she had, after all, grown up in a very isolated and protected environment. She simply had no way to know the world’s woes and the human mind. Which was why she had jumped to the conclusion that House Fisablen had been trying to cast her away.
He thought further than that, though. He was reasonably skilled at reading between the lines. He believed the duke had no intention to abandon Sylvia. Instead, it was meant as a reminder to Sylvia of the time she had spent in the house, to remind her of her origin. There was no need to send them over otherwise. The servants were also brought over so Sylvia would have people she could trust to help her manage her daily life. Additionally, there would be someone available to deliver any messages to the house. As for House Fisablen not allowing anyone to participate in her wedding, it was probably to avoid arousing the others’ suspicion and to not put Lorist on alert. Unfortunately, the duke had not expected the usually intelligent princess to be ignorant when it came to emotional matters.
Lorist’s stomach ached from his suppressed laughter, but he had to maintain his solemn facade and console the girl. When Duke Fisablen received word of what had happened from his envoys, he would definitely be dumbstruck and regret his decision.
Hehe, old fox, you didn’t think there would be this kind of misunderstanding, huh? It’ll be even harder when you come to clarify things later. While it’s easy to stick and pull out a thorn in a person’s heart, healing the wound left behind is not so easy.
Though the matter seemed relatively simple, word was that Sylvia had burned the duke’s gifts in the name of House Norton and cut off all relation with House Fisablen. Many people praised her. There were no idiots; everyone understood the implications of leaving Firmrock at the borders of Southern and Eastwild as well as Jaeger’s reformation. Even if they had signed an armistice, House Norton still considered Hous Fisablen an enemy. They were even preparing for the next war when the last one had barely ended. Naturally, Lorist didn’t bother to correct the misunderstanding. In fact, he couldn’t be happier. He just asked tarkel to watch House Fisablen’s servants closely and make sure they didn’t linger in the dominion. Given how Sylvia had already heavily rewarded them, even if they had been exiled, they should be able to start a new life somewhere else. If they really remained in Ragebear, it was a sign that they probably had other intentions. Lorist would not allow them to meet Sylvia, lest she pity them and allow them to stay at her side. It would only sow the seed of turmoil.
After sending Tarkel off, Lorist lay on the couch tiredly. Sylvia had been crying and couldn’t sleep the night before. He had naturally lost his sleep as well.
“Sigh, tell me, how many nobles must I greet today?”
“None, Your Grace. I’ve refused all requests for audiences. You may rest.”
Charade was rather considerate when it came to such matters.
“Thanks,” Lorist said as he rolled on the couch to find a better position.
“I leave the rest to you. Also, the wedding is in seven days. Is everything in order?”
“Don’t worry, everything’s prepared. Will Your Grace stay here or travel after the wedding?”
Though the folk of Grindia didn’t have a tradition of going on honeymoon, nobles would usually go for a trip. Normally, they would travel around their dominion. Some would travel to places with good scenery. Their trips were always expensive. There had once been a king who had spent three years on the road with his wife. He had traveled to nearly all the nations on the continent. It was recorded as the longest post-wedding trip in history.
“Well, I’ll live in Cherry Blossom Ridge outside the city,” Lorist said, “Winter will come soon. I’m too lazy to go around traveling. I’ll spend winter on the estate and travel around the dominion with Sylvia come the 4th or 5th month while I check the defenses and troops. Since we don’t have any major undertakings on the table for next year, we just have to keep our forces in shape, and my dominion secure. I leave the administration in your care.”
Charade nodded.
“Very well. You ought to rest.”
Lorist and Sylvia’s wedding cost 1.37 million gold Fordes and was known as the most expensive wedding in the last century. The cost of the ceremony itself was around 100 thousand gold Fordes. The greatest expense was the gifts. To get all the citizens into a festive mood, all commoners received a gift bag including a small silver. Men would receive half a kilogram of meat and half a kilogram of wheat wine, women a set of fine cutlery or some other daily necessities. As for retired soldiers, they received meat, wine, and a large silver coin. That alone cost nearly 800 thousand gold Fordes.
Surprisingly, Spiel wasn’t that stingy this time. The main reason was that the mining in Goldridge had begun. The income the mines brought the house was estimated at around two million gold Fordes. Secondly, House Fisablen had signed an armistice, and the resumption of trade on a large scale gave the house quite a boost. Lorist had also said that during the last three years the house had spent exterminating Madras and Iblia, the production of goods had been affected somewhat. The products that piled up in the warehouse couldn’t be sold and the economy didn’t look too good. So, giving them away as gifts would not only clear up storage space for new stuff to kick off the economy in the following year, it would also give the citizens who received the goods a taste of what they considered expensive. It would encourage them to spend their money acquiring the goods in the future instead of burying their wealth.
Spiel found Lorist’s reasoning incredibly sound. Just like how the house was giving away meat and wine, a few years back, the house had traded weapons with House Fisablen for livestock and made the western area of The Northlands into pastures. They initially thought the citizens’ demand for beef and mutton would explode. They hadn’t thought that apart from the household forces, the commoners were exceedingly thrifty. They would more or less only purchase meat once a month for a taste. They were used to hardship and loved to store their money up for the future just in case of any emergencies. The low demand resulted in an explosion in the livestock population instead. They had soon run out of places to make pastures. So, the house slaughtered some livestock every year and made jerky for convenient storage.
Using the opportunity, House Norton conducted a detailed survey of the population. The survey revealed that the region’s total population had grown to about 1.67 million. The Northlands now once again had the same population they had had during the empire’s golden age. It was a really impressive figure. Though most of the population were migrants, it was only to be expected given how much damage the civil war had wrought on the empire, especially with the chaos caused by Duke Loggins and the other conflicts between the Northlander nobles.
There was nothing much to say about the wedding. The whole city was immensely decorated and there were seas of meat and wine all over. Though the permanent residents of Ragebear weren’t too many, the ones invited to observe the ceremony filled the city. First, Lorist and Sylvia paraded in the streets in a grand carriage. They then hosted a large feast and ball in the castle for the nobles and household members. When the silver moon was high in the night sky, the couple took up their place on the stage. Bathed in silver moonlight and with the nobles present as witnesses, they swore their love and respect and recited their nauseating oaths. They exchanged rings and had a Church of the Wargod cardinal officiate their lawful wedding under the Wargod and Silvermoon Goddess’ purview.
The wedding was planned to be an incredibly traditional one by noble standards. Lorist felt it was not all that different from weddings in his previous life, with all the associated routines and the bride and groom being ordered about by others. In his previous life, after he’d retired from the military he took over his father’s little workshop and toiled to keep it running. By the time the workshop was running smoothly again, he’d realized he was already over thirty, so he had his relatives introduce one partner after another. There was even a month where he attended eight marriage meetings.
He had been rather optimistic at first and had hoped he could find a partner that shared his values. He soon gave up on the idea. The millennial women he met were very materialistic and talks about his car, house, and bank account were the focus of the conversation. In the end, he stopped being picky. After shacking with the one who would be his bride for two months, he got her pregnant and they soon got married.
His post-wedding life was plain, to say the least, and the couple didn’t have many topics about which they could talk. It wasn’t really a problem that his wife hadn’t been a virgin. Most of the people in undergraduate studies probably messed around quite a bit anyway. He didn’t have any specific requests, so he just went with it. The problem was that he and his wife held really different views. Though he wasn’t really educated, he had served his country and shed blood and tears for it. Bur the contribution of which he was so proud was considered something only a fool would do by his wife. She believed he had wasted his most important years: his youth. If he hadn’t enlisted in the military and actually picked up some real skills, he would’ve probably managed to develop his little workshop into a large listed company. They would have had enough money to emigrate.
Their first argument happened when one of his comrades came to visit him. It was his first time beating a woman in his life: he gave his wife a harsh slap. A cold war followed for half a year. They weren’t willing to say a single word to each other. Had it not been for not wanting to hurt their daughter, they would’ve filed for divorce. The two slept separately, and, as a result, Lorist bed his secretary. Since the secretary, ten years his junior, was really open and didn’t mind relieving him of his manly desires, he didn’t mind doing it. She didn’t have that good a relationship with her own husband either, anyway.
The flashback gradually faded. Right now, he had completely integrated into Grindia. Sometimes, he felt his past life was nothing but a distant dream he hadn’t experienced himself. He was currently the head of House Norton, Duke of The Northlands, a duke of the Andinaq kingdom. He had hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers at his beck and call. And now, he had a beautiful, fairy-like girl bound to him in matrimony. Just like the netizens of his previous life would say, he was in the prime of his life.
After the wedding, Sylvia clasped his arm and took a walk across the venue. They received the greetings and congratulations of the household knights and officials, and the guests. She wore a blissful smile on her beautiful face and seemed more blinding than usual. When the midnight bells struck Lorist took her to their new room.
As opposed to Lorist, who was a little worn out from dealing with the pestering nobles, Sylvia was extremely serious. This would be the most important night of her life, the night she gave her innocence to her one, true love. Upon entering the room, to hide her anxiety, emotional turmoil, and fear, she looked for things to do. She made Lorist some macks, wiped the table, made the bed, and realized that she was sweaty all over by the time she ran out of things to do. She had her two maids prepare a bath. When she was bathing, she felt a little anxious about Lorist coming in with her, but also hoped e would at the same time. Her feelings fluttered with the contradictory notions.
Lorist, however, didn’t give it that much thought.
You’re already meat on my table. Delaying the deed won’t help!
He let her go about however she wished. He felt physically and mentally worn out. Interacting with all those nobles had really taken a toll on him. Just like wearing a mask, he had to put on a hollow smile and think of something pleasing to say. It was far too troubling and tiring. Sometimes, he felt more willing to take on ten rank 3 blademasters at once than dealing with nobles. The former was probably much easier. The moment he thought about how he would have to deal with the nobles in the future as well, his head numbed. Sentiments what could be expressed in a few curt sentences took ages for nobles to express; they beat around the bush too much. Though he mocked himself from time to time, the nobles regarded him with caution in fear of offending someone with his status.
What’s the point? It makes things difficult for everyone… Oh gosh, I’m tired… I suppose I ought to lie down for a bit…
When Sylvia had finished her bath, she saw Lorist snoring.
Bastard, this is the most important night of my life! How can you fall asleep?!
She stopped caring about hiding her body modestly and let her towel drop to the ground. She got into bed naked, bore her fangs, and gave Lorist’s shoulder a harsh bite.
“Ouuuuch!”
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Husband, Be A Gentleman
Transcending the Nine Heavens
Assassin’s Chronicle
I Reincarnated For Nothing
Death Scripture
The Man Picked Up By the Gods (Reboot)
Our Second Master
Long Live Summons!
Trafford’s Trading Club
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Disclamer for pollspeak.com
The Best in Football Betting
4 NFL Teams Worth Betting on with Great Chance of Winning This Weekend
2 Betting Apps You Should Already Be Using
3 NFL Players to Keep a Look on If You’re a Serious Bettor
The Stat Sheet – Stats to Look at For Successful NFL Bets
On : March 3, 2019
On : February 6, 2019
On : January 27, 2019
On March 3, 2019 by Poll Speak
The NFL is the most important football league, the most watched in the world, and the Super Bowl is even one of the most expected events by fans. But currently,…
On February 6, 2019 by Poll Speak
Online betting applications for smartphones have revolutionized the industry, taking it to the highest level that has been seen in years. With this innovation, the sales of betting companies around…
On January 27, 2019 by Poll Speak
If you have a little knowledge about the world of sports betting, then you should know about how much a player influences a match. There are many cases where a…
NFL teams are always prepping in order to do their best throughout the season from all of their players, to make them strive hard enough to become the champions of…
Most points scored in a NFL game
It is a day that no true NFL fan will forget – November 27th, 1966 (The day an NFL team scored over 40 points, and still lost by over 30). It was a cold 42 degree November day, in Washington DC, in a packed D.C. stadium, the hometown fans were ready to cheer for their beloved Redskins – Little did they know that they would be witnessing history, on that cold Fall day. The Redskins entered the game with a record of 5-6, while their opponent’s, the beloved New York Giants, was suffering one of their worst records ever, with an entering record of 1-8-1.
The opening quarter was a slow preview of what the New York football Giants were to witness that entire day – Dominance! The Washington Redskins opened the game with a touchdown pass to number 25, A.D. Whitfield, who would go on to score 3 touchdowns that day. The Redskins put up 13 points this quarter, while leaving the New York Giants, with a bubble, at zero.
The second quarter was a little bit more friendly to The Giants on their end of the scoring but was even worse for them watching The Redskins. The New York Giants put up 14 points in the second quarter while giving up a few more touchdowns to The Redskins, who put up another 21 points against The Giants.
At the half, the scoreboard showed, what today would be viewed as the likes of an NFL final score with The Redskins 34 points, and The Giants 14. Not completely satisfied with the outcome in the first half, The Redskins would go on to do “a whole lot more damage” to the New York football Giants.
The second half started pretty much how the first half left off, “with The Redskins putting up points,” but to The Giants credit, this was their best quarter, as they were able to hold The Redskins to 14 points, while putting up 14 of their own. At the end of the third quarter, The Redskins sat at a score of 48, while looking at The Giants scoreboard of 28 points.
This final quarter had The Redskins showing no mercy. While the New York Giants put up another 13 points, The Redskins went on to have their best quarter of the game, with 24 points. Looking up at the final scoreboard, Redskins fans witnessed a scoreboard of 72 – 41, next to a message that read “most points ever scored in any regular NFL game.” Into the NFL record books, and “Genius Book Of World Records,” with a total score of 113 points – The most points scored in a NFL game.
The Stats of November 27th, 1966: Washinghton Redskins vs. New York Giants
The Redskins dominated on first downs, with 24, compared to The Giants 16. “Surprisingly,” The Giants had more total yards than The Redskins, with 389 total yards, compared to The Redskins 341. The Redskins dominated “in every” category of the game, scoring on offense, defense, and special teams, with a kick return touchdown. This was truly a spectacular game to witness.
The previous record, for the most points scored in a NFL game, was from 1963. The “record- breaking game that year was from a game between The Houston Oilers (Today, The Tennesse Titans) and The Oakland Raiders. In that game, The Raiders put up 53 points, compared to The Oilers 49. Just as on November 27th, 1966, on that December 22nd, 1963, fans were shocked by the final score.
The NFL is the most important football league, the most watched in the world, and the Super Bowl is even one of the most expected events by fans. But currently, only 4 teams are disputing which will be the ones that will compete in that great and long awaited final.
They have given everything during the season and will continue fighting until they reach their final goal, which is to win. In order to place informed bets, it is best to know which teams to keep an eye on. Here we share the four teams you can definitely consider betting on in the future.
New Orleans Saints vs Los Angeles Rams
Many have hope in Drew Brees, people predict that the Saints come to annihilate their opponents in the next game to reach the final.
They have had a great development, that is why they are feared and we should not take anything for granted. Great betting opportunity!
Although, the Rams have also had a good season, they even surprised many and have obtained the best scores. So, fans will have an eye on this match.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots
The Patriots have one of the best players in the sport, Tom Brady, so anything could happen. Even though, they have not had a strong season like others, they have struggled a lot to get here and they totally deserve it. This might boost the betting odds.
On the other hand, the Chiefs have a great defense, it has improved over time. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, are expected to score and excel in the game.
No doubt, now we are approaching the grand finale, betting houses are revolutionized with the variety of bets that can be made. These teams are, definitely, the best, so keep an eye on them. Now that you know which teams are performing well you’ll be able to place an informed bet.
How does NFL draft work
Every professional sport is different, whether the sport uses a ball – Football, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Tennis, Golf – or whether it uses a puck – Hockey. They each have different styles and intricacies. What makes a fan love one sport, may make the same fan hate another. But there is one area, where every professional sport is similar, where sports fans, teams, and organizations get to feel the same joy, or disappointment – The draft. The drafts are where sports fans, teams, and organizations hopes are born or shattered. But there is one sport who’s draft stands out just a little bit more than the rest, that garnishes just a little bit more attention – The NFL Draft. Let’s take a further look at how does NFL draft work.
There are 32 NFL teams in the league, and how each team performs one season (including all of the postseason play), plays a significant role in what their draft positions will be at the next NFL draft. If a team wins the Superbowl in one season, at the next NFL draft, they will receive the last pick in each round, while the team with the worst record of the previous season, will receive the best pick in each round (The first picks). If there are 2 teams that are tied for the worst record, then on draft day, there will be a coin toss to determine which of those 2 teams will choose first, and which chooses second.
There are 7 rounds in the NFL draft, with each round consisting of 32 picks. In each round, each
team is given an allotted amount of time for each of their picks. In the 1st round, teams have 10
minutes to pick their draft choice, 7 in the second, 5 in rounds three through six, and 4 minutes in the
last (the seventh) round. The NFL Commissioner will announce when each team is on the clock, for
their respect pick in each round.
Team functions in each round
On draft day, during each round of the NFL draft, each team is given a table near the draft
stage, where a few of the team’s representatives, from their organizations, sit (The draft
address is a preselected NFL stadium). The location at the draft, where each teams
representatives sit, is called “selection square.” While at the draft location, these team
representatives maintain constant contact with representatives, back in their respected city, at
the team’s stadium. On draft day, these team personnel, are in their home stadiums, in a room
that is called (on draft day) “the war room.” These specific team personnel, are the people
who decide which player is picked, in each of the seven rounds. The 1st day of draft (draft day)
is the last Thursday of every April. Once a team has decided a pick, back at “the war room,”
and it is transmitted to the team’s representatives at the draft, the team then notifies the NFL
representative that is standing behind them, who is called “A runner,” by writing the pick on a
piece of paper, and handing it to them. The runner then lifts the paper up, to notify the
commisioner, that a player selection has been made.
During each day of the draft (Before a player is chosen as a draft pick), each of the 32 NFL teams General Managers, are contacting each other, looking to make trades. These trades consist of them trading 1 (or some) of their current players, to another team, to increase their draft position in one of the seven rounds. The NFL Commissioner says this falls within the NFL conduct guidelines and is not unethical by league standards. Some of the trades that are made during the NFL draft are teams trading multiple late-round potential picks (Rounds 4 through 7 are considered late-round picks) for just 1 player who is predicted of high enough status to be taken in one of the first 3 rounds. Each team has until the given time on the clock for that particular selected pick, to make a trade with another team.
Potential Draft players
How does NFL draft work for potential draft players, well before the NFL draft, there is an NFL combine held, every year, from the last week of February, until the first week of March. This combine is to test each players speed, strength, agility, and durability. At this combine, each player has a chance, through this athletic showcase, to potentially increase their draft position.
Potential draft players on draft day
On draft day, a select number of players will be invited (by letter) to the draft location. Those
invited players, that choose to come to the draft location (Some with their wives, and family, some
with their friends and girlfriends), are sent to an area at the draft, known as the green room. Here
the players sit and anxiously await for their names to be called by the NFL Commissioner.
Those potential draft players that choose to watch the draft from the comfort of their own homes,
with friends and family, waits for a call from an NFL coach, General Manager (or other high-level
executives at the organization), telling them that their name is about to be called out by the NFL
Commissioner, and that that team is happy to welcome them to the organization.
Draft eligibility
In order for a football athlete to be eligible to be considered for the NFL draft, they have to have played in at least 1 NCAA (National College Athletic Association) or NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) game, but only the top college football players, at each of these associations, are considered for the NFL draft (and there is even a smaller number of them that are invited to first, perform at the NFL combine, and second, to be present at the draft televised event).
The NFL player personnel, looks over the top NCAA and NJCAA players (The top 3,000 eligible college football players, who have submitted their application to enter the next NFL draft), before the next NFL combine, and only invites the “best of the best” to take part in each, the NFL combine, as well as the NFL draft.
Supplemental Draft
The NFL does have a special draft that is held in July, after the April draft. This draft is called the “Supplemental draft.” The way that this draft works, is it is only applicable to eligible college football players, who have submitted their NFL draft applications after the April NFL draft has taken place.
Online betting applications for smartphones have revolutionized the industry, taking it to the highest level that has been seen in years.
With this innovation, the sales of betting companies around the world have increased, and mobile applications are a good meeting point among people from all different countries and generate a lot of income.
The beauty of betting apps of course lies in the fact that it is just so convenient! Now you can place bets while watching the game from anywhere. Here we will tell you the best betting applications.
Bet365 is the number one gambling house and as it could not be otherwise, it has one of the most famous applications on the market.
In the application, we find an unparalleled service that helps productivity and is very convenient for gamblers. It is known worldwide for its quality, for offering major benefits and having the best odds.
BetFair App
BetFair is another big house in the betting industry and its application has very positive reviews, always emphasizing in the daily promotions that the company delivers to the customers.
Despite not having an innovative design, it is still a comfortable app for everyday use, the matches look good and there are not many connection problems. It is, certainly, one of the people’s favorites.
Seeing the best and the worst of these applications, we can say that there are no better offers today. The market is constantly changing and sites like Bet365 have not come down from the top positions of the global betting industry.
Although there are several competitors following their steps at any time, none of them can fight the comforts and practically free services that these pages deliver to their customers.
If you have a little knowledge about the world of sports betting, then you should know about how much a player influences a match. There are many cases where a single player can determine the result of a game just by looking at the odds.
That’s why when you are betting, you should be aware of the enormous difference that a player can make. With so many talented players getting into the big leagues and teams of the NFL, is more important than ever to pay serious attention to the MVP players of each team, as well as the prominent new players that get a lot of recognition from coaches.
Here we’re going to give a closer look at what we think are great NFL players that can truly affect the odds, so you can take them into consideration the next time you are betting.
Nick Bosa
We start our list with a player from Ohio that can be a future addition to the Arizona Cardinals. Nick Bosa is an outstanding player that has shown a lot of potentials lately with his performance, showing a remarkable defense and formidable handling off the football that is the perfect addition for long passes.
However, Nick Bosa isn’t the only member of his family that practices football, since his brother Joey is also a great player that has been a sensation for the scouts, but recent reports are changing and now think that Nick could be even better than his brother.
With the Atlanta Falcons being on a streak of winnings, they have become the fan favorite for this season, and there’s a reason why. Ed Oliver is an outstanding player that has drawn a lot of attention since his debut 3 years ago for the Cougars, so much that he was considered by many fans as the MVP of the Cougars for a while.
Ed is a great runner that can leave behind any player from the opposing team on top of being great on landing passes, making it a great replacement for the Atlanta Falcons since they don’t quite have too many picks in their main team, making the Falcons a formidable team and a dangerous option if you aren’t betting for them to win.
Greedy Williams
With the Buffalo Bills in a need for a newer offensive prospect, Greedy is one of the best cornerbacks available in the zone. Greedy is incredible good with interceptions and has a considerable number of pass breakups, keeping in mind that this is only in his years with the Tigers.
While the Buffalo Bills have already a great cornerback, the inclusion of another one with the caliber of Greedy Williams can truly make their strategies better, not to mention that will add to the offensiveness that they are currently looking for as well as the versatility of Greedy, which can only mean a higher chance for victory.
Keeping an eye to the biggest players and the recent changes for a team is a fundamental practice if you want to win your bets, and with NFL isn’t different. So keep your eyes up with these players and their teams.
NFL teams are always prepping in order to do their best throughout the season from all of their players, to make them strive hard enough to become the champions of the season. But each of these teams has its special player, which is the perfect piece to achieve all the desired results and on which rests a lot of the team’s weight.
While betting on NFL is exciting, it should always be approached strategically. It is very important to keep an eye on stats and odds, and have a deeper understanding of dynamics in order to place informed bets. This can also increase your chances of winning, which is what you want to achieve, right?
Here we take a look at the stats of two great teams worth betting on in the future.
This team has great potential in the field, their offense is incredible and pretty much always manages to make a very good amount of points per game. They were a force to be reckoned with back when they had the running back Kareem Hunt, but they are still very good nonetheless.
They scored a goal average of 26 points, being a very high average compared to all teams. The young Patrick Mahomes is their current figure. Should keep an eye for the goal scores type of bets here.
Considered one of the best teams in general, and all this is thanks to its star Tom Brady, which has made at least 35 passes per game since the 2006 season, a player of great skill and experience thanks to whom the New England Patriots are expected to have a great season once more.
Our experts analyzed and compiled a list of what– and who– to look for in further bettings, but overall it’s obvious that even though the teams are always in the search for a star to help them get ahead, sometimes they may not quite realize that the rookie player they have can help them a lot, same as with a veteran they think may not be as good as before, because in both cases their potentials have not been fully exploited.
These two teams are very incredible teams with great potential that can have a serious chance to win this season. We’d definitely put our money on any of these two teams!
List of NFL teams in alphabetical order
NFL is the biggest sports league in American Football. It was founded in 1920 and was switched to playoff system in 1933. Four type of championship in NFL are NFL championship, Super Bowl championship, conference championship and division championship. There are a total of 32 teams competing in NFL in different divisions. Here are the list of NFL teams in alphabetical order and the division they are playing in.
1) Arizona Cardinals
This team is playing in NFC west division.
2) Atlanta Falcons
This team is playing in NFC south division.
3) Baltimore Ravens
This team is playing in AFC north division.
4) Buffalo Bills
This team is playing in AFC east division.
5) Carolina Panthers
6) Chicago Bears
This team is playing in NFC North division.
7) Cincinnati Bengals
8) Cleveland Browns
9) Dallas Cowboys
This team is playing in NFC East division.
10) Denver Broncos
This team is playing in AFC West division.
11) Detroit Lions
12) Green Bay Packers
13) Houston Texans
This team is playing in AFC South division.
14) Indianapolis Colts
15) Jacksonville Jaguars
16) Kansas City Chiefs
17) Miami Dolphins
18) Minnesota vikings
19) New England Patriots
20) New Orleans Saints
21) New York Giants
22) New York Jets
23) Oakland Raiders
24) Philadelphia Eagles
25) Pittsburgh Steelers
26) San Diego Charges
27) San Francisco 49ers
28) Seattle Seahawks
29) St. Louis Rams
30) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
31) Tennessee Titans
32) Washington Redskins
New England Patriots are the current champions and the Green Bay Packers have won the most championship title with 9 NFL championship and 4 Super Bowl championship. This in turn puts them in top of this list of NFL teams in alphabetical order
What nfl team has the most wins on thanksgiving
What goes with turkey better than mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving? If you’re a sports fan, your answer is probably FOOTBALL. Who doesn’t like to sit and watch the big game while the turkey is cooking in the oven? We don’t know anyone that would pass up a chance to watch some of the biggest teams in the NFL play on a holiday where we also stuff our faces with yummy food.
Thanksgiving and football go hand in hand as an American tradition. Football has been played on thanksgiving for as long as the NFL has been around, since 1920. That’s a lot of games! With that many games the question begs, what NFL team has the most wins on Thanksgiving?
Not every team gets a chance to play on turkey day. The Dallas Cowboys started the tradition of playing on Thanksgiving day in 1966. They have only missed playing a game on Thanksgiving twice since then! The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving day game since 1978. They hold the record for most games played on Thanksgiving but what who has won the most?
Obviously since Detroit and Dallas have played the most Thanksgiving day games, it stands to reason that these teams have the most wins in the NFL. The Detroit Lions actually hold the record for the most Thanksgiving day wins in the NFL with a record of 37-39-2. The Dallas Cowboys aren’t far behind with a record of 30-19-1. The Chicago Bears are another NFL team that plays a lot of turkey day games and their record is 17-15-2.
So, for those of you who love to watch a good game of football while the turkey is slowly roasting in the oven, you can expect to watch a game with the Dallas Cowboys or the Detroit Lions as the main hosts of a game. The question of “What NFL has the most wins on Thanksgiving?” is the Detroit Lions. When a team plays that many Thanksgiving day games, their chances of having a winning record are inevitable.
Which nfl team was named after a poem written by edgar allan poe?
Edgar Allan Poe was an american writer and literary critic od the 19th century. Has was born in Boston, Massachusets in 1809 and died in Baltimore in 1849. Poe is known for his poems and short stories, but poetry was more important for him. Sometimes you can find subtle poetic resources which he applied in his short stories (I’m not talking about rhyme).
In the short story, Poe transformed the short horror story with his psychological depth, which had never been used in the genre before. Some of his most famous stories are: “The Tell-Tale Heart, “The Cask of Amontillado”, and “The Masque of the Red Death”, He was a pioneer of science fiction and wrote several stories about new inventions. He wrote the first modern detective story with “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, where he introduced his concept of deducting reasoning, which inspired later authors like Sir Arthur Conen Doyle.
His poetry has been widely celebrated and his most famous poem is “The Raven”, which was published in 1845 and became a huge success. In “The Raven”, the speaker uses a raven as a symbol of his grief, caused by his loneliness due to the separation from his beloved Lenore.
The Baltimore Ravens
In 1084 the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis. In 1995 the “Cleveland Browns” decided to move to Baltimore, Maryland. In 1996 The NFL approved this change of location of the franchise. After this they changed the name of their team to “Baltimore Ravens”, They chose this bird from a poem written by Edgar Allan Poe, who lived during the early part of his carrer in Baltimore and died there. The name of the team’s mascot is Poe.
The name “Ravens” was chosen by the Baltimore fans in a contest. The citizens had many things to consider for the name of the team, but they prefered Poe’s famous poem: “The Raven”. The “Baltimore Sun” is the newspaper conducted the telephone poll in which it asked the fans to vote for their team’s name. More than 33,000 people voted and over 21,000 selected the winner.
In the beginning there were three ravens as mascots: Edgar, Allan, and Poe. However, Poe is the only mascot of the three that is still working with the Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens has turned out to be a great team in its short and recent history. It has already won two Super Bowls, in 2001 against the Giants and in 2013 against the 49ers.
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Top Things You Need to Know about the Federal Budget
April 23, 2015 In: PFT Global Comments
By Caleb McMillan
In a nut shell: the Conservatives raided the contingency fund. It will be cut by $6 billion over the next three years. That's where a lot of this “surplus” comes from.
It's also dependent on low interest rates. Let's get this straight: a budget surplus doesn't eliminate the existing debt, nor this system where if all debts were paid off, central bank fiat would cease to exist. There is literally not enough money floating around in the system to pay off all the trillions owed to international bankers. This is why COMER advocates interest-free loans through the BoC and the gradual weaning off of the international monetary system (ruled by Bank of International Settlements [BIS]). Of course, this is neither the time nor place to get into the pros and cons of this approach, the bright side is that it gets the Bank of Canada in the news because if there's one thing to take away from this budget it's that the entire thing is only possible because the BoC continues to finance the federal government's debt. That's why central banks are never mentioned in elections. For one, the power-elite who control these banks have bought and paid for every major politician and second, politicians love central banks. It's a printing press that allows the Left to establish a welfare state without raising taxes and it funds the wars of the Right also without raising taxes. When interest rates raise to reflect true market levels, the federal government has the most to lose.
The budget is a hoax. No, not that kind of hoax. I mean it's a giant distraction from real issues like central banks and debt based on paper created by a power-elite. But nevertheless, even within the propaganda we can find snippets of what mainstream news should be covering. There is controversy, mostly among the Left, about Tax-Free-Savings-Account or TFSAs. The idea is that they are saving accounts for rich people only and will cost the government money - your money - in the future, prompting Joe Oliver to call the situation a problem for “Stephen Harper's granddaughter.” Of course, the big problem is not for Harper's granddaughter but his daughter and even for Harper himself if he lives for another 30 years. And that problem is all the unfunded liabilities and debt that the governments of the past have promised to baby-boomers. There is no money, it's a giant ponzi scheme that we're going to live to see collapse. Will the result be more government intervention and tyranny, or will we return to a free market? Share this information and help make the latter option more likely.
In the budget there are some “winners” for the conservative audience. Like reducing the amount the taxpayers have to fork over for the “sick leave” of public bureaucrats. Now, don't get me wrong I'm not trying to pin person against person. People produce value for each other through exchange, but so long as we're forced to pay for things like education, health-care and environmental protections, there will be no honest exchange. There's no objective measure for us, as taxpayers, to tell if bureaucracies are doing their job in the most cost-effective and efficient way. The way only to create that result is through the use of free prices and voluntary exchange. So any reduction of the public sector or public sector entitlements is great news but within context of this budget... Well, clearly ending the wars and reducing the military budget should be dealt with before getting to the public sector. The warfare state is issue #1, with the welfare state taking the #2 position. But first things first: end the wars and central banks. Which of course, isn't in this budget. So those petty political points for minutely reducing the public sector only serve to divide and conquer us. Get people arguing over the apparent “necessity” of the public sector instead of the actual issues: wars, central banks, debt, the global fascist empire...
Joe Oliver says it will help the Middle Class. Justin Trudeau says he'll come up with a better plan to help the Middle Class (one that involves increasing taxes on the top 2%). But who is the Middle Class? It doesn't exist. It's an arbitrary income bracket created by politicians. There are only two classes: those who create wealth and those who steal it. All governments belong to that second class.
This budget also contains hypocrisy to a mammoth degree. Joe Oliver said, "For generations Canadian families have understood the path to prosperity,... Don't compromise tomorrow by spending recklessly today. Don't pile on debt you can't afford. And invest sensibly for a secure future.” The Conservatives, Oliver said, have the same principles. Barf. They “stimulated” the economy in 2009 with a bunch of new debt, have hiked spending on military and wars ($360 million to fight ISIS this year, plus annual hikes of 3 per cent for National Defence) and then they “balance the budget” using accounting tricks and relying on the Bank of Canada's low, artificial, interest rates.
A full list of what's in this budget can be seen here. Interesting takeaways:
SIRC, the CSIS watchdog, sees budget doubled to $5 million.
$94.4 million over five years for cyber security.
$18 million this year to fight terrorism – rising to $91 million in five years.
But at least Ottawa sold its remaining shares in General Motors. Governments should not be in the business of prompting up failed businesses.
There's also promises of money to be spent after the Fall election, creating the incentives for Canadians to vote Conservative. The budget is, surprise surprise, just another political campaign ad like everything else this government has done (and has now set a precedent that Trudeau and the Liberals can repeat).
NDP finance minister Janice MacKinnon said "Many economists questioned why the government needed to balance the books this year,'' and she was serious. Apparently having the “best” debt-to-GDP ratio means that the government should "“spend more to stimulate economic growth."” And this is why the NDP are irrelevant. But the Liberals have talked about spending more on infrastructure as well. Justin Trudeau said, “Whether it is infrastructure investments that will help people get to and from work on time .... We are also looking at fiscal measures as well that will help the middle class.”
As if politicians weren't already out of touch with reality, “infrastructure investments” won't mean Canadians getting to work on time. In fact, it's the opposite. “Infrastructure investments” are the make-work projects that –- since the first stimulus in 2008/09 –- have plagued the country with construction. Every city street, every major highway. It's the intentional destruction of resources. Instead of finding market solutions to infrastructure that was never built to last (there goes the argument that bureaus look at long-term well-being while businessmen worry about short-term profits), the government will divert resources from the free economy and put them into these never-ending make-work projects that are cutting up our roads and city blocks, creating more congestion and making everyone late for work or school. Clearly, with that statement like that, Justin is out of touch the average “middle class” voter whom Liberal deputy leader Ralph Goodale defines as someone making between $44,700 to $138,586 a year.
The budget is a farce. It's a political tool and will now be used as a basis for the upcoming election. I guess H.L. Mencken was right,
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods."
Tags: money, harper, debt, war, election, trudeau, conservatives, budget, taxes
Category: PFT Global
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After terrorist bombings, Sri Lankan government imposes draconian national emergency
The Sri Lankan government has exploited Sunday’s terrorist bombings, which claimed at least 290 lives, to impose a national state of emergency that gives the police and military draconian powers of arrest and detention.
While many details have not been released, Sunday’s attacks involved coordinated bombings, within minutes of each other, of three Christian churches, packed for Easter Sunday services, and three luxury hotels. The death toll is likely to rise, as many of the more than 500 injured are in critical condition.
The World Socialist Web Site condemns the horrendous bombings, which indiscriminately killed innocent men, women and children, and have already provided the pretext for sweeping anti-democratic measures.
People recovering bodies in Katuwapitiya Church
Even before the state of emergency was announced, the government imposed an unprecedented nationwide block on social media, including Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp, supposedly to prevent the circulation of “false news.” A curfew is already in force.
The state of emergency will activate key sections of the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) that allows the military, as well as the police, to make arbitrary arrests on suspicion of terrorism, and to detain suspects for lengthy periods without charge.
The PTA, which also allows for confessions extracted by torture to be used in court, was widely used during the brutal three-decade communal war by successive Colombo governments against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The emergency powers also allow for the forcible suppression of “mutiny, riot or civil commotion” and the maintenance of essential services—a measure that has, in the past, been used to suppress strikes. The police and military will also have powers to enter and search, to seize property and to compulsorily acquire property other than land.
The WSWS warns that these profoundly anti-democratic measures are, above all, directed against the working class, amid a resurgence of strikes and protests against the government’s harsh austerity measures. Hundreds of thousands of plantation workers took strike action last December to demand a doubling of their poverty-level wages, before being sold out by the trade unions.
One of the government’s first actions under the state of emergency has been to ban all May Day rallies and meetings—a clear sign that the real target of the crackdown is the working class. May 1 has traditionally been widely observed by the Sri Lankan working class as the day of international workers’ solidarity.
The bombings have taken place amid an acute political crisis in Colombo’s ruling circles, fueled both by the rising class struggle and intense geo-political rivalries between the United States and China.
The current Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena, came to power in the 2015 election, ousting Mahinda Rajapakse in what was a regime-change operation orchestrated by Washington, with the assistance of Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was installed as prime minister. The US was hostile to Rajapakse’s close ties to China.
Three years later, however, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe fell out, as the government’s popularity sharply fell as a result of its sweeping attacks on the living conditions of working people. Last October, Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe, installed Rajapakse as prime minister, then dissolved parliament. Under pressure from Washington, he was compelled to make an about-face and reinstall Wickremesinghe after the Supreme Court ruled his actions unconstitutional.
The Sunday bombings took place in the context of these bitter rivalries, intrigues and plotting. The most extraordinary revelation, to date, is that 10 days before the bombings, the Sri Lankan police received a foreign intelligence alert specifically warning of plans “to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches” by the Islamist group National Thowheeth Jamma’ath (NTJ).
Desperate to deflect public anger over the failure of the police to take action, the rival factions led by Wickremesinghe, Sirisena and Rajapakse are all pointing the finger at each other. However, none of the obvious questions has been answered: how did a small, little-known Islamist group, previously known only for defacing Buddhist statues, obtain the resources and skills needed to mount a sophisticated, coordinated attack involving suicide bombers that would have required months of preparation?
Moreover, how was it that the police, military and intelligence services, built up over decades of civil war, took no action, even after an intelligence alert named the likely perpetrators? The Colombo political establishment and security apparatus is deeply mired in Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism and has strong links to Buddhist extremist groups that have attacked Christians and Muslims and their places of worship in the past.
While government ministers have pointed to a sinister “international network,” it cannot be ruled out that the culprits are closer to home. Could a faction of the military-police apparatus have turned a blind eye to the impending attack, or even manipulated the bombers to advance its political aims? This is certainly possible, given the long history of dirty tricks and crimes carried out by the security forces during the island’s protracted civil war.
In a particularly revealing comment to the BBC, telecommunications minister Harin Fernando declared: “There are so many ways we could look at this, but right now our biggest priority would be to find what really led these eight or 10 or 12 men to carry out this attack. But we are not ruling out a coup as well [emphasis added].”
Whatever skullduggery may or may not lie behind the bombings, all factions of the ruling class, despite their bitter rivalry, are completely united on one fundamental issue: intense fear of, and hostility to, the emerging struggles of the working class.
The imposition of police-state measures in Sri Lanka, including, for the first time, a ban on social media, is part and parcel of the anti-democratic agenda being imposed around the world. Last month, in the wake of the fascist attack on mosques in New Zealand, the New Zealand government censored the Internet and is now expanding the repressive apparatus of the state. The bombings in Sri Lanka are being exploited to set new precedents, which will also be implemented elsewhere in Asia and internationally.
K. Ratnayake and Peter Symonds
The Suleimani assassination, imperialist strategy and the crisis of the Iranian regime
The international witch-hunt of Julian Assange
Sri Lankan SEP holds public meeting: How to fight the new Rajapakse regime
Sri Lankan Central Bank chief demands “structural reform”
Sri Lankan president outlines big business, communalist policy to parliament
Sri Lankan police arrest two former government ministers
Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia
Indian workers in general strike call for unity
Plotters behind violent massacre in Philippines convicted after 10 years
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O.J. Simpson Jim Brown James White Davante Adams Robert Woods Aaron Rodgers Jared Goff Marshall Faulk Christian McCaffrey Courtland Sutton Drew Lock Patrick Mahomes II DeAndrew White Trey Quinn Michael Vick Kalen Ballage Jamal Adams James Washington Joe Mixon Mason Rudolph Ryan Fitzpatrick Justin Tucker Matt Haack Brandon McManus Dane Cruikshank Devin White Juan Thornhill Bill Belichick Andy Dalton Carlos Dunlap Nick Foles Deshaun Watson Taylor Rapp Dede Todd Gurley Ryan Anderson Saquon Barkley Jason Sanders Edgerrin James Baker Mayfield Lamar Jackson Roger Craig Gardner Minshew Tye Smith Dede Westbrook Derrick Henry Adrian Peterson Greg Olsen Russell Wilson Raheem Mostert Doug Marrone Derrius Guice Alvin Dupree Dan Marino DeVante Parker Kirk Cousins Sean Bunting Sports Athlete injuries Athlete health Professional football Football NFL football
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NFL Today, Week 13
By The Associated Press - Dec. 02, 2019 12:09 AM EST
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Monday, Dec. 2
Minnesota at Seattle, 8:15 p.m. Possible playoff implications mark this matchup. Kirk Cousins and the Vikings (8-3) look to keep pace with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks (9-2) have a chance to tie San Francisco for the NFC West — potentially setting up a big showdown in Week 17 in Seattle.
— Jared Goff, Rams, passed for 424 yards and two touchdowns, leading Los Angeles to a 34-7 win over Arizona.
— Aaron Rodgers, Packers, threw four touchdown passes in the snow and Green Bay rebounded from an embarrassing 29-point loss to San Francisco and beat the New York Giants 31-13.
— Deshaun Watson, Texans, threw three touchdown passes and had the first TD reception of his career, leading Houston to a 28-22 victory over New England.
— Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins, was 27 for 39 for 365 yards and three touchdowns as Miami achieved season highs in points and yards (408) in a 37-31 victory over Philadelphia.
— Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs, threw for a touchdown and ran for a score, helping Kansas City cruise past Oakland 40-9.
— Drew Lock, Broncos, had two touchdown passes in his NFL debut, a 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
— Raheem Mostert, 49ers, ran for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 20-17 loss at Baltimore.
— Derrick Henry, Titans, had 26 carries for 149 yards and scored on a 13-yard TD run on fourth down to cut the deficit to 17-14 in the third quarter, and Tennessee went on to beat Indianapolis 31-17.
— Derrius Guice, Redskins, racked up 129 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, helping Washington to a 29-21 victory over Carolina.
— Lamar Jackson, Ravens, weathered miserable conditions to run for 101 yards in Baltimore’s 20-17 victory over San Francisco. The combination of driving rain, a stiff wind and San Francisco’s rugged defense held Jackson to complete only 14 of 23 passes for 105 yards, and he lost a fumble.
— Todd Gurley, Rams, ran for 95 yards and a touchdown in Los Angeles’ 34-7 win at Arizona.
— DeVante Parker, Dolphins, had seven receptions for a career-high 159 yards and two scores, both on leaping grabs, in Miami’s 37-31 victory over Philadelphia.
— Robert Woods, Rams, had 13 catches for 172 yards in Los Angeles’ 34-7 win over Arizona.
— Davante Adams, Packers, caught two touchdown passes in Green Bay’s 31-13 victory over the New York Giants.
— James White, Patriots, had eight catches for 98 yards and two TDs, and also gained 79 yards on 14 carries in New England’s 28-22 loss at Houston.
— James Washington, Steelers, finished with 111 yards receiving and a touchdown on four catches to help Pittsburgh top Cleveland 20-13.
— Courtland Sutton, Broncos, had two TD receptions in Denver’s 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
— Jason Sanders and Matt Haack, Dolphins. Sanders caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on a fluttery throw by Haack when Miami opted to not go for a field goal on fourth down and instead scored on the trick play in a 37-31 victory over Philadelphia. Sanders became the first kicker with a TD catch since Denver’s Jim Turner in 1977.
— Justin Tucker, Ravens, kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired to give Baltimore a 20-17 victory over San Francisco.
— Brandon McManus, Broncos, booted a 53-yard field goal as time expired, set up by a long interference call, to give the Broncos a 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
— Dane Cruikshank and Tye Smith, Titans. Cruikshank raced through an inside gap to block a potential tiebreaking field goal late in the fourth quarter and Smith returned it 63 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to send the Titans past Indianapolis 31-17.
— Devin White, Buccaneers, scooped up a fumble and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown, and also had an interception in Tampa Bay’s 28-11 victory at Jacksonville.
— Juan Thornhill, Chiefs, returned an interception 46 yards for a score, helping Kansas City beat Oakland 40-9.
— Carlos Dunlap, Bengals, had three sacks in Cincinnati’s 22-6 win over the New York Jets.
— Taylor Rapp, Rams, returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in Los Angeles’ 34-7 victory at Arizona.
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes threw his 70th career touchdown pass in the Chiefs' 40-9 win over Oakland. It came in his 27th career game, surpassing Dan Marino (29 games) as the fastest player to reach 70 in NFL history. ... Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton set a couple of franchise passing marks in a 22-6 win over the New York Jets in front of 39,804 fans, the smallest home crowd since the final game of the 1995 season at Cinergy Field. He became the Bengals’ career leader in touchdown passes, moving ahead of Ken Anderson with 198. He also passed Anderson for the franchise’s career completion mark. ... Giants running back Saquon Barkley had 115 yards from scrimmage on 83 rushing and 32 receiving, marking his 17th career game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage yards. That ties him with Billy Sims for the fourth-most such games by a player in his first 25 career games. Only Edgerrin James (21 games), Eric Dickerson (19) and Ezekiel Elliott (18). ... Tennessee’s Derrick Henry rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown in the Titans' 31-17 win at Indianapolis, making him the fifth player in NFL history to get at least 145 rushing yards and a TD run in three consecutive games. He joined Jim Brown (1958), O.J. Simpson (1976), Eric Dickerson (1984) and Adrian Peterson (2012).
STREAKS & STATS
The Bengals (1-11) ended the longest losing streak in their history and finally shed their distinction as the NFL’s lone winless team, beating the New York Jets 22-6. Cincinnati hadn’t won since topping Oakland 30-16 on Dec. 16, 2018. ... The New York Giants’ 31-13 loss to Green Bay was their eighth straight defeat, their worst skid since 2004. ... The Jets had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 22-6 loss at Cincinnati and became the first team to lose to two teams that were 0-7 or worse in the same season. Miami was 0-7 when it beat New York on Nov. 3. After scoring 34 points in three straight games, the Jets were held to six or fewer for the fourth time this season.
O’BRIEN’S BREAKTHROUGH
Houston’s 28-22 victory over New England marked Texans coach and former Patriots assistant Bill O’Brien’s first win in six tries against Bill Belichick. It was also just the Texans’ second win over the Patriots, and first since Jan. 3, 2010.
FOLES FOLDS
Nick Foles ended his first three drives with turnovers that Tampa Bay turned into touchdowns, costly mistakes that propelled the Buccaneers to a 28-11 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday. Doug Marrone benched Foles at halftime, switching back to rookie sensation Gardner Minshew. Minshew rallied the Jags and had a chance to make it a seven-point game in the fourth quarter. But his hot pass slipped through Dede Westbrook’s hands and into Sean Murphy-Bunting’s arms for Jacksonville’s fourth turnover of the day. A sixth-round draft pick from Washington State, Minshew started eight games while Foles recovered from a broken left collarbone and gave the Jaguars (4-8) a chance nearly every week. Foles, the 2018 Super Bowl MVP who signed a four-year, $88 million contract in free agency, never looked comfortable in his three games since coming off injured reserve. He was 7 of 14 for 93 yards, with two fumbles and an interception. He also was sacked three times.
GAMBLES PAY OFF
Philadelphia was expecting a field goal try by Miami when holder Matt Haack stood and instead took a shotgun snap, with five teammates flanked far to the left and four far to the right. Haack rolled left before flipping a pass to kicker Jason Sanders, who was part of the group on the left before slipping into the end zone uncovered for a 1-yard touchdown in the Dolphins’ 37-31 victory. “It's exactly what we planned for,” Haack said. “That was pretty cool." Sanders became the first kicker with a TD catch since Denver’s Jim Turner in 1977.
QUACK, QUACK
Undrafted rookie free agent Devlin “Duck” Hodges threw for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception to lead Pittsburgh past Cleveland 20-13. Hodges, a champion duck caller in his down time, improved to 2-0 as a starter after being bumped to the top of the depth chart last week in place of struggling Mason Rudolph. Hodges completed 14 of 21 passes while joining Washington’s Ed Rubbert — a replacement player in 1987 — as the only undrafted rookie quarterbacks to win each of their first two career starts since 1970.
ACTION JACKSON
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson weathered miserable conditions to run for 101 yards in the Ravens’ 20-17 victory over San Francisco. The combination of driving rain, a stiff wind and San Francisco’s rugged defense held Jackson to complete only 14 of 23 passes for 105 yards, and he lost a fumble. But the Ravens improved to 16-3 with Jackson as a starter and 12-0 when he rushes for at least 70 yards. In addition, Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to have four 100-yard rushing games in a season, surpassing the mark held by Michael Vick (three games each in 2004 and ’06) and Russell Wilson (three in 2014).
Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey had seven catches in the Panthers’ 29-21 loss to Washington, giving him 75 receptions through 12 games this season. He has at least 75 catches in each of his first three NFL seasons and is the fifth running back in league history with at least three seasons of at least 75 receptions, joining Marshall Faulk (five), Larry Centers (five), Roger Craig (three) and Le’Veon Bell (three). McCaffrey’s 2,162 career yards receiving surpassed Roger Craig (2,118) for the most by a running back in his first three seasons since 1966.
SIDELINED
Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a bruised right hand in the Browns’ 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh. Mayfield smacked it against the facemask of Pittsburgh linebacker Bud Dupree just before halftime and played the second half with his throwing hand in a protective glove. ... Carolina tight end Greg Olsen entered the concussion protocol after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Washington linebacker Ryan Anderson, who was ejected after delivering the hit in the Redskins’ 29-21 win. Redskins returner Trey Quinn left in the second quarter with a concussion after taking a shot to the head from DeAndrew White while going low to field a punt. ... Jets safety Jamal Adams was wearing a walking boot on his left foot after the game at Cincinnati. He said he was injured on the first series but played through it. He wasn’t sure how long he might be sidelined. ... Miami running back Kalen Ballage left in the second quarter against Philadelphia with a left leg injury and didn’t return.
“One thing I didn't appreciate is all the booing today. You've got guys putting their hearts out there every play, every game, and nobody deserves that. I hated how that was.” — Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew after the Jaguars’ 28-11 loss at home to Tampa Bay.
“He had a chip on his shoulder all week.” — Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon on quarterback Andy Dalton, who returned from a three-week benching to lead the Bengals to their first victory of the season with a 22-6 win over the New York Jets.
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Russ B. Altman
Kenneth Fong Professor and Professor of Bioengineering, of Genetics, of Medicine (General Medical Discipline), of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Computer Science
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI refer you to my web page for detailed list of interests, projects and publications. In addition to pressing the link here, you can search "Russ Altman" on http://www.google.com/
Department of Bioengineering
Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Room 209
Altman Lab, MC: 4245
Russ.Altman@stanford.edu
https://rbaltman.people.stanford.edu
Jongduk Baek
Visiting Associate Professor, Bioengineering
bjd1219@gmail.com
Annelise E. Barron
Associate Professor of Bioengineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBiophysical mechanisms of host defense peptides (a.k.a. antimicrobial peptides) and their peptoid mimics; also, molecular and cellular biophysics of human innate immune responses.
Annelise Barron
http://med.stanford.edu/profiles/Annelise_Barron/
Lacramioara Bintu
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
BioLacra Bintu is an Assistant Professor in the Bioengineering Department at Stanford. Her lab performs single-cell measurements of chromatin and gene regulation dynamics, and uses these data to develop predictive models of basic biological processes and improve mammalian cell engineering.
Lacra started working on the theory of gene regulation as an undergraduate with Jané Kondev from Brandeis University and Rob Phillips from Caltech. As a Physics PhD student in the lab of Carlos Bustamante at U.C. Berkeley, she used single-molecule methods to tease apart the molecular mechanisms of transcription through nucleosomes. She transitioned to studying the dynamics of epigenetic regulation in live cells during her postdoctoral fellowship with Michael Elowitz at Caltech. She started her own interdisciplinary lab at Stanford in January 2017.
443 Via Ortega, Shriram 042
lbintu@stanford.edu
Lacra Bintu
https://bintulab.com/
Kwabena Boahen
Professor of Bioengineering and of Electrical Engineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLarge-scale models of sensory, perceptual and motor systems
Stanford Bioengineering
W125 Clark Center
318 Campus Drive West
boahen@stanford.edu
http://bioengineering.stanford.edu/faculty/boahen.html
Zev Bryant
Associate Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Structural Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMolecular motors lie at the heart of biological processes from DNA replication to vesicle transport. My laboratory seeks to understand the physical mechanisms by which these nanoscale machines convert chemical energy into mechanical work.
zevry@stanford.edu
David Camarillo
BioDavid B. Camarillo is Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, (by courtesy) Mechanical Engineering and Neurosurgery at Stanford University. Dr. Camarillo holds a B.S.E in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and completed postdoctoral fellowships in Biophysics at the UCSF and Biodesign Innovation at Stanford. Dr. Camarillo worked in the surgical robotics industry at Intuitive Surgical and Hansen Medical, before launching his laboratory at Stanford in 2012. His current research focuses on precision human measurement for multiple clinical and physiological areas including the brain, heart, lungs, and reproductive system. Dr. Camarillo has been awarded the Hellman Fellowship, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program award, among other honors including multiple best paper awards in brain injury and robotic surgery. His research has been funded by the NIH, NSF, DoD, as well as corporations and private philanthropy. His lab’s research has been featured on NPR, the New York Times, The Washington Post, Science News, ESPN, and TED.com as well as other media outlets aimed at education of the public.
David Benjamin Camarillo
http://www.camlab.stanford.edu
Wah Chiu
Professor of Photon Science, Bioengineering and of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research includes methodology improvements in single particle cryo-EM for atomic resolution structure determination of molecules and molecular machines, as well as in cryo-ET of cells and organelles towards subnanometer resolutions. We collaborate with many researchers around the country and outside the USA on understanding biological processes such as protein folding, virus assembly and disassembly, pathogen-host interactions, signal transduction, and transport across cytosol and membranes.
James Clark Center
wahc@stanford.edu
Jennifer R. Cochran
Shriram Chair of Bioengineering, Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Chemical Engineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMolecular Engineering, Protein Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell and Tissue Engineering, Molecular Imaging, Chemical Biology
Jennifer.Cochran@stanford.edu
http://cochranlab.net
Markus Covert
Associate Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur focus is on building computational models of complex biological processes, and using them to guide an experimental program. Such an approach leads to a relatively rapid identification and validation of previously unknown components and interactions. Biological systems of interest include metabolic, regulatory and signaling networks as well as cell-cell interactions. Current research involves the dynamic behavior of NF-kappaB, an important family of transcription factors.
Shriram Center, Room 015
443 Via Ortega, MC: 4245
mcovert@stanford.edu
https://www.covert.stanford.edu/
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← You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
A Little Math; A Lot of Physics →
From String Theory to the Large Hadron Collider
The huge Milner prizes for nine well-known scientists, and the controversy they generated, have motivated me to relate a story. It happened during the theorist/experimentalist workshop that was held in early August (see also here) at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Canada. And it illuminates something that many scientists, science commentators and science journalists, as well as science fans in the public, seem to be unaware of, but ought to know.
Before I start, I want to make one thing clear. I am by no means a flag waver for the string theory community; the theory’s been spectacularly over-hyped, and the community’s political control of high-energy physics in many U.S. physics departments has negatively impacted many scientific careers, including my own. On the other hand, I am also not going to tell you that string theory, as a theory, is somehow evil incarnate; I have done a certain amount of string theory research, and not only have I learned a great deal from it that I could not have learned any other way, doing the research had a positive effect on my career. So I feel it is unfortunate that string theory has been a political football, with two violent teams trying to kick the ball toward their opponents’ goal posts. From my perspective, the game is irrational and preposterous, reasonable people were long ago refusing to play it, and it is high time the ball were grabbed by the referee and placed quietly in the middle of the field where it belongs.
My story takes place on the evening of Friday, August 3rd, following the second day of the workshop, which brought together theorists and CMS experimentalists for discussions concerning research strategies at the Large Hadron Collider [LHC]. (CMS and ATLAS are the two general purpose experiments at the LHC, and their co-discovery of a Higgs-like particle was announced July 4th.) I was sitting at a square white table on the Perimeter Institute’s ground floor, illuminated by sunset light pouring in through the Institute’s plate-glass windows. Aside from me, those at the dinner table included six members of the CMS experiment, among them Joe Incandela, the current spokesman of CMS, who a month before had the great privilege of presenting CMS’s new discovery to the world. The eighth person at the table, sitting to my left between me and Incandela, was a theorist, David Kosower, an American working as a senior professor in France, at Saclay.
Discussion ranged widely, but at some point Incandela began describing how important the work of Kosower and his colleagues in the BlackHat collaboration had been in helping confirm the validity of a measurement technique that Incandela’s group (his postdoctoral researchers and students, and perhaps some of his faculty colleagues as well) had been trying to employ. This technique formed a crucial part of their effort to search at CMS for signs of new undetectable particles [i.e., particles that, like neutrinos, pass through CMS (and ATLAS) without leaving any trace]. (This is often billed as a “search for supersymmetry”, but in fact is a much more general way to look for many types of new particles that would be essentially invisible to CMS.)
Now, what is “BlackHat?” The Standard Model, the set of equations we use to describe all the known particles and non-gravitational forces in nature, works very well for predicting the processes that occur at the LHC — as far as we can tell. A crucial limiting factor in our ability to tell, however, is our ability to calculate. Many processes that we observe occurring at the LHC are quite complicated, and the rates at which such processes take place often cannot be calculated, currently, to better than 50% precision or worse. This means that if a new phenomenon were causing a certain process to occur 20% more often than in the Standard Model, it is quite possible that we would not yet know it, due to an imprecise Standard Model prediction. Over the years, theorists like Kosower and his colleagues, and their competitors pursuing other approaches, have gradually been calculating more and more complex processes at the precision levels needed for top-notch measurements at the LHC. And BlackHat is the computer program that Kosower and his friends have written to translate all of their theoretical insights and methods into actual predictions for the LHC experimentalists to use.
What is truly remarkable is that today BlackHat and its competitors can do calculations that were once thought, as recently as 2005 or so, would lie far beyond the reach of theorists during the entire LHC era. What happened? Well, there was a revolution in calculational techniques… and it has allowed measurements such as that carried out by Incandela and his group to be significantly more precise, in turn allowing us to know much more about what is present, and absent, in the data produced by the LHC.
The revolution, at least as far as BlackHat specifically is concerned, actually had two stages. It started in the 90s, when various new techniques allowed theorists sometimes to abandon the famous but extremely awkward method of Feynman diagrams for calculations. Many of these techniques were developed by Kosower along with Lance Dixon (professor at the SLAC laboratory outside Stanford University, where I was a graduate student), Zvi Bern (now a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles [UCLA]) and David Dunbar (now a professor at Swansea University in the UK.)
But there was another key advance that occurred in the middle of the last decade. If you ask Bern, Kosower or Dixon, which you can do in part by reading their Scientific American article on BlackHat from May, 2012, they will tell you that one of the key developments was a technique called “on-shell recursion”. What this term means is very technical. Where it comes from is fascinating.
Here’s a slide from one of Bern’s recent talks, given in 2011 at the Institute for Nuclear Theory at the University of Washington.
You see that he refers to this technique as “a very general machinery” whose “power comes from [its] generality”. And he cites a paper, whose authors are Ruth Britto, Freddy Cachazo, Bo Feng and Ed Witten — three young people collaborating with the famed string theory grandmaster, winner of the Milner Prize and the Fields Medal, among many other awards. (The youngsters were then postdoctoral researchers working mainly on string theory at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where Witten and three other Milner prize-winners are faculty. Today Cachazo is a professor at the Perimeter Institute, Britto is a professor at Saclay, and Feng is a professor at Zhejiang University in China. Sadly, none of them took jobs in the United States.)
And Bern goes on: here’s a later slide, where he lists some key developments.
Second among them is the “realization of the remarkable power of complex momenta in generalized cuts” in another paper of Britto, Cachazo and Feng, which draws its “Inspiration from Witten’s twistor string paper.”
Bern is referring to Witten’s 2003 paper entitled “Perturbative Gauge Theory As a String Theory in Twistor Space.” What is that all about?
“Perturbative Gauge Theory” refers to a class of quantum field theories of which the Standard Model itself (in the context of the LHC) is an example; Witten was studying a simpler one, the so-called “maximally supersymmetric gauge theory”, which is the spherical cow [i.e. the simplest case — simplistic in some ways, but much easier to study] of perturbative gauge theories. “String Theory” is just what you think it is, and “Twistor Space” — well, whatever it is (and I won’t try to explain it here) it’s not the real world.
It was a remarkable paper, as Witten’s so often have been, drawing together numerous theoretical ideas (including some that played a role in the above-mentioned 1990s calculational revolution) into one unexpected place, and showing how rich their implications could be. But Witten’s paper had nothing directly to do with calculations relevant to the LHC; it had to do with using string theory in a weird and little-studied context to carry out calculations in the vastly simpler case of the maximally supersymmetric gauge theory. The whole thing lies, it would seem, infinitely far from experiments.
Yet the results Witten obtained led to the Britto, Cachazo, and Feng papers, including the one written with Witten himself, which managed to pull from the string theory developments some key insights that were needed for more general calculations. From there we follow the results to BlackHat, whose leaders all did some amount of string theory early in their careers but who turned by choice to practical calculations and invented many new techniques themselves. They’re exactly the sort of people you’d expect to dismiss these efforts by string theorists as naive. But no. They credit Britto et al. prominently for a key insight that makes BlackHat possible. And finally we arrive back at the dinner table, with me listening to Joe Incandela, who, fresh from the completion of the CMS paper on the observation of the Higgs-like particle, is praising BlackHat for its contribution to searches for new phenomena in CMS data. It’s only a few steps from Incandela to Witten — from experiment to the most apparently-useless edge of string theory.
So it’s unfair to Witten, when he is given a prize for some reason or other, to denigrate his theoretical work as something that cannot be tested experimentally — as though being “testable” were the only possible criterion for determining whether theoretical work has value for physics.
Here’s a theory that’s false as a theory of the world: a theory of only gluons, the particles that are associated with the strong nuclear force in the same way that photons are associated with the electromagnetic force. (This theory is often called “pure Yang-Mills theory.”) Obviously it does not apply to reality; the proton is made from quarks and antiquarks and gluons, not from gluons alone. Yet the study of this theory, both numerically using computers and conceptually, has given significant insight into how non-perturbative gauge theory works. Since non-perturbative gauge theory is what forms protons and neutrons, these insights have been helpful as a step along a longer road to develop better calculational tools in the non-perturbative context. So even though pure Yang-Mills theory is not a theory of nature, nevertheless yet we find it useful to study it very carefully.
The same standards should be applied to string theory. It may or may not be, as its hype-sters suggest, the “theory of everything” (a glib moniker that actually means “a single, unified theory of all the elementary forces and particles of nature, including the known particles and forces and also [at least] dark matter, so-called `dark energy’, and quantum gravity”). But that’s hardly the only important problem where string theory has something to contribute. String theory has made a number of important hard problems (in non-perturbative gauge theory, for instance) much easier to solve; it has helped address several long-standing conceptual puzzles in theoretical physics; and it has inspired many new ideas that have had application well outside of string theory. Consequently it has value, perhaps less than its proponents may claim, but certainly more than asserted by its detractors.
Indeed, the most extreme critics of string theory, who would perhaps argue that string theory should have been long ago cast out of theoretical physics, as a mathematical construct with no value for science, are in an increasingly untenable position. Would it really have been a good thing for high-energy physics at the LHC if no physicists had ever worked on twistor strings? This is not the only tough question an absolutist critic would have to answer.
Yet the detractors’ complaints have some merit. Personally, I feel string theory’s possible application to “everything” has been wildly over-promoted; for this purpose, string theory cannot be tested at present, and that situation might continue for a very long time, perhaps centuries. Meanwhile we have too many string theorists teaching at the top U.S. universities, and not enough theorists doing other aspects of high-energy physics, including Standard Model predictions, such as carried out by the BlackHat folks. As a result, far too few particle physics theorists were trained at top universities in the U.S. in recent years, and our theoretical LHC research is now spread very thin. But does this mean that string theory is a total waste of time or that Witten’s work is undeserving of high praise and recognition? I’ve given you just one of many reasons (and not by any means the strongest one) why the answer is clearly no; perhaps I’ll give you other reasons in future articles. (Assuming I survive to write them.)
I have found the war over string theory a very ugly thing to watch, and it’s been constantly unpleasant and professionally very damaging to be stuck in the cross-fire, as I’ve been for well over twenty years. Although both the virulently pro-string and anti-string camps have important and intellectually honest points to make, it seems to me that it’s time for both of them to accept a United Nations-monitored cease-fire. While they’ve been carrying out a destructive war on the field of battle, and fighting for public sympathy, an apolitical and pragmatic process has long been underway, often unseen and unsung, in which a certain peace and mutual appreciation has been established, leaving the belligerents on both sides out of date and out of step with reality. String theory is an essential tool in the toolbox of the theoretical physicist, and it’s here to stay — not because it’s necessarily the theory of “everything,” but because it has proven over the decades to be profoundly and broadly useful.
So on many levels I view it as inappropriate to criticize the Milner prize for Witten on the grounds that Witten’s work on string theory can’t be tested; it is not unusual for critically important theoretical work to lie more than one step away from experiment. Still, shouldn’t those who take those steps, such as Britto, Cachazo and Feng, and the BlackHat folks, deserve more credit than they’re getting? It’s clear that the practical benefit for high-energy physics would have been far greater if Milner had given three million dollars to the BlackHat collaboration, and to others pursuing similar aims. Is Milner reading this? Or maybe someone else with a deep pocket, and perhaps a greater commitment to the actual process of listening to what nature has to say? Ensuring that every drop of information is squeezed from the LHC’s data is arguably the highest priority in high-energy physics right now, and doing so is difficult and personnel-intensive. Private funding supporting the research of those who do the most important calculations could really make a difference.
This entry was posted in LHC Background Info, Particle Physics, String Theory, The Scientific Process and tagged cms, DoingScience, LHC, press, PublicPerception, string_theory. Bookmark the permalink.
133 responses to “From String Theory to the Large Hadron Collider”
Gastón E. Nusimovich | August 15, 2012 at 9:59 AM |
Paraphrasing George Box, “essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful”.
The history of Physics teaches us that every now and then, it takes a long while for a theory to be proven by experiments, specially when the technical and/or technological aspects of the experiments are difficult to overcome.
Just to give a few examples, we could mention quantum entanglement, and the frame-dragging effect of general relativity.
Models, though wrong, are useful mainly because of its predictive capabilities, but they are useful in many other ways, beyond predictions, as the can convey new ways of thinking which could turn even more useful for Science in general.
Kind regards, Gastón
amarashiki | August 15, 2012 at 10:01 AM |
I agree with your opinions here. +100
Plato | August 15, 2012 at 10:18 AM |
I have been following string theory since Patricia Schwartz first started her Superstring Theory web site. Other sites as well.
Twistor Theory was greatly expounded upon in Science and the Mind: Sir Roger Penrose- http://www.eskesthai.com/2005/10/science-and-mind-sir-roger-penrose.html
Would you say Matt that String Theory is a mathematical construct by definition?
Might I generalized then with the progression in thinking has historical significance? Quark Soup:Applied Superstring Theory- http://www.cap.ca/sites/cap.ca/files/article/1413/apr10-offprint-buchel.pdf
Use of LHC provides for early universe dependent perspectives. We have pushed back time to its earlier moments in terms of microseconds?
Matt Strassler | August 15, 2012 at 12:24 PM |
A topic for another article, but yes, it’s another of the examples. It’s not quite as strong a case, and much more complicated to explain properly; it’s easy to oversell it, and that’s something I want to avoid.
Andrew Foland | August 15, 2012 at 10:54 AM |
To my mind, the question at the base of the hype-debate about string theory is not, “have useful things come out of string theory?” The question is, “would there have been more useful things coming out of a defocussing and diversity of theory efforts?” I am absolutely unequipped to answer this, and in a sense, so is anyone, as it’s a counterfactual. But when trying (as a community) to decide what to focus on in the next generation of theorists, this is the relevant question one should be trying to estimate an answer to.
I think the debate has been healthy in bringing that question to the fore–even if, in the end, the conclusion ends up being that yes, string theory still is the best place to put research and intellectual resources.
And the question of where to put resources is, properly, a political question. I’m not sure it’s unfortunate it’s become a political football. Much better to have the community face and decide a question like that than to have it answered by default.
I agree with your first remark; diversification is a good thing, but it’s impossible to decide, when you don’t know in advance what’s important, how to invest your limited resources. You have to make your best guess. However, it was obvious 15 years ago that we were going to end up short of LHC-related expertise, and now, here we are, and no one should be surprised. We’re damned lucky that the breakthrough in calculational techniques took place at all; it’s the one place (on the theory side of the LHC) that we got a lucky break.
The problem with string theory becoming a “political football” is that, just as with government involvement with health care, it made a reasoned discussion about the issues almost impossible. In my twenty-plus years in the field I haven’t seen anything good come out of that debate, and I’ve seen (and felt) a lot of bad stuff.
Nigel Cook | August 17, 2012 at 11:08 AM |
“I agree with your first remark; diversification is a good thing, but it’s impossible to decide, when you don’t know in advance what’s important, how to invest your limited resources. You have to make your best guess.”
Certainly string theory is the best guess by a very large margin, in terms of all conventional indicators like Science Citation indexes, popular excitement, and spin-off physics (AdS/CFT duality for strong interactions, and many other useful ideas) and the accompanying mathematical developments. That is quite rational. What’s worrying is when this focus on the best guess is used defensively to attack alternative ideas, simply because they are not the best guess. The non-existence of real alternatives is then a key implicit defense of string theory, despite the fact that alternatives have lacked the 25+ years concentration of top effort which string theory has received. So it’s a circular argument: string theory has no real alternatives because it’s the best guess, receiving most attention. Woit worked on a far-off alternative, the use of representation theory to better understand the electroweak symmetry breaking, explaining the left-handedness of the weak force. See page 51 of his 2002 arXiv paper on that research, http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0206135 (from just before he started his blog), which spells out some of his results, and then discusses why the hardened orthodoxy of string theory has killed off the prospects for a major group effort in this direction. Alternative ideas may need a gestation period to be usefully developed, usually by many people. If alternatives become viewed as too taboo or crackpot before even being seriously investigated, that might be unhealthy. E.g., Bohr’s original quantized atom was dismissed by Ernest Rutherford, on the basis that Maxwell’s equations would make the orbiting electron radiate continuously, while Bohr himself in 1948 dismissed Feynman’s path integral because (Feynman states this in Mehra’s biography of him) orbital electron “paths” violated Bohr’s understanding of the uncertainty principle. So the current debate is just a continuation of the old problem of leading-expert hubris.
Matt Strassler | August 17, 2012 at 11:56 AM |
The point you make is generally true, but to bring Woit up undermines what you were trying to say. There are plenty of people not working on string theory in the field, and plenty of ideas about what’s going on at the weak scale. It’s not like there’s just string theorists and then there’s Woit, the lone voice in the wilderness… though his goal does seem to be to discredit everyone except himself in the public eye, which seems to be working.
In any case, string theory is not such an orthodoxy as you think; and even string theory has many branches. Nor is string theory my best guess for the near term; my best guess was that experiment would surprise us.
Nigel Cook | August 17, 2012 at 1:23 PM |
Thanks. I am aware of the fact that the reason string theory is such a success as a topic for research is that provides a very large framework with many interesting branches. Woit did appear to be a “lone voice in the wilderness” back in 2004 when blogging about every over-hyped press release from superstring theorists, but maybe there were other voices in the wilderness which went unheard. I pointed to his alternative idea purely because he has been attacked for supposedly not being a scientist. He does write in his book that he sees no problem with people doing research in string theory. His gripe is purely with the hyping of non-falsifiable claims.
[Editor’s note: the following comment went outside the thread, so I’m combining it with the previous one so that I can answer both together.]
Woit has written the most blog posts criticising superstring publicity since 2004, so certain string theory researchers claimed he is not a scientist, or has no alternative or positive contributions to physics.
Matt Strassler | August 17, 2012 at 1:32 PM |
Yes, he’s been very critical in public; and some of his criticisms, as I noted in my article, are in my view well warranted. The fact that string theory doesn’t make a specific prediction for what the world is like — what the particles and forces are — is something that I fully expected since I first heard about string theory and learned a bit about it as an undergraduate and a graduate student in the 1980s. I don’t view this as negatively as Woit does — quantum field theory *also* doesn’t predict what the particles and forces are, though it’s the foundation of the Standard Model and everything we do at the LHC — but I am not surprised at the outcome.
Many other people, some of them great scientists with established track records, have been just as critical as he is, often in private, starting long before 2004, and with devastating effect. Those criticisms have successfully eliminated jobs and grants within particle physics — not just within string theory — and they’ve made my life hell. Throughout my career, beginning long before Dr. Woit wrote his book, I’ve been alternately beaten about by the critics of string theory, and then by the critics of the critics. This has been true of many of my colleagues of a similar age. The impact has been to no one’s benefit, as far as I can tell. I almost didn’t get a faculty position, for starters, and wouldn’t have if I hadn’t solved a string theory problem.
Meanwhile, there’s no logical connection between how potent and apt are a person’s criticisms of other people, and how good that person is at offering positive alternatives. We have all read critical reviews of new plays and of concerts written by people who can’t themselves write great plays or perform on the piano at an international standard. The skills required to be a critic are very different from the skills required to actually do the work.
So in your statement, which is of the form “X is true, so Y is true”, the causal implication is not correct. Here X and Y are not logically connected, and you shouldn’t assume they are. I often agree with Dr. Woit in his criticisms (though clearly not always.) That doesn’t mean I agree with his scientific ideas, which I don’t see any reason to view as significantly better than my own or those of many others of my stringy and non-stringy colleagues. I doubt his theoretical ideas are relevant to Nature; but of course, I also doubt that anything I’ve done in my own career is relevant to Nature either. Most of us in the field will turn out to have had the wrong idea; there’s only one Nature, and few of us will guess part of its true form. But at least the ideas of many of my colleagues, even the wrong ones, have opened our minds to possible ways to use the LHC and other experiments in novel ways. That’s the most important thing a theorist can do, in my view, other than guessing the right answer. I’m always interested in hearing about theories, no matter how radical — as long as they make logical and mathematical sense and aren’t ruled out by current data — that give us new questions to ask at the LHC, or at other experiments.
But people who, instead of making predictions or thinking about how to make better measurements, spend huge amounts of time and energy criticizing others, are merely assuring that no one who is open-minded and smart is going to want to discuss physics with them. It’s a terrible path to take if you want to gain influence within science, and it simply damages the whole field without benefiting the scientific process, as far as I can tell.
“So in your statement, which is of the form “X is true, so Y is true”, the causal implication is not correct. Here X and Y are not logically connected, and you shouldn’t assume they are.”
X (being a critic) and Y (having alternative ideas) are connected in the sense: if you have an alternative idea which is ignored by popular fashion, at some point you may become a critic of the fashion. You are right that expertise in marketing or writing blogs is not expected to be strongly correlated to expertise in making scientific discoveries, although this seems to be controversial. Dr Irving L. Janis stated in his book Victims of Groupthink (1972, page 61) that: “The objective assessment of relevant information and the rethinking necessary for developing more differentiated concepts can emerge only out of the crucible of heated debate, which is anathema to the members of a concurrence-seeking group.” In other words, sometimes the criticism of fashion might be needed, leading to a conflict. Trying to prevent any upset at all may just result in a policy of total appeasement of popular fashion. I agree it’s a lose-lose situation, but some people can be unreasonable.
I think you may have misunderstood what I meant by X and Y. X is “being a critic”, but what I meant by Y is “being described as having nothing positive to offer”. For example, and by contrast, Sheldon Glashow is a strong critic of string theory — he has been for decades, and he left Harvard in protest over the issue — and no one even in string theory would suggest he has/had nothing positive to offer to physics. It is one thing to offer alternatives, it is another to offer clever or useful or inspirational ones. Glashow clearly has done that; it’s not his Nobel prize, but the science he did to deserve the prize, which gives him a level of authority.
It is true that X may lead to what I meant by Y [i.e., a person may be falsely accused if they become critical of others], but you should not assume the accusations are necessarily false. And it is also true that what you meant by Y may lead to X [a person who has alternative ideas may try to promote them, or fight back against being ignored, by being critical of those not paying attention], but that also doesn’t imply the alternative ideas are good ones. I am not in the least suggesting that Woit is a crackpot — he is most definitely not — but most of the criticism I receive on this website IS from people with kooky alternative ideas, who indeed are very, very critical of me and other physicists, and who do in fact deserve the accusation of having nothing positive to offer. I’m just making the logical point that you can’t assume that the string theorists who say Woit’s ideas aren’t useful alternatives are actually incorrect about that, and are just saying that because they’re mad at him.
On this website I generally avoid discussion about wild and speculative ideas. I’ve put descriptions of supersymmetry and extra dimensions up because they are so popular and they get a lot of press; my readers want to know what they are about. But I tend to avoid explaining other ideas — even good ones — until they become experimentally relevant. I don’t see why the public should pay attention to the back and forth among theorists trying to guess what’s going on; almost all of those guesses, and possibly all of them, literally, will disappear over time. Theorists are very deeply confused about nature right now, and have been for about 15 years; and the only way to resolve those confusions is through experiments. That’s where my focus is, and I’d like to see more people focusing on that. Forget all these theories for now; the LHC is running, so let’s see what it has to say. The only thing we need from the theories right now is ideas of where to look in the data for signs of new phenomena, and methods for doing so more effectively. And that’s what a lot of young people in the field are working on; they get it.
dude | August 15, 2012 at 11:18 AM |
Such luxurious prizes are given to people who have done something that few others could do. Many of the recipients of the prize definitely answer to this criterion. Take any of them and imagine he did not exist, well, the world would look quite different 🙂
This is not true for hardcore higher-loop QCD computations. Somebody gotta do it, and if not them then somebody else would have stepped up.
Your last paragraph represents one of the most ignorant remarks to appear on this website in the year since it was founded. It’s precisely why prizes for people like the BlackHat developers are needed.
I have to follow-up on this one, it’s such a stupid remark. Why do you think the BlackHat people are some of the leaders in the field of calculations? Because they were smart enough to invent new methods! It’s not as though just anyone can do that — you need both the smarts of good theorists and the years of experience with calculations to recognize something clever that will actually work.
And it’s not an accident that the BlackHat founders are the same people who have made major contributions, while this has all been going on, to both our understanding of the maximally supersymmetric gauge theory and the maximally supersymmetric gravity theory, including ones that the Milner prize winners Maldacena and Arkani-Hamed have often referred to in their own work. To describe them as doing something that any random field theorist could do suggests (a) you’ve never met them, and (b) you have no idea what it takes to do a one-loop Standard Model computation.
Umesh | August 18, 2012 at 3:03 PM |
Excuse me Prof. Strassler, are you trying to imply that the people who perform ‘calculations’ and the ‘conceptual’ people, like Edward Witten are in any way at the same level? It’s simply impossible to imagine how our understanding of a vast array of topics would’ve been without Witten, or for that matter many of the prize winners. I am sorry, but whether one finds it convenient or not, whether one likes it or not, and with due respect to ‘the others’ in the field, it is just a fact that people like Witten are at another level, irreplaceable. They are much more then ‘just smart’.
Bernhard | August 16, 2012 at 7:37 AM |
People working with these computer programs are actually very much acknowledged for their work (just not by Milner, but he is not a scientist so who cares?) and the world would indeed look quite different if they didn’t exist. Can you imagine the world without Pythia? Without HERWIG? Remember, writing these programs is a bit of an art as well as result of years of theoretical research. They carry the imprint of their fathers. In fact last years Sakkurai prize went to Torbjörn Sjöstrand, and Bryan Webber, two giants of Monte Carlo generators. If you think anybody could do it, I suggest you look both e.g. the Pythia manual and source code, to just have an idea that what you are saying does not really make any sense (to be polite).
While I completely agree with this comment, I think the problem with it is that it doesn’t communicate across the knowledge barrier. Most string theorists think Pythia is just a silly computer program that simulates what any good theorist could do with a pen and paper. That’s because they don’t understand how much non-trivial physics insight goes into understanding the formation of jets (https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-known-apparently-elementary-particles/jets-the-manifestation-of-quarks-and-gluons/ ), or into the very observation that quantum mechanical processes in QCD can be simulated using a classical computer program, or into the observation that there are things about the proton that we can learn in one class of experiments and then apply in a completely different class. All of these are non-obvious facts about QCD that someone really smart had to prove. String theorists tend to assume that once you have the equations, the rest is just details; but almost none of them have actually read the very challenging and brilliant QCD literature from the 1970s and 1980s that made all of this stuff possible. Almost none of them are keeping up with the problem of multi-scale calculations, which is again an issue of fundamental theoretical importance in quantum field theory. And until very recently, almost none of them understood that the formation of jets is a problem in conformal field theory; this was well-known in some QCD circles (well, certainly I knew it, and I was on the borderline between the subfields) but I think Maldacena was the first string theorist to make it known to the string theory community.
That said, the very fact that a few people, like Maldacena, have tried to contribute some new insights to these hard problems shows that some of the smartest string theorists do recognize that the problems are both important and of general theoretical interest.
John McLaughlin | August 15, 2012 at 12:12 PM |
That was a great post Matt. Just wondering to what degree do you consider string theory to be a mathematical pursuit? It seems to me, naively I’m sure, that if you put hundreds of person-years of effort from some of the world’s most talented minds to work on any branch of mathematics then you would be left with some seriously powerful tools regardless of whether they apply directly to GUT physics. If so, it’s not a criticism or an endorsement as such.
Mathematicians and physicists are really quite different in the way they approach problems. Physics intuition and math intuition are quite different; so are standards for proof and conjecture.
So I think we should start with quantum field theory. Is it a mathematical pursuit? There are enormously wonderful things that were learned about electrons and real-world physics by studying Dirac’s equation for electrons in the presence of an electromagnetic field; wonderful things were also learned by mathematicians, but they were different things. Some of those mathematical results were also hugely important in physics, but it often required people who were expert in both (such as Witten) to make the connections.
String theory is the same. You’d never have gotten the Maldacena conjecture relating string theory to non-perturbative field theory from mathematicians; the whole question of relating the two arose from experiments done in the 1960s on hadrons, and from ‘t Hooft’s studies of webs of Feynman diagrams in the 1970s. And scattering processes, which are of huge interest to physicists since those are the types of experiments we often do, are not high on the list for study by mathematicians.
So it helps to have both mathematicians and physicists involved. Their work is complementary.
Vincent Sauvé | August 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM |
Since I haven’t said this yet, I want to let you know that I very much like your writing and your efforts to bring the public up on the latest thinking on particle physics and related theories. And I’m pleased to hear that you aren’t a cheer-leader for string theory, yet I would like to point out that inspiration that can lead to success or failure of something practical and truly useful can come from all kinds of sources, including drugs, God, and the belief that gold might be in that distant place. So let’s keep in mind that if we don’t poo-poo string theory because it can lead to something truly useful, how many other things shall we entertain as well? Something to ponder.
I hope your effort to seek a middle ground between the waring camps is not due to political pressure. That would be a shame and another sad example of the funding issues from a public based system where those who are most skilled at manipulating the body-politic with fancy graphic intensive imagery and silliness (as I’ve seen done on TV from a certain prominent string theorist) and of those in other fields like cosmology in manipulating the publics often wrong biases, get undue support.
Stephen | August 15, 2012 at 1:19 PM |
Leonard Susskind’s book The Black Hole War mentions String Theory’s value in that discussion. He also has mention of how a model of the Universe known not to match ours was used to shed light on the problem at hand. I’d really like for some sort of GUT or TOE to work. But wanting something isn’t quite the same has having something. It’s easy enough to believe that abstract math for it’s own sake is a waste of time, but there are so many examples of how it isn’t. And yet while it’s easy to imagine some bit of math with no possible practical consequences, it’s hard to prove…
Gastón E. Nusimovich | August 15, 2012 at 2:29 PM |
Susskind is one of the stars in the String Theory “Constellation”. One of his main subjects is black hole entropy and the hollographic principle. He has had a long held debate (from the early 1070s until 2008, I think) with Stephen Hawking regarding what happens with the information of all the matter within a black hole when the black hole vanishes.
Close to the event horizon of a black hole, pairs of virtual particles that result from field fluctuactions become real particles as gravity from the black hole separates them enough, Antiparticles that are swallowed annihilate with a corresponding particle within the black hole, so, it eventually vanishes.
Hawking maintained that the information is lost, while Susskind maintained that that idea is against the principle that information cannot be destroyed: it can be twisted, warped, transformed, but never destroyed.
It was Maldacena that presented a compelling and robust argument that validated Susskind’s idea. Both Susskind’s and Maldacena’s concepts and formulas are deeply ingrained in String Theory.
So, String Theory has provided with tools and solutions for many problems in Physics.
Regarding abstract math, or pure math, by no means it is useless, or a waste of time. We should contemplate some of the ideas from Godfrey H. Hardy in his book “A Mathematician’s Apology” in relation to the importance of this subject matter.
We should also contemplate that when Einstein was trying to find out the proper equations for the warping of space-time, he eventually bumped into non euclidean geometries, and GR became the first “practical” use of that part of math, so, up until then, it was “pointless” theoretical stuff.
Dilaton | August 15, 2012 at 1:32 PM |
Dear Prof Strassler, I like it how you take out the ball in this article 🙂
What did you mean by saying that maybe you dont survive long enough to write another article ? I hope you are ok …
It is awsome how these new methods to calculate scattering amplitudes are successfully applied to obtain better results from the LHC.
check out Woit’s website today.
Aah, ok I can guess …
Maybe I will scroll through but not look at it too detailed since I have sworn by myself to avoid looking at the dark side of the blogosphere. But I can still read your latest trigger article to calm down and make me happy again afterwards 🙂
Yes, as usual he’s distorting things and making himself look important — as though everything I write has to do specifically with him, rather than with those of my scientific colleagues who happen to share more of his views than I do.
Now I have seen enough over there 😉
Everybody can plainly see who is a serious and reasonable person from comparing this site and the other blog …
This nice article hopefully helps calm things down a little bit !
Maybe he feels picked because he has a bad conscience (without admitting it) and he should !!!
That seems very unlikely to me.
Yes, my comment was not quite appropriate …
I rather meant he felt urged to post a rant against you on his blog because he knows very well what he is doing (wrong?).
What is amusing is that when coming to comment here, Dr. Woit always pretends to be a completely innocent good fellow wrongly accused of doing bad things; he just wants to help and provide useful links etc … Your crocodile’s tears response was so accurate, it made me LOL 😀
BTW, Dr. Woit should accuse and rant against ME (and not you) because I brought the issue of his spreading wrong, misleading, and dishonest comments in Nature up here … 😛
I think you have a large amount of readers who like this site and your good work, they certainly see at a glimpse that YOU are the one who is a honest and serious scientist who does things right and NOT Dr. Woit … 😉
john mcAllison | August 15, 2012 at 4:08 PM |
What’s wrong with the article on Woit’s site?
For ignorant impartial people like me, I think Woit’s site is balanced and fair just like his book, despite being titled “Not Even Wrong”. He even links to one string blog in particular, despite the author there having some sort of unbalanced hatred towards Mr Woit which only adds to my perception that the string community might be a little unhinged, desperate and comical even. To me, the article looks fair and presents you as someone who is fair and balanced and can see the whole picture.
The physics community is a dynamic social organism and will therefore automatically allocate resources to those disciplines that are more deserving than others for its progress, and not because of one book or blog someone has written, despite its effects.
“Woit’s site is balanced and fair just like his book”
LOL, is this a joke 😀 ?
It cant be serious …
paddy | August 16, 2012 at 3:57 PM |
Distortion, like beauty, is in the mind of the beholder. If I said anything more I would be certain this post is deleted.
I don’t delete posts unless they are mean-spirited, inaccurate on the science, or bothering my readers with incessant clutter. A statement like yours, with no discussion of who you are (i.e., what you think is distorted, why you think so, what your background is) does nothing for anyone.
Okay then. I am not an expert in any way on qft..many decades since studied it…so many decades that ST was only being whispered about when I was a graduate student. So, though a working physicist, I can only say what my perception as far as hep-th is: a healthy skepticism of anything beond the SM is indeed called for. If you wish to paint PW’s skepticism as “unhealthy” or in your words (perhaps I misunderstood) as “distorting”, then that is indeed your right..but I will view it as only your subjective opinion.
Not only am I not going to delete your question, I’m going to answer it in great detail; it’s an excellent question. And indeed, the very distortion I’m referring to relates to the fact that you got the impression (presumably from PW — certainly not from me!) that I myself have no skepticism in the matter — and that others of my colleagues are not skeptical of there being anything beyond the Standard Model accessible at the LHC.
I invite you to look around this website and find, anywhere, an indication that I do not have such a healthy skepticism. You will nowhere find me promoting a particular theory or point of view on the matter; I just describe the most popular theories, so that my readers can understand what they are. You can attend one of my public talks, or one of the colloquia I give at physics departments, where I always state very clearly that the naturalness problem is not necessarily a problem that must be solved by nature, just a puzzle for physicists. You can listen to what I had to say at the SEARCH workshop, where I stated very clearly that naturalness as a criterion for distrusting the Standard Model came into serious question in the late 90s, with the discovery of the cosmological constant, https://profmattstrassler.com/2012/05/04/search-workshop-panel-discussion-on-lhc-posted-online/ .
Moreover, as is emphasized by all my best theory colleagues whenever they give lectures to students, the Standard Model has huge advantages that none of the other theories have. I believe I quote my colleague Nima Arkani-Hamed correctly (or maybe it was me, or both of us) saying “The real problem is that all BSM theories suck.” BSM means “beyond-the-Standard-Model”. The Standard Model has no significant violation of baryon number or lepton number automatically; it automatically has no large flavor-changing neutral currents; and so on. Every popular BSM theory has a problem avoiding these things — every one. And every good and honest theorist knows this. In each case there are solutions, but they aren’t that pretty. It’s darn good reason for skepticism.
But you also have to understand just what a spectacular conundrum it is if the Standard Model is correct at LHC energies. Keep in mind that the Standard Model has more than a dozen parameters that just go in by hand (masses and interaction strengths) not to mention that there’s no explanation for the matter content — why three generations and not eight? why three forces and not six? why one Higgs and not seventeen? It doesn’t explain why there’s no violation of the CP symmetry in the strong interactions; it doesn’t explain the scale of neutrino masses; and it doesn’t explain why there’s dark matter and a cosmological constant. It’s certainly not a complete theory. So there’s certainly something more out there. We are all hoping the LHC will tell us something about these mysteries, but we all know it may not. And we say so in public, and to our students; no one is keeping secrets here.
And then there’s the naturalness “problem”, or “conundrum”, or “puzzle”. You can see how I addressed this in my talk at the Orsay Higgs workshop, http://indico2.lal.in2p3.fr/indico/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=1747; it’s a huge mystery, and there are many possibilities as to what it means. The point is that we have no examples (as far as I am aware) in nature of a spin-zero particle that interacts as strongly as the Higgs does and is also much lighter than the scale of any other new phenomena, just by accident. That includes many, many examples in condensed matter, which uses the same quantum field theory techniques and does not see this kind of thing happen on a regular basis. And so we are left wondering why the Standard Model is the unique theory in nature that has this property. It could be for many reasons, including ones we haven’t thought of. But we want to know what the right reason is, not guess it.
So here we are: damned if we do, and damned if we don’t. If the Standard Model is wrong, we have to find out exactly how it’s wrong before we can proceed further. If the Standard Model is right (at least at LHC energies), it poses a huge conceptual puzzle and leaves open dozens of scientific questions for which we have no immediate tools to address. Either way, we must get as much information as we possibly can from the experiments we have, in order to distinguish these two possibilities.
The point of the LHC — yes? — is first to find at least one Higgs particle (done! [probably]) and then, second, to test experimentally whether there is or is not something beyond the Standard Model. It doesn’t matter what any theorist thinks; it matters that we do a very careful search of the data at the LHC, and get every ounce of information out of the LHC data — even if the information that we obtain is that, to the highest possible precision we can muster, the Standard Model describes everything in the LHC data. I don’t care whether the Standard Model is right or wrong — both situations would be fascinating — but I do care that we draw the correct conclusions from LHC data, and not jump to the wrong ones before all the information is in.
And that’s why the advances that BlackHat and its competitors bring to the table are so important. The improvements in these calculations are like putting better glasses on; you can see much more detail and notice things that you would otherwise have missed — or be more certain that nothing’s there. So in that sense, BlackHat et al. are a big help, no matter what your opinion is about whether the Standard Model is right or wrong, and no matter whether it really is right or wrong.
So I don’t view PW’s skepticism about whether there is anything beyond the Standard Model as unhealthy; I share it, and so do many of my colleagues who are criticized when their remarks are taken out of context by people who don’t actually follow the details of what the experts really believe. What’s problematic is the way PW expresses his skepticism — and the way he gives the impression that all theorists like me are true-believers in some LHC-accessible beyond-the-Standard-Model physics, which isn’t true at all — that’s distortion. And again, what I believe is of absolutely no importance; what is of importance is what nature is doing, and the only way to find out is to scour the LHC data as carefully as possible for anything that doesn’t agree with the Standard Model, so that if nothing is found, we know we didn’t overlook something.
And if, after the LHC, the Standard Model appears to be correct, then (without forgetting that no experiment can ever give us 100% certainty about any theory’s correctness) we’ll proceed from there to try to solve the Standard Model’s puzzles in whatever ways we can think of.
bobathon (@bobathon) | August 15, 2012 at 2:42 PM |
I agree that it makes no sense to criticise Milner’s prize on the basis of it being awarded to string theory. It’s unfortunate that critics have taken this route, because it undermines the legitimate criticisms that can be levelled against the prize.
As it stands, would it be fair to characterise it as the award of a very large amount of money at the whim of a wealthy individual?
Milner may have more appreciation of physics than the average man in the street, and he may have more big cheese physics friends, but if the ultimate decision is the opinion of a lay individual who happens to have some cash, then that’s a problem. What anyone thinks of whoever ended up getting it is a side show. The more important issue is that it can’t be healthy for the scientific community to embrace a prize like this.
Perhaps the unfortunate nature of the side show is a reflection of that.
Googling around, I found out that Milner studied theoretical physics at Moscow State University.
It even mentions that he was a candidate for a doctorate in particle physics, but I could not find whether or not he was awarded his PhD.
I could not find anything regarding postdoc studies either.
So, it turns out that Milner knows a lot more about particle physics than your average Joe, but he is not an expert on the subject matter.
piscator | August 15, 2012 at 4:43 PM |
One comment. It’s not said directly, but there is an implication that the relative absence of Standard Model theory in the US is down to string theory, or rather political control by string theorists. However there has been a significant amount of phenomenology hiring for quite a while, and almost no string hiring for a few years. What is striking though is how little of the pheno hiring is SM theory – its almost all BSM, or dark matter, or model building. So I think the relative absence of SM theory in the US – which is almost total if you consider the `top’ universities – has deeper roots than just string theory.
Bob | August 15, 2012 at 5:07 PM |
“A pause from the usual stuff for a necessary reminder: please keep the comments of a non-personal nature. Talk about the science; if someone makes a mistake, say so, but don’t attack their personalities and intelligence.” I don’t think all the comments today meet this standard.
Sigh… perhaps you are right. I find it very hard to stay at a high standard when my views are so regularly being willfully distorted for someone else’s purposes. But I will keep trying.
Bob | August 16, 2012 at 11:10 AM |
I wasn’t just referring to your comments. There were others!
Dilaton | August 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM |
Yep, I often get too upset when I see bad things happen …
But it is Prof. Strassler s right and even his duty to defend himself if what he says and thinks gets that brutally distorted by others who do not know what fair play is … !
Dilaton, calm down. Bob is right. One has to keep focused on the content; that’s what integrity is about.
Bob | August 16, 2012 at 12:18 PM |
It’s not just about integrity. You are more likely to win the battle of ideas if you keep the personal stuff out of the discussion.
I think it is the same thing, in the end. Because scientific integrity requires that the discussion remain focused on the facts of the matter. If you have a really good scientific argument, you shouldn’t have to insult other people and twist the facts in order to make your point. Although I know this, still, I have my weaknesses, especially when I see others who I believe to be violating these very same principles of scientific integrity, and not only getting away with it but prospering. The level of unfairness that one has to accept as a necessary price of trying to set the record straight is very high, and I find it difficult to handle.
Since a real powerful referee who dishes out the red cards appropriately is missing, the bad guys who do not respect any fairness or scientific integrity will always get away with it and the number of people who even cheer them up seems to increase.
They are so much louder, stronger, more powerful, and forcefully determined to make themself widely heared and attain their destructive goals by any means that reasonable and balanced people, who try to keep up high (scientific) standards and calm things down to a middle ground, are just blown away by the brutality of the bad guys.
The biggest loser in such unfair games is science of course, which is a very very sad thing 😦
But so may it be, it seems nothing can be done about it.
It’s of course just as bad in American political life, and surrounding the issue of climate change. And of course those are much more serious. But sadly similar. There’s nothing to do but keep to the high middle ground and hope the ocean doesn’t keep rising.
Yeah, it is not that important and maybe I should turn my attention and interest to something else than particle physics / cosmology / fundamental physics and the like. It is too painful to observe how it gets destroyed.
I have no hope that the ocean does not rise, things have gone way too far …
Now, now, it’s not THAT bad. Some parts of this field will certainly survive, and probably thrive, no matter what happens.
Markus Harder | August 15, 2012 at 5:08 PM |
Matt states that “our theoretical LHC research is now spread very thin” – in the sense (as I understat him) that the LHC experiments produce a hugge amount of data, but there appear to be (too) few theorists to make sense of these data in terms of new theories / ideas. While I personally cannot judge the situation, for the moment I believe Matt´s statement be reasonable.
Educating new theorists, even if possible, is a matter of several years (or even decades for experienced scientists), so there is no short-term solution if this is the bottleneck.
So, isn´t it then more important to store as much of the LHC experimental data such that they can be used by a future generation of scientists? I am thinking of the “parking lot” for data that Matt described on another page a few days ago. “Parking” the data may not only be necessary because the computer power is currently not sufficient to process all the data in real-time, but also because the human power to analyze the data and draw conclusions still may need to be developed / expanded.
Well, unfortunately we don’t have that kind of time. If new phenomena are detectable in the data that are collected in 2015-2016, but nobody finds them until 2030, a decision may be taken meanwhile not to build another high-energy accelerator beyond the LHC. The potential loss of massive amounts of engineering knowledge and skilled employees in the intervening 15 years may make the next accelerator nearly impossible to build with the kind of reliability that a machine like the LHC requires. This kind of technology loss has happened before in history, and particle accelerators are very vulnerable to it right now. This is part of why I’m working full-time on LHC physics and have dropped all of my other research work.
Oaktree (@Oaktree_) | August 15, 2012 at 8:49 PM |
Q1. Which is valid, a) if we are to duplicate the conditions at the Big Bang ( t = 0 ) in order the to “see” the fundamental field (“Z” particle) we will need to have all the energy at one point, zero space (zero time?), impossible, so we will never be able to “see” the characteristics of the initial field, or
b) the conservation laws could be a “hocus pocus” theory which although seems valid today may not have been in the infant universe. i.e. the physics may not be invariant.
Q2. Would a homogeneous universe, inflation, have field (s) with ripples or without ripples? Do fields create ripples or did ripples create fields which created more ripples which created more field and so on?
Xezlec | August 16, 2012 at 12:11 AM |
I love it when someone says something calm, reasonable and level-headed about something that matters. It happens so rarely. Thanks for the great read.
Rune Kyrkjebø | August 16, 2012 at 4:46 AM |
Well said. Same from me.
thetasteofscience | August 16, 2012 at 12:38 AM |
This was really an important post for me. I read the article in May’s Scientific American by chance and realized its importance. But you have presented such interesting information on the way the BlackHat group used Witten’s ideas about Twistor space. (I have downloaded his article but doubt that I will be able to understand it.)
Not working anything like full time in Physics, I barely have time to read your posts much less the articles I download as a result of reading them. I did read Woit’s book “Not Even Wrong” a couple of years ago and was biased as a result of that about String Theory and it’s lack of ability to predict testable results. However, the use of Witten’s string theory work to produce the BlackHat program really makes that idea dated.
ba | August 16, 2012 at 3:09 AM |
Having worked on both N=4 SYM and QCD calculations, I think that the benefit of string theory to QCD calculations is somewhat overhyped. While the BCF paper has been inspirational, the revolution came due to the Ossola, Papadopoulos, Pittau method. If one is honest, they deserve 80% of the credit for all the wonderful things that happened in calculating one-loop amplitudes. The OPP paper was based on another very beautiful paper which had done nothing to do with string theory, but involved a model builder, by del Aguila and Pittau.
Another forgotten aspect due to this hype, which is rather annoying for those of us thinking that most of the times inventing methods directly for QCD calculations is much more motivated rather working on N=4 SYM and string theory, is that progress in N=4 SYM in the last 10 years is also very much due to the calculation methods developed in the QCD side for multi-loop amplitudes as well as the excellent understanding of QCD factorization.
Luckily, the best string theorists appreciate very much these QCD contributions. Unfortunately, they are not always heard loudly. I think that there is room for everyone to work on what they are attracted to the most
and the field(s) would be much better off with a little bit less of arrogance from the string theory side.
Babis — thanks for your comments. Since you’re one of the world’s experts on this subject, I’m obviously not going to argue with your interpretation. And I do know that the OPP paper was a very important contribution.
My own understanding of the relative importance of different advances (BCF vs. OPP in particular) is shaped in part by my conversations with the BlackHat experts, and they tend to emphasize BCF a bit more than OPP in their talks and in their Scientific American article. I also checked with them to be sure that I was not misrepresenting them or their views before I put out the article. So it may be that you and they have slightly different views of the relative importance of BCF, or that I misrepresented their views by not emphasizing OPP’s role strongly enough; I’m not sure.
The point of my article, of course, was not to weigh the relative contributions, but to point out that string theory in this case made an indirect but non-trivial absolute contribution to something that actually matters to physics. In doing so I was trying, as I’m sure you understood, to chart some middle ground. I was careful not to say that BlackHat comes entirely or largely from string theory (and of course it does not). You can see that on the 2nd slide I quoted from Zvi’s talk: the BCF advance is mentioned on one line on the second slide, but there are several other lines, including one that emphasizes the OPP paper, and none of them involve string theory directly.
Of course one other thing I didn’t mention is that it was the recognition that string theory calculations [combined with what we now call twistor methods, and were then called spinor-helicity methods] could give simple(r) methods for computing QCD amplitudes that got Bern and Kosower, and then Dixon, into this business in the first place back in the 90s. (And of course their work in turn inspired my Ph.D. thesis, which is itself an application of string theory-like methods to field theory.)
I’m not sure I entirely understand precisely what you’re referring to in the second paragraph. If you don’t want to go into it here in detail, perhaps at some point you could send me an email explaining what you meant… no rush. In future I may turn to this subject as well, so I’d like to make sure I’m educated properly.
Sammy | August 16, 2012 at 9:49 AM |
Does BlackHat get the observed g-2 for the muon?
Is this a question you’re just pulling out of the sky, based on something you’ve read? Or are you in a position to understand, at an expert level, what it takes to calculate and measure g-2?
Sammy | August 16, 2012 at 10:51 AM |
Yes I can calculate g-2 for a spin 1/2 fermion, at least to leading order, without looking in a book, and I understand how g-2 was originally measured for electrons. I don’t know how the measurement is made for a muon. So no, I’m no expert. Sorry to trouble you, it won’t happen again.
Sorry, I was just trying to understand what level I should answer you at. It’s hard to guess that sometimes from what people write. It’s much better if you provide me with more context, since I have a very diverse readership. A single line question could be serious or a joke, could be from an expert who already knows the answer and is testing me or could be from a novice who doesn’t understand the question, could hide an agenda, etc. I have no idea how to answer a comment like that. You have to give me more context, otherwise it is easy for me to misunderstand what you’re getting at.
If you are expert enough to calculate leading-order corrections in Quantum Field Theory, then you probably know that there are various subtleties in the muon’s g-2, and that there was a whole controversy about previous calculations, including a sign eerror, and that also there are non-perturbative contributions that have to be added in. So g-2 for the muon, at the current level of precision, is quite a messy story, and I’m not expert enough to update you on the situation. But I don’t believe the BlackHat authors are planning to get into that mess right now; they are working mainly on one-loop calculations with many particles in the final state, which are the most important for a diverse range of measurements at the LHC.
Sammy | August 16, 2012 at 12:20 PM |
I was striving for brevity. Your gracious explanation is unreservedly accepted and your further comments are very interesting.
Thilo | August 16, 2012 at 5:28 PM |
Nice article, gives insight into the string theory “wars”.
However, one issue: the Scientific American article you’ve linked is behind a paywall.
Yep, nothing I can do about that.
DarkHalo | August 16, 2012 at 8:40 PM |
Matt, is there a prominent calculation of a fairly clean, `standard candle’ final state that Blackhat gets right but that is extremely messy with Feynman Diagrams?
Hmmm. I’m not sure what you’re really wanting here. I think probably the best answer is to look at the talk I referenced by Bern
http://www.int.washington.edu/talks/WorkShops/int_11_3/People/Bern_Z/Bern.pdf
and look at page 9, which shows a whole set of calculations, some of which [in blue] were done with Feynman diagrams (and they’re all messy, but people wade through them) and some [in red] with the unitarity-based methods of Bern, Kosower, Dunbar and Dixon. Then look at page 13, which shows the ones done specifically by BlackHat. [Each of these calculations takes a long while to put together.] Now the question is whether you view Z + 3 jets as a clean standard candle. I would say it is, if the Z decays to leptons; there’s not that much top background if you make some other requirements. But the most data is obtained for W + jets; see page 32 of Bern’s talk. There’s more in later pages worth reading.
The calculation of W + 4 jets and Z + 4 jets is the most complicated calculation so far, as far as I am aware. That makes BlackHat a current leader, though I’m not expert enough to know where the Feynman diagram folks are in their calculations right now.
Klaus Lange | August 17, 2012 at 7:02 AM |
Prof. Strasslers point gots strong support of the scientific american article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=search-for-new-physics
zephirawt | August 17, 2012 at 7:21 AM |
String theory can never lead into testable prediction, because it considers extradimensions and Lorentz symmetry, whereas the extradimensions will manifest itself just with Lorentz symmetry violation. http://aetherwavetheory.blogspot.cz/2009/02/consistence-problem-of-string-theory.html
Matt Strassler | August 17, 2012 at 8:59 AM |
That’s simply false.
zephirawt | August 17, 2012 at 10:28 AM |
See the answer to the question just below yours. 1. Not only is string theory testable in principle, particular realizations of it (not very plausible, but certainly possible) have been tested at the LHC already. 2. And your statement that extra dimensions necessarily violate Lorentz symmetry is wrong; Kaluza and Klein, who introduced the possibility of extra dimensions many many decades ago (long before string theory) were not idiots, nor was Einstein when he built upon their work in his attempt to build a unified field theory over the last decades of his life. 3. Furthermore (though this is a point which often gets lost in the hullabaloo about string theory) string theory DOES predict that there must exist a huge number of massive particles, such as might arise in an extra dimensional theory, but it DOES NOT strictly predict that those particles must arise from geometrically meaningful extra dimensions. I’m not saying anything new or radical; there was a whole program of study in the early 1990s that people seem to forget to mention: see for example these lectures by Joe Lykken, http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/9511456 . In these versions of string theory — still the same classic string theory that everyone from Ed Witten to Brian Greene loves dearly, and the one other people detest — the role of the extra dimensions is played by some other non-geometric effect, so there’s always something extraneous that you have to add in; but it is not something that has a nice geometric interpretation, so you can’t argue that somehow it’s the extra dimensions in string theory that are its downfall… that makes no sense.
Some of us in this discussion thread are just curious laypersons that care to know a little bit more about these fascinating subjects. As such, we are not very capable of understanding many of the aspects casually mentioned in the thread by others.
I wonder if Prof. Strassler, or any other could give us some “layperson-friendly” brief description of what is meant by “String theory can never lead into testable prediction”, as it is one of the themes under discussion (whether or not that is proper to say).
Well, unfortunately the statement by zephirawt is simply false; “Lorentz symmetry” is Einstein’s special relativity, and extra dimensions do not, contrary to zephirawt’s statement, lead to Lorentz violation; that’s why Einstein spent many years considering extra dimensional theories as unified theories — his hoped for “theory of `everything’ ” — in the late part of his life.
And it is not true that string theory can “never” lead into testable predictions. In fact, it already has made testable predictions, in the case where there are strings and extra dimensions as large as 10^-18 centimeters in size. That’s not what most people were expecting from string theory, but it was possible in principle. Indeed my Rutgers colleague Scott Thomas recognized that looking for strings was one of the things that could be done very, very early in LHC data, and that’s why, if you look at http://arxiv.org/pdf/1010.0203v2.pdf page 3, you’ll see experimental data testing string theory, based on his predictions (which unfortunately are unpublished). The green dashed lines on the plot are string theory predictions; the fact that the data (dots) shows nothing similar falsifies the idea that there are strings as large as 10^-18 centimeters in size. So that idea — that there are strings of such a size — is wrong, but certainly not untestable. The problem is that the idea wasn’t that plausible in the first place, so most people don’t make a big deal out of it. But it does falsify the statement that all versions of string theory are ***in principle*** untestable.
What cannot be tested now (but certainly not “never”) is the more popular (but not necessarily correct, of course) idea that all the particles of nature are really strings, but that these strings are only 10^(-33) centimeters in size. That is far too small a size to be measured in an accelerator. If we are to observe these strings someday, directly or through some indirect effects, it will have to be with a method that no one has yet invented. But “never” is a long time, and I’m sure Newton didn’t imagine we’d someday have the internet.
Matt, thanks a lot for the swift and concise answer.
Now, regarding extra-dimensional theories, the usual argument against them that I have read about is that if they exist in nature, experimental data of certain physical magnitudes would not match the values of predictions by current (non extra-dimensional) theories, as part of the value of a given magnitude would “leak into” an undetected dimension and we would observe “missing” data.
Is this what dimension compaction in String Theories tries to address? extra dimensions are so compacted and thus so small, that we are not able to meassure with enough precision the “leakage” of values that actually exist?
To me, such an answer does not seat well with Mach’s phenomenalism concept.
Could you please, Matt, elaborate a little bit how do you see this.
This is a very complicated story, because there are many different ways that extra dimensions could be present in nature. I’d have to go through all of the options very carefully and explain the pros and cons of each one. The argument you have read is not appropriate for many of those options. I have gone through a few cases in my Extra Dimensions articles, https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/some-speculative-theoretical-ideas-for-the-lhc/extra-dimensions/ and the pages below that one, but I haven’t had time to complete them — partly because it is such a long and complicated story.
Furthermore, for each option, it usually doesn’t involve an argument about “yes they exist” or “no they don’t exist”. Experiment generally can only say “extra dimensions of a particular class cannot be larger than such-and-such a size.” That’s not “yes” or “no”; it’s merely “definitely not larger than this-big, but still possibly smaller than that.” And that’s always what experiment does for you. We all want yes-no answers, but science rarely provides such crisp knowledge.
It should be emphasized that it is not string theory which introduced the well-motivated idea of extra dimensions into physics; it was Kaluza and Klein, many decades ago, and then Einstein followed these ideas for many years in the later part of his life. And yes, Kaluza and Klein (and Einstein) had the idea that these extra dimensions were finite in extent (which is what string theorists call compactification.) A finite extra dimension leads to a prediction that for those fields that can extend into the extra dimension, which means the field’s corresponding particles can therefore travel in the extra dimension, the field’s particles, from the point of view of the dimensions we know, will also have partner particles, called Kaluza-Klein partners, that are heavy; the smaller the extent of the dimension, the heavier are the particles. https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/some-speculative-theoretical-ideas-for-the-lhc/extra-dimensions/how-to-look-for-signs-of-extra-dimensions/
We’ve never observed Kaluza-Klein partners for any of the known particles, and that puts some constraints on how big extra dimensions can be. But there are subtleties in that remark, because some fields and their particles might be stuck to the side of an extra dimension, while others could travel freely, and only the latter would exhibit such partners. https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/some-speculative-theoretical-ideas-for-the-lhc/extra-dimensions/how-to-look-for-signs-of-extra-dimensions/how-big-could-an-extra-dimension-be/
The one other crisp statement is that if there were huge extra dimensions that were just like the ones we know (i.e., “flat”), but we somehow were unable to see them because our bodies and photons were trapped in a three-dimensional subspace of a more-dimensional space — like an worm trapped between two panes of glass — then Newton’s law of gravity would be proportional to 1/(distance)^3, or 1/(distance)^4, or more generally 1/(distance)^(2+n), where n is the number of the very large extra dimensions. Since Newton’s law is 1/(distance)^2, we know that n=0; there are no huge flat extra dimensions that we just can’t (literally) detect directly with our senses or with any instruments made from ordinary matter. https://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/some-speculative-theoretical-ideas-for-the-lhc/extra-dimensions/how-to-look-for-signs-of-extra-dimensions/extra-dimensions-newtons-gravity/
/* extra dimensions do not, contrary to zephirawt’s statement, lead to Lorentz violation */
Not necessarily but after then they would remain unobservable. Look, I’m just explaining, why string theory leads into fuzzy landscape of solutions instead of single testable predictions, which is already accepted fact even with most of string theorists.
/* it already has made testable predictions, in the case where there are strings and extra dimensions as large as 10^-18 centimeters in size */
In string theory some of these extradimensions should be apparent even at micrometer or millimetre scale (actually you can choose whatever distance scale you want, it will already fit some ST solution). The experimental tests failed many times. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=string-theorys-extra-dime
“In string theory some of these extra dimensions should be apparent even at micrometer or millimeter scale”. False. Simply false. How can you possibly make such a statement? Defend it scientifically.
“Theorists believe that these extra dimensions are curled up into small spaces, and it has been suggested that they may generate forces with strengths comparable to gravity over distances of about 0.1 mm.”
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2003/feb/27/no-sign-yet-of-extra-dimensions
peer-reviewed source http://www.nature.com/nature/links/030227/030227-6.html
It’s one hundred of microns, man…
Again, you are misinterpreting. First, your statement about hundreds of microns ruling out extra dimensions would have been wrong in 1998. That is why the Arkani-Hamed, Dimpopoulos, and Dvali paper was written – to point out that no experiment rules out this possibility. Today, thanks to great work by experimenters, we jnow that extra dimensions of this particular class much be smaller than a few microns (I don’t have the number). Smaller than that? There is NO experimental bound.
Second, not even the theorists who were behind this work were saying that string theory (or any other theory) predicted extra dimensions MUST be so large. Only that experimentally, back in 1998, they *could* be so large. And now we know they must be smaller… but atomicsize would be fine, as far as experiment is concerned. Maybe you ought to read my many articles about extra dimensions on this website; you will see the focus is on what we do and don’t know experimentally, not on what theorists do or don’t think.-
Try to object it, after then
“In theories with extra dimensions it is well known that the Lorentz invariance of the $D=4+n$-dimensional spacetime is lost due to the compactified nature of the $n$ dimensions leaving invariance only in 4d”.
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/0506056
I’d like hear your opinion in this matter…
You are completely missing the point. Measurements done at long distances compared to the size of the extra dimensions will show no measurably-large violations of Lorentz invariance. There may not be any extra dimensions in nature, but Kaluza, Klein, Einstein, and the generations of physicists who have considered this possibility are not a bunch of idiots.
Professor Strassler has spoken quite clearly & @ length about all these issues, and he has been fair and balanced in his treatment of all theories under discussion in this thread (so, let´s cut the crap, will ya?)
Factual sciences like Physics do operate with rules and regulations that are not in line with the rules of things like democracies, where the latter care about the opinions of the majorities (or the opinions of the ruling faction!).
Factual sciences only care about the actual facts!
That being said, let’s get back to the facts, and the theories that are strongly supported by them!
/* .. but Kaluza, Klein, Einstein, and the generations of physicists who have considered this possibility are not a bunch of idiots.. */
This is not scientific argument. My non-scientific argument is, these generations of physicists are indeed bunch of idiots, because the Lorentz violation is observable at the case of every gravitational lensing and every force, which is violating inverse square law is the evidence of extradimensions (Cassimir force, dipole forces, Van derWaals forces, brute force..) – but it’s not considered a scientific argument… yet. But it’s still logical argument.
Read the ArkaniHamed, Dimopoulos and Dvali paper, and the experimental papers by Adelberger et al., carefully. You will see your statements are wrong. I am making no claims here about *theory* — I personally don’t care whether string theory is right or wrong — but I do care very much that you not mislead my readers about the facts. And the fact is that from *experiment*, there are no limits on extra dimensions involving ordinary matter (electrons, photons, etcetera) below about 10^-18 meters, and involving gravitons below about 10^-6 meters. But don’t take my word for it. Alan Kostelecky is one of the world’s leading experts on violations of Lorentz Invariance; he’s written dozens of papers and review articles on the subject. Or Andy Cohen at Boston University. Ask them if extra dimensions smaller than the distances I just mentioned lead to measurable Lorentz Invariance violation. I don’t know where you got these mistaken ideas, but these are very easy things to check with a simple pad of paper and a wave equation.
zephirawt | August 17, 2012 at 2:49 PM |
/*…but Kaluza, Klein, Einstein, .. ArkaniHamed, Dimopoulos Dvali paper, delberger, Alan Kostelecky is one of the world’s leading experts..*/
This is not famous naming contest. With full respect to You and all these ultrasmart guys, we should focus to problem from its fundamental physical and geometrical perspective. The complex thinking is rather obstacle of further progress here.
/* .. I don’t know where you got these mistaken ideas.. */
Dense aether theory models 4D space-time foam with water surface, the 2D water surface serves as an analogy of 3D space, the remaining direction is the analogy of time dimension. The transverse waves are serving as an analogy of light waves, they’re spreading in background independent way, i.e. in relativistic Lorentz invariant way just and only at the case, when they don’t interact with anything from underwater, i.e. with anything from third dimension. So we can see clearly with this analogy, that the Lorentz invariance is geometrically inconsistent with concept of extra-dimensions. Now please accept my apology, as I cannot follow the further discussion here during weekend.
Allen | August 18, 2012 at 12:48 AM |
“This is not famous naming contest.”
But have you read the papers?
SK | August 17, 2012 at 5:14 PM |
Professor Strassler,
I read with interest your point of view and I respectfully disagree.
While, others have made significant progress in string theory and phenomenology, I think Milner made a very informed choice. One could argue endlessly about all the people(and projects) who did not get the high profile prizes, e.g Freeman Dyson, Rosalind Franklin or Gandhi to name a few. Of course, there are only finite number of prizes and there is bound to be some notable omissions.
Also, different people may have a different point of view on what or whose work is more important. Sure, the contributions of BCF is quite important and in a world where science is more appreciated, they deserve significant recognition too. However, Milner’s emphasis was on a “body of work”
and it seems to me to be an excellent criteria for an award. Surely, no sane person would argue that the body of work of B,C, or F is larger than Maldacena, Guth, Sen etc.
Also finally, there is no apriori reason that all the awards in the world should be based on experimental contacts. I think raising the profile of fundamental physics and honoring some of the important physicists is an incredibly worthy project. Afterall, there are no laws of physics that says that all physicists have to be poor. For this Milner should be lauded rather than be criticized for things that he was not able to do.
martenvandijk | August 18, 2012 at 10:12 AM |
How many dimensions has the slighttest of fluctuations?
This is really interesting and fundamental question, how to define the dimensionality of observable objects. It’s question for geometers. What we already know is, the empty free flat space is just three-dimensional. If we can see something in it (even the subtlest lensing), it cannot be three-dimensional anymore (and the first additional dimension belongs to time dimension according to relativity). But even such a subtle fluctuation (a let say Gaussian blob) hides an infinite number of higher derivations in itself. From practical purposes it would be necessary to define effective dimensionality of objects or something similar.
Andrew | August 19, 2012 at 7:41 PM |
I know it’s a waste of my time to say this, but these comments don’t mean anything and I feel the need to point this out.
‘How many dimensions has the slighttest of fluctuations?’
I cannot make sense of this statement. First off in one short sentence you have both a misspelling and a verb conjugation error–I am immediately less likely to trust you when I see you haven’t proofread a 1 sentence comment. But as for the physics: fluctuations of what? Of the metric or some bulk field? Of standard model fields? Also what are you looking for as an answer to this question? We have observed exactly 3 spatial dimensions and 1 time dimension, so obviously any number other than than 4 would be part of speculative beyond standard model physics. And in that case the number of dimensions depends on the model you are considering, and on what kinds of field fluctuations you are interested in.
” If we can see something in it (even the subtlest lensing), it cannot be three-dimensional anymore”
Why not? You could presumably see me if we were in the same physical space, and I’m pretty confident of my own three-dimensionality.
/*@Andrew ..fluctuation of what..??*/
It doesn’t matter here. If you can detect some minute gravitational lensing or just one photon of CMBR radiation, then it’s evident, the space is not three-dimensional anymore. Only flat 3D space mediates the light in invariant speed. If we can see some lensing, then it’s evident, that this speed is not invariant anymore, because some refraction has taken place.
Disclaimer: Yes, I’m fully aware of fact, that the general relativity theory considers such an anomaly as a space curvature, not the sign of extradimensions. I’m aware, that from geometric perspective these objects are still just 3D objects, but this perspective is not consistent.
Hal Swyers | August 18, 2012 at 12:25 PM |
This discussion highlights that modern physics has moved from its base of trying to understand the natural world to one of pure computational morass. If someone is a leading expert in computing higher order corrections of some particle interaction, good on them, but what makes that person any more important than a good programmer who can “non-perturbatively” integrate across multiple systems with different sets of coding languages? Or, financial wizard that can build a program that provides the probability of contract execution between different businesses? Not a whole lot from a pure intellectual exercise. What differentiates the recipients of the Milner prize from other potential candidates is a leadership quality in terms of their understanding of the physical world and their intellectual and internal fortitude to make and justify statements that represent departures from most physicists comfort zones. There is a deep understanding that the concept of mathematical consistency can allow for pushing the limits of what we know. Do we chastise Newton for being wrong about so much? Certainly it is general insights and the formation of the ideas that Newton provided that makes him iconic. We now know Newtonian gravity is flawed, just as we now know that Einstein’s gravity is flawed, but yet both are recognized as being individuals who changed the way the world thinks and not really for their pure intellectual skills (although, usually one associates the former with the latter). Any objective assessment of Einstein’s work as compared to his contemporaries reveals nothing spectacular in computational competence, but just shear confidence in their intuition. I would argue that in the case of string theory, the jury’s not out about its importance to physics, but it is out on world’s ability to contextualize it.
Peter Woit | August 18, 2012 at 5:44 PM |
Umesh,
There are no other physicists “like Edward Witten”, either among “calculational people” or “conceptual people”.
OK, no need to cherry pick one aspect of my previous comment. Now, though it’s sorta clear that Edward Witten is a cut above everyone, the real so to speak ‘meat’ is the fact that the rest of the awardees are comparably on par with him, or ‘in the same band’ if you wish. Of course you need no introduction to the conceptual depth of the ideas of many of those folks. You purposely seem to want to rake up an issue where there is none. Does this satisfy you?
No, you’re missing the point. The rest of the awardees are not on par with Witten, and arguing that Matt’s suggestions about who should get such a prize aren’t “like Witten” or “on par with Witten” makes no sense.
If Milner wanted to give a $3 million (or $27 million) prize to Witten for the kind of work he has done, there would still be some complaint that Witten doesn’t need the money so it would be better spent elsewhere, but no argument about the choice. One could easily come up with other disjoint lists for the rest of the eight, with the only difference between such a list and Milner’s that his have $3 million in their bank accounts. Once you decide you’re going to reward non-testable “conceptual” advances at a level below Witten’s where there are lots of possibilities to choose from, serious issues of what to prioritize arise.
Columbia | August 19, 2012 at 11:57 PM |
You could probably come up with a list of about 20 names across physics that are on par with the other candidates at an achievement level, but probably not much more than that. There is very little debate about this choice in theorist circles, everyone of the names is a superstar. You could perhaps also include some physicists working in condensed matter, but then I suspect that will be rectified soon.
In fact part of the problem with this prize is that within ten years, it will be hard to replicate the achievements of the initial batch of recipients assuming its 6 or 7 names per year.
Umesh | August 20, 2012 at 12:38 PM |
I completely agree.
generous | August 21, 2012 at 9:09 PM |
Who you have in mind?!
You too stingy! Be nice! Plenty good people just in fields already honored. Some maybe done more pioneering work than the brilliant nine.
If exclude Nobel winners, just in `older’ generation there is Veneziano, Higgs, Englert, Kibble, Guralnik, Hagen, Green, Schwartz, Brink, Polyakov, Susskind, Zumino, Deser, Freedman, van Nieuwenhuizen, Ferrara, Georgi, Hawking, Penrose, Bekenstein, Starobinsky, Mukhanov, Steinhardt, etc. etc. See — not hard come up more than 20 good folks! And if include the around 50 generation, like the celebrated Black Hat peoples — then some more for sure. This is not include solid state/stat mech peoples — if include them many many more.
So, no need be snooty. What, you have a Nobel Prize or what?
Me thinks Milner Prize have many happy years and much fun choosing peoples almost as superstar as the first batch.
xxx | August 22, 2012 at 7:03 PM |
It will be 1 per year.
Since I am unable to find the ‘Reply’ button beneath your latest, I must content myself with posting here instead. You write:
“The rest of the awardees are not on par with Witten, and arguing that Matt’s suggestions about who should get such a prize aren’t “like Witten” or “on par with Witten” makes no sense.”
How are you even claiming that the rest of the awardees aren’t on par with Witten? Please, this is utter rubbish. One cannot even put a finger on what Witten has ‘extra’ which the other awardees ‘lack’. If I have to hazard my personal (and quite ill defined) opinion, I might put it down to sheer brain power. But achievements (read conceptual contributions, impact on research, papers etc) are quite indistinguishable, and possibly exceed Witten in some cases, like the original paper on duality by Sen (which, by Witten’s own admission was one of the seminal ingredients for the M-theory conjecture), and am sure one can look at other examples. Maldacena’s AdS/CFT is one of the most important conceptual advances in the whole of quantum gravity in the past 15 years. Are you trying to suggest that any of these are ‘below par’ in any sense of the word?
As far as Prof. Strassler and his comments are concerned, it’s simply atrocious to suggest that ‘calculational people’ (BlackHat etc) have to be put on par the same level as Milner Prize winners. It’s as good as claiming that some random guy who has calculated the anomalous dimension of a certain operator to 4-loops deserves the same level of consideration as Einstein. There simply exists a hierarchy and will always. This choice is not made by any human agency, it’s made by natural selection. There’s a reason there’re only 8 permanent faculty who sit at the IAS.
You’re comfortable with agreeing that Einstein as an overarching figure in physics, above most of others. At the same time, when one suggests that this is true even today, and picks a bunch who are ‘the most overarching in terms of contributions in the past 30-40 years’ you immediately seem to have an issue. Hypocrisy much?
Hi Umesh,
I agree with you but maybe you (and everybody else) should consider this wise piece of advice … ;-):
http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/24591iF9BE7432FE53C47F/image-size/medium?v=mpbl-1&px=-1
dude | August 18, 2012 at 6:27 PM |
We will now expose the real ignorant here. Name one conceptual advance by those people who wrote Pythia etc I will convert.
Reminder: unitarity cuts, on shell methods, soft limits, collinear limits, are all known for (many!) decades.
They were somewhat extended, but in most cases these extensions are not really rigorous even. And in any case there is nothing conceptually new here.
Hadronization models: very elaborate phenomenological models, we never know when they are going to work, not grounded in fundamental theory except for very old general theorems (factorization etc.) so I would not call improvements in this field conceptual, since the whole framework rests on mere guesses…
Jets: the fact that they are described in some limiting cases by CFTs is known for decades. You are just misguiding the readers here! See the refs in the relatively recent paper you mentioned.
Recent advances in jets: have nothing to do with Pythia, and also are not conceptual, they just come from a better study of the IR-safe observables of Sterman-Weinberg.
The construction of Pythia: combining a lot of known things and a lot of hard work and trial and error. Also many ways to get to end product that would do roughly the same thing. The end product is not unique, not earth-shaking, and not even ideal for the purposes it serves (I have worked with Pythia a few years rather intensively.)
I end with note that comparing feat of creating Pythia with the feat of giving rigorous evidence for EM duality (Sen) or elucidating one of the building blocks of cosmology (Guth) is really preposterous.
Joseph | August 19, 2012 at 12:26 PM |
I find the whole conversation rather silly, where a personal jealousy appears to have replaced the reason. Would not be surprised if Milner wished he quietly wrote the cheques and gave them to people he thought deserved it most – in his eyes. He would have had every right to do so !
From my point of view, Matt’s silence speaks tomes, just as much as his posts do.
If we all really care about Physics, let us all show our commitment to the science with sharp comments, informed by sound theories and proper facts.
Kind regards, Gastón E. Nusimovich
Tim Preece | August 20, 2012 at 7:59 AM |
>> “Many processes that we observe occurring at the LHC are quite complicated, and the rates at which such processes take place often cannot be calculated, currently, to better than 50% precision or worse.”
I think this should be an embarrassment to all theorists. I appreciate the calculations are hard, but how does nature do it? Does God employ an army of angels calculating many loop Feynman diagrams every time protons collide?
It seems to me many theorists have taken the easy option and dream of other worlds with strings and branes and landscapes, where they are untroubled by the inconvenience of experimental data. Or maybe it’s just that mathematicians have taken over the shop.
So I do feel our understanding of fundamental Physics would most likely progress faster if the Milner money was given to the efforts of the folks trying to explain the real data coming out of the LHC.
Tim: why should this be embarrassment? we cant predict weather, we cant predict the climate, and we cant predict how 8 particles will scatter into 10 other particles. Processes with a lot of things flying around are messy, and not understanding such complicated things is not uncommon in science. Physics is NOT about calculating most complicated processes out there, rather, it is about stating the laws with which such processes can be calculated.
Using these laws to calculate very complicated things can belong to complex systems/engineering/CS (depending on circumstances).
Of course another natural pursuit in physics is the study of the general consequences of the fundamental laws. Obviously 8->10 scattering does not belong here either. I am talking about *general consequences* for example, existence of anti-matter, confinement, turbulence etc. This is also something many physicists are happy to do (derive general consequences from states laws).
I didn’t say physics was only about calculating. I would say that physics is about explaining the phenomena we see in experiments, and certainly those explanations would involve the general consequences you describe.
But calculation is an important part of the understanding and validation of those explanations. As long as theorists cannot accurately calculate what happens for a proton, then to me there always has to be some small doubt that QCD really does provide a complete or correct description of the strong nuclear force.
Szilvási Ádám | August 28, 2012 at 3:22 PM |
First, the fact that calculation is hard and has room for improvement doesn’t say anything about a theory being complete or correct either way.
I don’t know about what you heard or haven’t heard, there have been enormous breakthroughs in QCD predictions of bound states, ie. calculating proton mass Ab-initio. See B-M-W Collab. paper here: http://uk.arxiv.org/abs/0906.3599v1
Oaktree (@Oaktree_) | August 20, 2012 at 11:25 PM |
Instead of open or closed strings why not open or closed spheres? Hence, 3 dimensions would do fine and no need for more dimensions.
>> talk at the Orsay Higgs workshop
tried to follow you talk. Is H as “Composite” PNGB the same thing as little higgs ( or should that be little H now ). And little in this context means naturally light?
Shantanu | August 22, 2012 at 4:20 AM |
Matt and others,
My main concern with string theory is that it seems to make conflicting predictions for the same physical phenomena. Just to give a few examples.
1) Most string theorists insist that string theory does not violate equivalence principle. However in papers by Thibault Damour and Cliff Will they point out string theory contains dilaton fields which violate equivalence principle.
So it seems that string theory is consistent with both possibilities.
2) In Verlinde’s colloquium at Caltech last semester on entropic gravity(from what I hear, since I wasn’t present at that talk), he claimed entropic gravity follows from string theory and it explains MOND. OTOH almost all string theorists
believe that “particle” dark matter exists and follows from string theory.
so again string theory seems consistent with both dark matter and MOND.
3) In Petr Horava’s colloquium at Berkeley on Horava-Lifshitz gravity (which is archived on video), he mentioned that this is a consequence of string theory. OTOH I have heard that Witten thinks that this theory is wrong.
So again another contradition
Anyhow although I may be quoting (2) and (3) a bit out of context, my main point is string theory seems to be consistent with “any” observations
and even conflicting theories.
After reading all the comments and the very interesting article from Bern, Kosower and Dixon (now in german on ‘Spektrum der Wissenschaft’) the main point of this ground breaking work is not ‘only’ to develop a new computer program, but with this new method of calculating the QCD diagrams and in this case to help supergravity bringing back in front of particle physics. So Hawking with right in his idea that supergravity is not dead. My point to this discussion here is: Supergravity needs supersymmetry. Supergravity itself could be seen as a part of string theory (as a boundary like property of M-Theory). Prof. Strassler is right to highlight this wonderful work of Bern, Kosower and Dixon. But this work is a major step in understanding and calculating the stringy universe, not against string theory.
lynx655 | August 28, 2012 at 3:33 PM |
I weep for Matt reading all these comments. Hang in there…
GD | August 28, 2012 at 4:56 PM |
Prof. Strassler,
I am in gross admiration of your very noble goals, and obvious time investments, developing this wonderful website. As I read these careful posts and expository articles you have written, I am speechless and overjoyed that such a resource exists for those like me, that are “fans” but only peripheral surveyors of the enormous complexity of QFT’s and standard model physics.
Reading some of these comments, and your responses to them, reinforces my impression of you as a tireless, fervent proponent of scientific knowledge/literacy even further. So much of the nonsense that is posted by obvious crackpots or just simply Science Channel/Pop-Science/Google news “experts” is loosely phrased gibberish even to me, but you STILL manage to respond with such sound incredulity… I am a professor of mathematical statistics, but I gave up teaching First year calculus/pre-calculus courses because I value what little hair I have left, and my patience was beginning to wear thin as I often wanted simply to say: “please… leave this course and never, ever come back.” You are undoubtedly one of the finest instructors your students could ever hope for, as you dignify nearly EVERY question that is posed to you, even the ones that are, a priori, ludicrous nonsense, with an elegant response.
Speaking of ludicrous nonsense, I do have a question of my own to any expert that can ex-posit to an amateur hobbyist. It was my impression that, by their very foundations “extending” basic quantum mechanics, String Theory and QFT’s are on quite a separate footing… QFT’s “start” their relativistic QM by “demoting” position to a label on operators, putting position and time on the same footing in the Klein-Gordon equation, and the set of of operators assigned to each point in space is a QF,. String theories instead promote time to operator status and the “world-sheet” mathematics ensue by including other parameters to the state-space model beyond just a particle’s proper-time.
If this interpretation of the foundational developments of these theories is correct, is there an intuitive explanation on how string theory and QFT’s are somehow “compatible” once the mathematics gets beyond the simple relativistic QM assumptions?
I suppose I am looking for a physics-y Dan Dennett to pop up here, and tell me that we can have both free-will AND determinism, and somehow we all just get along fine…
Sammy | September 1, 2012 at 3:11 PM |
GD: while Prof is out of the room, here’s a hiss from the back row. The two approaches you describe would be ‘compatible’ if they yield the same spectra for bound states, the same cross-sections for scattering,
the same corrections for magnetic moments, the same chiral anomalies etc. etc. Heck, they might even both agree with data.
Sammy | September 27, 2012 at 12:01 PM |
Matt: Bern et al are clearly very smart guys indeed but the Sci Am article is, typically, not informative in the end while the slides and their papers are impenetrable for beginners. Here’s a very accessible 2010 study of the basics of the unitarity method (the idea behind Blackhat) by Rogier Vlijm , who was then an undergraduate supervised by Eric Laenen at the University of Amsterdam.
http://www.science.uva.nl/onderwijs/thesis/centraal/files/f845765992.pdf
Rogier is clearly a very smart guy too.
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Wyrd Smythe | September 17, 2013 at 2:35 PM |
It was a happy day when I began discovering the various physics blogs written by real physicists talking about real physics. (I was especially delighted to discover this site!)
It was an awful day when I began discovering that these physicists, these scientists trained in logic and rationality, were acting like poorly trained children arguing over ice cream. Mortifying! I was ashamed on behalf of science. And humanity.
If people with this level of education and training in thought and analysis can fall prey to such infantile behavior, what chance is there for the rest of the world to get it together? What an awful, awful example to set.
Matt Strassler | September 17, 2013 at 2:51 PM |
The sad reality of human existence is that high intelligence does not correlate with high levels of maturity, politeness, wisdom or kindness. In fact it often correlates with arrogance and self-assuredness, neither of which contributes to useful conversations. I speak from personal experience; I know my own limitations. In any case: scientists are just as human as everyone else, some of them are hot-heads, and some don’t listen to or respect other people.
Blogging, specifically, attracts hot-heads… some of whom are well-meaning and have scientific integrity, others of whom have an axe to grind… and the reader has to beware.
It’s still much, much better than in a lot of other subjects. And it’s a lot better than it used to be. Go read what scientists used to say about each other 80 years ago… Generally, people in this field DO respect each other’s opinions even if they disagree. Generally. Not always.
That’s a good point, that the blogsphere is not likely to be representative of the whole. Definitely a skewed sample! 🙂
I would agree that high intelligence often leads to confidence (or even arrogance), but I think those qualities can exist withOUT the immature and rude behaviors. There are arrogant adults (many whom may have earned the right to some of that arrogance), and there are arrogant children.
Heated debate can be a wonderful, useful thing, but I wonder if modern society disdains polite interaction more than it ought.
As a general comment on modern society, I agree with your view. But again, look at how American politics was carried out in the 19th century. Things have gotten a bit worse recently, but they used to be a LOT worse. Still, it would be nice to see them get better again.
Indeed. I have a gut suspicion that the interweb is a game-changer due to its scope. Never in the history of the world have so many been so connected. McLuhan’s “global village” has been with us for some time, now, and I think it’s changing humanity. Not sure if the change is ultimately Good, Bad or just Change, but I feel we are at a major social crossroads.
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Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia
Areas of interest International Relations
Dr Maria Fleurdelis Tanyag
Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia (INTR8064)
This course examines historical and contemporary experiences of gender, war and justice within two crisis-prone sub-regions of the Asia-Pacific: South and Southeast Asia. Drawing on multiple feminist traditions and interdisciplinary approaches to peace and security, the course exposes students to the ways in which gender plays a pivotal role in shaping the material and ideological drivers of wars and conflicts, as well as the distribution of resources and responsibilities during times of violence and in their aftermath. Students will gain insights to women’s varied roles in both the perpetration of violence, and in peace building across clans and kinship networks, communities and through nation-building. Students will also grapple with the relevance of de-centering gender analytically and instead examine gender as it intersects with race/ethnicity, citizenship, class, religion, and sexuality in the analysis of the distinct challenges for peace and security in South and Southeast Asia. Finally, the course explores the significance of global and regional security and human rights agendas in enabling the pursuit of justice for women in South and Southeast Asia.
Understand what constitutes a gendered analysis of war and peace and a detailed knowledge of the political, historical, economic and cultural aspects in South and Southeast Asia
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American Idol Top 4
I think next season, American Idol should put a poll on-line of what “theme weeks” we want to hear. This week it seemed to be “one of these things is not like the other.” The contestants were asked to pick a song that inspires them. In the second half, they chose from a list of lyricist Jerome “Jerry” Leiber and composer Mike Stoller, who brought you long-ago hits like “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog”, “Stand By Me” among many others. These song choices were mentored by Jimmy Iovine and Lady Gaga. I was looking forward to seeing the awkwardness of Lady Gaga and Scotty McCreery.
James Durbin got the sweet spots of both opening and closing the show. Part of being a contestant is choosing smart songs. While the audience is tired of hearing “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey, especially given the resurge in popularity because of “The Sopranos” ending and for it being used in “Glee,” Randy Jackson is not. James did pick wisely; however, once again, his pitch was off. The last few shows when he is singing in his usual register, he has been mostly sharp. I think James enjoyed his time with Lady Gaga who helped him to move his hips better. When James does this, it is sexy (not so much on Scotty, see below). James closed the show with “Love Potion Number 9.” When comparing him to the other contestants, he is the most talented of the ones that are left. When comparing him to other Idol seasons, he is not quite there yet for me. He is my pick to win this year.
Haley Reinhart picked a self-indulgent song (“The Earth Song”) versus a song that is what she would produce as an artist. Perhaps she thought doing Michael Jackson was a risk, but it did not pay off. By the end of the song, she was screaming like a banshee. You could hear the strain in her voice. Wardrobe is making her wear that horrid red lipstick again. Randy and JLo had some issues with it; Haley did not take what she felt to be an attack well. The music industry is not for the timid, but one also needs to know their place within the music industry. She is a rookie and when professionals are giving her advice, even if it comes off as criticism and not constructive criticism, she should be eager to accept the advice and take what she can from it and apply it to her music. People who talk back to the judges are generally voted off, especially when it begins to go on and on. She told the judges, “That’s NOT the top of my range” and “You don’t have to say it again.” I had a feeling that the judges or maybe even Jimmy Iovine gave her advice during the earlier part of the week and she did not take it to hear. She enjoyed her time with Lady Gaga (I bet she is singing with her during the finale show). Even with Lady Gaga, however, she appeared a bit snarky. When Lady Gaga suggested a way to put a dramatic point into her song, she retorted, “Why?” It wasn’t a “why” as in, please teach me; it was more of a “why” like “why are you criticizing me.” I thought how she sang the song during the rehearsal sounded great, but it never translate to the stage, it seems. I’d like to see her do a stripped down song with no growling in it. The song in rehearsal had that. In the end, “I Who Have Nothing” was much better than her first song.
I had some thoughts that maybe the producers were going for reverse psychology in the voters. Perhaps they really want Haley in the final 3, but she wasn’t going to get there with the number of votes she was pulling in. So they set her up to take a fall with harsh criticism during the first number and then she is redeemed in the second number. I can tell you that people who would not have voted otherwise for Haley said in Twitter last night that they would be voting because of it. Whether her talking back turned off more voters than she gained trying to protect her, we will soon discover on the results show. There is one fan for sure of Haley’s — Casey. Did you see them cutting to him in the audience several times and he way-over-the-top support of her? Casey’s pheromones were on fire.
Scotty McCreery is a smart young man. People who chose patriotic songs do not get voted off. I think it was Kelly Pickler who did this when she was in jeopardy of being voted off and she was saved for another week; Simon told her it was a brilliant move. In light of the death of Osama Bin Laden by US forces, “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning” was either a Rudy Giuliani move that will turn people off, or secure his place in the final 3. Poor Scotty. I was embarrassed for him with Lady Gaga. Was he old enough to even be in the same room with her? “Young Blood” by the Coasters was an embarrassment. I hated the weird Casey-like exaggerated eye movements. Note to Scotty: Please don’t try to move your hips or pelvic thrust; it’s just not sexy. I think he is secure in the final 3.
Lauren had the best night since her audition. I do not know what happened to this feisty young lady who auditioned and had the guts to sing a duet with Steven Tyler in the audition. It seems like she came to the stage and lost her nerve or was intimidated by the competition. I still do not believe that she believes fully in herself. She picked a smart inspirational song: “Anyway” by Martina McBride and did a wonderful job. Her time with Lady Gaga helped break her out of her shell and she performed a great rendition of “Trouble.” She came onto the stage very confident. But is it too late? I think this will all depend on the audience’s reaction to Haley.
I was thinking perhaps we could morph Lauren and Haley and create a new contestant called “Laley.” Laley would have Lauren’s voice and sweetness and Haley’s confidence.
Steven Tyler’s secret password this evening was “beautiful.” Everything was ‘beautiful.”
If I have to call it, I think James and Scotty are definitely in the top 2. I think Lauren sneaks by because of Haley’s backtalk.
« Farewell Stargate Takedown (a.k.a. Transparency)–A Virtual Stargate Reunion »
Tags: American Idol, Anyway, Don't Stop Believin, Haley Reinhart, I Who Have Nothing, James Durbin, Jennifer Lopez, Jerome "Jerry" Leiber, Jimmy Iovine, JLo, Journey, Lady Gaga, Lauren Alaina, Love Potion Number 9, Martina McBride, Mike Stoller, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacreast, Scotty McCreery, Steven Tyler, The Coasters, The Earth Song, Trouble, Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning, Young Blood
Categories : American Idol
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Revolution, Religion, and the Consequences of an Abortion Ban
November 14, 2013 | Pulitzer Center
Eleanor Klibanoff, for the Pulitzer Center
In El Salvador and Nicaragua, a complete abortion ban is creating a maternal healthcare crisis that neither government is prepared to handle.
Young girls, victims of rape and incest, are forced to carry their unwanted pregnancies to term. The law makes no exceptions, even for girls under the age of 14 who are the victims of statutory rape.
“Every woman should have the right to choose,” says Magaly Quintana, director of the Nicaragua chapter of Catholics for the Right to Choose. “But if you didn’t want to have this pregnancy, if you were violated, you certainly shouldn’t have the decision made for you.”
These young girls will become mothers, and the government is ill prepared to offer services to benefit them.
“There is no government support,” says Diana Aguilar, a psychologist who works with teen mothers. “In Managua, there is a public hospital, but besides that, there is no support for young mothers.”
In El Salvador, women and doctors are serving prison sentences for seeking or providing illegal terminations. There is an arm of the police force dedicated to discovering these lawbreakers and prosecuting them. Meanwhile, rape and gang violence are on the rise.
Maternal Health in Nicaragua and El Salvador
Eleanor Klibanoff
Reporting Fellow
A senior at The George Washington University, Eleanor Klibanoff is studying political communication in the School of Media and Public Affairs. She has written for The Nicaragua Dispatch,...
El Salvador, Nicaragua
Politics, Public Health, Religion, Youth, Reproductive Health
Article, Video
Campus Consortium:
Nicaragua: These Women Had Dreams
Nicaragua: Abortion Ban and the Right to Choose
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War and trauma: Learning the lessons
From a cup of tea behind the lines, to sophisticated psychological therapies, we are still working to improve treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
By Catriona May, University of Melbourne
Soldiers in the trenches of World War One who experienced ‘shellshock’, were simply rested just behind the frontline for a week or so, fed, exercised, and then returned directly to battle.
At the time, the PIEs principle (proximity to the frontline; immediate treatment; and expectancy of a return to duties) was regarded as the best way to manage shell-shocked soldiers and quickly return them to the front to meet the war’s insatiable demand for manpower.
An Australian soldier using the PTSD Coach Australia smart phone application that helps people understand and manage the symptoms of PTSD. Picture: (Copyright) Commonwealth of Australia
Today, Australian soldiers who report psychological injury are removed from the battlefield altogether, only to return if and when they fully recover.
“If a uniformed soldier is experiencing significant post-traumatic stress disorder and they acknowledge it and ask for help, there is a fairly comprehensive system of medical and financial supports available to them,” says consultant psychiatrist Dr John Cooper from the University of Melbourne.
“It’s not perfect, but there’s a high level of sophistication and intent by the Australian Defence Force to minimise their psychiatric casualties and to look after their personnel.”
Helping survivors overcome disaster trauma
The legacy of Vietnam
It was not always so. Dr Cooper, who has worked extensively with returned veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), says the Vietnam War was a turning point.
“We learned important lessons after Vietnam,” he says. “The politics and cultural issues around that war meant returning veterans were treated quite badly. At times they were instructed to take off their uniforms and put on civilian clothes and to keep a low profile. They would disembark at night-time to avoid attention.
“Whilst those terrible homecomings didn’t cause PTSD, they certainly didn’t help prevent it. We now know that poor social support is a risk factor for developing PTSD after exposure to trauma. Vietnam era veterans will often say they found that experience more distressing than combat.”
Australian Vietnam War veterans marching on Anzac Day 2013, Adelaide. Picture: Jenny Scott/Flickr
Post-traumatic stress disorder, with symptoms including distressing re-experiencing, avoidance and hyper-arousal in response to a traumatic event, isn’t unique to military personnel. But the nature of warfare means soldiers are vulnerable.
“The more severe the trauma the more likely it is to cause PTSD,” explains Dr Cooper. “The trauma that has the highest rate of PTSD is generally interpersonal trauma like experiencing rape or torture. Some studies show there is up to 50 per cent rates of PTSD after those kinds of events.”
Military personnel are screened for some of these risk factors during selection, particularly a history of serious mental health problems and any past history of PTSD. There is an improved level of awareness within the military of the importance of looking after personnel who have experienced trauma and keeping them connected with their communities.
Black Saturday: the hidden costs
From shell-shock to psychology
Pioneering military psychologist Charles Myers was one of the first to coin the term ‘shellshock’ in 1915. Struggling to determine whether the symptoms he observed among soldiers in the trenches were physical – caused by concussion from explosions, or psychological – caused by stress, he ultimately came to the opinion that it was predominantly a psychological problem, and treated his patients accordingly.
“During the First World War the psychoanalytical approach was fairly prominent and common therapies included hypnotherapy and talking therapies aimed at integrating traumatic memories,” says Dr Cooper. “Physical treatments using electricity and magnets were also used. These were early precursors to modern treatments of depression such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
“There was also a big emphasis on occupational therapy and keeping the injured soldiers active and busy.”
Pioneering First World War British military psychologist Charles Myer. Picture: Wellcome Collection
PTSD in today’s military
For today’s soldiers, there is now a range of research-informed treatments available for PTSD.
“The first line of treatment is one of the evidence-based psychological therapies – trauma-focussed cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing,” says Dr Cooper. The aspects of these treatments that we believe are associated with effectiveness are that they assist the patient to confront distressing memories, reduce avoidance responses, address distorted thinking, and teach strategies to reduce distress and arousal.
“A lot of people with significant PTSD will also be treated with medication, predominantly antidepressants. There is reasonable evidence for them being helpful, too.”
4 ways tech can help your mental health
Early diagnosis and treatment is important – the longer someone experiences PTSD without treatment, the harder it can be for them to recover. But Dr Cooper says there can be barriers to early treatment in the military. Reporting psychological problems may lead to medical ratings that prevent personnel from deploying. Consequently, some personnel are reluctant to put their hands up for help, and that can make their problems worse.
Early intevention important
“If someone perseveres with the symptoms without seeking help, we worry that this delayed presentation leads to a more severe and hard to treat condition,” he explains.
At that stage, the soldier with PTSD might start self-medicating with alcohol or other drugs, their relationships might start to suffer and they risk losing their social supports.
“Once PTSD has become chronic then it’s usually also complicated by other mental health problems like depression and alcohol abuse.
“Their work performance can be the last thing to deteriorate and at that point they’re likely to come to the concerned attention of their boss or colleagues.”
While the majority of people respond to evidence-based treatments, there remains a significant minority who don’t – around one third, says Dr Cooper.
Sensors and big data are showing how our minds work
Researching how to help this group is part of the agenda at the Phoenix Australia Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health, where Dr Cooper is based. The centre’s new federally funded Centenary of Anzac Centre is supporting clinicians and researching clinical approaches to help improve treatment.
Improving treatment
One of the new biological treatments the centre is investigating is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which stimulates the brain with a magnetic field generated by an electrical current, and is already an established treatment for severe depression.
“We’re hoping that, as has been seen in depression, not only will it improve the PTSD but also the cognitive problems with memory and concentration that many patients experience.”
Dr Cooper and his colleagues experience a similar challenge to the one that faced Dr Myers in WW1 – how to distinguish between soldiers experiencing brain injury and those with PTSD.
“A number of our soldiers coming out of the Middle East have been exposed to improvised explosive devices, and have suffered concussions,” he says. “Trying to work out the difference in presentations between those with mild traumatic brain injuries and those with PTSD remains a challenge in modern day psychiatry.
“What Myers was trying to disentangle in the First World War, we’re still trying to untangle now.”
Banner Image: “A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area, Korea. August 28, 1950.” U.S. Army Korea Media Center official Korean War online video archive/Flickr
First published on 19 April 2018 in Health & Wellbeing
Dr John Cooper
Consultant Psychiatrist, Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health; Psychiatric Advisor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
Contact the Pursuit team
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The human and material toll of the world’s largest tank battle was horrendous as the Wehrmacht’s tactical edge was overwhelmed by superior means of destruction
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What the past can tell us about the future of climate change
For several millennia during the Last Interglacial period, temperatures were higher than pre-industrial levels and that had an impact on our climate system. But with recent dire forecasts of global warming, what can the past tell us about the future of our climate?
By Associate Professor Russell Drysdale, University of Melbourne
Earlier this week, 91 of the best scientific minds from around the globe warned what the world could look like if we fail to keep global warming below 1.5℃ this century.
The report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says heat, droughts and flooding will become more common and extreme. It also warned of the impact on the Arctic, which is warming twice as fast as the average rise of the rest of the planet.
The Greenland ice sheet covers almost two million square kilometres of the country. Picture: Wikimedia
And this means the faster melting of the Greenland ice sheet. This ice sheet is important. It’s the second largest body of ice in the world, covering almost two million square kilometres or roughly 80 per cent of the surface of Greenland.
In recent years, the ice sheet has seen record levels of melting - with the ‘melt zone’, where snow and ice turns into slush and meltwater, expanding at an accelerating rate.
In fact, recent climate modelling and observational data suggests that the magnitude of surface ‘freshening’ in the sub-polar region of the North Atlantic could be enough to significantly disrupt ocean circulation. This would have trickle-down effects on the climate that could lead to widespread changes in rainfall as far away as the southern hemisphere tropics.
What do Gen X and Gen Y worry about most? Climate change.
In other words, to us here in Australia.
But history can also help give us a ‘bigger picture’ look at what might happen in the future for the ice sheet.
We can look back at warmer periods from the past, like the Last Interglacial, which occurred between about 129,000 and 116,000 years ago, in order to understand the relationship between global warming, ice-sheet melting and how our climate system responds.
Parts of the Last Interglacial were actually warmer than the current Holocene Interglacial (the last 11,700 years), particularly in the Arctic region.
As a result, sea levels then were higher than they are now – the latest estimates suggest somewhere between 6 and 9 metres above today’s level. And between 0.6 and 3.5 metres of this sea level was contributed from melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which was smaller than it is today because of strong Arctic warming at the time.
Changes in rainfall is registered in stalagmites’ geochemistry. Picture: Supplied
It’s worth noting, though, that these warmer Last Interglacial temperatures were naturally occurring – a result of changes in Earth’s orbit at the time. But in these post-Industrial days, it’s human-induced warming that’s heating up our planet.
So, what effect did this meltwater from Greenland have on ocean circulation and regional climate?
INFORMATION FROM THE PAST
Is Australia set to follow Europe and North America with an extreme summer?
Our international team of scientists, led by Professor Chronis Tzedakis from the University College London, set out to answer this question. The team studied ocean sediments from a drill core taken just off the coast of Lisbon in Portugal, as well as stalagmites collected from an Italian cave system.
This information was then compared with other ocean cores and climate-model simulations to explore the links between the ice-sheet melting, change to the North Atlantic Ocean circulation and climate change across southern Europe.
The ocean sediments we collected not only contained essential information about past sea-surface-temperature and ocean-current changes in the North Atlantic during the Last Interglacial, but also preserved plant microfossils (pollen) from rivers draining the Portuguese hinterland.
Because these two sets of information come from exactly the same sedimentary archive, this enabled us to match regional vegetation changes with the shifts in ocean-circulation patterns in the North Atlantic.
At this time, stalagmites were slowly growing almost 2000 kilometres away in Antro del Corchia, a 60 kilometre-long cave system in northern Italy. The drip waters that build-up these formations originate from rain falling above the cave – and this rain mainly comes from air masses crossing the North Atlantic.
Periods of ‘excess warmth’, like the Last Interglacial, can lead to significant melting of ice in Greenland. Picture: NASA
So any changes in climate and ocean currents in the North Atlantic affect the amount of rainfall reaching Corchia cave and this information is registered in the stalagmites’ geochemistry.
By comparing the information contained in the marine sediments and stalagmites we found a consistent pattern of climate fluctuations throughout the Last Interglacial. The interval of warm, wet climate that occurred at the very start of the interglacial, spanning about 2500 years, came to an abrupt end around 126,500 years ago when the abundance of drought-sensitive trees plummeted.
The great (climate) depression
The same trend was revealed in the stalagmite geochemistry. In fact there was such an obvious reduction in rainfall that one stalagmite actually stopped growing. Several other smaller changes are seen in both the ocean-sediment and stalagmite records as the Last Interglacial progressed.
So what caused these rainfall changes?
CHANGING WEATHER
A comparison of our data with previously published ocean-sediment studies shows that most of the aridity events, or the drying out of the climate, across southern Europe can be can correlated to cooling phases in the sub-polar North Atlantic.
These phases are inferred from changes in the abundance and geochemistry of marine microfossils at these more northerly ocean sites.
While cooling may sound counter-intuitive, its effects aren’t. Ocean currents in the North Atlantic bring warm water from the tropics north to higher latitudes, keeping western Europe relatively warm. This current is actually a part of a larger circulation that links to the global ocean system called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or the AMOC.
AMOC is a large system of ocean currents that carry warm water from the tropics northwards into the Arctic region. Picture: Wikimedia
But any disturbance of the AMOC can have an impact. One way that can happen is meltwater from an ice sheet - a tongue of cold, fresh water that is less dense than the salty water coming up from the tropics.
Because of the intertwined relationship between ocean temperature and our atmosphere, this ocean cooling causes a southward shift in the Arctic front, changing moisture transport and air mass trajectories across Europe. In Southern Europe this can mean less rain - less evaporation from cooler ocean surfaces, so less moisture in the atmosphere to bring rain.
The major cooling 126,500 years ago has been attributed largely to the final melting of the remnants of a large ice sheet that covered northern USA and Canada during the preceding glacial period.
Avoiding Day Zero in Australia
The meltwater from this ice sheet travelled through Hudson Bay and out into the North Atlantic via the Labrador Sea, and may also have involved melting ice from Greenland. The meltwaters caused regional cooling and interrupted ocean circulation.
Data from the sub-polar ocean cores also suggest that the subsequent aridity events in southern Europe could also have been triggered by melting ice from Greenland.
To test this scenario, our colleagues Dr Laurie Menviel and Dr Andrea Taschetto from the University of New South Wales, worked on modelling experiments.
CENTURY-SCALE DISRUPTIONS
These experiments simulated meltwater flowing into the sub-Arctic region using the same volume of water Greenland’s ice released that affected sea levels during the Last Interglacial and at rates comparable to today’s sea level increases (a few millimetres each year).
The results indicate that the volume of meltwater would have weakened ocean circulation in the North Atlantic by 35 per cent for the largest event and 20 per cent for the smaller ones - in both cases leading to rainfall decreases across the Mediterranean that lasted a few centuries.
We can see this reflected in the vegetation and rainfall changes suggested by the ocean-core and stalagmite data.
Could the Greenland ice sheet melt faster than in the past? Picture: Shutterstock
The results of this work suggest that periods of ‘excess warmth’, like the Last Interglacial, can lead to significant melting of ice in Greenland and century-scale disruptions in the North Atlantic Ocean circulation that have an effect on rainfall much further afield.
Whether or not this occurred during older interglacials, and precisely how these events influenced the climate of regions beyond southern Europe, are the subject of ongoing studies.
But with mean global temperatures creeping higher, and climate projections showing significant Arctic warming by the year 2100 – comparable to Arctic temperature estimates of the Last Interglacial – the possibility of accelerated Greenland melting looms.
A dry southern Europe is already vulnerable when it comes to water security under climate projections, and although the changes we studied occurred over centuries, were they to play out in the future, it would be a major ongoing issue for us all.
First published on 13 October 2018 in Science Matters
Ocean Temperatures
Associate Professor Russell Drysdale
Associate Professor, School of Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne
Dr John Hellstrom
School of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne
Professor Chronis Tzedakis
Professor, Physical Geography, University College London
Associate Professor Russell Drysdale, Dr John Hellstrom and Professor Chronis Tzedakis
Climate change is their number one cause for concern and they aren’t impressed by government efforts to tackle environmental challenges
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Climate events can have a big impact on the timing of grape growth and harvesting, so how can we use predictions to help winegrowers plan for the best drop?
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Melbourne’s weather is renowned for its variability, but it is still predictable, explained partly by its position on a large hot continent close to the cold Southern Ocean
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Home » Inside the Recording Studio: Working with Callas, Rostropovich, Domingo, and the Classical Elite by Peter Andry
Inside the Recording Studio: Working with Callas, Rostropovich, Domingo, and the Classical Elite
Peter Andry
Published April 1st 2008
As a record producer and administrator, Peter Andry has worked with many of the 20th centurys greatest classical music artists and performers. Through his work with Decca, his years as president of EMI Classics, and his creation and direction ofMoreAs a record producer and administrator, Peter Andry has worked with many of the 20th centurys greatest classical music artists and performers. Through his work with Decca, his years as president of EMI Classics, and his creation and direction of Warner Classics, he has collaborated with high-caliber artists such as Maria Callas, Yehudi Menuhin, and Herbert von Karajan. He associated with them in close quarters through times of work, play, stress, and relaxation. He has admired their talent, dedication, and charisma, as well as coped with their foibles, idiosyncrasies, and egos. In Inside the Recording Studio: Working with Callas, Rostropovich, Domingo, and the Classical Elite, Andry recounts his experiences with these exceptional talents, with whom he worked as a musician, a record producer, and a company executive. Andry presents intimate portraits of brilliant artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Sir Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer, Sir Simon Rattle, Mstislav Rostropovich, Jacqueline du Pre, and Maxim Vengerov juxtaposed with the dramatic changes occurring in the recording business during this time, a period that began with 78s and saw successively the advent of LPs, stereo sound, quadraphonic sound, audio cassettes, video, CDs, DVDs, and the growing importance of the internet. A foreword by Placido Domingo and more than 30 photos of the artists are included along with a discography of Andrys recordings with the three labels. These memoirs will be fascinating and exciting to anyone interested in the classical music and recording industries.
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Home / For Patients and Families / Find a Patient Organization / XLP Research Trust
XLP Research Trust
60 Winchester Road
Hampshire, SO51 8JA United Kingdom
http://www.xlpresearchtrust.org
The XLP Research Trust exists to promote and fund research on this disorder, provide a point of contact and support for families affected by XLP, and raise awareness of the disorder among medical professionals and the public. X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP), which is also known as Duncan's syndrome, is an extremely rare, inherited immunodeficiency disorder that is usually fully expressed in males only. To date, more than 400 boys from 100 families have been diagnosed. Boys who have this disease have a faulty immune system and are unable to fight off infections, leading to chronic, life-threatening illness in many cases.
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Prof Michael John Kirk Walsh
Chair, School of Art, Design and Media
Email: mwalsh@ntu.edu.sg
Michael J. K. Walsh has a research focus on 'Conflict and Culture'. This takes several different forms.
Firstly - Cyprus. He has edited and co-edited five books on the cultural history and heritage protection of Famagusta - Medieval Famagusta: Studies in Art, Architecture and History (Ashgate in 2012), Crusader to Venetian Famagusta (Central European University Press, 2014), Ottoman to British Famagusta (CSP, 2015) and The Armenian Church of Famagusta and the Complexity of Cypriot Heritage: Prayers Long Silent (Palgrave, 2017).
A second research tangent relating to Conflict and Culture is Modernism and the Great War and this has resulted in several books such as This Cult of Violence (Yale University Press, 2002), A Dilemma of English Modernism (University of Delaware Press, 2007), Hanging a Rebel (Lutterworth Press, 2008), London, Modernism and 1914 (Cambridge University Press, 2010), Australia and the Great War: Identity, Memory and Mythology (Melbourne University Press, 2016) and The Great War and the British Empire: Culture and Society (Routledge, 2016).
The Third strand pertaining to Conflict and Culture is to do with music.He has just completed a monograph about poet / songwriter Eric Bogle called 'An Old Man's Tears: Eric Bogle, Music and the Great War' which was published by Routledge in 2018 and is now working on a documentary film, and associated publications, on the lost music of Australian composer F. S. Kelly.
Michael is Chair of the School of Art, Design and Media; Deputy Director of the University Scholars Program, and fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Historical Society.
My research falls under the umbrella term 'Conflict and Culture' and can be subdivided into three main categories:
1. British (and imperial) cultural production in the first two decades of the 20th century (especially in relation to the Great War)
2. Heritage in Conflict and Post-conflict Zones: Famagusta, Cyprus.
3. Twentieth century music history
Art Conservation In Famagusta, Cyprus
Elegy: Music and the Great War
Emergency Conservation and Restoration of the Art and Architecture of Famagusta
Heritage Conservation, Visualization and Education: Protecting Regional Culture of Universal Significance in a Globalizing World
Visualising Famagusta: Creating a Virtual Museum of the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George of the Greeks in Famagusta as a Pilot Study for Other Endangered Sites Worldwide
‘Animated Installations And Other Creative Solutions To Increase Cultural Heritage Experiences In The Underground Time Corridor Of XIXIA Tomb Museum (Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous Region, PRC)'
Walsh, M. (2019). Famagusta Maritima: Mariners, Merchants and Mercenaries. Brill.
Walsh, M and R. Bernardello. (2018). Heritage Visualisation and Potential speculative Reconstructions in Digital Space: The Medieval Church of St. Anne in Famagusta, Cyprus’. Disegnarecon, 11(21).
Walsh, M. (2018). The Show Must Go On’: Bernie Tormé, Randy Rhoads and Ten Days in 1982. Rock Music Studies, 5(3), 314-323.
Walsh, M. (2018). Eric Bogle, No Man’s Land, and the Grave of Willie McBride at the Somme. Contemporary British History, 12(2).
Walsh, Michael J K. (2018). Eric Bogle, Music and the Great War: An Old Man's Tears. Routledge.
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‘I want time for mushrooms.’
Leslie Forero is wild about mushrooms. And that makes sense, considering her study of things beneath our feet.
Forero is a Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, studying plant and soil feedbacks. From her research site in Cedar Creek, Minnesota, she’s researching the reasoning behind polycultures excelling over monocultures.
“If you intercrop, you will get a lot more plant mass at the end than if you plant only one crop,” she said. “You would think one would outcompete the others, but if you have more than one species in an area, all of them will do better.”
Forero examines fungi and bacteria in soil samples that encourage plant growth.
She describes this as “plant-mushroom internet;” messages are sent back and forth between organisms dictating what nutrients are needed. Most plants have fungal interactions like this; Forero estimates at least 90 percent of all plants on Earth have associations that allow them to gain phosphorus from the soil, giving fungi carbon in exchange.
Using a model of how one plant species grows on another plant’s soil type, Forero can calculate the community feedbacks and how much biomass a plant will produce. She’s finding that plants grow best when species’ soils are able to intermix, in contrast to niche partitioning models. Their coexistence is fascinating, Forero said, as the plants regulate their relationship with the soil, almost how people balance clashing personalities.
Forero is a long-time animal lover. The California native raised chickens and pigs through the local 4-H program and went on to study animal health and behavior at University of California Berkeley. When asked why she made the switch from animals to soil science, she said because “it’s a little bit of everything.”
“It was really interesting to use what I had learned with animals and apply that to soils,” she said. “Kind of like animals and plants, it changes with the climate. You aren’t going to find a highly weathered tropical soil here in Cache Valley—it’s not its place.”
When she’s not collecting samples in the field, she enjoys looking for mushrooms. In fact, she’s a member of the Utah Mushroom Society and is hoping to find a place in the Bridgerland Microbiology Society. While she can’t pin down a favorite shroom, she’ll always eat chanterelles, porcini and morels, which she prefers when found in the wild.
“I’m a crazy mushroom person, for sure,” she said. “But the kind you buy in the store aren’t my favorite.”
Fungal aspirations aside, Forero isn’t sure where she’s headed after graduate school. Although she enjoys research, she doesn’t plan to remain in academia.
“It’s so busy all the time and I want time for mushrooms.”
Manda Perkins, RGS Communications — manda.perkins@usu.edu
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OpenTable diners named Restaurant Lorena's one of the 100 Best Restaurants in America of 2016 & 2015!
Restaurant Lorena's has been selected one of the 100 Best Restaurants in America for 2016 & 2015 based on an analysis of 5,000,000+ reviews of more than 20,000 restaurants across the country — all submitted by verified diners.
Thank you everyone for your reviews!!
View the 100 Best Restaurants in America for 2016 : http://www.opentable.com/m/best-restaurants-in-america-for-2016/
OpenTable diners named Restaurant Lorena's one of the 100 most romantic restaurants in U.S.
Open Table has selected six New Jersey restaurants as one of the most romantic restaurants in the entire country. The selection was based off an analysis of 12 million reviews of over 26,000 restaurants — all submitted by verified diners.
Restaurant Review: A Timeless Classic at Lorena's in Maplewood
Lorena's is tucked into a small storefront in Maplewood, a township that bills itself as a village, which seems quite pretentious until you actually walk around.
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HDHammers
Rhythmwood Drive
My (First) Journey to Walnut Valley
January 2018: late night at a Steak n' Shake in Ft. Wayne hanging out with Doug, our dear friends and mentors Ted and Donna, and their family...Ted (the 2010 National Champion) says casually "Hey, you should go compete at Winfield"...at this point I had 6 months under my belt with the dulcimer and knew 5 songs, none of which were contest-worthy. The problem was my aunt (the one who let me borrow her dulcimer to start this crazy obsession) also encouraged me to go. After some time to think and pray I called the Yoders back and asked for some serious help preparing for this contest (since I go all-in with stuff like this). My best shot was to stop thinking in terms of mastering the instrument and just focus on the 4 required contest songs. Mastering an instrument takes years - I had about 7 months to practice.
I wanted jaw-droppers for the contest tunes and the HARDEST part without a doubt was the song selection. With Ted's blessing I started working on his lively original Whispers in the Trees. I was making decent progress when my dad suddenly fell ill with pneumonia and passed away two weeks later in March. So many emotions - none of which fit that song. I had to hang it up for awhile.
I messed around with several songs before recalling an old music box my mom had - a 7up can that you flip over to start the tune. I remembered the tune but didn't know the title...thank goodness for Google! I found one on eBay which said it was the theme from the movie Love Story. I know the basic plot but have never seen the movie (and I like it that way) - but this song had the right amount of nostalgia from my childhood and sweet but somber emotion for what I was going through. I used sheet music as a guide and learned it one painstaking note at a time, adapting the piano arrangement for dulcimer - it's a beast to play and became the crown jewel of my contest tunes. It also took me over 2 months just to get from start to finish!
After that I came back to Whispers in the Trees but still needed two more songs. With time running out we decided to use my cover of I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers as a third song. It's got a fun story behind it - I learned it for Doug on Valentine's Day - but that wouldn't be anything I could tell people during the contest. The neat part about this song is that I use two hammers in my right hand to imitate the guitar chords. It's not the hardest song in the world, but it's fun and it's a crowd-pleaser...but I was still one song short. May, June, and July passed and I was still searching for song #4. I tried several that seemed ideal but fell flat on day two or three of practice (kinda like a string of first dates that keep going south!).
Finally, at the tail end of July, I revisited my list of brainstormed song ideas and found one that made me stop and ponder. I tried the intro. I got goosebumps. I came back the next day and did a little more and realized I was onto something. About three weeks later I performed the Meatloaf cover I'd Do Anything For Love for the first time at a dulcimer festival organized by the local folk music society - not exactly your typical folk tune! It was a hit and a great fit for my personality. I had my songs!
Along the way through this process my mindset shifted dramatically (thanks to good advice and a great book called Burn Your Goals) from "go to win" to "give my very best every day and have fun"...or "enjoy the journey" as I was told many times! The actual journey to Winfield Kansas was 700 miles one way and we stayed at the most peaceful Airbnb farm house! It was an hour from the festival but brought peace and quiet to an otherwise nerve-wracking weekend! It wasn't entirely quiet though: my family came along and that included Doug, our son (5 years old), my mom, and my uncle and aunt who let me borrow her dulcimer! We had fun.
The festival itself was quite the experience. September 12-16 and it was hot. I don't like heat. My face turns brighter red than Rudolph's nose and with two sunny days over 100 degrees I was on the struggle bus! Despite that the music was amazing and there was plenty to do and see. I rubbed elbows with at least 6 former hammered dulcimer champions...7 if you count the winner from this year! The contest field was 12 strong and according to those who know it was the most talent-filled group of competitors in many years. I spent a lot of time tuning and being backstage it was difficult to hear the others' songs very clearly - but I never heard anything less than stellar. As for me, I did the best I could with hands shaking and about 3 degrees shy of heat exhaustion.
The contest is interesting: it's judged by a panel of experts and they are located in a different room. They don't see the competitors or know who's playing - it's completely blind so that there's no bias. They only hear what the microphone picks up from the instrument. I had 5 minutes in the first round to play two songs. I played 500 Miles and Love Story. As we gathered backstage, most of us had no clue if we'd move forward to the final round (top 5 only). The 5 of us that did were excited and a bit surprised. I drew 4th out of 5 for order and opened with Whispers and rounded out the experience with the Meatloaf cover. I was careful to take a moment before playing to just look out at the crowd and say to myself "You're here! You made it! Praise God, I get to play all 4 of my songs!"...It wasn't my best-ever performance, but it was the best I had on that day under those conditions. I'm proud of it. Before the contest started I met a sweet lady nicknamed Coco who was also competing AND celebrating her 80th birthday. She gave me this tip: "Just go out there and serve it to 'em on a platter!" I love it! That stuck with me and she was one of the highlights of the whole weekend!
I did not place in the top 3 and the score cards are not given out. However, I had a ton of people talk to me after the contest telling me how they enjoyed what I played (and some telling me that they disagreed with the results and that I should've won - I don't share that opinion but I don't mind them having it either!). I was stopped all night long as I walked around with people telling me these things and even sending me messages later the next week...the connection to these people and knowing that I played something that excited them - THAT is my true reward and more valuable than a title.
me, Ben Haguewood - 3rd, Matthew Dickerson, Colin Beasley - 1st, and Benjamin Barker - 2nd
photo courtesy of Matthew Dickerson
If I break it down, I really had 3 goals with this contest:
**to see what I could do if I threw away the limiters and gave it 100%
**to honor my mentors Ted and Donna, and honor the artistry of Russell Cook and others at Master Works who built my instrument - people who all have a passion for reaching down and pulling others up who want to learn to play at a high level
**to chase a bigger platform for sharing my story that God has incredibly written over the past few years: resurrecting music as a passion for me and guiding me to a marimba, a hammered dulcimer, and a ton of people I don't deserve to know
I've enjoyed the journey...but I still intend to win at some point so I'll be back!
Rhythmwood Drive LLC
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The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State
El Manifiesto Comunista
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Communist Manifesto
The Communist Manifesto / The April Thesis: A Revolutionary Edition
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Marx & Engels: On Colonies, Industrial Monopoly, and the Working Class Movement
Karl Marx (Author), Friedrich Engels (Author), and Zak Cope (Introduction)
Marx and Engels on Trade Unions
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Kenneth Lapides
The Marx-Engels Reader
Karl Marx, Robert C. Tucker, and Friedrich Engels
Collected Works of Marx and Engels, Vol. 33
Collected Works of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Vol. 31: Theories of Surplus Value, Part One
Collected Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Vol. 32: Concludes Theories of Surplus Value
The Communist Manifesto (Penguin Classics)
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Gareth Stedman Jones
An Unfinished Revolution: Karl Marx and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, Karl Marx, Robin Blackburn, Raya Dunaevskaya, and Friedrich Engels
On Religion
Marxism and Anarchism
Josh Lucker (editor), Friedrich Engels, Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov, Leon Trotsky, and Gregory Zinoviev
Frederick Engels on 'Capital'
The Condition of the Working Class in England
Friedrich Engels and Victor Kiernan
Capital, Volume 1: The Process of Capitalist Production.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (editor)
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Robin D. G. Kelley (introduction)
Birth of the Communist Manifesto
Dirk J. Struik (editor), Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels
Karl Marx on Society and Social Change: With Selections by Friedrich Engels
Anti-Dühring
The German Ideology
The German Revolutions: The Peasant War in Germany and Germany: Revolution and Counter-Revolution
Friedrich Engels and Leonard Krieger (Editor)
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels On Religion
Reinhold Niebuhr and Friedrich Engels
On Marx's Capital
The Communist Manifesto (Illustrated) - Chapter One: Historical Materialism
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and George S Rigakos
The Communist Manifesto (Get Political)
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific
The Communist Manifesto (Illustrated) - Chapter Two: The Bourgeoisie
The Communist Manifesto (Oxford World's Classics)
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and David McLellan
Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx (introduction)
The Communist Manifesto (Rethinking the Western Tradition)
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Professor Jeffrey C. Isaac
Capital, Volume One: A Critique of Political Economy
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Samuel Moore, and Edward Aveling
The Communist Manifesto: A Modern Edition
Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx, and Eric J. Hobsbawm
On Colonialism
Manifesto of the Communist Party and Its Genesis
Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx
The German Ideology: Including Thesis on Feuerbach (Great Books in Philosophy)
Ludwig Feuerbach and the Outcome of Classical German Philosophy
The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, in the Light of the Researches of Lewis H. Morgan
The Peasant War In Germany
Anarchism and Anarcho-Syndicalism
The Role of Force In History
Marxism, Socialism & Communism
Anthropology/Sociology
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Home » News » Stress Management » Prenatal Stress Can Increase Stillbirth Risk
Prenatal Stress Can Increase Stillbirth Risk
A new National Institutes of Health study discovers financial, emotional, or other stress in the year before delivery can increase a pregnant woman’s chance of stillbirth.
Stillbirth is the death of a fetus at 20 or more weeks of pregnancy. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2006, there was one stillbirth for every 167 births.
The researchers asked more than 2,000 women a series of questions, including whether they had lost a job or had a loved one in the hospital in the year before they gave birth.
Whether or not the pregnancy ended in stillbirth, most women reported having experienced at least one stressful life event in the previous year.
The researchers found that 83 percent of women who had a stillbirth and 75 percent of women who had a live birth reported a stressful life event.
Almost 1 in 5 women with stillbirths and 1 in 10 women with livebirths in this study reported recently experiencing five or more stressful life events.
For this study, researchers measured the occurrence of a list of significant life events, and did not include the woman’s assessment of how stressful the event was to her. They discovered that women reporting a greater number of stressful events were more likely to have a stillbirth.
Two stressful events increased a woman’s odds of stillbirth by about 40 percent, and a woman experiencing five or more stressful events was nearly 2.5 times more likely to have a stillbirth than a woman who had experienced none.
Women who reported three or four significant life event factors (financial, emotional, traumatic or partner-related) remained at increased risk for stillbirth after accounting for other stillbirth risk factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics and prior pregnancy history.
Ethnicity was a factor as non-Hispanic black women were more likely to report experiencing stressful events than were non-Hispanic white women and Hispanic women.
Black women also reported a greater number of stressful events than did their white and Hispanic counterparts. This finding may partly explain why black women have higher rates of stillbirth than non-Hispanic white or Hispanic women, the researchers said.
“We documented how significant stressors are highly prevalent in pregnant women’s lives,” said study co-author Marian Willinger, Ph.D. “This reinforces the need for health care providers to ask expectant mothers about what is going on in their lives, monitor stressful life events and to offer support as part of prenatal care.
“Because 1 in 5 pregnant women has three or more stressful events in the year leading up to delivery, the potential public health impact of effective interventions could be substantial and help increase the delivery of healthy babies,” added lead author Dr. Carol Hogue.
Their findings appear in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
As part of the study, researchers contacted all women delivering a stillbirth as well as a representative portion of women delivering a live birth in defined counties in Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas and Utah.
The women were enrolled in the study between 2006 and 2008 in 59 community and research hospitals.
Within 24 hours of either a live birth or a stillbirth delivery, the women in the study were asked about events grouped into four categories: emotional, financial, partner-related and traumatic. They answered yes or no to 13 scenarios, including the following:
I moved to a new address;
My husband or partner lost his job;
I was in a physical fight;
Someone very close to me died.
Some of the stressful events were more strongly associated with stillbirth than were others. For example, the risk of stillbirth was highest:
for women who had been in a fight (which doubled the chances for stillbirth);
if she had heard her partner say he didn’t want her to be pregnant;
if she or her partner had gone to jail in the year before the delivery.
“At prenatal visits, screening is common for concerns such as intimate partner violence and depression, but the questions in our study were much more detailed,” said co-author Uma Reddy, M.D., M.P.H.
“This is a first step toward cataloguing the effects of stress on the likelihood of stillbirth and, more generally, toward documenting how pregnancy influences a woman’s mental health and how pregnancy is influenced by a woman’s mental health.”
Source: NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Pregnant woman under stress photo by shutterstock.
Nauert PhD, R. (2018). Prenatal Stress Can Increase Stillbirth Risk. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 19, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/28/prenatal-stress-can-increase-stillbirth-risk/53131.html
Last updated: 8 Aug 2018 (Originally: 28 Mar 2013)
Introduction Myths About Stress Tips for Tackling Stress Deep Breathing Using Imagery Muscle Relaxation Relaxation & Meditation Stress Library Stress Support Group
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Justia Regulation Tracker Agencies And Commissions Nuclear Regulatory Commission List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision 3, 20712-20716 [E7-8033]
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision 3, 20712-20716 [E7-8033]
Download as PDF pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES 20712 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 7 CFR part 15, subpart A—USDA implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. 7 CFR part 331 and 9 CFR part 121— USDA implementation of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002. 7 CFR part 3015—USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations, implementing OMB directives (i.e., OMB Circular Nos. A–21 and A–122) and incorporating provisions of 31 U.S.C. 6301–6308 (formerly the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95–224), as well as general policy requirements applicable to recipients of Departmental financial assistance. 7 CFR part 3017—USDA implementation of Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants). 7 CFR part 3018—USDA implementation of Restrictions on Lobbying. Imposes prohibitions and requirements for disclosure and certification related to lobbying on recipients of Federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and loans. 7 CFR part 3019—USDA implementation of OMB Circular A– 110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations. 7 CFR part 3052—USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A– 133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-profit Organizations. 7 CFR part 3407—CSREES procedures to implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. 9 CFR parts 1, 2, 3, and 4—USDA implementation of the Act of August 24, 1966, Pub. L. 89–544, as amended (commonly known as the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act). 48 CFR part 31—Contract Cost Principles and Procedures of the Federal Acquisition Regulations. 29 U.S.C. 794 (section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973) and 7 CFR part 15b (USDA implementation of statute)—prohibiting discrimination based upon physical or mental handicap in Federally assisted programs. 35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.—Bayh-Dole Act, controlling allocation of rights to inventions made by employees of small business firms and domestic nonprofit organizations, including universities, in Federally assisted programs (implementing regulations are contained in 37 CFR part 401). VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 § 3403.16 Other considerations. The Department may, with respect to any research project grant, impose additional conditions prior to or at the time of any award when, in the Department’s judgment, such conditions are necessary to assure or protect advancement of the approved project, the interests of the public, or the conservation of grant funds. Done at Washington, DC, on this 22nd day of April, 2007. Colien Hefferan, Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. [FR Doc. E7–7934 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–22–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Part 72 RIN 3150–AH98 List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision 3 Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system listing within the ‘‘List of approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to include Amendment No. 3 to Certificate of Compliance Number 1014. Amendment No. 3 revises Technical Specification (TS) 3.1.3, to eliminate cooling of the Multi-Purpose Canister (MPC) cavity prior to reflood with water, as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1, to allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations, for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC–32/32F; Appendix B, Section 1 to the CoC, to make modifications to the definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel assembly, and non-fuel hardware; and Appendix B, Section 2 to the CoC, to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. Other changes are made to incorporate minor editorial corrections. This final rule allows the holders of power reactor operating licenses to store spent fuel in this approved cask in accordance with the revised conditions, under the NRC’s general license provisions. DATES: The final rule is effective on May 29, 2007. PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Publicly available documents related to this rulemaking may be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR), Room O1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Selected documents can be viewed and downloaded electronically via the NRC’s rulemaking Web site at http:// ruleforum.llnl.gov. Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are available electronically at the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/adams.html. From this site, the public can gain entry into the NRC’s Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC’s public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are any problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC PDR Reference staff at (800) 397–4209, (301) 415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayne M. McCausland, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, telephone (301) 415– 6219, e-mail: jmm2@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ADDRESSES: Background Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), as amended, requires that ‘‘[t]he Secretary [of the Department of Energy (DOE)] shall establish a demonstration program, in cooperation with the private sector, for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian nuclear power reactor sites, with the objective of establishing one or more technologies that the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission may, by rule, approve for use at the sites of civilian nuclear power reactors without, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for additional site-specific approvals by the Commission.’’ Section 133 of the NWPA states, in part, that ‘‘[t]he Commission shall, by rule, establish procedures for the licensing of any technology approved by the Commission under Section 218(a) for use at the site of any civilian nuclear power reactor.’’ To implement this mandate, the NRC approved dry storage of spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved casks under a general license by publishing a final rule in 10 CFR Part 72 entitled ‘‘General License for Storage of Spent Fuel at E:\FR\FM\26APR1.SGM 26APR1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES Power Reactor Sites’’ (55 FR 29181; July 18, 1990). This rule also established a new Subpart L within 10 CFR Part 72, entitled ‘‘Approval of Spent Fuel Storage Casks,’’ containing procedures and criteria for obtaining NRC approval of spent fuel storage cask designs. The NRC subsequently issued a final rule on May 1, 2000 (65 FR 25241) that approved the HI-STORM 100 cask system design, and added it to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in 10 CFR 72.214 as Certificate of Compliance Number (CoC No.) 1014. Discussion On November 7, 2005, and as supplemented on April 30, 2006, the certificate holder, Holtec International, submitted an application to the NRC to amend the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The application requested changes to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior to reflood with water as part of cask unloading operations; changes to allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC–32/32F; modifications to the definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel assembly, and non-fuel hardware; changes to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length; and other changes to incorporate minor editorial corrections. No other changes to the HI-STORM 100 cask system were requested in this application. The NRC staff performed a detailed safety evaluation of the proposed CoC amendment request and found that an acceptable safety margin is maintained. In addition, the NRC staff has determined that there continues to be reasonable assurance that public health and safety and the environment will be adequately protected. The NRC published a direct final rule (71 FR 60659; October 16, 2006) and the companion proposed rule (71 FR 60672) in the Federal Register to amend the HISTORM 100 cask system listing in 10 CFR 72.214 to include the changes requested by Holtec International as Amendment No. 3 to CoC No. 1014. The comment period ended on November 15, 2006. One comment letter was received on the proposed rule. The comments contained within the letter were considered to be significant and adverse and warranted withdrawal of the direct final rule. A notice of withdrawal was published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2006 (71 FR 77586). Additionally, the NRC staff is amending the TS to remove nonfuel hardware from the definition of fuel debris, as discussed in the response to VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 Comment C.1 in the preamble. The safety evaluation report (SER) has been modified to describe the NRC’s staff’s determination. The NRC finds that the Holtec International HI-STORM cask system, as designed and when fabricated and used in accordance with the conditions specified in its CoC, meets the requirements of 10 CFR Part 72. Thus, use of the Holtec International HISTORM cask system, as approved by the NRC, will provide adequate protection of public health and safety and the environment. With this final rule, the NRC is approving the use of the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system under the general license in 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart K, by holders of power reactor operating licenses under 10 CFR Part 50. Simultaneously, the NRC is issuing a final SER and CoC that will be effective on May 29, 2007. Single copies of the CoC and SER are available for public inspection and/or copying for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Copies of the public comments are available for review in the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Discussion of Amendments by Section Section 72.214 List Of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks Certificate No. 1014 is revised by adding the effective date of Amendment Number 3. Summary of Public Comments on the Proposed Rule The NRC received one comment letter on the proposed rule from Public Citizen and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Copies of the public comment letter are available for review in the NRC’s Public Document Room, O–1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. Comments on the Holtec HI-STORM 100 Cask System Revision 3 The commenters provided specific comments on Holtec’s TS. To the extent possible, the comments on a particular subject are grouped together. The listing of the Holtec HI-STORM 100 cask system within 10 CFR 72.214, ‘‘List of approved spent fuel storage casks,’’ has not been changed as a result of the public comments. A review of the comments and the NRC staff’s responses follow: PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 20713 A. Holtec’s Proposal To Eliminate Cooling of the MPC Cavity Prior to Reflood With Water as Part of Cask Unloading Operations Comment A.1: The commenters stated that if adequate cooling is not done prior to reflooding with water during cask unloading, the casks could experience brittle fracturing caused by a sudden temperature change from hot to cold. The fracturing could be in addition to the brittle fracturing already introduced into the casks by forced cooling during their original manufacture. The commenters stated that forced cooling violates NRC regulations and applicable ASME and ANSI codes. Response: The Holtec spent fuel canisters are fabricated from austenitic stainless steel. This is an extremely tough material with excellent ductility at all temperatures. Also, this material does not have a ductile-to-brittle transformation temperature that is typical of some other types of steel. Hence, this material and the casks which are fabricated from it are not susceptible to any kind of brittle fracture as suggested by the comment. For the design environmental temperatures, the range varies from -40 degrees F to 775 degrees F for the MPC, and this range of temperatures formed the design bases for the MPC of the cask system. The structural analyses performed for the cask system considered this range of temperatures. There are no heating or cooling rate restrictions imposed by any regulatory or code requirement for this material or for this application. Comment A.2: The commenters stated that during welding, the strength of the material decreases dramatically with the increased temperature of the material. After welding, Federal regulations require cooling at 100 degrees F without forced cooling. They further stated that if the material does not cool properly, voids inside the heated zones caused by welding could remain and cause cracking in the future, and that these cracks may not be detected by testing that is performed immediately after cooling. The commenters believed that the potential delayed cracking is the reason why Federal regulations require specific tests to assess whether the material’s strength, which is reduced by welding, is returned to its original design strength. The commenters believed that such cracking is also why forced cooling, such as immersion in water baths or forced air fan cooling, is not allowed by NRC regulations and applicable ASME and ANSI codes. E:\FR\FM\26APR1.SGM 26APR1 pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES 20714 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations Response: As stated in the response to Comment A.1, above, there is no regulatory or code requirement or restriction for heating or cooling rates for austenitic stainless steel, nor is there any need to impose such requirements. Further, cooling rates as alluded to by the commenters only apply during postweld heat treatment (PWHT). PWHT is not required by the ASME code for this material, nor is it desirable because of the deleterious effect the PWHT temperatures would have upon the fuel payload. The part of the cask which is welded while the cask is in the loading pool is some distance from the surface of the loading pool during welding of the closure lid. Any potential ‘‘forced cooling’’ effect by the pool water would be negligible compared to the normally occurring cooling effect which arises from the thermal mass of the structural lid which is being welded. Likewise, the inert gas purge which is employed during welding is just sufficient to displace any hydrogen which may evolve from the fuel payload. It also provides a backing gas to protect the root pass of the weld from oxidation. It is insufficient to provide any significant cooling effect. To provide any significant cooling would require a gas flow such that welding would not be possible. No credible delayed cracking mechanism exists for this material, unlike the situation for other types of steel. Given this, the excellent ductility of the material, and the lack of any kind of ductile-to-brittle transformation for the material, no suggested ‘‘brittle fracturing’’ mechanism is credible. Comment A.3: The commenters stated that nine quality assurance (QA) violations affecting Holtec casks at the U.S. Tool and Die factory in Pittsburgh, PA, were identified by a former senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon and his QA team in June and July 2000. The major QA violations included regulatory code violations, weld flaws, design flaws, and manufacturing flaws that call into question the structural integrity of the Holtec shipping containers, especially under transport accident conditions. The commenters stated that an NRC Region III dry cask inspector shared the concerns about the QA violations, and that despite this, NRC failed to address these issues. Response: Region III forwarded the allegations raised by the former senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon and his QA team in June and July 2000 to the former Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) at NRC Headquarters in memoranda dated VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 February 20, 2002, and April 19, 2002. SFPO staff reviewed his allegations and concluded that there were no safetysignificant problems with Holtec’s QA program, and more importantly, that there were no identified defects in any casks previously manufactured. When the former senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon asserted that NRC did not adequately address his issues, the NRC ’s independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an investigation. The OIG report, dated July 27, 2004 (available on the NRC website: http://www.nrc.gov/readingrm.html), concluded that: (1) The NRC staff did not fail to provide adequate oversight of Holtec and U.S. Tool and Die; (2) the NRC appropriately inspected those companies, found deficiencies, and verified that corrective actions were taken; (3) NRC’s handling of the allegations from the former senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon was appropriate; and (4) the NRC conducted a timely inspection and had a valid basis to determine that no safety significant problems existed. B. Holtec’s Proposal To Allow Linear Interpolation Between Minimal Soluble Boron Concentrations for Certain Fuel Enrichments in the MPC–32/32F Comment: The commenters stated that boron concentrations must be maintained very carefully given the risk of inadvertent criticality due to the fissile materials (such as U–235 and Pu239) still present in the irradiated fuel. They stated that the NRC should not allow rollbacks on criticality safety regulations. Response: During the review of the proposed amendment the staff carefully considered the additional risk of an inadvertent criticality given a corresponding reduction in the soluble boron levels based on enrichment. The original requirement to load any fuel over 4.1 weight percent uranium-235 as if it were 5.0 weight percent uranium235 fuel was extremely conservative. Based on the study performed in the license amendment request, staff finds that linear interpolation of the soluble boron levels is conservative in this instance and continues to provide an ample margin of safety against inadvertent criticality. C. Holtec’s Proposal To Modify the Definitions of Fuel Debris, Damaged Fuel Assembly, and Nonfuel Hardware Comment C.1: The commenters stated that fuel debris and damaged fuel assemblies are among the most risky high-level radioactive waste to handle, store, transport, and dispose of, because the integrity of the fuel cladding has PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 been ruined. They stated that radioactive particles and gases and entire nuclear fuel pellets are able to escape the fuel rods, worsening contamination of the Holtec inner canister and cask systems. They believed this could increase radiation doses for nuclear workers and the public as well as increase criticality risks in certain accident scenarios such as underwater submersions. Thus, the commenters believe that the definitions of these terms should not be modified. Response: In its review of the final rule that added the Holtec HI-STORM 100 cask system to the listing in 10 CFR 72.214 (65 FR 25241; May 1, 2000), the staff found that fuel debris, as defined in that amendment, can be stored safely in the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The basis for the staff’s finding is explained in the SER for that final rule. The current amendment does propose, however, to expand the definition of fuel debris to include additional materials. In response to the comment, staff reevaluated this proposal and determined that expanding the definition of fuel debris to include containers or structures that are supporting intact or damaged fuel assembly parts is acceptable, as stated in the SER. However, staff determined that expanding the definition of fuel debris to include non-fuel hardware in order to permit storage of non-fuel hardware separately from (i.e., not within) a fuel assembly was not acceptable, and modified the Technical Specifications to remove non-fuel hardware from the definition of fuel debris. The SER has been modified to describe the staff’s determination. Comment C.2: The commenters stated that the nonfuel hardware is a hazardous material due to the radioactive contamination and radioactive activation it has experienced and presents a danger to workers and the public. Response: In its review of Amendment 1 to the HI-STORM 100 cask system (67 FR 46369; July 15, 2002), the staff found that non-fuel hardware, as defined in that amendment, can be stored safely in the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The basis for the staff’s finding is explained in the SER for that previous amendment. The current amendment proposes to add neutron source assemblies (NSA) to the definition of allowable non-fuel hardware and limits the number and the locations of NSAs to one per MPC stored in one of the four center-most fuel basket positions. Also, the staff found in its review that the shielding source term for an NSA is bounded by E:\FR\FM\26APR1.SGM 26APR1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations the shielding source terms of the cask contents approved in the previous amendment. Thus, the staff finds the cask system can safely store non-fuel hardware as defined in the current amendment. D. Holtec’s Proposal To Permit the Storage of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Fuel Assemblies With Annular Fuel Pellets in the Top and Bottom 12 Inches of the Active Fuel Length Comment: The commenters expressed concern that permitting the storage of PWR fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length would risk increasing doses to nuclear workers and the public during cask loading, handling, storage, transport, and disposal operations. They stated that this storage should not be allowed by NRC. Response: The current amendment proposes to modify the allowable PWR contents to included PWR assemblies containing annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. NRC staff considered the difference between annular and solid fuel pellets in this part of the fuel from two aspects—source term and shielding—and concluded that the effect would not be noticeable. The annular pellet would produce a smaller source term than the solid pellet, since there is less fuel in the annular pellet, though the difference would be small, considering the lower burnup that the ends of the active fuel experience and the fact that the majority of fissions occur in the outer portions of a fuel pellet. Also, while solid pellets may be more effective than annular pellets as shielding, the amount of shielding provided by the MPC lid and the cask lid would make this effect small. Thus, the staff finds that the cask system can safely store PWR assemblies with annular pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES Summary of Final Revisions In Appendix B to the CoC, Section 1.0, Definitions, the TS has been revised in response to Comment C.1. to remove non-fuel hardware from the definition of fuel debris. The SER has also been revised to document this change. Voluntary Consensus Standards The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–113) requires that Federal agencies use technical standards that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies unless the use of such a standard is inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 impractical. In this final rule, the NRC is revising the HI-STORM 100 cask system design listed in 10 CFR 72.214 (List of NRC-approved spent fuel storage cask designs). This action does not constitute the establishment of a standard that contains generally applicable requirements. Agreement State Compatibility Under the ‘‘Policy Statement on Adequacy and Compatibility of Agreement State Programs’’ approved by the Commission on June 30, 1997, and published in the Federal Register on September 3, 1997 (62 FR 46517), this rule is classified as Compatibility Category ‘‘NRC.’’ Compatibility is not required for Category ‘‘NRC’’ regulations. The NRC program elements in this category are those that relate directly to areas of regulation reserved to the NRC by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), as amended, or the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Although an Agreement State may not adopt program elements reserved to NRC, it may wish to inform its licensees of certain requirements via a mechanism that is consistent with the particular State’s administrative procedure laws but does not confer regulatory authority on the State. Finding of No Significant Environmental Impact: Availability Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the NRC regulations in Subpart A of 10 CFR Part 51, the NRC has determined that this rule, if adopted, would not be a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment and, therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required. This final rule amends the CoC for the HI-STORM 100 cask system within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks that power-reactor licensees can use to store spent fuel at reactor sites under a general license. Amendment No. 3 modifies the present cask system design by revising TS 3.1.3 to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior to reflood with water as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1 to allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC–32/32F; Appendix B, Section 1 to the CoC, to make modifications to the definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel assembly, and non-fuel hardware; and Appendix B, Section 2 to the CoC, to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. Other PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 20715 changes are made to incorporate minor editorial corrections. The environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact on which this determination is based are available for inspection at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Single copies of the EA and finding of no significant impact are available from Jayne M. McCausland, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, telephone (301) 415–6219, e-mail jmm2@nrc.gov. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement This final rule does not contain a new or amended information collection requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing requirements were approved by the Office of Management and Budget, Approval Number 3150– 0132. Public Protection Notification The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a request for information or an information collection requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid OMB control number. Regulatory Analysis On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC issued an amendment to 10 CFR Part 72 to provide for the storage of spent nuclear fuel under a general license in cask designs approved by the NRC. Any nuclear power-reactor licensee can use NRC-approved cask designs to store spent nuclear fuel if it notifies the NRC in advance, spent fuel is stored under the conditions specified in the cask’s CoC, and the conditions of the general license are met. A list of NRC-approved cask designs is contained in 10 CFR 72.214. On May 1, 2000 (65 FR 25241), the NRC issued an amendment to Part 72 that approved the HI–STORM 100 cask system design by adding it to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in 10 CFR 72.214. On November 7, 2005, and as supplemented on April 30, 2006, the certificate holder, Holtec International, submitted an application to the NRC to amend the HI–STORM 100 cask system. The amendment revises TS 3.1.3 to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior to reflood with water as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1 to allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC–32/32F; Appendix B, Section 1 to the CoC, to make modifications to the E:\FR\FM\26APR1.SGM 26APR1 20716 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 80 / Thursday, April 26, 2007 / Rules and Regulations definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel assembly, and non-fuel hardware; and Appendix B, Section 2 to the CoC, to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. Other changes are made to incorporate minor editorial corrections. The alternative to this action is to withhold approval of this amended cask system design. Withholding approval, in the absence of any safety reason for doing so, would not comply with the requirements of sections 218(a) and 133 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Approval of the final rule is consistent with previous NRC actions. Further, the final rule will have no adverse effect on public health and safety. This final rule has no significant identifiable impact or benefit on other Government agencies. Based on this discussion of the benefits and impacts of the alternatives, the NRC concludes that the requirements of the final rule are commensurate with the NRC’s responsibilities for public health and safety and the common defense and security. No other available alternative is believed to be as satisfactory, and thus, this action is recommended. Regulatory Flexibility Certification Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), the NRC certifies that this rule will not, if issued, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This final rule affects only the licensing and operation of nuclear power plants, independent spent fuel storage facilities, and Holtec International. The companies that own these plants do not fall within the scope of the definition of ‘‘small entities’’ set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act or the Small Business Size Standards set out in regulations issued by the Small Business Administration at 13 CFR Part 121. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES Backfit Analysis The NRC has determined that the backfit rule (10 CFR 50.109 or 10 CFR 72.62) does not apply to this final rule because this amendment does not involve any provisions that would impose backfits as defined. Therefore, a backfit analysis is not required. Congressional Review Act Under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, the NRC has determined that this action is not a major rule and has verified this determination with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Apr 25, 2007 Jkt 211001 List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 72 Administrative practice and procedure, Criminal penalties, Manpower training programs, Nuclear materials, Occupational safety and health, Penalties, Radiation protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Security measures, Spent fuel, Whistleblowing. I For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended; and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553; the NRC is adopting the following amendments to 10 CFR Part 72. PART 72—LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE 1. The authority citation for Part 72 continues to read as follows: I Authority: Secs. 51, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 69, 81, 161, 182, 183, 184, 186, 187, 189, 68 Stat. 929, 930, 932, 933, 934, 935, 948, 953, 954, 955, as amended, sec. 234, 83 Stat. 444, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2071, 2073, 2077, 2092, 2093, 2095, 2099, 2111, 2201, 2232, 2233, 2234, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2282); sec. 274, Pub. L. 86–373, 73 Stat. 688, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2021); sec. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846); Pub. L. 95–601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 2951 as amended by Pub. L. 102– 486, sec. 7902, 106 Stat. 3123 (42 U.S.C. 5851); sec. 102, Pub. L. 91–190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332); secs. 131, 132, 133, 135, 137, 141, Pub. L. 97–425, 96 Stat. 2229, 2230, 2232, 2241, sec. 148, Pub. L. 100–203, 101 Stat. 1330–235 (42 U.S.C. 10151, 10152, 10153, 10155, 10157, 10161, 10168); sec. 1704, 112 Stat. 2750 (44 U.S.C. 3504 note); sec. 651(e), Pub. L. 109–58, 119 Stat. 806–10 (42 U.S.C. 2014, 2021, 2021b, 2111). Section 72.44(g) also issued under secs. 142(b) and 148(c), (d), Pub. L. 100–203, 101 Stat. 1330–232, 1330–236 (42 U.S.C. 10162(b), 10168(c), (d)). Section 72.46 also issued under sec. 189, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2239); sec. 134, Pub. L. 97–425, 96 Stat. 2230 (42 U.S.C. 10154). Section 72.96(d) also issued under sec. 145(g), Pub. L. 100–203, 101 Stat. 1330–235 (42 U.S.C. 10165(g)). Subpart J also issued under secs. 2(2), 2(15), 2(19), 117(a), 141(h), Pub. L. 97–425, 96 Stat. 2202, 2203, 2204, 2222, 2224 (42 U.S.C. 10101, 10137(a), 10161(h)). Subparts K and L are also issued under sec. 133, 98 Stat. 2230 (42 U.S.C. 10153) and sec. 218(a), 96 Stat. 2252 (42 U.S.C. 10198). 2. In § 72.214, Certificate of Compliance 1014 is revised to read as follows: I § 72.214 List of approved spent fuel storage casks. * PO 00000 * * Frm 00016 * Fmt 4700 * Sfmt 4700 Certificate Number: 1014. Initial Certificate Effective Date: June 1, 2000. Amendment Number 1 Effective Date: July 15, 2002. Amendment Number 2 Effective Date: June 7, 2005. Amendment Number 3 Effective Date: May 29, 2007. SAR Submitted by: Holtec International. SAR Title: Final Safety Analysis Report for the HI–STORM 100 Cask System. Docket Number: 72–1014. Certificate Expiration Date: June 1, 2020. Model Number: HI–STORM 100. * * * * * Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of April, 2007. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Luis A. Reyes, Executive Director for Operations. [FR Doc. E7–8033 Filed 4–25–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA–2007–27980; Directorate Identifier 2007–NM–066–AD; Amendment 39–15033; AD 2007–09–03] RIN 2120–AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Learjet Model 45 Airplanes Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Final rule; request for comments. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Learjet Model 45 airplanes. This AD requires deactivating the auxiliary power unit (APU), capping/plugging the fuel lines to the APU, and removing the APU fuel shutoff valve. This AD results from reports of fuel leaking from the APU fuel shutoff valve into a flammable fluid fire protection area that is also interconnected with the main landing gear’s wheel well bay. We are issuing this AD to prevent fuel leaking from the fuel shutoff valve of the APU, which could result in an uncontrollable fire and adversely affect the airplane’s continued safe flight and landing. DATES: This AD becomes effective May 11, 2007. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference E:\FR\FM\26APR1.SGM 26APR1
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
RIN 3150-AH98
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its
regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask
system listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks''
to include Amendment No. 3 to Certificate of Compliance Number 1014.
Amendment No. 3 revises Technical Specification (TS) 3.1.3, to
eliminate cooling of the Multi-Purpose Canister (MPC) cavity prior to
reflood with water, as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1, to
allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron
concentrations, for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC-32/32F;
Appendix B, Section 1 to the CoC, to make modifications to the
definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel assembly, and non-fuel
hardware; and Appendix B, Section 2 to the CoC, to permit the storage
of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets
in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. Other
changes are made to incorporate minor editorial corrections. This final
rule allows the holders of power reactor operating licenses to store
spent fuel in this approved cask in accordance with the revised
conditions, under the NRC's general license provisions.
DATES: The final rule is effective on May 29, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Publicly available documents related to this rulemaking may
be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's
Public Document Room (PDR), Room O1F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The PDR reproduction contractor
will copy documents for a fee. Selected documents can be viewed and
downloaded electronically via the NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://
ruleforum.llnl.gov.
Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are
available electronically at the NRC's Electronic Reading Room at http:/
/www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. From this site, the public can gain
entry into the NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System
(ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public documents.
If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are any problems in
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC PDR Reference
staff at (800) 397-4209, (301) 415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayne M. McCausland, Office of Federal
and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-
6219, e-mail: jmm2@nrc.gov.
Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), as
amended, requires that ``[t]he Secretary [of the Department of Energy
(DOE)] shall establish a demonstration program, in cooperation with the
private sector, for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian
nuclear power reactor sites, with the objective of establishing one or
more technologies that the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission may, by
rule, approve for use at the sites of civilian nuclear power reactors
without, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for additional
site-specific approvals by the Commission.'' Section 133 of the NWPA
states, in part, that ``[t]he Commission shall, by rule, establish
procedures for the licensing of any technology approved by the
Commission under Section 218(a) for use at the site of any civilian
nuclear power reactor.''
To implement this mandate, the NRC approved dry storage of spent
nuclear fuel in NRC-approved casks under a general license by
publishing a final rule in 10 CFR Part 72 entitled ``General License
for Storage of Spent Fuel at
Power Reactor Sites'' (55 FR 29181; July 18, 1990). This rule also
established a new Subpart L within 10 CFR Part 72, entitled ``Approval
of Spent Fuel Storage Casks,'' containing procedures and criteria for
obtaining NRC approval of spent fuel storage cask designs. The NRC
subsequently issued a final rule on May 1, 2000 (65 FR 25241) that
approved the HI-STORM 100 cask system design, and added it to the list
of NRC-approved cask designs in 10 CFR 72.214 as Certificate of
Compliance Number (CoC No.) 1014.
On November 7, 2005, and as supplemented on April 30, 2006, the
certificate holder, Holtec International, submitted an application to
the NRC to amend the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The application
requested changes to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior to
reflood with water as part of cask unloading operations; changes to
allow linear interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations
for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC-32/32F; modifications to the
hardware; changes to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor
fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12
inches of the active fuel length; and other changes to incorporate
minor editorial corrections. No other changes to the HI-STORM 100 cask
system were requested in this application. The NRC staff performed a
detailed safety evaluation of the proposed CoC amendment request and
found that an acceptable safety margin is maintained. In addition, the
NRC staff has determined that there continues to be reasonable
assurance that public health and safety and the environment will be
adequately protected.
The NRC published a direct final rule (71 FR 60659; October 16,
2006) and the companion proposed rule (71 FR 60672) in the Federal
Register to amend the HI-STORM 100 cask system listing in 10 CFR 72.214
to include the changes requested by Holtec International as Amendment
No. 3 to CoC No. 1014. The comment period ended on November 15, 2006.
One comment letter was received on the proposed rule. The comments
contained within the letter were considered to be significant and
adverse and warranted withdrawal of the direct final rule. A notice of
withdrawal was published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2006
(71 FR 77586). Additionally, the NRC staff is amending the TS to remove
non-fuel hardware from the definition of fuel debris, as discussed in
the response to Comment C.1 in the preamble. The safety evaluation
report (SER) has been modified to describe the NRC's staff's
The NRC finds that the Holtec International HI-STORM cask system,
as designed and when fabricated and used in accordance with the
conditions specified in its CoC, meets the requirements of 10 CFR Part
72. Thus, use of the Holtec International HI-STORM cask system, as
approved by the NRC, will provide adequate protection of public health
and safety and the environment. With this final rule, the NRC is
approving the use of the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system
under the general license in 10 CFR Part 72, Subpart K, by holders of
power reactor operating licenses under 10 CFR Part 50. Simultaneously,
the NRC is issuing a final SER and CoC that will be effective on May
29, 2007. Single copies of the CoC and SER are available for public
inspection and/or copying for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Copies of the public comments are
available for review in the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, MD.
Discussion of Amendments by Section
Section 72.214 List Of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks
Certificate No. 1014 is revised by adding the effective date of
Amendment Number 3.
Summary of Public Comments on the Proposed Rule
The NRC received one comment letter on the proposed rule from
Public Citizen and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Copies
of the public comment letter are available for review in the NRC's
Public Document Room, O-1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland.
Comments on the Holtec HI-STORM 100 Cask System Revision 3
The commenters provided specific comments on Holtec's TS. To the
extent possible, the comments on a particular subject are grouped
together. The listing of the Holtec HI-STORM 100 cask system within 10
CFR 72.214, ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks,'' has not been
changed as a result of the public comments. A review of the comments
and the NRC staff's responses follow:
A. Holtec's Proposal To Eliminate Cooling of the MPC Cavity Prior to
Reflood With Water as Part of Cask Unloading Operations
Comment A.1: The commenters stated that if adequate cooling is not
done prior to reflooding with water during cask unloading, the casks
could experience brittle fracturing caused by a sudden temperature
change from hot to cold. The fracturing could be in addition to the
brittle fracturing already introduced into the casks by forced cooling
during their original manufacture. The commenters stated that forced
cooling violates NRC regulations and applicable ASME and ANSI codes.
Response: The Holtec spent fuel canisters are fabricated from
austenitic stainless steel. This is an extremely tough material with
excellent ductility at all temperatures. Also, this material does not
have a ductile-to-brittle transformation temperature that is typical of
some other types of steel. Hence, this material and the casks which are
fabricated from it are not susceptible to any kind of brittle fracture
as suggested by the comment. For the design environmental temperatures,
the range varies from -40 degrees F to 775 degrees F for the MPC, and
this range of temperatures formed the design bases for the MPC of the
cask system. The structural analyses performed for the cask system
considered this range of temperatures.
There are no heating or cooling rate restrictions imposed by any
regulatory or code requirement for this material or for this
Comment A.2: The commenters stated that during welding, the
strength of the material decreases dramatically with the increased
temperature of the material. After welding, Federal regulations require
cooling at 100 degrees F without forced cooling. They further stated
that if the material does not cool properly, voids inside the heated
zones caused by welding could remain and cause cracking in the future,
and that these cracks may not be detected by testing that is performed
immediately after cooling. The commenters believed that the potential
delayed cracking is the reason why Federal regulations require specific
tests to assess whether the material's strength, which is reduced by
welding, is returned to its original design strength. The commenters
believed that such cracking is also why forced cooling, such as
immersion in water baths or forced air fan cooling, is not allowed by
NRC regulations and applicable ASME and ANSI codes.
Response: As stated in the response to Comment A.1, above, there is
no regulatory or code requirement or restriction for heating or cooling
rates for austenitic stainless steel, nor is there any need to impose
such requirements. Further, cooling rates as alluded to by the
commenters only apply during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). PWHT is
not required by the ASME code for this material, nor is it desirable
because of the deleterious effect the PWHT temperatures would have upon
the fuel payload.
The part of the cask which is welded while the cask is in the
loading pool is some distance from the surface of the loading pool
during welding of the closure lid. Any potential ``forced cooling''
effect by the pool water would be negligible compared to the normally
occurring cooling effect which arises from the thermal mass of the
structural lid which is being welded. Likewise, the inert gas purge
which is employed during welding is just sufficient to displace any
hydrogen which may evolve from the fuel payload. It also provides a
backing gas to protect the root pass of the weld from oxidation. It is
insufficient to provide any significant cooling effect. To provide any
significant cooling would require a gas flow such that welding would
not be possible.
No credible delayed cracking mechanism exists for this material,
unlike the situation for other types of steel. Given this, the
excellent ductility of the material, and the lack of any kind of
ductile-to-brittle transformation for the material, no suggested
``brittle fracturing'' mechanism is credible.
Comment A.3: The commenters stated that nine quality assurance (QA)
violations affecting Holtec casks at the U.S. Tool and Die factory in
Pittsburgh, PA, were identified by a former senior lead QA inspector
for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon and his QA team in June and July 2000.
The major QA violations included regulatory code violations, weld
flaws, design flaws, and manufacturing flaws that call into question
the structural integrity of the Holtec shipping containers, especially
under transport accident conditions. The commenters stated that an NRC
Region III dry cask inspector shared the concerns about the QA
violations, and that despite this, NRC failed to address these issues.
Response: Region III forwarded the allegations raised by the former
senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon and his QA team
in June and July 2000 to the former Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) at
NRC Headquarters in memoranda dated February 20, 2002, and April 19,
2002. SFPO staff reviewed his allegations and concluded that there were
no safety-significant problems with Holtec's QA program, and more
importantly, that there were no identified defects in any casks
previously manufactured. When the former senior lead QA inspector for
Commonwealth Edison/Exelon asserted that NRC did not adequately address
his issues, the NRC 's independent Office of the Inspector General
(OIG) conducted an investigation. The OIG report, dated July 27, 2004
(available on the NRC website: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html),
concluded that: (1) The NRC staff did not fail to provide adequate
oversight of Holtec and U.S. Tool and Die; (2) the NRC appropriately
inspected those companies, found deficiencies, and verified that
corrective actions were taken; (3) NRC's handling of the allegations
from the former senior lead QA inspector for Commonwealth Edison/Exelon
was appropriate; and (4) the NRC conducted a timely inspection and had
a valid basis to determine that no safety significant problems existed.
B. Holtec's Proposal To Allow Linear Interpolation Between Minimal
Soluble Boron Concentrations for Certain Fuel Enrichments in the MPC-
32/32F
Comment: The commenters stated that boron concentrations must be
maintained very carefully given the risk of inadvertent criticality due
to the fissile materials (such as U-235 and Pu-239) still present in
the irradiated fuel. They stated that the NRC should not allow
rollbacks on criticality safety regulations.
Response: During the review of the proposed amendment the staff
carefully considered the additional risk of an inadvertent criticality
given a corresponding reduction in the soluble boron levels based on
enrichment. The original requirement to load any fuel over 4.1 weight
percent uranium-235 as if it were 5.0 weight percent uranium-235 fuel
was extremely conservative. Based on the study performed in the license
amendment request, staff finds that linear interpolation of the soluble
boron levels is conservative in this instance and continues to provide
an ample margin of safety against inadvertent criticality.
C. Holtec's Proposal To Modify the Definitions of Fuel Debris, Damaged
Fuel Assembly, and Nonfuel Hardware
Comment C.1: The commenters stated that fuel debris and damaged
fuel assemblies are among the most risky high-level radioactive waste
to handle, store, transport, and dispose of, because the integrity of
the fuel cladding has been ruined. They stated that radioactive
particles and gases and entire nuclear fuel pellets are able to escape
the fuel rods, worsening contamination of the Holtec inner canister and
cask systems. They believed this could increase radiation doses for
nuclear workers and the public as well as increase criticality risks in
certain accident scenarios such as underwater submersions. Thus, the
commenters believe that the definitions of these terms should not be
Response: In its review of the final rule that added the Holtec HI-
STORM 100 cask system to the listing in 10 CFR 72.214 (65 FR 25241; May
1, 2000), the staff found that fuel debris, as defined in that
amendment, can be stored safely in the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The
basis for the staff's finding is explained in the SER for that final
rule. The current amendment does propose, however, to expand the
definition of fuel debris to include additional materials.
In response to the comment, staff reevaluated this proposal and
determined that expanding the definition of fuel debris to include
containers or structures that are supporting intact or damaged fuel
assembly parts is acceptable, as stated in the SER. However, staff
determined that expanding the definition of fuel debris to include non-
fuel hardware in order to permit storage of non-fuel hardware
separately from (i.e., not within) a fuel assembly was not acceptable,
and modified the Technical Specifications to remove non-fuel hardware
from the definition of fuel debris. The SER has been modified to
describe the staff's determination.
Comment C.2: The commenters stated that the nonfuel hardware is a
hazardous material due to the radioactive contamination and radioactive
activation it has experienced and presents a danger to workers and the
Response: In its review of Amendment 1 to the HI-STORM 100 cask
system (67 FR 46369; July 15, 2002), the staff found that non-fuel
hardware, as defined in that amendment, can be stored safely in the HI-
STORM 100 cask system. The basis for the staff's finding is explained
in the SER for that previous amendment. The current amendment proposes
to add neutron source assemblies (NSA) to the definition of allowable
non-fuel hardware and limits the number and the locations of NSAs to
one per MPC stored in one of the four center-most fuel basket
positions. Also, the staff found in its review that the shielding
source term for an NSA is bounded by
the shielding source terms of the cask contents approved in the
previous amendment. Thus, the staff finds the cask system can safely
store non-fuel hardware as defined in the current amendment.
D. Holtec's Proposal To Permit the Storage of Pressurized Water Reactor
(PWR) Fuel Assemblies With Annular Fuel Pellets in the Top and Bottom
12 Inches of the Active Fuel Length
Comment: The commenters expressed concern that permitting the
storage of PWR fuel assemblies with annular fuel pellets in the top and
bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length would risk increasing doses
to nuclear workers and the public during cask loading, handling,
storage, transport, and disposal operations. They stated that this
storage should not be allowed by NRC.
Response: The current amendment proposes to modify the allowable
PWR contents to included PWR assemblies containing annular fuel pellets
in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel length. NRC staff
considered the difference between annular and solid fuel pellets in
this part of the fuel from two aspects--source term and shielding--and
concluded that the effect would not be noticeable. The annular pellet
would produce a smaller source term than the solid pellet, since there
is less fuel in the annular pellet, though the difference would be
small, considering the lower burnup that the ends of the active fuel
experience and the fact that the majority of fissions occur in the
outer portions of a fuel pellet. Also, while solid pellets may be more
effective than annular pellets as shielding, the amount of shielding
provided by the MPC lid and the cask lid would make this effect small.
Thus, the staff finds that the cask system can safely store PWR
assemblies with annular pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the
active fuel length.
Summary of Final Revisions
In Appendix B to the CoC, Section 1.0, Definitions, the TS has been
revised in response to Comment C.1. to remove non-fuel hardware from
the definition of fuel debris. The SER has also been revised to
document this change.
Voluntary Consensus Standards
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104-113) requires that Federal agencies use technical standards that
are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies unless
the use of such a standard is inconsistent with applicable law or
otherwise impractical. In this final rule, the NRC is revising the HI-
STORM 100 cask system design listed in 10 CFR 72.214 (List of NRC-
approved spent fuel storage cask designs). This action does not
constitute the establishment of a standard that contains generally
applicable requirements.
Agreement State Compatibility
Under the ``Policy Statement on Adequacy and Compatibility of
Agreement State Programs'' approved by the Commission on June 30, 1997,
and published in the Federal Register on September 3, 1997 (62 FR
46517), this rule is classified as Compatibility Category ``NRC.''
Compatibility is not required for Category ``NRC'' regulations. The NRC
program elements in this category are those that relate directly to
areas of regulation reserved to the NRC by the Atomic Energy Act of
1954 (AEA), as amended, or the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations. Although an Agreement State may not adopt program
elements reserved to NRC, it may wish to inform its licensees of
certain requirements via a mechanism that is consistent with the
particular State's administrative procedure laws but does not confer
regulatory authority on the State.
Finding of No Significant Environmental Impact: Availability
Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended,
and the NRC regulations in Subpart A of 10 CFR Part 51, the NRC has
determined that this rule, if adopted, would not be a major Federal
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment
and, therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required. This
final rule amends the CoC for the HI-STORM 100 cask system within the
list of approved spent fuel storage casks that power-reactor licensees
can use to store spent fuel at reactor sites under a general license.
Amendment No. 3 modifies the present cask system design by revising TS
3.1.3 to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior to reflood with
water as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1 to allow linear
interpolation between minimal soluble boron concentrations for certain
fuel enrichments in the MPC-32/32F; Appendix B, Section 1 to the CoC,
to make modifications to the definitions of fuel debris, damaged fuel
assembly, and non-fuel hardware; and Appendix B, Section 2 to the CoC,
to permit the storage of pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies with
annular fuel pellets in the top and bottom 12 inches of the active fuel
length. Other changes are made to incorporate minor editorial
corrections.
The environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant
impact on which this determination is based are available for
inspection at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD. Single copies of the EA and finding of no significant
impact are available from Jayne M. McCausland, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6219, e-mail
jmm2@nrc.gov.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
This final rule does not contain a new or amended information
collection requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing requirements were approved by the
Office of Management and Budget, Approval Number 3150-0132.
Public Protection Notification
The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a request for information or an information collection
requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid
OMB control number.
Regulatory Analysis
On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC issued an amendment to 10
CFR Part 72 to provide for the storage of spent nuclear fuel under a
general license in cask designs approved by the NRC. Any nuclear power-
reactor licensee can use NRC-approved cask designs to store spent
nuclear fuel if it notifies the NRC in advance, spent fuel is stored
under the conditions specified in the cask's CoC, and the conditions of
the general license are met. A list of NRC-approved cask designs is
contained in 10 CFR 72.214. On May 1, 2000 (65 FR 25241), the NRC
issued an amendment to Part 72 that approved the HI-STORM 100 cask
system design by adding it to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in
10 CFR 72.214. On November 7, 2005, and as supplemented on April 30,
2006, the certificate holder, Holtec International, submitted an
application to the NRC to amend the HI-STORM 100 cask system. The
amendment revises TS 3.1.3 to eliminate cooling of the MPC cavity prior
to reflood with water as part of cask unloading operations; TS 3.3.1 to
for certain fuel enrichments in the MPC-32/32F; Appendix B, Section 1
to the CoC, to make modifications to the
changes are made to incorporate minor editorial corrections. The
alternative to this action is to withhold approval of this amended cask
system design. Withholding approval, in the absence of any safety
reason for doing so, would not comply with the requirements of sections
218(a) and 133 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.
Approval of the final rule is consistent with previous NRC actions.
Further, the final rule will have no adverse effect on public health
and safety. This final rule has no significant identifiable impact or
benefit on other Government agencies. Based on this discussion of the
benefits and impacts of the alternatives, the NRC concludes that the
requirements of the final rule are commensurate with the NRC's
responsibilities for public health and safety and the common defense
and security. No other available alternative is believed to be as
satisfactory, and thus, this action is recommended.
Regulatory Flexibility Certification
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), the
NRC certifies that this rule will not, if issued, have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This final
rule affects only the licensing and operation of nuclear power plants,
independent spent fuel storage facilities, and Holtec International.
The companies that own these plants do not fall within the scope of the
definition of ``small entities'' set forth in the Regulatory
Flexibility Act or the Small Business Size Standards set out in
regulations issued by the Small Business Administration at 13 CFR Part
Backfit Analysis
The NRC has determined that the backfit rule (10 CFR 50.109 or 10
CFR 72.62) does not apply to this final rule because this amendment
does not involve any provisions that would impose backfits as defined.
Therefore, a backfit analysis is not required.
Congressional Review Act
Under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, the NRC has determined
that this action is not a major rule and has verified this
determination with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 72
Administrative practice and procedure, Criminal penalties, Manpower
training programs, Nuclear materials, Occupational safety and health,
Penalties, Radiation protection, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Security measures, Spent fuel, Whistleblowing.
For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Energy Reorganization Act of
1974, as amended; and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553; the NRC is adopting the
following amendments to 10 CFR Part 72.
PART 72--LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF
SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-
RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE
1. The authority citation for Part 72 continues to read as follows:
Authority: Secs. 51, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 69, 81, 161, 182, 183,
184, 186, 187, 189, 68 Stat. 929, 930, 932, 933, 934, 935, 948, 953,
954, 955, as amended, sec. 234, 83 Stat. 444, as amended (42 U.S.C.
2071, 2073, 2077, 2092, 2093, 2095, 2099, 2111, 2201, 2232, 2233,
2234, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2282); sec. 274, Pub. L. 86-373, 73 Stat.
688, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2021); sec. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88
Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846);
Pub. L. 95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 2951 as amended by Pub. L. 102-
486, sec. 7902, 106 Stat. 3123 (42 U.S.C. 5851); sec. 102, Pub. L.
91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332); secs. 131, 132, 133, 135,
137, 141, Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2229, 2230, 2232, 2241, sec. 148,
Pub. L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-235 (42 U.S.C. 10151, 10152, 10153,
10155, 10157, 10161, 10168); sec. 1704, 112 Stat. 2750 (44 U.S.C.
3504 note); sec. 651(e), Pub. L. 109-58, 119 Stat. 806-10 (42 U.S.C.
2014, 2021, 2021b, 2111).
Section 72.44(g) also issued under secs. 142(b) and 148(c), (d),
Pub. L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-232, 1330-236 (42 U.S.C. 10162(b),
10168(c), (d)). Section 72.46 also issued under sec. 189, 68 Stat.
955 (42 U.S.C. 2239); sec. 134, Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2230 (42
U.S.C. 10154). Section 72.96(d) also issued under sec. 145(g), Pub.
L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-235 (42 U.S.C. 10165(g)). Subpart J also
issued under secs. 2(2), 2(15), 2(19), 117(a), 141(h), Pub. L. 97-
425, 96 Stat. 2202, 2203, 2204, 2222, 2224 (42 U.S.C. 10101,
10137(a), 10161(h)). Subparts K and L are also issued under sec.
133, 98 Stat. 2230 (42 U.S.C. 10153) and sec. 218(a), 96 Stat. 2252
(42 U.S.C. 10198).
2. In Sec. 72.214, Certificate of Compliance 1014 is revised to read
Sec. 72.214 List of approved spent fuel storage casks.
Certificate Number: 1014.
Initial Certificate Effective Date: June 1, 2000.
Amendment Number 1 Effective Date: July 15, 2002.
Amendment Number 2 Effective Date: June 7, 2005.
Amendment Number 3 Effective Date: May 29, 2007.
SAR Submitted by: Holtec International.
SAR Title: Final Safety Analysis Report for the HI-STORM 100 Cask
Docket Number: 72-1014.
Certificate Expiration Date: June 1, 2020.
Model Number: HI-STORM 100.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of April, 2007.
Luis A. Reyes,
Executive Director for Operations.
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Renova Therapeutics welcomes new board member, raises $7.52 million in Series C financing round
San Diego, CA – Renova Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapy treatments for congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases, announced that Daniel M. Bradbury joined its board of directors. The company also completed its third round of funding, raising $7.52 million.
Daniel M. Bradbury joins board of directors
Mr. Bradbury is a life sciences executive with more than 30 years of experience in creating transformative business strategies, bringing novel medicines to market and maximizing shareholder value. He is Managing Member of BioBrit, LLC, a Life Sciences Consulting and Investment Firm, and the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on metabolic diseases.
“I am excited to join the Renova Therapeutics board,” said Mr. Bradbury. “The company’s gene therapy work is transformational, and their potential for success is great. Renova is poised to help millions of people suffering from congestive heart failure by positively impacting patient outcomes.”
Mr. Bradbury was CEO of Amylin, which was listed on the Nasdaq 100, from March 2007 until Bristol-Myers Squibb acquired the company for $7 billion in August 2012. During Mr. Bradbury’s 18 years at the company, Amylin launched the first once-a-week diabetes therapy and three other first-in-class medicines.
Mr. Bradbury received a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Nottingham University and a Diploma in Management Studies from Harrow and Ealing Colleges of Higher Education in the United Kingdom. He joins the following directors of the Renova Therapeutics board:
Jack W. Reich, Ph.D., CEO and Co-founder of Renova Therapeutics
Roy Cosan, President of Renova Therapeutics
Kirk Hammond, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, and Co-founder of Renova Therapeutics
Craig Andrews, COO, Co-founder and Secretary of Renova Therapeutics
Andy Noorda, Managing Member of The Canopy Group
Michael Torres, CEO of Adelante Capital Management
Company now funded through 2016
Renova Therapeutics completed its third round of funding on Sept. 30, 2014, raising $7.52 million through a Series C Preferred Stock financing round. Investments in the company have come primarily from high net-worth individuals. The company is funded through 2016.
Senka Hadzimuratovic
Executive Director of Communications & Operations
Subscribe to receive company press releases and announcements
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Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects
George B. Kudolo, Sheryl Dorsey, Janet Blodgett
Enhanced platelet function, particularly in response to collagen, is a common occurrence in diabetes that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Ginkgo biloba extract is ingested primarily to improve mental focus but it possesses a blood-thinning potential, which has not been well characterized. This study was designed to compare the effect of ingesting G. biloba extract on platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and prostanoid urinary excretion in healthy volunteers and subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Before and after ingesting 120 mg of standardized G. biloba extract for 3 months, platelet aggregation was studied in PRP and urinary metabolites of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) were measured. In healthy volunteers (age, 42±11 years; BMI, 28.4±4.8 kg/m2; n=28), the ingestion of G. biloba extract significantly increased fasting insulin and C-peptide (10±4 vs. 12±6 μU/ml, p<0.007 and 1.3±0.8 vs. 2.1±1.1 ng/ml, p<0.001, respectively) and significantly reduced collagen but not PAF-mediated platelet aggregation, converting 21 of 28 subjects with [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. This was accompanied by a reduction of 11-dehydro-TXB2 from 12.4±6.1 to 10.3±6.1 ng/mg Cr (p<0.04) and PGI2 metabolites (2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α and 6-keto-PGF1α) from 2.2±0.8 to 1.8±0.8 ng/mg Cr (p<0.05). In the T2DM subjects (age, 54±8; BMI, 36.6±7.9 kg/m2; n=19), G. biloba ingestion did not affect pancreatic β-cell function but significantly reduced platelet aggregation, converting 16 of 19 [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. Unlike the healthy volunteers, this was not accompanied by a reduced urinary prostanoid excretion. G. biloba-induced reduction of both classes of prostanoid metabolites in healthy volunteers, but not in T2DM subjects, may suggest a nonselective inhibition of COX-1-mediated TXA2 in platelets and COX-2-mediated PGI2 production by the endothelial cells and perhaps platelet-enriched levels of arachidonic acid or COX-1 activity, or both, in T2DM subjects.
Platelet Aggregation
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Thromboxane B2
Prostacyclin
Kudolo, G. B., Dorsey, S., & Blodgett, J. (2002). Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects. Thrombosis Research, 108(2-3), 151-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0049-3848(02)00394-8
Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects. / Kudolo, George B.; Dorsey, Sheryl; Blodgett, Janet.
In: Thrombosis Research, Vol. 108, No. 2-3, 01.11.2002, p. 151-160.
Kudolo, GB, Dorsey, S & Blodgett, J 2002, 'Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects', Thrombosis Research, vol. 108, no. 2-3, pp. 151-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0049-3848(02)00394-8
Kudolo GB, Dorsey S, Blodgett J. Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects. Thrombosis Research. 2002 Nov 1;108(2-3):151-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0049-3848(02)00394-8
Kudolo, George B. ; Dorsey, Sheryl ; Blodgett, Janet. / Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects. In: Thrombosis Research. 2002 ; Vol. 108, No. 2-3. pp. 151-160.
@article{81454c1e40a94217a02f5d762a2f969b,
title = "Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects",
abstract = "Enhanced platelet function, particularly in response to collagen, is a common occurrence in diabetes that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Ginkgo biloba extract is ingested primarily to improve mental focus but it possesses a blood-thinning potential, which has not been well characterized. This study was designed to compare the effect of ingesting G. biloba extract on platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and prostanoid urinary excretion in healthy volunteers and subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Before and after ingesting 120 mg of standardized G. biloba extract for 3 months, platelet aggregation was studied in PRP and urinary metabolites of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) were measured. In healthy volunteers (age, 42±11 years; BMI, 28.4±4.8 kg/m2; n=28), the ingestion of G. biloba extract significantly increased fasting insulin and C-peptide (10±4 vs. 12±6 μU/ml, p<0.007 and 1.3±0.8 vs. 2.1±1.1 ng/ml, p<0.001, respectively) and significantly reduced collagen but not PAF-mediated platelet aggregation, converting 21 of 28 subjects with [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. This was accompanied by a reduction of 11-dehydro-TXB2 from 12.4±6.1 to 10.3±6.1 ng/mg Cr (p<0.04) and PGI2 metabolites (2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α and 6-keto-PGF1α) from 2.2±0.8 to 1.8±0.8 ng/mg Cr (p<0.05). In the T2DM subjects (age, 54±8; BMI, 36.6±7.9 kg/m2; n=19), G. biloba ingestion did not affect pancreatic β-cell function but significantly reduced platelet aggregation, converting 16 of 19 [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. Unlike the healthy volunteers, this was not accompanied by a reduced urinary prostanoid excretion. G. biloba-induced reduction of both classes of prostanoid metabolites in healthy volunteers, but not in T2DM subjects, may suggest a nonselective inhibition of COX-1-mediated TXA2 in platelets and COX-2-mediated PGI2 production by the endothelial cells and perhaps platelet-enriched levels of arachidonic acid or COX-1 activity, or both, in T2DM subjects.",
keywords = "Diabetes, Ginkgo biloba, Platelet aggregation, Prostacyclin, Thromboxane",
author = "Kudolo, {George B.} and Sheryl Dorsey and Janet Blodgett",
T1 - Effect of the ingestion of Ginkgo biloba extract on platelet aggregation and urinary prostanoid excretion in healthy and Type 2 diabetic subjects
AU - Kudolo, George B.
AU - Dorsey, Sheryl
AU - Blodgett, Janet
N2 - Enhanced platelet function, particularly in response to collagen, is a common occurrence in diabetes that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Ginkgo biloba extract is ingested primarily to improve mental focus but it possesses a blood-thinning potential, which has not been well characterized. This study was designed to compare the effect of ingesting G. biloba extract on platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and prostanoid urinary excretion in healthy volunteers and subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Before and after ingesting 120 mg of standardized G. biloba extract for 3 months, platelet aggregation was studied in PRP and urinary metabolites of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) were measured. In healthy volunteers (age, 42±11 years; BMI, 28.4±4.8 kg/m2; n=28), the ingestion of G. biloba extract significantly increased fasting insulin and C-peptide (10±4 vs. 12±6 μU/ml, p<0.007 and 1.3±0.8 vs. 2.1±1.1 ng/ml, p<0.001, respectively) and significantly reduced collagen but not PAF-mediated platelet aggregation, converting 21 of 28 subjects with [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. This was accompanied by a reduction of 11-dehydro-TXB2 from 12.4±6.1 to 10.3±6.1 ng/mg Cr (p<0.04) and PGI2 metabolites (2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α and 6-keto-PGF1α) from 2.2±0.8 to 1.8±0.8 ng/mg Cr (p<0.05). In the T2DM subjects (age, 54±8; BMI, 36.6±7.9 kg/m2; n=19), G. biloba ingestion did not affect pancreatic β-cell function but significantly reduced platelet aggregation, converting 16 of 19 [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. Unlike the healthy volunteers, this was not accompanied by a reduced urinary prostanoid excretion. G. biloba-induced reduction of both classes of prostanoid metabolites in healthy volunteers, but not in T2DM subjects, may suggest a nonselective inhibition of COX-1-mediated TXA2 in platelets and COX-2-mediated PGI2 production by the endothelial cells and perhaps platelet-enriched levels of arachidonic acid or COX-1 activity, or both, in T2DM subjects.
AB - Enhanced platelet function, particularly in response to collagen, is a common occurrence in diabetes that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Ginkgo biloba extract is ingested primarily to improve mental focus but it possesses a blood-thinning potential, which has not been well characterized. This study was designed to compare the effect of ingesting G. biloba extract on platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and prostanoid urinary excretion in healthy volunteers and subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Before and after ingesting 120 mg of standardized G. biloba extract for 3 months, platelet aggregation was studied in PRP and urinary metabolites of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) were measured. In healthy volunteers (age, 42±11 years; BMI, 28.4±4.8 kg/m2; n=28), the ingestion of G. biloba extract significantly increased fasting insulin and C-peptide (10±4 vs. 12±6 μU/ml, p<0.007 and 1.3±0.8 vs. 2.1±1.1 ng/ml, p<0.001, respectively) and significantly reduced collagen but not PAF-mediated platelet aggregation, converting 21 of 28 subjects with [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. This was accompanied by a reduction of 11-dehydro-TXB2 from 12.4±6.1 to 10.3±6.1 ng/mg Cr (p<0.04) and PGI2 metabolites (2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α and 6-keto-PGF1α) from 2.2±0.8 to 1.8±0.8 ng/mg Cr (p<0.05). In the T2DM subjects (age, 54±8; BMI, 36.6±7.9 kg/m2; n=19), G. biloba ingestion did not affect pancreatic β-cell function but significantly reduced platelet aggregation, converting 16 of 19 [COL+/EPI+] platelets to the [COL-/EPI+] phenotype. Unlike the healthy volunteers, this was not accompanied by a reduced urinary prostanoid excretion. G. biloba-induced reduction of both classes of prostanoid metabolites in healthy volunteers, but not in T2DM subjects, may suggest a nonselective inhibition of COX-1-mediated TXA2 in platelets and COX-2-mediated PGI2 production by the endothelial cells and perhaps platelet-enriched levels of arachidonic acid or COX-1 activity, or both, in T2DM subjects.
KW - Diabetes
KW - Ginkgo biloba
KW - Platelet aggregation
KW - Prostacyclin
KW - Thromboxane
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Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
Year: 2009 | Volume: 37 | Issue: 7 | Page No.: 1557 - 1562
Metabolic Activation of Nevirapine in Human Liver Microsomes: Dehydrogenation and Inactivation of Cytochrome P450 3A4
B Wen, Y Chen and W. L. Fitch
Nevirapine, a non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor, has been associated with incidences of skin rash and hepatotoxicity in patients. Although the mechanism of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity remains unknown, it is proposed that metabolic activation of nevirapine and subsequent covalently binding of reactive metabolites to cellular proteins play a causative role. Studies were initiated to determine whether nevirapine undergoes cytochrome P450 (P450)-mediated bioactivation in human liver microsomes to electrophilic intermediates. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of incubations containing nevirapine and NADPH-supplemented microsomes in the presence of glutathione (GSH) revealed the formation of a GSH conjugate derived from the addition of the sulfydryl nucleophile to nevirapine. No other GSH conjugates were detected, including conjugates of oxidized metabolites of nevirapine. These findings are consistent with a bioactivation sequence involving initial P450-catalyzed dehydrogenation of the aromatic nucleus with a 4-methyl group in nevirapine to an electrophilic quinone methide intermediate, which is subsequently attacked by glutathione yielding the sulfydryl conjugate. Formation of the nevirapine GSH conjugate was primarily catalyzed by heterologously expressed recombinant CYP3A4 and, to a lesser extent, CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and CYP2A6. In addition, the quinone methide reactive metabolite was a mechanism-based inactivator of CYP3A4, with inactivation parameters KI = 31 µM and kinact = 0.029 min–1, respectively. It is proposed that formation of the quinone methide intermediate may represent a rate-limiting step in the initiation of nevirapine-mediated hepatotoxicity.
View Fulltext | Related Articles | Back
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Emmanuel Macron (trans. Jonathan Goldberg, Juliette Scott)
‘Macron has been an object of fascination ever since he unexpectedly came to power. In this political autobiography, he recounts his origins and explains his centrist philosophy.’
‘A book that should be read by anybody who wants to understand what has been going on in French politics in the past few years.’
Andrew Hussey, The Observer
‘Now that he is president, now that he has shown that he can translate the ephemera of ideas into cold, hard power, it is worth returning to his words to find out what kind of leader he plans to? be … Revolution provides some insight into a man who, whatever you think of him, is deeply unusual.’
‘In his book Revolution… President Macron has set out a clear vision for the revitalisation of the EU.’
Brendan Simms, New Statesman
'Provides a glimpse into the heart and mind of a leadership candidate whose love for France is revealed through his visions of a nation where freedoms are more closely tied to responsibilities, and where a new system of laws and regulations replaces those he believes belong to the 19th century.'
Winnipeg Free Press
‘Emmanuel Macron has stood up for liberal values. He put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes and not their fears.’
The bestselling memoir by France's president, Emmanuel Macron.
Some believe that our country is in decline, that the worst is yet to come, that our civilisation is withering away. That only isolation or civil strife are on our horizon. That to protect ourselves from the great transformations taking place around the globe, we should go back in time and apply the recipes of the last century.
Others imagine that France can continue on its slow downward slide. That the game of political juggling — first the Left, then the Right — will allow us breathing space. The same faces and the same people who have been around for so long.
I am convinced that they are all wrong. It is their models, their recipes, that have simply failed. France as a whole has not failed.
In Revolution, Emmanuel Macron, the youngest president in the history of France, reveals his personal story and his inspirations, and discusses his vision of France and its future in a new world that is undergoing a ‘great transformation’ that has not been known since the Renaissance.
This is a remarkable book that seeks to lay the foundations for a new society — a compelling testimony and statement of values by an important political leader who has become the flag-bearer for a new kind of politics.
Pub date: 13 Nov 2017
Rights Held: World English
Rights Sold: India (HarperCollins), Audio (Blackstone Audio)
Memoirs BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs Political leaders & leadershipPolitical manifestos BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Presidents & Heads of StateHISTORY / Modern / 21st Century
Emmanuel Macron was born in Amiens on 21 December 1977. After graduating from the École nationale d'administration in 2004, he worked as an inspector of finances in the Inspectorate General of Finances, and then became an investment banker at Rothschild & Co. Macron was appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs in François Hollande’s government in 2014, and resigned in August 2016 to launch his En Marche political party as part of his candidacy for the 2017 presidential election. He won the election on 7 May 2017 with 66 per cent of the vote, defeating the candidate of the National Front, Marine Le Pen. His party, La République En Marche, won an outright majority at the legislative elections in June 2017.
Jonathan Goldberg
Jonathan Goldberg is a Los Angeles-based, South African-born translator and retired lawyer who describes himself as ‘an avid Francophile’, with a ‘passion for French politics, culture, and the French language’.
Jonathan has a diploma in Civilisation française from the Sorbonne. He runs a blog, Le-mot-juste-en-anglais.com, which addresses subjects at the interface of English and French, as well as related cultural matters.
Juliette Scott
Juliette Scott has been a translation and language specialist for over 25 years. She has a PhD in translation studies from Bristol University, runs her own translation business in Portsmouth, England, and is an active member of Kiva, a micro-loan organisation that supports entrepreneurship and self-help in developing countries and those affected by war and poverty.
Juliette Scott has been a translation and language specialist for over…
Jonathan Goldberg is a Los Angeles-based, South African-born translator…
Emmanuel Macron was born in Amiens on 21 December 1977. After…
President Macron visits Australia
President Macron’s first appearance in Australia.
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Mmusi Maimane calls for urgent parliamentary sitting after ANC ‘jumped the gun’ on land
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has written to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to convene an urgent parliamentary sitting to debate the ANC’s “deliberate undermining” of the process to amend the Constitution on land.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced late on Tuesday evening that his party would support an amendment to a section of South Africa’s Constitution to “explicitly” expropriate land without compensation.
This followed a two-day ANC national executive committee lekgotla in Irene, Centurion.
“Last night’s announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa… is a direct attempt to undermine Parliament and is contributing to no confidence in the economy,” Maimane said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This is yet another blow to the almost 10 million unemployed South Africans.”
Parliament is currently in recess and will return later this month.
A ‘reckless policy’
Maimane said Parliament’s joint constitutional review committee, currently touring the country’s provinces to get feedback on the emotive issue, was established “to ensure the voice of the people is heard as to whether section 25 of the Constitution ought to be amended”.
“It beggars belief that while there are still half a million submissions to be processed by the Constitutional Review Committee, and no less than five public hearings still to be conducted in the Western Cape, the ANC has decided to jump the gun, undermine this public consultation procedure, and render the entire process moot.
“It is incumbent on the Speaker of Parliament, as the guardian of this constitutional body, to protect it from being undermined by political machinations and brinkmanship. I implore her to act in the best interests of the country, not the ANC.”
The DA would never support a “reckless policy” that removed economic power from individuals and handed it to a “corrupt government”, he said.
“Land reform is a justice issue, and we advocate for land reform that champions private property rights and empowers individuals – as evidenced in DA-led governments across the country.
“We don’t need a new Constitution clause to accelerate land reform, we need a new government.”
Economy under threat
Maimane also hinted that the ANC was being “led” by other parties on the issue, as it cannot amend the Constitution on its own without a two-thirds majority.
“It appears the ANC is being led by other populist parties who only want to sow division, eradicate property rights, and see our economy implode.
“We call on all South Africans to reject populism and stand up for constitutionalism in building one South Africa for all.”
Maimane finished by saying the economic and unemployment crises, and the almost 10 million jobless South Africans, should be front and centre when making a decision with this kind of impact on the economy.
“Expropriating land without compensation will damage the economy and will lead to many more joining the ranks of the unemployed. Therefore, the DA can never support such a policy.”
The joint constitutional review committee is in Oudtshoorn on Wednesday, and will end its public tour on Saturday with a final colloquium in Parliament.
Thereafter, it will go through all the submissions and start drafting a report to be recommended to the National Assembly before the end of September.
Categories: ANC Party, ANC Regime, Constitution, Consumers, Corruption, Cyril Ramaphosa, DA, expensive item, Expropriation Of Land, Land Claims, Land Expropriation, Land Reform, M&G, Mmusi Maimane, News, Parliament, Politics, Property Rights, SA News
Tags: advocate for land reform, Baleka Mbete, constitutional review committee, Cyril Ramaphosa, Democratic Alliance, expropriate land without compensation, expropriating land without compensation, guardian of this constitutional body, Mmusi Maimane, National Assembly Speaker, section 25 of the Constitution, the Constitution on land, The National Assembly
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Home World Middle East Indian cricket star Sidhu arrives in Pakistan for Imran’s expected oath-taking with...
Indian cricket star Sidhu arrives in Pakistan for Imran’s expected oath-taking with ‘message of love’
Former Indian cricket star Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday arrived in Pakistan to a warm welcome to attend the expected oath-taking ceremony of prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan, who had brought the 92' World Cup home.
TV footage showed the cricketer turned politician walking over to the Lahore side of the Wagah border.
Talking to reporters soon after his arrival in Pakistan, Sidhu said he had come to the country as a goodwill messenger and “with a message of love” to become a part of Khan’s happiness.
He said he was saddened today by the demise of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who he recalled had started the friendship bus service between the two countries.
Answering a question, he said he had brought a Kashmiri shawl as a gift for Khan. He also entertained reporters with a few couplets conveying a message of peace and love between the two neighbours.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Khan has invited several Indian and Pakistani cricket stars of his time to the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for tomorrow at the President House. President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath. However, the prime minister is yet to be elected by the National Assembly today.
According to PTI Senator Faisal Javed, besides Sidhu, India’s former cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev had been invited.
Khan has also remembered his colleagues and invited Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Rameez Raja, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Moin Khan and Aaqib Javed who had played the 1992 Cup final at Melbourne, Australia.
After having secured a simple majority in the July 25 general elections, the PTI is in a comfortable position to form its government at the Centre with its allies.
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One Lucky Charm wins the Victoria Cross; Percy Hansen VC, DSO, MC
Posted by Peter Dickens
Winning a Victoria Cross for gallantry and surviving the ordeal has some luck associated to it, and this lucky charm of a VC winner is testament of this. Every Anzac Day we recall the Gallipoli campaign, and we remember the heroes of the campaign – Australian, New Zealand, British and even in modern times the Turkish heroes too.
One such unassuming hero was the son of a South African merchant, and there is a little mystery as to where he was born, some sources say Durban, Natal Colony and other sources say Dresden, Germany (his parents had visited a Spa there to get a ‘cure’). In either event Percy Hansen was born into a wealthy and well connected Danish family that had settled in South Africa. He was born on the 26 October 1890, the son of Viggo Julius Hansen and Anna Elizabeth (nee Been), Viggo was a merchant running stores in the cities of Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg as well as stores in the Cape Colony generally.
When it came time for his formal education his family moved from South Africa to London around 1901/2. and Percy initially attended Hazelwood Prep School in Surrey (then a school for 8 to 11 year old boys), then Oxted in Surrey and finally he then went on to Eton College from the 20 September 1904.
He saw a career for himself in the military so when he was about 20 years old his father was naturalised as a British subject (8 December 1910) which enabled him to join the British Army. His training took place at The Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
By the 4th March 1911 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. He rose to the rank of Captain and by the summer of 1915 he was with his Regiment landing on the shores of Gallipoli. Carrying a lucky charm into battle (see featured image), It would be here that he would earn his Victoria Cross.
The lucky charm is one of Hansen’s personal things on display at The Imperial War Museum. It comprises two tiny metal figures linked together with small metal rings, the larger of the two figures is unclothed except for a nappy and resembles a curly-haired baby, the smaller of the two figures is clothed and wears a leather hat stitched with vegetable fibre.
After landing at Suvla Bay on the night of 6 August 1915, the next day the Allies pressed forward across the dry Salt Lake beyond the shore and the 6th Lincoln’s captured Yilghin Burnu, christened “Chocolate Hill” by the Allies. On 9 August the British attempted unsuccessfully to break out of the Suvla Plain, by advancing into the high ground which surrounded it, aiming for Anafarta. Fighting raged round Scimitar Hill, parts of which changed hands several times, but by the end of the day the British had failed to secure it. Many men were left wounded on its slopes and when Turkish artillery set alight the scrub which covered it, Captain P H Hansen, now the adjutant of the 6th Lincoln’s, called for volunteers to help rescue them. Six of the wounded were saved and for this gallant act Captain Hansen was awarded the Victoria Cross. Lance-Corporal Breese, who assisted him, received the DCM.
His Victoria Cross Citation:
Percy Howard HANSEN VC
Captain, 6th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment, 33rd Brigade, 11th Division
For most conspicuous bravery on 9th August, 1915, at Yilghin Burnu, Gallipoli Peninsula.
After the second capture of the “Green Knoll” his Battalion was forced to retire, leaving some wounded behind, owing to the intense heat from the scrub which had been set on fire.
When the retirement was effected Captain Hansen, with three or four volunteers, on his own initiative, dashed forward several times some 300 to 400 yards over open ground into the scrub under a terrific fire, and succeeded in rescuing from inevitable death by burning no less than six wounded men.
Military Cross (MC)
However the bravery of this remarkable man did not stop there, he went on to win the Military Cross for bravery in another engagement just one short montb later.
He won the Military Cross for performing a daring solo reconnaissance mission at Sulva Bay, on the night of 9 September 1915, he carried out the mission along the coast, carrying only a revolver and a blanket for disguise. He successfully located an important Turkish firing position.
His citation for his Military Cross
“For conspicuous gallantry at Suvla Bay on 9th September, 1915. He made a reconnaissance of the coast, stripping himself and carrying only a revolver and a blanket for disguise. He swam and scrambled over rocks, which severely cut and bruised him, and obtained some valuable information and located a gun which was causing much damage. The undertaking was hazardous. On one occasion he met a patrol of 12 Turks who did not see him, and later a single Turk whom he lulled. He returned to our lines in a state of great exhaustion”.
By this time he had become the Commanding Officer of battalion when Colonel Phelps went down with dysentery, however Hansen also fell ill about two weeks later and he evacuated to Egypt (it was here that he learned of his VC award).
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
And there was still more bravery to come. Due to his ill-health, Hansen was eventually transferred to France and appointed Brigade Major to the 170th (2/1st North Lancashire) Brigade. He remained a staff officer for the rest of the war, during which he served with the II ANZAC Corps. He was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) performing yet another another daring reconnaissance mission during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.
His Distinguished Service Order Citation:
After World War 1, he attended Staff College in Camberly and he was married on 12 June 1928 at the Register Office, Chelsea Town Hall, London to Marie Rose, daughter of G. Emsell; and he had one daughter.
Pery Hansen VC DSO MC was still in service at the outbreak of World War 2. On the outbreak of war in September 1939 he was appointed to Acting Assistant Quartermaster General 55th Division and then 12th Corps. In 1941 he received the rank of Brigadier and on the 24th February 1942-43 he became the Commander of Belfast, Northern Ireland area.
By the 15th May 1943 he was appointed as the Sub District Commander Ashford, Kent and by August 1943 he rose to Head of Civilian Affairs unit for Norway under SHAEF -.Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force – the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
MAJOR GENERAL DWIGHT EISENHOWER, 1942 (TR 207) The Commander of American Forces in the European Theatre, Major General Dwight Eisenhower, at his desk. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205123830
At the end of the Second World War he finally retired from the Army – 19 January 1946, in 1950 he was a member of the Guard of Honour to mark visit of Winston Churchill to Copenhagen, Denmark.
He was awarded the Royal Order of St Olav by Norway. He was also awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States and the citation for his award reads: –
“Brigadier Percy H. Hansen, British Army, in cooperation with the forces of the Army of the United States, distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services, as Head of the Civil Affairs Unit, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Mission to Norway from August 1943 to July 1945. His keen understanding of the problems involved in administering Civil Affairs in a liberated country, and the efficient plans of organisation and operation which he established, enabled the Allies to successfully undertake its mission to Norway. His contribution to the military effort reflects high credit upon himself, and the military service of the United States and their Allies.”
Medals and Honours
His medal rack is quite something:
Victoria Cross (VC)
British War Medal (1914-20)
Victory Medal (1914-19) + Mid Oakleaf
General Service Medal (1918-62)
1 clasp: “Palestine”
France & Germany Star
Defence Medal (1939-45)
War Medal (1939-45)
King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
Croix de Guerre (France)
Officer, Legion of Merit (USA)
Commander, Royal Order of St Olaf (Norway)
He had 5 Mentions in Dispatches in total in his very distinguished military career. Now that is one very Lucky Charm indeed.
Like his birth there is also a little controversy over the place of his death, some sources say Brigadier Percy Howard Hansen VC DSO MC died on the 12th February 1951 in Kensington, London, other sources say he died of pneumonia in Copenhagen. There is reference to his funeral been held in London, however in either event his ashes were eventually interred in family vault, Garnisons Kirkegard, Copenhagen. Section R. Row K. Grave 3.
Other South African World War 1 Victoria Cross recipients
Reginald Hayward VC “Superhuman powers of endurance and courage” Reginald Hayward VC
William F. Faulds VC Taking gallantry at Delville Wood to a whole new level; William Faulds VC MC
Sherwood Kelly VC “…. a Herculean of Irish-South African origin with a quite remarkable disregard for danger”.
Researched by Peter Dickens.
Extract published with the kind permission of The VC and the GC, The Complete History, published by Methuen and The VC and GC Association in 2013. Wikipedia and the Image copyright of his lucky charm belongs to the Imperial War Museum.
Posted in Bravery, Western Front - WW1
Tagged Percy Hansen VC, Victoria Cross
6 thoughts on “One Lucky Charm wins the Victoria Cross; Percy Hansen VC, DSO, MC”
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A South African, Mordor and a Hobbit
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The silent South Africans in the silent service
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VE - Day's flags of honour
Debunking the myth that the British invented the 'concentration camp'
Londoners sheltering during the 'Blitz' owe their saving grace to a South African engineer.
Soviet made Libyan tanks seized by South Africa and gifted to Rhodesia
Peter Dickens
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Alumni club endows scholarship for D.C.-area students
December 17, 2019, Page Ivey
The DC Gamecocks are serious about celebrating their alma mater. They watch football games and participate in special events related to their days at the University of South Carolina. But, more recently, the alumni club, one of the larger ones outside of South Carolina, took on the goal of endowing a scholarship for students from the D.C. area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Topics: Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy
UofSC students spread holiday cheer through giving
November 21, 2019, Josh German
The holiday season is one of the most active times of the year for the Carolina Service Council as they participate in multiple projects to spread holiday cheer through Carolina Cares.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Service, Student Voices
McCutchen: A Gamecock Family Name Built on Hospitality and Scholarship
August 05, 2019, Allen Wallace
Lilla McCutchen grew up playing on the Horseshoe and spending her summers at her grandparents' home there, now known as McCutchen House. She shares her memories of 80 years as a Gamecock.
Topics: Alumni, Scholarships, History, Recognition, Philanthropy, Service, Leadership, Careers, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Students work year-round to pull off annual fundraiser
July 01, 2019, Allen Wallace
They’ve raised more than $2 million in the past two years for the kids at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. They’ve been recognized by Gov. Henry McMaster for their efforts. But just like the dancing at their annual Main Event, the work never stops for University of South Carolina Dance Marathon.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Philanthropy, Service
Retailing professor wins Fulbright for work in Uzbekistan
June 04, 2019, Allen Wallace
The Fulbright program is one of the most famous and prestigious scholarship programs in the world, with 59 alumni who also have Nobel Prizes and 82 Pulitzer Prize winners. Many people in academia try throughout their career and never win a Fulbright Scholarship. Professor Mark Rosenbaum, chair of the University of South Carolina Department of Retailing, now has three.
Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Service, Leadership, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Graduating senior leaves legacy of HOPE for people with disabilities
May 06, 2019, Allen Wallace
Andrew Super will graduate from the University of South Carolina May 11, but earning his diploma might be the second most impressive thing he has accomplished during his college career. In the past two and a half years, he has helped provide numerous free prosthetic devices for children and veterans in need, through a company he co-founded.
Topics: Students, Research, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Service, Entrepreneurship, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
A watershed gift
April 24, 2019, Rob Schaller
The Justin A. Thornton Endowed Scholarship Fund in the School of Law was established in 2015, and it’s now grown dramatically larger, thanks to the ongoing generosity of its founder, Justin Thornton, law, ’77, of McLean, Virginia.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Careers, School of Law
Grateful for garnet
April 11, 2019, Diane Parham
Another successful Give 4 Garnet closed at midnight Wednesday, with 6,576 donors making $4,028,859 in gifts during the University of South Carolina’s second annual giving day.
Topics: University Leadership, University President, Philanthropy, Signature Events, College of Education, College of Information and Communications
Get confetti ready
There’s still plenty of confetti on hand for year two of Give 4 Garnet: A Day of Giving, set for Wednesday, April 10. But this year’s giving day is putting the spotlight on donors instead of dollars, with a goal of 6,500 donors making gifts during the day-long campaign.
Topics: University President, Philanthropy, Signature Events, College of Information and Communications
A future so bright
The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation made a new $18 million commitment that will increase the value of McNair Scholars awards from $15,000 to $22,000 per year and add $12,000 in academic-enrichment funds that each scholar can use over their four years at South Carolina.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Student Voices, South Carolina Honors College
Supporting the next mission
March 29, 2019, Allen Wallace
The latest collaboration between the university and veterans came to fruition March 22 at McCutchen House, as a group of Wounded Warriors took part in a private Chef du Jour class designed especially for them.
Topics: Faculty, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Service, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Magical musical tour
March 29, 2019, Carol J.G. Ward
At the Musical Feast on April 13, guests are invited to stroll through spaces within the Koger Center to experience a variety of musical performances - from jazz to opera - by School of Music students.
Topics: Students, Faculty, Scholarships, Philanthropy, School of Music
Land of a million dances
University of South Carolina student organization Dance Marathon raised $1,038,156 for Prisma Health Children's Hospital, breaking the record set last year.
Topics: Students, University President, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Service, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Student Voices
February 28, 2019, Allen Wallace
A year ago, University of South Carolina Dance Marathon made history, raising more than a million dollars for the kids at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital (then known as Palmetto Health). Just days after that success, they began working to do it again. That yearlong effort concludes Saturday with the student organization’s annual Main Event.
Topics: Students, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Service, Leadership, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, School of Music, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health, College of Social Work, South Carolina Honors College
Under 1 roof
February 19, 2019, Diane Veto Parham
Taking the new Cyndi and Kenneth Long Family Football Operations Center from concept to completion was a team effort that promises a big win. The 110,000-square-foot facility in Gamecock Park will transform the student-athlete experience for football players at the University of South Carolina, Athletics Director Ray Tanner says.
Topics: Alumni, University Leadership, Philanthropy
Moving on up
January 17, 2019, Chris Horn
Allen Montgomery could do a fair impersonation of the Energizer bunny — he just keeps going and going. The 80-year-old audiology professor in the Arnold School of Public Health has run more than 100 marathons, the last one just a couple of years ago, and he has no immediate plans for retirement. He’s even figured out a creative way to help his academic department consolidate in one space on campus — something that’s never happened since communication sciences and disorders was created as an academic unit in 1972.
Topics: Faculty, Philanthropy, Arnold School of Public Health
Making music that makes a difference
December 14, 2018, Julie Turner
Lee Correctional Institution near Bishopville, S.C., is the state’s largest maximum-security prison and home to some of the most violent offenders. It’s also a place where music can make a difference.
Topics: Academics, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Service, School of Music
A decade of opportunity
December 07, 2018, Diane Parham
Year after year, the number of lives transformed by the University of South Carolina’s Gamecock Guarantee program keeps growing. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story.
Topics: Students, Academics, Scholarships, Undergraduate Admissions, Diversity, Philanthropy, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, School of Law
Holidays at Carolina
November 27, 2018, Annika Dahlgren
Take a look at the lineup of 2018 holiday events, including the Carolina Cares service drive, annual tree lighting and more.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Signature Events
Shared Commitment
November 16, 2018, Alyssa Yancey
Inspired by the University of South Carolina's inclusive environment, donors Clark West and Elliott Mitchell agreed to establish a $500,000 endowment to support scholarships for USC School of Medicine students. West and Mitchell also established a $500,000 endowment to support scholarships for students attending associate degree-granting institutions in South Carolina who wish to transfer to one of the Palmetto State’s baccalaureate-granting colleges or universities, including USC.
Topics: University Leadership, Scholarships, graduate-studies, Diversity, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Medicine (Columbia)
Dancing to the Top
USC Dance Marathon claimed three national awards at the 2018 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Leadership Conference held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The student organization raised more than $1,000,000 during the 2017-18 school year for the kids at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Service, Leadership
July 18, 2018, Megan Sexton
FoodShare South Carolina, a University of South Carolina program that works to expand access to fresh produce and nutrition education for low-income families in the Columbia area.
Topics: Faculty, Research, Experiential Learning, Initiatives, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Service, Leadership, Medicine (Columbia), Arnold School of Public Health
A grand gift
May 30, 2018, Chris Horn
The definition of a grand piano is simple — a large piano with the body, strings and soundboard arranged horizontally and supported by three legs. But what makes a piano “grand?” Willson Powell and Karen Brosius can point to the piano they bought 37 years ago — and have now donated to the University of South Carolina's School of Music.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, School of Music
Gamecock at birth
Beau Bergman is still several months shy of his first birthday, but he already has an indelible connection to Carolina. The little guy rocks a garnet-and-black sweatshirt and baseball cap, and he’s tailgated with some of the university’s most dedicated fans.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy
Give It Up For Good 2018
May 24, 2018, Dana Woodward
It’s a win for University of South Carolina students, for Midlands bargain hunters and for Habitat for Humanity: the annual Give It Up For Good Yard Sale sponsored by University Housing, which takes place this year on June 2 with a preview on June 1.
Topics: Philanthropy, Signature Events
A day of giving
April 12, 2018, Chris Horn
Give 4 Garnet Day, April 18, is an opportunity for alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the University of South Carolina to support their favorite programs.
Out of the spotlight but not forgotten
March 13, 2018, Page Ivey
For a man who friends and family say didn’t like the spotlight, W.W. “Hootie” Johnson found himself in it many times. Now those friends are honoring him with memorial gifts to Carolina.
Topics: Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Darla Moore School of Business
The Power of $1,000,000
University of South Carolina Dance Marathon has grown to be the largest student-run philanthropic organization at Carolina and celebrated its 20th anniversary by raising more than $1 million for Columbia's children's hospital.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Philanthropy, Signature Events, Service, Leadership, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Making a big impact
January 10, 2018, Page Ivey
As a first-generation college student, Michael Westbrook says his Carolina education was “100 percent self-funded.” That’s why Westbrook chose the athletics department when he was looking to make a gift to the school that gave him so much.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, Darla Moore School of Business
Michele Braddock-Beagle and Paul Mefferd weren't at Carolina at the same time, but the two share a love for the university and have established an estate gift to show their gratitude for the opportunities UofSC gave them.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Information and Communications
Anonymously yours
December 07, 2017, Megan Sexton
Thanks to a $5 million gift to the university from an anonymous donor, the country’s oldest freestanding academic library is getting a needed renovation. Work is well underway at the South Caroliniana, with all of the materials moved to the Thomas Cooper Library and other sites around campus.
Topics: Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, Collections, Philanthropy, Campus Construction, School of Law, University Libraries
November 28, 2017, Megan Sexton
A nursing degree from the University of South Carolina helped make Patricia Edens Eddy’s dreams come true. Now, she wants to help make that experience available for others. Eddy and her husband, Nelson, have established an endowed fund to award scholarships to College of Nursing students.
Topics: Alumni, Academics, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Careers, College of Nursing
A lasting tribute
November 28, 2017, Chris Horn
John Simmons finished his law degree at Carolina 30 years before the opening of the School of Law’s new building. His days as a walk-on for the men’s baseball team were at the now defunct Sarge Frye Field, long before Founders Stadium was built. But the passage of time and campus construction haven’t diminished Simmons’ ties to the university.
Topics: Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Law
How to celebrate the holidays at Carolina
November 16, 2017, Taylor Evans
Carolina organizations gear up for the holiday season with a variety of themed events.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Service, School of Music, University Libraries
Connecting humanities and science
November 15, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
With a background in the history and philosophy of science, professor Ann Johnson was well known for bridging gaps between history, philosophy, engineering and technology. Her parents and sister recently established and endowed the Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology and Society to carry on her vision of interdisciplinary work.
Topics: Faculty, Research, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences
Lawrence Hill arrived in Columbia in the summer of 1977 as a student in the first-ever class at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Now, the Greenville urologist is making a gift to ensure other students will have the same opportunities to receive a top-rate medical education. His planned gifts of $3 million to the School of Medicine Columbia and $3 million to the School of Medicine Greenville will be used for scholarships.
Topics: Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Careers, Medicine (Columbia), Medicine (Greenville)
September 20, 2017, Page Ivey
Since its inception in 1981, the Family Fund has generated more than $50 million for Carolina. Gifts through the Family Fund support groundbreaking research, strengthen programs and initiatives, recruit and develop world-class faculty and fund scholarships.
Creating a way
September 06, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Nursing student Shannon Eichorst has been crafting ceramics since her freshman year of high school. Now, as a junior, she is reaping the benefits of her creations as a way to send local students to Young Life summer camp.
Topics: Students, Faculty, Philanthropy, Entrepreneurship, Student Voices, College of Nursing
A career well spent
August 16, 2017, Chris Horn
Since 1963, Joe and Neva Gibbons have made it their mission to befriend and help Joe's chemical engineering students in any way they could. That legacy continued even after Joe Gibbons retired in 2006.
Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Scholarships, Recognition, Philanthropy, Leadership, College of Engineering and Computing
'If I can help spare one family...'
July 19, 2017, Page Ivey
After watching Alzheimer’s disease rob her and her husband of their golden years, Patricia Beckler is supporting research efforts at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia to find a treatment or a cure for the devastating disease.
Topics: Faculty, Research, Philanthropy, Careers, Medicine (Columbia)
USMC Film Repository's new home opens
May 26, 2017, John Brunelli
University President Harris Pastides and Thomas McNally, dean of University Libraries dedicate the John S. Davis Scanning Center and the Lt. Col. James H. Davis Film Vault at the Libraries' Moving Image Research Collections. The MIRC facility is the new home of the U.S. Marine Corps Film Repository that chronicles the corps from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Topics: Faculty, University President, Research, Experiential Learning, History, Collections, Philanthropy, Partnerships, University Libraries
Four years, $2 million, a lifetime of lessons
April 17, 2017, Allen Wallace
Lindsey Zybrick came to the University of South Carolina a stranger. Four years and many travels later, she will graduate with a legacy to be proud of and a place she will always call home.
Topics: Students, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Leadership, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Fostering a passion for global health
March 28, 2017, Megan Sexton
University of South Carolina students travel to developing countries to understand and tackle global health issues
Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, Initiatives, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Service, Leadership, Student Voices, Medicine (Columbia), College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health, College of Social Work
Debt relief fund aids alumni working in public interest law
This year, the Public Interest Law Loan Fund celebrates 15 years of aiding University of South Carolina School of Law alumni who have chosen careers in public interest law and dedicated their practice to helping those who are often unable to help themselves.
Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Careers, School of Law
Family makes innovative gift in father's honor
Nan Easterlin and Barry Storey were “raised Gamecocks.” So when the two Georgia grads wanted to do something to honor their father, a 1951 engineering graduate of the University of South Carolina, they stuck to what they knew.
Topics: Alumni, Academics, Scholarships, Recognition, Philanthropy, College of Engineering and Computing
Putting on a clinic
November 15, 2016, Craig Brandhorst
School of Medicine alumni not only work at the Columbia Free Medical Clinic, they also are the organizers and musicians behind the clinic's annual fundraising event, the Doctors Lounge concert.
Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Service, Medicine (Columbia)
Ultimate Gamecock: A legacy of education
November 02, 2016, Page Ivey
Jim Lane is the ultimate Gamecock with a bachelor’s degree in political science and three advance degrees from the College of Education, including a Ph.D. in 1998. Lane recently made a planned gift to benefit both the College of Arts and Sciences as well the College of Education.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education
Six ways to celebrate Homecoming 2016
October 27, 2016, Dana D'Haeseleer
It’s homecoming week at Carolina, a chance for students, faculty, staff and alumni to celebrate with a variety of events from a block party and parade to a singing competition and tailgate party. Complementing signature events will be an array of social events hosted by colleges.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Philanthropy
PASOs: Step by step
September 20, 2016, Craig Brandhorst
Julie Smithwick began laying the groundwork for PASOs as part of a field placement project for her master’s in social work in 2005. Now based at the Arnold School of Public Health, the statewide organization provides health care education and resource navigation to 8,500 Latinos a year and boasts a budget of $1.3 million.
Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Diversity, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Leadership, Arnold School of Public Health
Clothed in Hope
September 19, 2016, Allen Wallace
A UofSC alumna took her fashion merchandising degree and headed to Zambia. Her efforts to empower women there and help them break the cycle of poverty have succeeded beyond all expectations.
Topics: Alumni, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Service, Entrepreneurship, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Donating a part of yourself
September 09, 2016, Adena Rice
The University of South Carolina’s chapter of Be The Match recruited the most people for the bone marrow registry of any campus in the U.S. The UofSC organization registered 1,412 people in the 2015-16 school year, almost twice as many as second-place University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which had 753 registrants. Clemson University was fifth with 535 registrants.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Service, Student Voices
Preparing for the Peace Corps
August 30, 2016, Erin Mikes
Starting this fall, University of South Carolina students interested in Peace Corps service will be able to participate in a program that will help prepare them for international fieldwork. Housed in the Study Abroad Office, the Peace Corps Prep program will coincide with students’ studies, while enhancing their foreign language skills, giving them hands-on experience and providing them with an idea of possibilities for post-graduation.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Experiential Learning, Initiatives, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Service, Leadership, Careers
Get involved with something new
August 18, 2016, Adena Rice
A new school year brings opportunities for students to meet people with shared passions and interests. The Student Organization Fair will be held Aug. 24 on Greene Street, giving students the chance to find a group that fits them best. And even with over 400 organizations at this university, new organizations are formed every year. Here are 15 of the university’s newest organizations.
Topics: Students, Philanthropy, Service
Local color
Faculty and students enrich the lives of Midlands children through educational programs and community outreach. Minuette Floyd’s Young Artist’s Workshop is just one example.
Topics: Students, Faculty, Philanthropy, Service, College of Arts and Sciences
Remembering Big Abb, Little Abb
Faye Jeffcoat is a Gamecock by marriage and motherhood, but there is no doubt her blood runs garnet. A native of Newberry, S.C., who was an English major at Newberry College, Jeffcoat says her family was evenly split between University of South Carolina and Clemson grads — that is until she met and married Abb Jeffcoat Jr. After that, it was all Carolina, all the time.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences
Pair of Gamecocks run across country to raise money for cancer victims
July 12, 2016, John Brunelli
Running while helping others proved to be the perfect combination for how two Gamecocks are spending their summer. Bailey Wilhelm and Jack Bowling are part of the Ulman Cancer Fund's 4K for Cancer. The pair are running the 4,000 miles from San Francisco to Baltimore to raise money to help young cancer victims pay for treatment.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Philanthropy, Service, Darla Moore School of Business
Faculty, staff invited to preview Give It Up For Good sale
May 12, 2016, Erin Mikes
Looking for a 4-foot Santa lawn ornament? How about a basket in the shape of the state of Virginia? Surely someone in your family needs an alligator costume. All this and more is available at this year’s Give It Up For Good yard sale.
When a 1,000-year deluge inundated the city of Columbia, University of South Carolina students rolled up their sleeves.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Recognition, Philanthropy, Service
The humanitarian imperative
April 11, 2016, Liz McCarthy
Call her an idealist if you must, but Nicole Modeen Hark wants to put herself out of a job.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences
On the hunt for conservation
March 14, 2016, Ore Oluwole
Teamwork, leadership, passion and hard work. These are just some of the words, Austin Royal and Patrick Pope would use to describe the success of their student organization, Ducks Unlimited at the University of South Carolina.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Experiential Learning, Philanthropy, Leadership
Ballad of Joe McGowan
March 02, 2016, Craig Brandhorst
By day, Joe McGowan is a surgeon with Germain Dermatology in Mount Pleasant, S.C., but by night the UofSC grad is a serious musician and songwriter — with not one but two albums coming out in 2016.
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, Partnerships, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Medicine (Columbia)
Anonymous donor is a familiar face to scholarship recipients
February 05, 2016, Steven Powell
Lamar Hunter's scholarship to attend USC’s School of Medicine in Greenville was provided by a generous benefactor who prefers to remain anonymous — to the larger public, anyway. He has been more than happy to get to know the scholarship winners whose lives he has impacted.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Scholarships, Diversity, Philanthropy, Health Sciences, Student Voices, Medicine (Greenville)
New scholarship provides opportunity for marine science students
December 09, 2015, Thom Harman
Pennsylvania native Victoria Garefino is the first recipient of the Richard C. Morris Marine Science Endowed Scholarship. She says the scholarship, which also reduces her out-of-state tuition, has made her dream of studying marine science at UofSC a reality.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences
Spreading the spark
October 16, 2015, Steven Powell
Carolina was the catalyst for his successful career, and alumnus Trey Ackerman wants to help a new generation of USC students to find similar professional success of their own.
Topics: Students, Alumni, Scholarships, Philanthropy, Entrepreneurship, Darla Moore School of Business
A billion cheers
September 10, 2015, Chris Horn
The 136,850 donors who contributed learned Sept. 10 that their collective generosity put the $1 billion campaign more than $43 million over its original goal.
Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Scholarships, Recognition, Philanthropy, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business
Honoring a son
“If you had to write down the specifications of what you’d expect of a son, he would come as close to meeting them as anyone could,” says Jim Pearce, a 1942 Carolina graduate who endowed a UofSC professorship to memorialize his son Mac, a 1972 Carolina grad. “I like the fact that this professorship will continue to honor Mac for generations to come.”
Topics: Alumni, Philanthropy, Medicine (Greenville)
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Home > Test, Measurement & Analytics > Automakers Changing Tactics On Reliability
Automakers Changing Tactics On Reliability
Focus shifts to more data-centric approaches as chip content increases.
January 14th, 2020 - By: Susan Rambo
Automakers are beginning to rethink how to ensure automotive electronics will remain reliable over their projected lifetimes, focusing their efforts on redundancy, more data-centric architectures and continued testing throughout the life of a vehicle.
It is still too early to really know how automotive chips actually will perform over the next 15 to 20 years, especially AI logic developed at leading-edge nodes. TSMC’s volume production of 7nm chips only started in April 2018, and none of those chips has been used under the intensive road conditions that automotive chips will have to endure. In fact, TSMC didn’t announce volume production of 28nm chips until October 2011. So if cars will be using the latest process nodes for autonomous driving in 10 years, they may be using transistor structures for which there is no history at all.
Moreover, they will be running applications, such as AI and 5G, both of which are brand new. And they will be using those applications to guide vehicles through a litany of unexpected hazards, which is why most automakers are focusing on assisted rather than autonomous technology. But the reality is many of these systems will have autonomous capabilities built-in, even if they aren’t used right way, as they assess how these systems behave under extreme stress.
5G communication, in particular, adds a whole new set of questions for which there are few good answers.
“What people are finding is that it is a lot more difficult to do than a typical digital baseband,” said Kurt Shuler, vice president of marketing at Arteris IP. “There is a lot more processing involved and the SoC architectures are lot more complex. The industry is having to deal with this given how we done things with GSM and CDMA modems that we were used to. Here’s all this additional stuff we have to deal with for 5G.”
Most consumers will experience 5G as enhanced mobile broadband, typically using sub-6 GHz 5G, which spans from 450 MHz to 6 GHz. The millimeter wave bands (24 to 86 GHz) offer the fastest speed but are problematic, especially if anything is in motion. Rain, trees, walls and other cars all interfere with mmWave signals. A mmWave antennae would need to be outside the car because any part of the car, including the glass, would block the signals.
“We’ve seen is a lot of nervousness around trying to implement a mobility test case using millimeter wave that is being able to follow the user as it moves, and then execute a handoff from base station to base station, like you would do with a 1 GHz cellular signal,” said Alejandro Buritica, senior solutions marketing manager at National Instruments. “So we know that up to the current 4G bands or frequencies, that’s been done, it’s proven, no problem with mobility at those frequencies. But when you’re trying to implement some of the technologies that 5G requires, like massive MIMO, and trying to track multiple users and do that at fast speeds at millimeter wave, then it becomes a really, really difficult problem.”
Processing goes up significantly. “You would have to re-compute the channel state eight times per millisecond,” Buritica said. “That becomes very computationally intensive and very, very difficult. The idea is to have those high-bandwidth channels exchange data with the vehicle once it’s static, such as at a stoplight. So you can have small cells that allow for a quick exchange of a lot of data between the vehicle and the infrastructure, but the car has to be completely stopped. The problem is that as vehicles become more autonomous, maybe in a few decades, we will not see stoplights anymore. The car will just negotiate crossing the intersection with other autonomous vehicles and you won’t have to stop. There are a number of conflicting ideas there. But what they know is that implementing mobility at millimeter wave is currently a really difficult problem.”
In fact, there are doubts about whether it is feasible at all. “It’s a much higher frequency and the range is shorter,” said Shuler. “In a phone or a car, you want to reduce the amount of power for transmission. The good thing is if you do beam steering and steer to the next node in the 5G network, you can save a lot of power, rather than doing something omnidirectional. But you need to have a lot of processing to figure out where that is. And you have to some kind of predictive analytics, too. For our customers it has been new and exciting, and a lot of these folks that say they are coming from a traditional wireless background are trying to figure it out.”
Despite all of this, there is general agreement that some version of high-speed communication will be required. David Fritz, senior autonomous vehicle SoC leader at Mentor, a Siemens Business, said that 5G will be a tipping point for assisted and autonomous driving, but most likely in the sub-6 GHz range. “We’re worried about keeping decision-making in zones, so you may have a left front, right front, left rear, right rear. That allows these zones to react incredibly fast to information, such as when a light turns green and an ambulance is coming, no cars should be moving. The car knows this because of the 5G infrastructure. You can think of this as one extra human sense. But you probably don’t need millimeter wave for this. When two cars exchange information, it can involve a minimal amount of data.”
Less data transfer allows for quicker processing, lower latency, and uses less power. In effect, this is like SMS between vehicles.
But how it will hold up over time isn’t clear. “When it comes to failure rates and design for life, we are just beginning — along with many of the other challenges with autonomous driving and ride sharing — to look at what it means to have people drive cars more than an hour and half a day,” said Lance Williams, vice president for automotive strategy at ON Semiconductor. “This could be a ‘driving 22 hours a day’ type of scenario.”
Testing all the time
Ask two people how devices will hold up under this kind of strain and you are likely to get at least two different answers. But everyone agrees these systems need to be monitored throughout their lifetimes.
“Having parts last for 18 years is possible, but you cannot say there will be no failures,” said Evelyn Landman, CTO at proteanTecs. “What’s needed is the ability to send out alerts with enough time to be able to take action, so there is less damage and controlled RMAs. From a DPPM (defect parts per million) or DPPB point of view, you’re still going to have some defects that are so minor, they’re hard to see. You will have leakage current, electromigration and NBTI (negative-bias temparature instability). In the field, when these devices are in use, aging will take its toll and performance degradation will cause device wearout.”
Understanding their impact requires sufficient coverage in a device, and one important aspect of that is in-field and in-circuit monitoring.
“In order for this solution to work in safety critical applications, you need to go for higher coverage than in the past,” said Landman. “With increasingly autonomous driving, you need to track vast amounts of data at every point in time. You need to make sure the hardware does not fail on the road. And predicting problems is the key. If you can detect issues before they develop into system failures, you can proactively take action and avoid damages. You can gain that visibility by applying on-chip monitoring combined with AI-based analytics. ”
Machine learning has a big impact in this area because it can find things in data that people cannot.
“We really need machine learning,” said Tomasz Brozek, a technical fellow at PDF Solutions. “We’ve been putting structures on silicon that provide data about quality and manufacturing. Those structures monitor degradation rates about drift in manufacturing. They also can monitor process windows for things like contact/gate weaknesses and a breakdown in leakage. That can be done on every wafer and scribe line.”
He said the key in automotive is identifying weak structures. “If there is not good coverage, you get leakages that are typically at the noise level. You need to design these devices for inspection, and that includes sub-micron test structures. This has no impact on area or power, because they’re generally embedded in a dark area of a chip, which most designs have. They also can be put into gray areas between blocks. They don’t participate in the operation of the chip, but this type of test structure can tell if a chip is at risk. Then you close the loop by collecting data from manufacturing, from test, and from every die.”
An important aspect of all of this is the ability to loop back data into the manufacturing process, so that defects can be analyzed and potentially fixed in future generations of products. Current data analysis has become sophisticated enough to be able to be able to trace problems back to a particular wafer in a particular manufacturing lot, and with machine learning that can be compared to other wafers on the same day or different days to determine if something different happened with that particular chip or wafer. If not, it might be a more generalized problem, or it might be a random defect that will never crop up again.
But there also is a big financial incentive to getting this right.
“Imagine if you have 40% scrap,” said Uzi Baruch, vice president and general manager of the automotive business at OptimalPlus. “So the real cost is the time it takes you to get to market and the amount of scrap. In dual-camera systems, you need to match two different cameras in a module so they behave the same. Once you glue them in, if they’re not the same performance, that whole module is done. What we’ve been doing is applying scoring mechanisms to measure and compare different cameras. So if you have 400,000 lenses and you’re grouping data on CMOS issues, you may see one or two modules that are different or things on the edges that you wouldn’t notice with one lens, and then you go back to the design.”
New techniques
During design and manufacturing, checking at the block and flip-flop levels will help. After manufacturing, using logic built-in self-test (LBiST) and on-chip monitoring are essential.
“Ultimately, flops are those things that affect reliability,” said Steve Pateras, senior director of marketing for test automation at Synopsys. “If a flop can be made fault-tolerant, then you eliminate that contribution. If you go down to the flop level, we can provide a list of flops that are affecting the metric and we can automatically replace those flops with fault-tolerant ones.”
It’s not just about finding the errors but fixing them. “There are different levels of capability that we provide,” said Pateras, “But the long and short of it is, we can quickly estimate the metrics and we can provide direct actionable guidance on how to fix them. Depending on the ASIL Level A, B, C or D, you need to achieve certain metric levels, and those metrics need to be in a certain value: 90%, 95%, 99%. So our customers are faced with a couple of problems. One is to how do you actually measure those metrics accurately? And then, once those metrics are measured, how you you actually improve them if necessary?”
Another tack is to rethink how and where data gets processed in a vehicle. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a whole slew of different approaches,” said Mentor’s Fritz. “Now they all seem to be coalescing and heading in the same direction. So rather than everything being processed in a single device, we’re seeing a push toward multiple levels of redundancy and isolation of sensitive compute elements. Some companies are going for liquid cooling, others air cooling. But the bottom line is you need to design an enclosure for all of these systems, and you need real data very early in the design cycle to make this work properly, which isn’t always available. You can’t just pull out a spreadsheet and expect it to work. You need to measure power, calculate area and do thermal analysis.”
The new direction is to do much more computation closer to the sensor in order to greatly reduce the amount of data that needs to be moved around a vehicle. But that also requires fundamental changes to how vehicles are designed today, basically using data as a starting point to design the system rather than creating a supercomputer to manage any possible corner case.
“You need to know more about a sensor’s capabilities,” said Fritz. “That’s essential to decrease the amount of bandwidth, decrease the amount of data that needs to be moved, which requires less power and less cooling. So if you think about algorithms for object detection and classification, the video is coming in at 30 to 60 frames per second in high resolution. That’s terabytes per second. But even in the worst-case scenario, which is a busy city, you only need a tiny fraction of that. Most of it can be discarded. The answer isn’t sensor fusion. It’s processing less data.”
Self-test and calibration
That also greatly simplifies the design, and makes it easier to test systems, and those tests can be run at any time over the course of their lifecycle.
“You want to be able to run a test of electronics at different times during the operation of the vehicle,” said Pateras. “The typical ones are called key-on and key-off. We turn a car on, you know you powered it up or powered down, you want to go through a certain level of testing for the electronics. Our customers also want to be able to run periodic tests while the vehicle is operating. You want to be able to run a certain level of testing on the electronics on some period on some interval.”
LBiST is not always reliable. “You’re definitely going to need a comprehensive on-chip test and reliability system for automotive,” said Pateras. “We’re seeing the requirements continue to evolve and expand. At first, for certain automotive parts, it was fine to just turn on the car and do a quick test. But with anything to do with self-driving, all of our customers are requiring periodic testing. They’re requiring that it’s all be a solid ASIL D, and you need to be able to verify that and achieve that.”
One test approach is not sufficient for that. “You want to have ability to monitor certain things on chip, certain signals and things like power rails and PLLs and clocking structures to see if there is any shifts or drifts in those functionalities or the performance,” he said. “And then you want off-chip analytics to be able take this data and analyze it to see if it’s trending in the direction in which would predict some failure at some point in time.”
This is particularly important for the sensors that provide the data upon which a car needs to react. As sensors age, they can drift. They also can become dirty, which can limit their effectiveness. The key here is to be able to have a benchmark against which to measure those changes.
“When you design a sensor, you really need to know its behavior,” said Fritz.”If it ages, the sensor company knows what’s happening. You don’t have to adjust the training on the AI systems, but you do have to incorporate that into your inferencing. As the sensors degrade, you need to be able to compensate for that degradation so that you are confident in the results.”
The bottom line in automotive, whether it’s 5G communication or the design of sensors and data networks, is that reliability is a multi-faceted challenge.
“When these parts get manufactured and go through their first level of testing, you know — especially in markets like automotive — that you have defective parts per million requirements of zero,” said Brady Benware, vice president and general manager for Tessent at Mentor. “That’s the target. What that means in reality is there are very few single-digit kinds of defective parts per million, but that’s quickly transforming into defective parts per billion coming out of initial test.”
After that, there need to be failure mitigation strategies have to be in place once these devices are deployed in the end-use environment. “So functional safety is really all about ensuring that if a failure develops in the field, if these parts degrade in the field, that there is a safe way that those parts fail and the broader system can respond to that,” Benware said. “That requires a lot of analysis in the design phase of these devices to understand what areas of the device and what functionalities are susceptible to failure. What are the effects of those failures if they do occur? And then you need to insert additional circuitry within the devices to ensure that if there is a failure, that it is tolerated or detected so that it can be responded to in the system.”
— Ed Sperling contributed to this report.
BiST Grows Up In Automotive
Planning For Failures In Automotive
Auto Industry Shifts Gears On Where Data Gets Processed
The Growing Challenges Of 5G Reliability
The Race To Zero Defects
Finding Faulty Auto Chips
Different Ways To Improve Chip Reliability
How 5G Affects Test
Tags: 5G Arteris IP automotive test BiST KPMG LiDAR Mentor National Instruments On Semiconductor OptimalPlus PDF Solutions predictive test proteanTecs Synopsys V2X
Susan Rambo
Susan Rambo is the managing editor of Semiconductor Engineering.
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rotraveler Tours Who we are Activities General conditions DMC/PCO Contact us
Romania’s Fantastic Castles
Fantastic and unique castles, citadels and fortified churches in Transylvania - enjoy them all in this amazing trip that includes Curtea de Arges and Cozia Monasteries, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Brasov, Biertan and Viscri, Rupea and Rasnov Fortresses, Bran and Peles Castles.
Arrival and departure transfers
DAY 1: Bucharest
Meet with the guide at the Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest and transfer to the hotel. After the check-in hotel your fantastic trip begins.
Discover by car and by foot the incredible City of Bucharest which will be revealed to you. See the Palace of Parliament (also called the “House of the People”) built by Ceausescu for its own Government, the second largest administrative building in the world, after the Pentagon, admire the Royal Palace or the Romanian Athenaeum, see where the Romanian revolution started in 1989 and visit the Old City with its Stavropoleos Church, The CEC Palace or Old Princely Court.
Dinner in an Historical Restaurant right in the core of the old City.
After the dinner we will return to the hotel but if you would like to hang around the fantastic streets in old Bucharest for a beer, just choose from hundreds of bars or restaurants.
Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Bucharest.
DAY 2: Bucharest - Curtea de Arges - Cozia - Sibiu (273 Km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Leave for Sibiu via Curtea de Arges, where we will visit the former capital of Wallachia, the residence of the first Basarab Prince. Visit the Princely Church and the Curtea de Arges monastery (including the Fountain of Master Manole).
Lunch on the way.
Curtea de Arges Monastery
Founded in the time of voivode Neagoe Basarab, between 1512 and 1517, the monastery is a part of the most famous Romanian legend, “The legend of master Manole”. Known also as the Episcopal Church, because it was an Episcopal See between 1739 and 1748, the house of worship is 18 meters length, 10 meters wide and 25 meters high. The naos and the pronaos of the church are not separated by a door, but by the frame of a door, placed between two columns.
Historic documents state that the canonization of Saint Hierarch Nifon (+1508), Patriarch of Constantinople and Metropolitan of Walachia (1500 – 1505) took place here on 16 August 1517. His holy relics were sent from here in a silver, golden plated coffin to Dioniseu – Athos Monastery.
“The legend of master Manole”, which is directly connected to the name of Curtea de Arges Monastery, says that the ruler hired the greatest masters to build the place of worship. But all that they had built during the day fell apart during the night. So one night Manole had a dream, showing him that the construction would resist only if he built his wife in one of the walls. The next day, when his wife Ana came to bring him the food, Manole built her in the South wall. When all was ready, Neagoe Basarab was impressed by the beauty of the Monastery, and ordered his servants to take the stairs that leaded to the roof so that the masters could not come down and built a more beautiful church. Then Manole manufactured some sieve wings so he could fly, but he crushed. It is said that a spring, representing Manole’s tears, appeared on the spot where he touched the land. The spring actually exists, and it is near the monastery.
On the way, visit Cozia Monastery, historical monument from 14th century, erected by the grandfather of Vlad the Impaler.
Cozia Monastery
Known as the oldest and most complex historical and art monuments from Romania, Cozia Monastery is situated on the right bank of the river Olt, 22 km away from Ramnicu Valcea and 75 km away from Sibiu. It was built between 1386-1388, being one of the most important foundations of the ruler Mircea cel Batran (Mircea the Elder). Initially, it was known under the name of Nucet Monastery, because it was built in an area proper for walnut trees to grow. The name of “Cozia” was given to it later, after the name of the mountain in its vicinity.
Dinner in a traditional restaurant in Sibiu.
Accommodation in a 4* hotel in Sibiu.
DAY 3: Sibiu - Biertan - Sighisoara (108 km)
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Sibiu by foot, including: the Bruckental Art Museum, the Stairs Passage, the Liar’s Bridge, the Main Square and the Little Square, the Stairs’ Passage and the medieval fortress’ walls.
Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture in 2007, together with Luxemburg, being the first city in South-Eastern Europe to receive this title. Even before Romania adhered to the European Union, Sibiu was already known for having an European character, mainly for its infrastructure, but also due to the fact that it is a cultural location and its European spirit.
You will be amazed by the charm of this beautiful city!
Biertan is located in a long valley surrounded by hills and vineyards. The village was founded in 1283 and is dominated by Saint Mary’s citadel and church. This hilltop medieval construction, surrounded by three fortified walls, has been named a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO Foundation.
Lunch in a local restaurant in Biertan.
We can stop by Mr. Ion Constantinescu’s painting and sculpting workshop to watch this local artist using centuries-old traditional methods.
After such a lovely experience we will continue to Sighisoara.
We will visit the only medieval citadel in Europe that is still fully inhabited; mentioned in 1280 as “Castrum Sex”. Detailed tour of the citadel, including the Tower Museum, the Scholars' Stairs, the Church on the Hill. Feel the attractions of the Torture Room and visit the Medieval Weapons Collection. Visit the house where is supposing that Vlad “Dracula” was born (now a cozy restaurant).
Sighisoara, besides being the birthplace of famous Vlad the Impaler associated with Dracula is the last still inhabited medieval citadel not only in Transylvania but in whole Europe and also a World Heritage Site since 1993.
Among the many other attractions that will take you back in time in the Sighisoara Medieval Citadel you will see The Clock Tower, Church on the Hill, the house where Vlad Tepes was born and the Scholars' Stairs.
Dinner and accommodation in Sighisoara in a 4* hotel.
DAY 4: Sighisoara - Viscri - Rupea - Brasov (121 km)
After breakfast in Sighisoara we will continue driving to Viscri.
Viscri is the village loved so much by His Royal Highness Prince Charles. The Saxon character of Viscri has been so well preserved that the entire village has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Enjoy today the Viscri Village: the community of Saxons, whose ancestors founded the village more than 800 years ago, has successfully preserved Viscri’s traditional way of life, thanks in large part to its difficult access to the main road. Feel then the true Saxon hospitality, home-cooked meals and a trip back in time.
Enjoy a traditional lunch in Viscri.
After such a wonderful and healthy lunch we will drive to Rupea Fortress, our next stop.
One of the most imposing and best-conserved medieval sites in Transylvania, Rupea Fortress is a world-unique destination. The fortress of Rupea amazes through its imposing dimensions and centuries of history.
The fortress, one of the most beautiful medieval castles in Romania is located in Rupea, at the border of Brasov County and Mures County on top of Cohalm hill. The first documentation dates back in 1324.
We will continue our way to the beautiful city of Brasov. In the evening you will enjoy a sightseeing tour of Brasov.
Admire the Black Church (the biggest Gothic monument in Brasov), St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Schei Gate and District (architectural reservation), the Rope Street (the narrowest street in Europe), The Drapers’ Bastion, The Ropemakers’ Bastion, The Weavers’ Bastion (a building unique in Romania), the White and the Black Towers, Ecaterina’s Gate, the Old Town Hall Square and the Town Council building.
Dinner in a traditional restaurant in Brasov. Accommodation in a 4* Hotel in Poiana Brasov.
DAY 5: Brasov - Rasnov - Bran - Simon - Brasov (75 Km)
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Bran Castle.
On the way visit the Rasnov Fortress.The fortress is situated on a hill overlooking the medieval town of Rasnov. Nowadays the fortress is well preserved. We will access the fortress by the newly built inclined elevator which will transport us from the town center to Rasnov Citadel. The fantastic views of the fortress and the fortress itself will be an unforgettable memory.
Let’s enjoy a lovely lunch in the countryside. You will be transported by a horse carrige to the guesthouse in Simon, a small village near Bran.
After the lunch we will go and visit the mysterious castle of Dracula - the Bran Castle. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia. Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle" (although it is one among several locations linked to the Dracula legend, including Poenari Castle and Hunyad Castle), it is marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie.
Return to Poiana Brasov. Dinner and accommodation at a 4* hotel in Poiana Brasov.
DAY 6: Brasov – Sinaia – Bucharest (171 km)
Breakfast in the hotel and departure to Bucharest.
On the way to Bucharest you will visit the majestic Peles Castle in Sinaia, located at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains. Sinaia became famous at the end of 19th century when the first king of Romania, Carol I, made it the summer residence for the royal family and popularized the town. The Peles Castle is a fine example of German Renaissance style of architecture, with elaborately-decorated rooms.
Lunch in Sinaia and departure to Bucharest.
Arrival in Bucharest and accommodation in a 4* hotel. Farewell dinner.
DAY 7: Bucharest - Airport
Breakfast. Depending on your flight schedule, you have free time for shopping.
Transfer to the Henri Coanda International Airport.
Insurance policy Privacy policy
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© Linda Visser / Paul Rowland, 2018
Shelbourne
About Shelbourne
Family self-catering holidays in Cornwall
About Shelbourne
The bungalow can sleep from 2 to 6 people - its the perfect place for a couple's getaway or a family holiday:
One double bedroom with en-suite shower and toilet
One twin bedroom
One bedroom has a divan which can be converted to provide a second bed suitable for a child or young adult if required
A a sofa-bed in the lounge
There is a separate toilet and bathroom.
The large kitchen/diner is fully equipped with electric cooker, microwave, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and washing machine.
The lounge has Freeview TV and a DVD player along with a selection of books, games and jigsaws.
The sunlounge provides unsurpassable views of the sea and cliffs and may be used as an additional dining area.
Crockery, cutlery, tea towels and linen are provided, but please bring your own towels.
Wifi is also available.
Gorran Haven has a baker, a post office, general store, fish and chip shop, a cafe and a bar and bistro - the Llawnroc - which serves meals and snacks. There is a jetty with moorings for small boats and it boasts a safe, sheltered sandy beach which is ideal for swimming and sunbathing. All these facilities are within a 10 minute walk of Shelbourne.
The cliff walks have breathtaking sea views. Other beaches can be reached by a short walk or by road. The South West Coast Path passes right past Shelbourne's drive and through the village.
The village is about 8 miles south of St Austell which has all facilities and amenities. The popular fishing village of Mevagissey, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the highly praised Eden Project are all within easy reach.
About Gorran Haven
Sun lounge
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Mark Sandford switches Hoops for Reds
Mark Sandford trades Hoops for Reds
Mark played underage football with Lourdes Celtic and Crumlin United before signing with Shamrock Rovers U19s in 2012/13.
For the senior team, he was an unused substitute in the Hoops Leinster Senior Cup final win over St Pats CY on 3 September 2012 and he played in the summer friendly against Aston Villa in August 2013. He re-signed for the club’s U19 squad for the 2013/14 season.
In February 2014 Mark was included in the Hoops’ reserve side that competed in the 2014 First Division. He made 19 league appearances for Colin Hawkins team – seven starts and twelve as substitute.
He will be remembered by Shelbourne supporters as the player who grabbed two late goals against the Reds at Tolka in September. Shels had been leading 3-0, but Sanford brace made for a very anxious last few minutes for the home Management, Players and Supporters.
Mark was a team-mate, at Rovers,of Stephen Confrey, who joined Martin Murray’s Under 19s in August.
← Greg Murray Re-Signs for 2015
Forecast Coupon Results w/e Sun 16 Nov →
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Interceptor OTV Body Armor Cost Lives, An Internal USMC Reports Shows
The Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest was designed for use with SAPI plates and replaces the Personnel Armor System, Ground Troop Flak vest, more commonly known as the flak vest.
The “Marine Lethal Torso Injuries: Preliminary Findings 8/29/2005” was reportedly made to identify current weaknesses in the product, which was designed and fielded in the nearly billion-dollar joint US Army-USMC Interceptor program that created the controversial body armor.
Critics of the Interceptor body armor system complain it is bulky, poorly made, limits mobility, and incorporates a design that leaves the wearer vulnerable to gunshot and shrapnel wounds over large areas of the upper torso to limit production costs.
Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) spokesman Sanford “Mack” McLaurin, although aware of the report, declined to comment on it, declaring “this information could be help to our enemies and put Marines and Soldiers in danger.” MARCORSYSCOM is the agency within the Marine Corps responsible for providing Marine Corps approved equipment to its war fighters.
Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Curry Keir, Army Public Affairs, Media Operations, was equally reticent in his Dec. 30 response to a recent DefenseWatch inquiry.
“We take operational security very seriously and will not discuss in public issues that may render any insight to the enemy on our capabilities; fielding plans; or tactics, techniques and procedures,” Keir said.
A skeptic might say the services’ sudden interest in security is more akin to closing the hen house door after the fox has entered than keeping sensitive information from the enemy. A DefenseWatch investigation begun last summer (See Is America’s Best Getting America’s Best series in DW archives) determined that the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center-Natick (SSC-Natick, Massachusetts), has known for at least several years that its in-house designed Interceptor body armor was not nearly as effective as other civilian body armor products already in production. The troops who wear the standard issue body armor are also well aware of its deficiencies. For more than two years DefenseWatch has received reports and complaints from Grunts in Iraq and Afghanistan that the Interceptor gear is lousy.
In late October DW began receiving reports for war fighters in Iraq that the American Armed Forces Network (AFN) was warning its radio listeners there that the Coalition had received intelligence about insurgents snipers that were being trained to aim at areas of vulnerability between Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI plates) – hard composite armor plate – where Coalition war fighters wearing Interceptor armor are particularly vulnerable. War correspondent and popular blogger Michael Yon confirmed the reports in an email to DefenseWatch after hearing them broadcast in Mosul.
Many war fighters told DefenseWatch they used their own money to buy superior body armor systems available on the open market despite DOD claims that the Interceptor body armor is the best money can buy. Those warriors reported the Interceptor body armor is frequently ill-fitting, falls apart with rugged use, decreases in protective capability with age, and leaves the wearer vulnerable to side and shoulder wounds that could prove fatal. The findings of the August 29 report supports every contention the agitated war fighters made. So did evidence introduced in several civilian court cases brought against all three of the Interceptor body armor manufacturers in unrelated lawsuits by disgruntled employees, civilian police agencies and the US Justice Department.
The DOD and the U.S. Army have both declined to comment to numerous DefenseWatch inquiries made since September seeking to discover whether senior Pentagon officials knew that Interceptor OTV body armor was ineffective, and what the Pentagon intended to do about the Interceptor problems if it did. US Army Public Affairs Chief Brigadier General Vincent Brooks went so far as to accuse DefenseWatch of “clearly having an agenda” and “not [being] interested in productive discussions on this topic.”
On November 17, 2005 Army spokesman John P. Boyce, Jr., following up on Brooks’ acid comments, declined to answer a DW inquiry seeking to know whether the Interceptor program was going to be cancelled after the current contracts have been completed. Two months ago DW received several still unconfirmed reports from credible sources within the body armor industry that the ill-conceived Interceptor program was under severe scrutiny by the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Army because of the numerous complaints its members have forwarded up the chain of command. Those sources continue to insist the Interceptor program will be terminated at the end of the current production run.
Instead of answering the question Boyce wrote on behalf of the US Army that:
“… the U.S. Army fielded more than 873,270 Outer Tactical Vests, so you may definitely say we are still using Outer Tactical Vests as well as personal body-armor technologies to protect our Soldiers. Soldier protection is the highest priority for the Army. As new technologies emerge, the Army aggressively works with industry to develop, test, produce and rapidly field the best possible equipment, and get it into the hands of our Soldiers.”
Meanwhile the Marine Corps was very quietly seeking answers to the problems with Interceptor armor that Marines encountered while wearing it in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. On November 22, 2005 MARCORSYSCOM issued a “Solicitation” for interested manufacturers to bid for the opportunity to manufacture an improved design of the Interceptor OTV body armor currently issued to most service members serving in the Global War on Terror. The request was placed in the Federal Business Opportunities website without any public announcement.
The bid says the Marines are “seeking market research, potential sources, and best practice information towards designing, developing, and buying a replacement item to provide torso ballistic protection with integrated and scalable load-carrying capabilities for individual Marines.
“The OTV, along with ballistic protective inserts, is commonly known as the USMC’s very successful “Interceptor” system,” the bid request explained. “The currently used Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) portion was developed in the late 1990’s. It consists of soft armor (i.e., fragmentation protection) covering the torso, groin and neck and can carry ceramic plates to protect against rifle fire. The OTV, however, is not designed – but is being used for – carrying equipment and items during USMC missions. Consequently, the OTV lacks efficient state-of-the-art load carrying capabilities and technologies that limit the user’s effectiveness.”
In his written response McLaurin gave a biographical account of the development of the Interceptor system, adding that “since the OTV was not designed to carry the excessive weight of a Marine’s combat load, we developed and procured a limited number of Assault Load Carriers (ALC)…”
“This modular system will allow Marines to adapt the OTV to the threat they face. However, Marines in combat wanted to attach their MOLLE pouches (ammunition and equipment carriers) directly to the OTV instead of using the ALC,” McLaurin continued. “We also developed and procured the Fighting Load Carrier (FLC), designed to carry ammunition magazines, the first aid kit, canteens and other combat equipment.”
Almost as an afterthought McLaurin concluded, “Consequently, since Marines in combat have identified the need for additional area of coverage, we developed and fielded the Side Small Arms Protective Inserts (S-SAPI) to protect deployed Marines.”
The Marine’s development of the Side Small Arms Protective Inserts (S-SAPI) modification corrects one of the most glaring problems inherent to the Interceptor system, several experts said. Natick’s failure to recognize early on the need for axillary protection led to the unnecessary deaths of the”nearly 23%” of the Marines” who “might have benefited from protection along the mid-axillary line of the lateral chest, ” according to the August 29 report. In laymen’s terms, the mid-axillary line of the lateral chest identifies the sides of the body’s upper torso.
McLaurin added that the November 22 solicitation for bids “is a result of Spiral Development on the OTV” and not a complete replacement program for the Interceptor system.
The summary of the solicitation request confirms his assessment:
“The OTV needs to be redesigned to carry a Marine’s assault load (i.e. magazines, water, grenades, etc.). It is to use state of the art load carriage techniques to optimally distribute the load over the torso. The contemplated integrated OTV will combine the capabilities to carry the ballistic protection and combat load. The system will use the current Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) plates.
Several representatives of body armor manufacturers recently told DefenseWatch they have heard reports that US Army Chief of Staff Peter J. Schoomaker has given a green light to Army planners to begin looking for a suitable replacement for the Interceptor body armor system.
Patriot Materials Company President Mike Henderson, a former Special operations soldier, said his Sanford, North Carolina-based company is actively seeking a shot at promoting its body armor products to the Pentagon at this time. Patriot already has contracts to up armor all the Army’s medium and heavy-duty trucks used in Iraq at its Kuwait support facility and also sells personal body armor to special operations operators, he said.
Mark Carey, Patriot’s director of overseas operations, and a retired Spec Ops master sergeant, agreed that the word is already out across the industry that the Interceptor program will be scrapped as soon as the current contracts are filled. His assessment was seconded by Pinnacle Armor’s Paul Chopra, a retired US Army Special Operations aviator, and two other manufacturers who declined to go on record. Pinnacle make Dragon Skin body armor, which DefenseWatch examined closely in its America’s Best series.
Both manufacturers who spoke on the record said they would actively seek the new business when it becomes available and that their companies already produced body armor vastly superior to the Interceptor OTV system.
Since last May the Army and Marine Corps have recalled more than 23,000 body armor vests because they failed ballistic requirements when they were manufactured in 1999 and 2000. Many of those vests may now be in the war zone. About 5,000 were recalled in May, 2005 and 18,000 last November 16, according to Pentagon officials. All of the vests involved were produced by the same manufacturer, Point Blank Body Armor Inc. of Pompano Beach, Fla., under contract to the Marine Corps and the Army. The Marines Corps has repeatedly assured its war fighters the recalls did not involve safety issues and were merely manufacturing flaws that affected size and quality control – not bullet and shrapnel stopping capabilities.
In January, 2005 Point Blank’s CEO, a Long Island, New York businessman, gained a bit of notoriety for giving his 12-year-old daughter a $10 million party at a swank New York eatery. Brooks is the CEO of DHB Industries, the parent company of Point Blank, which makes the vests that were recalled in 2005. In 2004 Brooks exercised DHB stock options worth almost $70 million and at year’s end (Dec. 29, 2004), sold 5 million of his 11 million shares of common stock for a whopping $106.4 million, according to public records. Soon after the value of DHB stock began to decline.
As early as July 19, 2004, according to memos originally obtained by the Army Times newspaper, the Marine Corps found “major quality assurance deficiencies within Point Blank.” One month later, on August 24, 2004, the military rejected two orders from Point Blank after tests revealed that the vests did not meet safety requirements.
Faced with a severe shortage of body armor the Army decided that nine Point Blank orders that did not meet safety requirements would be sent to troops overseas anyway, according to court records obtained by DW from an unrelated Point Blank labor dispute heard in a Florida court. On May 3, 2005 Point Blank hired retired four-star Army Gen. Larry Ellis to lead the beleaguered company. On May 4, 2005, the U.S. Marine Corps recalled 5,277 Interceptor vests manufactured by Point Blank Body Armor. On July 20 Point Blank received an additional $10.1 million contract from the U.S. government. In November another18, 000 vests were recalled.
Another Interceptor body armor manufacturer, formerly known as Second Chance Body Armor, Inc., is currently under investigation by the Justice Department for fraud for knowingly selling body armor that can’t stop bullets from killing its wearers. Second Chance was the leading body armor supplier to the American Armed Forces three years ago. It has since declared bankruptcy in Michigan and gone out of business.
Standing in the wings to pick up the slack was Armor Holdings, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla, the current leading manufacturer and distributor of body armor for the U.S. military, On August 2, 2005 Armor Holdings announced that it had completed acquiring all of the domestic assets of Second Chance after the company declared bankruptcy following charges of fraud in its domestic operations. The announcement followed on the heels of a July 13 press release from Armor Holdings trumpeting that it had become the “exclusive provider” to replace up to 156,000 defective vests manufactured by Second Chance Body Armor and issued to American war fighters while it led the pack of armor manufacturers milking the cash cow conceived and fattened in the wake of the sudden need for body armor to fight the Global War on Terror.
Scott O’Brien, President of the Armor Holdings Products Division, commented in a September 2 press release that, “We are delighted to welcome Second Chance to the Armor Holdings team, and we believe this transaction creates a fresh start for Second Chance.”
Armor Holdings paid $45 million in cash for the assets of Second Chance, “including substantially all intellectual property, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances, and assumed certain trade liabilities,” according to the Sept. 2 press release. An attorney close to the Second Chance debacle said Armor Holdings acquisition of the former body armor manufacturer’s assets left the American taxpayer – as usual -holding the bag for the cost of the failed equipment.
Despite the multitude of problems the Interceptor program has encountered the US Army apparently still stands by its product.
“The Army has made several improvements in the area of Soldier Protection equipment to the Outer Tactical Vests and to the Small Arms Protective Inserts.” Keir explained in his Dec. 30th email to DefenseWatch that promised a more complete explanation was still forthcoming. “In response to the changing battlefield conditions and as new technologies emerge; the Army will continue to develop improvements to Soldier Protection equipment that enhances survivability and mobility. Soldier protection is the highest priority for the U.S. Army,”
Keir’s comments prove what Miguel de Cervantes claimed in Don Quixote in the 17th Century is still relevant today: “The proof of the pudding is the eating.”
DefenseWatch Editor Nathaniel R. “Nat” Helms is a Vietnam veteran, former police officer, long-time journalist and war correspondent living in Missouri.
Military Helmet Sensors: Big Contracts but No Findings?
Interceptor Body Armor: End of a Chapter, Stench Remains
Think Tanks and Leadership with Integrity
SFTT News: Week Ending July 15, 2016
Brooks and Body Armor: Lies Kill Brave Patriots
Interceptor OTV Physique Armor Expense Lives, An Internal USMC Reports Shows » Senior Moments March 4, 2012
Interceptor OTV Physique Armor Expense Lives, An Internal USMC Reports Shows « Raising the bar March 5, 2012
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Byline: Bert Ghezzi
Six Reasons Why We Make the Sign of the Cross
Bert Ghezzi
December 2, 2019 8:50 am December 2, 2019
Comments Off on Six Reasons Why We Make the Sign of the Cross
Catholics often make the Sign of the Cross casually, just as a nice gesture for beginning and ending their prayers. But when we learn to take this act seriously, signing…
Catholics often make the Sign of the Cross casually, just as a nice gesture for beginning and ending their prayers. But when we learn to take this act seriously, signing ourselves frequently with faith and reverence, remarkable results can take place. We find ourselves doing measurably better in our Christian life: praying with more passion, resisting our bad inclinations more effectively, and relating to others more kindly.
The Sign of the Cross, after all, is not merely a pious gesture. It is a powerful prayer, a sacramental of the Church.
Scripture, the Church Fathers and saints, and Catholic teaching offer six perspectives on the Sign of the Cross that reveal why making it opens us to life-transforming graces. Once we grasp them, we can make the gesture with more faith and experience its great blessings.
Six Reasons to Make the Sign
1. A mini-creed.
The Sign of the Cross is a profession of faith in God as He has revealed himself. It serves as an abbreviated form of the Apostles’ Creed.
Touching our forehead, breast and shoulders (and in some cultures, our lips as well), we declare our belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are announcing our faith in what God has done — the creation of all things, the redemption of humanity from sin and death, and the establishment of the Church, which offers new life to all. When we sign ourselves we are making ourselves aware of God’s presence and opening ourselves to His action in our lives.
That much alone would be enough to transform us spiritually, wouldn’t it? But there is much, much more.
2. A renewal of baptism.
First-century Christians began making the Sign of the Cross as a reminder and renewal of what happened to them when they were baptized. It still works the same way for us.
When we sign ourselves we are declaring that in baptism we died sacramentally with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with Him (see Rom 6:3-4 and Gal 2:20). We are asking the Lord to renew in us those baptismal graces.
We are also acknowledging that baptism joined us to the Body of Christ and equipped us for our role of collaborating with the Lord in His work of rescuing all people from sin and death.
3. A mark of discipleship.
At baptism the Lord claimed us as His own by marking us with the Sign of the Cross. Now, when we sign ourselves, we are affirming our loyalty to Him. By tracing the cross on our bodies, we are denying that we belong to ourselves and declaring that we belong to Him alone (see Lk 9:23).
The Church Fathers used the same word for the Sign of the Cross that the ancient world employed to indicate ownership. The same word named a shepherd’s brand on his sheep, a general’s tattoo on his soldiers, a householder’s mark on his servants, and the Lord’s mark on His disciples.
Signing ourselves recognizes that we are Christ’s sheep and can count on His care; His soldiers, commissioned to work with Him in advancing His kingdom on earth; and His servants, dedicated to doing whatever He tells us.
4. An acceptance of suffering.
Jesus promised us that suffering would be a normal part of a disciple’s life (see Lk 9:23-24). So when we mark our bodies with the sign, we are embracing whatever pain comes as a consequence of our faith in Christ. Making the sign is our taking up the cross and following Him (Lk 9:23).
At the same time, however, it comforts us with the realization that Jesus, who endured the Crucifixion for us, now joins us in our suffering and supports us.
Signing ourselves also announces another significant truth: with St. Paul, we are celebrating that our afflictions as members of the body of Christ contribute to the Lord’s saving work of perfecting the Church in holiness (see Col 1:24).
5. A two-edged move against the devil.
When the devil watched Jesus die on the cross, he mistakenly believed he had won a great victory. Instead, the Lord surprised him with an ignominious defeat (see 1 Cor 2:8). From the first Easter morning through the present, the Sign of the Cross makes the devil cower and flee.
On one level, then, making the sign is a defensive move, declaring our inviolability to the devil’s influence. But, more importantly, the sign is also an offensive weapon, helping us reclaim with Christ all that Satan lost at the cross. It announces our cooperation with Jesus in the indomitable advance of the kingdom of God against the kingdom of darkness.
6. A victory over the flesh.
In the New Testament, the word fleshsums up all the evil inclinations of our old nature that persist in us even after we die with Christ in baptism (see Gal 5:16-22). Making the Sign of the Cross expresses our decision to crucify these desires of the flesh and to live by the Spirit.
Like tossing off a dirty shirt or blouse, making the sign indicates our stripping ourselves of our evil inclinations and clothing ourselves with the behaviors of Christ (see Col 3:5-15).
The Church Fathers taught that the Sign of the Cross diffused the force of powerful temptations such as anger and lust. So, no matter how strongly we are tempted, we can use the Sign of the Cross to activate our freedom in Christ and conquer even our besetting sins.
Apply These Truths Now
Right now, you can imprint in your heart these six truths about the Sign of the Cross by making it six times, each time applying one of the perspectives.
First, sign yourself professing your faith in God.
Second, mark yourself remembering that you died with Christ in baptism.
Third, make the sign to declare that you belong to Christ as His disciple and will obey Him.
Fourth, sign yourself to embrace whatever suffering comes and to celebrate your suffering with Christ for the Church.
Fifth, make the Sign of the Cross as a defense against the devil and as an offensive advance of God’s kingdom against him.
Finally, make the sign to crucify your flesh and to put on Christ and His behaviors.
Go through these six signings often in your morning prayer — and watch the grace flow through this ancient sacramental in the days to come.
Bert Ghezzi is the author of numerous books, most recently “The Sign of the Cross: Recovering the Power of the Ancient Prayer” (Loyola, 2006).
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Neymar relishing Ganso reunion
Neymar and Ganso played alongside each other at Santos between 2009 and 2012, both having come through the club's renowned youth academy.
Stefan Coerts
Neymar was not in the Barcelona squad when it defeated Ganso's Sevilla 5-0 on aggregate for the Supercopa de Espana.
Barcelona forward Neymar cannot wait to take on former Santos team-mate Ganso when his side lock horns with Sevilla on Sunday. Neymar and Ganso played alongside each other at Santos between 2009 and 2012, both having come through the club's renowned youth academy.
Ganso eventually left Santos for Sao Paulo in 2012, with Neymar joining Barcelona a year later. "I am really looking forward to the match. It is going to be a really good game to play in, the kind of game that every player loves to be part of," Neymar told Barca TV ahead of its away fixture.
"Plus I am playing against a former team-mate and friend as well. He is a friend not just on the field, but off the pitch as well. Ganso is a great person. He is a quiet guy, very relaxed, always making jokes and he is always happy. He is a great player. He has the quality to play anywhere he wants. But I hope to come out as the winner.
The first trophy we won was together, there was the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores. He is always in my heart. I wish him the best, but not against Barcelona." Neymar was not in the Barcelona squad when it defeated Ganso's Sevilla 5-0 on aggregate for the Supercopa de Espana back in August due to his participation at the Rio Olympics.
Barca sits second in La Liga going into the crunch clash, just one point clear of Sevilla in fourth after 10 matches.
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‘Taare Zaameen Par’ director to make biopic on Saina Nehwal
‘Taare Zameen Par’ director Amole Gupte will be making a biopic on the world’s leading badminton player Saina Nehwal, the shooting for which will begin next year. Deepika Padukone or Alia Bhatt is expected to play the lead role.
Bengaluru 17 December, 2015 22:45 IST
Deepika Padukone or Alia Bhatt is reported to Saina Nehwal's character. - PTI
‘Taare Zameen Par’ director Amole Gupte will be making a biopic on the world’s leading badminton player Saina Nehwal, the shooting for which will begin next year.
“Taare Zameen Par director Amole Gupte will make a biopic on my daughter (Saina Nehwal), and the shooting will commence next year,” Saina’s father Harvir Singh.
He, however, did not reveal when exactly the shooting will take place. “We don’t know when they will commence it because the film-maker said his unit would begin work on the film next year,” he said.
Singh said the rights for making the biopic have already been taken. “The filmmaker has taken the rights from a Bengaluru based company to make the biopic on my daughter,” he said.
Gupte and financier Sujoy Jayaraj met Saina and her family in Hyderabad yesterday and gained first hand information about her, Singh said.
“Just yesterday, Gupte along with Jayaraj came to my residence in Hyderabad and told us about the film on my daughter. The meeting lasted for half an hour, during which they gained important information about her,” Singh said.
Apart from that, the filmmaker suggested Bollywood divas Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt’s name to play Saina’s character in the proposed film.
As soon as Gupte came up with the proposal, Saina was elated and expressed happiness over it. “Saina was very happy and elated and also felt proud that Bollywood is keen on making a biopic on her,” Singh said.
However, Saina’s father said the family would be very happy if the film highlights badminton rather than focusing on Saina. “We will not mind anything about the film if it highlights the sport more than Saina,” he said.
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Bossa NovaJazzBrazilianLatin jazzLatin
The album Getz/Gilberto, brought together saxophonist Stan Getz, João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim. This album was a key event in creating a bossa nova craze in the United States and, subsequently, internationally.
Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetzky February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia - died June 6, 1991 in Malibu, California) was an American jazz musician. He is considered one of the greatest tenor saxophone players of all time. Read Full BioThe album Getz/Gilberto, brought together saxophonist Stan Getz, João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim. This album was a key event in creating a bossa nova craze in the United States and, subsequently, internationally.
Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetzky February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia - died June 6, 1991 in Malibu, California) was an American jazz musician. He is considered one of the greatest tenor saxophone players of all time.
João Gilberto (born João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira on June 10, 1931 in the town of Juazeiro, Bahia) is a Brazilian musician and considered one of the co-creators of bossa nova.
Astrud Gilberto (born Astrud Weinert, the daughter of a Brazilian mother and a German father, on March 30, 1940, in Bahia, Brazil) is a Brazilian singer known for her samba and bossa nova music, including the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".
Antônio Carlos Jobim (also known as Tom Jobim) was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, pianist, and guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style.
Stan Getz & João Gilberto »
Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd
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Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66
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Elis Regina & Antônio Carlos Jobim
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Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina
Getz/GilbertoStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz / GilbertoStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto #2Stan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto (Expanded Edition)Stan Getz & João Gilberto
Bossa Nova for LoversStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto (feat. Antonio Carlos Jobim)Stan Getz & João Gilberto
The Girl From Ipanema: The Antonio Carlos Jobim SongbookStan Getz & João Gilberto
The Best Of Two WorldsStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto (Classics International Version)Stan Getz & João Gilberto
Bossa Nova BrasilStan Getz & João Gilberto
The Man From IpanemaStan Getz & João Gilberto
Progressions: 100 Years Of Jazz GuitarStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto #2: Live At Carnegie HallStan Getz & João Gilberto
Nova Bossa: Red Hot On VerveStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz & GilbertoStan Getz & João Gilberto
Live At Carnegie HallStan Getz & João Gilberto
Getz/Gilberto (Disc 2)Stan Getz & João Gilberto
Jazz 'Round Midnight - bossa novaStan Getz & João Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto's Finest HourStan Getz & João Gilberto
Catch Me If You CanStan Getz & João Gilberto
Dexter: Season 7Stan Getz & João Gilberto
The Very Best OfStan Getz & João Gilberto
The Very Best Of Latin Jazz Disc 2Stan Getz & João Gilberto
bossa nova-pure brazil flavorStan Getz & João Gilberto
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Talk:Rendon Group
This material had been posted to the page on John Rendon -- with the execption of one par which I have left in the original location, the rest is about the Rendon Group. Given the article on TRG is reasonably comprehensive I have posted the surplus material here in case there is something in it worth salvaging-- bob
The Rendon Group (TRG) is an American public relations firm with connections at the highest levels within the U.S. intelligence community and the Democratic Party. Over the past decade, it's received more than $100 million in U.S. government funds, both to provoke instability within Iraq and to prepare the American public for war.
Of special note: > In 1991-1992, TRG vigorously "spun" news to downplay humanitarian concerns over sanctions. > TRG was influential in the formation of the Iraq National Congress. > TRG most recently surfaced as a key player in the "Office of Strategic Influence", the Pentagon's planned (dis-)information initialtive following 9/11.
The history of TRG and Iraq reads like the children's rhyme where an old woman swallows a fly (and next swallows a fly-eating-spider, bird, cat etc.).
Beginning with the Gulf War ... (1) The demonization of Saddam Hussein by TRG and others was so successful, that post-war diplomatic progress became politically impossible. (2) Therefore, containing Iraq through sanctions became the most politically expedient solution, and here TRG led the initiative to forestall any question of humanitarian impact. (3) Through TRG's efforts, Iraqi opposition coalesced around the Iraqi National Congress (... though the INC had no credibility within Iraq. The INC is the first proxy army in history that requires a proxy army.) (4) Today TRG retains close ties with the INC and has strong ties with Pentagon conservatives per the 'War on Terror'. Thus, TRG becomes a driver behind the frequent Iraq scare stories that have nudged the American public toward war (anthrax/Prague/al-Qaida in Kurdistan/defector al-Haderi). (5) And now America verges on war without pretext, with no credible post-war plan (save an occupying army), with no discussion of sanctions impact on Iraq's society, and with little thought to regional stability and global economics.
The children's rhyme ends: "There was an old woman Who swallowed a fly. Perhaps she'll die."
Following are The Rendon Group's highlights:
TRG FUNDING RELATED TO IRAQ: >> 1991-1996: TRG was "paid close to a hundred million dollars by the C.I.A." for press issues related to the Iraqi opposition, according to an INC official quoted by Seymour Hersh in The New Yorker (Issue of 2002-03-11, http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?020311fa_FACT).
Rendon's own records show he spent $23M during the first post-war year alone, according to ABC News (quoted in TNR (http://www.tnr.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20020520&s=foer052002)).
A source of journalist Jeff Stein (familiar to many as Khidir Hamza's co-author) calls it 'a $150 million rip-off'." (http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/5188/view/print)
>> 1998 Onward: Congress authorizes expenditure of $97-million under the terms of the Iraq Liberation Act (though much of the money remains unspent amid questions of INC accounting practices).
>> Post 9/11/2002: Citing two Pentagon sources, Franklin Foer in the right-wing New Republic says, "The Rendon Group has billed the government at least $7.5 million for its post-9/11 services." (http://www.tnr.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20020520&s=foer052002).
Regarding the "Office of Strategic Influence", although it's now disavowed note that TRG's contract with the Pentagon remains in place (http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?020311fa_FACT).
Retrieved from "https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Talk:Rendon_Group&oldid=137796"
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Graduating year
Norman Musengimana, MMIE, says that after completing his degree at Smith, he participated in the Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative, where he further developed his business, BizSkills Academy, a virtual startup school with curated entrepreneurial programs and virtual workspace. “This year has started on a very high note,” he says. “I spent most of the month of March in Nairobi, Kenya, introducing our entrepreneurial platform to colleges and universities as well as to the ministry of education. We now have 15 colleges and universities in Kenya ready to partner with BizSkills Academy to help pilot our work.”
Published in: Summer 2019
Max White, BCom, writes that he’s now working full time in music. He plays in the underground Montreal rock bands Light Bulb Alley and the Count Ferrara. He also co-founded the psychedelic blues punk duo, the White Brothers Band, with his brother Jackson. They made their debut at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto in July 2018. Max says he’s working on a number of new projects including the White Brothers Band’s debut album, and Light Bulb Alley’s third LP. In addition to these records, he contributed sounds for the soon-to-be released Netflix series V-Wars.
Published in: Winter 2019
Vir C. Advani, MBA, has started a new role with RBC Capital Markets after completing the RBC Enterprise Leadership Development Program. He is now vice-president, portfolio management with the asset-based lending team, part of the global credit division of RBC Capital Markets.
Jane Cai, MIB, recently started working at RBC Private Banking as an associate in Richmond Hill, Ont. She supports the acquisition of high-net-worth households and the deepening of existing long-term relationships. In 2014, Jane co-founded the podcast "Girls Daily Talk Show" on Lizhi.fm, a podcast platform in China. She notes that the podcast has “broadcast almost 100 episodes, with a listening base of over 7,087 fans comprising nearly 400,000 streams.” Episodes discuss a wide array of current events, music, sports and other trending topics. In 2017, Jane was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award by then-MPP Michael Chan in Markham, Ont.
Jonathan Lijtszain and Nicole Litchi, both MBA, announced that they were blessed with a baby boy, David, on Oct. 15, 2018.
Vir C. Advani, MBA, tells us that he and his wife, Chloe, were blessed with a baby boy Sept. 21, 2018. “Aden K. Advani came into this world weighing a whopping 9 lbs., 6oz. Both Aden and Mommy are doing well. Dad, on the other hand, hasn't slept in a month!” he says.
Hong Hoang, EMBAA, and Steve Berhorst, EMBAA’17, launched HaloSentient, Inc., a technology and security consulting firm in Silicon Valley.
Shoaib Mushtaq, EMBA, says that he and his wife “are proud parents of a beautiful baby girl. Aisha was born on June 30, 2018, and has already become a bundle of joy for her parents and two siblings.”
Mark Steenhof, MBA, is director of structural engineering at Steenhof Building Services Group in Orillia, Ont. The firm provides residential and commercial engineering services, specializing in modular building engineering.
Steve Camacho, EMBAA, was appointed chief information officer for the Toronto Catholic District School Board in March. Prior to this, Steve was director of technology services for the Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning at Humber College in Toronto.
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