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__label__cc	0.553334	0.446666	Home > Fathers of the Church > Fragments (Caius) Fragments of Caius From a Dialogue or Disputation Against Proclus. (Preserved in Eusebius' Eccles. Hist., ii. 25.) And I can show the trophies of the apostles. For if you choose to go to the Vatican or to the Ostian Road, you will find the trophies of those who founded this church. (In the same, iii. 28.) But Cerinthus, too, through revelations written, as he would have us believe, by a great apostle, brings before us marvellous things, which he pretends were shown him by angels; alleging that after the resurrection the kingdom of Christ is to be on earth, and that the flesh dwelling in Jerusalem is again to be subject to desires and pleasures. And being an enemy to the Scriptures of God, wishing to deceive men, he says that there is to be a space of a thousand years for marriage festivals. And after this there were four prophetesses, daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Their tomb is there, and that, too, of their father. Against the Heresy of Artemon (In Eusebius' Eccl. Hist., v. 28.) For they say that all those of the first age, and the apostles themselves, both received and taught those things which these men now maintain; and that the truth of Gospel preaching was preserved until the times of Victor, who was the thirteenth bishop in Rome from Peter, and that from his successor Zephyrinus the truth was falsified. And perhaps what they allege might be credible, did not the Holy Scriptures, in the first place, contradict them. And then, besides, there are writings of certain brethren older than the times of Victor, which they wrote against the heathen in defense of the truth, and against the heresies of their time: I mean Justin and Miltiades, and Tatian and Clement, and many others, in all which divinity is ascribed to Christ. For who is ignorant of the books of Irenaeus and Melito, and the rest, which declare Christ to be God and man? All the psalms, too, and hymns of brethren, which have been written from the beginning by the faithful, celebrate Christ the Word of God, ascribing divinity to Him. Since the doctrine of the Church, then, has been proclaimed so many years ago, how is it possible that men have preached, up to the time of Victor, in the manner asserted by these? And how are they not ashamed to utter these calumnies against Victor, knowing well that Victor excommunicated Theodotus the tanner, the leader and father of this God-denying apostasy, who first affirmed that Christ was a mere man? For if, as they allege, Victor entertained the very opinions which their blasphemy teaches, how should he have cast off Theodotus, the author of this heresy? (In Eusebius, as above.) I shall, at any rate, remind many of the brethren of an affair that took place in our own time — an affair which, had it taken place in Sodom, might, I think, have been a warning even to them. There was a certain confessor, Natalius, who lived not in distant times, but in our own day. He was deluded once by Asclepiodotus, and another Theodotus, a banker. And these were both disciples of Theodotus the tanner, the first who was cut off from communion on account of this sentiment, or rather senselessness, by Victor, as I said, the bishop of the time. Now Natalius was persuaded by them to let himself be chosen bishop of this heresy, on the understanding that he should receive from them a salary of a hundred and fifty denarii a month. Connecting himself, therefore, with them, he was on many occasions admonished by the Lord in visions. For our merciful God and Lord Jesus Christ was not willing that a witness of His own sufferings should perish, being without the Church. But as he gave little heed to the visions, being ensnared by the dignity of presiding among them, and by that sordid lust of gain which ruins very many, he was at last scourged by holy angels, and severely beaten through a whole night, so that he rose early in the morning, and threw himself, clothed with sackcloth and covered with ashes, before Zephyrinus the bishop, with great haste and many tears, rolling beneath the feet not only of the clergy, but even of the laity, and moving the pity of the compassionate Church of the merciful Christ by his weeping. And after trying many a prayer, and showing the weals left by the blows which he had received, he was at length with difficulty admitted to communion. (In Eusebius, as above) The sacred Scriptures they have boldly falsified, and the canons of the ancient faith they have rejected, and Christ they have ignored, not inquiring what the sacred Scriptures say, but laboriously seeking to discover what form of syllogism might be contrived to establish their impiety. And should any one lay before them a word of divine Scripture, they examine whether it will make a connected or disjoined form of syllogism; and leaving the Holy Scriptures of God, they study geometry, as men who are of the earth, and speak of the earth, and are ignorant of Him who comes from above. Euclid, indeed, is laboriously measured by some of them. and Aristotle and Theophrastus are admired; and Galen, forsooth, is perhaps even worshipped by some of them. But as to those men who abuse the arts of the unbelievers to establish their own heretical doctrine, and by the craft of the impious adulterate the simple faith of the divine Scriptures, what need is there to say that these are not near the faith? For this reason is it they have boldly laid their hands upon the divine Scriptures, alleging that they have corrected them. And that I do not state this against them falsely, any one who pleases may ascertain. For if any one should choose to collect and compare all their copies together, he would find many discrepancies among them. The copies of Asclepiades, at any rate, will be found at variance with those of Theodotus. And many such copies are to be had, because their disciples were very zealous in inserting the corrections, as they call them, i.e., the corruptions made by each of them. And again, the copies of Hermophilus do not agree with these; and as for those of Apollonius, they are not consistent even with themselves. For one may compare those which were formerly prepared by them with those which have been afterwards corrupted with a special object, and many discrepancies will be found. And as to the great audacity implied in this offense, it is not likely that even they themselves can be ignorant of that. For either they do not believe that the divine Scriptures were dictated by the Holy Spirit, and are thus infidels; or they think themselves wiser than the Holy Spirit, and what are they then but demoniacs? Nor can they deny that the crime is theirs, when the copies have been written with their own hand; nor did they receive such copies of the Scriptures from those by whom they were first instructed in the faith, and they cannot produce copies from which these were transcribed. And some of them did not even think it worth while to corrupt them; but simply denying the law and the prophets for the sake of their lawless and impious doctrine, trader pretexts of grace, they sunk down to the lowest abyss of perdition. Canon Muratorianus (In Muratori, V. C. Antiq. Ital. Med. oev., vol. iii. col. 854.) I. ...those things at which he was present he placed thus. The third book of the Gospel, that according to Luke, the well-known physician Luke wrote in his own name in order after the ascension of Christ, and when Paul had associated him with himself as one studious of right. Nor did he himself see the Lord in the flesh; and he, according as he was able to accomplish it, began his narrative with the nativity of John. The fourth Gospel is that of John, one of the disciples. When his fellow disciples and bishops entreated him, he said, Fast now with me for the space of three days, and let us recount to each other whatever may be revealed to each of us. On the same night it was revealed to Andrew, one of the apostles, that John should narrate all things in his own name as they called them to mind. And hence, although different points are taught us in the several books of the Gospels, there is no difference as regards the faith of believers, inasmuch as in all of them all things are related under one imperial Spirit, which concern the Lord's nativity, His passion, His resurrection, His conversation with His disciples, and His twofold advent, — the first in the humiliation of rejection, which is now past, and the second in the glory of royal power, which is yet in the future. What marvel is it, then, that John brings forward these several things 1 John 1:1 so constantly in his epistles also, saying in his own person, What we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears, and our hands have handled, that have we written. For thus he professes himself to be not only the eye-witness, but also the hearer; and besides that, the historian of all the wondrous facts concerning the Lord in their order. 2. Moreover, the Acts of all the Apostles are comprised by Luke in one book, and addressed to the most excellent Theophilus, because these different events took place when he was present himself; and he shows this clearly — i.e., that the principle on which he wrote was, to give only what fell under his own notice — by the omission of the passion of Peter, and also of the journey of Paul, when he went from the city — Rome — to Spain. 3. As to the epistles of Paul, again, to those who will understand the matter, they indicate of themselves what they are, and from what place or with what object they were directed. He wrote first of all, and at considerable length, to the Corinthians, to check the schism of heresy; and then to the Galatians, to forbid circumcision; and then to the Romans on the rule of the Oid Testament Scriptures, and also to show them that Christ is the first object in these — which it is needful for us to discuss severally, as the blessed Apostle Paul, following the rule of his predecessor John, writes to no more than seven churches by name, in this order: the first to the Corinthians, the second to the Ephesians, the third to the Philippians, the fourth to the Colossians, the fifth to the Galatians, the sixth to the Thessalonians, the seventh to the Romans. Moreover, though he writes twice to the Corinthians and Thessalonians for their correction, it is yet shown — i.e., by this sevenfold writing — that there is one Church spread abroad through the whole world. And John too, indeed, in the Apocalypse, although he writes only to seven churches, yet addresses all. He wrote, besides these, one to Philemon, and one to Titus, and two to Timothy, in simple personal affection and love indeed; but yet these are hallowed in the esteem of the Catholic Church, and in the regulation of ecclesiastical discipline. There are also in circulation one to the Laodiceans, and another to the Alexandrians, forged under the name of Paul, and addressed against the heresy of Marcion; and there are also several others which cannot be received into the Catholic Church, for it is not suitable for gall to be mingled with honey. 4. The Epistle of Jude, indeed, and two belonging to the above-named John — or bearing the name of John — are reckoned among the Catholic epistles. And the book of Wisdom, written by the friends of Solomon in his honour. We receive also the Apocalypse of John and that of Peter, though some among us will not have this latter read in the Church. The Pastor, moreover, did Hermas write very recently in our times in the city of Rome, while his brother bishop Plus sat in the chair of the Church of Rome. And therefore it also ought to be read; but it cannot be made public in the Church to the people, nor placed among the prophets, as their number is complete, nor among the apostles to the end of time. Of the writings of Arsinous, called also Valentinus, or of Miltiades, we receive nothing at all. Those are rejected too who wrote the new Book of Psalms for Marcion, together with Basilides and the founder of the Asian Cataphrygians. Source. Translated by S.D.F. Salmond From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0510.htm>.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line1
__label__cc	0.63092	0.36908	Upon attending only a few meetings, the newcomer is sure to hear references to such things as "the Twelve Steps, "the Twelve Traditions, " "slips, " "the Big Book, and other expressions characteristic of A.A. The following Paragraphs describe these factors and suggest why they are mentioned frequently by A.A. speakers. What are the 'Twelve Steps'? The "Twelve Steps" are the core of the A.A. program of personal recovery from alcoholism. They are not abstract theories; they are based on the trial-and-error experience of early members of A.A. They describe the attitudes and activities that these early members believe were important in helping them to achieve sobriety. Acceptance of the "Twelve Steps" is not mandatory in any sense. Experience suggests, however, that members who make an earnest effort to follow these Steps and to apply them in daily living seem to get far more out of A.A. than do those members who seem to regard the Steps casually. It has been said that it is virtually impossible to follow all the Steps literally, day in and day out. While this may be true, in the sense that the Twelve Steps represent an approach to living that is totally new for most alcoholics, many A.A. members feel that the Steps are a practical necessity if they are to maintain their sobriety. Here is the text of the Twelve Steps, which first appeared in Alcoholics Anonymous, the A.A. book of experience: 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our short-comings. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. What are the 'Twelve Traditions'? The "Twelve Traditions" of A.A. are suggested principles to insure the survival and growth of the thousands of groups that make up the Fellowship. They are based on the experience of the groups themselves during the critical early years of the movement. The Traditions are important to both oldtimers and newcomers as reminders of the true foundations of A.A. as a society of men and women whose primary concern is to maintain their own sobriety and help others to achieve sobriety: 1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. 2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. 3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. 4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. 5. Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. 6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. 7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. 8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers. 9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. 10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy. What are 'slips'? Occasionally a man or women who has been sober through A.A. will get drunk. In A.A. a relapse of this type is commonly known as a "slip." It may occur during the first few weeks or months of sobriety or after the alcoholic has been dry a number of years. Nearly all A.A.s who have been through this experience say that slips can be traced to specific causes. They deliberately forgot that they had admitted they were alcoholics and got overconfident about their ability to handle alcohol. Or they stayed away from A.A. meetings or from informal association with other A.A.s. Or they let themselves become too involved with business or social affairs to remember the importance of being sober. Or they let themselves become tired and were caught with their mental and emotional defenses down. In other words, most "slips" don't just happen. Does A.A. have a basic 'textbook'? The Fellowship has four books that are generally accepted as "textbooks." The first is Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as "the Big Book," originally published in 1939, revised in 1955 and 1976. It records the personal stories of 42 representative problem drinkers who achieved stable sobriety for the first time through A.A. It also records the suggested steps and principles that early members believed were responsible for their ability to overcome the compulsion to drink. The second book is Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, published in 1953. It is an interpretation, by Bill W., a co-founder, of the principles that have thus far assured the continuing survival of individuals and groups within A.A. A third book, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, published in 1957, is a brief history of the first two decades of the Fellowship. The fourth is As Bill Sees It (formerly titled The A.A. Way of Life, a reader by Bill). This is a selection of Bill W.'s writings. These books may be purchased through local A.A. groups or ordered direct from Alcoholics Anonymous, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. What is 'the 24-hour program'? "The 24-hour program" is a phrase used to describe a basic A.A. approach to the problem of staying sober. A.A.s never swear off alcohol for life, never take pledges committing themselves not to take a drink "tomorrow." By the time they turned to A.A. for help, they had discovered that, no matter how sincere they may have been in promising themselves to abstain from alcohol "in the future," somehow they forgot the pledge and got drunk. The compulsion to drink proved more powerful than the best intentions not to drink. The A.A. member recognizes that the biggest problem is to stay sober now! The current 24 hours is the only period the A.A. can do anything about as far as drinking is concerned. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow never comes. "But today," the A.A. says, "today, I will not take a drink. I may be tempted to take a drink tomorrow - and perhaps I will. But tomorrow is something to worry about when it comes. My big problem is not to take a drink during this 24 hours. Along with the 24-hour program, A.A. emphasizes the importance of three slogans that have probably been heard many times by the newcomer before joining A.A. These slogans are: "Easy Does It," "Live and Let Live," and "First Things First." By making these slogans a basic part of the attitude toward problems of daily living, the average A.A. is usually helped substantially in the attempt to live successfully without alcohol. What is the A.A. Grapevine? The Grapevine is a monthly pocket-size magazine published for members and friends who seek further sharing of A.A. experience. The only international journal of the Society, the Grapevine is edited by a staff made up entirely of A.A.s. Single copies of the magazine are usually available each month at meetings of local groups, but most readers prefer to receive their copies on a regular subscription basis. In the U.S. the cost of annual subscription is $15.00, slightly more - in Canada; single copies are $1.50. Why doesn't A.A. seem to work for some people? The answer is that A.A. will work only for those who admit that they are alcoholics, who honestly want to stop drinking — and who are able to keep those facts uppermost in their minds at all times. A.A. usually will not work for the man or woman who has reservations about whether or not he or she is an alcoholic, or who clings to the hope of being able to drink normally again. Most medical authorities say no one who is an alcoholic can ever drink normally again. The alcoholic must admit and accept this cardinal fact. Coupled with this admission and acceptance must be the desire to stop drinking. After they have been sober a while in A.A., some people tend to forget that they are alcoholics, with all that this diagnosis implies. Their sobriety makes them overconfident, and they decide to experiment with alcohol again. The results of such experiments are, for the alcoholic, completely predictable. Their drinking invariably becomes progressively worse. This is A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature. The following excerpts are from the A.A. Pamphlet "44 Questions": Questions and Answers About Alcoholics Anonymous The Fellowship of A.A. Newcomer's Questions Reprinted from the A.A. Pamphlet "44 Questions" with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. Copyright © 1952 by Works Publishing, Inc. (Now known as A.A. World Services, Inc.)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line6
__label__wiki	0.665567	0.665567	General Alberta Discussion Provincial/Federal Politics Everything you need to know about voting Thread starter Admin2001 Richard Froese South Peace News Voters are being urged to cast their ballots in the federal election set for Oct. 21. To vote in the federal election, eligible electors must be registered at their current address, says a news release from Elections Canada dated Sept. All registered voters will receive a voter information card in the mail by Oct. 3. An Elections Canada office for the Peace River – Westlock riding is located in Peace River in the Midwest Building at 9715 – 100 Street. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Assistant returning officer Brenda Brochu can be reached by phone toll-free at (1-866) 754-5450. Incumbent MP Arnold Viersen of the Conservative Party faces at least three challengers. Peter Nygaard of Joussard is running for the Green Party. John Schrader of Westlock carries the banner for the new People’s Party of Canada. Leslie Penny of Barrhead is running for the Liberal Party. More candidates may be added to the list. Voters can also register at advance polls from Oct. 11-14, the Thanksgiving Day long weekend from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. “We are required by the Canada Elections Act to hold advance polls on the 10th, ninth, eighth and seventh days before election day,” Chief Electoral Officer Stephane Perrault says. To vote, electors must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years of age on election day and prove their identity and address. “By registering, checking and updating your information, you are making sure that you will get a voter information card,” Perrault says. “I encourage voter to do so as early as possible. “With a voter information card in hand, electors can be confident that they have accurate voting information directly from Elections Canada.” Electors can use Elections Canada’s online voter registration service to register, check their voter information and update their address. Connect to elections.ca. People can also visit their local Elections Canada office or call 1-800-463-6868 to register or make changes to their voter information. Elections Canada agents will reach out to voters in certain areas such as new residential developments, high-mobility areas and long-term care facilities, to offer voter registration services. These agents will be located at public registration desks, and, in some circumstances, may even visit electors door to door. Information on voting and polling stations will also be posted in local newspapers. To register or for more information, go to the Elections Canada website at elections.ca. Click HERE to return to the front page	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line11
__label__wiki	0.831907	0.831907	15 Fun Facts About Starship Troopers On November 7, 1997, moviegoers watched as a cast of no-name actors—plus Neil Patrick Harris—went to war against a planet full of giant bugs. Most critics dismissed the splatterfest that ensued as yet another brainless action flick. But in the 20 years since its release, appreciation has grown for director Paul Verhoeven’s film as a clever satire of warmongering civilizations. Here are a few things you might not know about Starship Troopers, on the 20th anniversary of its debut. 1. IT’S A COMMENTARY ON ROBERT HEINLEIN’S PRO-WAR NOVEL. Released in 1959, Heinlein’s sci-fi adventure follows Juan “Johnnie” Rico as he rises through the ranks of the Mobile Infantry squad and eventually battles giant bugs on the planet Klendathu. Filled with classroom lectures and lengthy dialogue about the virtues of armed conflict and molding men into soldiers, the book struck many readers as more political diatribe than action story. One such reader was Ed Neumeier, co-writer of RoboCop, who decided to give Starship Troopers an over-the-top satirical bent, complete with fascist overtones and wholesome teenagers getting mowed down in droves. Paul Verhoeven, the Dutch filmmaker who directed RoboCop, Total Recall, and Showgirls, and had grown up in Nazi-occupied Netherlands, liked the idea and jumped on board. 2. PAUL VERHOEVEN COULDN’T FINISH THE BOOK. The filmmaker knew he needed to read Heinlein’s book before he began filming, but he only read a few chapters before giving up and asking Neumeier to tell him the rest. “It is really quite a bad book,” Verhoeven told Empire magazine. 3. ITS WORKING TITLE WAS BUG HUNT AT OUTPOST NINE. Verhoeven and company didn’t secure the rights to Heinlein’s book until well into the filming process, so they used the campy stand-in until then. That didn’t seem to bother the crew; most of them weren’t even aware of the connection, despite the shared names and plot elements. 4. THE FIRST SCENE IS MODELED AFTER TRIUMPH OF THE WILL. Starship Troopers opens with a recruitment video for the Mobile Infantry unit that recreates Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 Nazi propaganda film. There’s eagle imagery, flags fluttering, a wide shot of troops in formation and soldiers cheerfully proclaiming they’ll do their part. 5. THE UNIFORMS ARE ALSO MODELED AFTER THE THIRD REICH. The officer uniforms in particular, with their gray-and-black hues, jackboots and eagle pins, were tailored to resemble those worn by the Nazis. Not convinced? Just check out what Neil Patrick Harris wore. 6. MARK WAHLBERG WAS CONSIDERED FOR THE LEAD ROLE. No word on why, exactly, he wasn’t chosen, or if he would have accepted the role of Johnny Rico (Juan, a.k.a. Johnnie, was changed to John, a.k.a. Johnny, for the movie), which ended up going to then-unknown Casper Van Dien. 7. VERHOEVEN USED SOME INTERESTING STAND-INS FOR THE CGI BUGS. The film had an ace visual effects coordinator in Phil Tippett, who also worked on the original Star Wars films and RoboCop. But on set, the computer-generated bugs had to be simulated using some rather unconventional methods. Verhoeven used everything from brooms to poles and even himself as a stand-in. As Clancy Brown (Sgt. Zim) remembers, Verhoeven would be "jumping up and down with a bullhorn going, 'I'm a big f**ing bug! I'll kill you!'” 8. THE SHOWER SCENE WAS BOTH SHOCKING AND EXPECTED. On the one hand, the scene showing male and female soldiers all showering together was shocking. On the other hand, it was exactly what you’d expect from the director who brought you a three-breasted alien and Sharon Stone’s infamous leg-cross. According to Verhoeven, the cast wouldn’t do the scene unless he and cinematographer Jost Vacano were naked, too. No problemo, he told them. “My cinematographer was born in a nudist colony and I have no problem with taking my clothes off,” Verhoeven told Empire. 9. HANK FROM BREAKING BAD HAD A SMALL ROLE. Dean Norris plays the commanding officer who reinstates Rico after his home city of Buenos Aires gets destroyed. 10. GERALD FORD’S SON ALSO HAD A SMALL PART. Steven Ford, an actor who also appeared in When Harry Met Sally... and Heat, plays Lieutenant Willy, a no-nonsense commander who addresses soldiers before landing on Klendathu. “You kill anything that has more than two legs, you get me?!” he yells as their ship prepares to take off. 11. AND DON’T FORGET RUE MCCLANAHAN. The Golden Girls actress plays a blind biology teacher who oversees a dissection and introduces her students to some of the bugs’ finer qualities. It’s as far removed from Blanche Devereaux as she could possibly be. 12. A REVOLVING DOOR OF STUDIO EXECS HELPED THE FILM GET MADE. The mid-1990s were a turbulent time for Sony Pictures, as executives were frequently shuffled and replaced as the company attempted to find its footing. According to Verhoeven, this prevented the studio from taking a more critical look at his $105 million sci-fi satire. “All the satire was in the script from the beginning, but they might not have been really aware of it, or had read it precisely,” he said in an interview with The A.V. Club. “By the time one of them might have understood what movie I was going to make, he was already gone.” 13. CRITICAL OPINION OF THE MOVIE HAS SHIFTED. Many were quick to pan the movie’s squeaky-clean cast, over-the-top violence, and seemingly one-dimensional narrative. But in the ensuing years, critics have picked up on Verhoeven’s intent to portray a so-called “ideal” society that’s lacking humanity and consumed by warfare. “Starship Troopers is satire, a ruthlessly funny and keenly self-aware sendup of right-wing militarism,” Calum Marsh writes in The Atlantic. “The fact that it was and continues to be taken at face value speaks to the very vapidity the movie skewers.” 14. IT INSPIRED SEVERAL SEQUELS AND SPINOFFS. The first sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, came out in 2004, followed four years later by Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. In the latter, Van Dien reprised his role as Johnny Rico—though apparently not to increased returns, as sequel number four never materialized. In 2012, there was Starship Troopers: Invasion, a CGI feature that hewed closely to Heinlein’s novel, followed by a second CGI feature, Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars, which was released in August. Arguably the most popular spin-off was a 1999 animated series called Roughnecks: The Starship Trooper Chronicles that ran for just one season. 15. IT MAY GET MADE INTO A LIVE-ACTION TV SHOW. For years, there’s been talk of a possible TV series or a movie reboot. A satire-light, less-violent feature seemed to be in the works, but that irked fans of the original film. Earlier this year, Goosebumps producer Neal Moritz seemed to indicate that a TV show is in development. No word yet on timeframe, network, or whether Neil Patrick Harris will reprise his role as telepath Carl Jenkins.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line13
__label__cc	0.67465	0.32535	New US National Intelligence Officer for Iran: Rachel Ingber The new U.S. National Intelligence Officer for Iran is Rachel Ingber. Ingber takes over from Jillian Burns, who has moved to Afghanistan to become the new U.S. Consul-General in Herat. Ingber most recently served as a senior US government Middle East analyst. Earlier in her career, in 1997, she served as a research intern at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and compiled an Iran Research Guide at Columbia University. (Little of her recent writing seems to be available on the Internet.) “As a member of the National Intelligence Council, the NIO/Iran will oversee Intelligence Community wide production and coordination of the full range of analytic assessments on Iran including strategic analysis on Iran … and, as appropriate and required, more focused, time-sensitive analysis for the most senior decision makers,” the National Intelligence Council job posting for the NIO/Iran position said. Among the job’s responsibilities, “Provide warning to policymakers on emerging issues that could portend major discontinuities or affect significant US interests and opportunities,” it continued. Ingber is expected to bring on a new deputy. This entry was posted in Politics, Security and tagged Afghanistan, CIA, Columbia University, Director of National Intelligence, Herat, intelligence, Iran, Jillian Burns, National Intelligence Council, NIC, Rachel E. Ingber, Rachel Ingberg, Washington Institute for Near East Policy by Laura Rozen. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line14
__label__cc	0.698097	0.301903	A 'Strike'ing Story... For over a month, we heard rumors of a potential strike by the people in our area who grow the coca plant. These people are called “Cocaleros.” Dependable news from the community was impossible. I don’t know how many times they scheduled the strike, canceled the strike, and then rescheduled it for a future date. It really seemed like the strike would never start. Some in town said it would never happen. Others said it would eventually happen and that it would last three days. And yet others said it would be indefinite. We never received anything close to consistent information. Finally, we heard that the strike was set for the 7th or 8th of October and that at least we could be certain that it would definitely not start before then! We had received word from one of our church attenders. He’s not faithful to church, but it seemed like he really knew what was going on. Finally we could finally start making some needed travel plans. Our niece and her husband, who are part of our ministry team, were expecting their second child, and she needed to be in Cusco in order to make the preparations for the birth, especially since she would need to have a C-section. We urgently needed to get them to Cusco, in case the strike lasted longer than expected. In light of what we thought was reliable news, Flor, Alex, their daughter Melody, and Bob planned to leave on Monday, October 5th at the reasonable time of 4am (ha!). They would head to the home of Becky’s sister in Arin, which is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The trip is a grueling seven hours of jungle and mountain roads. Flor and Alex plan to stay there for about three months, for both the birth and the recovery process. After the long, hard trip, they arrived in Arin and after unloading Flor and Alex’s belongings, Bob immediately drove another twenty minutes to Urubamba, where he would pick up our funds. Then he drove another hour and a half to the city of Cusco. He spent the day furiously making needed purchases for the jungle. He arrived back in Arin at nine that evening, where he spent the night. The following morning, Tuesday, he left at 4:30am and drove as hard and fast as he could safely manage, in order to arrive home in Pilcopata, just in case the strike began early. He arrived into Patria, the closest town to Pilcopata, in a record time of 5 hours (usually 7 hours with stops). So, by now, it is only 9:30am and guess what he sees ahead. That’s right…a roadblock. He is only 15 minutes from home. Only 15 minutes from a good breakfast, a nice nap, and a wonderfully, cold shower! Bob parked and immediately went over to the roadblock. As of yet, everyone was calm. He asked for the church attender who had given us the dates for the strike. He was not at this roadblock but was rather at the roadblock in Pilcopata. Bob spent a few minutes joking with some people in the crowd and told them that he was the pastor of the Baptist church in Pilcopata. He asked if they would make an exception for a preacher of God’s Word and allow him to pass the roadblock and go home. He was met with this response from a large and very vocal Quechua lady, “You’re a pastor? Then pastor us here at the strike!” So he asked her, “Are you ready and willing to obey the Word of God and all that God says in His Word?” She stared at him for what seemed like forever and then replied, “You cannot pass! Nobody can pass!!!” She then stormed off down the street. After much searching, Bob was able to get the phone number for the church attender, our “reliable source” for the strike and called him. He asked why he hadn’t informed us of the changes, as he knew of the importance of our trip to Cusco. Bob asked for his help, as he had purchased a lot of perishables which are now in the hot truck. These items included a large amount of fresh meat, that he purchased in Cusco. All of this food was going to spoil, if left for too long. The man said he would help get Bob through the roadblocks. Bob would just need to wait. Over an hour later, Bob called him back and heard the words he dreaded once again, “You cannot go through. You will just have to wait with everyone else.” He then hung up on Bob. So, there’s Bob, stuck with no water and no food and because of all the travels, he hadn’t slept more than three hours over the last two days. He was exhausted. He had to keep reminding himself, “I’m a pastor here. HERE, you are a pastor!” A few minutes later, a police truck pulled up and five officers got out of the truck. Now, the 50-60 people sitting near the roadblock started getting a little worked up. After five minutes or so of this, the policemen got back into the truck and just sat there. The crowd calmed down and went back to sitting in the shade. Bob decided to approach the police truck and introduced himself as Pastor Roberto of the Baptist church in Pilcopata. He explained his situation to them and that he has responsibilities to his church in Pilcopata. They explained that they, too, are from Pilcopata. The Sr. Officer told Bob, “Pastor, right now, we cannot do anything without causing a riot and people WILL get hurt. We will be back at 6 this afternoon to help get you through. If we can’t get everyone through, we will at least get you through. Please just be patient, Pastor. This situation is going to be hard on everyone.” So, Bob followed their example, and returned to sit in his truck, only to find that the extreme temperatures of over 100* had converted the truck into an oven! He had to find some way to keep cool! He’s now starting to get hungry, too. So, during one of the many meetings held by the Cocaleros that morning, Bob nonchalantly crossed the roadblock, in order to look for food and water. He walked over two kilometers around the whole town, but each and every store was boarded up and if the store owner happened to be there, he or she wouldn’t sell anything for fear they would be attacked. That’s when he learned that during the strikes, no one is allowed to sell food or water at all. Finally sick from the heat, Bob convinced one fearful store owner to sell him some water, although she would only do so after a large group of protestors passed by the store. After they passed, she lifted her store door, which looks like a small garage door that raises and lowers like a scroll. She quickly ducked down to tell Bob the price for the water through the small opening. She then threw the bottle of water under the door and reached her hand out to receive payment. It was a stark realization of how serious the situation really was. Bob and I had been able to talk throughout the day, as the events unfolded. However, I was able to do so from the safety and comfort of our house in Pilcopata. I was able to contact one of our church members and pleaded with him to take Bob a large bottle of water. So, at great risk to himself, this man got on his motorcycle and ran through the roadblock of Pilcopata and made it to Patria, where he had to leave his motorcycle at a different roadblock at the southern end of Patria. He then had to walk a full kilometer to where Bob was waiting at the truck. After taking a few gulps of water, Bob and this kind man carried the cooler full of meat on the verge of spoiling, all the way back through town, dodging the angry protesters, to the motorcycle. Thankfully, all they received along the way were a few angry shouts. They quickly secured the large cooler to the back of his motorcycle and Bob watched him speed away, as Bob stood in the middle of the street. Suddenly he realized he was not alone but had been standing in front of about 100 protesters, who were keeping cool in the shade. Quickly, and with singular focus, he began his quick return to his truck. He marched right through the middle of the street, all the way through town, almost in an attitude of defiance of the protesters who had already caused so much discomfort both to himself and to the other people in the community. As he walked through town this time, he realized that the attitude of people was changing. Things were heating up and I don’t mean the weather. People were getting riled up. So, he made a quick, deliberate dash to the ditch and pushed his way through the thick jungle grass that stood about seven feet tall. He made it all the way to the other side of the roadblock before he reentered the road, startling a driver who was sleeping on the side of the road in the shade of the grass. It was now one in the afternoon and the sun was beating down everyone. One of our other church members, who lives in Patria, emerged from the crowd. She exclaimed, “Pastor, lock up your truck and come with me. My mom (who is also a member of the church, along with her husband) has prepared lunch for you. You are also welcome to take a cool shower to get refreshed!” By this point, Bob was literally at the point of heat exhaustion, so he quickly obeyed her orders! They passed back through town, once again without harm, as her father has considerable pull in the community. This, however, would not protect him during later events. Bob spent the next three house in the house of some of the dearest believers we know here! They fed Bob so well and allowed Bob to drink all the clean water he needed. He said he probably drank a gallon of water, during his short time at their home. He also stood under the cold shower for well over thirty minutes. He was beginning to feel human again! Feeling well-fed and refreshed, he returned to the blockade somewhere around four that afternoon. For the next hour and a half, he was able to get to know some of the other people who were also trapped at the same roadblock. He got to ask them about where they lived, what they do for work, and about how each of them got caught at the strike. They all commented about how glad they were that a pastor was with them. Bob remembers thinking that he was not really sure whether he was glad about it but that it was nice to hear that they thought so! The conversations were good, but they kept getting distracted by the protesters, who were again getting frazzled. Then a few police officers show up from Paucartambo, a town about four hours away from us, traveling toward Cusco. As soon as the policemen saw Bob, they made a bee-line for him. They didn’t know him personally, but recognized that he was a gringo. They wanted to know why he was there and asked to see some identification. Bob showed them his Peruvian ID, called a 'Carnet de Extranjería,' which also states that Bob has a religious visa. Bob quickly told them that he is a pastor in the neighboring town. They, too, agreed that the protesters should let Bob through, so that he can return to his important job of seeing to people’s spiritual needs. The policemen quickly move forward to the mob, who is increasingly growing more angry, because their leader has decided to permit the caravan of vehicles, including Bob, to go through the roadblock. The mob decide to replace the leader with someone else and negotiations between the mob and the police start from scratch. Much to Bob’s surprise, the police from our town, Pilcopata, returned as promised at six that evening. This time eight officers came, probably the entirety of the police force, and were sporting long rifles and hand guns. The protesters were not happy about this. All of a sudden, out from nowhere, the Sr. Officer cried out, “Where’s the Gringo Baptist Pastor from Pilcopata?” Bob steps out from the crowd, where the officer could see him and waves at him. The officer pushed through the crowd to make it over to where Bob was standing. He took his hand and gave him a firm handshake. The officer asked if Bob was ok, to which Bob could honestly say he was doing well, thanks to our church members. The officer replied, “Give us a few minutes. We are taking everyone through the roadblocks.” Bob quickly spread the word to the other drivers and they slowly retreat, each to their own vehicle. At about seven, Bob heard one officer loudly exclaim, “Well, there ARE consequences for your actions!” Bob can’t see what is going on, because of the crowd; however, the police suddenly turn on their lights and everyone in the caravan started to move. Slowly but deliberately, the caravan of vehicles crept along, as if in a parade, leaving minimal space between each vehicle. They pass the first roadblock and drove the kilometer through town to the next roadblock, where they were met with a much larger number of people, whom are also much angrier that the first group. The caravan of vehicles had no option but to stop, as the road was full of debris and burning tires. The group quickly realize that the police are no longer there and were replaced by angry shouts by the protesters at their windows. They had to endure this horror for about twenty minutes, each minute wondering whose window would be smashed first. Most of the drivers abandoned their vehicles and retreated together into the darkness of the night. For some odd reason, the crowd dispersed and returned to the blockade, where a very large and very drunk woman was yelling loudly. Honestly, Bob nor his comrades-in-arms could understand anything she was saying. Moments later, one police truck with two officers appeared to speak with those of who were stuck at the roadblock. They admitted that they were not going to be able to break up this second group of protesters enough to get the caravan of vehicles through the roadblock that night. The crowd was just too crazy! One of the officers, a small, young negotiator, entered into the middle of the crowd in order to talk to them. Bob thought the large, vocal, angry woman might eat him alive, but he finally emerged from the crowd, about an hour later, shaking his head. He said, “Well, that didn’t go well. We will definitely not be getting through the roadblock tonight. They are already way too drunk to reason with.” The crowd began lighting more tires on fire, this time close to the police truck. Bob asked the officers if it would be safe for him, a gringo, to stay there or should he take his truck to a safer place in town. The officers told Bob that if he decided to stay there, the police would have to stay by his truck the whole night, to ensure that the group would not attack Bob. It was not a safe situation. Bob decided immediately to give the officers an opportunity to sleep that night and drove the truck to the church family’s home where he would park it for the night. He grabbed a few things and headed back down the cross the blockade in order to head home to Pilcopata. He knew his options were walking all the way home or riding a motorcycle with someone, which was a much preferable method! When he made it to the town center, about half a kilometer from the roadblock, he encountered a group of about 300 people chanting and running through the street. Bob ducked into the shadows and stood next to a man sitting on a park wall, who seemed to trying to be discrete, as well. He briefly looked at Bob and then looked back at the crowd and asked Bob where he was trying to go that night. Bob told him that he was trying to get home in Pilcopata, where he is a pastor. The man grimaced a bit and told Bob to sit down on the wall with him for a minute, so Bob sat down. All of a sudden the crowd decided to attack a store that had opened to sell some food and water to people. The man leaned over and told Bob that he should leave immediately and that he should stay in the shadows. Bob agreed. The man quietly said, “God bless you, Pastor!” Bob takes the man’s advice and walked against the building to stay as hidden as possible until he reached the point where the other drivers remain trapped. Bob explained to them where he was going and that if he made it home that night, he would return in the morning with food and water. They explained that several of them had tried to cross the blockade in order to purchase food in Pilcopata, but that the protesters would not let them through. Together they decide to create a diversion, in order to help Bob get across. They made a human wall with Bob hidden behind them and a few of them began arguing with the protesters. All the attention was drawn to the two sneaky drivers and the other drivers shoved Bob across the blockade. As he was briskly walked in the darkness, he realized that someone was following closely behind him. The man quickly caught up with Bob and Bob asked him if he had a motorcycle. He said that he did, to which Bob asked if he was going to Pilcopata. The man shook his head in agreement and Bob quickly pled for a ride home. The man agreed and they headed down to Pilcopata! At this point, Bob has a large flashlight in his hand, his backpack, and a small knife in his pocket. He started to wonder if the man was part of the group of protestors and that he might try to kidnap Bob. So to ease his mind, Bob began to talk with the man. Bob told him that he is the pastor of the Baptist church in Pilcopata and asked the man where he is from. The man replied that he was from Puerto Maldonado. Bob asked if he was in town for the strike and the man immediately exclaimed, “No!!!” He, too, was frustrated because the strike was keeping him from going home. At his moment, Bob felt comfortable enough to put his pocket knife away! The two weary travelers finally arrive into Pilcopata and were surprised that the roadblock in Pilcopata had been abandoned. The streets were quiet and calm. Bob got home just in time to get a good meal, some cool water, a shower, and finally fell into bed! Early the next morning, Tuesday, the 6th, Bob went to our friendly neighborhood store owner, who decided to risk opening her store for a few minutes. Bob bought almost all the bread she had. At home, he packed his backpack with the bread, several Bibles, as well as some water and immediately headed back to Patria. As he was on the edge of town, he was met by a group of about 60 people, blocking the road and protesting. They were not letting any motorcycles leave town and as Bob tried to pass, they grabbed him and started yelling, “TOURISTS CAN’T PASS! GRINGOS CAN’T PASS!” Bob pulled arms from their hands and told them, “I live here. I’m your neighbor and I’m the pastor of the Baptist church in town. You will let me pass!” He then walked right passed them. As he walked out of town, Bob noticed that there were no signs of any motorcycles coming or going. So determined to deliver what he had promised to the other drivers, he began the six kilometer walk to Patria. He arrived about two hours later, exhausted and thirsty himself, and now faced with an even bigger and angrier crowd. Unfortunately, there is no brush to duck into in order to avoid the crowd. Besides, they had already seen him. He quickly prayed and asked God to protect him. He put his head down and head right into the middle of the crowd. He doesn’t even get passed the first person before several people grabbed him. The protesters started pushing Bob and holding onto both arms. They yanked on his backpack, demanding to see what was inside. He knew they would confiscate the bag’s contents, so he refused to show them. He is now fully expecting to be beat for refusing their demands, but praise God that did not happen. Instead, they continued yelling, as he sternly informed them that he is a pastor and that he has church members in town that he needs to attend to them, as well as others. He says he is there to do his pastoral duties and that they WILL let him pass! Everyone except one person let go of him, but that one man’s grip continued to get tighter and tighter around Bob’s arm. Bob can still smell the foul stench of the homemade liquor on his breath and can see in his eyes that he is still drunk from the night before. Bob looked him straight into the eyes and almost yelled, in order for the whole crowd to hear, “You’re going to attack a pastor, a preacher of the Word of God, a man of God? How dare you! Shame on you!” Bob then yanked his arm from his death grip and with great determination, marched right through the middle of the angry mob. No one else laid a hand on Bob, but rather looked on silently as he passed by. Right on the other side of the roadblock, Bob encountered the first truck driver and asked if he had eaten anything yet. He quietly answered that he had not yet been able to get anything to eat. So Bob opened his backpack in front of the entire group and handed the driver some food and water. Bob told him to then get into his truck to eat. No one from the angry mob said a word. Bob went from truck to truck until each person had received something to eat and drink. After eating, the drivers, along with Bob, sat down in a shady area together. The whole time, Bob had been looking for an opportunity to speak about spiritual things and had been praying that God would show him the right time to do so! Out of nowhere, one of the men said, “Well, pastor, you fed us and gave us water. You met our physical need. Now all we are missing is to be fed spiritually.” Smiling, Bob replied, “Well, I came prepared for that, too!” Once again he opened his backpack, but this time, he pulled out the Word of God, the Bread of Life, and gave one to each person there. Before accepting the Bible, one person in the group asked how much the Bible cost. Bob stated that they were a free gift, which was a perfect segue into Ephesians 2:8-10! Bob spent the next two hours preaching to these ten lost souls on the love of God, about the sacrifice He gave for their sins. He explained how the free gift of God is available to all mankind, if we would only accept it by faith! He talked together with them about how Jesus IS God and how the Bible is our final and ultimate authority. He also shared with them that works cannot save a person. As this special, God-ordained meeting was going on, there were hundreds of protesters behind them who were yelling, marching, and running around chaotically. This did not deter these ten from intently listening. They were glued, fixed, as Bob shared the Word with them. At the end, God saw fit to save seven souls, one a Mormon and one a Seventh-Day Adventist. A short time after this blessed event, the driver that was first in the line of the caravan was simply at his limit and he jumped in his truck and broke the roadblock. Bob and the other drivers quickly got into their vehicles and followed the first driver. They had been freed. Not only had they been freed physically but for those seven new brothers and sisters in Christ, they had been freed spiritually. Through this experience, we now have contacts deep into tribal areas of the jungle, where a person must have an invitation in order to enter. We also have contact into our local municipality and police departments. The Lord has already allowed us to have one of them into our home for dinner and we pray we have many more opportunities like this one! God allowed us to be a part of this amazing experience, to be a part of His great work. This is not Bob and Becky’s doing. This is the work of an Almighty God! As the missionaries of old would give God all the honor and glory for the victories won, may we do the same! PRAISE BE TO GOD!!! Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Posted by BASS 2 PERU at 11:38 PM 1 comment:	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line16
__label__wiki	0.645034	0.645034	Surrealistic Americana: Devon Nowlin Colorfully Riffs on Nostalgia at Artspace 111 Manuel Mendoza August 30, 2018 ArtDallas/Ft Worth Devon Nowlin Off-guard 60 x 40 inches. For her new solo exhibition, Familiar Strangers, Devon Nowlin returns to the vintage photographs she has been using as source material since 2008. This time, however, Nowlin’s deployment of bold color, as well as her layering of figurative imagery against environmental backgrounds, is more complex, creating canvases that border on the surreal. The last painting completed for the show, which runs Sept. 6 through Oct. 6 at Artspace 111 in Fort Worth, depicts two Korean War-era soldiers horsing around in front of a clapboard building, amid budding flowers and the hands, legs and feet of other men gripping soccer balls. Among her intended effects is a reconsideration of nostalgia in a time of political upheaval, when people are longing for supposedly better times. “My original attraction to the vintage photos were the ambiguous narratives that really made you wonder, ‘What’s the relationship here between the photographer and the sitter? What happened just before or just after?’ ” she explains in an interview at her Northside studio. “When I started looking back at what I had collected and thinking about what images I would like to seek out, I realized there was a big hole missing in the narrative I had created about that time, which included representations of soldiers that I found were pretty common once I started looking for them, and images of non-white people that are not as common but exist. I started seeking out those narratives to complement what I already had when I realized there was a lack in my own perspective.” Omniscient Narrator Along with the tentatively titled Painting for Men, Familiar Strangers includes four other works Nowlin has made this year and last. The most startling is Off-guard. In it, a uniformed soldier, rendered in black-and-white, is draped with the abstractly curling red stripes of an otherwise transparent American flag. Standing next to a beige post and in front of greenery, he stares at the viewer with a side glance. To his right, a maroon-painted soldier is seen from behind in the distance. The suggestion of blood is unmistakable. Another new work, Omniscient Narrator, depicts a seated woman, her hands folded, posing on a brick walkway next to a flower vase. The layering of muted brownish-pink and aqua-blue paint gives the piece a pastel watercolor feel, even though Nowlin’s medium is oil. The body of a leaning man and a geometric pattern behind the woman, and a water puddle from the vase floating in front of the brick, further abstracts the image. The other two new paintings, Randomized Memory Overlay and Recovering Overwritten Memory, also show women in surreal environments of layered color, partial figures and nature. As in her first solo exhibit at Artspace 111, Casual Luxury Complex in 2015, Nowlin incorporates contemporary imagery from magazine advertising, but to much subtler effect. The star of the previous show, a stuffed dog named Frank, was wryly covered in black-and-white checkered fabric or more colorful patterns, like a knick-knack from an import store, sometimes depicted in scenes with hot Abercrombie & Fitch models. The artist was having fun with and commenting on consumerism, one of her, er, pet topics. “Why are we so duped?” she asks. “Because I am too.” Also on view were overhead photos of people sitting and looking at magazines with Abercrombie & Fitch print ads against floors with geometric patterns. Part of their appeal is how adept Nowlin is at creating perfectly symmetrical patterns and also subverting them in ways that also highlight her technical mastery. Randomized Memory Overlay “My theme or concept that held that group together was the nature of consumerism in relation to art and art marketing, and criticism that has been ongoing about representational paintings being décor and not taken seriously as art by some conceptual artists,” she says.“ I started taking in that criticism and thinking, ‘I’m going to make some of the most decorative work that I can possibly make and put it in a consumerist context,’ which led me to the Abercrombie & Fitch images of Bruce Weber and the odd nature of a corporation that constructs a narrative for its buyers. It’s ever-present but there’s also great design work going on. It’s interesting when it’s done well. Maybe I interject some irony or comedy in places to not take myself so seriously. I do like to be over-the-top.” For Familiar Strangers, Nowlin felt she had bigger fish to fry. In the description of the show on her website, she writes, “I am investigating the deepening rift between the past and the present; between an era of collective aspirations with an era of corporately manufactured desires…After the election, I felt that the path I was on was a little less meaningful than I wanted it to be,” she says. “Focusing on vignettes of Abercrombie floral design and models seemed very trite. Visually it was an interesting design problem I was working on, but not as of import. Not that I necessarily set out to make political statements, but I wanted to put my effort toward something that had a new meaning for me. So I started looking back at this imagery of that era of American history and our nostalgia for it that is problematic and is being discussed more. I’m not looking at it in a wistfully nostalgic sense, and I hope the viewers take that away…Saying it was a better time raises the question of what type of America do you want to go back to.” Recovering Overwritten Memory Part of the installation will include three curtains of quilt-like patterned fabric on which she will display smaller recent paintings derived from the 1950s snapshots. The exhibition also features three large-scale works from 2010, the period during which she first started using vintage photos. Nowlin doesn’t necessarily like being lumped in with the photo-realists, though she acknowledges her connection to them. Born and raised in Fort Worth, where she still lives and works as assistant registrar at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Nowlin grew up going to Modern Art Museum and worshipping at the altar of Robert Bechtel’s ’63 Bel Air. For her, a painting is about more than the images depicted or the intellectual ideas at play, but “painting as eye candy.” “I just want to make a very good painting. Sometimes that’s a concern that’s separate from the imagery. When I see a great work of art and think about the effort and the cart that the artist put into it, it gives me hope. My efforts aspire to that, beyond the message…The best part of it is sitting down and painting and working through my day.” —MANUEL MENDOZA Manuel Mendoza is a Dallas freelance writer specializing in the arts.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line19
__label__cc	0.702592	0.297408	ANCA Survey Indicates Solid Support for Direct LAX-Yerevan Flights The results of a survey conducted by ANCA-WR showed solid support for a new non-stop flight between LAX to Yerevan WASHINGTON—A nationwide consumer market survey conducted by the Armenian National Committee of America demonstrates strong and broad support for initiating a new non-stop flight between Los Angeles International Airport and Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia. The ANCA market survey was conducted from May 3 to June 13, with over 2,200 Armenian American participants, primarily from California. “The ANCA thanks the public who participated in our market survey exploring the demand for a non-stop airline route between Los Angeles and Yerevan,” remarked Zanku Armenian, the ANCA’s point person on the effort, who has years of professional experience in aviation matters. “We are encouraged by the results of the survey that addressed a number of critical questions that will be vital as the business case for non-stop flights between LAX and EVN is discussed in the months ahead. We expect that this ANCA market survey will draw the attention of airlines and government leaders and regulators in Washington, D.C. and Yerevan, whose leadership and support will be needed to establish such flights in the future,” added Armenian. Among the key findings of the survey are that 97% of the respondents expressed a willingness to switch from their currently preferred airline to reach Armenia to another airline that offers non-stop flights from LAX to Yerevan. The survey also found that a majority of airline passengers would be willing to pay a premium (anywhere from $100 to $800) for non-stop flights to and from Armenia. The survey documented that a majority (58%) of airline passengers going to Armenia from the United States connect through Moscow (SVO), with the other top two connecting airports being Doha (DOH) and Paris (CDG). Additional findings of the ANCA travel survey shows that only 7% of travelers to Armenia go with a tour group and that 69% of passengers book their own flights, with 31% going through travel agents. With respect to travel frequency, 58% of survey respondents fly to Armenia only once a year, while 35% take between two to three trips to Armenia annually from the United States. “Other data shows steady year-over-year growth in passenger traffic and tourism spending between the two countries which, when combined with the ANCA’s survey data, indicates it’s time to start having serious bi-lateral discussions about the clear potential for such an aviation link between the U.S. and Armenia,” said Armenian. A full copy of “Consumer Market Survey Results: ANCA Non-Stop U.S. to Armenia Flights” may be accessed online. The travel survey is a project of the ANCA, which promotes U.S. to Armenia non-stop flights as part of its campaign to boost tourism, increase business travel, expand cargo traffic, and strengthen the U.S.-Armenia bi-lateral economic partnership. The ANCA has called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to support a public-private partnership regarding establishing non-stop U.S. to Armenia flights, involving U.S. airlines and relevant government agencies, among them the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and Transportation Security Administration. The Republic of Armenia, with its world-class Zvartnots airport, has solid tourism infrastructure and is witnessing steady annual tourism growth. It is an increasingly in-demand destination for family, business, healthcare, technology, and education related travel. Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, is a growing financial center, home to a thriving business community with strong ties to Eurasia and the Middle East. Non-stop U.S.-Armenia flights would, in addition to saving travelers time and inconvenience, deliver financial benefits to airline carriers as well as material advantages to business leaders, commercial enterprises, and investors in both countries. State of Emergency - July 16, 2019 said: It’s not about support rather more about economics. The carrier will have to make money or else the route will be axed. Raffi - July 17, 2019 said: @State of Emergency: I agree with you. Leave a Reply to State of Emergency Cancel reply	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line20
__label__cc	0.600292	0.399708	Science behind the headlines – beyond seven billion people Written by: Captain Skellett // December 9th, 2011 // Science Communication We reached a big milestone last month as the world’s population exceeded seven billion people for the first time. Looking behind the headlines was Paul Willis at the RiAus and a panellist of scientists and journalists on Tuesday (event details here.) In the 20th century we added five billion people to the Earth. Before that, we had only added two billion in total. Part of the reason is a decreased death rate, due to better medical facilities, coupled with an increase of food made possible by the Haber process that produces nitrogen fertiliser from nitrogen in the air. The chemistry makes it possible to, on some level, make food from air. But population increase is not exponential. The UN expects the population to level off at 10 billion in the next fifty years, after a dramatic decrease in fertility, which no one anticipated. “It is unconscionable to have a policy to increase mortality!” says Graeme Hugo, Director of the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre at the University of Adelaide. “The only way forward is to decrease fertility, that’s the only thing on the table.” The world has done very well to reduce fertility, halving it since the 1970’s. However, in some areas of Africa and isolated pockets in Asia it is not dropping as fast as expected. Two years ago East Timor each woman was having around eight children. The continued high fertility may be because we’ve taken our foot off the pedal when it comes to efforts like increasing contraceptives, women’s education and emancipation. Beyond numbers But it’s not all about the numbers, and that was the key point the scientists spoke about on Tuesday. Population is a complex issue, and has to be considered in connection to age and spatial distribution and consumption of goods. The cost of looking after an aging semi-majority (the baby boomers) is a worry for some political movements. Balanced age groups are important to ensure the number of dependents and the number of workers is stable. Migration may not change the global numbers, but it’s important for people are spread out in the right way. That means considering how many people a local environment can sustain in terms of food and water. Consumption is also critical. One baby born in the United States consumes the equivalent of 30 babies born in Africa according to Udoy Saikia, School of the Environment, Flinders University (here’s a relevant link.) “People in developed countries should limit their consumption,” says Hugo. “In many developing countries, consumption needs to go up because they’re not consuming enough to be healthy.” One way for more developed countries to limit consumption is to go vego. A more vegetarian diet is able to support more people for the same number of resources. Bring on the lentils! This Tedx talk on the topic, I can’t recommend it enough. Magic bullets Scientists agreed that coverage of the seven billion people story has been pretty good overall, far better than stories about migration. One issue they mentioned was the trend to look for a magic bullet, fixing just one thing to solve the whole population problem. It’s also hard for journalists with limited inches to talk about all the factors in a complex issue like population science. Stopping population growth won’t work unless you take consumption into account, as well as the other factors. There needs to be a holistic approach. That doesn’t end (or even start) with policy – everyone needs to make a decision to change their consumption. How many Australians should there be? There is no magic number where everything will fall into place. There are definite demographic problems regarding aging populations and dispersion (or lack thereof). The scientists agreed we need a policy that allows for sustainable growth. They said it would devastate Australia if we stopped population growth tomorrow, but it would be also devastating to have uncontrolled growth. “Every day we waste about 40% of the food (in Australia),” says Saikia. “There is some hope that the 10 billion population can survive very well, depending on distribution and consumption.” Paul Willis summed up by asking whether Australian’s should “be concerned, not alarmed.” It’s not the end of the world, but we do need major changes and responses to population dynamics, says Hugo. “Be concerned, AND alarmed – about consumption,” says Saikia. This post was also featured on the RiAus website. One Response to “Science behind the headlines – beyond seven billion people” James Byrne says: Nice post 🙂 Thanks for coming along on the night I think it went over well. Sorry I couldn’t stop and chat, I was a little all over the place. I was wondering if you would mind if I reposted this on my Scientific American blog? If you are okay with it send me an email and we can work it out.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line21
__label__wiki	0.582076	0.582076	Brazil’s Top Investment Banker Busted; BTG Pactual Chief in Bribe Probe Andre Esteves, Brazil’s top billionaire investment banker and until this past Sunday, Chairman and CEO of brokerdealer Grupo BTG Pactual SA, submitted his resignation this weekend after being busted last week by federal prosecutors for purported bribery charges. 47 year old Esteves is not only Brazil’s top investment banker, he is one of the top ‘cool kids’ across the global investment banking industry. Esteves, who many have likened to being Brazil’s version of Lloyd Blankfein, is also the controlling shareholder of Brazil’s equivalent of Goldman Sachs. The finance industry star delivered his resignation from a Sao Paulo jail cell, where he is being held without bail consequent to his arrest on purported bribery charges relating to a probe of Petrobas aka Petróleo Brasileiro SA, Brazil’s largest state-controlled energy company. Though expected to have been released this weekend, the Supreme Court of Brazil ruled to make the arrest “preventative”—which in layman terms means that Esteves will be cooling his Gucci-covered heels for an indefinite period. Prosecutors suspect the billionaire dealmaker, along with a senior senator, tried to obstruct a long-running graft probe involving Petrobras. Esteves, through his lawyer, has denied the allegations. Shares and bonds in Latin America’s largest independent investment bank were bashed further on Monday, reflecting concerns about the impact of the investigation on operations after the Supreme Court extended the financier’s detention indefinitely. It was the first time the bank, which has long been synonymous with Esteves, has been directly implicated in the bribery scandal. Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot used evidence and other suspects’ testimony to persuade the country’s Supreme Court to extend Esteves’ detention on a preventive basis. Documents obtained by Brazil prosecutors purportedly suggest BTG Pactual had paid 45 million reais ($12 million) to Eduardo Cunha, speaker of the lower house of Congress, in exchange for passing legislation favoring the bank, the newspapers said. BTG Pactual denied making such payments in a statement on Sunday, and pledged to cooperate with authorities. Cunha also denied the allegations. BTG Pactual named two founding partners, Chief Operating Officer Roberto Saloutti and Chief Financial Officer Marcelo Kalim, as co-CEOs. Persio Arida, who became acting CEO after Esteves’ arrest, is now chairman, with Huw Jenkins, head of the bank’s international arm, becoming vice chairman. The full article from Reuters is at this link Tagged Andre Esteves, brokerdealer, brokerdealer.com blog, BTG Pactual China Regulators Ban Derivatives For Financing Stock Purchase (Bloomberg) — The Securities Association of China will ban brokerages from offering financing for stock market trading using derivatives, the country’s securities regulator said. Brokerages should provide funding to their clients using margin trading tools that comply with the rules, China Securities Regulatory Commission spokesman Zhang Xiaojun said Friday at a briefing. Swaps offered by some brokerages have deviated from their role as a risk management tool, instead becoming a way to offer unofficial margin loans for investors, Zhang said. China’s regulators are attempting to prevent another build up of leverage in the stock market similar to the borrowing binge that took place earlier this year and helped propel the boom and then bust in Chinese share prices. Earlier this month, the country’s two mainland stock exchanges doubled margin requirements to 100 percent in another move to limit leverage in the market. “After the stock market rout, regulators have a new understanding about leverage,” Chen Xingyu, a Shanghai-based analyst at Phillip Securities Research, said by phone. “Their measures have been focusing on deleveraging and reducing risk and this policy stance should continue. The regulators will be more conservative and prudent than before.” Zhang was confirming a report Thursday in Caixin magazine, which said China’s brokerages were told to wind down the business of offering total return swaps, a type of over-the- counter derivative, for clients who want to trade stocks. At the end of October, the over-the-counter derivative businesses of 39 brokerages had an outstanding nominal value of 279 billion yuan ($43.7 billion), according to data from the Securities Association of China. Of that, swaps accounted for 44 percent by value, while options contracts accounted for the rest. The amounts involved in the swaps compare to China’s official margin finance balance of more than 1.2 trillion yuan. The total return swaps can offer three to five times leverage because the investor pays only a deposit to the broker and then a fixed-interest payment at the end of the contract, in return for receiving a floating return on the stocks. Tagged brokerdealer.com, china brokerdealers, derivatives to finance stock purchase, financing stock trading, Securities Association of China BrokerDealers For Sale-Glut Makes Buyers Market A glut of independent brokerdealers (IBDs) for sale is creating a buyer’s market, putting pressure on prices across the independent broker-dealer space. While no “Black Friday Sale” signs are expected to appear (that’s right, Black Friday is a negative in the world of Wall Street), according to coverage from InvestmentNews.com, coupled with a further investigation by the curators at BrokerDealer.com, prices for IBDs are going lower, not higher; creating opportunities for new entrants and headaches for rumored sellers that include Cetera Financial Group. (InvestmentNews.com) November 25 A glut of independent broker-dealer firms (IBDs) for sale is creating a buyer’s market for independent broker-dealers that could put pressure on the prices sellers are able to attract. Firms for sale include Cetera Financial Group, AIG Adviser Group and Next Financial Group, which collectively represent 15 individual broker-dealers and more than 15,000 registered representatives and advisers. BrokerDealer.com maintains the world’s largest directory of broker-dealers in more than three dozen countries and a robust database of those interested in buying or selling broker-dealers “There is a higher number of potential opportunities than we have ever seen before,” said Richard Lampen, president and chief executive of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, which has completed five broker-dealer acquisitions since 2007. “The $64,000 question is, how many deals are going to get done?” “With so many potential sellers in the market, and rumors of more sellers, I’m curious to see how the market-clearing process will work,” Mr. Lampen said. “There are some willing buyers, but is there a price that’s going to work?” Mr. Lampen said sellers are going to have a reality check when it comes to offers their properties are likely to attract. He said the industry has put behind it the outsized valuations of independent broker-dealers used in acquisitions by RCS Capital Corp., a brokerage holding company that one-time real estate mogul Nicholas Schorsch put together in a flurry of acquisitions between 2013 and 2014. “Some sellers still think it’s 2014, and Nick Schorsch price expectations are out there,” Mr. Lampen said. “But it’s hard to imagine any one overpaying at this stage in the process.” CETERA TOPS THE LIST The largest of the firms reportedly in play is Cetera Financial Group, the network that Mr. Schorsch put together. It is made up of 10 broker-dealers with about 9,500 reps and advisers. Larry Roth, the CEO of Cetera and its parent company, RCS Capital, told advisers on a conference call recently that a half dozen companies had shown interest in the firm and that a new owner or significant private-equity investor would be in place by year-end. The full story from InvestmentNews.com is here Tagged Black Friday, broker dealers, brokerdealer.com, BrokerDealers For Sale, Cetera Financial Group, IDBs, independent brokerdealers, RCS Capital Corp Re-Branding Asia-Pacific Exchange Now Sydney Stock Exchange (Traders Magazine)-The Asia Pacific Stock Exchange (APX) is changing its name to Sydney Stock Exchange. As first reported in Automated Trader, the new Sydney Stock Exchange’s Deputy Chairman George Wang said, “We aim to build the Sydney Stock Exchange as a bridge between Australia and Asia’s capital markets, corporates and investors. Brokerdealer.com provides a global database of broker-dealers in more than thirty countries worldwide He added that the new name reflects both the role of Sydney as a major financial center in Australia and the Asia Pacific region and the geographic home of the exchange. It also revives and reminds of the rich heritage of the old Sydney Stock Exchange, which was an important trading place in its own right until 1987. Sydney Stock Exchange will be a member of Asia Pacific Exchange Group (APX Group), as well as Asia Pacific Finance Institute of Australia, and the Asia Pacific Equity Exchange. Tagged APX Group, Asia Pacific Finance Institute of Australia, asia-pacific exchange, brokerdealer.com, global directory of brokerdealers, sydney stock exchange BrokerDealer Leading Crowdfund Bandwagon As the crowdfund movement picks up more steam thanks to the recent update from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the broker-dealer community is paying close attention to what could be a big pay day. One BrokerDealer leading the crowdfund bandwagon is Seed Equity Ventures, led by finance industry veteran Todd Crosland. In a recent Forbes.com profile, CEO Crosland talks about his broker dealer, which is already operating and doing crowdfunding type equity raises under the SEC’s Regulation D 506(c) rules for general solicitations, says, “ I believe the SEC passing Title III will be a watershed event for both startups and investors. Startups and the general investing public will be forever changed.” BrokerDealer.com is the global directory of broker-dealers; the firm’s database covers brokerdealers operating in more than 30 countries across the free world. Seed Equity Ventures is a registered broker dealer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of both FINRA and SIPC. Seed Equity Ventures provides investment banking services to startups and growth companies from around the world. The Forbes piece by Devin Thorpe was excerpted by the curators at crowdfund industry search portal, RaiseMoney.com; here’s the link Tagged Broker Dealer, crowdfund brokerdealer, crowdfund industry search portal, crowdfunding, RaiseMoney.com, SEC Regulation D 506(c), seed equity ventures, todd crosland	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line26
__label__cc	0.742493	0.257507	Today I’m taking you behind the scenes of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, this year’s “It” series in young adult (YA) fiction. The trilogy's editor, Kate Egan, happens to live around the corner from me. She came to my house for coffee to share the publishing story behind this #1 New York Times bestseller series, which has been popular with adults too. The premise draws on both pop culture and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur: a despotic ruler selects children from every district to fight to the death. The sole survivor brings back a bounty of food to his or her district. The battle is staged in a nightmare world of mutant hazards and broadcast live as entertainment, the ultimate reality TV. Needless to say, this gory spectacle foments, rather than subdues, rebellion in the districts. When her younger sister is selected to be a contestant, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Katniss is a skilled archer who has been poaching wild game to feed her family. She is paired with a boy, Peeta, who once saved her from starvation. Katniss owes Peeta her life, but only one contestant is allowed to survive. Peeta loves Katniss, but she also has feelings for her hunting partner, Gale. This love triangle frames a coming-of-age story set in a war zone. Although the first two books The Hunger Games (2008) and Catching Fire (2009) were more entertaining and better paced, Mockingjay (released last August 2010) has greater philosophical depth and moral ambiguity. The regime is corrupt and evil, but are the revolutionaries any better? In this not-so-distant future, television has become the most effective weapon of war. Despite the violence, this series does not glorify war, rather the opposite. The cost of war is paid by all participants, win or lose. This dystopian trilogy reminded me more of George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm than of books written for teenagers. If you've never read YA, try these. My daughter found the first book too scary at age eleven but returned to the books at age thirteen and really enjoyed them. I loved them too. All three books were hard to put down and impossible to forget. After finishing, I had many questions. Kate Egan had the answers. photo of Kate Egan by Sarah Laurence My Interview of Kate Egan Sarah: how did you first connect with the author Suzanne Collins? Kate: while working for Scholastic in NYC, I acquired and edited Suzanne’s first book, Gregor The Overlander. It became a five book series. The Underland Chronicles is about a boy who falls through a hole in his laundry room into a world hidden under New York, populated by giant rats and cockroaches and other creatures you might expect to find beneath the city. Sort of like a modern Alice in Wonderland? Exactly. The Underland Chronicles is meant for a younger audience but shares a similar central theme with The Hunger Games series. What is that central theme? Suzanne’s main interest is “what is a just war?” She’s especially concerned about the effects of war on a person. What first attracted you to her writing? The un-put-down-able quality to her writing. Suzanne started her career as a screenwriter. She wrote the adorable Little Bear television program on Nick Junior, among many other shows. She knows how to move a story and how to hold a kid’s attention, although Little Bear and her novels are extremely different in tone. What was the inspiration for The Hunger Games trilogy? Suzanne was flipping back and forth between the Iraq War coverage and Survivor on TV when she got the idea for The Hunger Games. Suzanne always writes her books in 3 parts with 9 chapters each so a trilogy was natural. She had the whole story in her head from the start. When did you first hear about The Hunger Games? Four years ago I was doing the final edits on the last Gregor book, when my second child was born. It was a month before I was ready to get back to editing. Suzanne used that time to write the proposal for The Hunger Games trilogy. The original proposal had the fight to the death and the intriguing character of Katniss. I realized that this was going to be the biggest book I’d ever worked on. Why do you think The Hunger Games series has been so successful? When I started working in publishing in the mid 1990’s, young adult fiction was all but dead. Scholastic, the publisher of The Hunger Games, barely published YA back then. There was no dedicated space for teen fiction in the bookstores. In the past ten years, the publishing pendulum has swung towards YA, even garnering an adult crossover audience. The Hunger Games was impossible to put down, and Katniss was a great character. Suzanne is a terrific storyteller. Given that Scholastic’s headquarters are in NYC, why did you move to Maine? My husband worked for the New York City government, and one of the terms of his employment was that we had to live within the city limits. We were living in a basement apartment in Brooklyn Heights. Our daughter’s crib was in the hall! In 2003 my husband was offered the job of running the State Ethics Commission in Augusta. In six weeks we bought a car and a house and moved to Maine. How did you manage to keep working as an editor after the move? I switched to working freelance for several publishing companies, mostly for Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan. I kept 3 of my old authors from Scholastic, too. I work in the mornings when both kids are in school, during naptime and late at night. How did you hold onto Suzanne Collins as your author? When Suzanne’s agent sold The Hunger Games trilogy to Scholastic, it was agreed that I would remain her editor. We’ve been together for eight books now. What are Suzanne Collins’s strengths and weaknesses as a writer, and how do you help her as an editor? Storytelling is Suzanne’s strength. As an editor, I help her develop the characters. For example, I asked her for more of the Peeta-Katniss-Gale love triangle. Suzanne was more focused on the war story. We’ve learned to trust each other. Sometimes Suzanne thinks it’s obvious where she is going, but I tell her I don’t see it. When I need help following, it’s a sign that the manuscript needs some shoring up. What has happened in the wake of The Hunger Games? Suzanne wrote the screenplay for the movie of The Hunger Games, which will be produced by Nina Jacobson at Lionsgate Productions. They are in talks with Gary Ross, who directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit. Suzanne is also busy with the Mockingjay launch and approving licensing products, like a Hunger Games board game. Is Suzanne Collins working on a new novel? I think she is starting to think about it, but that’s all I know right now. I’m struck by how much The Hunger Games has appealed to adult readers as well as to teens. What marks a book as young adult as opposed to adult fiction? I'd say that there has to be a teenaged protagonist. They are coming-of-age stories. The ending does not have to be happy, but there must be hope. A window is left open. Thank you, Kate! Reviewer’s Disclaimer: I bought all three books myself when they were first released. Kate Egan and I were introduced by our neighbor Charlotte Agell, author of another dystopian novel for teens, Shift. This interview was our first meeting. We met up more recently for a walk to enjoy the fall foliage. That first shot is from my front yard, and Kate is standing in my back yard. All photos were taken by me. Note: Please do not contact me to reach Kate Egan. I am unable to forward e-mails. Labels: book review club, career and family, interviews, young adult fiction Cynthia Pittmann said... How interesting to interview an editor, Sarah! I enjoyed reading about Kate's career path and how she adapted it to family life. Also, her comments about how she edits helped me to see how invaluable an insightful editor can be. About your disclaimer- I've never read anyone confess to a walk with the interviewed. :-) Very interesting review. When is a war a just war? That made think loads, I can tell you. And thank you for interviewing the people BEHIND the books! I know that you've already written about your agent but this insight into an editor's mind was very welcome. Alyssa Goodnight said... Fascinating interview! I would love to read more interviews of this type, digging deeper into the stories behind books and their authors. Bravo! Wonderful interview, Sarah! I loved the first Gregor book and am thrilled to know there are four more! Also a huge fan of the HG trilogy. The computer age has made a huge difference in Maine life, hasn't it? I know more and more people whose employers are far, far away. The possibilities seem endless. pattinase (abbott) said... THis sounds terrific. And great for my husband who teaches a course on dystopias. Great interview, Sarah. Thank Kate again for us. I rarely read YA but I love, love, love the Hunger Games. Can't wait for the movie. :D Cid said... My eldest son & I are reading the trilogy. Both of us have been staying up late reading and then lying awake thinking about the characters. I actually just posted my review on the sidebar of my blog. I love when a book can capture the imaginations of both a 12 year old boy and a 44 year old woman. Thanks for a great interview. Tricia J. O'Brien said... That was fascinating. I enjoy learning about the author/editor relationship and how it grows. I loved the Hunger Games and the complexity of Katniss and her world. Fantastic fall photos! Keri Mikulski said... Fascinating interview, Sarah! I enjoyed reading about Kate and her journey with Collins. Thanks so much! Cynthia, I added my “career and family” label to this post after reading your comment. The Hunger Games love triangle sweetens the many bitter moments – it was an excellent editorial suggestion to develop it. Book bloggers have focused especially on that plot string. Reviewing and walking, oh my! ACIL and Alyssa, the stories behind a book can be almost as good as the book itself. Ellen, telecommuting has certainly changed the landscape of Maine. I turned to writing because I was looking for work in a remote location, and I’m so happy I did. Patti, I’d be interested in your husband’s take on these books and how they fit into the dystopian genre. And your opinion too! Linda, I’m eager to learn more about the movie too although I’m not sure I want to see it. I love the images I have in my head already from reading. Still, it would make an exciting film. Cid, I read each of the books over a weekend. The cross-generational appeal makes these books special. How nice to share them with your son. Tricia and Keri, these books are clearly a product of creative genius, expert editing and trust built over time. As I’m sure you know, it’s rare these days to have an editor and an author form a long-term partnership due to the revolving door of publishing. I came here earlier but wasn't really feel well enough to blog. I'm better now-yeah. I think your author interviews are really neat. You have such a good record for all of posterity for them all. The yellow and red foliage color really caught my eye too! What a wonderful inteview! I loved learning about the story behind the story. I still have the 3rd book to read. ;) ☆sapphire said... Thanks so much for your nice review and interview! I'd love to read the trilogy! As I like to read coming-of-age stories very much, I became very intrigued by the three books! The third one "has greater philosophical depth and moral ambiguity"?! How interesting! I'll place an order online. I think Scholastic is really a great publisher!! Your autumn leaves are awesome. Ours have begun to turn color at last! I really enjoyed this interview with the editor, Sarah. I've always wondered just what a book editor did, and now I can see how Kate's involvement with these books helped to make them better novels. These books really do sound intriguing, especially with a mythological premise and similarities to Orwell. Over the last few years I can't but remember 1984's wars with East Asia and then Eurasia as we switch between Iran and Iraq as the "enemy." I've often thought, too, that it's only a matter of time before reality TV starts promoting some kind of fight to the death like this. If I were still teaching, I would be using your reviews for reading suggestions to my ninth-graders! This is awesome! You have the coolest neighbors! (I know I sound pretty juvenile, but it's true!) I recently bought the first two books of the trilogy and they're on my reading list for this winter. I'm really looking forward to reading these books, even more so after reading your post and this interview. Thank you Sarah! We recently had Kate visit the middle school, and she was great. Kids in grades 5-8 soaked up her humor and wisdom. Another great interview, Sarah. Also, I like the leaves which now seem to have largely fallen! Great interview. I really liked reading what was the inspiration morally for the trilogy because I did not get the feel that they came out so strongly in the first book for me. Decadence, corruption of power, that sort of thing yes, but the individual effects of war on an individual seemed less pronounced. I really enjoy your interviews. Tina, good to hear that you are feeling better. The bright reds and yellows are now gone but there are still golden brown oaks. Barrie, pick a free weekend because it will be hard to put down. Thanks for hosting the book review club! Sapphire, is The Hunger Games big in Japan? I imagine it will be if it isn’t already. Our big storm today is pulling down the last of the colorful leaves. I’m looking forward to seeing yours. Rose, it’s been fascinating hearing about the writing process from an editor’s perspective. Everyone else I know in publishing is an author or an agent. I agree that these books would be great for classroom discussions, not so much for literary merit (they are commercial fiction) but for the topical issues of war and television. Donna, I do have the coolest neighbors and blog buddies! Let me know what you think of the books. Charlotte, thanks so much for introducing me to Kate! We walked again today, and she told me about how much fun she had with your students. I am missing the leaves and sunshine. Stacy, the first two books were more spectacular and the war was not much more than a small rebellion. By the third book, the horrors of full-blown war take a more personal toll on the main characters. Katniss appears to be suffering from PTSD. Beth Kephart said... This is fascinating! Thank you for this. Maria Padian said... This was such fun to read, not only to get the "behind the scenes" story from the editor but also ... heck, Kate's our neighbor! Suzanne Collins is lucky to have her: a good editor is a gift! Beth and Maria, as authors you know the value of a good editor. Tracy Golightly-Garcia said... I enjoyed the interview and even though my daughter might be to young for the books--they sound like a good read for me. The red leaves are beautiful--this year we have more yellow and brown leaves in my area. Tracy :) Amanda Summer said... this book is very intriguing to me, especially because of the greek mythology theme. what a great premise for a good yarn -- and a great interview with the editor to boot! thanks sarah! Tracy, enjoy the books and your leaves. Ours are mostly down now. Amanda, you’ll appreciate the Greek myth update. Wow, I think this interview is my favorite of all the ones you've done. Your questions are excellent and kate's answers gave me so much to think about. I'm surprised that the editor interview is the one that stands out. And thanks for the leaves.... Cynthia, I found this interview especially interesting too. It was great to get the editor’s perspective. Part of what might have made this one stand out was that I conducted the interview in person instead of via email. It was a lot more work, but made it more of a conversation. It was fun getting to know Kate too. You have such interesting neighbors! This "interview with" is a great feature, and it's a nice twist to interview the editor instead of the author. I'm going to check these out for the Book Club I'm organizing for the 13 year olds. Bee, this series would be a perfect choice for your book club since both kids and parents would enjoy them. It would be interesting to hear the English reaction. I’m lucky to have such interesting neighbors and blog buddies! nat @book, line, and sinker said... what a terrific idea for an interview! i loved the insight that kate offered and really enjoyed this trilogy. Nat, welcome to my blog and thank you! Kate was marvelous. It’s so nice to connect with another book lover. Loved this behind the scenes look at one of my favorite series! Lenore, welcome to my blog and thank you! drSmock said... I've been trying to find Kate Egan's email address to inform her of an editing error on p. 167 of the trade copy of _The Hunger Games_. There's a noun-verb disagreement in the sentence containing "my heads throbs . . . " which (I think) is somewhere near the middle of the page. I was hoping she could go back and correct her manuscript so that the typo won't appear in future printings. So . . . If anyone here knows her email, could you please inform her? Ryan Smock drSmock, try contacting the publisher, Scholastic, as Kate does not handle details like that. I thought David Levithan edited HG? http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/10/15/the-hunger-games-movie/ I'm sure I am just missing something super obvious. But, I don't know what. Al, welcome to my blog! Kate Egan is Suzanne Collins's longtime editor. Kate signed up Suzanne for her first novel and has edited all eight of her books, including the HG series. David Levithan is the editorial director/publisher of Scholastic Press (as noted in the article you linked to), and as such, has contributed a lot of editorial feedback to Suzanne. They all work together as a team. When addressing the press, David speaks for Scholastic. As a freelance editor, Kate cannot represent the company. I hope that clears up the confusion. Thanks for your question! gotcha! thank you so much! that makes complete sense! thank you for getting back to me! :) Matched by Ally Condie & More Gift Book Suggestion... Memory, Morality and Youthful Indiscretions Fall Tide at Maquoit Bay Interview with Kate Egan, editor of The Hunger Gam...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line28
__label__wiki	0.843665	0.843665	Listen to Dave Matthews Band LIVE concerts every Friday night in July Want to follow the Dave Matthews Band summer tour across the country without ever leaving home? Friday nights this month, tune in to Dave Matthews Band Radio (Ch. 3 and Ch. 716 streaming) to hear live broadcasts of the band’s east coast shows as part of the DMB Friday Night Concert Series. Live from Saratoga Springs, NY Listen: Friday, July 13 at 8 pm ET Live from Raleigh, NC Live from West Palm Beach, FL Missed the Friday night live broadcast? Catch encores all week long after each show at these times on Dave Matthews Band Radio (Ch. 3 and Ch. 716 streaming): Saturdays at 9 am and 3 pm ET Sundays at 11 am and 5 pm ET Mondays at 1 pm and 10 pm ET Tuesdays at 9 am ET Wednesdays at 6 pm ET Thursdays at 12 pm ET In the meantime, check out our exclusive Dave Matthews videos. Watch Dave Matthews perform new track ‘Samurai Cop’ LIVE on Howard Stern Watch Dave Matthews perform ‘Crash Into Me’ LIVE on Howard Stern Watch Dave Matthews perform ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ LIVE on Howard Stern Dave Matthews talks about new track “Bkdkdkdd” Dave Matthews talks about new track “Samurai Cop” Dave Matthews talks about his son touring with him Dave Matthews remembers friend & bandmate LeRoi Moore The Highway takes you backstage during Academy of Country Music Awards rehearsals Entertainment, Hip-Hop/R&B, Music, Pop Culture Nipsey Hussle, Grammy-nominated rapper and activist, dead at 33 2000s Pop, 90s and 2000s R&B, 90s Pop, Classic Hip Hop, Classic Rock, Classic Soul, Country, Current Hip Hop, Current Hits, Current R&B, Family, Hard Rock/Metal, Health, Lifestyle, Music Celebrate Valentine’s Day with 12 love-themed music & talk specials!	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line29
__label__cc	0.57744	0.42256	UNBC Energy Tour What energy will you bring? Welcome to the Energy Tour Category Archives: The Tour Great Energy at the U Posted on September 11, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem The kick-off for UNBC’s 25th anniversary celebrations occurred on Sept 2 and coincided with orientation for hundreds of first-year students. The events of the day have been captured in the news and on various social media channels, but now, one week fake cartier bracelets after the festivities, it’s easy to see that the kick-off also inspired feelings of pride from people with various associations with UNBC. The Citizen published an editorial, a local CBC radio personality wrote a blog post (both authors are UNBC alumni), and long-time faculty member Todd Whitcombe penned a sincere op-ed, and they have served to magnify the atmosphere that was felt on campus that day. As a “UNBC old-timer,” it was gratifying to see new students truly interacting with people whose association with UNBC is much older than the students themselves. It’s exactly why one of the themes for the 25th anniversary is energy. There was a real feeling of energy at the University last week, and many commented that they had never witnessed anything quite like it at UNBC. I was on campus the day the Queen visited in 1994. I’ll never forget it, but it has been great to see that level of energy resurrected many times over the years: the annual graduation ceremonies, the start of the medical program in 2004, the opening of the sport centre in 2007, and the visit from Rick Mercer a couple of years ago. Last Tuesday was one of those days. Last Tuesday also marked the start of a new energy project that will foster the evolution of UNBC as a model for northern and remote communities. The Sustainable Communities Demonstration Project (SCDP) will connect UNBC’s bioenergy systems – especially the wood pellet system – to the residences, daycare, and the I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Lab. The initial phase will be a district energy system that will circulate on hot water, just like the rest of the core campus buildings. But, unlike the rest of the campus, the new SCDP will deliver heat at a lower temperature, serving as a more effective platform for demonstrating multiple renewable energy technologies, including bioenergy, that may be appropriate for deployment in rural communities. Currently, hundreds of communities across Canada burn diesel or propane to meet their energy needs. Initial funders for the Sustainable Communities Demonstration Project. Back, from left: MLAs Shirley Bond and Amrik Virk, Michael replica cartier love bracelet Weedon of BC Bioenergy Network, and TransCanada Executive VP Alex Pourbaix. Front row: Mayor Stephanie Killam, UNBC President Daniel Weeks, and Brad Bennett of Pacific BioEnergy The initial funding partners – the Government of BC, TransCanada Corporation, the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition, and the BC Bioenergy Network – announced their participation last week and local wood pellet manufacturer, Pacific BioEnergy, announced their commitment to continue donating wood pellets for the expanded system. UNBC researcher and graduate, Titi Kunkel Many communities and businesses care about this project. So do many employees and students. One of them spoke at the announcement. Titi Kunkel is a UNBC graduate and recently defended her PhD dissertation about the relationship between local, renewable energy and the development of Aboriginal communities. When I asked her to describe her interest cartier bracelet size conversion in the SCDP and its value, she initially responded that it would take a 15-page paper…or two! Titi lives in Quesnel and did her research with 15 First Nations communities in the Cariboo and Chilcotin regions of BC. She’s convinced that rural and remote regions should use their vast, adjacent natural resources to generate energy that will foster their continued sustainability and that the SCDP will help show the way. It will start on the Prince George campus, and the trailblazers will be the students in residence who will be the first beneficiaries of the new SCDP. They won’t actually feel any difference, except the pride – maybe the “energy” – of being associated with something important cartier bracelet for communities across Canada. Posted in The Tour Three cheers for good ideas Posted on June 13, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem Bioenergy conference delegates at the opening reception in the Canfor Winter Garden at UNBC. Over the last two weeks, both UNBC and Prince George have again been front-and-centre regarding energy, and bioenergy cartier love bracelet in particular. Today was the last day, for example, of the International Bioenergy Conference and Exhibition, which is held every second year in Prince George. This was the 10th anniversary of the conference and there were close to 350 people cartier bracelet size conversion attending from all over the world: Sweden, Finland, China, New Zealand, the United States, etc. It’s the longest-running conference of its kind in Canada. UNBC’s David Claus leads one of the tours replica cartier during the bioenergy conference For the last few years, I’ve been a member of the Board for the society that puts on the conference. Its relationship with UNBC goes back to the beginning – in 2004, the University was the site of the first conference. This year, UNBC hosted the opening reception for the conference and provided a number of tours of our bioenergy systems. It’s great exposure to some of the leading bioenergy thinkers and companies from around the world. One of those leading thinkers is a local person who first had the idea for the bioenergy conference. John Swaan is considered to be a father of Canada’s wood pellet industry. He had his motivation in the beehive burners that were incinerating thousands of tonnes of sawmill residues in Prince George and the region in the 1990s. While some saw a waste product, John saw a business opportunity. He started a pellet-manufacturing operation in the region and was the first to ship pellets from Canada’s west coast to Europe. He was a founder of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) and served as its executive director through much of the 2000s. For all of those reasons, John was the first recipient of a new “Founders Award for Bioenergy Excellence” that was presented by the Board to celebrate the conference’s 10th anniversary. On behalf of the Board for the bioenergy conference, I presented an award of excellence to John Swaan during the conference What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that John was also an instigator of UNBC’s bioenergy project…all because of the 2010 Olympics. Seriously. In 2007, the City of Vancouver was planning the construction of the athletes’ village and had proposed that it be heated with wood pellets from northern BC. The idea didn’t garner public support, however, and so the idea wasn’t approved by Vancouver city council. John was visiting UNBC shortly after the decision and was expressing his frustration over the perception of bioenergy in metro Vancouver. The reaction from UNBC was essentially this: “If Vancouver won’t do it, we will.” John was executive director of WPAC at the time and worked with us to acquire federal funding for a small wood pellet system at the I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Lab that would serve as a “prototype” for a future energy system that would tie into UNBC’s existing campus district heating system. Funding was provided by the Federal Government in 2008 as part of its pine beetle recovery program and the rest is history. Today, the two bioenergy systems on campus – the wood pellet system and the larger biomass gasification system – have offset natural gas consumption for heating by more cartier replica than 70% annually. But maybe even more significantly, the project is serving as a model for northern communities and a platform for education and research. It also continues to attract awards. The latest was awarded in Toronto last week at the Canadian Green Building Council annual convention. The Bioenergy Plant was one of only eight buildings nationwide to receive a green building award, and the comments of the jury are particularly appropriate: This project is exemplary for bringing local energy production into view and so elevating public consciousness around ownership and responsibility. An elegant building whose expression is rooted in ’place’; a fabulous example of what more communities in Canada should be doing. Hear, hear. It’s a story and an opportunity that UNBC is continuing develop and the bioenergy conference provided another opportunity to share it with the world. “Close your eyes and swing for the fences” Posted on June 1, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem Honorary degree recipient Michael Green in front of the Wood Innovation and Design cartier bracelet size conversion Centre he designed The annual Convocation ceremonies are always the highlights of the UNBC calendar. For hundreds of students every year – this year, more than 800 – Convocation is a time to celebrate accomplishments and transitions. It’s that “transitions” part that serves as a theme of the day, and always lives in the inspirational speech that is delivered to the grad class by honorary degree recipients. The honorary degree recipients for 2014 were ethnobotanist Nancy Turner and architect Michael Green. Both are exceptional individuals and both gave “words to live by” to the grads: Turner recounted her decades of experiences with BC First Nations and their traditional uses of plants; Green described a personal mantra to take risks and aim to change the world, which started when he broke his back in a climbing accident and barely survived. The entrance foyer of the Wood Innovation and Design Centre Green used a baseball metaphor – “keep your eye on the ball” – as the foundation for his speech. But he described that phrase as conventional and too safe, and chose instead to give it a twist. “Close your eyes and swing for the fences,” he told the Class of 2014. “You’ll miss a lot, but when you connect, you’ll feel like you’ve changed the world.” Green should know. He has made a career out of turning architectural convention on its head. In a profession dominated by people who use concrete, steel, and glass, Green would appear to have made it his life mission to make wood the building material of choice. And not just for houses; for skyscrapers. Laminated Veneer Lumber is used in the window frames His Wood Innovation and Design Centre in downtown Prince George is the start. The 30m building is already being touted as the world’s tallest modern wood building, but Green believes it will be prototype for wood buildings that are 20, 30, or even 40 stories tall. New technologies and new ideas can make it happen. These photos of the Wood Innovation and Design Centre show some of its interesting The ceiling/floor structure for each floor uses staggered CLT panels and unique features. From the top, there’s a view from the mezzanine of the entrance foyer. The beams covered with protective plastic are glulam and the floor of the mezzanine as well fake cartier bracelets as the ceiling and walls is cross-laminated timber (CLT), a product made in BC by Structurlam. The next photo shows www.cartierlovebracelet.co Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) which is used in the staircase leading from the ground level to the mezzanine as well as in the window Pipes that connect the Wood Innovation and Design Centre to the City’s bioenergy system frames (as shown here) throughout the building. Finally, there’s a nice photo from the top storey of the building that shows the ceiling structure of alternating CLT panels. This contributes to the building’s strength while also providing space for electrical and telecommunications cables. On the outside, the white plastic that has covered the building for a few months has finally been removed, once again providing a good view of the building both from the street and the webcams that have been capturing the progress since the first beam was installed. And now that the structure is complete, pipes are being installed that will connect the Wood Innovation and Design Centre to Prince George’s district energy system. This system, which originates at the Lakeland Mill, brings hot water to a number of buildings throughout the downtown core. The outside of the building also features wooden boards that have been slightly burned, releasing the wood’s natural preservative. Click here for a video about how it’s done. When it’s completed the Wood Innovation and Design Centre will house proposed new master’s degree programming in engineering that will focus on wood design and the use of wood in large structures. It’s a new area for UNBC, and the program’s first professor was just recently appointed. All in all, with so many developments on site recently, the presentation of an honorary degree to Michael Green came at a perfect time. And he hit the nail replica cartier love bracelet on the head with his message to the grads. Much is said these days of skills and technical expertise and certainly, the Class of 2014 is leaving UNBC with abilities to excel in their chosen careers or professions. But Green’s story – and his experience with the Wood Innovation and Design Centre – proves that passion, creativity, and imagination still count for a lot. Sensibility About Sustainability Posted on May 25, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem It’s the largest academic conference UNBC has hosted: nearly 500 academics from 26 countries around the world. They are here www.cartierlovebracelet.co for the eighth congress presented by the International Arctic Social Science Association and the theme is “Northern Sustainabilities.” Through hundreds of research presentations, workshops, lectures, and seminars, the delegates are being exposed to various ideas and perspectives on economic, social, cultural, and environmental sustainability – all from a northern lens. It’s great. Sverker Sorlin speaks to nearly 350 people at UNBC during the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences I took in a session from Swedish academic Sverker Sorlin, an expert in the notion of “environmental humanities” – the idea that understanding the environment and sustainability is as much social and cultural as it is technical and biological. The Canfor Theatre was packed for his presentation, which examined the history of glacier replica cartier research in Scandinavia and how it has been shaped by local and regional perceptions of place while also contributing to international knowledge about the changing global climate. His presentation came at the end of a week that also saw a UNBC glacier specialist attract international media coverage. UNBC professor and Canada Research Chair Brian Menounos had been interviewed about a major American climate change report that targeted the rapid melt of glaciers in BC and Alaska as a critical issue. Menounos is a leading researcher on the topic and has been working with researchers from Alaska, Washington State, Alberta, and BC to document the changes among BC’s glaciers. And have the changes been significant? Yes, with an exclamation point, according to the US report, with implications for electrical production, fisheries, and sea level rise. Brian Menounos (right) and Matt Beedle examine a moraine left behind by Castle Creek Glacier In 2008, I traveled with Menounos and his PhD student at the time, Matt Beedle, to the Castle Creek Glacier near McBride to photograph their research and make the early results available to the media. Later, we worked with a video crew to produce a story for the Weather Network and UNBC’s YouTube channel. Six years later, the research appears to finally be getting major attention: the story on CBC generated more than 1400 comments, with another 1000 on the National Post website. Part of the reason for the high levels of interest must be the striking data that Menounos and his team present: BC’s 17,000 glaciers are permanently losing 22 billion cubic metres of water cartier bracelet size conversion per year. That’s enough to fill BC Place Stadium 8300 times! Beyond the striking data is the conclusion that global warming caused by consumption of fossil fuels is largely to blame. “We know what we need to do,” Menounos is quoted as saying by the Canadian Press (and subsequently reprinted). “It’s not an easy decision, but we have to start, I would argue, thinking about changing our reliance on fossil fuels.” Sverker Sorlin would agree. People do have a role to play. “If we use the next cartier replica generation wisely,” he said at the end of his talk at UNBC, “and use our conscience as much as our brains, we might finally deliver on northern sustainability.” 100 years since the last spike Posted on April 7, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem The “famous ” last spike at Craigellachie, BC Most Canadians associate this photo with “The last spike.” The ceremony marked the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Canada’s first transcontinental railway, in 1885. It was nearly 30 years before a second route to the west replica cartier love bracelet was completed: the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. 100 years ago today (April 7), the Grand Trunk Pacific was completed, connecting Prince Rupert to Winnipeg. The last spike was driven about 137 km west of Prince George, near the community of Fort Fraser. This other “last spike” ceremony is much less known but it changed northern cartier bracelets BC forever. The GTP went on to become Canadian National and remains a vital transportation corridor linking northern BC to the east cartierlovebracelet.co and, thanks cartier bracelet size conversion to the Port of Prince Rupert, to the world The anniversary almost went by without anyone really noticing. Thankfully, deep in the Archives of Northern BC, a photo of the event was discovered and shared. It was shot by Parker Bonney, who had a long history in northern BC as a forester and surveyor before he passed away in 1977. The photo is one of 600 of Bonney’s images that are being preserved by the Archives. Click here for more information about the story. UNBC Archivist Ramona Rose shows Parker Bonney’s photo of “the last spike” for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad When UNBC was first established, it was described by some founders as the most significant development for northern BC “since the coming of the railroad.” 100 years after the coming of the railroad, it’s appropriate that UNBC has a part in preserving that history. “You could work on this for 10 years and still not have all the answers” – UNBC students host a symposium on LNG Posted on March 21, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem The expansion of the BC natural gas industry to possibly include LNG terminals for export is one of the biggest topics in northern BC. And when there’s a big economic topic, you can count on UNBC Economics students to talk about it. For many years now, they’ve presented an annual symposium on the main economic issues of the day: the BC carbon tax (2008), the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics (2005), the Northern Gateway pipeline (2011). Today, it was LNG and students asked “What Should BC Do With Its Natural Gas?” The event was so popular, extra chairs were www.cartierbracelets.co needed. A good crowd on campus for the Natural Gas Symposium The symposium was sponsored by Fortis BC and the company took a unique approach to the event. Rather than simply provide the University with funds to attract external speakers, the Fortis sponsorship provided four students with $1500 research grants to explore different parts replica cartier of the natural gas issue. Their papers – covering topics such as the production of natural gas, domestic consumption vs export, and environmental and social impacts – served as the basis for the opening discussion and framed the program for the remainder of the day. UNBC students Deng Menyang, Joshua Mann, Claire Stechishin, and Adam Vickers Claire Stechishin provided data on global natural gas consumption and the relationship between producers (Russia, Canada, the US) and consumers (the US, China, Europe) that is based cartier bracelet on infrastructure such as pipelines. Deng Menyang followed this with data on the global flow of LNG from countries such as Qatar, Malaysia, and Australia to distant markets in Europe and Asia. Clearly, liquefaction technology is changing longstanding relationships between producers and consumers and allowing countries in Asia especially to rapidly increase their natural gas consumption (from 13-19% of global natural gas consumption in the last decade alone). Adam Vickers then showed how an LNG industry in BC might nearly double the natural gas industry’s greenhouse gas emissions and he highlighted other social factors: the supply of skilled labour, the housing stock available for workers, and consequences for security and sovereignty. Joshua Mann concluded by focusing on the situation for BC, which cartier bracelet size conversion ended up being presented as a series of questions: Are the people in the northern region likely to benefit from the LNG opportunity in terms of employment? Are the airsheds around proposed LNG terminals able to handle increased industrial emissions? How will First Nations communities and municipalities be affected? Are provincial and federal laws appropriate and will they be enforced? How will we – or should we – invest any royalties from natural gas? All are good questions and led to Joshua’s statement that “You could work on this for 10 years and still not have all the answers.” True. But all of the students acknowledged that their research project gave them more knowledge than they had before they began five months ago. They also know that there is still much more to learn. Joshua summed it up well: “I know more but I have more questions now than when I started on this research five months ago.” Ottawa – “Linkages are key” Posted on February 27, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem Both the governments of Canada and British Columbia have clearly expressed their desire to move landlocked energy (both gas and oil) to the Pacific Ocean for export to Asia. Northern BC literally sits in the middle of this issue, giving the region unusual prominence in Ottawa. UNBC has never had a high profile in our nation’s capital, but it’s appropriate for that to change if the North is to increase the local pool of skills and add capacity in related cartier bracelet size conversion research and innovation. One group replica cartier critical to building the UNBC profile in Ottawa is alumni. Though still relatively small in number, UNBC graduates in Ottawa include Industry Minister James Moore and dozens more. I met with a group of alumni in Ottawa last week to get their ideas on how UNBC can best meet the challenge of responding to the energy issue in ways that respect economic development, environmental sustainability, and community vitality. UNBC grads in Ottawa. From left: Jamie Campbell, Patrick Sampson, Natalie Vogt, Mike Speakman, Judy Mitchell, Paul Way, and Laura Way. “Linkages with decision-makers here are key,” said one. “UNBC could be a knowledge broker,” said another. “You could be a source of expertise on federal aspects of natural resource developments.” “UNBC could promote itself as the University of the corridor from northern Alberta to the west coast.” These alumni have a certain insight, being employed in ministries such as Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Natural Resources Canada. One is a specialist in cross-border issues. Another is coordinating a national study on First Nations food, nutrition, and the environment. One developed the new strategic framework for the Canadian Forest Service that involved two years of consultation about sustainable forests. Another is a finance specialist. One is a manager for the Treasury Board. The group even had expertise on the oil sands. Did this group of alumni represent the upper echelon of decision-making in Ottawa? No, but they represent something perhaps more important. They’re bringing cartier replica new ideas and northern perspectives to the capital and contributing to an emerging sense of “open innovation.” It’s rooted in an appreciation that not all of the smart people are in Ottawa. In fact, “the idea of this city being the central source of knowledge is disappearing,” said one graduate. There’s increased appreciation for diffuse and diverse expertise that can contribute to better decisions, he said. It was this statement that offered a glimpse into UNBC’s potential contribution. It may be precisely that UNBC is NOT in Ottawa that makes it most valuable to the national discussion on energy, but also to policy discussions in any number of areas of consequence to Canada and its northern regions. If there’s a greater interest in assembling knowledge from across the country in the pursuit of better decisions in Ottawa, northern BC is well-positioned. Natural + Human Resources = the New North Posted on January 25, 2014 by Rob van Adrichem The annual natural resources forum earlier this week has become cartier bracelet one of the most anticipated events of the year in Prince George. Launched nearly a dozen years ago by former MLA Pat Bell, the event draws residents from around northern BC to hear the latest information from high-ranking executives of the companies doing business in the region. And they shared a lot of information. Topics covered multi-storey wood buildings (“the future of the industry” according to West Fraser), Liquefied natural gas (“literally transforming the face of our country forever” according to Premier Clark), mining (“BC’s competitive edge is the availability of freshwater and power” said Tony Jensen of New Gold), electricity generation (“It’s delusional to think rates won’t go up” predicted Donald McInnes of Alterra), and bioenergy (“all of the knowledge we have of this sector is going to double in the next 18 months” suggested Ken Shields of Conifex Timber and President of the Canadian cartierbracelets.co Bioenergy Association). For all the talk of resources, a significant part of the conversation also focused on people. The LNG proponents all talked about the challenge of attracting skilled labour to both construct and operate the export terminals as well as in upstream gas extraction. Leroy Reitsma of Pinnacle Pellet linked the attraction of talent to cost-competitiveness. And Heather Oland of Initiatives Prince George presented two imperatives: training labour for industry and educating citizens for communities. MLAs and UNBC alumni meet to discuss the future of the North during a breakfast held prior to the start of the Natural Resources Forum Heather was one of three UNBC alumni who occupied the podium during the forum (the others were Tracey Wolsey of Suncor and Jason Fisher of Dunkley Lumber). She is the head of Prince George’s economic development agency and was also one of 30 graduates who participated in a breakfast with about 25 MLAs immediately prior to the start of the Natural Resources Forum. The MLAs were in Prince George for a caucus meeting the day before and the gathering with grads was literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When else could a small group of grads have access to so many MLAs, including the Ministers of Health, Education, Advanced Education, Jobs, Aboriginal Affairs, and Community Development? The alumni group included CEOs, Executive Directors, entrepreneurs, and chiefs representing sectors ranging from forestry, energy, and mining to local government, public health, and education. Gradually, it’s becoming apparent that while alumni may not – yet – be occupying senior positions in the corporations making major investments in the region, it’s easy to find them in influential positions throughout cartier bracelet size conversion the region. And they’re trailblazers. Derek Baker is one example. Even before he graduated with his Commerce degree in 2011, he was the first-ever economic development intern at the Northern Development Initiative Trust. He was posted in Prince Rupert and since then, the Prince George native has gone on to become the first employee of Pacific Northwest LNG, a proposed natural gas liquefaction facility within the District of Port Edward (just south of Prince Rupert) that would export natural gas extracted by Progress Energy in northeastern BC and delivered by a pipeline to be constructed by TransCanada. The majority shareholder in the project – Petronas – estimates the total investment at $36 billion. UNBC grad Derek Baker: “The opportunity to learn and work in the North has never been greater” And this is just one of the proposed projects. It’s an opportunity not lost on Derek Baker. “Potential investments in the tens of billions of dollars represent significant employment opportunities in a diverse range of professions including engineering, environmental studies, business analysis, and administration to name cartier love bracelet replica a few,” says Baker, who is the company’s community relations advisor. “The education I received at UNBC has been the foundation on which I have built my career. UNBC is the only school that provides education through a Northern BC lens; introducing you to and preparing you for situations, opportunities and challenges unique to working in Northern BC.” Good luck to all of the UNBC alumni applying their education, skills, and values to the many diverse resource development questions currently being explored in Northern BC. The region depends on them. “People Feel This” – the effects of natural resource projects explored at UNBC I remember a conversation that I had early in my UNBC career with a visiting forestry expert. I can’t remember his name or title but he was involved with a national forestry organization. It was probably 15 years ago. He was describing cartier bracelet size conversion a revolution that he was witnessing in balancing economic, environmental, and social values related to the forest and how this was affecting forest practices, policy, employment, and forest products. His was a call to forestry programs to change what they were doing to reflect this new reality. I didn’t get it – I thought pursuing the balance between all of those things was already happening at UNBC. “Am I missing something?” I asked him. “No,” he acknowledged, and then he impressed upon me how fortunate we were at UNBC to have new programming and to be based in a region that understood cartier bracelet and valued the forest. UNBC Dean Dan Ryan addresses participants during a workshop on cumulative effects I was remembering this during a workshop that was held at UNBC this weekend. The workshop was historic in that it brought together three UNBC research institutes – on community development, natural resources and the environment, and health – to host a single event for the first time. But it was the topic – the cumulative effects of multiple natural resource development projects around northern BC – that attracted more than 100 people from throughout the region. The event was financially supported by the BC Oil and Gas Commission. “Cumulative effects” are generally understood to be the additive and often unpredictable outcomes of multiple development activities over a period of time and in a particular place. Of course, the topic is a big one in northern BC today as multiple projects, such as pipelines and mines, are discussed in places that may also already have active forestry, agriculture, and/or fishing and hunting activities. What might be the consequences of all of these activities? Jobs and economic growth represent part of the answer but attendees also sought to understand the environmental, social, cultural, and health effects. For those curious about the future consequences of an expanded oil and gas sector in northern BC, for example, the presentations from the Northeast proved to be eye-opening. Fort St John mayor Lori Ackerman was quick to remind the crowd that the “NG” in “LNG” comes from the northeast corner of the province and that for every dollar invested on the North Coast in the form of LNG terminals, six dollars would be invested in her area in extracting, processing, and sending natural gas. She spoke about the deliberate transformation the community has made from being “destitute” in the 1980s and ’90s to the bustling city of 21,000 that it is today, en route to projections of having 40,000 inhabitants before leveling off. Not so fast, suggested Lana Lowe of the Fort Nelson First Nations. She spoke emotionally about elders feeling unwelcome on their own lands, heavy water use for fracking, and ecological disruption for roads to service new well-sites. As noted in my first blog post, the Fort Nelson area is at the frontier of natural gas development in BC and if LNG goes ahead, Lana predicted that there would be a 600% increase in drilling activity over the next 20 years, representing 3,000 new wells and 4,500 km of new roads. The comment was reminiscent of a remark made during a presentation earlier in the day by Chris Johnson, UNBC’s first PhD graduate, who described the general public’s understanding of cumulative effects as “Death by a thousand cuts: a thousand clear-cuts, a thousand roads, a thousand wells.” Workshop participants share ideas during a break-out session exploring environmental effects of resource developments. So what to do? Just say no? Just say yes? After numerous passionate presentations from university and community people alike, UNBC professor Mike Gillingham noted that “People feel this; it’s more than just a research area for us.” Indeed, it’s about the future of the region. And it’s about values and priorities. It’s also about being educated, and not just in ecological processes. UNBC professor Kathy Lewis gave a fascinating presentation about how economics and politics have become primary forces on the land and how “good things” like local economic development can often bring unintended consequences that greatly reduce the resilience of the forest. One of her examples was the recent cartier love bracelet outbreak of the mountain pine beetle. The beetle’s population explosion has been blamed on climate change; that winters aren’t as cold as they used to be. But lack of species diversity in the forest has also been a major factor. Simply put, on the eve of the beetle infestation, our forests were full of mature pine trees. And mature spruce and Douglas-fir. The forest industry’s preference for those species had the effect, Dr. Lewis says, of gradually reducing the biodiversity of the forest, thereby making it more susceptible to insect outbreaks. A solution would appear to be planting more different kinds of trees, thereby increasing the diversity and resilience of the forest. But doing so would exacerbate a looming post-beetle timber supply shortfall and put local sawmill operations at even greater risk. Many communities that rely on the jobs in the existing forest industry model wouldn’t be able to accept this scenario and so the current cycle continues. UNBC professor Kathy Lewis says that when thinking about cumulative effects, don’t forget about economics and politics. But maybe there’s another way. Maybe, just like that conversation I had 15 years ago, UNBC can take advantage of its youth and location to foster a new, modern discussion that truly involves people, brings industry and governments together, and fosters educational experiences for all students within the diverse communities and environments of the region. The results would be enhanced access to information and an army of alumni possessing unique skills and attitudes oriented to addressing the complex social, environmental, health, economic, and cultural issues of the region with respect to resource developments. In this regard, gaining an understanding of cumulative effects and impacts is more than a topic for a weekend workshop; it’s an approach to delivering on the mission of the University. After all, as UNBC Canada Research Chair Margot replica cartier Parkes identified, words that begin with “eco” have their origins in the Greek word for “house” and the Latin word for “household.” That is, ecosystems and economies aren’t distant; they’re where we live. And for Lana Lowe, living with the multiple consequences of energy development, “It lifts me up just knowing that there are people like you talking about these things.” Iceland: opening both eyes and minds Posted on November 5, 2013 by Rob van Adrichem I’ve worked at UNBC for more than 21 years now and one of the best parts has been meeting students who have a certain attitude or charisma; you just know they’ll change the world. Over the years, some of these students have become politicians and CEOs but many more have quietly brought their values and smarts to their workplaces and communities and simply made things better. I hope to use this blog to introduce some of these future leaders to you and have them share some of their perspectives and ideas. Jordan Carlson is the first. He attended a summer school on energy in Iceland over the summer and was really inspired by the experience. Here’s his story, the first of what I hope will be many guest blog posts from UNBC students. UNBC student Jordan Carlson, recently back from Iceland In July and August this year, I was lucky enough to attend cartierbracelets.co a renewable energy summer school program at Reykjavik University in Iceland – then known as part of the REYST (Reykjavik University programme in Sustainable Energy), and now a part of the university’s Iceland School of Energy. The reason I say lucky is because the financial support of UNBC’s Green Fund, UNBC’s Department of Physics, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, and UNBC’s Dean of Student Success allowed me to be in Reykjavik from July 26th until August 17th, attending the program. Now, what most people have asked me about this trip is simple (and you’re probably already thinking it): why go to Iceland to study renewable energy? The answer is equally simple; no other region on the planet gets as much of its energy from renewable sources as Iceland does. Approximately 85% of Icelandic energy comes cartier love bangle from either hydroelectricity or geothermal heat and power; the remaining 15% of their energy consumption is fossil fuels, used for transport both by consumers and by industry. All of the country’s electricity comes from renewables – roughly 75% hydroelectric, 25% geothermal – and more than 95% of the country’s heating requirements are met by geothermal hot water sources, piped throughout homes, businesses, and the rest of the country. Though a unique situation, what lessons can be learned from Iceland’s energy sector – especially for BC, a region that similarly relies on hydro power? In my opinion, quite a few. A geothermal heating plant near Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland’s choice of renewable energy sources is primarily due to its geography. Few other regions of the planet have the volcanic activity and water resources that Iceland does, giving Icelanders nearly unrivaled capacity to make use of hydro and geothermal energy sources. Through exploiting the natural bounty of the region, they are able to pump incredibly hot groundwater throughout their towns, cities, and industrial regions to provide the heat they require in their day-to-day lives. The water is then pumped back into the ground to rejoin the geothermal cycle after its heat has been captured and used by Icelanders. As a result, so long as overdrawing is avoided, Iceland’s geothermal resources are entirely renewable and sustainable. The country’s freshwater, glacier-fed rivers, which provide a great deal of hydropower for its citizens, are similarly sustainable cartierlovebracelet.co so long as they are managed properly. The way that Iceland uses its energy is also instructive. Over 75% of the country’s electricity production is consumed by industry – primarily aluminum smelting. A large portion of Iceland’s energy projects, in fact, are designed from the outset to enable the creation of new industries to strengthen the Icelandic economy. British Columbia has done some of this in the past – such as the dam that was built to provide power for a Rio Tinto Alcan plant – but the choices behind dam location, construction, and other controls can be controversial. Nevertheless, the idea of using a power project to create the necessary grid capacity for new industries is a very powerful one – especially when combined with developing new knowledge in emerging technologies, and using that knowledge as an economic boost through exporting it. Finally, one of the most surprising things learned while I was in Iceland was the scale of historical ecological devastation the country has seen. Since settlement, Icelanders have (primarily prior to the “Little Ice Age” of the 18th Century) destroyed over 90% of the country’s initial vegetation, whether forest or otherwise. Less than 5% of the birch forest that existed prior to settlement still stands. The result of this massive loss of vegetation has been vast deserts of black, volcanic sand that are not natural: they are a result of settlers cutting forests in order to build their homes and get wood for fuel, and allowing sheep to massively overgraze the local vegetation. The extent of damage done to the environment was so extreme that, when the local environment suffered between 1700 and 1900, the Icelandic population crashed from over 300,000 to less than 60,000 at the turn of the 20th Century. Over the course of the past hundred years, Iceland’s population has rebounded to 320,000, but this population crash due to lost vegetation is a very clear warning of the danger posed by ecological damages over time. It gradually took place over nearly a thousand years, but the cumulative damage caused by Icelanders to their homeland nearly caused their own extinction. To me, the primary lesson from all of this is that the best way to approach a sustainable energy system is to look at what resources are locally available – and to make use of them. Through building local expertise in geothermal and hydroelectric energy systems, Iceland has created an industry they are able to export, both through consulting firms and education programs, such as the one I attended. As British Columbia is a region rich in energy resources – natural gas, biomass, wind, hydro, geothermal, and even solar and waste energy – this serves as a potential model. By choosing a sphere in which few other parts of the world currently have expertise, British Columbians could develop a world-leading program in, for example, energy from forest biomass, and then export this knowledge directly through consulting engineering firms and designing energy systems for other parts of the world, and indirectly through attracting students and researchers who wish to investigate that form of energy. As a result, it is possible to look at the choices we make with regards to energy resources as a form of double-investment. First, we will be using those sources for as long as the infrastructure lasts (typically, between 40 and 100 years). Second, we can, by developing specialized knowledge and expertise, create an exportable cartier bracelet size conversion commodity – knowledge and experience that only our province would have – thus resulting in economic gains for the province as a whole. Feel free to share your own opinions on Jordan’s conclusions. About the Energy Tour Welcome to the Energy Tour. We created this blog in November 2012 to share information and foster dialogue on a unique opportunity for UNBC related to the sustainability of northern and rural communities. There are lots of reasons for the name of this blog: our energy project, the energy at the University leading up to the 25th anniversary in 2015, and the growth of the energy industry in northern BC as one of the defining features of the region. We hope you'll join the conversation.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line31
__label__cc	0.720853	0.279147	Give Us a King - 1 Samuel 9-10 by Tom Harr \| Give Us a King - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/200112_GUAK_Harr.mp3 Give Us a King - 1 Samuel 8:1-22 Flip or Flop - Matthew 28:16-20 by Pat Necerato \| Pursuing the King: Christmas in Matthew - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/191229_PTK_Necerato.mp3 by Tom Harr \| Christmas Eve - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2019-12-24-Christmas-Eve-Harr.mp3 Escape of the King - Matthew 2:13-23 by Tom Harr \| Pursing the King: Christmas in Matthew - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/191222_PTK_Harr.mp3 Visit to the King - Matthew 2:1-12 12.15.2019 The Birth of the King - Matthew 1:18-25 12.8.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-12-08-Matt-1-18-25-Harr-.mp3 Genealogy of the King - Matthew 1:1-17 12.1.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-12-1-Mt-1-1-17-Harr.mp3 The Kindness of Rain - Acts 14-8-17 - 11.27.2019 by Tom Harr \| Thanksgiving Eve - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-11-27-Ac-14-8-17-Harr-Thanksgiving.mp3 The Results of God's Presence - Exodus 34:8-35 11.24.2019 by Tom Harr \| Go With Us: Knowing God- Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11-24-Ex-34-8-35-Harr.mp3 Who is the Lord? - Exodus 34:1-8 11.17.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11-17-Ex-34-1-8.mp3 Show Me Your Glory - Exodus 33:18-23 11.10.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11-10-Ex-33-18-23-.mp3 God's Presence - Exodus 33:15-17 11.03.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11-03-Ex-33-15-17-Harr.mp3 God's People - Exodus 33:1-6; 12-14 10.27.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-10-27-Ex-33-1-6-12-14-Harr.mp3 Meeting with God - Exodus 33:7-11 10.20.2019 Exhibits of Grace - Acts 7:58-8:3; 9:1-22 10.13.2019 by Drew Grigg \| Guest Preacher - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10-13-19-Exhibits-of-Grace-Drew-Grigg.mp3 Solving Sin - Ex 32 - 10.06.2019 by Tom Harr \| Go With Us: Knowing God - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MONO-031-Oct-6-2019.mp3 Meeting God - Ex 3:1-15 - 9.29.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MONO-029-Sept-29-2019.mp3 Behind the Veil - Ex 34:29-35; 2 Cor 3:7-18 - 9.22.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Harr-2019-09-22-2-Cor-3-7-18.mp3 He Has Shown Thee - Micah 6:1-8 - 9.15.2019 by Rev. Peter Eck \| Guest Preacher - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MONO-025-Sep-15-2019.mp3 Wealth That Lasts - Luke 16:1-13 - 9.8.2019 by Tom Harr \| Parables - Kingdom Stories from Luke - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MONO-023-Sep-8-2019.mp3 The Brother We Need - Luke 15:11-32 - 9.1.2019 Lost and Found - Luke 15:1-10 - 8.25.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MONO-021-Aug-25-2019.mp3 Don't Buy the Knock-Off - Colossians 2:6-10 - 8.18.2019 by Rev. Daryl Wattley \| Guest Preacher - Click to download The Great Feast - Luke 14:12-24 - 8.11.2019 The Seat of Honor - Luke 14:7-11 - 8.4.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MONO-018-Aug-4-2019.mp3 How to Repent Luke 13:1-9 - 7.28.2019 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MONO-017-Jul-28-2019.mp3 Are You Ready? - Luke 12:35-48 - 7.21.2019 A Rich Fool - Luke 12:13-21 - 7.14.2019 by Kevin Koslowsky \| Parables - Kingdom Stories from Luke - Click to download Spiritual and Religious - 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16 - 7.7.2019 by Tom Harr \| Foolishness - 1 Corinthians 1-2 - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MONO-014-Jul-7-2019.mp3 Foolish Men, Wise Woman - 1 Samuel 25 - 6.30.2019 by Chris Andino \| Foolishness - 1 Corinthians 1-2 - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MONO-013-Jun-30-2019.mp3 Spiritual Wisdom - 1 Corinthians 2:6-10a - 6.23.2019 The Foolishness of Preaching - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 - 6.16.19 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/061619.mp3 The Foolishness of Christians - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 - 6.9.2019 http://86pains.com/calvary/060919.mp3 The Folly of the Cross -1 Corinthians 1:18-25 - 6.02.2019 Is Christ Divided? - 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 - 5.26.2019 Changed Identity - 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 - 5.19.2019 To the Church - 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 - 5.12.2019 The End of my Questions - Mark 8:22-38 5.5.2019 by Tom Harr \| Calvary Questions - Click to download Question 6: What Must I Do? - Mark 10:17-27 - 4.28.2019 Question 5: What Happens Next? - Mark 15:40-16:8 - Easter Sunday - 4.21.2019 Good Friday - According to Plan - Psalm 22 - 4.19.2019 by Tom Harr \| Special Services - Click to Download Question 4: How is it Fixed? - Mark 15:22-39 - 4.14.2019 Question 3: What's Wrong? - Mark 7:14-23 - 4.7.2019 Question 2: Who Am I? - Mark 1:9-11 - 3.31.2019 Question 1: Who's in Charge? - Mark 2:1-7 - 3.24.2019 The Sun Rises - Judges 16:23-31 - 3.17.2019 by Tom Harr \| Judges - Click to Download Downfall - Judges 16:4-21 - 3.10.2019 God's Good Gift - Ephesians 2:1-10 - 3.03.2019 by Rev. Brent Kilman, RUF \| Guest Preacher - Click to download Justice and Grace - Judges 11:12-40 - 2.24.2019 For the Lord or For Gideon - Judges 7:1-18 - 2.17.2019 The Lord Is With You - Judges 6:11-27 - 2.10.2019 They Cried to the Lord for Help - Judges 4 & 5 - 2.3.2019 Calvary Vision - Hebrews 12:1-2 - 1.27.2019 by Tom Harr \| Vision Sunday - Click to Download The Left-Handed Savior - Judges 3:12-30 - 1.20.2019 God's Mercy - Judges 3:7-11 - 1.13.2019 Judges 2:6-19 - Breaking the Cycle - 1.6.2019 The Lord is My Shepherd - Psalm 23 - 12.30.2018 by Pat Necerato \| Guest Speaker - Click to Download The Angel's Song - Luke 2:1-20 - 12.24.2018 by Tom Harr \| Songs From Luke - Click to Download Simeon's Song - Luke 2:25-35 - 12.23.2018 Zechariah's Song - Luke 1:67-79 - 12.16.2018 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/STE-054-Dec-16-2018.mp3 Mary's Song - Luke 1:46-55 - 12.9.2018 The True Witness - Rev 3:14-22 - 12.2.2018 by Tom Harr \| Seven Letters - Rev 2-3 - Click to Download The Open Door - Rev. 3:7-13 - 11.25.2018 The Death and Life of a Church - Rev 3:1-6 - 11.18.2018 A Fool's Compromise - Rev. 2:18-29 - 11.11.2018 by Tom Harr \| Seven Letters - Rev. 2-3 - Click to Download The Sword and the Stone - Rev 2:12-17 - 11.4-2018 Words to a Suffering Church - Rev. 2:8-11 - 10.28.2018 https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/STE-045-Oct-28-2018.mp3 Let's Make a Deal - Ex 33:1-6; 15-17 - 10.28.2018 by Rev. David Harr \| Installation Service of Thomas M. Harr, Jr. Click to Download First Love - Rev 2:1-7 - 10.21.2018 Do You Have Everything? - 2 Peter 1:3-4 - 10.7.2018 by Dr. Craig DiBenedictis \| Pastor Craig - Click to Download Our Highway to Zion - Psalm 84:5-7 - 10.14.2018 Count Her Towers - Psalm 48 - 9.16.2001 by Rev. Dr. Craig L. DiBenedictis \| 1st Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 - Click to download https://calvarynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MONO-024-2001-Sept-16-2001.mp3 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. – 2 Timothy 4:1-2	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line34
__label__cc	0.606825	0.393175	Google intends to improve the interaction of a person with AI Google announced the launch of a new research project, which goal is to study and improve the interaction between artificial intelligence (AI) and human beings. The phenomenon was named PAIR. At the moment, the program involves 12 people who will work together with Google employees in different product groups. The project also involves external experts: Brendan Meade, a professor of Harvard University and, Hol Abelson, a professor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The research that will be carried out within the framework of the project is aimed at improving the user interface of "smart" components in Google services. Scientists will study the problems affecting all participants in the supply chain: starting from programmers creating algorithms to professionals who use (or will soon be using) specialized AI tools. Google wants to make AI-solutions user-friendly and understandable to them. As part of the project, Google also opened the source code for two tools: Facets Overview and Facets Dive. Programmers will be able to check the data sets for machine learning for possible problems using the tools mentioned. For instance, an insufficient sample size. Google tests a new search results format with ready-made answers English-speaking users noticed that Google is testing a new format for the search results that would include ready answers. From now on the website, the content of which was used to generate a response will no longer be displayed in the search results. The reference to it is contained only in the block with the answer. "Google removed the result from the search on the page that was already shown in the block with the answer for this query. Now the block with the answer is the only result for the page on a specific request, "says The SEM Post blog It is noted that the new feature is currently available for many users, but not all of them. This can mean a large-scale testing or a gradual launch. Google will no longer trust WoSign and StarCom certificates Google reports that in the coming months, it will completely stop cooperation with certificates issued by WoSign and StarCom certification centers. The change will take effect with the release of Chrome 61, which is expected in mid-September. It will affect the certificates issued before October 21, 2016, the period of validity of which has not yet expired. Last year, Google Chrome 56 stopped trusting the certificates from WoSign and StarCom, released later October 21, 2016. After the release of Chrome 57, the browser partially stopped trusting the old certificates. An exception was made for websites that are among the first million in the Alexa rating. From now on, all certificates from these centers will be banned. "Starting with Chrome 61, the white list will be removed, which will lead to a complete cessation of trust in the existing root certificates of WoSign and StarCom and all certificates that they have given out. Websites that still use certificates from StarCom and WoSign should urgently consider replacing them, so as to minimize any inconveniences to Chrome users," reports Google. It should be recalled Mozilla announced about freezing its cooperation with WoSign and StartCom in September 2016. Starting with the Firefox 51 the certificates are considered to be invalid. At the same time, the support of certificates issued before October 21, 2016 is still preserved. How Google processes pages with the Canonical and noindex attributes During the last video conference with webmasters, John Mueller answered the interesting question: how does the search engine process pages that both contain the Canonical and Noindex attribute? The question to Mueller was: "I once was at a seminar where I was told that if you use rel = canonical and Noindex on a page, then Canonical will transmit the Noindex canonicalized page. Is that true?". "Hmm. I don’t know. We discussed this issue for a long time, at least inside the team. In particular, what should we do in this case. Using Canonical, you are telling that two pages should be processes identically. Noindex reports that the page that contains it must be removed from the search. Therefore theoretically our algorithms can get confused and decide that you need to delete both pages. Correct? Or they can process them in different ways, taking into account Noindex attribute. As a matter of actual practice, it is most likely that algorithms will decide that the rel = canonical attribute was added by mistake." As of May 2015 more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the US and Japan. (Source: Google) 72% of marketers from enterprises rate search engine optimization (SEO) as successful in achieving marketing objectives like lead generation and increased Web traffic. (MediaPost) 4 in 5 consumers conduct local searches on search engines – 88% on smartphones, 84% on computer/tablet. (Source: Google) Nearly half of digital marketing budgets are spent on search, with 31% on paid search and 18% on SEO. (MarketingProfs) In Q3 2015, 727 million of Facebook’s 1.55 billion Million active users were mobile-only, equivalent to 47% of users who have never interacted with Facebook on a desktop computer. (Source: eMarketer) 85% of B2B companies say lead generation is the most important goal for content marketing, with 31% saying lead quality is the most important metric to study. (Source: Content Marketing Institute)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line36
__label__wiki	0.95541	0.95541	(Redirected from O.A.R. (band)) This article is about the group. For other uses, see OAR (disambiguation). O.A.R. (short for Of a Revolution) is an American rock band founded in 1996 in Rockville, Maryland.[1] The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, saxophonist/guitarist Jerry DePizzo, trumpet player John Lampley and keyboardist Mikel Paris. Together, the band has released nine studio albums, including their latest release, The Mighty, in March 2019. The band is well known for their live shows and extensive summer touring, and have released five records of various live performances to date. Four of the band members grew up in Rockville, Maryland and attended Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School. After graduating, they went on to study at Ohio State University. There they met the fifth member, saxophonist/guitarist Jerry DePizzo from Youngstown, Ohio. O.A.R. (Of a Revolution) O.A.R. performing at Lincoln Theater in 2015 Rockville, Maryland, United States Alternative rock, indie rock, roots rock, heartland rock Vanguard, Wind-up, Lava, Atlantic Matt Nathanson, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Brett Dennen, Foxtrot Zulu www.ofarevolution.com Marc Roberge Chris Culos Richard On Benj Gershman Jerry DePizzo 1.1 Formation and early years (1996–2004) 1.2 Mainstream success (2005–present) 2 Charitable endeavors and other appearances Formation and early years (1996–2004)Edit O.A.R. was founded in 1996 by lead vocalist Marc Roberge and drummer Chris Culos, inspired in part by Roberge's older brother, who plays drums for the band Foxtrot Zulu. They later recruited Richard On and Benj Gershman. In 1997 they recorded their debut album, The Wanderer, at Gizmo Recording Company in Silver Spring, Maryland with engineer/producer Gantt Kushner. Many songs from the album, including "Black Rock" and "That Was a Crazy Game of Poker", became staples of their live shows and are still played at most of their concerts today. The four band members attended one semester at Alexander Muss High School in Israel, graduated from Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, they met Jerry DePizzo, from Youngstown, Ohio. He joined the band as the saxophonist, completing the current lineup. In 1999, they returned to Gizmo Recording to record their second album, Soul's Aflame. Unlike other similar bands, O.A.R. did not use much formal advertising/marketing plans to obtain an audience, instead choosing to rely on word-of-mouth alone. Throughout the next few years, the band played as many shows as they could, expanding from the fraternities and sororities of Ohio State to any audiences that cared to listen. One of the first notable sources of exposure outside of Ohio State came from consistent play of The Wanderer and Soul’s Alfame at well known Pi Kappa Phi parties at Clemson University. This exposure paid off; their third album Risen debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard top internet sales chart. The following year, their fourth album In Between Now and Then debuted at No. 156 on the Billboard 200 chart. They received offers from various major labels, but ultimately chose to sign with Lava Records. Mainstream success (2005–present)Edit In 2005, O.A.R. released their fifth album, Stories of a Stranger, which debuted at No. 40 on the Billboard 200. It produced the singles "Love and Memories", "Heard the World", and "Lay Down." "Love and Memories" was the band's first single to chart and receive significant radio airplay, peaking at 98 in the Pop 100, at 30 in Modern Rock Tracks, and at 18 in Adult Top 40. The music videos for "Love and Memories" and "Lay Down" received airplay on VH1 and MTV. The video for "Lay Down" received a "Woodie" award from MTV for streaming video. The new partnership with Lava also seemed to mark the beginning of a shift in the band's fundamental style. Many of the tracks on "Stories of a Stranger" and subsequent albums have displayed a willingness by the band to move away from the reggae, ska, and jam band inspired sound of their earlier albums, in favor of songs with shorter run-times, less acoustic instrumentation, and more pop-inspired arrangements. On January 14, 2006, O.A.R. reached a new peak of popularity by drawing roughly 18,000 fans and selling out New York City's Madison Square Garden, which earned them a review in the New York Times.[2] On October 5, 2006, a press release declared that O.A.R. had officially sold in excess of 1.2 million albums over their career.[3] The band attributes much of its popularity to the recording and subsequent trading and downloading of their live shows. O.A.R. during 2009 summer concert tour at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York On July 15, 2008, O.A.R. released their sixth studio album, All Sides. The first radio single for All Sides, "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)", was released for download on June 13. It surpassed "Love And Memories", peaking at 2 in Adult Top 40. In December 2008, VH1 named the music video for "Shattered" as number 18 on their Top 40 Videos of 2008. During the 2008 All Sides tour, the All Sides album was released on USB Wristband along with instant live recordings of their concerts. After the tour, O.A.R. released their fourth live album (Rain or Shine) on January 12, 2010.[4] In 2010, O.A.R. returned to the studio to record their seventh studio album, King. The band introduced several of their new songs during the 2010 tour, including: "Over and Over", "Fire", "Dangerous Connection", and "Gotta Live." King was released on Wind-up Records on August 2, 2011 and debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200, the highest-charting debut for the band so far. The album's first single, "Heaven", was released on June 7, 2011. The next single, "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes", failed to chart. On May 8, 2012, O.A.R. released a new single as part of a collaboration with Duracell in support of Team USA in the 2012 London Summer Olympics. The song is called "Champions", and features rapper B.o.B, who contributed the vocals in the verses. On November 19, 2012, O.A.R. released a live CD/DVD entitled Live on Red Rocks, which consists of footage and music from their performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on their 2012 summer tour.[5] In an interview with Billboard magazine posted on January 16, 2014, Jerry Depizzo revealed that their eighth studio album would be released in May 2014, and that the lead single would be "Peace"—a new song they played live many times on their 2013 summer tour. On March 21, 2014, the band announced via various social media sites that the new album, titled The Rockville LP would be released on June 10, 2014. The Rockville LP debuted at number 13 on Billboard's top 200, #1 independent albums, #6 top current rock albums, and #7 current digital albums.[citation needed] In May 2016, the band announced the release of a career spanning compilation to coincide with their 20th anniversary.[1] Entitled XX, the album was released on August 5, 2016 bundled with a disc of live performances and two new songs "Follow Me, Follow You" and "I Go Through".[6] The band embarked on a two-month tour of North America.[7] Following the tour the band plans to start working on their ninth studio album. Marc Roberge said that he hopes to continue to grow as a songwriter and musician and that he is eager to get into the studio to record the band's next full-length album with all-new material. "We want to write 10 new songs and finish them and record them and put it out. We’re not going to go through the process of a year of demoing … We want to go in and write a band album."[8] The band saw a resurgence in recognition during the 2018 Winter Olympics, when Russian athletes—banned from competing under their country's banner and name due to a doping scandal—were referred to as Olympic Athletes from Russia, or OAR.[9] Since the Olympics started broadcasting, the band saw a 46% increase in Spotify streaming and the Google searches have also almost doubled.[10] In 2018, O.A.R. returned to the studio to record their ninth studio album, The Mighty. The first single from the album is "Miss You All the Time", released on October 12, 2018. The Mighty was presented and released to the public on March 29, 2019. Charitable endeavors and other appearancesEdit On May 19, 2001, O.A.R. played a show on the football field of Thomas S. Wootton High School, as part of a senior graduation concert series. [11] The band's Heard The World foundation was founded to support youth, education and sustainable programs both in the U.S. and abroad.[12] On December 14, 2012, O.A.R. performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Music Center at Strathmore. The concert benefited the Heard the World Foundation. In December 2009, Jerry DePizzo headlined a charity fundraiser for Music Loves Ohio in Columbus at The Basement.[13] The band worked with SAIC, a US defense contractor, to raise money for the Paralyzed Veterans of America, a service organization focused on assisting veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases, through digital downloads of the band's song "Light Switch Sky." Proceeds from downloads of the song through July 22, 2010 supported paralyzed veterans. The song was co-written by O.A.R. and their fans through a competition on Twitter.[14] In August 2010, members Benj Gershman and Marc Roberge appeared in two videos for Diet Coke's Stay Extraordinary campaign. On October 4, 2012, the band headlined a "But for Ohio State: Rock the Oval" concert at Ohio State University to help raise money for the school that the band's members attended. O.A.R. and Phillip Phillips' 2014 Summer Tour benefited Habitat for Humanity. O.A.R. performed live from Times Square on December 31st, 2014 at Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve. O.A.R. performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. MembersEdit Marc Roberge – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1996–present) Richard On – lead guitar, backing vocals (1996–present) Chris Culos – drums, percussion (1996–present) Benj Gershman – bass guitar (1996–present) Jerry DePizzo – saxophone, rhythm guitar, percussion, backing vocals (2000–present) Full-time touring members Mikel Paris – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals (2006–present) Jon Lampley – trumpet, sousaphone, backing vocals (2011–present) Part-time touring members Evan Oberla – trombone, backing vocals (2011–2014) DiscographyEdit Main article: O.A.R. discography The Wanderer (1997) Soul's Aflame (1999) Risen (2001) In Between Now and Then (2003) Stories of a Stranger (2005) All Sides (2008) King (2011) The Rockville LP (2014) The Mighty (2019) Live From Merriweather (2019) ^ a b Hicks, Robert. "O.A.R. – Biography". www.billboard.com. Rovi. Retrieved 2016-08-08. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (January 16, 2006). "A Scrappy Jam Band, but Hold the Jam". The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2010. ^ Press Release (2006). "O.A.R. Makes History With Over 1 Million Sold" marketwire.com (accessed October 6, 2006) ^ "oarsa.org – ....of a revolution (O.A.R.) setlist archive". oarsa.org. Retrieved 1 September 2015. ^ "Sundance 2014: Watch O.A.R. Rock Park City Live". Billboard. Retrieved 1 September 2015. ^ -. "Exclusive Album Premiere: O.A.R. – "XX" – A Music Blog, Yea?". Retrieved 2016-08-08. ^ "O.A.R. Announces Summer Tour & New Album". 2016-05-10. Retrieved 2016-08-08. ^ Moraski, Lauren (9 August 2016). "O.A.R. Celebrates 20 Years With New Album 'XX'" – via Huff Post. ^ Drehs, Wayne (February 19, 2018). "Rock band O.A.R. gets popularity bump thanks to Pyeongchang's OAR". ESPN. Retrieved February 19, 2018. ^ Root, Tik (2018-02-20). "O.A.R. (the band), OAR (the Russian Olympians) and a sweet surge in Spotify streams". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-03-02. ^ "O.A.R. at Wootton High School, Rockville, MD, USA". setlist.fm. Retrieved 2017-05-24. ^ "Heard The World Homepage". Heardtheowrld.org. Retrieved 2015-09-04. ^ Kevin Joy. "O.A.R. sax man instrumental in giving youngsters a boost". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on 20 December 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2015. ^ http://www.saic.com/oar/news/062110.html. Retrieved June 24, 2010. Missing or empty \|title= (help)[dead link] O.A.R. Official website Billboard.com Band Profile oarsa.org setlist archive, lyrics, and fan site O.A.R. The Rockville LP Review Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=O.A.R.&oldid=933366399"	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line40
__label__wiki	0.548324	0.548324	Milestones, Oct. 13, 1958 Monday, Oct. 13, 1958 Subscriber content preview. or Log-In Born. To Dorothy Kincheloe, 28, widow of U.S. Air Force Captain Iven C. Kincheloe Jr., holder of an unofficial world's altitude record (nearly 24 miles), who died two months ago in the crash of an F-104 Starfighter (TIME, Aug. 4): a second child, first daughter; in Oakland, Calif. Name: Jeannine Frances. Weight: 9 Ibs. 8 oz. Married. Prince Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz, 40, Minister of Education for Saudi Arabia, brother of King Saud and one of some 40 sons of the late Ibn Saud; and Safinaz Nour, 18; in Cairo. Prince Fahd gave his bride... To continue reading: or Log-In Want the full story? Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free! If you check the "Remember me" box, you will be automatically signed in for 30 days to TIME.com when you visit in the future. If you are accessing TIME.com on a public computer, you are advised not to click on the "Remember me" option. For more information, please visit TIME's Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line41
__label__cc	0.718175	0.281825	Beyond Lego – The Next Step for STEM by Dadsense K assembling the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D in high school. Both K and I are huge proponents of STEM, and can’t wait to start teaching T. In 1998 my favourite show went on air – Junkyard Wars. I was 14 at the time, and the show caught my imagination. I started looking at things around me, taking toys apart to see how they work, then building my own gadgets with the parts left over. Unfortunately Junkyard Wars was short-lived on TV (apparently they continued making episodes until 2009, just not on any channels I could tune in to), and I had to find other shows to inspire my curious mind. While there was a bit of a lull, in 2003 Mythbusters aired. Over the next 13 years Adam Savage, Jamie Hyneman, and the build team created THE STEM show to watch. But like all good things, in 2016 this great show broadcast its last episode. That’s when I turned to Youtube. Sure, I’m a 30 something man, but come on – you all get excited for unboxing videos, don’t lie. I came across Adam Savage’s project Tested and I loved the problem solving nature, and the design and build process. While it is lighter on the science the creativity of the projects and the mindset of how to get from A to Z(ed) are fascinating to watch. On the other side of the coin is Vsauce. Michael Stevens walks viewers through math and science topics, covering everything from “What is infinity plus one?” to one of my personal favourites – “The Napkin Ring paradox”. If only there was a show which combined the science and math from Michael’s Vsauce with the designing, planning, and building of Adam’s Tested… BUT WAIT! There is! Brain Candy Live is on tour in North America, and they’re coming to Toronto on November 25th! Adam and Michael have teamed up to deliver a STEM show to inspire kids of all ages. What is gravity? But then why, and how, and what does it look like, and did you know… And the best part? I’ve got 4 tickets for you. Enter below for your chance to see them live, and as Vsauce always says – thanks for watching. Brain Candy LIVE! Good luck out there. Disclosure: Brain Candy provided me with 4 tickets to give away. K and I purchased our own tickets for the show and we are so excited to go! Share some love, Share this! 4 thoughts on “Beyond Lego – The Next Step for STEM” I don’t recall any programs that were “STEM” related when I was growing up. I think I am too old to have seen those shows when I was growing up but I love them now and so do my grandsons! Huge fans of Mythbusters. I’d love to go to Braincandy! Nancy T says: Not when I was a kid – I don’t think I remember any from then. But I remember watching Bill Nye the Science Guy with my niece. © DADSENSE 2020. Businessx theme designed by Acosmin.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line48
__label__wiki	0.734994	0.734994	Grant to be used for purchase, upgrades at Good Shepherd Foundation facility Bartow County receives $750K CDBG award From left, Georgia Department of Community Affairs representative Patrick Vickers hands Bartow County Commissioner Steve Taylor a check for a Community Development Block Grant totaling $750,000. JAMES SWIFT/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS Posted Friday, November 8, 2019 12:31 am By JAMES SWIFT Several representatives of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) were present at the Frank Moore Administration and Judicial Center Wednesday morning to deliver a $750,000 check to Bartow County officials. DCA Region 1 representative Patrick Vickers handed off the oversized check to Bartow County Commissioner Steve Taylor at the public meeting. The funding is derived from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which the County applied for earlier this year. Vickers said the beneficiary of the grant will be local nonprofit the Good Shepherd Foundation. “They do really good work with developmentally-disabled adults,” he said. “It will help purchase and renovate the facility.” Bartow County Grant Writing Department Director Valerie Gilreath said the CDBG funding will allow the organization to buy the building and land they currently lease off Gilreath Road in Cartersville. “The renovation will allow them to increase their independent living teaching space,” she said. “They’ll have a couple of classrooms, they’ll have a teaching kitchen and it will also improve the workspace for their existing clients — it is currently not climate-controlled, so they’ll be able to add air conditioning and better heat and a few other improvements.” Another DCA representative — Brent Allen, who serves as the department’s Office of CDBG Field Services manager — also honored the County government Wednesday morning. He presented Taylor with a framed placard recognizing Bartow for its 2019 National Sterling Achievement Award. Officially bestowed upon the local government on Sept. 30, the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) recognized the County for the Allatoona Resource Center, “for demonstrated positive results in improving the lives of lower-income persons.” “This is a big deal,” Allen said. “It is a national competition where states all across the country submitted nominations.” Gilreath said the impetus for the project came from looking at the Glade Road corridor and realizing “nothing had been done in terms of community services for a very long time" in that particular part of the county. Among other services, staff at the center help residents needing assistance with food stamp renewals and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) enrollment. The facility, which received a $500,000 CDBG award in 2013, opened in Acworth in 2015. “Since then, I think it has made a huge impact on the community and continues to do so, and to engage more and more citizens,” Gilreath said. Site director Nichole Varnell said that the facility served more than 2,000 individuals last year. “And that’s with medication, utility assistance, doctor visits, prescriptions, GED testing,” she said, “and we have [the Tallatoona Community Action Partnership] there today helping low-income families with energy assistance.” That southeastern corner of Bartow, Taylor said, is perhaps the most poverty-stricken area in the county. “This community center is located right smack in the middle of it,” he said. “They really work hard in the community and help a lot of people.” One of the criteria points for the COSCDA award, Allen said, is project replicability in other communities throughout the country. “When they saw the gym, they saw the trash compactor," he said, "they saw that ya’ll took a piece of property that was just a couple of pine trees and turned it into this resource center that addressed real, identified needs in that community.” Welcome! Login \| Subscribe E-Edition Click to view DTN 1_19_2020 Browse previous issues Copyright © 2020, The Daily Tribune News. · 251 S. Tennessee St. · Cartersville, GA 30120 · 770-382-4545 \| Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line49
__label__cc	0.688456	0.311544	Ché (What You Call Your) Pasa Progress in the face of the Modern American Imperium Houses Again. This one in particular... Some additional thoughts about this house. The photo is from the Google Street View taken sometime last year. The exterior of the house hasn't changed much at all in the nearly 100 years since it was built. The front door has been painted gray, but it appears to be the original oak plank door, 2" thick, very heavy. The carriage lights on either side of the front door were added when the house was renovated after my sister's husband's grandmother's estate sold it c. 1962. The floor plan, which you can barely make out, is of the house in Scarsdale. The one built in Sacramento was nearly the same, but there were some slight differences. The upper floor plan is the first floor. You entered into a large terra cotta tile floored entrance hall. To the left, in the Sacramento house but not the one in Scarsdale, was a powder room, very tiny but adequate for doing one's business. It took up a small portion of the fireplace recess in the floor plan. There was a coat closet next to it, also utilizing a bit of the fireplace recess. Memory update: the powder room was the only part of the fireplace recess utilized in the entry hall. There were two coat closets, one on either side of the front door, built into the front wall. You went up a step into the main part of the house, specifically into the stair hall. From there you could turn to the right and go under the stairs into the butler's pantry, turn left into the living room, or go straight into the dining room, passing by the stair landing. There was also an entrance into the pantry from the stair landing. The living room entrance was framed with a heavy fumed oak archway. Fumed oak is very dark. In the plan it looks like there is a step down into the living room, but in the house in California there was no step down. The room was approximately 27' x 16' not counting the bay window which probably added another three feet in length. The ceiling was 20' above the floor. There were three french doors leading to a long screened loggia. The fireplace was in a corner opposite the french doors, in a deep recess. On either side of the entry arch were built in bookcases, also fumed oak. The room was heated with radiators which were built in to the walls, one under the window on the wall where the fireplace was, and two others between the french doors. Each radiator had a wrought iron grille. There was a Sarouk rug filling most of the dark-stained oak floor. The draperies were heavy wine red velvet, and the ones at the bay window and near the fireplace were hung on wrought iron rods. A Steinway "3/4 grand" piano was in the corner beside the bay window. I remember three double branch electric candle sconces and two single branch ones, all in wrought iron with gilded leaf decoration. With all of them on, the room was dimly lit. It looked quite medieval, even chapel-like. Posted by Ché Pasa at 4:21 AM No comments: Links to this post Labels: exercise, houses, memories Houses Again This house in Scarsdale, NY, is the model for the house where my sister and her husband lived in Sacramento from 1956 until (about) 1962, when the house was sold after the death of my brother in law's grandmother who owned the place. It's too bad there are no interior pictures of the house. It was really rather grand, especially the two story living room with a huge bay window at the far end. There is at least one other version of this house in Greenwich, CT. It was listed for sale a few years ago, I believe at an asking price just under $3 million. It had been expanded and partially remodeled in a more contemporary style, but it still retained a number of original attributes. The house in Scarsdale is Norman French style, though because the house in California had a red tile roof, I thought it was Spanish when I first saw it in 1957 on a visit with my mother from Southern California. Wrought iron lighting fixtures, some gilded, heavy oak woodwork, old gold wall coverings, oriental rugs, wine colored velvet draperies, a Steinway grand piano, I think I was stunned when I first stepped in the oak plank front door. The house was built in 1923 by the general manager of a local department store. He was the grandfather of my sister's husband. He died in the late forties, I think, and the house was inherited by his wife. Their son went on to manage department stores in Sacramento and Seattle, while their grandson was at boarding school. When he graduated, he moved in with his grandmother while he attended college. He married my sister while both were students. She moved into this house with him and they had three children before they moved out. The house was purchased by a doctor who did some remodeling and updating and added a lot of what I thought were excessive French accessories like chandeliers and so forth. I toured the house while it was being renovated and I remember being aghast at some of the things that were done to it. On the other hand, it could have been worse. My sister was not unhappy to leave it at all. She called it a monster. Way too big to care for by herself, especially with kids, and she was still going to college for her masters. She hired a housekeeper/nanny, but even so, she always felt overwhelmed by the place. When they moved out, though, they moved to a new but even larger house. I think the stress of maintaining it was at least equal to that of the older house. There are more stories I could tell about this house -- I have a lot of memories there -- but for now I just wanted to preserve the record from House Beautiful magazine, since I stumbled on it quite by accident today. Posted by Ché Pasa at 8:05 PM No comments: Links to this post Labels: houses The Impeachment Thing - Round 2 Gordon Sondland testified before the committee today, and he seemed like a decent sort, not terribly savvy but certainly eager and well-enough meaning to be considered credible. He offered his honest-ish opinion of what was going on during the summer when the White House ordered withholding of some $400 million in military aid to Ukraine while, supposedly, the new president Volodymyr Zelensky was vetted for... well, that's the question, isn't it? He said the White House -- ie: Trump -- had an ask that needed to be satisfied before the funding would be released: Zelensky needed to clearly and publicly state that he was ordering the opening of investigations into Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and the corruption of gas company Burisma with a focus on the Bidens, père et fil. That was the deal, the whole deal, according to Sondland. And even though Trump never used the exact terms with Sondland, he did with Zelensky in the infamous July 25 phone call with Zelensky. Case closed. Sonland basically confirmed the allegations being investigated by the committee. Therefore, there is nothing much more to say, is there? Trump did what he's accused of and "everyone" in the loop at the time knew it. The argument from the Rs is basically "So what? This sort of thing goes on all the time, BidenClintonClintonObama. Nyah nyah." And they might get away with it. The way Trump conducts the business of government is outrageous, but quite a few people inside the government (and not just Rs) are fine with it. He gets them a lot of what they want, and a lot of what they want is a change in the way government and foreign policy operate. There's a lot of resistance from inside the government bureaucracy. Bureaucracy does not like change and doesn't adapt well to new things or people who don't "fit" the standard models. Bureaucracy considers itself permanent and indispensable, but there is a faction within government and without that believes the bureaucracy is intrinsically wrong and out of control and should be destroyed and/or rebuilt. Trump has taken upon himself the task of fixing things the way he wants and he's now facing impeachment for it. I predict right now that neither the bureaucracy nor the White House will win this one. Trump will be impeached for what amounts to the least of his crimes, but he won't be removed (nor will he be reelected barring the unforeseen) and the government bureaucracy will be overhauled to serve the president much more than the institution or constitution. There's no going back from where we are. That's the problem. A grossly authoritarian president has been put in office and has been allowedto get away with pretty much whatever he wants, and there is very little that can be done about it now. He's instituted strong-man, indeed gangster rule at the top, and a lot of those who might otherwise object are fine with it. He's packed the courts with right-wing ideologues who share is proto-fascist beliefs, and from them the institutionalisation of the Trumpist authoritarianism will flow for at least a generation to come. There's no going back, and the republic is effectively kaput. This is it. We've reached the long-anticipated end-point of the US experiment in self-government. Labels: End of the World As We Know It, impeach, no going back The Impeachment Thing [Note: Buddhism, in some cases especially Zen, doesn't preclude one's interest and involvement in the material world. It does, however, affect one's sense of the importance of this or that aspect of it. 🕉] The current impeachment inquiry is the third in my lifetime. There have only been four attempts at impeachment of a president in the history of the United States. None have been successful [Nixon resigned before the impeachment resolution went to the floor of the house]. The betting is that this one won't be, either, but of course you never know. The charges likely to be included in any House resolution to impeach Trump are being laid out day-by-day, pretty much as follows: Abuse of power -- impeachable, not criminal Bribery -- of Zelensky/Ukraine; impeachable, criminal Intimidation of witnesses -- impeachable, may be criminal Suborning perjury -- impeachable, criminal Defying Congressional subpoenas -- impeachable, may be criminal Probably violations of emoluments clauses -- this might be a throwaway Misprision of felony -- impeachable, criminal And so on. The charge-list could get quite long indeed. But there is no likelihood, whatever Trump does, that a Republican-controlled Senate would vote to convict and remove him from office. At least not now. It's possible that not even a Democratic controlled Senate would do so. Here's the problem as I see it: Trump has been allowed to get away with just about anything he wants to do during his tenure in office -- just like he's largely been allowed to do whatever he wants throughout his life. He's a terrible person and a rotten president, but.... he gets away with it, just like he always has. As president, he's changing the presidency and the nature of the federal government. He's making the presidency over into a highly authoritarian position (it's always had such elements) in command of not just the government, but of the nation as a whole. In other words, the point is to make the president a ruler rather than a servant of the people. Opposition to be crushed rather than co-opted or negotiated with. In this remodeling of the presidency by Trump, the president is to have full and personal control of the federal government independent of any advisors, systems, precedent, Congress, or the courts. S/he will personally direct and control every aspect of the federal government (something no individual human being can do, but that's beside the point). The president becomes a de-facto emperor. Something that again is inherent in the position, but which until recently has been suppressed in action. These are among many aspects of systemic changes we're seeing in real time under Trump's presidency, and they will become precedent for future presidents. Trump may be a bad emperor -- oh yes -- but what he's being allowed to do can lead (in time, if we're very, very good) to a Good Emperor. But Emperor it will be, good, bad or indifferent. I came to this conclusion while watching part of the Yovanovich testimony yesterday. What it boiled down to was a question of whether the president has the power and authority to emplace anyone he wants in an ambassadorship (yes), and whether it is appropriate for a president to engage in the smearing of an ambassador in the process of having her removed (could be.) In this case, the ambassador is the avatar of any federal officer, the smear is the symbolic means of removal/replacement that could affect anyone in federal service. We've seen examples in the past (Shirley Sherrod comes to mind, but there have been many others, especially since the 2000 election.) But now it seems the smear-and-removal will be codified. These are big changes to what the presidency is, not so much what it could be, and I predict they will be permanent. Trump can go or stay, it really doesn't matter. The governing system is what is being overhauled-- mostly without the knowledge or consent of the governed -- and there will be no going back. Impeachment may just fade entirely from the conception of checks and balances. After all, the consistent argument during the Trump reign is that ONLY impeachment can be used to control the actions of the president, and if impeachment fails to remove him (likely), there's no remedy under the constitution or law. That's it, he gets away with it. Ambassador Yovanovich was quite eloquent in defending norm, process, propriety, etc., but I don't see a future in which those things are considered necessities for governing. Indeed, just the opposite may become normalized. The reasons are simple enough. We're entering into a rough transition period in which the consequences of climate change and decades of neoliberalism become one continuous crisis. There's really no escape at this point. Past norms and processes will have to be jettisoned in order to deal with the inevitable crises, or the permanent crisis. No way around it. Trump is crude and awful, but he's doing what the ruling class believes is necessary to cope with the transition and beyond. That's why he's been protected and allowed to get away with so much harm. Better it should happen now. So that we can become accustomed to it. It's only going to get worse for most of us. Trump won't be in the Big Chair forever. And whoever comes after him -- whenever that happens -- will almost immediately be considered a "savior". Because he or she won't be as terrible a person nor as incompetent and chaotic a ruler. But Ruler/Emperor the follow-on president will be. And most of the hoo-hah during the Trump years will seem silly in retrospect. We have serious business to attend to. So, that's my theory of what's really going on... 🕉 Labels: Change, climate crisis, end of the republic, End of the World As We Know It, God-Emperor, impeach, Trump, what comes after, what did they do to deserve this, what did we do to deserve this For the last few days, I've been participating in guided meditation sessions. At times they make me laugh. This is a practice I haven't done for decades, and I'm finding it difficult to return to. Guided meditation can be useful, I think, to people who are unfamiliar with the practice of sitting meditation, or to people involved in a therapeutic situation, but I'm not sure it works very well for someone who doesn't fit those fairly narrow categories. It's a technique that's often used as introduction and motivation, and not solely in a Buddhist context. Introduction to what? Motivation for what? In my case, I was looking to dealing with some habits I'd built up over the years I've been dealing with chronic health conditions. I was in so much routine physical pain for so many years that I had consciously and unconsciously developed habits to cope with the pain. Habits that continued even when the pain was gone. They restrict my movements and actions and my thinking, ultimately interfering with living a relatively full life in my dotage. As I explained to a relative not long ago, I'm pretty much housebound these days, even though the original reason for limiting my activities (pain) has almost completely dissipated. The pain has been all but gone for the last three years or so thanks to a whole lot of medication and treatment, but the habits I developed to cope with the pain continue. I could say that about a lot of habits I've developed as coping strategies. But I specifically wanted to deal with the habits of pain-coping when there was no longer any pain to speak of. I thought guided meditation could be useful, and to some extent it has been, even if the guides from time to time unintentionally spur my laughter. One, for example, started the session with a very long introduction, claiming over and over we would be doing a two minute guided meditation, starting "now," and then doubling back on himself and introducing and "starting" the meditation again, and so on repeatedly, so that in the end, the two minute meditation took a good ten minutes and maybe more. Each time he went around the introduction circle I laughed. I don't know whether he was conscious of doing that, and I doubt he saw or understood how funny it was to people like me. On the other hand, by participating in the sessions (a few more to go) I've been able to focus my attention much better on my particular goals for starting these meditations, and gradually some of the habits that are no longer useful are dissipating or lifting. Just yesterday, I was able to get up and do things consciously and mindfully without falling back on coping mechanisms that had stymied me in the past. It's going to take some time to work through all of this, though, and that's OK. I can see progress already, and because the necessity to cope is lessened if not altogether gone, I can more easily visualize a forward path. Many years ago, I had guided meditation tapes that were useful to begin a series of zazen sessions, but I was encouraged not to rely on them, ultimately not to need them. I don't recall how long I used them -- I don't think it was very long -- but it was a little odd to be put back in that guided context again after so many years. My laughter, I think, was prompted in part by the realization that this was something I hadn't done for so long but with which I was very familiar. Is it like riding a bicycle? You never forget? Well, guess what? I can't ride a bicycle very well anymore. As I gradually become re-accustomed to the dharma, all sorts of things are changing, coming back to me, new paths opening. Christians refer to being "re-born". That isn't quite what's happening. But it is very interesting to witness a kind of automatic youth reversion that carries me back to another time. Or at least evokes it. Wonders never cease. Labels: habits, meditation, pain, pain management. Unless We Are Japanese Much of Western Zen practice is modeled on that of Japan -- as would be expected given its origin in the West among immigrants from Japan in the 19th century. Too often, though, I think Zen practice in the West is completely divorced from its Japanese cultural, political and economic context, though not necessarily divorced from its history. The history points to lines of transmission of the dharma from the Buddha through various teachers in India, then China, thence to Japan where three main schools of Zen developed from Chinese Cha'an Buddhism, and so here we are today. Most Western Zen practice amalgamates these Japanese schools without getting into the weeds of how they came to be and what their differences are and the many and sometime bloody struggles between them. When the roshi tells you about the peaceful intent of Zen Buddhism, question it. I've mentioned that Zen is in some respects a warrior cult, and Zen monasteries are partly modeled on samurai training. Zen's origins in China provide the foundation, but the development of Zen in Japan was closely tied to the samurai and feudal Japanese culture. Zen flourished (and was sometimes repressed) under the Shoguns, particularly so, it would seem, under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the ruling power in Japan from the 1600s until the Meiji Restoration of Imperial rule in 1868. Zen declined from that point as did all Buddhism in Japan. The Imperial Shinto cult took its place. After the War in the Pacific, as it is called, the Imperial cult declined, but Buddhism, for the most part, did not revive much. Irreligion and secularism became the model to follow under American occupation after the war, but gradually Buddhist and Shinto practices reasserted themselves. Zen, it must be understood, was never universal or even the dominant school of Buddhism in Japan. It isn't now. It is a special practice meant for a certain class or quality of individual. In old Japan, that was generally the samurai and some elements of the Shogun, Daimyo and Imperial households. In other words, very much upper class. Of course the lower orders could practice zazen, anybody can. But the hierarchy of Zen teaching and transmission, and admission to the monasteries was not open any but the "right sort", and the right sort usually meant high born and wealthy. Monastic Buddhism can be criticized for being very class conscious. It's hard not to be, I think, given the Buddha's own princely origins. His example may apply to all classes, but he couldn't help being the aristocrat he was. His monastic life was outwardly poor and simple, but it was an aristocrat's expression of poverty and simplicity, not at all something grown from the bottom of society. And so it has been with most monastics in the West as well as Asia. I don't criticize Zen or Buddhism for its classism, but I do acknowledge it, just as I would with Catholicism or any other religion. St. Francis, my adopted patron saint, was also the son of an Italian merchant-aristocrat and a high-born French woman. To see these high-born men and women putting on robes and going out begging is rather stunning when you think about it. But that's the way of monastics. Has been for many long centuries. That aside, I think it's critical to recognize -- and honor -- Zen's Japanese origins without necessarily "turning Japanese." We in the West don't have more than a very superficial and probably erroneous understanding of Japanese society and culture and how Zen is integrated within it. We may be able to see and touch its outer shape and form, but Zen teaches us that's an illusion. We see nothing, really, because there is nothing really there. Why would we put on robes or go on pilgrimage or chant the sutras? There's nothing to find, is there? No merit is gained. There's nothing to learn, nothing to gain, nothing to have, nothing to be. Zen teaches knowing nothing. There's a cow-kitten at my feet playing with a catnip fish taco. That is Zen. Other household cats will practice zazen randomly. We could ask "Does a cat have Buddha nature?" But why? Do the cranes flying overhead know and practice the dharma? Posted by Ché Pasa at 11:41 AM No comments: Links to this post Labels: Buddhism, cats, Dharma, history, Japan, warrior, Zen Palace Zen Katsura Rikyu (Katsura Detached Palace, Katsura Imperial Villa) is one of several historic properties in Kyoto overseen by the Imperial Household Agency. As the former capital of Japan and a strong spiritual center today, Kyoto boasts many historic and important cultural sites. Katsura Rikyu is considered the purest and most expressive example of Japanese "traditional" architecture and an almost perfect example of Zen and Ma in the material world. Katsura Rikyu was built and expanded over a number of decades during the 1600s by members of the Imperial family -- not the Emperor -- as a retreat and part-time home for its members. It is a complex of buildings situated in a park along the Katsura River several miles beyond the historic center of Kyoto and the historic Imperial Palace. When the capital was transferred to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration of the 1860s, the Kyoto palaces and temples remained behind and the spiritual and cultural life of Japan stayed rooted in Kyoto as it had been for centuries. Indeed, for the recent enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, the thrones of the Emperor and Empress, kept at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, were carefully dismantled, transported to Tokyo and re-erected at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for the ceremony. And then they were taken back to Kyoto. It's worth noting that the Emperor and Imperial family had little public profile and no power in the 1600s when Japan was ruled and controlled by Shoguns and Daimyos. At best, the Emperor was a figurehead. Typically, he was captive to Shoguns. That's a context that often is not clarified in the sometimes rapturous consideration of the Katsura Imperial Villa as a shining ideal of "traditional" Japanese design and architecture. The Emperor was rarely put on display, and the members of his extended family were, to be blunt about it, "nobodies." Luckily for the Imperial princes who had Katsura Rikyu built, they married money and so were able to carry out their ambitious though severely ascetic plans. The result has been preserved nearly intact for us to admire to this day. The Imperial Household Agency -- essentially the Emperor's management organization -- conveniently makes it available for public tours from time to time, along with the other Imperial properties in Kyoto as well as the current Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Their website hosts some very nice videos of the Imperial properties in Kyoto, and I urge readers to vicariously visit them in order to compare and contrast Katsura Rikyu with the other Imperial palaces from approximately the same time. I've said that Katsura Rikyu is all but unique. There's nothing else quite like it in Japan or anywhere else, though it was certainly influential in its own time as it still is. The other Imperial palaces in Kyoto seem excessive and over-done compared to it. Yet in some ways, the others are just as "empty." They are presented with no more furnishings than Katsura Rikyu. The construction module is nearly the same, floor plans are not dissimilar, the stark black and white exteriors evoke one another though they are not the same, and even the gardens and tea houses are similar between the Katsura Rikyu and the other Imperial palaces in Kyoto. In other words, there is a family resemblance, but Katsura Rikyu is on another plane. The difference may appear subtle but it's there and it's profound. The difference is Zen. Zen was a practice deeply ingrained in the samurai warrior culture of the era. It was a form of mind discipline that helped enable and maintain the warrior's supremacy in battle and in life. The Shogunate was an outgrowth of Japan's feudal warrior culture. The Emperor and all things Imperial were outside it, almost irrelevant to the Shoguns and Daimyos. And yet at Katsura Rikyu, some members of the Imperial family took on the task of showing what Zen would look like in the material world. Not at all like the overdecorated and heavy-roofed, vermilion, gold and gem encrusted palaces of the Emperors, Shoguns and Daimyos nor like their temples but rather it evokes the lean, spare, stark, and "empty" houses and gardens of the samurai and the primitive accommodations of the Japanese peasant. Of course the scale of Katsura Rikyu is quite different, and the materials, fit and finish are on another level altogether, and yet... that can be considered Zen as much as anything else about the place. As a means of "showing" Zen, Katsura Rikyu puts the many monasteries and Zen temples around Japan to shame. By reducing decorative elements almost exclusively to nature and the moon (very important in Buddhist iconography) and emptying the residence (body and mind) of everything that isn't the "Now", Katsura Rikyu becomes the embodiment of Zen, even more so than its models in samurai and peasant houses and gardens. But in the end, it's an Imperial palace, quite beyond the wherewithal of any ordinary person or family to undertake and maintain. When it came under Imperial Household Agency control and authority it was partly because no one else could afford to maintain it. It has to be renovated and restored periodically -- at breathtaking expense -- and the gardens, gates and teahouses require constant maintenance in order to maintain an appearance of Zen perfection. It takes an army of servants even now to keep the place in order and looking its best. That doesn't come cheap. As an embodiment of Zen, Katsura Rikyu, of course, is not Zen. The appeal to the senses is undeniable, but it's an illusion. Everything you see, feel and experience there evokes a sensation which is not Zen, and in the end, as captivating as the great emptiness and stark beauty of the site may be, it is neither Zen nor enlightenment. The perfection of Katsura Rikyu may indeed prevent enlightenment. That preventional problem has been noted of much of Zen practice. Monasteries, teachers, roshi, the whole panoply of Zen practice has long been criticized as the perfect means to ensure that practitioners, sensei and roshi never achieve satori or enlightenment but remain forever trapped on "the path." When I initially engaged my interest in Zen in the early-mid '60s in California, I corresponded with someone at the San Francisco Zen Center. I believe he was from Japan, but as I never met him, I cannot say. I informed him that I could not come to San Francisco at the time, and so I could not be part of the community (sangha) in person. I was told there was no need. One did not have to be there in person to participate, but also one did not have to participate in the community to practice Zazen. Not everyone who could did, and not everyone who did should. Zazen was a practice that existed independently of Zen sites and communities. And I've wondered if Katsura Rikyu was an intentional alternative to "monastery/temple Zen;" we might call it "Palace Zen." In many ways, it seems to represent the interest of an individual, rather than a community, in the practice of zazen. A prince could sit himself down essentially anywhere at the site and practice zazen, with or without company, and it seemed to me the whole place might have been intended for just that purpose and no other. The thought made me smile. 😊 And this gets us into the influence of Zen and especially Katsura Rikyu has had on modern thinking about architecture, dwellings, and so forth. I mentioned that initially my exploration of Japanese design and architecture which led to my interest in Zen was driven by the fact that the house I was living in at the time featured elements of Japanese design in the roofline and decorative appliques on the facade. The living room also featured a 16' wall of glass with a sliding door, and there were various Japanese or Frank Lloyd Wright inspired touches here and there in the interior. This was fairly radical for the time. This is a Google street view of the house taken in 2011. You can't see much of the "Japanese" look of the house, except for the roofline over the garage. The rest has either been painted out or replaced as in the case of the garage door which originally had an applied "shoji" design. We moved in in 1962, but the house was built in 1957, only two years after the publication of "The Japanese House and Garden", and from the outset, I was quite astonished by its Japanese-ish features. The builder was previously known for building thousands of nondescript post-war houses in Sacramento and the Bay Area with no style at all. Then suddenly in 1957, he started offering new houses and floor plans, with a choice of three stylish exteriors -- Farmhouse, Contemporary, and Japanese -- that sold quickly and at a premium price, although the Japanese-ish model was not the favorite. Nevertheless, it was influential, and you started seeing Japanese-ish features on many houses built by other builders until the late '60s-early '70s. I was taken enough with the minimal Japanese-ish features of our house to eventually add elements like verandas, attempts at extended eaves, and a small Japanese-ish garden behind a Japanese-ish reed and bamboo screen-fence. The front garden was still there in 2011, pretty much as I planted it, but the screen-fence is long gone. None of it was Zen, of course, but it was pleasing. The interior of the house was a mish-mash of "builder styles" that was pretty chaotic but late in my residency there, I attempted a minimalist-ish re-design that got rid of most of the accumulations of the decades and limited the chaos. I see it in my mind's eye better than I remember it, though! My practice of zazen started while I lived there, and it continued for a number of years after I moved out, but by 1973 or 74, I'd pretty much stopped the practice, though probably I should have continued. Or maybe not. Zazen creates conditions within the practitioner that can lead to satori (sudden enlightenment) and once it does, if it does, the question arises: what's the point of continuing with zazen? Of course. There is no point. So. One can continue or not after enlightenment, just as one can continue or not before enlightenment. (One chops wood and carries water regardless.) How liberating! 🕉 My carved wood image of the Kamakura Daibutsu is painted gold so it will glow in the light from Kanthaka. Hotei smiles. A laughing sage stands under cherry blossoms made of silk. The scent of nag champa wafts in the perpetual breeze. Reminders one and all. Labels: Japanese architecture, Japanese House and Garden, Katsura Imperial Villa, Zazenkai, Zen The Japanese House and Garden and The Space Between I received the book promptly, despite the electricity blackouts and wildfires in California, and I've been reading it in sections since it arrived. This is the 1955 edition, second printing 1956, so it's not quite the same as the version I read in the '60s. But it's close enough. According to the author's preface, it's a re-do of the original 1935 German version, published in Berlin. In fact, some of the illustrations have German captions. It's a little disconcerting given the circumstances in both Japan and Germany at the time of the original publication, and even in 1955, the bitter taste from the late war -- referred to as the War in the Pacific by the author, Tetsuro Yoshida -- still lingered. I'm given to believe that Yoshida died in 1956 and he was quite ill during the revision process for the 1955 edition. Thus, I'm somewhat puzzled over how the revisions in the 1962 and 1969 editions came about. Oh well, it's hardly important now... Yoshida treads lightly on the topic, but he does try to inform his Western readers of how -- and when -- "traditional" Japanese domestic architecture came about. He puts it delicately, but he points out that these "traditional" tatami rooms so beloved in the West have an origin-point in Zen practice by the Japanese warrior class or samurai. The style was developed from prior hybrid Japanese-Chinese styles, but without the Zen and warrior overlays, the asceticism of the "traditional" style would have likely been much less if not completely absent. Like most people, Japanese love their ornament. The "empty" style was something else again. It isn't entirely ornament free, but it is stripped to the bone. Such ornament as there is is confined to specific places (the tokonoma, eg) and specific times (the tea ceremony, eg.) Otherwise and at other times, there is practically nothing to experience but the bare structural elements of the room or building and whatever people happen to be there at any given time. Not to forget, however, the natural world all around and interpenetrating the empty spaces of the tatami/Zen rooms. This extreme emptiness captivated Western observers starting in the 19th century and continuing to this day. The "empty style" is partly the product of the tea ceremony and the tea huts built in gardens of noble properties in the 16th century in imitation of peasant houses. The tea ceremony itself is partly a product of Zen asceticism dating back much earlier but adopted by the samurai and noble classes in feudal Japan starting in the 13th century and becoming almost universal among them by the mid-1600s. The "empty style" was not the rule among the common people then, nor is it today. Like contemporary minimalism -- which is itself founded in the "empty style" of feudal Japan (::waves at Marie Kondo::) -- it is an important style but not the ultimate or universal style of the entire people. In fact, if you visit a traditional "empty style" Japanese house today, you'll find they're not so empty at all. By contrast to the illustrations of the "empty style" in books like "The Japanese House and Garden", contemporary lived-in examples are rather cluttered. Lots of things accumulate during living, and despite an apparent abundance of storage in these "empty" houses, there''s really no place to put it all. The "empty" rooms start filling up. In addition, no one today, and hardly anyone back in the day, has or had the wherewithal to employ the army of servants necessary to maintain an "empty" household. I suspect that originally, these "empty style" houses could be just as cluttered if not more so than what we see in traditional Japanese houses today. And to pile on the criticism, they were, and in many cases remain, extraordinarily uncomfortable. Of course discomfort was part of the asceticism of the style. Which goes back to Zen. Let the circle be unbroken.... One of the principal examples of the style, frequently referenced by Yoshida and many others, is the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto, now a museum but formerly a pastoral retreat for the Imperial family, a complex of residential and ceremonial structures and gardens built in the 1660s, and about as Zen as you can find anywhere in Japan, more Zen in some ways than the Japanese Zen temples. Yoshida uses it as a primary example of traditional Japanese architecture, but in fact it's rather unique. Though there may be some others, I'm unaware of a single comparable complex anywhere in Japan -- or elsewhere for that matter. Katsura Imperial Villa (aka Katsura Detached Palace) stands essentially alone in its stark simplicity and exquisite emptiness. A five minute video tour: Of course it should be noted that the "exquisite emptiness" of the Katsura Imperial Villa is part of the long time museum presentation, not necessarily how it was used by the Imperial family in the 17th century. But then again, the emptiness of the palace today is part of its charm. And there are many examples of Japanese traditional tatami rooms in houses of all classes, spanning a wide range of eras, including today. A tatami room is ideally "empty" though in practice the rooms are not empty at all. And there is a concept of "ma" -- the space between -- that is found throughout Japanese culture, Shinto and Zen. This discussion has become more and more circular, so I'm going to put it to rest. There may be more to come. Or not. 🕉 Labels: Interval, Japanese House and Garden, Katsura Imperial Villa, Ma, Tetsuro Yoshida, Zen 50 - Again Today is our official 50th wedding anniversary. Ms. Ché and I were married in Reno on November 1, 1969 and returned to Stockton where we were then living late that evening after dropping my best man off at his house in Citrus Heights. It was a whirlwind day that started off with Ms and I both sitting in meditation in the darkened dressing room of our tiny apartment -- the first "home of our own." We got together two years before we were married and we celebrated that anniversary as our 50th and the following year we celebrated another 50th. Now we've arrived at the 50th anniversary of our legal marriage. In order for Ms to get a driver's licence earlier this year, she had to produce a marriage certificate since her last name at birth is different than her married name. She had no idea as there is nothing on the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Dept website that even hints at such a thing. Well, she stormed home when she was told she needed to bring her marriage certificate, and stewed for a bit, wondering what to do. Where was that thing, anyway? What if it was still in California amongst our other possessions still stored there? She fumed for a while and then got to work in her library/office/workroom where she keeps a lot of our important papers. She had never been asked for a marriage certificate before, at least not in the recent past, so she had no memory of where she had put it. But after about 20 minutes, she came forth with the document (and her birth certificate, SS card, two proofs of residency and her expired driver's license and stormed back to the MVD office up the road. I've had to deal with that office a few times, and the personnel is very nice. But they're strict when it comes to "Real ID" requirements, and they brook no workarounds. You either have the proper documentation or you don't get a "Real ID." The thing was, Ms. Ché could find nothing on the MVD website requiring the presentation of a marriage certificate by married women who use their husband's last name, and she printed out the MVD web page to prove it. The clerk expressed surprise that it wasn't on the website and assured Ms. Ché that she would promptly inform Santa Fe of the problem. Of course I figure the same issue has come up thousands of times before, so I doubt Santa Fe gives a good gott-dam about it, but whatever. Ms. Ché got her driver's license, and there you go. Yes, we started that day 50 years ago in sitting meditation -- Zen -- but a few years later we would stop practicing, she before I did, and have our adventures, what I'm now thinking of as "life pilgrimage." A couple of years ago, Ms. spent a few weeks at Naropa Institute (University now) at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics where daily meditation sessions were offered, not required. She took them up. Oh yes. She reported back that it was the most amazing thing, a reminder of what we did so many years ago, but also different because of the sensei and the sangha context, the large Tibetan singing bowl to signal the beginning and end of meditation, and the talks given by sensei. She said it was not the easiest thing for her elder bones to get up and down from the cushion on the floor, but she did it, and every time she meditated at Naropa, she felt both peace and whole. When she came back, she brought her renewed Buddhist insight with her, and she was going to set up a meditation corner in the house, with cushion and bell and our painted wooden sculpture of the Daibutsu but realized she couldn't do it because of the cats. We have cats of course. We've always had cats. Cats are elemental creatures for both of us, we could argue they are totem creatures, as both of us see our selves and our natures reflected in the cats who live with us. More and more of them have become house cats, which was not the plan -- we had one house cat at first and took care of many ferals. But gradually one or another feral cat was tamed and began tentatively to join us in the house. We were given a pair of kittens by the neighbor boys. Others have just arrived on their own. Ms. Ché has a strong adoptive instinct, and as more and more cats join us in the house, we have to make certain adaptations to their ways and needs. One of them being a soft, warm place to snuggle. A cushion for sitting meditation would be perfect. In fact, the one Ms. Ché got for that purpose is now a cat-bed. Of course. Some of our house cats practice Zenning on their own account, Larry being a prime example. He was very hyper when he arrived, apparently after wandering a good long time. An older feral we called Joe adopted Larry and took it on himself to instruct the younger cat in Zen meditation. I kid you not. Joe had been Zenning out in the yard for a long time, and when he took on Larry, he literally taught him step by step what to do. And gradually, Larry learned. He is now wise and calm, and he goes into Zen state randomly, like a tested master, and he's showing some of the younger cats what to do. It's almost as if the feral colony is becoming a monastery. But like many other monasteries, not everyone can handle the challenge and they go about their cat-business on a lower plane. Some are clearly ascended masters, though. Larry is very nearly the Abbot of this group though he rarely puts on airs. When the meditation cushion was given to the cats it meant we would not have a dedicated meditation corner in the house, but oddly that's been liberating. Since we don't have this singular place for meditating in the house, we can and do meditate wherever we are. Randomly. It's a kind of liberation that many practitioners seek but never find. They need and want the structure of regular meditation times and places, wearing regular meditation robes sitting on regular meditation cushions, and all the trappings of "actual" Zen meditation. Otherwise, perhaps, they can't do it. It doesn't feel right. That's one of the common hazards Zen masters pointed to long ago: attachment to particular places, things, needs and wants. Attachment to people like your sensei or roshi. Without them, you can become lost. 🕉🕉 Indeed. It's true. Learning to practice without the structure you may be used to is a definite challenge which not every Zen practitioner can master or necessarily wants to master. So, no. We don't have a meditation corner in the house, but we have our workarounds. The sound of the singing bowl is the signal we use for meditation -- just as a small brass bell was 50 years go. We may still have that bell, but if we don't, we have others like it. The singing bowl, however, is a recent nod to Naropa, and I must say, small as it is, it has an impressive tone. Not quite as deep and long-lasting as the one at Naropa's meditation room, but as effective just the same. When one or the other of us strikes the tone (it is usually Ms. who does), the meditation moment begins. Not only do we shift into a sitting meditation mode, so do some, not all, of the house cats. Could we do it without the tone of the singing bowl? Of course. Our shrine to the Buddha is also one of the helpful elements as it is a reminder to meditate. The gold painted wooden statue of the Kamakura Daibutsu is so eloquent that a mere glance is sufficient to put me in that meditative space. And so it goes. It's our official 50th, and so we will celebrate in various ways today and tonight. It's a reminder of our long time together and how very challenging and rewarding that time has been. 🕉🕉🕉 Labels: 50th Anniversary, cats, challenge, Daibutsu, meditation, Zen "Y" - Zen.2 I started Zen practice when I was in high school -- in the early-mid '60s. The high school period was a really bad time for me. I won't go into details at this time, but I may at some point. Now that I have "let go" of it I can speak of it, but for now, no. In fact "letting go" was part of my impetus for practicing Zen. And indeed, in my mid-twenties, a point came when I could do that. Almost all of the bad things that had practically consumed me, indeed, practically killed me, before that moment (and it was a moment) I "let go" went away as if they had never been, and through Zen practice one learns that those bad times had never been. The sense of liberation was profound. And that's when I gave up and let go of Zen practice as well. It was available at any time, but I felt it wasn't necessary any more. I went on a wholly different path, a pilgrimage of sorts, which ultimately led me to where I am now, circling back to my youthful Zen era. The Enso is apropos, no? The dharma talk I mentioned and criticized and reconsidered in the previous post was in part about pilgrimage and how in many cases the pilgrim is a "nobody" (consider the word) among "nobodies" on the way to something/nothing different, or not. We don't have to get into the details of "some/nothing." It's not really a contradiction, but some would see it that way. The dharma talk proposed that all of us are ultimately on pilgrimage, even if the pilgrim is only taking one step. That step itself can be or represent the whole of a pilgrim's passage. In Zen practice, the pilgrimage is an important activity, and many Zen practitioners, sensei and roshi go on pilgrimages to Japan, to India, to Tibet, and some now to China (other places too, but those are mentioned frequently) to, I suppose, inhale the same air as the Buddha, trod the same paths as Bodhidharma, explore the same hills and woods as Dogen and thereby... wait, what's the point of it? Hate to say it, but there is no point. One goes on pilgrimage... because one goes on pilgrimage. The choice of where to be a pilgrim -- if there is a choice -- is almost always a product of desire. And desire, as the Buddha discovered, is the source of suffering. Letting go of desire relieves suffering and... can lead to enlightenment. Yet in my mid-twenties I began a life-pilgrimage not driven by desire, at least not desire I was conscious of, that was often a wild ride, yet was always instructional. Every step -- well, nearly -- a learning experience. Much of it was risky as if on a mountain precipice. Teetering so close to the edge, then somehow falling back toward if not exactly to safety, then teetering again. And again and again. The nature of a life's pilgrimage can be that of risk, but it isn't always. A single step, for example, can embody an entire pilgrimage, and that step may or may not embody risk. The individual experience is what it is. We don't know and can't say in advance what it will be. Afterwards, we won't necessarily know what it was. In some Zen traditions, we never know and can never know. It never begins, it never ends. But I don't much want to get into that right now. There will be a time for koans and contradictions. But not right now. Instead, for the moment I want to focus on the "Y" of Zen -- the "why." Note: "I want to..." is an expression of desire, and I accept that for the moment. And because it's Halloween and the little ones are swarming at the door, I'll have to put off that "why" for a little while longer. Labels: enlightenment, Enso, pilgrimages, suffering, Why, Zen "Y"-Zen Daibutsu (Big Buddha) Kamakura, Japan c. 1867 Zen Buddhism has often been referred to as a form of psychotherapy rather than a religion, and its practice is seen as a form of self-discovery and repair rather than idle ritual. Zen practice can be alarmingly difficult, even brutal, particularly in sesshin, but typically it's not. Most people who practice Zen are not destined to become monks or nuns, nor will they become sensei or roshi (teachers or wise leaders). That is neither their purpose nor ambition in practicing Zazen. The goal, if there is a goal, for most Zen practitioners is an inner peace which may -- or may not -- be or lead to satori, sudden enlightenment. I found in practicing Zazen many years ago that the presence of any desire inhibited practice. One cannot desire enlightenment, for example, or desire to count one's breaths, or desire to clear one's mind. These supposed benefits or objectives of Zen practice cannot be desired while in sitting meditation or the whole point of the meditation is lost. In fact, it quickly becomes apparent that meditation itself is impossible in the context of desire. This is a conundrum and paradox in the Buddhism, one that the Buddha himself wrestled with constantly -- until he didn't. Desire itself, he learned, was the cause of suffering. Lose desire and you lose suffering. But how do you do that? Luckily we have guides including the Buddha. In Zen many additional threads are woven together. In other words, we learn to practice not just from the Buddha but from a long lineage of disciples, devotees, teachers and masters, each of whom provides a distinct and ultimately necessary insight into the practice we call Zen today. Why Zen then and not some other Buddhist school or practice? There are quite a few different versions of Buddhism after all. Zen is often considered the severest and most difficult. Oddly, or perhaps not, I didn't find it so at all. In fact, it seemed remarkably easy. That's not to say there wasn't inner struggle. Of course there was and still is. Sitting meditation (Zazen) itself, however, is not really hard to do. It's hard or impossible for me now to assume the correct posture sitting on the floor on a thin cushion. Nope, no can do. But it's not necessary. Sitting, yes, but not necessarily on the floor in the lotus or semi-lotus position. No, any position that is not too comfortable for you (so you don't go to sleep!) in a chair or sofa or bench or what have you is fine. The proper Zen meditation position (which I won't elaborate here, but which is quite detailed and complex, at least at first) is a necessity only for monks and nuns in training, and even then, exceptions can sometimes be made. The notion that every Zen practitioner must adhere to the proper form of sitting is laughable. One sits as one will. One sits though, and one allots a length of time, usually half an hour, for quiet meditation as one sits. Typically, the meditation period is announced with a bell or other signaling device at the beginning and end of the period. Years ago, we kept a small brass bell for the purpose, but now we use a Tibetan "singing bowl" -- from Nepal, of course. Anything can be used though, anything that makes a distinct sound when struck, preferably one that holds a tone for a time. One sits, eyes closed, head down; one focuses on one's breathing and counts one's breaths. That, almost entirely, is it. One does that for half an hour and at some point during the meditation, without really noticing it, one stops counting, one stops noticing one's breathing, one is liberated from thought, concept, presence, and perhaps only momentarily one stops being "one." Is that satori? Mmm, could be. Of course when you're doing this at distance, not in company with a sangha or in close communication with a roshi or sensei one doesn't really know whether what one has experienced in sitting meditation is this or that. And in the early-mid '60s, while there were a number of Zen communities in California, they were not directly accessible to me, so I had to do a remote and individualized practice which at the time seemed perfectly acceptable. I started on my own using a thin book as a guide, and then corresponded with a Zen teacher affiliated with the San Francisco Zen Center who encouraged my individual practice and didn't seem at all put off that I was doing it on my own. Many people did. I'm not sure whether I still have the guide book (I suspect not, but with thousands of books accumulated over the years and no card catalog to sort them, who knows?) but at some point, it seemed unnecessary, even superfluous to my practice. Once you get into a sort of meditation groove as it were, guidance becomes more and more problematic. That's because one's path in meditation is one's own. There are no universal absolutes. Satori is what it is, but it isn't necessarily the same for each individual. The Buddha seemed to understand that. My own Zen teacher certainly understood it. And when I reached a point we no longer needed to correspond, I honestly didn't know whether I had reached satori or not. And here's the thing: It doesn't matter. Because one still chops wood and carries water before as well as after enlightenment. I thought of attending a dharma talk at a Zen center in Santa Fe a couple of weeks ago. The topic was interesting: The freedom to be Nobody. Turns out I didn't go. It's an hour-twenty to get there, maybe more giving allowance for traffic and possibly getting lost, and I ran out of time. But that's an excuse, as I could have arranged my time more carefully that day than I did, and I could have made it before the start of the talk. I was put off, however, by some of the non-welcoming attitude, shall we say, of the Center's operation as reflected by its website. Certainly a serious Zen community will have rules, but in this case, it seemed obsessive to the point of absurdity. The dharma talks supposedly welcome anyone who wishes to attend, oh but... One must arrive by a particular time, one must park in a particular place, one must dress in a particular way, one must observe particular rituals and practices that one might not be familiar with at all, one must engage in zazen as well as kinhin, one is expected to give dana to the speaker... wait, this is crazy. This is not a welcome to anyone who wishes to attend. This is a barricade against that very thing. Deliberately so. It's clear enough to me that this particular Zen Center desires most of all to keep people in general out, and wishes to welcome only a select class of participants and only on very strict terms. If you don't follow the rules pretty much exactly, you are not welcome. No, I'd put it more generally: you, a "nobody", are not welcome there at all. Ironic given the topic of the talk. A few days later, I listened to the talk on podcast, and I was not sorry I missed it. Well, there are many points at which Zen by its nature is a contradiction. The contradictions and occasional absurdities are part of the practice, and the whys are interesting, but I won't get into them here. In the case of this talk, which I intend to listen to again, the speaker was not prepared, ran off on several tangents that weren't necessarily interesting in themselves, and ultimately he indulged his own personal desires (yes!) because he didn't know what else to say. In fact, I'm listening to the talk again now because I suspect I must have gotten it wrong. We'll see. RECONSIDERATION: All right. My first impression of this dharma talk was wrong. I have listened to it again, and for all its faults, the talk is actually on point, coherent and.. helpful. As a Bodhisattva, the speaker is illuminating the Diamond Sutra with many different lamps in many colors. As a "nobody" on pilgrimage, you may not be welcome everywhere or anywhere, but what's to worry? I listened before with one ear closed, and I missed much of the talk through distractions, of which there were (are) many. I listened with both ears today, and found a far more complete.talk. Letting go is a perpetual issue. It may have been simplistic and based in desire, but it was fuller than my initial impressions, and it was not because he didn't know what else to say or because he wasn't prepared. I may have more to say about pilgrimage and letting go in due time. Which also has to do with my continued reluctance to join a sangha. Labels: Buddha, Dharma, pilgrimages, Zen Zen and the Roots of Minimalism Minimalism is a Thing thanks in part to TeeVee celebs like Marie Kondo and others, as well as the roller coaster ride of the ever more expensive and luxurious tiny house movement. The message is that we don't need all the stuff we accumulate, and we don't need big houses to live well, especially after we've disposed of the bulk of our accumulations. Simple (albeit possibly elegant) living is a good thing in and of itself. Zen Buddhism is often cited as one of the main source-points of modern simple living ideals and minimalism. It's not the only one, but it is an important one, especially to people on the US west coast who were influenced by Japanese immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. Japanese domestic architecture, itself influenced by and influencing Zen Buddhism, first came into prominence in the West in the 1880s as the island nation was being extensively explored and remarked upon by observers from the United States, England and Germany. Japan was for them a revelation. Its contrast with Europe and the United States was widely admired though often discounted because of the general racism of the era. The Japanese and their domestic architecture might have some admirable qualities but they could not match the extraordinary accomplishments of civilized nations. Could they? In some ways Japanese domestic accommodations exceeded Western ones -- particularly in honesty, simplicity, cleanliness, artistic effect, and comfort, so long as you were accustomed to it. In fact, Western observers were often distinctly uncomfortable in Japanese domestic accommodations, as there was essentially nothing in them with which the Westerner was familiar. There were no chairs or beds or rugs or window hangings. There were no doors or windows as a Westerner would recognize them. There was no paint or paper on the walls, and in fact there were few walls at all. There were no glittering and glaring light fixtures, no bric-a-brac, no high plastered ceilings, no effort at all to imitate the style, look or finish of any previous era or location. And yet once the Western observer was able to let go of his expectations of domestic accommodations and accustom himself to the Japanese ways, he found himself astonished and entranced. Disbelieving and yet delighted. For all the absence of things in Japanese domestic accommodation, the result was liberating. The revelation of this liberation was to be immensely influential as it still is today. Minimalism had long been practiced as a kind of rule in the West -- think monasteries and such-- but in Japan it found a style. Zen Buddhism was at the root -- and yet Japanese domestic architecture could be said to be at the root of Zazen: sitting meditation. The Empty Center. The fact that Western observers remarked upon most often was that Japanese houses were almost completely empty -- or at least appeared to be in contrast to the superabundance of stuff that filled and overfilled typical Western houses in the Victorian era. Another phase of Western minimalist living was about to be born. Minimalism in the West had always been associated with religious and monastic life. So it would be with minimalism derived from Japanese domestic living, a lifestyle at least in part derived from Zen Buddhism, but also helping to influence the practice of Zen. The only thing is, Zen is not a religion, it's more of a practice. One sits. One counts ones breaths. One empties ones mind. Anyone can do it almost anywhere at almost any time. One sits, meditates and then goes about his or her day. That day may include any number of different activities, all of which/none of which have the potential to lead to satori. Enlightenment. Sudden, unanticipated. But then, maybe not. The minimalism of Zen Buddhism can be an aid to satori. But then, anything can. Or nothing. Labels: minimalism, Zazenkai, Zen "O"- Zen I started Zen practice in high school, sometime between 1964 and 1966. I had become intrigued with traditional Japanese architecture, as so many Westerners are, in part because the house I lived in at the time had a few Japanese style details. My interest was sparked, though, by a large format book -- not quite coffee table size -- that I either bought or checked out of the library (probably the latter) that covered traditional Japanese domestic architecture with numerous extraordinary black and white photos, floor plans, and scholarly text that I found fascinating. I believe one of the authors was Japanese; indeed, the entire book may have been a Japanese production. I believe the title was "The Japanese House and Garden" () published in 1962. But my memory is so full of holes and blank spaces these days, don't take my word for it. Thanks to the inspiration of that book, I must have designed and drawn dozens of houses in the Japanese style. I think I still have one or two of them in a portfolio out in the studio. The text made numerous references to Zen Buddhism as part of the motivation for the style of many Japanese houses as well as the often hyper-minimalism of their interiors and gardens. I was constantly amazed at how empty seeming these houses and gardens were -- especially in comparison to typical Western style -- and yet how abundant all this emptiness seemed. There seemed to be so much space, even in tiny 4.5 mat rooms, or 3 X 7 meter gardens. Construction details were fascinating, particularly the construction of houses and tea-houses that utilized no nails or other metal fastenings. The constant reminders of "abundant emptiness" led me eventually to start studying Zen with a detour or two through Jack Kerouac's ramblings on the road and as a dharma bum. I found a master I could correspond with as there were no Zen centers near where I was, and I began to sit in meditation, counting my breaths and clearing my mind. I was no more than 17 years old. I ceased practice in my mid twenties. I was never really good at it, to hyper and ADD most of the time, but the elements of Zen practice never really leave you once you've taken them in. You just don't do it all the time. I spent the next 40 years or so doing something else. That led me down a variety of different paths and all over the country, learning and teaching all the way. One of the things people noticed about me was how calm I could be under stress. Yes, well... that's part of what "letting go of attachment" means. It doesn't mean you don't care. It does mean you're not attached to a particular state or set of circumstances or people or things. You're just there in the moment. What I call "O"- Zen is in part that absence of attachment. It's also "abundant emptiness." The "empty circle" -- Enso -- which symbolizes the center: some/no thing. Enlightenment. Not that that was a state I ever achieved 😃🕉 "O"- Zen is also my term for the way space is shaped and used in traditional Japanese architecture. So here we are, many decades down the road, and slowly, slowly, I'm returning to the practice, but so far only intermittently and only in part. First, I'm unable to sit in proper Zen posture. There are plenty of things I'm physically unable to do anymore, and that's all right. I'd usually been doing too much anyway. Or trying to. But being unable to assume the correct Zen sitting posture, and being unable to rise from that posture if somehow I was able to do it is difficult to accept. I'm not 17 anymore! I take a shit-ton of powerful medications to control my condition -- so far, doing good -- but there are noticeable side effects, one of which is apparently memory loss and brain farts. I brought it up with my rheumatologist earlier this month. He was... concerned, especially when he witnessed one of the problems I had remembering and saying the name of another specialist I see from time to time. I just couldn't get it out. It wasn't coming into my conscious mind, and so I couldn't say it, though only moments before we were speaking about her as if she were in the room. Well, that's an example of how holey my memory has become, especially regarding short term matters, so there may come further tests and medications. We shall see. And then, "O"- Zen. 😃🕉 () NOTE: I did some research, and by golly, that is the title of the book that pointed me to the dharma path. Surprisingly, it was first published in Germany in 1935, during Hitler-time, and I vaguely remember its German origins. Its original publication in the US was in 1955, but the edition I was so taken with was from 1962 or 63. I haven't found any reference to a 1962 edition but I have seen references to 1963 and 1969 editions. I have not found any illustrations from the book on line, but I remember the photographs, plans and drawings as remarkable, some even breathtaking. They live in what's left of my mind to this day. The link in the post is to Questia's online excerpts, text only, but quite a bit of it is included in the Table of Contents on the right of the linked page. I'm wondering how it was received in Nazi Germany. I know I was astonished by it. FURTHER NOTE: I just ordered a copy of the 1955 edition, but the outfit selling it I think is in a portion of California currently under power blackout thanks to PG& E. We'll see whether it arrives... Labels: Dharma, Japanese architecture, O-Zen, Zen Pondering the Question of Tibet As we know, China is the rising super-power while the US continues to falter and decline. The Chinese have created a nigh-on miraculous transformation of their society in a very short time, and this isn't the first time they've done it. The whole Mao-ist revolutionary period was one enormous transformation after another, almost unprecedented in world history. The current rise of China would be unbelievable if we didn't have the prior examples of Chinese transformations to consider. Part of that transformative process has involved Tibet, a supposedly autonomous province of China that has been subjected to repeated waves of "reform" by the Chinese under Mao and every subsequent central government with the stated objective of getting rid of Tibetan barbarism, backwardism, and worse, while bringing the benefits of modern civilization to uplift the Tibetan masses and guide them into the 21st Century -- while preserving as much as possible of Tibet's unique and ancient culture. That has meant in practice overthrowing rule by the lamas, exiling the Dalai Lama, disrupting and partially destroying the lamasery system, freeing the Tibetan peasantry from what had amounted to serfdom and in some cases outright slavery, bringing codified law, plumbing, drainage, electricity, roads and railroads, universal education and so on to the masses, instituting public health practices and much more in what is objectively a colonial/imperial project, driven from Beijing, to integrate Tibet into the Greater Chinese Domestic Empire. In the West there is a highly romanticized notion of what Tibet was like prior to the Chinese revolution. We are ledto believe it was some sort of primitive paradise under the lamas, happy people spinning prayer wheels all the live long day while the Dalai Lama and his lines of Buddhist monks and nuns preserved, protected and defended ancient peaceful Buddhist practice from the Potala in Lhasa to the hundreds of lamaseries throughout the country. Truly, that romantic version of Tibetan Shangri-la is... off the mark by quite a bit. The Chinese knew how phony it was, but so did numerous Western travelers and observers -- prior to the Revolution, that is. Tibet as it was, and as many observers testified, was demon-haunted, riven with violence and intense poverty and disease, grossly and deliberately kept backward by the lamas, and despite the constant spinning of prayer wheels, was a society that was too often behaving the opposite of Buddhist practice. Chinese intervention was not welcomed, not by a long shot, but resistance was futile, as is so often the case with colonial/imperial projects launched from powerful centers. There was-- and still is -- resistance though, and China has not been able to fully transform Tibet into a glittery simulacrum of what so many people seem to believe it once was. It's an uncomfortable hybrid of Chinese driven "progress" and oppression together with surprisingly strong remnants of its former lama-driven but essentially cruel feudal past. This is the Chinese propaganda version of the Tibetan transformation since the Revolution: Nice, right? Well, it's not quite like that. The gloss is not quite so shiny, and the benefits of living under strict Chinese colonial control are less than ideal for many Tibetans who face severe restrictions on their freedoms of belief and action and punishment for disobedience and resistance. This is the Dalai Lama's propaganda version of Tibet Today and Yesterday: Horrible, right? Well, it's not quite like that. A different take: Like most colonial projects, Tibet since the Chinese take over has been a mixed bag. There has been immense material progress while suppressing the lamaseries. There has been resistance and acquiescence. The Chinese have sought to sanitize and monetize the Buddhist, lama-dominated Tibetan culture while exploiting the land and people for the benefit of China. All of which is typical of colonial projects undertaken in the West over the past centuries. In addition, Han Chinese have emigrated to and settled in Tibet in numbers sufficient to make them the majority of the population. It's not clear to me whether they are unwelcome, any more than it was obvious that the British were unwelcome in all of their various colonies during the Imperial period. Colonization is a mixed bag. This is something I sometimes get into with regard to my Irish ancestry. Ireland was for 800 years a colonial possession of Britain, and for much of that time, the British behaved badly to say the least. Eventually, the Irish achieved a rough form of autonomy and then independence from Britain -- except for those in Northern Ireland who are still to this day subject to the Crown. The Irish Republic, however, is almost as proud of its British heritage and legacy as the home country is. You would think that once Ireland achieved independence, the Irish would reject pretty much everything the British imposed on them, and they haven't. Not even close. Same with India, Ceylon, Burma, Singapore, etc., etc. The United States, among so many other former colonies, treasures its British colonial past. And so it goes. From the outside, it looks like that's the course Tibet is on as well. Ultimately, China's colonial impositions will be put in an overall positive context while acknowledging the bad things that happened. Under the lamas, Tibet was a cruel and brutal feudal and demon-haunted place, not at all like the Shangri-la paradise of lore and legend or as hinted by mostly Western "Free Tibet" activists. The lamaseries had so many thousands of monks and nuns in part because they were places of refuge ("I take refuge in the Buddha; I take refuge in the Dharma; I take refuge in the Sangha.") from a truly awful outside reality, full of suffering and woe. The Chinese disbanded and destroyed many of the lamaseries -- and preserved others -- while transforming the domestic society into something more closely resembling the modern material societies in China and elsewhere. Is this a good thing? Not entirely, and not necessarily in any case, but given their druthers -- which is unlikely -- I doubt that most Tibetans would want to go back to the way things were before the Chinese took over. They, like most colonized people, like much of the material benefit that comes with colonization. They like running water, decent housing, electricity, paved roads, automobiles, and electronics. They like education and opportunity where once there was none outside the lamaseries. The elements of progress make their lives easier and potentially more rewarding. They like the end of arbitrary rule by cruel landlords. lamas and village chiefs. They don't like the oppression and suppression that seems to be built in to the Chinese psyche. They don't like having their faith and beliefs challenged by modernity and materialism, even if they like the benefits. They don't like their traditional ways of life being replaced by... what? Colonialism always leaves the question open. I ponder the question of Tibet these days because of my slow-walking return to Buddhism after so many years in another realm of existence altogether. Tibet is a primary Buddhist center, both for philosophy and practice, and the Dalai Lama is the principal Buddhist spokesman in the world today, widely revered even by non-Buddhists. Posted by Ché Pasa at 12:44 PM No comments: Links to this post Labels: Buddhism, China, Dharma, Sangha, Tibet, Zen On Rule by Bullies and Their Toadies It's gobsmacking how the bullies and toadies of the Trump regime are constantly able to pull victory from the jaws of defeat -- no matter what. Even if the Impeachment Circus manages to culminate in Trump's removal -- I doubt it will -- the legacy of chaos, corruption, lies, fantasies, fabrications, and bullying will remain, not to be easily undone, perhaps forever more. Some observers like to say that whatever is happening, whatever the regime is doing, whatever Trump is saying, and however much is disrupted, it's all "wonderfully clarifying," as if we wouldn't have known how rotten and diseased our politics and ruling paradigms are otherwise. Bollocks. Utter bollocks. We knew, we've known, I've been writing about it here since 2007 and before that in many other venues almost since the Internet began in earnest. We knew. We know. "Clarification" is not the necessary element at this point. What's needed is action, profound and serious, to correct course, and I simply don't see that anywhere in the political firmament or in the increasingly captive realm of influencers and commentariats. It's almost all ruled by bullies and their toadies. No one else has a voice. And there is no goodness at or near the top anywhere. Certainly there are no saviours. Not in today's politics, nor in academe, nor in any of the various sectors that rule us. Trump and his regime may represent the worst of it, though I'm certain there are worse examples we could dredge up from the depths of the muck, but taking them out of the picture, it's still really dreadful. As it has been for many a long year. Yet we carry on because we must. It's instinctive. Goodness may not be on the horizon no matter how hard we yearn for it, yet there are always escape hatches and alternatives.And they'll be turned to more and more as things deteriorate for the masses. A key to understanding the situation is the realization that We, the Rabble are expendable. That's key to recognizing how bullies and their toadies are able to rule no matter how bad or incompetent or worthless they are. None of us, the Rabble, are necessary to their way of looking at things, and the only reason we're here at all is because they let us live. Period. Some of us may have some utility some of the time, but none of us are necessary. That is supposed to lead us to being grateful. If we're not, there are always things that can be done to make us feel appropriate gratitude or to relieve us of our mortal coil. It's just that simple at bottom. Whoever/whatever replaces the Trump regime may or may not be qualitatively better, may behave less outrageously, may show some signs of competence and compassion, but at bottom will still believe what the Trump regime believes about the rest of us, and will still act on that belief one way or another -- though perhaps with more caution than the Trumpies have. We will not elect a Good Emperor after this shitshow. No, a dismal precedent has been set in concrete. Elections may continue indefinitely -- they did in Ancient Rome, after all -- but their meaninglessness will be made clear as well. The Emperor will be chosen, by whom is not entirely clear, but it won't be by the People. Neither will it be by a monolithic Ruling Class. That class is riven with factionalism, fractured and in disarray. The young-ish "disrupters" of Silicon Valley are jockeying for ultimate power, and so far, the Ruling Class resistance to them is more stylistical than substantive. As long as the disrupters are able to keep the masses from coalescing, so be it. Otherwise, though, no. So Zuckerberg may be a strange, alienish, robotic something or other, and Bezos is a bizarre offshoot of the human race, and so many of the other would-be High and Mighty tech tycoons likewise, they are useful enough that they're kept around by the faltering and factional Ruling Class. They may one day emerge as the successors to today's Ruling Class, but they will be no better. Arguably, they will represent the continued devolution of the Class. And they are no less devoted to bullying and toadying. It is how they've achieved what they have, and how they fully intend to expand and maintain it. To the extent they are able to exploit the rest of us they will do so. Otherwise, enh. Tolstoy wrote a book (173pg pdf) that seems almost as pertinent today as it was 130 years ago. I may have more on this topic shortly, but for now... Labels: bullies and toadies, Tolstoy, What Then Must We Do Buddh... This is our Buddha shrine. There's more to it, but you get an idea. It combines some of the aspects of the Buddha stories including the elephant, horse, other animals and plants, followers, centered meditation, and so on. It's not a place of worship, it's a place of reminder. As are a number of other shrines in the house, some focused on Native elements, some on St. Francis, some of them unfocused, such as the one in the bedroom that includes several carved birds, a dinosaur model, a tiny black and white cat, and cornmeal offering. Not to forget the skull images from Dia de los Muertos. Of course. This is New Mexico where a polyglot amalgam of faiths is relatively commonplace. Honoring tradition is a basic cultural element in these parts, and tradition plays a huge part in faith communities. What was done hundreds of years ago is for the most part the same cycles and rituals done today. I don't know the history of Buddhism in New Mexico, but there is a strong and growing community of practicing Buddhists and a diverse community of laypeople professing some aspect of Buddhist practice. I wouldn't call it "belief" because there isn't anything in particular to believe in Buddhism. One practices. One sits, one meditates for varying lengths of time, one goes about one's day. One studies the sutras or not, one questions, one takes action to be kind, compassionate, joyful, and "detached." One is not what one does or says or thinks or believes. All of that is illusion. Even the concept that one is is an illusion. But this path of thought cannot lead to Enlightenment. It is more like an eternally turning wheel, not the Dharma Wheel, but not not it, either. Letting go of the concept of Is-ness is itself an element of Buddhist practice, but even perfect letting go is not sufficient in itself to achieve Enlightenment or Buddha-hood. Not that that is necessarily desirable in and of itself. It is simply something that may happen -- or not. I've had the Diamond Sutra on speed dial lately. It never struck me as particularly profound, and I'm not sure it's meant to be. It's more in the nature of a reminder of how transitory our corporeal existence/experience is, and how false in some ways (all ways, no ways) it is. We live in illusion, creating that illusion as we live. A talk on the meaning/not meaning of the Diamond Sutra is appended herewith: Zazenkai: Inside the Buddha’s Body (email sign up required to listen, but it's relatively stress -- and marketing -- free) Labels: Buddhism, Illusions, is/not is, Zazenkai Was Greta the Catalyst for Impeachment of Trump? The Speaker of the House at long last has announced the "official" start of an impeachment inquiry into the actions of the President of the United States -- apparently over the revelations that the Intelligence Community's Inspector General received a "credible" complaint by an internal whistleblower about...something... an unspecified official (presumed to be the president) did that was inappropriate and possibly illegal with regard to a foreign leader earlier this year. OK. This is all pretty murky. The IG made a presentation to the House Judiciary Committee but was unable to supply the requested complaint itself as the Director of National Intelligence had refused to release it to Congress on advice of the Department of Justice, despite clear language in the law that required the matter to go before Congress for consideration. Apparently the DoJ in the person of the Attorney General decided to override the law, claiming to have evaluated the matter as "not urgent." The matter is assumed by the media to be about the president pressuring the recently elected leader of Ukraine to reopen an investigation of Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, with regard to his service on the board of a Ukrainian gas company some years ago along with Biden's father Joe's request of the former government of Ukraine to remove the prosecutor who had been investigating the company but who was considered irredeemably corrupt both inside and outside the country. But it is not entirely clear that's the case. Up to now, Nancy Pelosi has been adamantly opposed to any formal impeachment process in the House of Representatives, often claiming that "the people" aren't supportive of it, and therefore it shouldn't be done. Suddenly something changed. Meanwhile at the United Nations, Greta Thunberg made an impassioned speech to the Climate Forum, j'accuse style, that set the world abuzz. Take a listen: She shamed the leaders of the world in less than five minutes, shamed them for doing less than they should, or doing nothing at all, in the face of a global existential climate crisis that if unaddressed spells doom for her generation or shortly after. "How dare you!" she bellowed, and her rage was felt around the world. Meanwhile in DC, the same levels of outrage had been building for years at the inaction of the US Congress and (usually) the courts to hold the current ruling regime and the president to account, to curb their excesses, and to look into impeaching Trump's sorry ass for numerous offenses against simple decency and law, let alone the unending chaos of his regime. Nancy wouldn't do it. Republicans wouldn't do it. Nobody would. The shit show went on and on, and nothing was done about it by anybody who could do anything about it. The leadership in DC at every level of every party was failing badly. And then Greta made her speech at the UN and things almost immediately started changing. Maybe not fixing climate, no, but starting finally to think about fixing grossly dysfunctional governments that have failed badly for a generation or more. It's long past time. At this point, though, it may be too late, either for the climate or for governments. The tipping point may be passed, and there is no going back. We'll see... Labels: climate change, climate crisis, government failure, greta thunberg, Institutional Failure, nancy pelosi, politics of failure Among the Swells in Santa Fe As many know, Santa Fe is home to a lot of rich people, mostly older people who made their money elsewhere and have retired to this tail end of the Rocky Mountains to live and love among their own kind but with "Santa Fe Style". While we are older, we are far from rich. We don't live in Santa Fe, and truthfully I wouldn't want to -- though Ms. Ché occasionally casts longing glances there or toward Taos -- but in the little town where we do live our income makes us pretty well off. I sometimes think that we could afford to live in Santa Fe (it's a very expensive city) but barely. Half or more of our income would go for housing; we'd have little or no discretionary income for doing the things we do, whether it's travel, education, health care, or purchasing art. We are only able to donate a substantial portion of our income to various causes in part because we don't live in Santa Fe! And because we are able to buy art and donate to museums and educational institutions, we are sometimes invited to mix and mingle among the swells of Santa Fe, which in fact we did a while ago at a get together of museum donors, art collectors and fancy people at the home of one of Santa Fe's big collectors in Las Campanas, a very tony newer large homes-on-acreage development on the outskirts of the city. We'd never been to Las Campanas before. We'd heard about it and about the kinds of people who live there, mostly retired rich people who want to live in something newer that they've had built themselves rather than the often rattletrap money pits on the tiny lots of the Historic Eastside where some of Santa Fe's highest dollar movers and shakers have lived for generations. It's freedom to be out in the country on acreage, with views to die for, and little of the hub bub of the city. In town living is not for faint of heart. Despite the fact that Santa Fe is a small city, traffic can be horrendous, and it can be difficult to get around at the best of times let alone when one or another market or festival is under way. Which is pretty much always. So, out to Las Campanas we went, taking the trusty red van because the car is in the shop, tooling along seemingly forever on the "Relief Road" to get to the entrance road to Las Campanas, Camino La Tierra, then to thread out way along twisty-turny one lane, one way roads up hill and down dale, making only one wrong turn until we got to the gate that blocked access to the house where we were to have a tour and eat some grub. Handily, a security guard was on duty and opened the gate for us with a great big smile, and we found some place to park on the narrow street out front of the house. There were already a lot of cars, and we weren't even particularly late. My. It seemed like there would be many more than the 40 guests maximum, but no, when we got inside and made a quick count, there were barely thirty, and as the evening progressed no more than an additional five or so arrived. We knew some of them, but many more were strangers to us, and I'm afraid I was somewhat standoffish with people I didn't know. The hosts were new to us, but very charming, and we felt warm and welcome in their company. We did not initially make a thorough inspection of their collection, but my goodness, just the things within the walled outdoor area were breathtaking. The house was not as large as I expected, but it was on a three acre lot on the brow of a ridge, and from the back patios, the view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains was spectacular. Thunder storms were gathering, but we paid the weather little mind as we munched on brie and prawns and homegrown grapes and chatted with various guests, most of whom were our age or older, much richer, and -- perhaps sadly -- mostly lone females. Oh, how many were widows? The hosts were an interesting couple. He considerably younger than she. She was from Germany, and she reminded me very much of a charming German woman I'd met in Albuquerque some years ago at the Peace and Justice Center where we attended a PBS film about Native children in New England who had been taken from their parents and raised in the equivalent of old-line boarding schools or farmed out to foster care and how they were coping with the experience as adults. Most Americans have little idea there are present day Native tribes in New York, New England and on much of the east coast as far south as Virginia and beyond. The stories of removal of the Cherokees and others from the Southeast are so strong, there is little inkling that a few Natives still populate many areas of the east. The stories told of the horrors many have endured and still do, however, are heartbreaking. I chatted with this German lady (whose name I don't recall) after the film presentation because she wanted to talk about how she became interested in Native Americans. How did she, a middle class girl in Germany, become so fascinated with Native Americans that she eventually moved to the Southwest and immersed herself in American Indian culture, lore and legend? She asked me if I'd ever heard of Karl May. Oh yes, my yes. I had recently studied some of his works for reason I don't recall (memory not being my strong suit any more). Karl May was a prolific German writer in the last quarter of the 19th Century and the first decade of the 20th Century. He wrote novels, essays, magazine articles and so on, hundreds and hundreds of major works, and probably thousands of minor works and sold hundreds of millions of volumes, many dealing with the American Wild West -- where he'd never been. His stories of Winnotou the Apache chief, and Old Shatterhand, the white adventurer, were wildly popular in German speaking lands, a popularity that continues to this day, somewhat like the works of Mark Twain in the USA. The German woman I met and chatted with at the Peace and Justice Center in Albuquerque had grown up reading Karl May novels of the Old West, and as soon as she had the opportunity, she had traveled to the Southwest US to see the lands and people May had described in his books for herself. She said what she found was even more wonderful than Karl May's invented world, and she vowed one day to live here. And so she did. The story of how she came to live in the Southwest US was as much of an adventure story as anything Karl May wrote. I won't go into the details -- partly because I don't remember them all -- but as we toured the home of our hosts and heard their stories, I was strongly reminded of the stories I'd heard from a lovely German woman years ago. Could I be hearing from the same woman at her home now? I was hearing about Karl May, about her determination, about adventure that continues today, and about a deep and abiding respect for American Indians, a view and respect of the Native Peoples she had learned from popular novels in Germany. I don't know whether the women were the same one or doppelgangers of one another. I didn't have the opportunity to ask our hostess whether we had met years ago in Albuquerque, and knowing how nervous Santa Fe residents are regarding Albuquerque ("I wouldn't go there for any reason, except to pick someone up from the airport -- and then only if I had to" we've heard more than one Santa Fean say) it might not have been appropriate for me to raise the subject among so many Santa Fe swells. But I continue to think she might be the lady I'd talked to about Karl May years before in Albuquerque. The art collection we'd gone to view was certainly extensive, and according to our hosts, they'd had the house built specifically to showcase their collection. It did that very well indeed. Many -- perhaps most -- of the collection had come from their home in Virginia after being transported there from Santa Fe over many years of back-and-forth. Now they had returned to Santa Fe. Most of the collection focused on Native American art and artists, but there were some remarkable "other" things, including a Kandinsky, a Warhol, several Red Grooms works, a Janis Joplin drawing, and so on. The non-Native works were mostly confined to hallways, offices, and other less public areas of the home. Among the Native American artists featured were three or four we knew well, and their works were all over the house, so many of them we felt like this couple were their primary patrons. Could be. Our own collection cannot compare in terms of monetary value. I would estimate the value of the couple's collection at several million dollars, possibly as much as $10 million. Conceivably more. That's not all that unusual in Santa Fe, but we were chatting with some gallery owners/operators a couple of weeks ago who said that the art market is doing poorly these days, despite the fact that some people are doing very well financially. There's plenty of money sloshing around. The problem seemed to be that older people with money were disposing of their collections -- which put downward pressure on prices -- while younger people with money weren't interested in purchasing art. They wanted to travel, buy fine cars, eat well, and they kept their residences small and simple with little or no room for art. It was a dilemma. There was so much art on the market but too few buyers. One of the galleries had really high-end historic regional art for sale, paintings from the early 1900s to the 1970s, breathtaking prices --$100,000 +, and yet they were actually 30% to 50% lower than they might have been 10 years ago. I've seen the same phenomenon happen with (some) classic cars, antique furniture, and other collectibles. Despite obscene levels of wealth among the high rollers, what they buy these days is not what once appealed to them. They aren't even buying expensive jewelry at anywhere near the amount they once did when they weren't as rich. What gives? I have a theory which I can't document, it's just a sense. These people know quite well the peril the planet is in due to the consequences of climate change. They've been preparing for years, and part of the preparation is finding locations that will be relatively safe from sea level rise and temperature extremes -- Santa Fe and environs is one of those locations. I've written about Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch up the road from our place and 20 miles or so south of Santa Fe. Well, it's just one of many similar retreats should everything go to shit. He bought and built it 20 years ago, and ever since the tendency to establish such retreats from catastrophe has only accelerated. They're expensive. To have one that is both accessible and defensible (as Zorro Ranch is/was) is difficult and costs a fortune. To keep it supplied, patrolled and defended even more so. To the extent the money of the rich is going anywhere, I suspect that's where it's going. Priorities... (Just a quick note on Zorro Ranch activities lately. We pass by it every time we go to Santa Fe and return, so we can keep tabs on visible activity there. There are parts of the ranch we can't see from the road, but we can see the gigantic hacienda, the worker-village, the gate to the property, the microwave and cell-phone towers, the cattle, etc. New No Trespassing signs have gone up on the fences by the road. There's a prominent one beside the gate. Exterior lights are on at the hacienda, but there don't appear to be interior lights on in the house much any more. Lights are on in the workers' village. We have not seen patrol vehicles since that one time I mentioned weeks ago. There have been attempts to enter the ranch by people unknown. For example, one day there were two white SUVs stopped at the gate, both apparently filled with passengers. A young-ish slim brunette woman was standing beside the first SUV talking to the driver. I'm pretty sure she was part of the party trying to get in.. I suspect they were media. There have been previous unsuccessful attempts by media to get through the gate. Once a British accented woman answered the gate buzzer and was quite curt with media trying to get in. Staff in pickups comes and goes periodically. The exotic cattle still graze. In other words, the ranch appears to continue in operation, but except for that one time we saw the hacienda lit up as if for a party, the main house appears to be unused. But who knows? And yes, there is supposed to be a secure bunker of some sort under the hacienda. Speculate as you will...) 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Pierce at Esquire Cocktailhag, the Blog Democracy for America Democracy for New Mexico Digby's Hullabaloo EXiled Online -- Mark Ames and Yasha Levine Economic Populist Existentialist Cowboy GRITtv Archives on blip.tv GRITtv with Laura Flanders Humanity Against Crimes Ian Welsh L.A. Activist Mostly Water -- Che page Pando Daily Plutocracy Primer Progressive Democrats of America Revolution! Scott Horton -- No Comment Sirota Sterling Newberry Truth Addict Vast Left Wing Conspiracy We Are The 99% When the Crisis Hits the Fan (Greek to Me) Your Anon News Tumblr	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line51
__label__cc	0.554249	0.445751	Division III. Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations. Title 18. Wills. Chapter 1. General Provisions. § 18-109. Revocation of wills; revival. (a) A will or codicil, or a part thereof, may not be revoked, except by implication of law, otherwise than by (1) a later will, codicil, or other writing declaring the revocation, executed as provided by section 18-103 or 18-107; or (2) burning, tearing, cancelling, or obliterating the will or codicil, or the part thereof, with the intention of revoking it, by the testator himself, or by a person in his presence and by his express direction and consent. (b) A will or codicil, or a part thereof, after it is revoked, may not be revived otherwise than by its re-execution, or by a codicil executed as provided in the case of wills, and then only to the extent to which an intention to revive is shown. (Sept. 14, 1965, 79 Stat. 687, Pub. L. 89-183, § 1.) Application of dower rights to husband and wife: Section 3 of the Act of September 14, 1965, provided: "Effective Mar. 15, 1962, all provisions of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of law for the District of Columbia', approved Mar. 3, 1901, as amended, and all other laws in force in the District of Columbia, relating to the right of dower and its incidents, apply to both husband and wife.".	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line56
__label__wiki	0.547134	0.547134	decaturboxing.comJust another Sites Sites site Boxing is good for you Edmonton Boxing Coach Charged Ezzard Charles Joe Gans Julio Cesar Chavez Marvelous Marvin Hagler Oscar Dela Hoya Roberto Durán Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Robinson Welcome to decaturboxing.com The Greatest. The Louisville Lip. The People’s Champion. Cassius Clay went by many a name throughout his life but the one that he was most recognized by in all aspects was the one that he chose when he converted to the Nation of Islam shortly after the start of his career. Muhammad Ali was a sight to behold in his fighting style, in his self-promotional style and few have been able to rival his ability to astound and entertain. He is referenced time and time again in all modes of pop culture including music, art, books, comics, theaters and television and movies. His taunting mockery of his opponents incorporated verbal jabs, rhymes and fake swats at the air. His larger than life personality was brash and loud and acted as the best marketing tool available. Many have attempted to mimic and emulate his manner but none come close as is exemplified in his interminable relevance. His ego did eventually get in his way in terms of how he conducted himself, his confrontational approach to authority and his stubborn refusal to compromise. In the end, he faced incarceration, was banned from the sport and stripped of his championship designation, all due to his political stance against the war in Vietnam. He attributed his adamant refusal to participate on draft was based on his Islamic beliefs and was found guilty of draft evasion, a conviction which he appealed right up to the Supreme Court where the decision was overturned. Ali’s premise was firm, well thought out and articulate and he called to question a number of reasons for the war as a whole. While this was Ali’s most controversial move and didn’t win him any popularity with conservative thinkers, it certainly made him something of an antihero with the counterculture objectors of the 60’s and 70’s. Agree or disagree, the fight in itself was one of Ali’s finest and will go down in American history. Meanwhile, back in the boxing world, Ali’s career had been derailed by this action right in his prime years and his time ousted from boxing set him back to a certain degree. He returned to the ring and focused to regain his footing and quickly remerged as a force to be reckoned with, beating all comers. His fights were always touted with great names such as the Thrilla in Manila where he defeated Smokin’ Joe Frazier or the Rumble in the Jungle in Africa where he danced his way into legendary boxing status by dismantling George Forman of the same title that had been stripped from him earlier. The fight in Africa elevated him with the locals where they roamed the streets chanting his name. Repeatedly, Ali earned his nickname “The Greatest” which he had bestowed upon himself. Ali held the Heavyweight Championship through a period in boxing where it was absolutely replete with stringent competition. Aside from Frazier and Foreman, Ali faced Sonny Liston, Leon Spinks and Ken Norton, all primo fighters, among numerous others. He avenged losses against Frazier, Spinks and Norton in rematched but by the end of his career, he succumbed to the ravages of time on his strength and lost his last two bouts. Ali retired at 39 in 1981. In 1984, Ali discovered that he was living with Parkinson’s, attributed in part to many of the blows delivered upon him throughout his career. The Greatest is still alive today at 72 and recently tweeted MMA President a picture of himself fighting in 1976 with the hashtag original MMA fighter. Still cheeky as ever. by admin with no comments yet. Queensland Possibly Regulating Combat Sports Holly Holm Takes Yet another Title Manny Pacquiao Retiring From Boxing Boxing Still Required For US Soldiers	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line57
__label__wiki	0.534791	0.534791	Born in Philadelphia in 1943, Howardena Pindell studied painting at Boston University and Yale University. After graduating, she accepted a job in the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books at the Museum of Modern Art, where she remained for 12 years (1967–1979). In 1979, she began teaching at the State University of New York, Stony Brook where she is now a full professor. Throughout her career, Pindell has exhibited extensively. Notable solo-exhibitions include: Spelman College (1971, Atlanta), A.I.R. Gallery (1973, 1983, New York), Just Above Midtown (1977, New York), Lerner-Heller Gallery (1980, 1981, New York), The Studio Museum in Harlem (1986, New York), the Wadsworth Atheneum (1989, Hartford), Cyrus Gallery (1989, New York), G.R. N’Namdi Gallery (1992, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, Chicago, Detroit, and New York), Garth Greenan Gallery, New York (2014), and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta (2015). Pindell often employs lengthy, metaphorical processes of destruction/reconstruction. She cuts canvases in strips and sews them back together, building up surfaces in elaborate stages. She paints or draws on sheets of paper, punches out dots from the paper using a paper hole punch, drops the dots onto her canvas, and finally squeegees paint through the “stencil” left in the paper from which she had punched the dots. Almost invariably, her paintings are installed unstretched, held to the wall merely by the strength of a few finishing nails. The artist’s fascination with gridded, serialized imagery, along with surface texture appears throughout her oeuvre. Even in her later, more politically charged work, Pindell reverts to these thematic focuses in order to address social issues of homelessness, AIDs, war, genocide, sexism, xenophobia, and apartheid. Howardena Pindell’s work has been featured in many landmark museum exhibitions, such as: Contemporary Black Artists in America (1971, Whitney Museum of American Art), Rooms (1976, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center), Another Generation (1979, The Studio Museum in Harlem), Afro-American Abstraction (1980, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center), The Decade Show: Frameworks of Identity in the 1980s (1990, New Museum of Contemporary Art), and Bearing Witness: Contemporary Works by African-American Women Artists (1996, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta). Most recently, Pindell’s work appeared in: We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–1985 (2017, the Brooklyn Museum, New York), Energy/Experimentation: Black Artists and Abstraction, 1964–1980 (2006, The Studio Museum in Harlem), High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting, 1967–1975 (2006, Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina, Greensboro), WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution (2007, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles), Target Practice: Painting Under Attack, 1949–1978 (2009, Seattle Art Museum), Black in the Abstract: Part I, Epistrophy (2013, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston), and Painting 2.0: Expression in the Information Age, (2015–2016, Museum Brandhorst; 2016, Museum Moderner Kunst). Pindell’s work is in the permanent collections of major museums internationally, including: the Brooklyn Museum; the Corcoran Gallery of Art; the Fogg Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Museum of Modern Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Studio Museum in Harlem; the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.; the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Whitney Museum of American Art; and the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven. Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Tennis, 1975 Howardena Pindell, War: Torture (El Salvador), 1988 Howardena Pindell, War: The L Word (George Bush), 1988 Howardena Pindell, War: Starvation (Sudan #1), 1988 Howardena Pindell, War: Cambodia (Over 5 Million Killed), 1988 Howardena Pindell, War: A Thousand Points of Light (White Phosphorus), 1988 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Baseball, 2007 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Boxing, 2007 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Football, 2007 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Rodeo, 2007 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Track, 2007 Howardena Pindell, Video Drawings: Abstract (Eel and Coral), 1976 Chapter NY is pleased to announce שכינה (Shekinah), Erin Jane Nelson’s first solo exhibition at the gallery. The exhibition will present her most recent series of fabric-wrapped panel works and ceramic vessels. Nelson’s practice is grounded in photography sourced from her personal archive of found and original images. She works serially, with each project delving into new conceptual frameworks as far ranging as the cultural anxiety around climate change, the sentience of octopuses, and the science fiction of our present moment. Her photographic elements merge onto unexpected support structures, their multiple references engaging the nuanced anxiety, conflict, and humor of the present and immediate future. For this exhibition, Nelson embraces her Southern Jewish heritage as subject matter. The title of the exhibition, Shekinah, a word from rabbinical literature that means the feminine attributes of God, a sense of place in the world, a dwelling, has been Nelson’s framework for spiritual seeking. Based on research and photographs made while studying Judaism over the last year, she incorporates Jewish symbolism and archival photographs into this new work alongside her ongoing photographic practice documenting the environmental collapse of her home region. Along with ceramics, found textiles and collaged photographs typical of earlier bodies of work, Nelson uses natural dying techniques that impregnate her works with the colors and ghosts of plants and insects. Her seeping and decaying forms, mixed with personally relevant subject matter, are inspired by poet Joyelle McSweeney’s concept of the necropastoral, a political-aesthetic space in which human depredations converge with nature’s decay. Coupled with an idealism of religion’s ability to heal and give guidance for mourning, Nelson leaves room for moments of respite and purpose within a fraught world. Raised in the American South, Erin Jane Nelson lives and works in Atlanta, GA. In 2011 she received her BFA from The Cooper Union. Recent solo exhibitions include: Her Deepness, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA; Psychopompopolis, Document Gallery, Chicago; and Dylan, Hester, New York. Her work has been featured in group exhibitions at La Galerie, centre d’art contemporain, Noisy-le-Sec, France; Deli Gallery, Brooklyn; Van Doren Waxter, New York; Capital Gallery, San Francisco; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Her work is currently included in Making Knowing: Craft in Art, 1950-2019 at the Whitney, which has recently acquired the artist’s work. Nelson will also be featured in an upcoming exhibition at the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Well 1, 2019 Found figurines, photographs, and resin on glazed stoneware 15 × 13 × 13 inches (38.10 × 33.02 × 33.02 cm)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line59
__label__cc	0.731173	0.268827	(condensed from an unpublished p’sak din of Eretz Hemdah, Yerushalayim) Case: A kibbutz member (=def) served as a teacher at the kibbutz (=pl). Over the years, money was taken from her salary, as required in Israel, for an enrichment program fund, whose main intention is to pay for extra classes teachers may take. After many years, def redeemed the fund, thereby receiving 42,000 shekels, without informing pl. Pl demands that the money be transferred to it, as all kibbutz members must pass on their earnings to the kibbutz. Def claims that enrichment funds are different because they are a way to improve its holder as a teacher, not to improve his or her financial situation. In this case, the kibbutz, for whom she worked, was the beneficiary of her improved teaching. She provided receipts of spending on courses (some of which pl disputed) of more than 42,000 shekels. Pl argued that def needed to have these courses approved by the kibbutz. Def responded that she refrained from doing so because her family had a bad relationship with pl’s previous secretary, which caused them to be consistently discriminated against in kibbutz decisions. Def claims that other kibbutz members also took liberties against official rules and were not dealt with as harshly as def, showing that implementation is unfair, and thus she should be allowed to keep the properly used funds retroactively, despite violating the rules about reporting taking part in the courses. Ruling: The language of the charter of the kibbutz, which is signed by all members, determines what rules should govern their relationships. This is because all partners are bound to agreements as to how they are to share assets (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 176:5). The charter’s language is clear that all income related to work goes to the kibbutz and other salary-deducted funds, such as pension, are always shared with the kibbutz. The enrichment fund is not an exception to the rule, considering that the money invested in it can be refunded at the time of retirement and used for anything. The possibility that other people abuse the rules and get away with it does not mean that rules are not to be kept. Only if it is standard that people in the first place uniformly ignore a certain rule would we say that that rule is not meant to be kept. However, when people mainly keep all the rules and the question is just about inconsistency in enforcement, that is a social problem, not a legal one. Although pl felt (logically) that it is a dangerous precedent to consider authorizing expenditures retroactively, they agreed to do so beyond the letter of the law. At the end, they did not authorize any of the use of the funds, a decision that beit din will not overrule. Beit din, though, embraces pl’s agreement to have an outside body, such as an umbrella organization of kibbutzim, look into the claims of improper handling of kibbutz affairs, in response to def’s serious charges.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line62
__label__wiki	0.820579	0.820579	The Catholic Parish of Forster-Tuncurry officially came into being with the arrival of its first Parish Priest, Father Daniel Linehan in January 1957. Father Linehan was appointed to the position of Parish Priest on 1 December 1956 and on 18 March 1957, he officially notified the Stroud Shire Council that a new Parish had been formed incorporating the towns of Forster and Tuncurry and the surrounding district. Fr Daniel Linehan PP Forster-Tuncurry Parish. Photo courtesy Archives of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Prior to the formation of the new Parish, the districts of Forster and Tuncurry formed part of the Krambach Parish, and for some years prior to that, the spiritual needs of Forster-Tuncurry Catholics were attended to by the Parish Priests of Krambach, the last of these being Father Joseph Bernasconi. In May 1952, Father Bernasconi purchased two blocks of land in Lake Street Forster (Lots 18 and 19, Section 11) and on 25 June 1953, applied to the Lands Department for this land to be set aside for school and church use. Father Bernasconi also applied for land at Lot 8 Section 10 Lake Street Forster on 2 December 1954, the present site of the Holy Name School. Fr Joseph Bernasconi PP Krambach Parish. The old timber church in Kent Street Tuncurry serving the Tuncurry parishioners was the second Catholic church to be built in Tuncurry and is thought to have been built in 1908, the first small church having been established around 1888. Forster parishioners were obliged to use the School of Arts Hall at Forster for church activities. Mass was usually celebrated about once a month at either location. “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” Church at Kent Street Tuncurry built c1908. This was the second Catholic Church to be built on this site. Many of the older parishioners remember the early days quite vividly and recall that it was not uncommon for Father Bernasconi to be one or two hours late during bad weather. Flooded creeks and other hazards would force him to take other roads and of course, the bridge linking the two towns was not constructed until 1959, so bad weather could also affect crossing the lake on the old ferry punt. One amusing side-light to this, although probably not amusing to the parishioners at the time, was that Father Bernasconi was notorious for his lengthy homilies, sometimes in the vicinity of 30 to 45 minutes, so it could become quite a long day for the patient parishioners, remembering also that Confessions were always heard before Mass. St Joseph’s Convent at 16 Manning Street Tuncurry. First occupied by Fr Daniel Linehan and later converted to a convent to house the Sisters of St Joseph when they arrived from Lochinvar in January 1958. When Father Linehan arrived in January 1957, there was no official residence available for him and he was obliged to reside temporarily in guest houses or wherever he could find accommodation. This of course was not particularly encouraging for the new Parish Priest. Much of the correspondence written by Father Linehan in 1957 reveals that he resided for some time at 30 Wharf Street Tuncurry and also at Breese’s guest house “Russell Court” in Forster. Some of the older parishioners recall how they took turns to prepare evening meals for Father Linehan, and how at one stage he was nearly on the point of despair at his inability to obtain a suitable permanent residence. Help finally arrived when Mr and Mrs Bruce Wright of Tuncurry offered Father the house at 16 Manning Street Tuncurry. This house later became St Joseph’s Convent and remains so to this day. Father Linehan proceeded to have the new church-hall constructed on the land already purchased at Lot C Section 11 Lake Street Forster. A building application was lodged with Stroud Shire Council on 24 July 1957 by the builder, Mr P J Smyth of Taree. The original plan of the weatherboard building prepared by The Homebuilders Plan Service of Newcastle, consisted of a main hall with an entrance porch, two front rooms (for kitchen and cloak room), two vestry rooms on either side of the altar and two standard toilets to the rear of the church-hall. The cost of the building was ₤7,000 and the cost of fencing ₤100. The Holy Name Church-Hall was blessed and opened by His Lordship Bishop John Toohey on 22 December 1957. The church-hall was used for the celebration of Mass and other church activities. At the time the church-hall was built its size was excessive for the small Catholic population, but was necessary even at that time to cater for the large influx of tourists over holiday periods. The Holy Name Church-Hall blessed and opened by the Most Rev. John Toohey DD Bishop of Maitland on 22 December 1957. Upon the arrival of Sisters from the St Joseph Order at Lochinvar in January 1958, the hall was also used as a school. The Sisters conducted classes in improvised class rooms in the church-hall until the new school was opened in 1961. One parishioner recalls that ladies from the parish made curtains as partitions to divide the hall into separate class rooms. On 1 April 1958 a building application was lodged with Stroud Shire Council for a weatherboard Presbytery and garage to be built adjacent to the church-hall. The plans were again prepared by The Homebuilders Plan Service of Newcastle and the builder was Mr P J Smyth of Taree. Amended plans were submitted to change the structure from weatherboard to brick veneer and a small verandah was added. The Holy Name Presbytery was blessed and opened by his Lordship Bishop John Toohey on 4 January 1959, the feast of the Holy Name. The Holy Name Presbytery was blessed and opened by the Most Rev. John Toohey DD Bishop of Maitland on 4 January 1959. The residence at 16 Manning Street Tuncurry occupied by Father Linehan was eminently suitable as a convent for the four sisters who were sent to start up the new school in 1958. They took up residence upon their arrival in Tuncurry and school commenced in late January. Three of the sisters were teachers at the school, namely Sisters Francesca, Hilda and Florence Mary. The school commenced with an enrolment of 30 pupils. In the first year of operation there was no 6th class, but it was hoped that the next year there would be a full primary school course. According to a report in The Cape Hawke Advocate in January 1958, a fourth sister was sent to devote her time to teaching music (piano and violin) and the teaching of singing. These subjects were to be taught at both Forster and Tuncurry. Of course, with the school in Forster and the convent in Tuncurry it was necessary for the Sisters to ferry across to the school each day for the first year and a half of their occupation until the new bridge was opened. Sisters of St Joseph at the opening of the Tuncurry Convent in 1958 – (l-r) Sr Martin, Sr Pat Hayes, Sr Gregory, Mother Aquin, Sr Florence and Sr Francesca 1959 – Sister Francesca and pupils travelling from Tuncurry to school in Forster via the ferry punt. Note the bridge under construction in the background. On 14 April 1960, the land at Lot 8 Section 10 Village of Forster was gazetted as church land. This meant that the Parish Priest could go ahead with plans to build a school. Quotes were received and contracts signed on 1 June 1960 for a brick veneer building valued at ₤16,000 and construction of the school proceeded. The Architect and Structural Engineer for the project was Mr John P Gannon of Newcastle and the builder was Mr P J Smythe of Taree. The building allowed for an enrolment of 150 pupils although its initial enrolment was only 35 pupils. It had wide verandahs to provide shelter and in addition to the classrooms had two music rooms and a tuckshop. It also included a septic system. On 6 August 1960, a local newspaper, “The Forster Leader” carried an article proclaiming – “the building will be a credit to our town and a landmark in our progress”. The new Holy Name School was opened and blessed by His Lordship Bishop John Toohey on 1 January 1961. Above: The new Holy Name School opened by the Most Rev. John Toohey DD Bishop of Maitland on 1 January 1961. Photo courtesy Holy Name School Archives. Sisters Francesca, Hilda and Florence Mary in front of the new school. Photo courtesy Holy Name School Archives. The years following the opening of the Forster-Tuncurry Bridge on 18 July 1959 saw a tremendous growth in the twin towns of Forster and Tuncurry and the new bridge allowed quick and easy access between towns where previously a ferry punt was the only access. In 1961 a leaflet produced by the Forster Urban Committee gave the population of Forster at 1,600. In May 1964, Father Linehan, in the Parish Visitation Report stated that there were 332 parishioners, 100 Catholic families and 60 children of school age. In the next Parish Visitation Report in June 1967, he stated that there were 400 parishioners, 116 Catholic families and 60 children of school age, also adding that there were 2,100 non-Catholics in the parish area. January 1966 – Procession moving outside of “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” Church at Tuncurry. Photo courtesy Carmen Nixon. Father Linehan found it necessary to provide for his ever increasing flock and for the influx of tourists each holiday season, and so the decision was made to demolish the 60 year old timber church of “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” at Kent Street Tuncurry and replace it with a new brick building valued at $50,000. 1968 – “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” Church awaiting demolition. On 6 October 1968 the foundations of the new “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” church were blessed by His Lordship Bishop John Toohey. The official ceremony was performed before a representative gathering including Mr P Lucock, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, local councillors from both Stroud Shire Council and Manning Shire Council, Rev. John Adam (Church of England) and other local dignitaries. On this occasion, Father Linehan thanked the many non-catholic citizens for their assistance with the church project and the Bishop also took the opportunity to praise the work of Father Linehan, whom he said “was sent as a pioneer” to the district 12 years previously and had achieved much. “Saint Mary Star of the Sea” Church, Tuncurry, blessed by Most Rev. John Toohey DD, Bishop of Maitland on 6 October 1968. In December 1970, Father Linehan was transferred after fulfilling 14 years as Parish Priest to the Forster-Tuncurry Parish. As a result of his faith and perseverance, the parish had grown in numbers and had made rapid strides, both spiritually and materially. Father Harry Fenton succeeded Father Linehan as Administrator in January 1971 remaining until August 1973. During this period further land was purchased in Lake Street for the Holy Name School – Lots 9, 10, 17 and 18, Section 10. Fr Harry Fenton Over the next few years various administrators were appointed to the Parish. Father Jim Hughes came for a few months from August 1973, followed by Father William Cantwell in January 1974 and Father P McAlindin in December 1975. In May 1976, Father Anthony Brady was appointed Parish Priest and this appointment lasted for 12 years. Fr Jim Hughes Fr William Cantwell. Photo courtesy Archives of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Fr P McAlindin The year 1978 saw some changes within the parish. The first pastoral team in the parish commenced consisting of Father Tony Brady, Sister Margaret Mary and Sister Cabrini. However, Sister Margaret Mary became ill and died during the year. At the end of the year Sisters Cabrini and Noreen were transferred and replaced by Sisters Helen, Virgilius and Monica. Sister Helen taught religion two days a week at Holy Name School assisted by Sister Virgilius and they also looked after the state school apostolate and visitations within the parish. Fr Tony Brady PP During the year a group was formed within the parish to assist the Parish Priest wherever possible. This group introduced a register of new parishioners, visits to new parishioner homes and it created lists of parish organisations for placement on church noticeboards. At the end of 1978 lay ministers of Communion were introduced into the parish with several people appointed to act as ministers for the year. In 1978 proposals were being put forward for the erection of a church at Forster. Father Brady, in a newsletter to the parishioners in May 1979 said “we are praying to discern God’s will for a new church at Forster”. A new church was eventually erected on land adjoining the Presbytery in Lake Street in 1980 and subsequently consecrated by His Lordship Bishop Leo Clarke on 15 August 1980. The church was dedicated to the “Holy Name of Jesus”. On 2 March 1983, His Lordship Bishop Clarke returned to Forster to open and bless the new extensions to the Holy Name School. The school celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 29 June 1986. The Second Vatican Council, which met from 1962 until 1965, was the most significant event in the last 400 years of Church history. The changes brought about by the Council were slow to take effect, but they gave birth to many “Renewal” movements within the Church. The most significant renewal program for the Forster-Tuncurry Parish was the “Movement for a Better World”. Adopted in July 1982, this was a program to outreach to all baptized Catholics and the involvement of willing Catholics in committees and groups to assist the Priest in the running of the Parish and maintaining contact with all Catholics in the community. This saw the formation of a Parish Team and later a Pastoral Council and the holding of annual Assemblies. A Liturgy Team and an Administration Team were also formed to ensure the laity was involved in all aspects of Parish life. Other renewal movements such as Marriage Encounter, Cursillo and Family Groups continued to enliven the parishioners and encourage them to take an active role in the Parish. The Diocesan Synod of 1992-93 adopted a similar system of Council, Team and Assembly for the Diocese and Parishes. In 1983 the first “In Touch” newsletter was distributed to Catholics within the Parish area. As mentioned, concern to maintain contact with all baptised Catholics was the reason for starting the newsletter and the Parish area was divided into 12 geographical zones with a network of co-ordinators and messengers set up to personally deliver the publication. The newsletter was used to advise people of spiritual and social events within the Parish. The social events were designed so that parishioners would get to know one another. Over the years outings included picnics, dances, dinners, car rallies, morning and afternoon teas, quiz nights, housie nights, balls, tennis and cycling competitions, lake cruises, concerts and of course the three main and continuing events of each year – the Parish Dinner, Christmas Lunch and Pancake Tuesday. Father Tony Brady was transferred in April 1988 and his successor was Father Kevin Corrigan. Fr Kevin Corrigan PP April 1988 – February 1996 and July 2006 During 1989 the Forster-Tuncurry Parish Team decided that a logo was required to represent the ideal of the Parish Plan and to promote its understanding. Parishioners were requested to submit a design for the logo and from the 40 entries received, the design submitted by Debbie Tinker was selected. The logo depicts two groups of people reaching out to each other from each side of the Forster-Tuncurry Bridge. Above them in the sky, is the Cross, and in the foreground – dolphins, palms and water representing the area’s environment. The motto – “Building Unity in Christ” came from an off the cuff remark by Father Kevin. In 1992, the Parish appointed the first lay Pastoral Associate, Mrs Letty Bartlett, to assist the Parish Priest, Father Kevin Corrigan and Sister Kathryn McCabe in the pastoral care of the Parish. In 1997, Cathy Keech was employed to oversee the Sacramental Program and Church Liturgy. In 2000, Sister Louise McDonell joined the pastoral team and in 2001, Letty retired and was replaced by Greg Byrne. The employment of lay staff to assist in the administration and pastoral care of the Parish showed the willingness to be forward-looking and to keep the Church active, and has meant the Church has continued to function efficiently through times of sickness and/or the absence of a Parish Priest. Father Kevin’s term ended when he was transferred as Parish Priest to Gloucester on 1 February 1996. Prior to Father Kevin’s transfer, Father Danny Austin was appointed Assistant Priest to Father Kevin who had also been appointed acting Parish Priest of Gloucester and Krambach, a post that had been vacant for some time. Father Kevin and Father Danny shared the pastoral duties of both parishes for some months in 1995. As a result of Bishop Clarke’s impending retirement due to ill health, Bishop Michael Malone was appointed Coadjuter Bishop of Maitland with right of succession and was consecrated on 15 February 1995. Bishop Malone visited Forster-Tuncurry soon after and subsequently, it was announced that Father Danny Austin had been appointed Parish Priest from 1 February 1996 with Father Kevin Corrigan being appointed to Gloucester. Father Danny Austin was duly installed as Parish Priest by Bishop Michael Malone on 5 March 1996. Fr Danny Austin PP March 1996 – December 2001. In October 2000, Father Danny took sabbatical leave until July 2001. Father Derek Garner became administrator to the Parish in November 2000 and served in that position until Father Danny’s return in July 2001. After resuming duties for a short period, Father Danny again took leave in October 2001. Father Pax Scarfe, a Franciscan Priest served the parish from 4 October until the end of December 2001. On 1 January 2002, Father Tony Stace was appointed Parish Priest of the Forster-Tuncurry Parish. Fr Tony Stace PP January 2002 – December 2005. Father Tony was acutely aware of the shortage of priests in the Catholic Church and particularly within the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. His vision was to have a single church serving both Forster and Tuncurry, large enough to accommodate the parish congregation in fewer Masses and able to fit the holiday crowds. He began planning for this concept, but was diagnosed with cancer and was hospitalised on Christmas Day 2005. He subsequently was unable to return to active ministry and passed away in July 2007. During those times when the Parish was without a resident Priest, Father Phil Murphy, a retired Priest who lived locally came to the assistance of the Parish. Father Brian Quillinan became a Priest in Residence from February to June 2006. Father Brian attended to the sacramental needs of the Parish, but the administrative duties fell to the lay leadership. On 1 July 2006, Father Kevin Corrigan returned to the Forster-Tuncurry Parish to once again become the Parish Priest. In March 2015 Fr Greg Barker took over as Parish Priest and remains to this day. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line70
__label__wiki	0.889453	0.889453	ASIANOW Headline News brief daily almanac CNN networks CNN programs on-air transcripts CNN WEB SITES: TIME INC. SITES: Go To ... Time.com People Money Fortune EW news email services desktop headlines pointcast pagenet SITE GUIDES: FASTER ACCESS: Today's Events \| On Horizon \| On This Day \| Newslink \| Notable \| Almanac archive It is a precautionary move only and I sincerely hope it is temporary. -- UNSCOM chief Richard Butler, commenting on the withdrawal of U.N. weapons inspectors from Iraq The newly-elected Republican members of the House gather in Washington for freshman orientation and leadership elections. Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, his son Stephen and four associates are scheduled to make their initial court appearances before a federal magistrate in Baton Rouge on gambling corruption charges. Grand jury testimony is scheduled to begin in Ellicott City, Maryland, for New York literary agent Lucianne Goldberg and her son Jonah Goldberg. The panel is investigating alleged state wiretapping violations by Linda Tripp. Annual Christmas tree to arrive at Rockefeller Center in New York. The 7th Beam Games, an international robotics competition for students, to begin today in Lucknow, India. On Friday, November 13, President Clinton is tentatively scheduled to begin a 10-day Asian tour. His first stop is Guam. On Saturday, November 14, Prince Charles' 50th birthday party is held in London hosted by his companion, Camilla Parker Bowles. On Sunday, November 15, Nobel Peace Prize-winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu is scheduled to speak at the University of Colorado at Boulder. On Monday, November 16, The Supreme Court is scheduled to meet in Washington to issue orders, then it will begin a two-week recess. On Tuesday, November 17, President Clinton is scheduled to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. NEWSLINK: NOTABLE: Visit the reader's cafe by clicking here. Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci is 37. Actress Kim Hunter is 76. Actress Stefanie Powers is 56. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island is 49. Baseball slugger Sammy Sosa is 30. In 1859, in Paris, the first flying trapeze act was performed by Jules Leotard at the Cirque Napoleon without a safety net. The body-hugging costume he used was later named after him. In 1867, a major eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy began and lasted for several months. In 1893, an agreement was signed between Afghanistan and Britain marking the boundary between Afghan tribal lands and British territories. In 1912, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Canalejas was assassinated by anarchist gunman Manuel Pardinas, who then shot himself. In 1918, Austria's First Republic was proclaimed one day after the World War I armistice and the abdication of Emperor Karl I. In 1923, in Germany, Adolf Hitler was arrested for failed attempt to seize power. In 1942, the British Eighth Army under Gen. Bernard Montgomery captured Tobruk, Libya, taking at least 30,000 prisoners. In 1944, the German battleship Tirpitz, sister ship of the Bismarck and Hitler's last major warship, was sunk by Lancaster bombers at Tromso Fjord in northern Norway. In 1968, the U.N. General Assembly voted against admission of Communist China. In 1970, in East Pakistan a cyclone and tidal wave hit several districts, causing the deaths of at least 200,000 people. In 1974, South Africa was suspended from the U.N. General Assembly over its racial policies. In 1979, after Islamic students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, President Jimmy Carter announced an immediate halt to all imports of Iranian oil. In 1981, the space shuttle Columbia was launched for the second time; it was the first space vehicle to be used more than once. In 1982, Yuri Andropov was elected First Secretary of the Soviet Communist party following the death of Leonid Brezhnev. In 1982, Polish Solidarity union leader Lech Walesa was freed after 11 months detention in a state-owned hunting lodge. In 1990, Emperor Akihito was enthroned in Japan. In 1996, 349 people were killed when a Saudi Arabian jumbo jet and a Kazakh airliner collided in mid-air over India. SEARCH CNN.com Enter keyword(s) go help © 2000 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved. Read our privacy guidelines.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line72
__label__cc	0.56061	0.43939	Mexico tourism information, Travel by méxico.best tourist sites and more destinatios for adventurers. Hotels and hostels, ecotourism and extreme sports, All you need to know about tourism, art and culture in Mexico. All destinations. - Full list + 2,000 destinations find now ! &amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe&amp;amp;amp;gt; xochimilco canals, floating gardens, with flowers, adorned with trajineras inviting you to visit sites Federal District's most picturesque. Xochimilco is characterized by the existence of channels that gave a special dye in the Valley of Anahuac. This site, topography and flow from a series of springs at the edge of the mountains has allowed until now to be an attractive place with its canals, floating gardens, with flowers, adorned with trajineras inviting you to visit sites Federal District's most picturesque. "The settlements of Mexico and Xochimilco, built from islets won to a large lake, enclosed in a valley at 2200 meters, are eloquent evidence of the creative spirit and man's efforts to form a habitat in half unfavorable geographical. " (Declaration and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, UNESCO 1987). is one of the 16 Federal District of Mexico. Located in the southeast of this state, and has an area of 122 square kilometers [1]. Xochimilco has a population of 404,458 inhabitants, according to the Second Census of Population conducted by the INEGI in 2005. Xochimilco's origins date back to prehispanic times. Since the Mesoamerican Preclassic period its banks and islands were home to many people of unknown descent. At the beginning of the Postclassic, Xochimilco was an important altepetl which was submitted by the Aztecs in the fifteenth century. During the colonial and early independent life of Mexico, the area of Xochimilco became a food supplier to Mexico City. Over time, the great lake that covered the Valley of Mexico began to disappear as part of a government measure to prevent flooding and also by a casual relationship with the environment. It was thus that trajineras, rafts and steamers once part of Xochimilco, to actual historical center of the city were being increasingly restricted in their navigation to now become a memory of other times and in a way local communication between the channels and lakes in the area. Etiquetas: mexico df, xochimilco Related topics founded, please extend your search. Discover the Real México - Enjoy it. You most visit! most visited! uruapan , michoacán, is famous for its mild climate It is 102 kilometers from Morelia and is the second largest city in Michoacán. Its name comes from the Purépecha word Uruapani which means &... san gabriel de la barrera san gabriel de la barrera Main benefit of metals belonging to the landowner Gabriel Barrera. He experienced its heyday during the eightee... Tamiahua veracruz Nahuatl. Tla-mia-hua-c; "corn in flowers of the earth", in huasteco, Tam-yan-ha, Tamiahua veracruz Nahuatl. Tla-mia-hua-c; "corn in flowers of the earth", in huasteco, Tam-yan-ha, "Placeof much water. &qu... Papantla is a city and municipality located in the northern state of Veracruz, Papantla is a city and municipality located in the northern state of Veracruz, Mexico in the Sierra Papanteca and the Gulf of Mexico. The ci...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line73
__label__wiki	0.939705	0.939705	Classic Failures This Day in Failure Or learn from these Classic Failures Kitty Genovese, 50 Years Later The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire The Iroquois Theatre Fire Edsel: An Auto Biography The Hindenburg This Day in Failure — 2018: On the anniversary of president Donald Trump’s first year in off... → We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Jason ZaskyOct 19, 2000 When Failure magazine’s editors first conceived this article, it was slated to be a small feature focusing on the life of L. Frank Baum. However, we soon discovered that it was hard to write about Baum without analyzing the Wizard of Oz and its movie legacy. As we immersed ourselves in all things Oz, we were surprised and delighted at the cooperation we received from everyone we interviewed. During our research, we were serenaded by Munchkins, confided in by fans, and encouraged by the experts to clarify the revisionist history that has come to be accepted as fact. It wasn’t long before our small Baum piece took us on a full-fledged journey to Oz. While this year is the 100th anniversary of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” we opted to focus our attention on the Metro-Goldwyn Mayer movie. After all, for most people, the classic 1939 film is the Wizard of Oz. Phrases such as “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” and “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!,” have become almost universally recognizable—permanent fixtures in our vernacular. But we didn’t neglect Baum and the rest of Oz’s long and complex history. Filled with successes and failures both large and small, when you add them all together you have perhaps the single greatest movie of the 20th century, and a phenomenon that continues to grow even today. There’s No Place Like Oz The first thing that distinguishes Oz from other popular entertainment is that nothing else has the same enduring, across-the-board appeal. It’s almost impossible to define a demographic for Oz fans, because “the age range is from fetal to fatal,” says John Fricke, 50, pre-eminent Oz historian, self-proclaimed fan and author of “100 Years of Oz,” published last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the movie. Fricke notes that the story has appeal on three different levels: “As a child you relate to Dorothy,” says Fricke. “There isn’t a child who can’t identify with the fear of being lost and having to get home, the fear of losing a pet or the feeling of wanting to run away.” Young adults identify with the characters’ perceived inadequacies. “As a teenager, three of the main emotions you struggle with are, ‘Am I brave?,’ ‘Am I smart?’ and ‘Am I loving?’ So there you have Dorothy’s companions sewn up for you,” he continues. “As an adult—and I think Ray Bolger [the scarecrow] said it best—‘if you’re lucky, you come to the realization that yes, of course, you are smart and brave and have a heart.’” Peter Hanff, president of the International Wizard of Oz Club, relates similar sentiments, saying, “I think the Oz story works because all the characters are novel in their uniqueness. And like most of us, they have the archetypal qualities they are seeking, even though they don’t quite recognize they have those qualities.” Other Oz principals highlight the film’s wholesome content. Jean Nelson, owner of the Yellow Brick Road store in Chesterton, Indiana, and founder of the town’s annual Oz festival opines that the public embraces its old-fashioned virtues. “It’s a movie that you can let your children watch and don’t have to be afraid of what they are going to see or hear,” says Nelson. Meinhardt Raabe, 85, who played the coroner of Munchkinland (“She’s really most sincerely dead!”) agrees: “There’s nothing in it that can be offensive to anyone of any age, as opposed to the pictures today.” Fricke notes that the passion for Oz is particularly intense for people who grew up in the ’60s and ’70s because the movie was such a part of everyone’s yearly existence. “It got to the point where the three most important days of the year were Christmas, your birthday, and the day The Wizard of Oz was on TV, because it was something everybody did together and [in the pre-VCR era] you could only see it once per year,” he says. But there’s 40 years of history before the MGM movie was even conceived, which leads us back to a storyteller named Baum. The Baum Site By the time L. Frank Baum wrote “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” he was in his mid-forties and had led an undistinguished professional life, having worked as an actor, reporter, salesman, playwright and store owner. But he clearly had a knack for telling children’s stories, and when he began to write them down in the mid-1890s commercial success soon followed. His second work, “Father Goose, His Book,” became the country’s best-selling children’s title, and in 1898 he began to conceive the Oz story. (Legend has it the name Oz came from a filing cabinet labeled O-Z). From that moment on—for better and sometimes for worse—Oz would be a fixture of Baum’s life, with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” going on to become one of the most popular children’s books of all time. What would L. Frank Baum think about the ongoing Wizard of Oz phenomenon? Robert Baum, one of L. Frank’s great-grandsons, says, “I think he’d be a bit surprised that something he tried to do for children had become an everyday part of life throughout the world. I also believe he would be very pleased, humbled and maybe a little bit scared.” During his last 20 years, Frank Baum wrote more than 70 books, many of which have been almost totally forgotten. He penned a total of 14 Oz titles, and after his death seven other authors combined to add 26 titles to the series, with a new story every Christmas between 1913 and 1942. Today, great-grandson, Roger, continues to produce Oz titles such as the recent “Green Star of Oz,” although his books are geared towards children, as opposed to being full-fledged fantasy novels. But Baum found his first few Oz books a hard act to follow—and to escape from. Audiences clamored for Oz to the point where it quickly reached into other mediums (at a time before extending your product line was a given). In 1902 a musical version of The Wizard of Oz was produced; it was successful enough to tour the country for nine years, spending a year-and-a-half on Broadway. But longing to get away from fairy tales, Baum attempted to write novels and children’s stories under various pen names. He scripted a play called “The Woggle Boy” which critics despised, and his multimedia show Fairylogue and Radio Plays was a commercial fiasco, such that in 1911 Baum was forced to declare bankruptcy. He attempted to re-emerge with the Oz Film Manufacturing Company—but its full-length fantasy films, largely based on the Oz books—did not become successful either. At the end of “The Emerald City of Oz” (1909), Baum announced—using Dorothy as his voice—that there would be no more Oz books. Yet in 1913, the joy of writing about Oz returned, and he re-started the series, producing a new title every year for the next six years despite declining health. He suffered from angina attacks, a facial palsy and a diseased gallbladder, finally passing away from a stroke in 1919. The 1925 and 1939 Wizard of Oz Films The Oz movie legacy began unceremoniously in 1925 with a silent screen version starring Oliver Hardy, which was called The Wizard of Oz but made dramatic departures from Baum’s plot lines. “They did everything wrong on that movie,” notes Fricke. “The people who were looking for the Oz story were totally baffled and the people who were looking for a good silent screen comedy didn’t get one of those either. It’s a pretty dull picture, and duller still by today’s standards. Maybe if you showed it to somebody and didn’t call it The Wizard of Oz it would be less boring—but it couldn’t possibly be less offensive.” By contrast, MGM seemed to do everything right with the 1939 version, despite being up against significant technical and physical hurdles, particularly concerning Technicolor. “Color in those days was a very difficult process,” says Fricke. “Three strips of film ran through the camera, one to produce yellow, one to produce blue and one to produce red, and when printed on top of one another they would give the full spectrum of colors. There were only nine Technicolor cameras in existence at the time and because Gone With the Wind was filming and there were other demands on the cameras they had to film scenes at night. Plus, it took an enormous amount of light to get the sets bright enough to be filmed in Technicolor. They could only turn those lights on for so long before they had to turn them off and let everything cool down.” The stars had their own challenges. As a teenager, Judy Garland could only work four hours a day on the set with three hours set aside for schooling and an hour for recreation. “They’d get around that by sending the makeup people to her house at 5 am so that wouldn’t constitute work time," says Fricke. “They’d get her to the studio at 8 and then she’d go to school and make the movie and get home at 7 or 8 at night. That’s rough on any human being, let alone a teenager, and she was working six days a week.” The costumes presented issues for the other actors. Barry Bregman, 48, grandson of the Tin Woodman, Jack Haley, says his grandfather’s cumbersome get-up prevented him from ever sitting down on the set. “He had to be on a slant board,” notes Bergmen. Haley couldn’t complain, though, as he replaced the original Tin Man, Buddy Ebsen, just days after production got underway when Ebsen nearly died after his lungs became coated with the aluminum dust used for the Tin Man’s makeup. The Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton, also spent an extended period of time in the hospital, after her face and hand was seriously burned during a take of her fiery departure from Munchkinland. Wizard of Oz Myths Considering its stature it’s not surprising that a series of myths about the movie emerged. Fricke attributes the biggest untruth to Aljean Harmetz, author of “The Making of the Wizard of Oz.” “Her whole treatise is that the picture was not well liked when it came out and that it was an enormous failure,” says Fricke. “She makes a big point of quoting from four negative reviews, but those four are the only negative reviews it got. The only part of her thesis that is correct is that the film didn’t make a profit in 1939.” The film’s unfavorable balance sheet was undoubtedly due to the outbreak of World War II (which cut off most of the European market for the film), the fact that the child-dominated audience paid lower admission fees, and because 1939 was a great year for motion pictures. (Other movies in 1939 included Gone With the Wind, Wuthering Heights, Stagecoach and Babes in Arms.) Even a big hit couldn’t be held over when many other major releases were due to follow. The film finally became profitable upon its re-release in 1949, and really began to earn money when CBS began its annual television broadcasts in 1956. Another myth that has evolved is that Judy Garland almost didn’t get the part of Dorothy because MGM preferred Shirley Temple. “That’s patently ridiculous,” says Fricke. “One reason MGM wanted to buy The Wizard of Oz was as a showcase for Garland.” According to Fricke, none of the casting changes were as dramatic as they’ve been portrayed. “There were a lot of casting evolvements that went on, but they were very low key and day-to-day,” he says. “Gayle Sondergaard went by the wayside after they saw tests of her made up all beautiful and slinky and decided this just wasn’t right for the Wicked Witch. When they made her ugly, she decided she wanted out. For the role of the Wizard, MGM wanted W.C. Fields or Ed Wynn, but Wynn and Fields both turned it down, because in an early copy of the script the part of the Wizard was pretty minor.” Even the Munchkins have been plagued by tall tales of drunken misbehavior on the set and a particularly persistent myth about one Munchkin who supposedly committed suicide on film—seen hanging from a tree in the background of one scene. This isn’t to say that the Munchkins were saints when off-camera. Donna Steward-Hardway, who was a child Munchkin but not a midget (she now stands 5’6"), was surprised to see little people on the set with ‘big people’ habits. “What I thought were children were not children,” she says. “They smoked cigars and used questionable language.” The Wizard of Oz Today When Nelson opened her store 23 years ago, she chose the name Yellow Brick Road simply because she thought it was catchy. "The first year we were open we didn’t even have Wizard of Oz stuff, but people started calling us from all over the U.S. asking what we had so we went out and started to search,” she says. “By ’79 we had one little cupboard full of items—but now it’s hard keeping up with all the products. Once I named that store Yellow Brick Road it took on a life of its own.” But Nelson didn’t stop with a storefront. In 1982, she started an annual Oz festival in an attempt to revive Chesterton’s sagging financial fortunes. “The economy around here was extremely depressed and that’s when I came up with the idea,” she says. This past September’s two-day and three-night festival attracted well over 75,000 people (the town has a population of 9,000). Other towns have started Oz festivals too, including Chittenango, New York (L. Frank Baum’s birthplace), whose annual celebration includes a golf tournament called The Lollipop Kid Open. Jerry Maren, 80, who played one of the lollipop kids (he handed the lollipop to Dorothy) and more recently appeared on Seinfeld, says he attends seven or eight festivals every year, and is grateful for the appearance fees. Munchkin soldier Clarence Swenson—who was paid $50 a week for his part—concurs, saying, “The best thing that ever happened to me from being in The Wizard of Oz is the ability for us to now go to the different events.” Margaret Pellegrini, 77, who played a flower pot girl Munchkin and was also up in the nest (“Wake up you sleepyheads, rub your eyes, get out of bed”) enjoys that the festivals make it easier for her to keep in touch with her fellow Munchkins. But she says that none of her comrades had any inkling of how good the movie was going to be. “We didn’t know it was going to be a classic,” says Pellegrini. “It turned out to be a wonderful movie and there will never be another one like it.” In fact, the Munchkins had no idea what the rest of the movie was about because they only were on the set for the Munchkinland section of the picture. Pellegrini attended the premiere at the Fox Theatre in San Francisco and she remembers being delighted with the results; “I got so excited that I started screaming in the theater and everybody got scared and looked back at me.” All the Munchkins seem to agree that their most cherished moment was when Judy Garland invited each and each every Munchkin on the set—124 in all—to her private dressing room and gave them an autographed 8’ x 10’ black-and-white picture of herself. “She personalized each one,” says Pellegrini. “Mine says: ‘To Margaret: From your pal Judy.’ I still have it.” The Wizard of Oz Tomorrow All indications are that the Oz phenomenon is growing, with soundtrack sales strong and new Oz merchandise and collectables being churned out on a regular basis. Nelson believes that certain Oz properties haven’t yet been fully exploited, with the movie Dreamer of Oz starring John Ritter being one example. “It was supposed to start appearing on television once a year but it never did,” notes Nelson, “and whoever produced that movie has no idea how much the children loved it, because if they did, they’d get it on television, or at least on video where people could buy it.” But while the merchandise and collectables generate a tremendous amount of money for the companies that produce it, not everyone is happy with the revenue distribution. Barry Bregman, Jack Haley’s grandson, says, “My grandfather only agreed to license one doll of his image for the promotion and advertising of the original release.” Bregman, who has worked in Hollywood as a record producer and as a staff writer for BMG [believe it or not he’s written with rock artist Toto], has an understanding of how royalties are normally paid and would like to see the actors’ estates compensated. “My grandfather’s contract was not in perpetuity and I’m getting very close to challenging this whole thing,” he says. “We do get paid on the soundtrack but it’s a sin that we don’t get any home video residuals.” Meanwhile, Bregman has just published his grandfather’s autobiography (“Heart of the Tin Man”) and is selling limited edition copies as well as re-touched images of his grandfather on a new Web site. For most of the descendants of the creators of Oz, the impact is a lot simpler. “I’ve been a teacher for 33 years,” says Robert Baum, “and when kids recognize my name and say, ‘Oh, that’s the same name,’ I say, yes, that’s my great-grandfather. It’s a very handy way of catching the attention of the kids. They are far more willing to listen and learn.” Today, with the Harry Potter series the hottest book series around, there is a similar effect on children (and adults) as the Oz series had 100 years ago. “I think the Harry Potter phenomenon is wonderful and those books have a great deal of the same kind of appeal and clout that the Oz books book did,” says Fricke. For Fricke, the bottom line is that both Potter and Oz are simply great entertainment, and he is perturbed when people try to inject hidden meaning. “All the stupid people who do the harping on, ‘Oh, the Wizard of Oz is a parable on the populist movement, or we should look at it from a feminist point of view or a Marxist or sexual or religious point of view’—get over it. I’m sorry, this is just supposed to be for fun folks.” Finding Oz Wonka Vision: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory It’s a Wonderful Life: Frank Capra's examination of failure The Iroquois Theatre Fire—The Iroquois Theatre was billed as “absolutely fireproof.” It went up in flames less than six weeks after opening. Herbert Selpin’s Titanic—Before “A Night to Remember” and James Cameron’s “Titanic” there was the “Nazi Titanic.” The St. Francis Dam Failure—J. David Rogers on the deadliest civil engineering disaster of the twentieth century. Jake Williams’ Abandoned—Bright Sun Films’ Abandoned series explores—what else?—abandoned places from around the U.S. and Canada. Copyright © 2020 Failure Magazine LLC	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line75
__label__cc	0.559016	0.440984	Faith Bible Fellowship an Evangelical Free Church Sermons and Lessons Pastor Chris Update NHC & Greenfield Report Matthew Devotional Readings Still No Honor in Your Home Town About a year and a half ago I wrote about an NHC resident who first met me when I was about 16 years old, and who persisted in talking to me like I was still 16 and in serious need of... Over 300 Visits for the Year In the past few years, we've averaged visiting about 300 people. This year, with almost a quarter of the year left, we've made 314 visits to date. Not all are remarkable; most are... Not Without Honor . . . Except in Your Hometown I've written of her before; she is the aunt of a high school friend. I have been in her house dozens of times, but not for over forty years. Now she is a permanent resident at NHC, and... Old Home Day and New Home Day Old Home Day: "I think I know you," he said. "You play the banjo, and used to box in Golden Gloves." That Golden Gloves part goes back a long way, to about 1968 or 69. I had... Deep, Shallow, and Bone Dry Deep: The man and his wife are both retired from vocational Christian ministry. I don’t mean to say that sets them on a pedestal over Christians who work in other fields, but just... We are an Evangelical Free Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. We're located at 145... (more) Pastor Chris Bunn has been the pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship since its founding in... (more) 1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect,... (more) Our Denominational Affiliation We are a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line76
__label__wiki	0.661142	0.661142	This Says It All!! During the last two winters amid the drought, regulators let more than 2.6 million acre-feet out into the bay. The hublot classic fusion replica Tag Heuer Mercedes Benz watch was created in memory of Juan Fangio's victory within the Tag Heuer monaco v4 Replica Watches 1955 Mille Miglia Race. He was driving a Mercedes-Benz SLR and it replica hublot tourbillon watches was wearing a Tag Heuer watch. This race was probably franck muller replica review the most exciting racing competitions ever. When Juan Fangio won the race, swiss tag heuer replica their bond of Tag Heuer and Mercedes Benz increased more powerful until today. Really, this says it all: California’s Green Drought How bad policies are compounding the state’s water shortage. The liberals who run California have long purported that their green policies are a free (organic) lunch, but the bills are coming due. Lo, Governor Jerry Brown has mandated a 25% statewide reduction in water use. Consider this rationing a surcharge for decades of environmental excess. Weather is of course the chief source of California’s water woes. This is the fourth year of below-average precipitation, and January and March were the driest in over a century. The Sierra Nevada snowpack, which contains about a third of state water reserves, is 5% of the historical average compared to 25% last year. Reservoirs and aquifers are also low, and some could run dry this year. While droughts occur intermittently across the globe, other societies have learned better how to cope with water shortages. For instance, Israel (60% desert) has built massive desalination plants powered by cheap natural gas that helped the country weather the driest winter on record in 2014 and a seven-year drought between 2004 and 2010. Then there’s California, which has suffered four droughts in the last five decades with each seemingly more severe in its impact. Yet this is due more to resource misallocation than harsher conditions. During normal years, the state should replenish reservoirs. However, environmental regulations require that about 4.4 million acre-feet of water—enough to sustain 4.4 million families and irrigate one million acres of farmland—be diverted to ecological purposes. Even in dry years, hundreds of thousands of acre feet of runoff are flushed into San Francisco Bay to protect fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. During the last two winters amid the drought, regulators let more than 2.6 million acre-feet out into the bay. The reason: California lacked storage capacity north of the delta, and environmental rules restrict water pumping to reservoirs south. After heavy rains doused northern California this February, the State Water Resources Control Board dissipated tens of thousands of more acre-feet. Every smelt matters. Increased surface storage would give regulators more latitude to conserve water during heavy storm-flows and would have allowed the state to stockpile larger reserves during the 15 years that preceded the last drought. Yet no major water infrastructure project has been completed in California since the 1960s. Money is not the obstacle. Since 2000 voters have approved five bonds authorizing $22 billion in spending for water improvements. Environmental projects have been the biggest winners. In 2008 the legislature established a “Strategic Growth Council” to steer some bond proceeds to affordable housing and “sustainable land use” (e.g., reduced carbon emissions and suburban sprawl). Meantime, green groups won’t allow new storage regardless—and perhaps because—of the benefits. California’s Department of Water Resources calculates that the proposed Sites Reservoir, which has been in the planning stages since the 1980s, could provide enough additional water during droughts to sustain seven million Californians for a year. Given the regulatory climate, Gov. Brown’s bullet train will probably be built first. Once beloved by greens, desalination has likewise become unfashionable. After six years of permitting and litigation, the company Poseidon this year will finally complete a $1 billion desalination facility that will augment San Diego County’s water supply by 7%. Most other desalination projects have been abandoned. One problem is that California electricity rates are among the highest nationwide due to its renewable-energy mandate, and desalination consumes amp-loads of energy. Local and state regulators also impose expensive environmental requirements. Poseidon had to restore 66 acres of wetlands in return for its desalination permit. The only remaining alternative to stretch scant water supplies is conservation. Yet studies show that mandates and subsidies for low-flow appliances like California’s don’t work because people respond by changing their behavior (e.g., taking longer showers). Despite the diminishing returns, Mr. Brown has ordered more spending on water efficiency. The most proven strategy to reduce water consumption is market pricing with water rates increasing based on household use. Many water suppliers, and much of Southern California, adopted water metering and market pricing decades ago. But since state law doesn’t mandate metering until 2025, some areas have been slow to shift from fixed rates. Other suppliers haven’t been as aggressive as they should be at charging for extra water use, which has contributed to large disparities in consumption. For instance, the per-capita daily water use in Cowan Heights is 281 gallons versus 170 in neighboring east Orange and 101 in Tustin. To his credit, the Governor has instructed the State Water Resources Control Board to develop pricing mechanisms to meet the state’s 25% benchmark and to require larger reductions from suppliers whose residents use more water. His order exempts farmers, yet their water has already been curtailed. Even in wet years, farmers have only received 45% of their contractual allocations due to wildlife diversions. Over 500,000 acres of land were left fallow last year. Many are now drilling deeper wells to pump groundwater at increasing marginal costs. Not even Gov. Brown can make it rain, but he and other politicians can stop compounding the damage by putting water storage, transportation and market pricing above environmental obsessions. Do not hold your breath—and prepare for French showers.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line77
__label__wiki	0.880902	0.880902	Sort file:- Dover, January, 2020. Page Updated:- Sunday, 19 January, 2020. (Name from) Open 2020+ St. James' Street Castle Hill before 1903 Above photo, 1886, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Above photo, from Paul Wells, 1890. Hubert Terrace off Woolcomber Street, 1901, showing The White Horse on the right. By kind permission of Dover Library. ILL/457. Above photo from the John Gilham collection, circa 1920. From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 27 September, 1907. Price 1d. Above picture showing scenes at the funeral of Sir Wollaston Knocker after the service at St. James's Church. The "White Horse" is the building on the left. Above map 1937. White Horse and St. James Church by W. Fairclough, June 1942. White Horse and St. James Church circa 1950. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the watercolour below wasn't taken from the picture above. Above photo kindly sent and taken by John Fagg in the 1980s. Above White Horse circa 1980 by Barry Smith. Above date unknown. Below circa 1990. Above photo, date unknown. Above photo, 1996, kindly sent by Michael Lock. Above photo kindly sent by White Horse, 2016. On the corner with Hubert Passage, this had been known earlier as "The City of Edinburgh", the title changing previous to 1792. From the Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal, 23 August, 1822. Thomas Bullard, landlord of the "White Horse, St James's street, Dover, was on Friday last taken into custody, charged with shooting at his wife with a loaded pistol; he was committed but has since been liberated, on bail being tendered for his appearance. It is said the offence was committed in a fit of jealousy. When searched another loaded pistol and a knife was found on his person. Bullard has a large family by former wives; his present wife is a young woman to whom he had been married but a few months, and who had been confined only a few days previous to the commission of the offence. From the Kentish Gazette, 5 April, 1836. DOVER CONSTITUTIONAL ASSOCIATION The annual supper of the first branch of this society took place on Wednesday evening, at the "White Horse Inn," in St. James's Street. The cheer, old English substantials, did infinite credit to the provider, and the evening was spent by the company with much hilarity, regulated by due decorum. After the healths of the King, the Queen, and Royal Family, the Duke of Wellington, &c, the members for Dover, and long may they continue our representatives, were duly honoured. Mrs. Fector and family were also drunk with unbounded applause, as were the healths of the Mayor and several gentleman of Dover. At a seasonable hour the party separated, much pleased with their entertainment, and expressing warm obligations to the chairman, Mr. W. Griggs, under whose judicious arrangements everything had proved so much to their satisfaction. Dover Telegraph. From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 7 February, 1846. Price 5d. CORONERS INQUEST An inquest was held on Tuesday (at which Mr. Kennett officiated in the absence of the Coroner,) at the "White Horse," top of St. James's-street, on the body of a child found in Eastbrook, and relative to which the following evidence was adduced:- Mary and Ann Goodwright- At about four o'clock this afternoon, while passing, in company with Mrs. Barton, Jennings's garden at Eastbrook, we stopped to gather some bay leaves, and whilst doing so saw a bundle lying by the palings on the inside of the garden, which we supposed contained broken victuals. Mrs. Barten wished to let it remain, but I said "Let us inspect it," which we did, and on opening the bundle perceived a child's foot. We then called a policeman, (Gardner,) who took the body to the "White Horse." The evidence of the last witness having been fully corroborated by Caroline Barton, the inquest was then adjourned till seven o'clock on the following evening, in order that time might be allowed for a post-mortem examination of the body. On Wednesday the adjourned inquest took place, and prior to the examination of witnesses being resumed, the coroner (Mr. Kennett,) remarked that from several observations made to him during the day relative to Mrs. Goodwright, and the fact of her husband also having been in the vicinity of Eastbrook on the day of finding the body, he had been induced, in the presence of the foreman and some others of the jury, to a private interrogation of the woman, but nothing elicited afforded any ground for the least suspicion, or cast the slightest imputation on the parties.- The investigation was then resumed, at which the following additional particulars were detailed:- George Edwin Williams, resident medical officer at the Dover Dispensary- I have made a post-mortem examination of the body, but have found no external injuries. I am certain that the child was born alive. It appeared about twelve hours old. I consider the immediate cause of death to have been the neglecting to fasten the umbilical cord in a proper manner. Caroline Barton again confirmed the evidence given by the witness Goodwright, on Tuesday, and stated that at the time of finding the body they observed no one loitering near the spot. Mrs. Goodwright was disposed at first to say nothing about the finding of the bundle, but on my saying that those who would consider a murder were equally guilty with those committing it, we decided on making the matter known, and did so without delay. John Goodwright, mariner- On Tuesday morning, ay 10 o'clock, I went to my brother-in-law's, who resides in Woolcomber-street, where I had a glass of beer. I then left and went to Charlton by the lane leading to Mr. Jenning's house. When I got as far as Mr. Elgar's meadow it began to rain, on which I returned home, accompanied by a man named Datlen, with whom I am acquainted. I saw no one else there at the time. No further evidence having been adduced, the coroner summed up, and the jury retired, and after nearly an hour's consultation returned the following verdict:- "That the infant died from the neglect of its mother, but by whom it was placed in the garden there has been no evidence to show." From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday, 10 April, 1847. Price 5d. CORONER'S INQUEST Another inquest was held before the same Coroner, on Monday, at the “White Horse,” on the body of Sarah Newman, widow, aged 81. The Jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:- Thomas Marks, waiter, Woolcomber Lane, deposed: On Saturday night about half past 11, I heard Mrs. Mackett cry out fire. I went out to her, and she told me Mrs. Newman's house was on fire. I went to the gate, but found it fastened. I broke the gate down, and on entering the yard found deceased on her hands and knees, with her clothes in a blaize; and not finding any mats, I threw a pail of water over her, which extinguished the flames. Some of the neighbours then came in, and wrapped a cloak round her. On going into her house, I saw an elbow chair close to the fire in flames, which I extinguished. There was a lighted candle standing on a table, in the opposite part of the room. There was no fire in the grate. The right arm and cushion of the chair were much burnt. A surgeon, Mr. Jones, then arrived, but deceased had expired. Sarah Mackett, residing in Trevanion lane, deposed: On Sunday about half past 11, I heard a scream, and on looking out of the back window, I saw a blaize in the yard, close to the house of deceased, and then a quantity of sparks. There was a strong smell of burning woollen, and I thought it was Mrs. Taylor's house on fire. I then ran out and gave an alarm. Jane Taylor, wife of Isaac Taylor, residing in Trevanion Street, deposed: I have lived next door to deceased about 4 years. She was very infirm, and I usually looked in the last thing in the evening. On Saturday night I went in about half-past ten o'clock, and found her sitting in the arm-chair, taking some tea. The tea things were by her side in a chair, and a candle was burning on the same chair. The fire was out. I did not speak to her as she was very deaf. I then went to bed, and was awakened by persons calling out fire. I got up and found deceased lying in the yard. On going into her room, I found the tea things put into the cupboard, and the tray hung up in its usual place. Deceased, who lived alone, was very eccentric in her habits, and usually slept all night in her chair. Henry Horne, brother of deceased, deposed: My sister was 81 years of age. He husband died about 4 years since, and I then wished her to come and live with me, but she would not do so, nor go to the Union. Verdict – That deceased died from her clothes accidentally catching fire. From the Kentish Gazette, 27 May, 1856. On Friday evening an enquiry took place at the "White Horse Inn," before the borough coroner, Mr. Thompson, touching on the death of Ulrich Muller - soldier of the British Swiss Legion, who was killed at the Castle Barracks by the discharge of a firelock. The deceased for some misconduct, had been reduced from a sergeant to the ranks, another had also been reduced, and both had agreed to destroy themselves. As they had no ball ammunition, pieces of tallow candle were submitted, with large charges of powder; and by these means the deceased shot himself. A verdict of "temporary insanity" was returned. The other one having failed in his attempt to shoot himself, tried to throw himself over the cliff, but was frustrated. The early brewers connected with the premises were Iken, (or Jekin), and Coleman and they later amalgamated with Edward Rutley. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 19 September, 1863. OF UNSOUND MIND A middle-aged gentlemanly looking man, attired in a black frock-coat, and having the appearance of a well-to-do man of business, was placed at the bar. He gave the name of Thomas James, and said he belonged to Liverpool, and he had been removed from the "White Horse Inn," St. James's Street, early the same morning, at the request of the landlord. Mr. John Friend, the landlord of the "White Horse," said the gentleman at the bar was brought to his house about half-past eight o'clock on the previous evening by a couple of artillerymen, respectable young men apparently, who said they found him wandering about in Frith meadows, evidently ignorant of his whereabouts. The gentleman seemed perfectly rational when first brought into the house, and asked if he could have a bed there. He was told that he could, and he then seated himself in the parlour, where he was supplied with a couple of glasses of whiskey and water. After that he had supper, and went to bed about eleven o'clock. He (Mr. Friend) saw that the defendant was comfortably in bed, and then took away his candle, but as he was leaving the room, the defendant told him he must get to his office in Liverpool by nine o'clock next morning and made several other strange remarks. Witness quietened him as well as he was able, but after he had left him he watched his bedroom door for upwards of an hour. The defendant remained perfectly quiet during this time, and nothing occurred to disturb the house till about four o'clock in the morning, when there was a great noise in the defendant's room. On getting to him he (Mr. Friend) found him in a very excited state, declaring that his room had undergone an alteration during the night, and that he could stay there no longer. He also raised the window and shouted for the police, and as the police answered his summons, he (Mr. Friend) thought they had better take the gentleman under their care, although he (Mr. Friend) had no charge to prefer against him. Superintendent Coram said that among the property found upon the defendant was a valuable gold watch and a through ticket to Paris via Dover. He also understood that he had a carpet-bag and a portmanteau (a case or bag to carry clothing in while travelling, esp. a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves) on arriving at Dover, but what had become of them now it was impossible to say. The defendant, in reply to the Magistrates, seemed to be unaware that he had had any baggage, and made a very rambling statement. He adhered to his first description of himself, however, that he belonged to Liverpool. This account of himself, from other circumstances, appeared to be correct, and the Magistrates therefore ordered that he should be detained till the following day, and in the mean time a telegraph message dispatched to Liverpool, in order that his friends might be communicated with. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 3 October, 1863. TUESDAY BEFORE THE MAYOR. REMANDED CHARGE The gentleman of unsound mind remanded from the previous day, was now handed over to the care of his son, who had arrived from Liverpool to take charge of him. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 19 March, 1864. THE PIG NUISANCE After the retirement of the Inspector of Nuisances, the Town Clerk informed the Board that in the case of the alleged pig nuisance at the rear of the "White Horse Inn," whereby some of the inhabitants of Hubert Terrace had experienced annoyance, and in consequence of which instructions had been given to prosecute the owner of the swine, Mr. Friend, the hearing of the case had been adjourned till Friday (yesterday), and he mentioned the circumstances in order to obtain the opinion of the Board as to the desirability of applying for a case, in the event of the Magisterial decision being taken against the Board, so that the legal merits of the prosecution might be decided by a superior court. It was evident that at present the Board and the Justices differed in their interpretation of the act under which these prosecutions were conducted. The Board held, and he thought properly so, that pigs kept so as to be a nuisance to any neighbour, came within the act of Parliament; but the Magistrates seemed to be of a different opinion, and he thought it would be convenient, as well of as some importance to the public, to have the legal point thus raised by the authorities of a higher Court. The course he proposed to take, supposing the decision adverse to the Board, was to apply for a special case, and then take the opinion of council before proceeding. Mr. Fox reminded the Town Clerk that if he made application for a special case, he would have to give recognizance for carrying it to an issue. The Town Clerk had the impression that this course was not compulsory, but Mr. Fox maintained that it was. Mr. Rees asked if the difficulty would not be met by allowing this case to take its course, and in the event of the decision being adverse, council's opinion be taken and another summons taken out for the purpose of raising the legal question. He was sanguine (confident) however, that the decision would be this time against the nuisance, seeing that there would not be the anomaly of the informer (the Inspector of Nuisances) coming forward to declare that he could not conscientiously declare his information to be true. (A laugh.) The Town Clerk: No, we have guarded against that ; but I understand the Inspector of Nuisances has been subpoenaed by the other side. (Renewed laughter.) In reply to observations made by other members of the Board, the Town Clerk said his own opinion was that a case should be asked for, supposing the decision to be again adverse to the Board. Mr. Rees said that, as this was the conviction of the Town Clerk, and as the case was one of much public importance, - for he believed some of the most vital interests of Dover were involved in the question whether one man could keep pigs under the parlour window of his neighbours with impunity - he would move that instructions be given to the Town Clerk to make the application suggested, in the event of such a course being necessary. Alderman Robinson seconded the motion, but on a division it was negatived by 5 to 4. Three of the Justices, it turned out, voted with the majority, and Alderman Robinson commented in no very complimentary terms on what he conceived to be the ill-state of a course so much at variance with the traditional dignity of the magisterial mind. THE OBJECTIONABLE SWINE John Friend, landlord of the "White Horse Inn," was summoned for unlawfully keeping swine on his premises to the annoyance of his neighbourhood. Mr. W. Knocker appeared in support of the information, and Mr. Minter for defendant. Mr. Minter made application that the case might be remanded. The summons was not served till Saturday, and Mr. Friend was then out of town. He did not arrive home until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when it was too late for him to gather any evidence for the defence. He (Mr. Minter) hoped the Magistrates would grant a remand, as he intended to subpoena the entire neighbourhood. Mr. Knocker objected to a remand being granted, urging that defendant had had time to obtain his learned friend's assistance, and he had therefore had ample time to collect his witnesses. The Magistrates, however, adjourned the case till Friday (yesterday). THE ALLEGED PIG NUISANCE John Friend, the landlord of the "White Horse Inn," was summoned for keeping pigs at the rear of his house, so as to be a nuisance to the family of Mr. A. Penny, the rear of whose premises in Herbert Terrace abuts upon the pigsty's in question. The prosecution was undertaken by the Local Board of Health, and the Town Clerk attended in support of it. He made a long and elaborate address upon the legal bearings of the case, and evidence was then called to show that the pigs, said to be not less than ten in number, were a nuisance to the residents of Mr. penny's house. Mr. Minter, who appeared for the defendant, replied on the legal representation of the Public Health Act, referred to be Mr. Knocker, and called witness, including the Inspector of Nuisances, and several persons living in the neighbourhood, to show that the pigs were not offensive and were kept as cleanly a manner as it was possible to keep animals of this description. One of the witnesses, Mr. Broadley, said the pigsty was the "prettiest little pigsty he had ever seen in his life." In cross-examination, the Inspector of Nuisances said the pigsty was never cleaned out in his presence. The Magistrates considered the complaint established and fined defendant 1s. costs, ordering him at the same time to remove the pigs forthwith. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 28 May, 1864. REMANDED CHARGE OF FRAUD Hugh McMath, remanded from the previous Saturday for fraudulently detaining in his possession a quantity of drapery goods, the property of Mr. P. Thompson, draper, Snargate Street and Castle Street, Dover, was again placed at the bar. Mr. Stroud of Cheltenham, now appeared for prosecution, and Mr. Fox, of Dover, for the prisoner. Peter Thompson, having been sworn, said: I am a draper carrying on business in Castle Street and Snargate Street, Dover. The prisoner was in my employ as traveller up till the 26th instant. On the morning of the 16th, about 9 o'clock, I paid the prisoner his wages. I asked him if he had anything to be booked against him. He said he had not. I then asked him how many pairs of shoes he had had mended, and he replied three. I remarked that he had only accounted for two pairs. He said he had nothing to give up to me, and he then left me, but returned between 11 and 12 o'clock and took three boxes away. I can swear positively to two of the boxes. On the following Thursday I went to Folkestone, and then I saw the prisoner with the mackintosh wrapper and leather strap produced. He had a quantity of articles strapped up in the wrapper. Prisoner ought to have returned the wrapper and strap on leaving me, as they were only supplied to him for his use while he was in my employ. I asked him whether he had started in business on his own account, or whether he was travelling for anybody. He replied that he was doing neither. We then went to the "Railway Bell" together, and I there had him taken into custody. At the Folkestone station-house, I opened the pack prisoner had on his back when I met him, and found two pieces of calico, each containing six yards, and two five-yard lengths of skirting. The calico bears my private mark in my own hand-writing, but the skirting has no mark on it. I had twenty yards of skirting, and I find on measuring the pieces I have by me that ten yards are gone. The mackintosh also has my mark upon it, and although the strap bears no mark I can swear to it as my property, as I have used it myself for the last fifteen years. I returned to Dover, but the train on the same evening, and went as soon as possible, with Sergeant Baily, to the "White Horse Inn," where three boxes belonging to prisoner had been left. The three boxes produced were taken to the station-house, and on searching them I found that they contained one pair of Scotch tweed trowsers, value 28 shillings, two pairs of stays, one flannel shirt, one scarf, and twelve yards of mohair check. All these things bear my private marks; I value the whole of the goods I have positively sworn to as £4. All of them should have been given up to me when prisoner left me. Mr. Fox: The last remark prosecutor has made, I contend, puts an end to the case. Prisoner, by prosecutor's own showing, only retained them in his possession, but not with a felonious intent, and, therefore, the prosecutor has his remedy in another Court. Mr. Stroud: That would certainly be an easy way of getting rid of a very grave charge. I apprehend that a felonious aspect had already been given to the case. Prosecutor said that the boxes were removed from his house after he had paid prisoner his wages, and all the goods produced were found in the boxes, except three sunshades, and the goods found upon prisoner at Folkestone. In cross-examining by Mr. Fox, prosecutor said: On the 1st April, 1863, prisoner came into my service. The terms of our agreement were that he should travel for me for three years, provided he conducted himself properly. Nothing was said about terminating the agreement by notice. I agreed to give him £25 a-year, and pay all his travelling expenses. He has ultimately to have received £30 a-year if he suited me. I gave him one month's notice. Mr. Fox: Why did you give prisoner notice to leave you? Witness: Because I was not satisfied with him. He managed somehow to ride about on horseback, and in flies, and on one occasion I had a bill sent to me for traps he had engaged at Hythe, instead of walking his rounds. He has also kept very late hours, and I have lately had suspicion as to his honesty, having missed goods and been unable to trace them anywhere. Mr. Fox: Have you ever verified there suspicions? Witness: Not till after I had discharged the prisoner, I could not get sufficient proof, or he would have been here before now. Mr. Fox: Where there no other reasons? Witness: None that I know of. Mr. Fox: How do you calculate the prisoner's wages when you discharged him? Witness: At the rate of £25 a-year. I paid him £8 16s. 6d., the amount due to him, after deducting the cost price of some cloth he had had of me and the cost of one pair of boots. Prisoner did not always go out for the purpose of selling goods. On Tuesday his duty was to solicit orders and collect the accounts. Mr. Fox: How were the prisoner's ordered supplied to him? Witness: Sometimes I supplied them, but occasionally he cut them himself, and he was then supposed to enter all he took from the shop in an account book, which I produce. Mr. Fox: Have you examined your book with respect to the particular items mentioned in this charge? Witness: Some of them I can swear are not entered, and among them are the parasols, or sunshades, and the skirting. The things were found in his own clothes boxes. The strap and mackintosh cover had been in prisoner's possession ever since he first came into my employ, and he should have given them up on leaving. One of the parasols has "L.O." marked upon it. "L.O." is a private mark of mine. The other is marked in my wife's handwriting, and the third bears a mark in prisoner's handwriting. Mr. Fox: Can you swear that it is prisoner's handwriting? Witness: To the best of my belief it is. Mr. Fox: Will you positively swear that the mark on this parasol is in the prisoner's handwriting? Witness: Well, I won't swear positively. Mr. Fox: Well, now, how do you identify the trowsers as your property? Witness: They correspond exactly with those I have on. Mr. Fox: Do you mean to say that your private marks are different from the private marks of any other tradesman in the same line of business? Witness: Well, I dare say they are. We never tell each other our private marks, and if there are any like mine it is quite by accident. But I will undertake to swear there are no other private marks like those I have pointed out to you, more especially as those marks are in my hand writing. When I took prisoner into custody I told him that I charged him with stealing these things, and the wrapper and strap. Charles Ovenden, police-constable of the borough of Folkestone, said that he took prisoner into custody at the "Railway Bell Inn," Folkestone. On arriving at the police-station with prisoner, he said, "I know that Mr. Thompson has an account against me for the goods I have received, and not accounted for." He asked witness what he thought prosecutor could do to him for this offence. Prisoner also asked whether the things in the pack he had on his back when taken into custody would be shown to prosecutor. Witness identified part of the things sworn to by the prosecutor, as those found in the pack at the Folkestone police-station. William Cheesman, an omnibus driver, deposed to removing for prisoner three large boxes from 69, Castle Street, to the "White Horse Inn"; but he could not swear positively to the description of boxes. John Friend, landlord of the "White Horse Inn," said that on previous Monday morning the prisoner called at his house and said he had two or three large boxes he was going to bring there. About noon on the same day, prisoner returned to his house in an omnibus, and brought three large wooden boxes like those produced. They were placed in the front parlour, and when Mr. Thompson came in the evening with Sergeant Bailey, the boxes were shown to them. Sergeant Bailey said he had received a bunch of keys from the constable Ovenden on the previous Thursday. On the same evening about 10 o'clock the boxes produced were brought from the "White Horse" by his direction to the station-house, and on the following morning were opened in the presence of Mr. Thompson. Witness produced a list of the articles he found in the boxes, several of which formed part of the present charge. This was the whole of the evidence; and Mr. Fox having declined to address the Bench on prisoner's behalf, the usual caution was read to prisoner, and he was fully committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions. Prisoner did not make application to be released on bail, and he was therefore sent to prison. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 17 December, 1864. ALLEGED INFRINGEMENT OF LICENSE John Friend, landlord of the "White Horse Inn," St. James's Street, was charged by Barton with serving at a quarter-past eight on Sunday morning last. The defendant in this case, admitted the charge. He said that when Barton came into his house a man was standing at the bar. He had just served him a glass of brandy. The Magistrates, receiving a good account of the manner defendant's house was usually conducted, mitigated the fine to 1s., and costs 9s. 6d., which was paid From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 4 November, 1865. Price 1d. CHARGE OF ASSAULT John Friend, landlord of the "White Horse Inn," was charged on the information of Thomas Broadley with assaulting him. Mrs. Friend was also summoned, but did not appear in consequence, as her husband said, of illness. Superintendent Coram proved the services of the summons on Mrs. Friend; and the case was then proceeded with. Thomas Broadley: I reside in Herbert Terrace, Dover, and the defendant keeps the "White Horse Inn," close by, at the top of St. James's Street. On Friday morning I was sitting in the tap-room of the "White Horse." presently Mr. Friend came in and then Mrs. Friend came in. They locked the door and said I should not go out of the room, nor yet out of the house, till I had signed a piece of paper. They had a piece of paper, but I did not read it, and I don't know what it contained. They "hauled" it down on the table once or twice, with pen and ink, for me to sign, but I refused to sign it, and they kept me locked up for two hours. Mrs. Friend took off my hat and put it on the table and then began feeling on the outside of my coat pockets.. I told her to leave off. At the expiration of two hours they unfastened the door, as company wanted to come into the room; and I then went out. Magistrates' Clerk: Did they say what the paper was about? Witness: Not particularly, they didn't. (A laugh.) They said I owed 'em a bill, or something of that sort. Mr. E. Elwin: I am a solicitor, and usually act for Mr. Broadley. In consequence of something he said to me I had an interview with Mrs. Friend on Saturday, but not on this business. When she was with me I spoke to her with reference to it. I said "Mr. Bradley tells me you locked him up for two or three hours yesterday afternoon." She said "It is quite true, and he deserved it." She mentioned that he owed her a bill. Mr. Friend, in his defence, said he had more cases to complain of Mr. Broadley had of him. Mr. Broadley had received every indulgence at his hands. He used the house just as if it were his own; and in return for this kindness he abused everyone in it, including himself and Mrs. Friend. He denied that Broadley was locked up; but he (Mr. Friend) did stand in the room with his back to the door, and say that he should not leave till he had told them on what authority he had made slanderous statements in reference to Mrs. Friend. The Magistrates, after very brief consideration dismissed the case. It was sold, together with the "Five Alls" in 1865. Satchell was the owner by 1881 but that year it went to the Kingsford brothers for £370. It was described then as a freehold property in the hamlet of Uphill. Later still, it went to George Beer and opened at five a.m. from 1890. The Era 19 January 1901. DEATH. SPAIN. Dec. 20th, 1900, at the "White Horse Inn," Castle-hill, Dover, of consumption, Harry Beaufoy Spain, son-in-law of the late Mr. Isaac Kemp, many years proprietor of the "Phoenix Music Hall," Dover. An inquest here, in 1826, sought the identity of a body taken from the sea by Sir Sidney Smith's Caves. The man had slept the previous night at the "Royal Standard" and was identified as Henry Palmer, a clerk from East India House. From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 13 September, 1929. Price 1½d. DOVER LICENCE CHANGE AFTER TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS At the Dover Police Court on Monday, the licence of the “White Horse Inn” was transferred from Mrs. Spain to Mr. Harry Banks, of Tonbridge, Secretary of the Constitutional Club there. Mrs. Spain has held the licence since 1901, after the death of her husband, who had been there since 1890. From the Dover Express, Friday 8 April 1938. A music and singing licence was granted to Alfred John George Faiers of the "White Horse Inn," St. James's Street. There were other houses with this title in the town. A seventeenth century token once circulated with the inscription, Robert Gallant, "White Horse Inn" and showed an image of a horse prancing, it is suggested in the book "Traders Tokens of the seventeenth century by Williamson" the token belonged to this pub, but to date no Robert Gallant can be traced as licensee. Also with the name of "White Horse" was a beerhouse trading at Tower Hamlets from 1842 to 1885. Another was positioned on the South side of the Market Square in 1690 and John Butler kept another addressed simply Buckland, from 1847-52. Perhaps of interest, alterations to these premises in 1952 brought to light a programme for the Dover Theatre, dated 1809, and advertising Harlequin and Mother Goose. From the Dover Express and East Kent News. 4 July 1952. A FIND IN A PUB Workmen engaged in carry out alterations to the "White Horse," at the bottom of Castle Hill, have discovered a programme dated 1809 for "Harlequin and Mother Goose," at the Dover Theatre. "This play," says the programme, "was performed at Covent Garden 197 times with unbounded applause, admiration and attraction to brilliant and overflowing audiences." From a photo held by the Dover Library and dated 1978. ILL/5192. The landlord in 1978 was J A Aubrey, who I am informed are the people in the photo above. In the 1800s the "White Horse" was said to have the coldest cellar in Dover - even during the summer. Apparently this is because in their cellar lives a ghost called George - the spirit of a mariner who sadly drowned at sea and was buried under the cellar. Some locals have even claimed that George has pulled them a pint! In 1895, coaches from St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe ran to the inn every day except Sunday. Much renovation has of necessity been made over the years but its old world charm and antiquity is still very much in evidence. A Fremlin house. Now Freehouse (2007). Greenpeace collection 1986. Kindly supplied by Stuart Kinnon. A HOUSE-to-house collection locally by environmental group Greenpeece has raised over £600. The money will be used to help meet the cost of replacing the group's ship Rainbow Warrior and its other campaigns. Counting the money raised from the collection are local members (left to right): Peter Kelly, Yoka Harcourt, Richard Beer, Julie Kelly, Linda Pearson, Neil Middlebrooke, Andy Chandler, lan Kinnon, Stuart Kinnon, and AIan Bennett. From the Dover Express 21 July 1989 WHICH is Dover's oldest pub, asked Bill Hopley, of St Radigund's Road in a letter to the Dover Express. I think it's mine, says White Horse Inn landlord Charles Willett. And he sends along a document to show that The White Horse on St James Street, Dover, is also one of the town's oldest residences. It was built during the reign of Edward III in 1365. At that time, says the document, the sea washed to the front of St. James' Church next door. The churchwarden lived in the property now the pub. In 1539 with the dissolution of the monasteries the church gave up the house, in the hamlet of Uphill. In 1574 the house occupied by Dover's "ale taster" and for the next 55 years was home of successive post holders whose duties included checking on the quality of ale on unlawful measures. He also had the responsibility of reporting anyone who kept a disorderly house. There were various owners and tenants most of whom were involved in checking or making ales and ciders. In 1652 Nicholas Ramsey was presented to two magistrates at Dover and granted a licence to sell ales and cider from premises adjoining St James Church. "Olde, at the foot of the hill the hamlet of Uphill," say ancient documents. In May 1635 Ramsey was granted permission to call the premises "City of Edinburgh" after an American merchantman that sank in the Dover Strait in a storm that year. Ramsey was said to have retrieved the name-board from the wreckage and to have hung it above the tavern door. Old papers show a line of successive owners and in the 18th centaury the "City of Edinburgh" became the meeting place of actors and players of the Dover theatre. In 1818 the name of the inn was changed to the "White Horse". It was about this time that inquests were held there mainly on bodies washed up from the sea. In 1821 an inquest was held on the body of a man taken from the sea, near Sir Sydney Smith's Caves. He was identified as Henry Palmer, clerk from East India House, who had spent the previous night at the "Royal Standard": verdict misadventure. In 1865 John Friend sold the "White Horse" along with another tavern the "Five Alls" to Messsrs Iken and Coleman, brewers. They in turn sold the Kingsford Brewery in 1881 for £870 and eventually it sold to John Rigden who later amalgamated with George Beer and later with Fremlins. From 1890 until the early part of the twentieth century, coaches ran from St Margaret's-at-Cliffe to the White Horse every day except Sunday. It was also in 1890, until well into the twentieth century, that the inn opened at 5 a.m. for Dockers and others working different shifts. From the Dover Society Newsletter December 2010. By Joan Liggett. The White Horse Inn is one of the town's oldest residences dating from 1365. It was built during the reign of Edward III as a dwelling for the Churchwarden of St James Church which stood next door. With the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, the church gave up the house. In 1574 it became home to Dover's "ale taster" and for the next 55 years was the home of successive post holders whose duties included checking on the quality of ale and on unlawful measures. He also had the responsibility of reporting anyone who kept a disorderly house. There were various owners and tenants most of whom were involved in checking or making ales and ciders. In 1635 a Nicholas Ramsey was granted permission to call the premises "City of Edinburgh," after an American ship that sank in the Dover Straits. Later in 1652 he was presented to two magistrates at Dover and granted a licence to sell ales and cider from premises adjoining St James Church. Old papers show a line of successive owners and in the 18th century the "City of Edinburgh" became the meeting place of actors and players of the Dover Theatre. Alterations to the pub in 1952 uncovered a programme for the Dover Theatre dated 1809 advertising Harlequin and Mother Goose; this programme is still displayed in the pub today. In 1818 the name of the inn was changed to The White Horse and it was about this time that inquests were held there, mainly on bodies washed up from the sea. These are said to have been stored in what is now the dining area to the rear of the property. From 1890, until the early part of the twentieth century, coaches ran from St Margaret's-at-Cliffe to the White Horse every day except Sunday. It was also in 1890, until well into the twentieth century, that the inn opened at 5am for Dockers and others working different shifts. Today the White Horse still is a local pub dispensing various beverages including, nowadays, coffee. It also records on its walls, ceiling and doors details of many Channel Swimmers from all over the world. Above showing a section of the interior wall. (References: Charles Willett/Dover Express) From the Dover Mercury 13 July 2000 by Mary Louise. Landlady's bitter row with brewery. LANDLADY Andrea Barber is saying goodbye to her dream of running Dover's oldest pub because of changes proposed by Whitbread. Her customers are united with her in their opposition to the brewery's planned alterations that they claim will ruin The White Horse Inn in St James Street, Dover. Miss Barber, 35, a former finance manager, took on the lease of the pub seven months ago, but she has handed in her notice due to proposals for internal alterations and a 33 per cent rent increase. Dover District Council planners approved Whitbread's application for changes to the Grade II listed building on Thursday. These involve the removal of some internal walls to open up the layout and enlarging and extending the toilets. Many customers had written to the council to protest. Miss Barber and her customers feel Whitbread has ridden roughshod over their views and will ruin their treasured 14th century hostelry. They believe the alterations will destroy the pub's character and atmosphere. Miss Barber is concerned that changes to load-bearing walls will lead to the building collapsing. She said: "The brewery reckon that people would not want to eat in here because it is old and tatty, but that is just not true. Foreigners love it and it was heaving at the weekend." A rent rise from £300 to £400 a week was the final straw for Miss Barber. She said: "I had to get rid of all my staff because I could not afford them. The brewery says they will not negotiate on rent and I think they are being completely hard-nosed." Anton Strobl, a regular at the White Horse since the early 1970s, said: "People just don't want these changes, it is a traditional English pub. "I am pretty gutted about what they want to do. I think they are going to ruin a perfectly good pub." Stephen Websdale, operations director for Whitbread pubs, said: "Miss Barber has been involved in discussions about the scheme from Day One. "She has decided that she wants to leave and we will be looking for a successor with whom we shall discuss the pub's future. We will take into account their views and the views of all the customers. "We are aware of the sensitive nature of the site. I am confident that we will produce a scheme that enhances the pub. Some of the facilities are not up to modern standards." Mr Websdale said the company was aware of the pub's history and heritage and would "go to great lengths" to preserve them. The White Horse was built in 1365 and was attached to St James Church. The sea used to lap at the front door. In 1574, Stephen Warde moved into England's third oldest pub as "ale tayster to the parte of Dover". It was used for inquests in the 19th century. When bodies were washed up, they were stored in the cellar, "the coldest place in Dover". It is claimed The White Horse has a mischievous ghost, known as George, who turns lights on and off. Many landlords, including Miss Barber, have said they have experienced it. From the Dover Express, 10 August 2000. WHEN a history re-enactment group failed to turn up for a show at a Dover pub, one of the members hastily improvised. Embarrassed organiser; Toni Clifford, left, anxiously waited outside The White Horse Inn, wearing 19th Century dress, for the other Cinque Port Volunteers to show up. When they failed to arrive, enthused Toni, recited full pelt the history of The White Horse. She played the character of Mrs Nunn landlady of The White Horse in the 19th Century, and outlined the pub's intriguing history. White Horse landlady, Andrea Barber congratulated Toni on her remarkable performance. She said: "The volunteers caused me such embarrassment after not showing I was mortified. I went to so much trouble publicising the event and putting on a buffet for the group. I've decided not to be a member anymore." From the Dover Express, 16 August, 2001. Pub is now open again. ENGLAND'S third oldest pub, the White Horse has reopened after refurbishment costing £105,000. The inn dates back to 1365 and was a magnet for actors and players as well as a place to house bodies for inquests after drowning at sea. It was this grisly fame that attracted the name as a white horse is a ghost which rides the waves. The present inn has been transformed into an eating house to attract locals and tourists. A spokesman for the Laurel pub chain said: "We worked with English Heritage over the refurbishment because of the historical significance." From the Dover Express 23 August 2001. AUGUST 2001 History of the White Horse. AS a previous licensee of the newly refurbished White Horse Inn, St James Street, Dover; I feel I must write to give you some interesting facts. When built in the 14th Century it is believed that two cottages stood on the part of St James Street which was the main road from Dover to Deal etc. These cottages were connected with St James Church the other side of Hubert Passage. Somewhere around 1600 William Smith bought and converted the building to an inn. Walking on the beach one day Smith found a piece of timber with a ship's name, the City of Edinburgh inscribed. He took it home and nailed it over the door of the inn. The City of Edinburgh traded for something like 200 years before becoming The White Horse Inn, the first recorded Landlord being Thomas Parry from 1791-93. The name White Horse is common in Britain for pubs, the White Horse sign was brought here by Saxon invaders - it was really a sort of logo. The house has a very strong atmosphere on occasion. The first or second night of our tenancy my wife and I were awakened by someone raking an iron fireplace on the end wall of the bar. Trouble is, there isn't one, just gas in those days! There is also a blocked tunnel in the passage of the second entrance on Hubert Passage, a monk's refuge maybe? We spent 12 happy years at The Horse with our wonderful customers and were overjoyed when in 1988 the pub was named as one of Britain's Classic Town Pubs. While I lament the passing of a wonderful ale house and also losing the contact of so many great friends I cordially wish the new incumbents all the luck in the world and many happy years. Charles Willett, Lydden From the Dover Express 23 August 2001. Advertising feature. Above staff 2001 and below interior 2001 THE White Horse at St James Street, Dover has recently undergone a transformation. Peter Harrison and James Coulson took over the lease and re-opened just three weeks ago after having completely refurbished The White Horse, ensuring that the improvements enhance the unique character of this lovely pub. "It has been a hectic few weeks," said Peter. "When we arrived the pub needed an enormous amount of work to bring it up to standard, but it has been well worth it." Built in 1365, The White Horse was originally occupied by the Vergers of nearby St James Church, but after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, the building became used as an ale-house by local residents and actors appearing at the local playhouse. As well as being a hostelry, The White Horse housed the bodies of those who died at sea in preparation for the necessary inquests. "We have a ghost named George who lives on the top floor," said James. "He is a friendly chap, but sometimes is a bit mischievous, radios are sometimes switched on and off and things are moved around. We don't know his history but we'd be very interested in finding out. If anyone knows anything about him, please drop in and tell us." The White Horse now boasts a wide selection of cask and real ales including Master Brew, Abbot Ale and London Pride. Wine is sold by by the bottle at just £6.95 or by the glass and fresh coffee is always available. There is a varied bar menu offering all the traditional fare such as traditional sausages with creamy mash and onion gravy and the delicious stilton and broccoli bake - all being served with a choice of potatoes, vegetables or salad. The specials board, which is changed weekly, features such delights a boozy bullocks pie at only £6.25 or minty Barnsley chop at £6.95. The Sunday roasts have become very popular and booking is advisable. The pretty patio garden is enclosed by napped flint walls and makes a glorious venue to sit and enjoy a meal or a snack with your drink on a balmy summers evening. The White Horse is open from noon to 11 pm Mondays to Saturday, serving lunch between noon and 3pm and 6pm and 9.30pm. Sunday hours are from noon to 10.30pm, serving food between noon and 3pm and 7pm to 9pm. There is plenty of local parking. For further information or to reserve your table for the Sunday roast, please call 01304 242974. Above picture shows the outdoor patio garden. From the Dover Express, 18 July 2002. BALD SUPPORT FOR CHARITY. THE landlord of the White Horse pub in St James' Street, Dover, raised money for the Aspen Unit at the weekend when he had his head shaved. James Coulson sacrificed his long locks as part of a huge fundraising drive for the unit which caters for children with special learning needs. James said: "I raised more than £100. The Aspen Unit is a worthwhile cause." From http://www.bbc.co.uk Accessed 22 August 2010. If there's something weird in the neighbourhood, who're you gonna call? Well, if you live in Kent then perhaps Jeane Trend-Hill should be your first port of call. Meet the ghost buster... Jeane Trend-Hill spends her life with ghosts. Not the green and slimy ones from the film or even the terrifying ones that lurk in a child's worst nightmare - but the ones that cling to people and places because they have a story to tell. Jeane is one of those rare people that can interpret these stories and who can, like Cole Sear in 'The Sixth Sense', see dead people. Dover investigation - May 2006 St. James' Church was founded in Saxon times and was used by the Barons of the Cinque Ports until 1851. The church was almost completely destroyed by the German long-range guns during the Second World War but the ruins were kept as a reminder of Dover's suffering during those years. Here is an account of Jeane's investigation:- "At St James Church ruins in Dover, I took a quick walk around and also held a piece of stone which I found on the ground to see what I could pick up from it. The local newspaper sent a photographer along and when he arrived and unpacked his equipment and one of the first questions he asked me was if I ever have any trouble with cameras during paranormal investigations? I said it often happened and asked him why? He showed me a photo his camera had apparently taken by itself whilst on his way there. It showed a streak of yellow light across a darker background. It wasn't from anything inside his camera bag and there was no obvious explanation! "On moving along the chapel aisle I detected the presence of a woman called Agnes who appeared to be around because she was mourning the loss of someone buried there, it was quite emotional in that spot, very sad and I could have easily cried. When we left I picked a daisy and left it in the area where I had sensed her. "Further along I felt as though there had been some kind of dual fought, a man called Richard with a connection to the Cinque Ports had been involved and I felt like laughing because they had set down their weapons and got into a fist fight almost like a pub brawl / punch up! "In the corner I found the lovely energy of two Victorian children running in and out playing games and hiding. They were dressed in drab dark clothes the little girl wearing a bonnet and the boy a cap. The energy next to it by the archway was not so nice. Someone had been killed there, stabbed twice, once in the back and once in the thigh. He died from loss of blood to the thigh wound and I felt a searing pain in my leg and as someone pointed out, seemed to be walking with a limp for a minute or two. "Next we moved on to the White Horse Inn next door, to see if I could find another spirit - 'George' as the locals refer to him. He is believed to be the ghost of a previous Landlord. There were also stories that the place had been used as a temporary morgue or for carrying out autopsies. I had a quick wander around and got the name "Edward" not "George" whom I'd been looking for. He seemed most annoyed that I wanted George and kept repeating "I'm Edward". I felt like he was keeping an eye on things. "Chatting to the current Landlady later, she revealed that there had been some poltergeist activity with things being moved around but like me didn't feel it was in any way malicious, more playful. I sensed a few bodies had been laid out for a wake but didn't get a feeling that there had been any autopsies carried out there. "A few of us went out to the patio and were amazed when we spotted lights which seemed to be moving. A couple of people noticed it in their camera monitors. At first I wondered if they were street lights but they went from one side to the other as we watched. I also managed to capture some orbs in one shot. I felt the spirits were around and amused at what we were doing!" The CAMRA meeting of 18th January 2010 reported that the "White Horse" is now under new management. From the Dover Express 28 January 2010. PAIR PLAN TO RESUSCITATE WHITE HORSE Report by Yamurai Zendera Double act: Mandy Richards and Jeanette Harper have big plans for The "White Horse." TWO women hope to breath new life into a Dover pub. Mandy Richards, who already owns the "Park Inn" pub, has bought the lease on The "White Horse" in St James's Street and her first act was to ask Jeanette Harper, an experienced hand in the pub trade, to be manager. Mother-of-two Jeanette is convinced the venture will be a success. She said: "Mandy asked me if I would manage it and I took two weeks to really think about it. "But you can't let The "White Horse" go past you because you know it will work. There's just so much scope for improvement in there. If you get the food going in there and the opening hours right it can work." Qualified chef Jeanette, 40, brings a wealth of experience to bare, having worked on and off in pubs for 23 years. She said: "We don't want to change it too much, but it does need a bit of doing up. It was built in 1365 so in many ways we want it to be a proper landmark in Dover." From the Dover Mercury, 27 May 2010. PUB SCRABBLE LEAGUE NOT FOR 'ANORAKS'. SCRABBLE enthusiasts are being invited to join a league based at a Dover pub. Andy Cooper plans to start the league, at The White Horse in St James' Street, in the autumn. "It would run on Tuesday nights from September to June with a Christmas break, with decent prizes for the winner and runner up," he said. "I'm looking for between 12 and 18 members. Membership would be free, with a small weekly fee, around £2, to cover boards and the prizes." Mr Cooper said players would score three points for a win and one for a tie, and a small weekly prize would be awarded to the player with the highest individual word score. A full set of rules would be drawn up. "The idea is to have a bit of fun on a weekly basis without it being too serious. I know a lot of people take Scrabble very seriously, and we would have to have an arbiter to resolve any squabbles, but hopefully people will see it as a social occasion and not an anoraks' convention. From the Dover Mercury, Thursday 7 October 2010. CHANNEL SWIMMERS A UNIQUE TRADE FOR PUB. Niche market good for business A DOVER pub is to be featured on a BBC documentary about channel swimming. The "White Horse" in St. James' Street will be shown on "Inside Out" because of its unique association with cross-Channel swimming in Dover. Visitors to the pub will notice some of the walls covered with messages from swimmers before and after their cross-Channel swims. Manager Jeanette Harper was recently interviewed for the show - although she had no idea the crew was turning up at the pub. She said: "They just turned up at about midday. They wanted to take quite a few shots of all the signatures and messages on the walls. "They asked me what they brought to the pub. I told them it's brought a lot of extra business because I have got the niche market. It's almost like a museum to channel swimmers." Jeanette, who became manager this year when lease changed hands, said she believes the wall signing ritual began eight years ago. She said: " The first signatures were written on the walls in 2002. There's stuff on there marked as before that time, say in the eighties, but it was only written after 2002. "I've had a really busy summer because of it. When someone swims the Channel there're normally in the area for several weeks beforehand, eating and drinking in my pub because they know of its link with channel swimming." Regular Darren King believes the messages on the walls were started by one of two brothers - Peter or Albert Bardoel. He said: "They were there one day and one of them said he was going to swim the Channel. He said that when he swam it he would come back and sign the wall. It all expanded from there." "Inside Out" is due to be shown on BBC One on October 14 at 7.30pm. From the Dover Express, 9 December 2010. CHIMNEY BLAZE FIREFIGHTERS were called to a chimney fire at a property in Dover on Monday. Crews from the town and one from Folkestone were sent to the site of the blaze in St James Street at 10.05am after reports of a fire on the first floor. It took the crews almost three hours to extinguish the flames behind a fireplace and make the scene safe. From the Dover Mercury, Thursday 6 January 2011. SWIMMERS' FAVOURITE PUB SHUTS. A POPULAR Dover pub closed its doors on Monday. The "White Horse Inn," in St James' Street, had a sign on the door saying the closure was temporary and "watch this space". The pub was popular with Channel swimmers who signed their names on the walls and ceiling. It was built in 1365 as a home for the churchwarden of St James' Church. In the 17th century it was called the "City of Edinburgh" and was a meeting place for those appearing at the Dover Theatre. It became the "White Horse" in 1818 and was the venue for inquests, mainly on bodies washed up from the sea. A year ago, Mandy Richards, of Dover's "Park Inn," bought the lease on the "White Horse" and Jeanette Harper was manager. From the Dover Express, Thursday, 6 September, 2012. 65p. REGULARS MOURN LAST ORDERS ON WHITE HORSE ANOTHER local business opening its doors for the last time this weekend was the "White Horse" pub. The St James Street tavern was given a rousing send-off by local bands before it closed on Sunday. Regular visitor Phil Eyden said: “It was quite busy last night. There were about 50 people there when I turned up at eight so it got a good send-off. “It was a sad day really for one of the nicest pubs in Dover. There just isn't enough money any more. It's a shame - it's the end of an era. “I'm sure it'll be back with a new landlord but things are never quite the same. “At the end of the day it's not just a drinking hole. The regulars are a small community really. Their meeting point is then taken away and they'll have to find a new place to meet up. Pubs have a social role too.” The "White Horse," which has served as a hub for cross-Channel swimmers visiting the town, was also the site where broadcasting enthusiasts first got together to discuss what became Dover Community Radio. The pub is believed to be Dover's oldest, with the history of the premises going back to the reign of Edward III in 1365. Over the years members of Dover Rowing Club have been frequent customers. The attractive premises was once known as The "City of Edinburgh," and at one stage was considered a handy place to hold inquests. Landlady Jeanette Harper said she, did not wish to comment on the closure of the business. Unfortunately the pub closed at the start of September 2012, but is now again open for business again (December 2012). I am informed in 2016 that it is part of the Enterprise chain. From the Dover Express, Thursday, 11 January, 2013. 65p. REGULARS' DELIGHT AS HISTORIC PUB OPENS FRESH START: New owners of The White Horse, Tony and Janis Zammit DOVER'S oldest pub has reopened, much to the delight of the locals. The White Horse, in St James Street, invited punters back in for a pint on Friday, December 21. New owner Tony Zammit, who has taken over the pub with wife Janis, told a 200-strong group on Facebook: “As you'll appreciate we've been extremely busy preparing for the re-opening of your pub. However D Day's finally here.” The launch appeared to go down well with visitors. One user said the pub looks “remarkably unchanged, though a bit less crowded than on closing day.” Former landlady, Jeanette Harper, was force to shut The "White Horse" in September last year. The tavern, which has served as a hub for cross-Channel swimmers visiting the town, was also the site where broadcasting enthusiasts first got together to discuss what became Dover Community Radio. From http://www.ghostpubs.com accessed 17 June 2015. HAUNTED. In 1778, the 25th Foot Regiment, the Edinburgh Regiment, was in garrison at Dover and the name of this pub was "City of Edinburgh" after that occasion. Although there is another legend that the City of Edinburgh named the pub after a wrecked freighter of that name, in the Dover Straits when they used the name-plate off the ship. It was renamed the "White Horse" in 1791. People used it to hold inquests during the early 1800s. After one such inquest on a sailor washed ashore from a wrecked ship, there have been reports of a man in uniform playing a tin whistle and haunting one of the bars. The original building was constructed during the reign of Edward 3rd in 1365. It was then occupied by the verger of the adjacent St James's Church. By 1574, it was the home and offices of the Ale Taster for Dover. Inside are bare wooden floors, a white painted ceiling and black beams. The bar counter is built of brick. From the Dover Express, 24 September 1015. By Joe Kasper. Swimmers’ graffiti is welcomed at this pub. Cross-Channel athletes leave their mark. THE writing is on the wall for these pub landlords - literally. As you enter the White Horse Inn it is very noticeable that there are thousands of words daubed on the walls and ceiling. According to Tony, 66, and Janis Zammit, 63, these are messages from Channel swimmers. The married couple of 28 years moved in to reopen the boozer in 2012 and found the writing. They decided they would continue the tradition and welcome the athletes to leave the messages. Tony said: “We’ve had a lot of Channel swimmers over the last three years - about 200 every year. “The other day ten came in. The latest one was an Australian lady who did it three times in one swim.” The pair have played host to all sorts of people coming from all over the world, including America, Iceland and Mexico. But the interesting stuff does not stop there for the Castle Hill Road pub, as its fame has reached as far as Kenya after a film crew used the White Horse as a stop off. Filming. Tony said: “Last year we had five or six crews here - TV and film. They were filming a reality program and the aim was to take a Tusker beer from Nairobi to London and this was one of its stop off points. “Then there was another show we were on - Channel Patrol. We were on the first episode of that on BBC2.” For Janis, being around famous people is nothing new. She used to work in the White Lion Hotel in Tenterden when royalty including the Queen Mother and Princess Anne stayed. When Tony was made redundant as a national account manager in 1996, the couple paired up at the Vine Inn, also in Tenterden, minding the pub for a friend. A year later, they moved to the Huntsman and Horn near Herne Bay and in 2008 switched to The Frenchman in Folkestone. On moving to the Dover pub, Tony said: “We saw the potential. It was closed when we saw it and it was in a pretty sorry state. “We’ve got enough experience to know what can be achieved.” But with the St James scheme developing right in front of them, what does the future hold? Tony said: “I think it’s a good thing. Not only a good thing in this particular area but for the whole of Dover. “It’s going to raise the profile overall. We are actually in the prime position. “You never know what’s going on in the future but we will see how it goes.” TIMINGS: The athletes have recorded their swim times and swimmers have left their mark at the White Horse. From an email sent 6 December, 2016. Above photo showing the licensee in 2016, Julian Cowley (left) and Stuart Fox (right). From the Dover Express, 19 October 2017. By Lauren MacDougall. Seaside pubs on the short list for county’s best boozer award. THE finalists for the Kent Tourism Awards 2017 have been announced, with three pubs making the shortlist for best boozer. The awards, organised by Visit Kent, recognise 22 businesses in the county across seven categories, including family friendly business of the year, large visitor attraction of the year and the hidden gem award. Sponsored by Shepherd Neame, the Raising the Bar Award honours the county’s tourism pub of the year. This year the nominees comes from across east Kent with pubs in Dover, Margate and Wingham. The White "Horse Inn" in Dover is one of the town’s oldest residences, dating from 1365. It was built during the reign of Edward III as a dwelling for the Churchwarden of St James Church, which stood next door. Today the "White Horse" is a local pub dispensing various beverages including delicious coffees, a superb collection of trendy gins and a selection of well-loved pints. It also records on its walls, ceiling and doors details of many Channel Swimmers from all over the world, as well as hosting tourists from afar afield as America. From the Dover Express, 7 December 2017. By Sean Doherty. Kent's oldest pub raises bar as it is named boozer of the year. Managers Stuart Fox (left) and Julian Crowley with their award. DOVER’S oldest pub has been named the Tourism Pub of the Year at the Kent Tourism Awards. The White Horse in St James Street, Dover, was presented with the Raising the Bar Award at a ceremony on November 24. Managers Julian Crowley and Stuart Fox were delighted at having their achievements recognised. Julian said: “It’s fantastic. I still can’t believe we have won.” Julian and Stuart, who have been together for 12 years, took over the venue in September 2016. Since then, the couple have achieved incredible success in a short time - despite neither having any previous experience managing a pub. Julian said: “We both decided to throw caution to the wind and take over a pub, and this was the only one we were interested in.” Within a year, they managed to improve the pub’s TripAdvisor rating from being the 25th highest-rated restaurant in Dover to the second, where it currently sits, while briefly managing to snag the number one spot from Indian restaurant Namaste. Julian believes that his history in hospitality, having spent 12 years working for P&O Ferries, and Stuart’s experience as a senior charge nurse at Medway A&E have contributed to their success at The White Horse. He said: “I would say my training at P&O and Stuart’s training in the hospital, his ability to speak with people, really helped us. “And our enthusiasm. We haven’t taken over the pub just to sit behind the bar. We both work.” The pub has an illustrious history, having been built in 1365 to house the churchwarden of St James’ Church in 1365 and has been used as a pub since 1652, originally under the name "City of Edinburgh." Since 2002, swimmers who managed to cross the Channel have written their names, nationalities and details about their swim on the walls of the pub. Channel swimmer Rachelle Silver finds space for her name. Although the walls have since run out of space, the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation has provided a book for people at the pub to sign. Julian said: “There are swimmers who have swam the Channel many years ago who have offered to come to scrub their names off and sign them smaller which is a very nice gesture.” The pub offers a range of 40 gins and in May 2017 gained Cask Marque accreditation. Stuart said that the food offered by the pub has also been instrumental in bringing it up to its current high standard. He said: “We have done so well on the food side. We offer traditional English pub food, home-made, and try to source everything as locally as possible.” Stuart said that while the large number of guest houses has led to its recognition as a valuable tourist spot, the pub also has retained and attracted a large, loyal custom basis of residents. He added they are open to trying new things with The White Horse and are currently hosting the pub’s first free art exhibition, showcasing work from local art conglomerate Art31, which will run until December 31. At the awards, Julian and Stuart were told that their use of social media in promoting the pub played a role in their winning. As well as their Facebook page, the pub maintains a presence on Instagram and Twitter. Stuart said: “We take photos of the staff, of the customers, of swimmers from different countries whose friends then see them. It helps make the pub more international.” From the https://www.kentlive.news By Lauren MacDougall, 12 July 2018. How a scathing negative review led The White Horse in Dover to win a national award. Getting the odd negative review here and there is part and parcel of owning a pub or restaurant. While scathing comments from customers on TripAdvisor, Google and other tourism platforms are like water off a duck's back to some in the hospitality business, to others they are seen as an opportunity to stand out and make a name for themselves. And that's exactly the attitude the owners of the "White Horse" pub in Dover had when they received a critical review by a Google user. In it, he called the St James Street pub "expensive", "more of a restaurant" and said there were "posers sat the bar". But instead of taking his comments to heart owners Julian Crowley and Stuart Fox hit back in a creative way - and won an award for the way they did so. The pair turned a negative into a positive, posting on social media asking which of their customers wanted to own up to being the 'poseurs'. They posted a picture of the review on Facebook, saying: "Lovely Google review has appeared. "To all our lovely customers; please feel free to step up to take credit for being the 'poseurs'. "Kitchen open tomorrow lunchtime 12 -2 and evening food service from 6 - 8pm. The other 7 hours we are open, we function only as a pub. Sorry." The "White Horse" managers Stuart Fox (left) and Julian Crowley (right) This generated so much positive attention and comments on The White Horse’s social media pages, that a new hashtag was created: #PoseursAtTheBar. A chalkboard artist wrote ‘Poseurs at the Bar’ above the bar, and now tourists and locals alike pose, take selfies, and even bring props with them to have their photographs taken under the sign. For their efforts, Ei Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has voted the publicity drive the ‘Best Marketing Initiative’ at its inaugural Awards for Excellence. The awards also recognised an older initiative by the pub. From the https://www.kentlive.news By Lauren MacDougall, 21 December 2019. The 33 pubs in Kent you have to drink at in 2020 according to CAMRA. In total Kent has heaps of pubs listed in the guide and, while 33 of these are new entries, others have appeared in previous editions of the guide. A total of 33 pubs from around Kent make up the new entries that feature in the 2020 edition of the Good Beer Guide. The guide is produced annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the independent guide to the best boozers in the UK that is researched by unpaid and independent volunteers nationwide. Tom Stainer, CAMRA’s chief executive, said: “For nearly five decades, the Good Beer Guide has been a comprehensive guide to the UK’s breweries, their ales, and the best outlets to find them in across the country. “What makes the Guide unique is that all the entries are compiled and vetted by a huge volunteer team, based around the country. We work hard to ensure that all areas of the country are covered and, unlike with some competitor titles, inclusion in this book is dependent only on merit, not on payment. “The Good Beer Guide has always had an important role in acting as a barometer of the beer and pub industry. We believe information gleaned from the Guide is absolutely vital in the drive to save our pubs from closure and campaign for policies that better support pubs, local brewers and their customers.” This pub is included in the 2020 list. White Horse, Dover. The pub is one of Dover's oldest residence, having first been the home of St James' churchwarden in 1365 What the guide says: "This Grade II-listed building can trace its history saloon bar. Quiz night is the third Thursday of each month." From the https://www.kentlive.news By John James, 21 September 2019. We visited 5 of Kent's best pubs according to CAMRA in one evening: Here's what we thought:- We headed for Dover and visited five accredited real ale good time pubs in and around the town centre. The beer lover’s manual of all the haunts in the country, the 2020 CAMRA guide, has been published. It’s no surprise that Kent features heavily among the selections, with entries from across the county. In the interests of journalism, we thought we’d try out a few. But rather than re-visiting the usual suspects (your Canterburys, your Sevenoaks, your Tonbridges), we thought we’d go somewhere you might not normally associate with real ale. Join me on this journey as I literally drink on the job. The White Horse, St James St. Next stop on my quest was The White Horse, a quaint little bolt hole opposite the St James retail park. Incidentally, you can find out what I thought of their food offerings here. Anyway, this pub is what I would call a proper local. It's small but cosy inside with a good selection of ales and lagers, the cheapest being £3.85 for a Cornish Tribute ale. The cosy interior of the White Horse. The food here is famous around these parts, but before I can mention I'm from KentLive and that maybe I'm entitled to a taster I'm told otherwise. "We don't serve food on Wednesdays," says Alice Bridges, who recently started working here behind the bar." On Wednesdays we get the locals in." The friendly bar staff at The White Horse. The walls of The White Horse are covered in writing. Rather than read it myself and make an educated guess, I asked Alice. "They're the names of those who've swum the Channel. We've actually run out of space, but we made an exception this week for Sarah Thomas, she swam it four times without stopping." I went for further exploration and stumbled across a beautiful hidden terrace that looked out onto a ruin of some sort. There I met an American named Hunter. We bonded over our mutual admiration for Logan Paul and the weird, but very true fact that the ruin we were staring at was older than his country. The Hidden Terrace. Before I left I asked Hunter what he thought of The White Horse. "England does the best pubs in the world bro!" Five stars then from Hunter. To previous pub on tour. To next pub on tour. ELDRIDGE Honor 1755-63 ? GALLANT Robert ???? Pub name was "City of Edinburgh" before this landlord. PARRY Thomas 1791-93 PAIN Thomas 1791-92 BULLARD Thomas 1805-23 HORN James 1826-40+ BUTLER John 1847 BUTLER Mr E 1849-50+ SPICER William 1858 SPICER John Jan/1860 FRIEND John Jan/1860-66 HARRIS Alfred Mar/1870-May/80 CLEMENTS Thomas May/1880+ ("Hawkhurst Hotel" tap-keeper) WESTLEY William 1881 WESTLEY Richard 1881-82+ SPAIN Harry Beaufoy June/1890-1901 SPAIN Mrs Selina 1901-Sept/29 BANKS Harold Sept/1929-32+ (Former Club secretary, Tonbridge) IMRIE William Alexander Richie 1936-37 end FAIERS Alfred John George 1937-45 end ATKINSON Cyril F 1945-50 dec'd 1953 ATKINSON Mrs F E 1950-66 end BAILEY Herbert John 1966-78 end Whitbread Fremlins AUBREY J A 1978 WILLETT Charles S T 1980-91 retired CONNELLY Trevor 1991 AMOS Nigel 1993 BARBER Andrea 2000 HARRISON Peter and COULSON James August 2001-02+ BEATON Jack & Jill AYRES to Jan/2010 HARPER Jeanette Jan/2010-Sept/2012 ZAMMIT Tony Dec/2012-Sept/16 CROWLEY Julian & FOX Stuart 12/Sept/2016+ https://www.whatpub.com/white-horse Dover and Deal Directory and Guide 1792 From the Pigot's Directory 1823 From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34 From Bagshaw Directory 1847 From the Post Office Directory 1874 From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895 From the Kelly's Directory 1899 From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33 Library archives 1974 From the Dover Express From the Dover Telegraph	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line81
__label__cc	0.748431	0.251569	NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART-DISCOURAGEMENT AND PERSEVERANCE: THE REALITY FOR ASPIRING WRITERS Posted on September 16, 2014 by Gaye Mack in Articles, Worth the Read, Writer's Work 2 Comments agent queries Aspiring writers Like a bad cough you can’t get rid of in the winter, discouragement and perseverance are part of the package for any aspiring writer who dreams of their work being valued by someone other than their mother. My guest for this post is the best-selling author of The War of the Roses, Warren Adler. Warren’s piece on ‘Rejection and Renewal’ is a reality check. The reality is that it takes more than just WANTING your creativity to land somewhere other than on a forgotten USB stick or in garage boxes…that ‘the road less traveled’ is fraught with discouragement and one that demands perseverance. For readers, it gives a peek into the prelude of that book they love. “You’ve spent months, perhaps years, composing your novel. You’ve read and reread it hundreds of times. You’ve rethought it, rewritten it, and revised it, changed characters, dialogue, and plot lines. Writing your novel is the most important thing in your life. It has absorbed your attention, almost exclusively. Both your conscious and your subconscious mind have been obsessed with it. You have read parts of it to your friends, family, former teachers. Most think it’s wonderful. You have finally considered it finished. Armed with optimism and self-confidence, you obtain from the Internet a list of agents and begin to canvass. You agonize over whether to send your precious manuscript to one agent at a time or to a number of agents. THE DIVE You choose the first option. Just in case, you send it electronically, unsure of whether or not this is now standard practice. You have high hopes. You are aware of the massive changes in the publishing business, but have chosen to take the traditional path as your first option. Waiting, Waiting . . . Weeks go by, then months. The agents are, you believe, reading it in the office, passing it around, deciding to take it on. You live on such hopes. Finally you call the agent’s office. They haven’t a clue as to who you are. Somehow, they are reminded and search through the piles of manuscripts in their office, find yours, and send you back a standardized letter, perhaps out of politeness made to look like an original. Well then, you tell yourself, it is only one agent’s opinion. You send it off to another agent. A letter comes back swiftly, similarly worded. You get bolder, send your manuscript to two agents at a time, then three, then every agent you can find. Nothing happens. “Good luck on getting published,” they tell you. “Not for us.” Sometimes there is a personal, scribbled note that says something nice and you live in its glow for days. More Waiting . . . Years go by. You start another novel, but you are less optimistic now, less confident, unsure. You tell yourself you have not paid enough attention to the marketplace. You begin to analyze what is selling, what is not selling, what is being published. You read books on the best-seller lists and are certain you can do a lot better. You try to use these books as a guide to what is selling and you write accordingly. Nothing helps. You are continuously rejected. Then . . . you begin to read on various websites about how you can publish your own books and get them marketed on electronic venues. Some sites promise that they can get your book in front of movie producers for a price. Some say they have the magic to make you a successful career novelist, again, for a price. For even more money, you will be told how best to market your book. You debate the idea and as your pile of rejection letters mount, you give it a try. You spend money. A book is produced in print-on-demand format and an E-Book is created and placed on every electronic sales venue on the net. Your family buys copies and sends them to friends. It is even reviewed in publications that review self-published books, yet again for a price. There is a word or two of praise in the review and you send it around to the media and everybody you know. Unfortunately, there is little or no sales, no afterlife. Despite your confidence in your ability, despite the fact that you truly believe your novel is certainly worthy of publication, you feel the full impact of rejection and failure. Try and Try Again . . . Still, you cannot shake the certainty or your talent. You write another novel. Perhaps a third. Perhaps more. You go through the same process. Again and again you are rejected. You begin to question your ability, your ideas and your talent. Is it a fantasy, an exercise in unrealistic aspirations? You are becoming embittered. Your dream is crashing. If you are fortunate, your wife, husband, partner and family stick by you, continue to encourage your dream, help you keep it alive. Other realities begin to chip away at the dream. You have financial obligations. Your kids are growing up. You are losing out in the job market. Others are moving up in their jobs, while you are falling behind. You feel lost, adrift. Rejection after rejection has beaten you down. You see this as the end of your world, the end of your hopes and aspirations. Your high hopes and self-confidence in your own talent is petering away. What now? No Magic Pill. If you’ve read this far without your stomach congealing, I suppose you are awaiting some prescription offering a magic pill for coping. Sorry, there isn’t any available your corner drugstore, and you won’t find it here. Luck—that strange, illusive, heaven-sent burst of good fortune—has not fired a missile in your direction. Not yet. You have three choices: The first is personal surrender. You’ve been on a fool’s errand following an adolescent dream. Time to throw in the towel and concentrate on your day job. At least you tried. The second choice is postponement. You weren’t ready. You needed more experience of life. But you continue to believe it will come. Some talented people are late bloomers. Give the dream a rest. Wishing won’t make it so. There are enough popular clichés to give you courage. Now, for your third choice, the clincher. It is not recommended for the faint of heart: never give up. Never, never, never. It may be impractical, unwise, foolish, pure madness, but if you truly believe in yourself, your talent, your ideas, your calling, your personal mission, why not, as Lewis Carroll wrote, “go on until the end, and then stop.” It Takes Determination and Perseverance To do this requires a monumental ego, total self-confidence in your talent, and an unshakable belief that you have been anointed with the right stuff. You will require obsessive focus, singleness of purpose, a draconian ruthlessness, and total devotion to a belief in your artistic ability. Fancy words, I know, but with the absence of luck, you will need these attributes to sustain you through the process. What this means for the true novelist is that he or she must continue to soldier on, keep writing, keep trying, taking the increasingly painful hits of rejection after rejection until, well, until someone out there catches on…or doesn’t. We are all waiting for Godot. Sometimes he comes. Warren Adler Best-Selling Author and advocate for aspiring writers SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND THE WORLD OF SPIRIT Posted on August 31, 2014 by Gaye Mack in Gaye's England, Scotland & Wales, Worth the Read, Writer's Work Leave a comment Grace Cooke Love Is Murder Writer's Conference Spiritualist movement White Eagle Lodge It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, mainly because I’ve been focused on my ‘ historical fiction work in progress,’ A Flight of Doves and my Evolutionary Astrology practice. However, a few weeks ago I was asked to write a piece on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for the Chicago-based, Love is Murder writer’s conference newsletter. For the past fourteen years, this popular conference has featured a ‘Ghost of Honor’ and so it is that for the forthcoming February 2015 conference, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, was selected. As I state in the article, my guess is that the majority of Sherlock fans are unaware of the very real ‘spiritualist’ side of Conan Doyle, although in several of the stories if one reads between the lines, such clues do creep through. In any case, for those of you wanting to read ‘more about it,’ I’ve posted the article here. Who knew? “Come, Watson, come!” he cried. “The game is afoot.” Few Sherlock Holmes fans wouldn’t recognize these words from The Adventure of the Abbey Grange, published in 1904 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, how many devoted fans know of Doyle’s fierce involvement in the spiritualist movement of his time? Surely not a majority. If we take a closer peek into this side of Conan Doyle’s life, we learn he was an avid enthusiast and supporter of psychic research for many years. Among his activities were tireless lectures across the UK and America in which he promoted the cause of spiritualism in addition to his extended tenure as president of London’s College of Psychic Studies (founded in 1884) where his portrait prominently hangs alongside his predecessors and successors. Without question, however, a major aspect of Doyle’s influence in spiritualist matters was his post mortem series of messages via the well-known English medium, Grace Cooke. Delivered between January 27, 1930 and June, 1932, Arthur Conan Doyle’s messages revised the fundamental core of spiritualism having to do with life, death, illness and healing—a somewhat complex story that starts in Paris. Briefly, in the mid-1920s a small group of Parisian spiritualists established themselves as The Polaire Brotherhood. At the time of their formation, the Polaires came into possession of the Force Astrale, an oracle believed to have originated with the Sages in the Himalayas. When news of Conan Doyle’s death reached Paris, the Oracle gave the Polaires an extensive message: Conan Doyle, now in world of spirit, needed to correct some inaccuracies regarding the subject of spiritualism. However, in order to accomplish this, a Polaire Brother needed to travel to England and meet with Lady Conan Doyle, who would introduce him to a well-established medium—someone specifically chosen and trained to receive Arthur Conan Doyle’s communications. Lady Doyle, a hard-core spiritualist herself, was already acquainted with England’s famous medium, Grace Cooke, as plans had been made for Grace and Arthur Conan Doyle to meet. Sadly this never happened due to his sudden death, but ten days following his passing, Grace visited the Doyle home and at this time, Arthur Conan Doyle delivered several personal, very detailed messages to his family. Thus, when the Parisian Polaire now in England approached Lady Doyle, wheels were rapidly set in motion. On January 27th, 1930, Grace Cooke, her husband Ivan, the Polaire Brother, Lady Doyle and two of Lady Doyle’s children, met to hear the first of what would be the several extended messages from Arthur Conan Doyle as predicted by the Oracle back in Paris. Delivered through Grace, Conan Doyle’s instructions set forth a complete reinstatement of spiritualism, illness, healing and life after death. Today the connection between Grace Cooke and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle live on through the globally known White Eagle Lodge, which Grace and Ivan founded in 1936 at the direction of Grace’s own spirit guide, White Eagle. *For a more complete picture, including Arthur Conan Doyle’s messages, see Arthur Conan Doyle’s Book of The Beyond—White Eagle Publishing Trust, 2nd printing 2006. SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE -1859-1930 A PEEK INTO THE VATICAN’S MEDIEVAL PAST WHEN ASTROLOGERS WERE REVERED Posted on April 13, 2014 by Gaye Mack in Karmic and Self-Discovery Astrology, Worth the Read, Writer's Work Leave a comment astrological news service Mary Quinlan-McGrath Medieval Astrology Medieval Vatican A recent article by Edward Snow sheds an ‘interesting’ light upon the high, spiritual value in which astrologers were held by medieval Rome. Sadly however, ignorance, fear and religious control issues proved to be the death knell for this sacred science. Fortunately in more recent times, wiser perspectives are bringing legitimate astrology to forefront again. Through the lenses of evolutionary, cartographical, financial and medical astrology for example, outmoded, fear-mongering myths are finally being relegated to the dungeon. Snow’s article is certainly ‘worth the read!’ Saint Peter’s Basilica an Astrological Triumph When the Holy Father and other sixteenth century leaders of the Roman Catholic Church sat down to plan construction of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome the first person they reached out to was not Michelangelo or any of the other architects or designers who worked on the project. “Saint Peter’s Basilica is considered by many to be an enduring affirmation of a centuries old theology and a grand example of Renaissance architecture. Astrology may not come to mind immediately for the millions of visitors who take in the spectacle of the awe-inspiring building each year, but construction of the church was in fact begun on a certain date and at a precise time chosen for its astrological significance,” says Mary Quinlan-McGrath, a professor of art history at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and author of Influences: Art, Optics and Astrology in the Italian Renaissance. Quinlan-McGrath writes that before any work began the astrologers of Pope Julius II established that the horoscope for the start-up of construction (April 18, 1506 at 10 a.m.) correlated with both the horoscope for the presumed birth of the world and the birth horoscope of Christ. “The locations on the horoscope chart of the Sun, Venus and Mercury indicated benevolence while that of Saturn and Mars suggested power and longevity. Jupiter’s location was propitious as well, promising wealth,” she observed. Quinlan-McGrath says Pope Julius II and his Renaissance architects believed that “the concordance of the heavens and the radiation emanating from the cosmos provided protection for the building at the time of its founding and, in turn, the building would continue to radiate these powers upon the people associated with it over the centuries.” In the current era, modern astrologers aren’t likely to go along with the date their medieval counterparts used for the birth of the world. And the date divined for Christ’s birth is suspect as well. However, despite these factual stingers, most contemporary astrologers would probably agree that Vatican astrologers did an excellent job of finding an enduring electional chart for the start of construction. Using modern computers, astrologers can swiftly pull up a birth chart that displays the heavens precisely as they looked on April 18, 1506 at 10 a.m. in Rome. The planetary alignments on that day were exceptionally harmonious – with one notable exception. Medieval astrologers used the sun, moon and visible planets in their calculations. On the Basilica’s electional chart the major stressful aspect is a hard, right-angle alignment between the sun and Saturn, with Saturn dominantly controlling that space on the horoscope wheel astrologers look to for insights on financial matters. Astrologers in any era would notice that the angular relationship between the sun and the planet associated with hardship and delays (Saturn) would be challenging. And, in fact, the project was plagued by more than a century of financial woes and construction delays, Quinlan-McGrath points out. Presumably, Vatican astrologers were mindful of the economic stressors the project was fated to face, but had supreme faith in the positive, long-range outcome promised by the electional map. In her book, Quinlan-McGrath examines the astrological context of the founding of Saint Peter’s as well as the creation of other works of art and architecture in Rome, such as the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican Palace and the lavish Villa Farnesina of Agostino Chigi, an extremely wealthy banker. She notes that astrological thought permeated the Italian Renaissance. Scientists used mathematical measurements to chart the heavens and theologians and philosophers harmonized religious doctrine with astrological readings, making Saint Peter’s a product of its time. “The belief that celestial forces could operate through works of art and architecture was not obscure or magical but in harmony with the philosophical, religious and scientific beliefs of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,” she explains. CONSTRUCTION COMMENCEMENT AVOID REGRETS AT END OF LIFE- A CASE FOR EVOLUTIONARY ASTROLOGY Posted on August 9, 2013 by Gaye Mack in Balance, Karmic and Self-Discovery Astrology, Worth the Read, Writer's Work Leave a comment Soul Evolution A deviation from my usual blog topics, I happened to come across the following posting from Huffington about Bronnie Ware, an Australian palliative nurse who turned her journal notating the most common regrets of her dying patients into a book- The Top Five Regrets of The Dying. What I found ‘interesting’ in reading the following excerpt is that I saw this minutes after being informed that the last of my living uncles had passed away yesterday evening at the ripe age of 98. He was my mother’s oldest brother and the final survivor of that generation. It’s no secret that siblings often quibble about each other’s ‘ways of being'(although being an only child I fortunately escaped this one!). My mother and her siblings were no exception and so this excerpt of Bronnie’s gave me pause; I realized that as I read the following five common regrets, they make a wonderful case for evolutionary astrology as a valuable tool for actively facilitating our Soul’s growth while we have the time. Through the evolutionary astrological lens, everyone’s birth chart reveals where and how we have opportunity to make course corrections in this life from past Karma that haunts us at unconscious levels within our being. We have time; in doing so, it’s possible to bypass some or perhaps all of the regrets Bronnie outlines from her experiences with the dying. If you’re interested to know more about Evolutionary Astrology and its benefits, please checkout my website. Steven Forrest, one of the most globally recognized evolutionary astrologers and my teacher, has excellent information on his site as well. In the meantime, I’m certain you’ll find that Bronnie’s insights sound intimately familiar and that interestingly, they resonate with the core of Evolutionary Astrology! “One thing on regret before we get to the list. It’s important to remember that whatever stage we are at in life, there is no need for regret. The process of regret is one that provides nothing but suffering for ourselves as we begin to allow the past to dictate how we should feel now. Instead, we can use the past as a reference point to understand what adjustments we would like to make moving forward. The adjustments do not have to come out of pain, sorrow, regret or judgment, but simply a choice to do things in a different way. We are learning all the time, we can very quickly slow that learning process down by getting stuck in the idea of regret. When it comes to making changes, be at peace with the past and remember that each moment is a new choice.” RELIC OF JESUS’ CRUCIFICTION CROSS FOUND OR MORE OF THE SAME? Posted on August 3, 2013 by Gaye Mack in Ancient Legends of Great Britain, Gaye's England, Scotland & Wales, Worth the Read, Writer's Work Leave a comment Alfred of Wessex Crucifixion cross Glastonbury Legends holly relics King Aruthur Admittedly, the time frame here is far earlier than the 12th or 13th centuries I’m used to exploring and writing about, but yesterday’s piece in Huffington was just too good to pass up here for those of you who missed it on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and every other social media outlet on the planet. This said, once again a flurry of active speculation amongst archaeological and religious academics pitted against the faithful is sure to escalate. As I’ve commented earlier, it seems that we’ve entered an era of, to borrow Hilary Mantel’s latest book title, ‘Bringing Up the Bodies‘(and everything with them), non-stop Recent memory zooms to the controversy over remains now concluded to be England’s diabolical(depending on your point of view) King Richard the III. This excavation was closely followed by discovery of remains speculated to be those of England’s more venerated king, Alfred of Wessex (the jury’s still out on this one as far as I know.) Nevertheless, the contemplation of ‘what if’ continues to intrigue us. However, it’s important to keep in mind that discovery of and hawking of, ‘authentic relics’ which are nothing more than fakes is big business that’s older than Methuselah that continues to flourish around the globe. Still, every time such events are splashed across the media, many of us yearn in hope beyond hope that the real deal has been discovered…it does happen. As for the current ‘discovery’ at hand, we’ll just have to wait…but who knows? There are so many treasure ‘truths’ waiting to yet be discovered and questions answered…Excalibur, the Grail, the mystical portal protected by the Sphinx, Nazca, Atlantis, Avalon, the pyramids, Stonehenge … In the meantime we can muse on the latest news from Huffington, et al: “Archaeologists working in Turkey believe they have found a piece of the cross that Jesus was crucified on. While excavating the ancient Balatlar Church, a seventh-century building in Sinop, Turkey, on the shores of the Black Sea, they uncovered a stone chest that contained objects that may be directly connected with Jesus Christ. Excavation head Professor Gülgün Köroğlu definitively stated: We have found a holy thing in a chest. It is a piece of a cross, and we think it was [part of the cross on which Jesus was crucified]. This stone chest is very important to us. It has a history and is the most important artifact we have unearthed so far. The stone chest has been taken to a laboratory for further testing. However, the appearance of the chest suggests that it was a repository for the relics of a holy person, according to the team, who showed reporters at the site a stone with crosses carved into it. Many churches claim to possess relics of the so-called “true cross,” though the authenticity of the items is not fully accepted by scholars and scientists. Protestant theologian John Calvin noted that, “if all the pieces that could be found were collected together, they would make a big ship-load,” referring specifically to the cross. On the other hand, the 19th-century French archaeologist Charles Rohault de Fleury supposedly said that all of the cataloged relics would only make up less than a third of the mass of a roughly 12-foot-high cross. But what originally happened to Jesus’ cross, and why has it turned up now? Legend says that Emperor Constantine’s mother, Helena, found the cross in Jerusalem and distributed pieces of the wood to religious leaders in Jerusalem, Rome, and Constantinople. Balatlar Church, built in 660, has proved an especially rich dig site, as Köroğlu mentioned that in addition to the stone chest, her team has found the ruins of an ancient Roman bath and more than 1,000 human skeletons since they started working in 2009.” King Arthur’s domain?	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line84
__label__wiki	0.581346	0.581346	A brief historical overview of the `New World Order' agenda timeframe as periodically reviewed at Bilderberg Meetings As revealed on infowars, shadow chancellor, Ed Balls attended the Bilderberg conference on Friday, shortly after David Cameron's attendance. Both Ed Balls and George Osborne have attended on previous occasions along with Bilderberg regulars Kenneth Clarke and Peter Mandelson. Since each national budget is allotted by the Bilderberg Group, based on the national assets to be surrendered, it is common for those who are potentially to hold the nations purse strings to attend the ultra secret Bilderberg meetings as a priority over their respective party leaders. They receive their orders from the Bilderberg Group and relay them back to their leader, who then adapts policy around it. Ed Balls conveys his briefing to Ed Miliband and ensures he adheres to it on behalf of Bilderberg in collaboration with the Government. This is why Ed Miliband is showing signs of moving to the right, as advised by Tony Blair, who advises both David Cameron and Miliband on behalf of the Council on Foreign Relations, a.k.a. CFR. (The Royal Institute of International Affairs is the UK Illuminati branch). I believe this is why David Miliband quit UK politics, since he knew that Government really has no authority, other than controlling mass mindset of the people. I believe that the job he was offered in the U.S. originated from Tony Blair on behalf of the CFR. It doesn't matter which political party gets into office. This is why they so quickly change their whole doctrine as soon as they gain office. It is entirely an exercise in steering public opinion. The predictable outcome is that the mass majority will inevitably choose an unpopular manifesto, despite hating it. The Bilderbergers as an Illuminati network know that the public will choose an "acceptable level of evil". As this level increases over a period, people automatically forget how things used to be and every effort is made by media to distract them from dwelling on the `past', as it becomes an almost taboo subject. In this way, the public can be justifiably accused of choosing their own fate at some future point by unwittingly succumbing to the Divide & Conquer strategy. For example, according to a recent Channel 4 News and other deceitful media sources, more people in the UK favour austerity against the poor and most vulnerable and are less concerned with their taxes being spent on killing children in Iraq, Afghanistan and David Cameron's Arab Spring. It is crucial that we understand the definition of the term "Government". Govern means `control'. Ment is an abbreviation of `mental'. Its function is to control the thought processes of the people, i.e. social engineering or social Darwinism. The Eugenics Movement emerged from the Victorian Darwinism, which was to dictate the agenda for the new 20th Century as follows: the overthrow of the Russian Tsars to establish an Atheistic nation as an accepted ideology. the commissioning of occultist and Aleister Crowley devotee, Alice Bailey to write the globalist manifesto, The Externalization of The Hierarchy and to establish the publishing company for the UN, the `Lucifer Trust'. (renamed in 1922 to Lucis Trust to avoid unwanted attention). to seize control of everything that humanity depends upon for survival, i.e. natural resources. This was accomplished in 1910, when Rothschild agent, JP Morgan confiscated free renewable and sustainable energy from Hungarian scientist, Nikola Tesla and awarded credit to his own agent, Thomas Edison. to seize control of all global wealth through the establishment of the U.S. Federal Reserve Act of 1913, based on the Bank of England model and to be applied continentally as `Central Banks'. This also meant that for the first time, people could be taxed on their labor, i.e. income tax, which we automatically take for granted today, hence conditioning the masses. to reduce the earth population, while at the same time seize nations through WWI and WWII. The first attempt at establishing the new Order was WWI, which gave birth to the League of Nations. The second attempt was WWII to appease the U.S. as the first masonic nation in harmony with the first atheistic nation, the USSR. This developed into the United Nations, with the Rockefellers rewarding the U.S. by the donation of the UN Building in New York. to seize control of mass communications and media to prevent public awareness and revolution, already aided by the creation of 2 major political ideologies. "Divide & Conquer Prevents Revolution". To this end, in 1917, JP Morgan associates purchased the 5 most powerful and influential newspapers of the day, including the Washington Post, and appointed their own agents as editors. Rockefellers CFR was to administer this role. Soon afterward, Disney was purchased and eventually every media source was encompassed. to choreograph human behavior through bodies such as the Rockefeller Foundation, and commissioning the nephew of Sigmund Freud, Edward Bernays, a.k.a the Father of Public Relations. Bernays published his book, `Propaganda' in 1928. to seize control of mass popular culture when the Illuminati military wing emerged into the `light' in 1947 under the National Security Act, known as the CIA. Hollywood was then seized under the pretense of the McCarthy Witch Hunts. These steps and the conditions for their implementation were scheduled to be implemented from 1910 - 1930. With David Cameron creating a climate of compassion fatigue, apathy and a socially engineered view that certain humans are a waste of resources, we will soon be conditioned to accept that the most vulnerable in society (weak, imperfect) ought to be eradicated. This includes the poor, sick, disabled, terminally ill and elderly. Healthcare is no longer to be considered `care' but `business' and profit. To this aim, the NHS must be destroyed and taken over by Economic Terrorists, Goldman Sachs, as David Cameron discussed in his unpublicized visit to Goldman Sachs on 15 March 2012. You may notice a distinct pattern here in the UK, as the 1917 model is applied to running every human dependent resource. In just 10 years, non-specialist `managers' are appointed to run everything we rely upon for survival. For example, until fairly recently, doctors surgeries and hospitals were managed by doctors or those who entered their profession due to compassion as a motivation. Charities are managed by those appointed externally, experienced in business or banking. Education is managed and driven by `targets'. Try stepping outside the world for a moment or even stepping back in time and observe as an individual entity. Protest Preparations for UK Bilderberg meeting in Watford, 2013 Labels: 1917, 1917: Birth of Media Mind Control, Apathy, Banking conspiracy, Bilderberg, Darwinism, David Cameron, Divide and Conquer, Evil, Government, Hegelian Dialectic, Indifference, Known by their fruit, Religion and Atheism, The Globalist Elites A brief historical overview of the `New World Orde...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line88
__label__wiki	0.562499	0.562499	A Rigged UK 2015 Election was Predicted Five Years Ago. A Demand MUST be made for another vote The Dark Agenda of David Cameron: If the last five years is to teach us anything, it is that in David Cameron's career, nothing is a coincidence. Nobody can deny that the result of the 2015 UK general election in early May took most people by surprise. To many, it was beyond belief. Even traditional Conservative voters were shocked by the outcome and in the run up to the poll, bookmakers had Ed Miliband as favourite for being the next Prime Minister, albeit with a very small majority. Since then, the suggestion that the vote was "rigged" has rarely been discussed, and worryingly treated with apathy, as the mainstream media is prevented from publicizing such a widely held suspicion. It is simply due to the media and opposition party's not talking about a rigged vote that people accept the outcome and treat it with such critically dangerous indifference. The scale of dependence on the mainstream media is in itself very worrying, as it reveals the frightening level of mass mind control of the British public. This was the intention of the Banking elite when they seized control the media in 1917 through the ultra clandestine Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which Rupert Murdoch is a member of today. To further this purpose, they also utilized the work of Dr Sigmund Freud's nephew, Edward Bernays in 1928 when he published his book, Propaganda. Bernays went on to play a pivotal role in the formation of the CIA. However, I digress. This is despite the fact that David Cameron's thugs have outrageously threatened the BBC and other media sources of consequences should they not be favourable toward them, particularly during the election campaign. This is also despite the overwhelming record the Tory party has established for corruption and cover-ups over the past five years and the overtly glaring disdain that they have for Human Rights and their determination to abolish the Human Rights Act. However, if David Cameron is to be credited or respected for anything, it is his mastery for the art of deception and exploitation. His CV would undoubtedly include high praise indeed from his peer reviews for his career as a successful Spin Doctor and Fixer, as anyone who has examined Mr Cameron's background will already know. In the face of such masterful choreography of deceit, it is up to the people to regain their will and detach themselves from any mainstream media influence. It is up to the people to be the media. However, time may be running out for you to speak out while you still have any remnants of human rights remaining. The skilful exploiter has already laid out the excuses to rationalize the abolition of the Human Rights Act to a malleable public who are unfamiliar with the Hegelian Dialectic or as I refer to it, `The Nero Doctrine' (and The Silent Cull). Each of us spend our lives searching for fulfillment in life, yet, it is much closer than most of us realise. It is `Truth', and there is a reason why we are conditioned to fear it. If you want to know the Truth, all you have to do is turn off the TV. "I know that in Downing Street they are always wondering whether people have sufficient "guile" to be brought into a coalition the government is building". - Julia Middleton 2007, Common Purpose Five years ago the Apathy Kills blog deviated from its usual genre to warn that a very dangerous and evil precedent was about to be unleashed upon a subdued and docile British public which would signal the death of compassion and a radical moral decline into the diabolical. The blog challenged the depths of depravity of a man who could exploit the terminal illness and subsequent death of his own child in order to gain power. The warnings were expressed through presenting one shocking revelation after another as evidence. Two films were made, which included a taste of what was to come shortly after the 2010 UK May elections, when David Cameron sadistically vilified 20,0000 victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan as well as the equally timely onset of the instability in the oil rich Arab regions which became known as the "Arab Spring". The latter event followed news reports of British intelligence services being caught engaging in covert operation in the region. Since David Cameron's Arab Spring, untold millions of lives have been lost and devastated, including the current humanitarian crisis from despairing refugees and migrants fleeing Cameron's plundering of their natural resources, which may inevitably result in a socially engineered acceptance of mass genocide and eventual justification for incremental ethnic cleansing back home in the UK. The blog has published 122 articles under the title, "David Cameron". There are 58 under the title, "A Sadistic Embodiment Of Evil" and others under titles such as the "Liam Fox scandal", the "NHS" and others directly related to David Cameron and his depraved and infernal agenda. As well as films and articles, numerous campaigns were launched in a desperate effort to set off alarm bells and raise public awareness. In addition, we need only examine the list of protected conflicts of interest now secured through David Cameron's imposition to power by his criminal and corrupt greedy friends. However, before reading further, I present a revealing irony of déjà vu. Five years ago a middle class friend said something to me that has just been repeated again recently by someone else. Neither of these acquaintances are related in any way and have never met. On each separate occasion both expressed the now common view that among their friends, family, college/university or work colleagues, they knew of nobody who had actually voted Conservative. Five years have been devoted to alerting the UK public of a mass deception and the consequences if we treat such a eugenicist agenda with apathy, ignorance and denial. The blog has made a desperate attempt to enlighten an increasingly malleable and zombified population and warn of the price we may all pay for our complicity through silence. However, sadly even the title and description of the blog failed to ignite any awareness: Apathy Kills! Divide and Conquer Prevents Revolution...."When the Corporate Mainstream Media Controls The Question, We Don't Ask Any, thus forfeiting our right to the Truth, endorsing what is done in our name". - Glenn Gordon People are failing to ask themselves the most fundamental yet basic of questions, such as, "Why didn't David Cameron call an earlier election?" It was entirely due to an incremental test of time by the former PR man to gauge what level an increasingly anesthetized general public could be desensitized to. The Apathy Kills blog set out the `benchmarks' of David Cameron's diabolic agenda. One of the first on the timetable of depravity in 2010 was what was dubbed the Happiness Survey, when Cameron commissioned a £2,0000pa survey to monitor the national happiness levels. It was his long-stated ambition to measure our general health and well-being to `steer government policy'. Now, he is privately mocking the naivety of the people. Ask yourself this very important question, "If a mass genocide were to occur in the UK tomorrow, would the public know about it?" More disturbingly, would they care? The answer is more frightening than most of us are `prepared to admit to' and is likely to be, "Only if the mainstream media inform us". If such questions were proposed fives years ago, the answers might be very different. Not so long ago, the very mention of anyone ruthlessly and savagely attacking the weak and vulnerable, such as the sick, disabled, elderly and terminally ill, would have resulted in national outrage and revulsion, perhaps leading to widespread protests throughout the country. Not so long ago, the very suggestion of sexually abusing children would have been greeted with profound nauseous disgust. Yet, today such moral depravity is treated as an unfortunate yet entirely acceptable symptom of modern society that somebody somewhere was anticipating we would eventually become accustomed to. When confronted with such a moral crisis in the human assembly line, perhaps the truth is so frightening that few are prepared to ask, "How did we get to this?" If we continue in our failure to address it today, history will ask us how we neglected such human carnage. Instead, we avoid such questions since they imply our own complicity through silence and as a result of fearing the truth, defensive denial is the better option, especially when it is aided by a subservient media whom we rely upon to protect us from the truth. Fear is a very powerful weapon and if you want to subject the people to mass mind control, there is no better way to do it than fear, provided an alternative option is put in place to relay those fears, such as the media. By definition, this suggests order and if we are to prevent mass panic and revolution, there must be a mechanism to `control' the people. If the people knew the `truth', then imagine the mayhem. Ask any TV news reader or journalist about the news stories they convey to us. They will almost certainly tell you that they only read the `edited' script given to them. The aforementioned films included in this blog address this situation. While frustratingly contemplating the Apathy Kills blog in 1998, it was due to a recognition of patterns in history that helped in forecasting the future. Possessing such an ability was not due to some mystical power. It was due to a natural instinctive determination to be an individual and an early recognition that there was something not right with the world I was born into. This forced a natural inclination to explore and observe closely from afar without contamination. The human assembly line was abandoned at birth and growing up, it was a traumatic experience for a child to endure. It was also a very lonely experience. In 1998, the prospect of writing anything was set aside because of personal insecurities, despite always being outspoken. There were recollections of the emotional bullying while growing up and the risk of provoking humiliation at college in 1986 during a Government & Politics class. During a class debate a rebellious youth made the claim that in the future, a levy would be placed on the water we drink and that one day we would be purchasing it from retail stores and even whenever we flushed the toilet. The risk of alienation was further invited after suggesting that if we allowed this to happen, it would only take a small step before a levy would be placed on the very air we breathe. Over the years since that time, there was the occasional message from some of those who remembered the outspoken young man at college while the older generation often referred to him as an `angry young man'. Then, 9/11 happened. However, it was due to Tony Blair's subsequent illegal war in Iraq in 2003 and the prospect of human suffering due to depleted uranium that this blog began. There were invitations to join and speak at demonstrations. Even then it was difficult to explain to people that this was only the beginning, and that the groundwork was being laid for the emergence a much more dangerous and malevolent figure with what could only be described as having sociopathic tendencies and who could not be burdened with human morals or ethics. Even when such obstacles arose, he could skillfully redefine their meaning to an incrementally entranced population. David Cameron had learned an awful lot from his bench warmer, Tony Blair and that as a result, the scale of Cameron's much greater atrocities could be kept from the public, only for them to be discovered when the history books reveal them later, by which time, we may reap what we sew due to ignorance. It was no coincidence that after he resigned as Prime Minister, Blair was appointed the official Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East. In May 2008, he launched his Faith Foundation. This was followed in July 2009 by the launching of the Faith and Globalisation Initiative with Yale University in the US, home of Skull & Bones. He was appointed on the recommendation of David Cameron's close family friend, Gearge Bush, who was a member of Skull & Bones, (aka, the Order of Death). Years from now, as the scale of David Cameron's human carnage begins to unfold, most of the current generation will turn away their heads in denial rather than in shame. The only reason why the world knew nothing of the scale of the atrocities of Hitler and Stalin until much later was because the media hadn't informed them, despite the word of eye witnesses returning home from war and the occasional media leak. By that stage, we could exonerate ourselves of any complicity by simply claiming that we didn't know. We had elected a media to protect all that we take for granted by nullifying our ability for compassion. We choose not to be informed about the despair and suffering of others. We bypass the homeless street beggar, not because we have no change or time to spare, but because they are reminding us of our humanity. In the years ahead from now, history will record the horrifying scale of the millions who will have perished since the 2010 Tory holocaust as outlined throughout this site. Even now, the liberal and the most devoted left wing voter is in denial of any suggestion of a rigged UK vote in 2015, despite a five year legacy of outrageous and increasingly overt corruption from a gloating David Cameron, now more confident than ever that the human conscience has been conquered and that the carcass of compassion has been laid before a sacrificial alter. Even when challenged to examine this site for the evidence revealed since 2010, those in denial attack and criticise it without even bothering to look at the information provided that warns them of the price for their apathy, ignorance and denial. In the run up to the 7 May 2015 UK general election, it was difficult to restrain frustrated disillusionment when hearing usually fair minded and intelligent people saying things like, "Oh dear, I don't know who to vote for" or "They are all the same, no matter who you choose". The suggestion that Cameron had rigged the election was greeted with passive agreement by many and quickly discarded. A well known celebrity summed up such despair saying, "I've lost faith in humanity". "It is is only due to the mainstream media that the cries cannot be heard for a full independent `non establishment' investigation into the rigging of the 2010 and 2015 UK general elections. This is especially crucial when it is known that David Cameron has harassed, bullied and threatened the media and introduced draconian laws to silence dissent and spy on opponents through the hated "Gagging Law", "Censorship" and the "Snoopers Charter". With such an abundance of evidence of ruthless corruption, does it really need to be spelled out to people when they should be on the streets? If they were, those other favourite victims of the Tory Party, the police may well sympathize and side with the mass public, whom they are sworn to protect". Aangirfan has also postulated on the possibility of a rigged vote. However, Aangirfan is just one source that has managed to avoid Cameron's thugs. Just as David Cameron rigged the 2010 election, which was also exposed through the Liam Fox scandal, he rigged the 2015 election. He will also rig the EU referendum to keep the UK within the EU, and he will undoubtedly rig any proposed Human Rights referendum. Anyone who thinks otherwise, has had their eyes and ears closed this past five years. Another of those most fundamental yet basic of questions is, "Why would the majority of the population surrender their God given Human Rights, which David Cameron is to abolish?", especially given the mass human suffering due to heartless cruelty demonstrated since 2010?" If we are to believe that the people would willingly sacrifice themselves to such enslavement, then it is a morally damning indictment of the English electorate. The abolition of the Human Rights Act was the very first item on Cameron's agenda upon forming his new cabinet after the May 2015 vote. There is an abundance of elusive facts to an oblivious British public, such as questions arising from the UK's apparent motivation for leaving the EU being due to the threat to its national sovereignty from the European Central Bank. The European Central Bank is nothing more than a huge kitty into which we have all been duped to throw our assets into under the pretense of an equal distribution of wealth in return. (see link below) When those assets cannot be sold on the stock market, they become devalued, thus we are told to contribute more. The EU has been empowered to enforce laws through its demand for debt repayments, otherwise it raises interest rates on those repayments. David Cameron has already willingly sold off almost every UK national asset and natural resource, including fracking rights and human resources, (eg. low wages, zero hours contracts etc.) to his greedy banking friends who form The World Bank and The International Monetary Fund (IMF). David Cameron and George Osborne gain a share of that wealth. For the past five years the UK has had the most corrupt Government ever. It has established a record for fabricating, exploiting and manipulating false statistics, figures and polls. David Cameron has been exposed as a protector of paedophiles, an arms dealer and a child killer. The list is endless and the evidence is staggering, despite those who refuse to examine it, even when it is right in front of their faces. They still live in the fantasy, "that such highly respected figures of the elite class could never commit a criminal act" or "if it was true, it would be on the TV news". If this is the kind of social mindset that we place our collective destiny in, then to put it bluntly, we are all screwed. On your next Friday or Saturday night out, observe all around you and just for a moment, dwell on that thought.. The public have very little understanding of political or global economics. There is a reason why it has never been taught in our schools. We are more than willing to debate the morals of providing sex education to pre-adolescent children in schools, yet it is only because the media has not raised the subject of economics being taught that nobody has even thought about the morals of teaching it. What does that tell us about our society and social priorities? "If Lucifer himself were to sit upon the throne of earth today, it would be because the people put him there". - Glenn Gordon The only thing that prevents you from thinking logically is a corrupt society aided by a subservient media. Once we allow our humanity to be defined by politics we sacrifice our very souls. It has often been said that people fear the truth. Their coping mechanism is denial. As an independent investigative researcher, I anticipate abusive comments from those incapable of `reason', independent thought or objectivity. Usually they apply programmed derogatory terms related to `conspiracy theories' and attempt to sound clever by quoting familiar terms made available to them, such as, `Tin Foil Hat', only because they have heard it somewhere else. For them, it provides nurture for their ego. Yet, such comments are from people who have not even looked at any of the information provided to them. Despite links to information being posted, they ask for evidence and are subsequently directed to it, yet refuse to even acknowledge it, never mind look at it. At this point, all hope must be abandoned, since we simply cannot preach to the dead as they are just obstacles who are devoid of all reason. I have spent almost my entire life in investigative research to waste it on fools. There will come a time when Cameron's Cull reaches those complicit in human suffering due to abstinence, indifference, ignorance and denial. When it claims them, who will listen to their screams or cries for mercy? Today, exhaustion has taken its toll. Yet, it is a natural instinct that motivates a determined will to objectively search for the truth and to tell it to others and at least allow them to draw their own conclusions. Many will misinterpret and reinvent such truth to adapt to their own corrupted view of the world. However, it is the initial recognition that our view of the world is corrupted that sets us on the path to finding who we are as individuals. History has warned us. Messengers have been sent to warn us. Great figures, legends, idols, icons and prophets have warned us, and in some small way, I hope I have contributed through listening to their message to humanity. To those who would condemn this article, please read it first and engage the context in which it is written. I welcome all criticism, so long as it is objective and constructive. To do otherwise would be contradictory to my quest. We cannot hope to learn if we are not prepared to learn from ourselves and be self critical. I have often been described as being insightful and able to stand outside the world and observe what others cannot see. However, the price for this is not being able to achieve this on a personal level, which is perhaps why the best support you can get from someone who truly loves you is when they can point out how big an asshole you've been. As a one time artist, I would be pleased with my work and contently set it aside for a well earned break. While admiring observers praised it, I would return to it afterwards only to find it's imperfections through fresh eyes and all self satisfaction would be abandoned. “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” - Benjamin Franklin If we are to bring down government, we MUST be prepared to do what the mainstream media refuses to do and expose government corruption. We MUST be prepared to take on the roll of informing the public and `invalidate' a subservient media. THE PEOPLE MUST BE THE MEDIA THE PEOPLE MUST DEMAND AN "UNTOUCHABLE INDEPENDENT PUBLIC INQUIRY" (NB. If the demand for such an inquiry into establishment child sex abuse has taught us anything, it is that the Government has strenuously tried to prevent such inquiries.) Labels: 1917, 1917: Birth of Media Mind Control, A Sadistic Embodiment Of Evil, Adrian Beecroft, Apathy, Arab Spring, Baby Killer, Banker Bonuses, Banking conspiracy, BBC, David Cameron, Media, Wonga.com A Rigged UK 2015 Election was Predicted Five Years...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line89
__label__cc	0.577219	0.422781	Lukov Val. A.: Social and cultural value orientations SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUE ORIENTATIONS OF RUSSIAN YOUTH A fragment of a monograph: Lukov Val. A. (ed.) Social and Cultural Value Orientations of Russian Youth: The Theoretical and Empirical Researches: Monograph / Val. A. Lukov, Vl. A. Lukov, N. V. Zakharov, V. A. Gnevasheva, O. O. Namlinskaia; Translation by B. N. Gaydin, Translation Editing by N. V. Zakharov; Institute of Humanitarian Researches; International academy of science. - Moscow; Innsbruck: Moscow University for the Humanities, 2007. In this monograph under the term "value orientations" we will understand the direction of a subject (personality, group, community) on the goals realized by him/her as positive and significant (good, correct, exalted, etc.) in accordance with accepted in society (community) models and available life experience and individual preferences. This direction is an aggregation of stable motives that lay in the basis of a subject's orientation in social environment and his/her evaluation of situations. It can be realized to a variable degree and expressed in facts of behaviour, faith, knowledge. It has a form of stereotype, opinion, project (programme), ideal, and world outlook. At the same time having directivity on accepted positive life intentions and purposes does not mean automatically active actions of a subject upon achievement of them in the reality. The study on value orientations in Russia has been conducted from the middle of the 1960s when the theoretical works by a psychologist B. G. Anan'ev, sociologists A. G. Zdravomyslov, V. A. Iаdov and others appeared, as well as empirical studies. The biggest one was the sociological and social-psychological study on workers' value orientations (including young people), carried out by Leningrad scientists under the direction of V. A. Iadov[1] in the beginning of the 1970s. During the Soviet time the study on youth value orientations to a considerable degree was directed toward the revelation of their accordance with the communist ideal, to the socialist lifestyle[2]. At the period of the Perestroika (1985-1991) the problem field was noticeably extended due to the studies on the informal youth associations (actually it was the way to the switch to study on the youth subcultures). Finally, during the last 15 years value orientations of the Russian youth have been investigated by considerable number of individual scholars and scientific groups. The situation of social order change and "re-comprehension of values" on the national scale has encouraged the scientists to interpret the transformation of value orientations of the Russians. The extensive study on dynamics of the value orientations of the Russians that was conducted under the direction of N. I. Lapin[3] is of a great scientific significance. There have been dozens of empirical studies carried out in Russia for the last 15 years, several hundreds theses defended on the problem of the youth value orientation[4]. Although quite often the scopes of such studies, their methodical correctness and opportunities for the data comparison remain to be a subject of criticism. We will consider the trends of changes in value orientations of the Russian student youth, which are stated on the empirical level. However, in the beginning we will define what the theoretical meaning of the study on the Russian youth value orientations is. Also we will specify what the essence of the value aspect of the youth studies is. 2.1 Values: problems of theory In the conceptual dictionary for the humanities the term "value" was introduced by Rudolph Lotze. In his opinion, value exists only in its significance for a subject, but at the same time it is objective and possesses general significance for individuals. As H. Rickert explained, "Lotze wanted not only ‘calculate' the world, but also "understand" it[5]. In other words, in philosophy the new category was being linked with the problem of understanding. Lotze noted the ambivalence of value and its subjective and objective nature. In the following interpretations of this category the stress was laid sometimes on the subjectivity of value, sometimes - on its objectivity. The objectivistic interpretation of value was reflected in Gordon Allport's dispositional conception of person who elaborated "the test of values' study" in the 1930s-1960s. In the Russian sociological school the dispositive concept of personalities have been offered by V. A. Iadov and it is still accepted by many other researchers. The works by O. G. Drobnitskii[6] have had a considerable impact on modern Russian researchers of values and value orientations. Recently the traces of the approaches that were accepted in their time by the classics of the Sociological school of Chicago[7] have been noticeable. During numerous researches on values as a theoretical problem, scholars of different countries, representatives of various scientific schools have expressed many original ideas that allow us to speak of a high level of the elaboration of this matter. The development of the theory of values in modern Russia and in the world as well is expected to continue in the direction of preciseness. The life situation introduces this clarity into it when there are the period of transition and the birth of a new type of civilization - information-oriented. Also they expect the development towards applying of new scientific methods that are being shaped nowadays. In a number of cases it is necessary to follow the path of very general argumentation again in order to define the initial positions of the empirical study. The specificity of the humanitarian knowledge[8] presupposes that the used terminology will be submitted by some parameters to other rules in comparison with the terminology of so called exact sciences. At this point there is a possibility of polysemy of terms and, in addition, historical mutability of their content. Therefore, it is important to trace down the history of their origin and understanding in various scientific schools. In essence, in the most cases in the humanitarian knowledge a scientist deals not with terms, but with concepts, i.e. with words. In these words aside from a certain content of literal, lexical, figurative, cultural and philosophical meaning there is another image that appears in one's consciousness, and, in its turn, causes an emotional reaction. In contrast to terms, it is very difficult to translate concepts from one language into another. They bear imprints of language history and cultural history. This leads to difficulties in understanding of humanitarian concepts, which were created in different countries. The same concepts can be absolutely identical in diverse cultures seldom. Exactly such a concept is the notion "value". In the Russian language it traces back to adjective tsennyi (‘valuable'), which is formed from the noun tsena (‘price'). The etymology of this All-Slavonic word can be determined in comparison with Avestian kaēnā - mest' (‘revenge'), originally it meant vozmezdie, vozdaianie (‘retribution, requital') (cf. verb kaiat'sia - ‘to repent'), then shtraf (‘fine') and finally - ‘cost of something'[9]. If we refer to the dictionary of V. I. Dahl that registers usage of the word "tsena" (‘price') and its derivatives in the XIX century, it becomes clear that word "tsennost'" (‘value') by those times had not yet occupied a noticeable place in the Russian language and is defined "kak svoistvo po prilagatel'nomu" (‘as characteristic on adjective')[10]. In new European languages there are two meanings of the word value - as "cost" and as "concernment" - which are usually separated. Thus, in French there is a word prix - a price, worth (in meaning of the cost) and there is a word valeur, which was fixed in the texts for the first time in 1080[11], obviously, originated from the Latin word valeo - to be healthy, strong, mighty, which is used in the scientific texts in the meaning of "value". In English things looks the same: price and value (valuables). As well as it is in German - Kostbarkeit (the subject) and Wert (the concept). Though the English value and the German Wert can correlate with the meaning of ‘cost', usually they do so not in a direct, but in a figurative sense. Still, it seems unlikely that the Nietzsche's thesis about "revaluation of values" means the same what such a slogan meant in the Diogenes's times. The same motto pronounced in the Russian language and perceived by the Russian cultural thesaurus (ordered by the totality of social and cultural orientations) means something different. It should be underlined that even the most detailed explanations on their meaning in the first primary sources cannot conceal the fact that "value" is not a term, but a concept. So, on the emotional, almost unconscious level a representative of the Russian culture puts into this word a certain additional meaning, which is determined by the history of its existence in the Russian environment. Even today as before the concept "value" is closely connected with the notion of price and payment. Its filling with a foreign philosophical content which comes from the West culture occurs without any support from the native scientific tradition of its interpretation. The Russian tradition of explanation of concepts in sociological sense has began to form only recently. This leads to the fact that Russian scientists in the field of the humanities accept those meanings, which at first was offered by different western scientific schools, and apply them for their needs very easily. However, it is possible to emphasize a certain general meaning, which unites the initial centuries-old understanding of the concept "value" in the Russian culture and to some extent its scientific interpretation, which have appeared during the last decades: "value" is "something" what one cannot buy for money. If it is a thing then one does not grudge giving the required money for it. But if we are talking about people (parents, relatives, friends, beloved, heroes, idols, etc.) or concepts (Motherland, liberty, friendship, love, youth, health, art, science, etc.), in this case they belong to values if they are perceived as priceless, i.e. more significant than any money in the world. Finally, if money is understood as a value then it becomes priceless too and it loses the quantitative side. These aspects will be taken into account for the generalization of the data we collected during the empirical researches. 2.2 Russian youth in the mirror of its value orientations According to many conducted public opinion polls of the last 15 years they state in their conclusions that there is a general value-normative crisis concerning the Russian youth. This crisis consists in the revaluation of cultural, ethical and spiritual values of the preceding generations. The collected data is quite often interpreted as a breach in succession and sharing in the social and cultural experience from the senior generation to the following one[12]. These deductions reflect the situation of untimeliness in the first years after the collapse of the USSR. There was also a noticeable movement from the hard regulation toward the support for a free self-determination of a young person in the youth policy of this time. Eventually the youth policy in Russia degraded to the state when young people had to count on their own abilities and talents. The youth and the youth policy turned out to be on the periphery of the governmental interests. Russia during "Jeltsin's era" was simply not ready to respond to a great number of new economical, political and social challenges. The youth was left to the mercy of fate. In this period the importance of integral values that gave the orientations to the youth in the Soviet time was falling drastically in the midst of the young Russians. For instance, according to the research data on the political culture of the Soviet youth that was conducted in 1984 under the direction of E. E. Levanov and A. I. Shendrik, from 60 to 84% of the young people (in different categories of the youth) considered Marxism-Leninism to be a solely authentic theory, which reflected the regularities of the development of nature, society and person. The major part of the Soviet young people who thought so according to the results of this public opinion poll were students, the creative intelligentsia and the young engineers. Five years later, the research data that A. I. Shendrik quotes showed that only 29% of the interrogated young people shared the same Marxism-Leninism ideology, 36% were agree with these ideals only to some extent, but 26% were convinced that this was a wrong statement[13]. Such drastic and sudden changes in the orientation complexes only partly reflect the transformation in the structure of values (which took place on the scale of the whole Russian society). In fact, the researches of the beginning of the 1990s reflect mainly the changes of value markers, in other words - concepts that were correlated with the common social norm. At the same time the basic values were being reproduced from generation to generation in sufficiently stable configurations. The researches, including the Russian ones, have shown that with an extremely small share of young people who evaluate communism positively (this share was about 2-5%), the number of those who agree with the positions that are attributive to communism (the equality in the sphere of distribution and consumption, the applying the principle "from each according to the abilities - to each according to the needs", etc.) is much larger, in some cases ten times larger. Let us cite as an example the data of an All-Russian poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (November 1997). Amongst the ideas that, in the opinion of the respondents, are able to unite the Russian society, only 1.3% of the interrogated mentioned communism (among the respondents at the age under 29-0.9%). Yet, 14.0% of the respondents (12.7% in the youth group) acknowledged the idea of the "equality and justice" that actually should be interpreted as a procommunist orientation (Informatsiia: rezul'taty oprosov, 1998). As it follows from the cited example, the reaction on the marker, which had been discredited by then in the Russian society and was expressed by the word "communism" might not reflect the expectations of the youth from the society and, consequently, the real value orientations of the young people. Such indirect circumstances are important in the researches on value orientations of youth, which are evident in projective questions. The significant results are presented in the answers to the question on youth expectations from the future. The empirical studies have shown that the majority of respondents counts on the chosen professional path, but believes that basically the choice of a working career will be imposed by the pragmatic approach. Such is, in particular, the research data of the public opinion poll conducted under the supervision of B.A. Ruchkin: 59.9% of the 17-year olds, 65.3% of the 24-year olds and 64.4% of the 31-year olds among the young Russian respondents acknowledged that the "handsome salary" was the decisive reason for the choice of their place of work. However, only half of the respondents (50.5%) hoped to find a job without assistance. For a greater confidence in success with job hunting 51.4% of the young people were eager to get a higher education, 30.4% - to become proficient in foreign languages, 29.5% - in computers, 27.7% - to acquire the skills of work under the conditions of market economy, 14.6% - to get a legal training. Every fourth young person among the respondents planned to open his own business after the graduation. The professions of a manager and a businessman were among the most prestigious occupations according to the views of the youth (16.6% and 27.7% correspondingly), however, this did not prevent 4.3% of the young Russians from the inclusion of gangsterism and racket into this list[14]. Finally, the indirect data on the value orientations of the youth demonstrates the actual preferences of the young people more exactly than direct questions about their values. This, in particular, is related to the characteristics of the studied social group -- the youth. When we speak of the "value revaluation" then this is most probably the attitude of the adults who have already gained a certain life experience and have been subjected to the impact of socialization for quite a long time. Formation of value-normative system is more typical for youth. It means the action of another mechanism than in the situation of "value revaluation". In this case, the comparisons of value scales of different age groups (including youth), which are used in the Russian sociological school, give information on a variety of values that is shared in the Russian society, but they do not adequately fix the world of values and strategic preferences of youth. In our researches on the student youth we study the value orientations on the basis of several indirect characteristics taking the fact that students undergo the active stage of their secondary socialization into consideration. According to the definition by A. I. Kovaleva, socialization is a "process of formation and development of a person that consists in the mastering of social norms, cultural values and models of behaviour during the whole of his/her life, which allows to function in this given society"[15]. This is a double-sided process. One of its sides consist in the fact that society constantly assigns an orientation of socially acceptable behaviour and thinking for a person in different forms, by different means and with various effects. The other side of the process of socialization is personal mastering of these organizing and orientating impulses that society initiates. The result of the socialization is resultant of many differently directed influences. Since we examine the period of life when people are getting education, we can speak only about a certain level of socialization. This level of socialization is exposed to changes because any educational system directly acts as an institute of socialization. Besides, the macro-social environment begins to exert greater influence on a person during student years. This macro-social environment begins to be realized as essential and as a source of orientations and regulator of the choice of an outlook on life. Therefore, in many respects value orientations will reflect the accepted in society life orientations, depend on an actual situation and change, sometimes significantly. At the same time value orientations are autonomous enough and can be reproduced from generation to generation not only in order of direct inheritance (through family), but also through mass media and network communication in various social communities[16]. This, in particular, can be confirmed by the monitoring research "Russian Institute of Higher Education Through the Eyes of Students" (the project supervisor, I. M. Il'inskii; the supervisor of the IV-VI stages, Val. A. Lukov), which is conducted by Moscow University for the Humanities since the year 2000. The purpose of this project is to reveal the important features of a new type of educational institutions for Russia - the nongovernmental institutes of higher education. In the course of the studies it was very important to found out what were the problems of this new subsystem of the Russian higher education, what it manages to obtain, where its unrealized resources are and what the prospects of its development are. Within the framework of the monitoring two groups of institutes of higher education were compared - State and nongovernmental. Both groups consist of the best Moscow institutes of higher education and institutes of more than ten other Russian cities in the closing stages. The results of this research show that with all the difference between the students of the State and nongovernmental institutes of higher education their attitude to the studies, their satisfaction with the student life, integration in the life of his/her institute of higher education, the level of material well-being, belief on their future life prospects and plans and - what is important most of all - the basic values of the Russian students have a similar configuration. This configuration is determined by the features of economical situation, by social and cultural processes and by public spirits in a country. According to the research, which was not especially devoted to analysis of students' value orientations, we obtained a significant material for sociological generalizations. The most important indicators were outspoken by the students in the form of answers table to the question: "What does a ‘good life' mean for you?" In the research that took place in 2006 (N = 3261), the answers of the students were distributed in the following way (refer to table 1; the amount of the percent indices exceeds 100% since there was a possibility to choose several answers). Table 1. Distribution of students' answers to the question: "What does a ‘good life' mean for you?" (%) Higher Education N=1036 Higher Education (N=1926) Institutes N=471 Nongovern- N=1237 to be well-to-do to have a good job to have a good family not to work at all to possess power, to occupy a high position in society to be healthy to live not for myself, but for other people to have a good education to feel itself safe and secure to be independent, free The achievement of material well-being is the most wide-spread value orientation in the student community. However, it does not close the belief about a "good life", in respect of which such values as a "good family" (73% in total), a "good work" (71%), health (71%), love (65%) are still quite significant too. These components form per se understanding of happiness of the contemporary youth and draw the picture of expected life quality in the future. The tendency toward a spiritual side of their vital activities (family, health, love) is noted in the answers of the students from the regional institutes of higher education. At the same time, both groups have evaluated the factor of possessing political power as less significant. Although, seemingly, the image of a rich chief especially in the regional understanding is still identified in mass consciousness with stability and prosperity. Both groups of the questioned students strive for liberty and independence, safety and security. As regards to the question on altruistic beliefs - to live not for myself, but for other people - although they are present in the students' answers, but represent rather small group of the respondents. Concerning of such values as labour and education a certain picture could be drawn by the data presented in the tables 2 and 3. Table 2. Distribution of the student' answers on the question: "In your opinion, is it possible today to reach the top position in the society due to honest and conscientious work?" (%) hard to tell Table 3. Distribution of the student' answers on the question: "Is the higher education can be considered to be a life success warranty nowadays" (%) In this case it is not values' denomination or their hierarchy what interests us the most, but rather the act of putting values into the context of the modern Russian reality. Eventually this seems to be the way to a more exact reflection of value orientations. Similarly we consider the problem of patriotic values. We avoid the use of the word-marker "patriotism" and reveal the problem-solving situation in the collation of answers on the two following questions: "Are you proud of your country?" and "If they offered a profitable contract, which would propose leaving your Homeland for permanent residence abroad, would you agree?" Essentially, the presence of many positive responses on the first and on the second question means the presence of a certain conflict in the value orientations (refer to tables 4 and 5). Brought in the contexts of the present state of life quality in the capital and in the region and prospects for a realization of acquired education, it is possible to consider these answers to be the indicators of the patriotic spirits in the midst of the Russian students. Table 4. Distribution of the students' answers on the question: "Are you proud of your country?" (%) Nongovernmental Тable 5. Distribution of the students' answers on the question: "If they offered a profitable contract, which would propose leaving your Homeland for permanent residence abroad, would you agree?" (%) The presented fragments of the research show that the students of all four groups of the institutes of higher education approximately to the same extent are divided in the expression of their own opinions, estimations, viewpoints, level of political activity, etc. It confirms once again that the generalizing word "student body" represents the reality in its exactness. Indeed, the 28 Russian institutes of higher education that were examined during the course of the research are very dissimilar to each other. But student community shows one very significant and firm trend: though there are presented miscellaneous, sometimes diametrically opposite standpoints, but in what that concerns the value orientations and social norms the distribution of answers mainly differs on the gender and age bases, on the specific features of professions they have chosen, in some cases depends on the territorial specificity (that is why we distinguish the city of Moscow from the rest of Russian regions) and almost is not connected with the legal status of a institute of higher education (State or nongovernmental). This is the question of vital importance for the Russian educational system: hitherto the public prejudice exists regarding the nongovernmental institutes of higher education. If the students of Moscow and other regional institutes of higher education have differences in the value orientations then they are not exceeding the scale to speak of some significant gap between them and what actually separates the capital from the province. Patriotic aspirations are more typical for students from the regions as well as intentions to work in the professional field, willingness to wait for a job placement guaranteed by a native institute of higher education after the graduation, slightly higher level of optimism in the view on the future and others. But as a rule these differences are too insignificant. To draw a conclusion it is important to mention that the researches of the Russian youth that have been carried out during the last decade show that even the new conditions in every day life have not caused a full rejection of the traditional Russian cultural and historical values of the preceding generations among the young people. Furthermore, it is possible to expect that in the situation of globalization and power of mass media, which reflects the dominant position of the American culture in the modern world and, certainly, has an impact on the Russian youth, the value system in the thesauruses of the young Russians must gain more autonomous nature. This is a form to express the efforts and possibilities of the Russians to defend their own identity. [1] Zhuravleva 2006, 22, 57. [2] Shendrik 1990. [3] Lapin and Beliaeva 1996. [4] The information on them could be found in: Zhuravleva 2006, 258-315. [5] Rikkert 1998, 336. [6] Drobnitskii 1967; 1970. [7] Thomas and Znaniecki 1918. [8] Gumanitarnoe znanie 2006. [9] Shanskii, Ivanov and Shanskaia 1961, 366. [10] Dal' 1955, 578. [11] Robert 1967, 1873. [12] Karpukhin 2006. [13] Shendrik 1990, 255. [14] Ruchkin 1998, 93. [15] Kovaleva 2003, 445. [16] Lukov Val. and Lukov Vl. 2004, 93-100; Lukov Val. 2006, 106-109.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line91
__label__wiki	0.718596	0.718596	Cabral Lorenzo, Cecilia, Department of pathology Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín” Calcina, Carmén Sandra Guzmán, Laboratório de Ciências Radiológicas (LCR/DBB/ UERJ) Calik, Goknil, Department of Emergency Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya Calik, Mustafa, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Konya Calvo, Oscar, Alyzen Medical Physics, Inc., 1801 S 54th Street, Paragould, Arkansas Campos, Luciana Tourinho, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Cánepa, Camila, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA, UBA-CONICET. Cannizzaro, Alessandra, Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy Cao, Ning, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmacy College of Henan University, Jinming District, Kaifeng, Henan Province Casesnoves, Francisco, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) (Individual Researcher), Denver, Colorado, USA. Casey, Kevin, Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. Cassapi, Lynette, Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres & Ingham Institute, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney Cattin, Federico, University of Udine School of Medicine, General Surgery Department – Dolomiti Sportclinic Gmbh/Srl, P.le Santa Maria della Misericordia 3, Udine Celebi, Koray, Istanbul University, Institute of Oncology, Medical Oncology Department, Istanbul Cersonsky, Nancy, Department of Radiation Oncology, ProCure Proton Therapy Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology & Medical Physics, Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical physics, Grenoble University Hospital Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical physics, Grenoble University Hospital, France. Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, Grenoble University Hospital, France Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, University Hospital of Grenoble (France) Chaikh, Abdulhamid, Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble Chaimowitz, Matthew, New York Medical College Chakraborty, Santam, Department of Radiation Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala Chan, Kaite E, Department of urology Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, UK Chander, Subhash, Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India Chander, Subhash, Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Chandra Shekar, Mukka, Department of Physics, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad Chao, Michael, Department of Oncology, Radiation Oncology Victoria, Ringwood, Australia. Charan, Ishwar, Department of Surgery, Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan Chatterjee, Koushik, Department of Radiation Oncology, IPGMER & SSKM Hospital, Kolkata Chattopadhyay, Subrata, Medical College,Kolkata Chattopadhyay, Subrata, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College, Kolkata Chattopadhyay, Subrata, Department of Radiation Oncology, North Bengal Medical College& Hospital, Siliguri Chaudhari, Pritee, Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Chavoshi, Somaye, Division of Human Genetics, Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Chawla, Arun, Southside Kidney Specialist, Richmond, Virginia Chen, Huan, Zhejiang Institute of Microbiology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province Chen, Xiufang, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079 Cheruliyil, Suja, Division of Radiation Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery, Kerala Cheruparambil, Aswathi, Department of Physics, University of Calicut, Kerala Cheruparambil, Aswathi, Department of Physics, University of Calicut, Thenhippalam, Kerala Chinthamani, Sridhar, Department of Radiation Oncology, Father Muller Oncology Center, Mangalore Chiozza, Jorge, Department of Radiation Oncology, Vidt Centro Médico-21st Century Oncology, Buenos Aires Cho, Michael, Westchester Medical Center Choi, Jungwhan, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia Chopra, Supriya, Department of Radiation Oncology, Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai Chor, Han Hor, Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Chorfi, Hind, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Hassan II, FES Choudhury, Muhammad, New York Medical College	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line97
__label__cc	0.746161	0.253839	Consolidated income statements Consolidated cash flow statements Consolidated management report Organizational structure and activities Anticipated future trends of the group Management of financial risk Information on research and development (R&D) activities Information on the environment Information on own equity instruments Appointments and Remuneration Committee Events after the end of the year Auditor’s PCAOB Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting Consolidated analytical report Changes in consolidation and/or in accounting policies Main figures Results by activities Capex Plan Share evolution 2.- Strategy Once again the global economy and the Eurozone in particular had a difficult year in 2012. At Abengoa however, our innovative technology solutions for sustainable development have enabled us to maintain sustainable and recurrent growth. The protracted nature of the global crisis has had a negative impact on the global fight against climate change, but it continues to be a pressing issue for humanity, which is increasingly looking to advances in renewable energy. At the same time, the high risks associated with nuclear energy, the formidable costs of a foreign energy dependency and the environmental impacts of fossil energy have once again highlighted the importance of tackling the major challenges of sustainability and renewable energy development. The 2012 report by the International Energy Agency predicts that around 31% of electricity will be generated from renewable sources by 2035 and that demand for biofuels, mainly second-generation bioethanol, will triple. Desalination and water reuse will be decisive factors in ensuring society’s access to this primary resource. All of this comes together in the vital role that renewable energy must fulfil and lays the foundations for Abengoa to become one of the leading players in global energy development and environmental improvements that will benefit future generations. The ongoing creation of knowledge and a commitment to technological innovation form the basis of our competitive advantage in the energy and environment sectors. This has led Abengoa to become a major scientific and technological forum and a privileged space for training professionals in R&D+i. Abengoa Research (AR), the research institute that we launched in 2011, is making highly significant progress in areas such as the production and storage of solar and marine energy; the development of energy vectors such as hydrogen and bioethanol; the creation of new technologies for recycling waste; desalination; and the reuse of water from industry and other sources. We are carrying out the scheduled investments in our strategic plan and arranging financing for the corresponding projects. Abengoa’s projects map has grown in 2012 to encompass countries such as Oman, Turkey, Ghana and South Korea, and it has consolidated its leadership position in countries such as Brazil, USA and Germany. Demand for Abengoa’s products and services continue to rise, since we are a global company that specializes in dynamic sectors. In 2012 we recorded a 10% rise in sales to €7,783 M compared to 2011, which is also reflected in our results with a 13% increase in EBITDA to €1,246 M. The new Class B share issue and the conversion rights of Class A shares into Class B shares have been key elements in providing Class B shares with sufficient liquidity to be included in the IBEX 35 and for a potential listing on the NASDAQ. The support of the General Shareholders’ Meeting in September last year regarding the proposal to split Class A shares into Class B shares has encouraged us to continue working in the same direction. Last year the company successfully refinanced €1,663 M of its long-term syndicated bank debt. Corporate net debt at the end of 2012 was 1.8 times corporate EBITDA, totaling €1,409 M, while total net debt, including non-recourse financing primarily associated with our concessions, was 6.6 times consolidated EBITDA, at €8,282 M. We ended the year with a cash position of €3,451 M, which will allow us to confidently meet our investment and debt commitments scheduled for 2013. In 2013 we intend to continue to grow and strengthen our financial structure. Sales in this area grew by 19% to €4,512 M. At the end of the year the order book totaled €6,679 M. In the USA, Abengoa will carry out the engineering, development and start-up of one of the largest photovoltaic plants in the world, in California, while the works on the solar-thermal plants in Arizona and the Mojave Desert are progressing satisfactorily. We have also been selected to construct the largest combined cycle plant in Poland, transmission lines in Latin America and Australia, and new desalination plants in the Middle East and North Africa. Concession-type infrastructures At the end of 2012 we had generated more than 4,324 GWh of energy in solar, hybrid and cogeneration plants, as well as startingup six new plants with an installed capacity of 300 MW. We have produced 97.435 billion liters of desalinated water, after new plants in Algeria and China came into operation. The total capacity installed and under construction of our power plants in the USA, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Algeria, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, India and Holland totals 2,432 MW. We are also currently developing new desalination plants in Algeria and Ghana, and various electricity transmission lines in Brazil, Peru and Chile. The construction in Kansas (USA) of the first industrial plant to produce second-generation ethanol using Abengoa’s proprietary technology and the development of the first bio-refinery pilot plant in Salamanca (Spain) are examples of our research from recent years becoming reality, as well as demonstrating our technological leadership in this sector. Furthermore, in addition to biofuels, our industrial recycling activity also continues to grow, with sales of €2,798 M and EBITDA of €215 M. Diversification and growth Our growth model is based on the simultaneous management of businesses with different profiles and characteristics, which we refer to as our “three horizons”. We invest the cash flows from our traditional activities into growing our emerging businesses and we have numerous options for the future that will evolve through to maturity. Asset rotation is part of our business model. Our options for the future are Abengoa Water, Abengoa Hydrogen, Abengoa Seapower and Abengoa Energy Crops, in addition to numerous technological opportunities that Abengoa Research and the business groups obtain from their research. The company’s international activities account for 75% of total sales, with Latin America representing 27%, Asia 4%, Europe 15%, Africa 3% and the USA 26%. Human capital, employment and innovation At Abengoa we understand that the future depends on the creativity of the present, which in turn depends on the training and performance of all the people that form part of the company, which in 2012 totaled more than 26,000 people, an increase of 19% compared to the previous year. In 2012 we invested more than 1.7 million hours in training and we launched joint programs with acclaimed universities in every country where we are present. Abengoa also increased its number of patent applications to 203 and was recognized as the leading Spanish company in the international patent applications ranking. These achievements are due to the efforts of the team comprising 747 company researchers, as well as investment in R&D+i projects totaling €91.3 M. Once again this year, our internal control system underwent an independent evaluation process in accordance with the PCAOB auditing standards. Our Annual Report incorporates five independently verified reports covering the following areas: Financial Statements, the SOX-based (Sarbanes Oxley) internal control system, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance, and the design and application of the company’s Risk Management System in compliance with ISO 31000 specifications. As companies we have an obligation to ensure that our actions contribute to economic development and social progress. The sustainable and responsible policies that we apply to these activities reduce the risks and the social and environmental impacts of man’s actions, and strengthen our corporate governance and relations with stakeholders, demonstrating that we are a reliable, profitable and secure company. They also contribute to developing the communities where we are present through the People, Education and Communities Program (PEyC). Abengoa’s social actions, in which more than €10 M was invested this year, are channeled via the Focus-Abengoa Foundation. We use the Corporate Social Responsibility Report, prepared in accordance with the principles of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the AA1000 sustainability assurance standard, to inform all our stakeholders of our social, environmental and financial performance during 2012, as well as the objectives, challenges and areas for improvement that we will work on during the coming year. We provide the Corporate Social Responsibility e-mail address (rsc@abengoa.com), our website (www.abengoa.com), our twitter profile and our corporate blog (blog.abengoa.com) to help us continue to improve through your contributions and to achieve our objectives in relation to sustainable development.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line102
__label__wiki	0.859249	0.859249	← Photos from Radiophonic Workshop The Men → Posted on 8 August, 2018 by Editor The Vogue Model Who Photographed World War II—and Became a Surrealist Icon Children celebrating the liberation of Paris, France, 1944 °CLAIR Galerie If you were one of the few women photographers accredited by the U.S. Army at the start of World War II, chances were you were far from the frontlines. Military regulations at the time dictated that female photojournalists, unlike their male counterparts, were not to enter combat zones. But, the Poughkeepsie-born photographer and noted Surrealistoperating as British Vogue’s war correspondent, was not one to be constrained. Miller had made a habit of not taking no for an answer long before she accompanied American forces to document scenes such as the Blitz; nurses operating hospitals after D-Day; women serving across the armed forces; and just-liberated concentration camps. Her first coup was gracing the cover of U.S. Vogue in 1927 at age 19. (Her modeling career began thanks to a chance encounter with mega-publisher Condé Montrose Nast, who pulled her out of path of an approaching vehicle in New York City.) She then used her role as a model to transition into shooting her own editorials. And as she grew less interested in posing for pictures than taking them, Miller brazenly determined that none other thanMan Raywould be her photography teacher. “He said he didn’t take students, and anyway, he was leaving Paris for his holiday,” she later recounted of approaching the Surrealist in 1929. “I said, ‘I know, I’m going with you’—and I did.”Amidst a series of cross-Atlantic moves and shifting relationships (Miller was famously a subject of the art and affections of eminent artists, includingPablo Picasso ), she remained steadfast in her photographic pursuits—from developing the printing technique of solarization alongside Ray (with whom she had an affair and creative partnership), to starting up her own studio in New York in the early 1930s, to her thoughtful solo explorations of Surrealism during her time in Cairo in the mid-1930s. When Miller settled in England with the painterRoland Penrose in September 1939—the month the Nazis invaded Poland (and England declared war on Germany)—she volunteered as a studio assistant for British Vogue, which proved to be her first step toward war photography. Clark Gable, US Airforce base, England,, 1943 Henry Moore, Holborn Underground Station, London, England Per the British Ministry of Information, Vogue began producing content to benefit the war effort—writing about shorter hairstyles, for example, to convince women who were assigned to work in factories that short ’dos were in fashion, and not just a safety regulation. It informed the magazine’s largely female readership how to help its country on the home front; articles like “Fashion for Factories” and “Smart Fashions for Limited Incomes,” both photographed by Miller, lent a degree of sensibility during a time of unrest. “It seems pretty silly to go on working for a frivolous paper like Vogue,” noted Miller at the time, who said that her work may be “good for the country’s morale, but it’s hell on mine.” Her assignments were not limited to fashion for long, however. Vogue soon met the reality of the war head-on during the Blitz when its building, along with much of London, was destroyed. Miller photographed the physical damage throughout the city, and chose still, evocative symbols to suggest the conflict’s psychological impact: Remington Silent (1940) is an image of a typewriter splayed open, unable to form words; One night of Love, London (1940) depicts a sign proclaiming there would be no raid that evening—a short respite from the reality of war. By 1943, Miller had signed on as the official war correspondent for British Vogue. The editors saw an opportunity to expand their coverage of the war effort, and Miller photographed an integral, less-celebrated aspect of the invasion: the women nurses in Normandy who saved soldiers’ lives in evacuation hospitals. Miller captured buzzing scenes on her Rolleiflex, which shot square-format photos and required close proximity to her subjects. The black-and-white images were published in 1944 under the heading “Unarmed Warriors” with text by Miller herself, who contributed written reporting in addition to her photographs. “In the shock ward they are limp and flat under brown blankets,” she wrote, “some with plasma flasks dripping drops of life into an outstretched splintered arm, another sufficiently recovered to smoke or chat to see if he’s real.” Lee Miller by David Sherman in Munich Hitler’s apartment, 1945 The surreal scene that Miller described is one typical of war, but entirely new to her. Yet as her son, Antony Penrose, observed in his 1998 biography of his mother, The Legendary Lee Miller: Photographer, 1907–1977, her unique background capturing uncanny moments and haunting, bizarre portraits during the heyday of the Surrealist movement served her well in war photography. “Unexpectedly, among the reportage, the mud, the bullets, we find photographs where the unreality of war assumes an almost lyrical beauty,” wrote Penrose. “On reflection I realise that the only meaningful training of a war correspondent is to first be a Surrealist—then nothing in life is too unusual.” Miller would continue to photograph the women of the Allied forces, such as the pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary, the Women’s Royal Naval Service, and Auxiliary Territorial Service searchlight operators—all dutiful soldiers, but less lauded than their male peers—before documenting the Allied invasion of Germany. Alongside David Scherman, the LIFE photographer she often traveled with, Miller photographed the liberations of Buchenwald and Dachau. While Miller didn’t often photograph acts of violence, she unflinchingly documented their results: Nazis being forced to look at the bones of their victims, members of the S.S. who committed suicide, and emaciated survivors. She distinctively captured the brothel within the Dachau concentration camp, a horror that remains largely unknown through present day. When she submitted these images to British Vogue, she wrote: “I implore you to believe this is true.” The magazine ran some of her most gruesome images—such as a mound of dead bodies as a full page—with a message: “Believe it.” Remington Silent, London, 1940 One night of Love, London, 1940 The most-cited image of Miller’s from the war is likely the one she didn’t take herself. Following their time in the concentration camps, Miller and Scherman went to Munich and entered Hitler’s empty apartment, where Miller staged a scene for Scherman to photograph in the bathroom (she, too, photographed Scherman in the same environment, though that picture is not widely circulated). Miller undressed and stepped into Hitler’s bathtub, upon which she had placed a photo of the Führer. The bathmat was soiled from her boots, which earlier had walked through the grounds where so many had suffered. Miller’s expression in the photo rests somewhere between defiance and numbness. “For Scherman, it was a great journalistic coup, and it brought him fame,” wrote Judith Thurman of the image in The New Yorker. “It brought the model fame, too, though not of the kind that her war journalism deserved. That sensational moment of callous clowning after an ordeal is the image of Lee Miller that is, perhaps, best remembered.” Miller continued to shoot the war by focusing on its aftermath in Austria, Hungary, and Romania, but by 1953, she had put photography behind her. She struggled with everything she had witnessed, and, in fact, never shared her wartime experiences or images with her son, Antony. His only exposure to his mother’s Surrealist leanings was through meeting her artist friends and her cooking: After studying at Le Cordon Bleu, Miller became known for her surreal culinary creations, such as blue spaghetti, green chicken, and Coca-Cola marshmallow ice cream. “I think she made a deliberate decision to bury her career, and this was partly as a result of her war experiences, partly as a result of her post-traumatic stress,” said Penrose of his mother to NPR in 2011. The entirety of Miller’s oeuvre—60,000 negatives, 20,000 prints and contact sheets, and several documents and keepsakes—was discovered in the family home’s attic after her death in 1977 at age 70. Were it not for this chance finding, her key documentation of the women of World War II, and her contributions as a Surrealist—rather than simply one of their subjects—might’ve been forgotten. It seems a fitting conclusion to Miller’s life story, which, through to the end, was as surreal as her photographs. Haley Weiss https://www.artsy.net/ With thanks to Arthyr Nouveau This entry was posted on 8 August, 2018 in homepage. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line104
__label__cc	0.617443	0.382557	BLACK CREEK GROUP ANNOUNCES NAV INCREASE FOR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY TRUST DENVER, Dec. 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Creek Group, a Denver, Colorado based real estate investment management firm, announced today that the board of directors of Industrial Property Trust Inc. (IPT) approved an estimated net asset value ("NAV") for its common stock of $11.11 per share based on the number of shares issued and outstanding as of November 30, 2017. The new estimated NAV is approximately a 14% increase over the prior estimated NAV of $9.74 per share as of November 30, 2016 and approximately a 20% increase over the estimated NAV of $9.24 per share as of June 30, 2015. "We are very pleased with the continued growth and strong performance of IPT's properties," said Dwight Merriman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IPT. "We have built a portfolio of institutional-quality distribution warehouses throughout the U.S. and will continue to strive to create value for our investors." IPT was assisted in the valuation process by Duff & Phelps, LLC ("Duff & Phelps"), a global valuation advisory and corporate finance consulting firm that specializes in providing real estate valuation services. Duff & Phelps provided third-party appraisals for each of the Company's real estate properties, and reviewed certain balance sheet items in order to produce a range of estimated NAV per share of the Company's common stock as of November 30, 2017. The final estimated NAV per share was ultimately and solely the decision of the Board. The estimated NAV per share was calculated as of a moment in time, and although the value of IPT's common shares will fluctuate over time, IPT does not undertake to update the estimated NAV per share on a more frequent basis. As a result, the estimated NAV per share should not be relied upon as being an accurate measure of the current value of IPT's shares. A description of the methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimated NAV per share is set forth in IPT's Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on December 18, 2017. About Black Creek Group Black Creek Group is an experienced real estate investment management firm with more than $17 billion of investments over its 25-year history. The company manages diverse investment offerings across the spectrum of commercial real estate — including office, industrial, retail and multifamily — and has a track record of creating long-term value for its investors. The company has nine offices across North America with more than 300 professionals. Black Creek Group offers a range of investment solutions for both institutional and wealth management channels. More information is available at www.blackcreekgroup.com. This release contains forward-looking statements that are based on IPT's current expectations, plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs that involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, IPT's ability to maintain current occupancy levels and lease rates at its properties, IPT's ability to repay or successfully refinance its debt obligations, the future operating performance of IPT's investments, and those risks set forth in IPT's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as amended or supplemented by IPT's other filings with the SEC. Any of these statements could be inaccurate, and actual events or IPT's investments and results of operations could differ materially from those expressed or implied. To the extent that IPT's assumptions differ from actual results, IPT's ability to meet such forward-looking statements may be significantly hindered. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Contact: Eric Paul	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line105
__label__wiki	0.894051	0.894051	Durham, NC USA Review by Nolan Smith Photos by Nolan Smith "Black Bear" Tour Chicago native Andrew Belle is starting his second tour this year, this time to promote his soon to be released album "Black Bear" on 8/20/2013. Andrew is also currently working on another musical project called "10 out of Tenn" with other artists who have migrated to make Nashville, TN their home. What has been released to YouTube or other online sources looks quite promising. Amongst the 10 out of Tenn collaborators is Trent Dabbs whom opened for Andrew Belle this evening at a half packed venue of the Casbah in Durham, NC. Holding a maximum capacity of 288, I was amazed at the small turnout. Perhaps the good people of NC have not heard the greatness that was Andrew Belle's first album "The Ladder". Trent Dabbs is a very confident singer and songwriter and from first impressions it appears he has good reason to be. He has a familiar voice which is easy to listen to. Songs such as "Leave to see" got the crowd to sway in rhythm. Something I'd not see before was Trent's use of a projector to show his backup bands professionally pre-recorded set playing all the back-up music for his songs. It was a clever move that I thought worked well and helped take attention and pressure off a one man stage act. A successful opening to the show. Having been a fan of Andrew Belle this was my first time to see him perform live. Curious how the artist will translate to a live show always makes me slightly apprehensive. However it's times like tonight that seeing Andrew Belle live was a tremendously confirming performance of his musical talent and vocal gifts. I couldn't have expected he nor the 5 piece band to sound better or more together than they displayed this evening. This is the reason to go see live small and independent artists. Andrew acknowledged to the crowd on several occasions that he was going to be playing a lot of songs off the new album, which was assumed by all. The only complaint I have of the show was the set list. However, it is a rather major complaint. A 13 song set followed by a half hearted version of "In My Veins" as an encore. I counted 8 songs off the new album and only 1 from the previous album which he selected the title track "The Ladder" to play. The crowd erupted with delight in recognition of a familiar song. An unfortunately rare occurrence on this night. When walking offstage the entire audience seemed to be asking why didn't he play ... Fill in the blank. Most commonly overheard was the gut wrenching absence of his hugely popular song "Static Waves". The unfortunate problem in having such a set list is that the album is not on sale for another month. Therefore you cannot even buy the album after the show if you wanted. Compounding the problem is that no one in the entire audience has heard a single song from the album yet. It literally was like going to see one of your favorite artists and hearing them play nothing you recognized all night. A bit of a let down. Now, that being said, all the new songs off the new album sound very good and hopefully will be a strong follow-up effort to his first album. If it were on sale tonight, I would have purchased it as I feel most of the adoring mob would. 777 Casino Ave, Thackerville, OK 73459 • 800-622-6317	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line108
__label__wiki	0.703629	0.703629	THE REPUBLICAN PARTY: PAST AND FUTURE TRUMPS / THE ECONOMIST \| Etiquetas: The Republican Party, U.S. Economic And Political Past and future Trumps Insurgent candidates who win the nomination tend to transform their party, even if they never become president IN EVERY continent he seems familiar. Italians see another Silvio Berlusconi, South Africans a Jacob Zuma and Thais a Thaksin Shinawatra. Latin America practically invented the type: to Argentines he is Juan Perón’s echo. Those who find Donald Trump scary sometimes compare him to jackbooted fascists in 1930s Europe. The search for the right precursor to Mr Trump is born of an understandable urge to work out what happens next. Here is a prediction: Mr Trump, who will stand onstage at the Republican Convention in Cleveland and accept the party’s nomination as its presidential candidate, will have a more lasting effect on the Republican Party than its elected members currently realise, even if he goes on to lose the election in November. For the moment, most Republicans either resist this notion or are relaxed about it. “I don’t think the Trump nomination is going to redefine in any real way what America’s right-of-centre party stands for,” Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, told National Public Radio after the primaries were over. “You know what, I think something different and something new is probably good for our party,” Reince Priebus, head of the Republican National Committee, told CNN, hopefully. Paul Ryan, who has criticised Mr Trump during the campaign and since, wrote in his hometown newspaper: “On the issues that make up our agenda, we have more common ground than disagreement.” For those watching the convention, which begins on July 18th, what is happening may not appear unusual. The party has rallied, as it usually does, behind the nominee. Before the first caucus met in Iowa, Gallup reported that Mr Trump was already familiar to 91% of Americans. Familiarity has bred content among most right-leaning voters (see chart 1). Yet what is happening in the Republican Party right now is far from normal. The party is nominating someone who is not a Republican in any recognisable form. Instead, Mr Trump combines traditions that Republicans and Democrats have at times flirted with, only to reject them when in government. One of these is populism, which in America usually means making promises to improve the livelihoods of blue-collar workers by protecting them from foreign competition, whether that comes in the form of immigration or trade. Pat Buchanan, who made bids for the Republican presidential nomination in 1992 and 1996, declared during his first attempt: “If I were president I would have the Corps of Engineers build a double-barrier fence that would keep out 95% of the illegal traffic. I think it can be done.” Four years later Mr Buchanan, who studied at Georgetown and Columbia, said that the peasants were coming with pitchforks, and that he was their champion. Ross Perot, who ran for the presidency as an independent in 1992, made a different part of the Trump pitch—the successful businessman who would stop the “giant sucking sound” of American jobs being hoovered up by Mexico, the billionaire promising to make competition go away. A lone voice A second thread that has been gathered up by Mr Trump is isolationism. His talk of “America First” is borrowed, consciously or not, from Charles Lindbergh, whose America First Committee argued in the 1940s against participation in the second world war. Mr Trump is not consistent on this point: at times he regrets American involvement in foreign wars, at others he wants to seize foreign oilfields. The idea that America should station troops abroad, but that the countries concerned would have to pay for it, is the synthesis of his opposing instincts over dealing with the rest of the world. The third thread is nativism. For Mr Trump, not all citizens are equally American. Hence his claims that Gonzalo Curiel, a federal judge born in Indiana, was biased against him because of the judge’s Hispanic background. Mr Trump’s plan to deport the 11m undocumented migrants from America is a nativist fantasy. It recalls the enthusiasm for deportation of Art Smith, another fringe politician from the 1930s. Smith, who really was a fascist, advocated the removal of radicals from the country. America’s appetite for fascism proper was tested in 1933, after a protester was killed at a rally. Smith proposed a march on Washington later that year which, he boasted, would number 1.5m people. Only 44 showed up. Populism, isolationism and nativism are distinct from racism. But they can often be found on the same shelf. Towards the end of the 19th century, as Chinese labourers were brought to California to work on the railways, Denis Kearney, a labour-movement leader, made a career out of attacking the “Chinaman”, laying the groundwork for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first of several laws to interrupt migration from Asia. Kearney did not just object to Chinese workers undercutting American wages. He found their food, habits and living arrangements revolting. “Whipped curs, abject in docility, mean, contemptible and obedient in all things…they seem to have no sex. Boys work, girls work; it is all alike to them.” Mr Trump’s assertions that Mexico is not just destroying American workers’ livelihoods (because of NAFTA), but sending drug-dealers and rapists across the border too, is Kearney for the 21st century. When accused of racism, Mr Trump responds that he loves Hispanics and insists they love him back. His supporters hear what they want to hear. From light to night Like any successful populist, though, Mr Trump is also of his time. In 1984 voters were persuaded that it was morning in America; in 2016 many seem prepared to believe that night is falling. Two-thirds say that the country is on the wrong track. Ever since Ronald Reagan’s first victory, it has been a cliché that the most optimistic candidate usually wins. Mr Trump has turned this upside down, declaring during the primaries: “This country is a hellhole.” Bad news seems to confirm his thesis and gives his candidacy energy. The shootings in Dallas are the latest example, but the same could be said of the attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino. Mr Trump’s most popular proposal, more loved even than the Great Wall of Texas, is to ban Muslims from entering the country. Exit polls from the Republican primaries recorded that voters were more worried about terrorism than immigration. That, combined with anxieties about the changing racial make-up of America, explains why around two-thirds of primary voters supported the Muslim ban. Though much of it may be old, there is nothing old-fashioned about how Mr Trump delivers his message. His skill on broadcast media recalls Charles Coughlin, a Catholic priest whose radio show reached around 30m listeners at its peak in the 1930s. Coughlin founded the Union Party in 1936 and supported Huey Long, a populist of the left who wanted a corporatist state to save workers from the cruelty of capitalism. But it is impossible to disentangle Mr Trump from the world of reality television, where he honed his narrow-eyed stare and finger-jabbing persona. Or from social media, which Mr Trump uses sometimes to broadcast his views and sometimes to insinuate them. He has an ability to say things that are not true but which seem, to his supporters, to be right anyway. Shared with like-minded people on social networks, this has been a boon for what Richard Hofstadter called “the paranoid style in American politics”, an apparently sincere belief in implausible conspiracies. Mr Trump’s insinuation, after the shooting in Orlando, that the president might secretly sympathise with Islamic State was a model of the paranoid style. The most novel thing about Mr Trump, though, when compared with the fringe figures who preceded him, is that he is the nominee of one of America’s two main parties. This puts him in a different category and will give him a greater opportunity to shape the country. This is obviously the case if he wins in November. But it will probably happen even if he loses, currently the more likely result. A handful of insurgent candidates have seized the nomination, lost the election and transformed their parties anyway. From the late 19th century William Jennings Bryan failed three times as a Democratic candidate while campaigning for a federal income tax, popular election of senators, votes for women and other causes that had become laws by the time of his death. Two more recent examples of nominees who have done the same are worth looking at more closely. The first is George McGovern, the Democratic nominee in 1972, beaten by Richard Nixon in 49 states. One reason for this rout was that McGovern’s Democratic Party seemed to hold different values to those of most voters. In his history of the era, Rick Perlstein recounts how television cameras at the 1972 convention lingered on two men in the hall who were wearing purple shirts with “gay power” written on them, and kissing. The same convention was the first to be addressed by an openly gay man, Jim Foster. McGovern proposed a “Demogrant”, a basic income for all, guaranteed by government. Many Democrats looked at lonely Massachusetts in the blue column the day after the election and concluded that they could never win the presidency with a candidate like McGovern. Viewed today, the 1972 Democratic campaign looks premature rather than wrong. That is the view of John Judis and Ruy Teixeira, authors of “The Emerging Democratic Majority”, published in 2002. One chapter of their book is called “George McGovern’s revenge”. McGovern appealed strongly to non-whites: according to Gallup he won 87% of them in 1972, a higher proportion than Barack Obama managed in 2012. The rapidly increasing racial diversity of the electorate between then and now has turned this from a losing strategy into a winning one. McGovern did better with working women than men and better with professionals than with blue-collar workers. This, too, made him a loser in 1972 but provided the template for Democratic victories in 2008 and 2012. Polls suggest that Hillary Clinton may be the first Democratic presidential candidate for at least 60 years to win a majority of white voters with college degrees (see chart 2). Before McGovern, Barry Goldwater also got thrashed and transformed his party in the process. Goldwater lost 44 states on a platform of huge tax cuts, pouring weedkiller on the federal government, opposition to civil rights and confronting communism abroad. “Extremism in the defence of liberty is no vice,” he told the 1964 convention in Daly City, California. Voters disagreed, and not even a powerful televised speech made in support of Goldwater by Ronald Reagan, then a TV presenter, could persuade them otherwise. The future for Goldwater’s ideas did not look bright. “The election has finished the Goldwater school of political reaction,” wrote Richard Rovere in the New Yorker, reflecting the consensus of what would now be called the mainstream media but then was simply known as the press. It could hardly have been more wrong. As with McGovern’s defeat, Republicans initially reacted by picking candidates with more traditional views of government. Goldwater’s success in the Deep South, thanks to his opposition to civil rights, the popularity of George Wallace, the segregationist governor of Alabama, and rising public alarm about law and order and cultural change, bore fruit in the 1968 election, when Richard Nixon grabbed millions of voters from the Democrats to build a “New Majority” of big-city Irish, Italian and Polish Catholics, and white Protestants from the South, Midwest and rural America, beginning a nationwide realignment of politics that is still playing out today. Goldwater runs Deep The radical conservative side of Goldwater’s platform had captured his party’s heart by 1980. Reagan won the nomination and then the general election on a platform of tax cuts, shrinking government and confronting communism abroad. Up until last year, it was accurate to say that Goldwater still provided the intellectual framework for the Republican Party: George W. Bush is disliked by so many Republicans because his big-government conservatism strayed too far from it. With Mr Trump as the nominee, the Goldwater takeover, which has lasted 35 years, is under threat. What might a Trumpist Republican Party look like? In “five, ten years from now,” he told Bloomberg, “you’re going to have a workers’ party. A party of people that haven’t had a real wage increase in 18 years, that are angry.” Speaking at a recycling plant in Pennsylvania in June, he said that American workers had been betrayed by politicians and financiers, who “took away from the people their means of making a living and supporting their families”. This is a complete reversal of Republican orthodoxy of the past 30 years, which has mixed openness to trade and an impulse to cut entitlement spending with conservative stances on social issues. Anyone who thinks that the party will revert to that orthodoxy if Mr Trump loses wasn’t paying enough attention during the primaries, which suggested that registered Republicans are, on the whole, less interested in government-shrinking and values-voting than their elected representatives are. Those who lean Republican, according to polling by the Pew Research Centre, are more likely to say that free-trade deals are bad for America than those who lean Democratic (see chart 3). The same polling shows that Republican voters are just as reluctant to cut Social Security benefits as Democratic ones. This helps to explain why Republican primary voters liked the sound of what Mr Trump is selling more than they liked the tax-cuts-and-Old-Testament tunes of the party’s late-Goldwater period. And elected Republicans are acutely sensitive to the preferences of their primary voters, who have a veto on whether they will end up running for office. As well as a reversal of party orthodoxy, Mr Trump’s campaign has also ditched the party’s electoral strategy. From Mitt Romney’s defeat in 2012 until Mr Trump won in South Carolina, it seemed obvious that to win the presidency the Republican Party needed a candidate with some appeal to Hispanic voters: hence the excitement about Jeb Bush, whose wife is Mexican, and then Marco Rubio, whose parents were born in Cuba. Instead, the party has picked a candidate of whom 87% of Hispanics disapprove. This would appear to be a recipe for Republicans to lose a lot of presidential elections, and it might indeed prove to be so. Even with low levels of immigration by past standards, demographers expect America to have a non-white majority by the middle of the century. Getting caught out by a demographic wave of this size would, eventually, lead to the Republican Party being dragged to the ocean floor and held underwater until it blacked out. Yet the electorate is not the same as the population, because not all voters are equally likely to turn out. Even in 2012, an election that saw minorities turn out in record numbers, voters were as white as America was 20 years before. Three demographers—Mr Teixeira and Rob Griffin of the Centre for American Progress, and Bill Frey of Brookings—have run a simulation to see what would happen if the Republican Party managed to boost white turnout by 5% across the board, while all other voter groups remained constant. This would be hard to achieve, but not impossible: turnout among whites in 2012 was 64%, which leaves some headroom. The result of the voting model is a Republican advantage in the electoral college up until 2024, after which point the strategy no longer works. A Trumpist Republican Party might not win many presidential elections. But it could be competitive enough to resist demands for reform and would probably have enough bodies to block legislation in Congress. With less outright hostility to Hispanics and a softer tone towards women, it might even attract some of those currently on the left who are hostile to trade and globalisation, or who worry about threats from immigration and automation, to create an updated populism. The coalitions that have underpinned both main parties now look fragile. On some cultural issues, notably guns, white Democrats without a college education are more closely aligned with the Republicans than with the party they currently vote for. Mr Trump’s coronation in Cleveland will be the burial of an old dynasty. It may also be the foundation of a new one. WHAT´S THE PROBLEM WITH PROTECTIONISM? PROJECT SYNDICATE \| Etiquetas: Deflation, Economics, Liquidity Trap, Protectionism, Trade, Trade Wars, U.S. Economic And Political What’s the Problem With Protectionism? PORTO – One thing is now certain about the upcoming presidential election in the United States: the next president will not be a committed free trader. The presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, is at best a lukewarm supporter of freer trade, and of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in particular. Her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump, is downright hostile to trade deals that would throw open US markets. Breaking with modern Republican tradition, Trump envisages a 35% tariff on imported cars and parts produced by Ford plants in Mexico and a 45% tariff on imports from China. Economists are all but unanimous in arguing that the macroeconomic effects of Trump’s plan would be disastrous. Repudiation of free and open trade would devastate confidence and depress investment. Other countries would retaliate by imposing tariffs of their own, flattening US exports. The consequences would resemble those of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, enacted by the US Congress in 1930 and signed by an earlier, disgraced Republican president, Herbert Hoover – a measure that exacerbated the Great Depression. But just because economists agree doesn’t mean they’re right. When the economy is in a liquidity trap – when demand is deficient, prices are stagnant or falling, and interest rates approach zero – normal macroeconomic logic goes out the window. That conclusion applies to the macroeconomic effects of tariff protection in general, and to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff in particular. This is a point I demonstrated in an academic paper written – I hesitate to admit – fully 30 years ago. Consider the following thought experiment. President Trump signs a bill slapping a tariff on imports from China. This shifts US spending toward goods produced by domestic firms. It puts upward pressure on US prices, which is helpful when there is a risk of deflation. But then President Xi Jinping retaliates with a Chinese tariff, which shifts demand away from US goods. From the standpoint of American consumers, the only effect is that imports from China (now subject to tax) and their US-produced substitutes are both more costly than before. Under normal circumstances, this would be an undesirable outcome. But when deflation looms, upward pressure on prices is just what the doctor ordered. Higher prices encourage firms to raise production and households to increase their spending. They also reduce the burden of debts. And because inflation is still too low, owing to depressed macroeconomic conditions, there is no need for the Fed to raise interest rates and offset any inflationary effects of the increase in spending. To prevent this thought experiment from being misconstrued, I want to be clear: there are other, better ways of raising prices and stimulating economic activity in liquidity-trap conditions. The obvious alternative to import tariffs is plain-vanilla fiscal policy – tax cuts and increases in public spending. Still, the point about tariffs is important. Just as tariff protection is not a macroeconomic problem in deflationary, liquidity-trap-like conditions, freer trade, the economist’s familiar nostrum, is not a solution. Those seeking a cure for the current malaise of “secular stagnation” – slow growth and sub-2% inflation – shouldn’t claim too much for the beneficial macroeconomic effects of trade agreements. And they shouldn’t invoke the old saw that Smoot-Hawley caused the Great Depression, because it didn’t. False claims, even when made in pursuit of good causes, do no one any good. But Smoot-Hawley did have a variety of other damaging consequences. First, it disrupted the operation of the international financial system. Free trade and free international capital flows go together. Countries that borrow abroad must export in order to service their debts. Smoot-Hawley and foreign retaliation made exporting more difficult. The result was widespread defaults on foreign debts, financial distress, and the collapse of international capital flows. Second, trade wars fanned geopolitical tensions. The French Chamber of Deputies was outraged by American taxation of French specialty exports and urged an economic war against the US. The UK taxed imports from the US while giving special preferences to its Commonwealth and Empire, angering Hoover and his successor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King warned of an outbreak of “border warfare,” diplomacy-speak for deteriorating political relations. Efforts to stabilize the international monetary system and end the global slump were set back by these diplomatic conflicts. Worse, US, British, French, and Canadian leaders were at one another’s throats at a time when they should have been working together to advance other common goals. After all, economic policy aside, there was an even greater threat in the 1930s, namely the rise of Hitler and German re-militarization. Unilateral resort to trade restrictions, by making diplomatic cooperation more difficult, complicated efforts to mobilize a coalition of the willing to contain the Nazi threat. Tariff protection may not be bad macroeconomic policy in a liquidity trap. But this doesn’t make it good foreign policy – for Trump or anyone else. http://prosyn.org/gT8yoJW THE FED´S NEW FROTH PROBLEM / THE WALL STREET JOURNAL \| Etiquetas: Economics, Monetary Policy, The Fed, U.S. Economic And Political The Fed’s New Froth Problem From an economic standpoint, it makes sense for the Federal Reserve to hold off on rates; but then there’s what’s happening with asset prices By Justin Lahart The Federal Reserve was successful in getting ahead of Brexit worries, but the central bank still has to be on guard for the fallout. Photo: karen bleier/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images The past few weeks have been very good for the Fed. Its Brexit worries proved prescient and its inaction on rates this year looks like a canny prediction of slowing growth and weaker currencies overseas. The risk is that asset prices keep soaring, potentially setting markets up for a crash when the Fed does move. U.S. investors’ moment of post-Brexit fear has more than passed—witness the stock market’s new highs—but for the Fed it is still something to worry about. Unsure of how big a hit Britain will absorb and what sort of fallout the global economy will take, the central bank looks likely to keep rates on hold not just at its policy meeting later this month but at its September meeting as well. One danger is that Brexit has little impact and the economy picks up steam, leading to an even tighter job market and an unexpected jolt of inflation. Given the state of the rest of the world and the probable moves in currencies and that risk seems unlikely. The U.K. is hardly the only challenge the global economy faces in the months ahead. Europe’s already-weak economy must cope not just with Brexit but with Italy’s banking woes. A strong yen is hurting Japan’s economy, putting pressure on officials there to intervene in the currency market and launch fresh stimulus. And with their earlier stimulus efforts losing steam, Chinese officials have been allowing the yuan to weaken in an effort to bolster exports. All of those things suggest the dollar, which shot higher after Brexit, may have more room to run, according to strategists at Evercore ISI. That would weaken America’s trade position while further restraining inflation, effectively doing a lot of the Fed’s work for it. In that context, waiting until December to raise rates would be easy. But a stronger dollar affects the economy in different ways than Fed rate increases, which lead to higher borrowing costs, lower investment and reduced asset values. It weighs on U.S.-based manufacturers, who face increased price competition from foreign counterparts both at home and abroad, but it doesn’t directly affect more insulated businesses. And by making imports cheaper, it puts some businesses and many consumers in a better place. Similarly, dollar strength weighs on prices for goods, which are heavily exposed to trade, but leaves prices for services, which have been rising, unscathed. Moreover, expectations that the Fed won’t tap the brakes may only increase the attractiveness of U.S. assets for global investors. That may be one of the factors behind the rally in stocks, and part of the reason why yields on junk bonds have fallen to their lowest point against Treasurys in nearly a year. Prices for other income-generating assets, such as commercial property, could also get bid higher. HOW VENEZUELA FELL APART / KNOWLEDGE@WHARTON \| Etiquetas: Venezuela How Venezuela Fell Apart In 1950, when the global economy was struggling to recover from World War II, oil-rich Venezuela was the world’s fourth-wealthiest country, boasting a per capita GDP of $7,424 exceeded only by the United States, Switzerland and New Zealand. Indeed, Venezuela’s per capita income was nearly four times higher than that of Japan (at $1,873), nearly twice that of Germany ($4,281) and more than 12 times that of China ($614), according to NationMaster.com, an economics statistics site. By 2012, Venezuela’s per capita GDP ranked 68th in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. But it has continued to shrink since then, dropping 5.7% in 2015 and by a projected 7.1% rate in 2016, according to the country’s central bank. Inflation in Venezuela, the highest in the world, reached 159% in 2015 and is expected to grow to 204% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Those statistics only hint at the depth of the country’s humanitarian crisis, marked by dramatic shortages of essential foods and consumer products. Today’s Venezuela is not an attractive locale for investment, but a landscape where armed guards fend off consumers desperate to purchase essential foodstuffs and household goods in short supply. According to the Pan Am Post, an online regional publication, the Venezuelan government recently identified at least 15 food items and 26 personal care items in short supply or unavailable in Venezuelan grocery stores. “In Venezuela we have the kinds of scenes that you don’t expect to see in a relatively developed, modern economy and one of the largest oil producers in the world,” Penn Law professor William Burke-White says in an interview on the Knowledge@Wharton show on Wharton Business Radio on SiriusXM channel 111.“The experience of the everyday citizen in Venezuela on the ground today is one of hunger and starvation.” Burke-White adds that former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was in office from 1999 until his death in 2013, and his successor, current President Nicolas Maduro, built an economy based on the assumption that they would be able to generate enough revenues from oil to finance a comprehensive system of social welfare benefits. But once that income dried up as oil prices collapsed, the model fell apart, Burke-White explains. After oil prices fell, and the country was hit by a serious drought, “there wasn’t just economic hardship, but mass starvation on the streets.” With the collapse of its economy, the government has been printing and borrowing money to meet expenses. Adds Burke-White, “Inflation has skyrocketed and the currency is essentially worthless. So not only can Venezuela not produce food, it can’t buy it. And it doesn’t have the oil revenues to support major food purchases from overseas.” A Broad-based Implosión According to Kevin Casas-Zamora, senior fellow and program director of the Inter-American Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program, “We haven’t seen anywhere in Latin America an implosion across the board, the way we are seeing it in Venezuela,” at least not in the past few decades. Casas-Zamora says Chile at the end of former President Salvador Allende’s tenure in the early 1970s comes closest, but it was never nearly as bad as the situation in Venezuela now. “We are seeing in Venezuela the convergence of the trends of economic deterioration, political deterioration, the collapse of public order, and energy shortages; so it is really across the board,” he notes, adding that the country’s normal challenges have been “exacerbated by 10 years of horrific economic mismanagement done to prop up a political system that depended essentially on hand-outs and a kind of state socialism.” Economic imbalances accumulated in the past 17 years are a big part of the story, but the trigger for the current meltdown is oil, says Charles Shapiro, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela from 2002 to 2004. “The fact that oil prices have collapsed is not the root of the crisis, but definitely the trigger — at least, on the economic front,” Shapiro notes. “On the political front, over the past 17 years, we’ve seen an authoritarian slide which was very obvious — but in a very peculiar way.” There was a very clear authoritarian tendency during the Hugo Chavez years, but he never quite shut down democratic spaces: “Elections were held and, for the most part, the votes were counted fairly, and very, very rarely would the government lose,” Shapiro says. Independent media never ceased to exist under Chavez. While their outlets were harassed and the government “bought off” a lot of media outlets, they were always part of the landscape, he notes. “So while it was an authoritarian leaning system, it was never a dictatorship. Chavez was no Abe Lincoln but he was no [Fidel] Castro. But what we are seeing now is something entirely different.” The timing of President Maduro’s ascent to power exacerbated the situation, according to Shapiro. “In many ways, Hugo Chavez was the luckiest guy in the world,” he says. “When Chavez became president, Venezuelan oil sold for $8 dollars a barrel. … It reached $140 at one point, and was around $115 or so [when he died]” and when Maduro began his tenure. But last August the price per barrel plunged below $40 for the first time since 2009; the price is now hovering around $50 and is expected to fall again. “[Venezuela] made long-term commitments that it could not meet with oil [prices so low],” Shapiro says. “Right now, prices would probably need to be at $150 [a barrel] to cover their commitments.” During the Chavez-Maduro era, Venezuela’s dependence on oil products grew from 70% of the country’s export basket in 1998 to 98% in 2013, according to researchers Dany Bahar of the Brookings Institution and Miguel Angel Santos of Harvard’s Center for International Development in a recent study. Shapiro, currently executive director of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, adds, “They spent money on all kinds of things: They de-funded the public health system and set up a parallel system with Cuban doctors. They built railroads across the country that were never finished; [they spent money] to extend subways that were never extended; to rebuild ports; to give away houses; [to build] a factory for assembling Iranian tractors [that has since been shut down.] They re-nationalized the electricity and phone systems; and turned PDVSA [the Venezuelan national oil company] from a fairly efficient company into an oil company that is hugely inefficient, [a company] where employment has tripled although production has dropped.” The Collapse of Public Order According to Casas-Zamora, the other big element in this crisis, which is often overlooked, is the collapse of public order. “No country — not even the highly violent countries of northern Central America, which have always done poorly when it comes to personal safety — has experienced over the past decade or decade and a half, the deterioration of public security and personal safety that Venezuela has undergone,” he says. “The place was never Denmark; but at this point, Caracas is, in all likelihood, one of the most violent capitals in the world.” Though the government stopped publishing security information years ago, non-governmental organizations in Caracas estimated the homicide rate recently as “approaching 200 murders per 100,000 people, worse than for any other year,” he adds. “The WHO [World Health Organization] deems that a homicide rate of 10 per 100,000 people is tantamount to having an epidemic.” Casas-Zamora says this is particularly distressing because Venezuela did once maintain a functioning — if somewhat imperfect — political system and social order. “The place was never Switzerland, but it was a working democracy,” he notes. “Particularly in the bleak political landscape of Latin America, it was held up as an example of political tolerance. That is no longer the case, by any stretch.” There was once “kind of a light-hearted attitude among Venezuelans; you could lose but no one would ever get upset,” Casas-Zamora says. “Ever since [Chavez’s] passing, and particularly after the ruling party lost big in the legislative elections last December — for the first time in 17 years — the slide toward authoritarianism became unstoppable.” At this point, Venezuela “has become a dictatorship, pure and simple…. There are no checks and balances whatsoever,” Casas-Zamora adds. “The most visible case is the Supreme Court, which has the critical task of interpreting the constitution. The same can be said about the Electoral Authority, the Human Rights Ombudsman — and all other institutions that are meant to keep executive power in check.” The most visible example of the abusive use of power has been the Supreme Court, Casas-Zamora says. “A couple of academics did a very meticulous study checking rulings of the Venezuelan judiciary in cases where the government was party to the case. In a period of about 10 to 12 years, they found that out of about 14,000 rulings that were made by the Venezuelan judiciary, not a single ruling went against the Venezuelan government. That tells you something.” Shapiro adds, “On the political side — technically, there are five independent branches of government with a system of checks and balances. In reality, there is no system of checks and balances.” Can the situation get much worse? “If you control the interior ministry, the intelligence service, and the police and the armed forces, you can always make things worse and you can hold on for a very long time,” Shapiro notes. “That’s what’s going on in Venezuela. They don’t care enough [that things are getting worse] to change policy.” In May, President Maduro adopted an emergency decree that declared a “state of exception” in the country for 60 days, granting his government the power to potentially restrict human rights, ostensibly in response to concerns about a foreign-led plot to destabilize his government. The decree authorizes Maduro to “adopt measures and execute special security plans that guarantee the sustainability of the public order when faced with destabilizing actions” and “any other social, environmental, economic, political and legal measures he deems convenient.” A Long-term Solution What are the critical first steps toward finding a solution? “Step one is, ‘You’ve to stop printing money because the inflation rates are out of control and that’s how the government is surviving,” says Burke-White. Step two, “they have to strike a new economic bargain with the Venezuelan people that doesn’t involve the kind of subsidies that create huge distortions in the economy. Simultaneously with that, you have to provide humanitarian assistance because when those subsidies are removed, and suddenly a pound of flour becomes even more expensive, people will suffer.” As an additional step, there should be a revaluation of the Venezuelan currency and significant economic support. “That’s worked elsewhere. When you look at the Asian economic crisis or the Mexican economic crisis from 10 and 20 years ago, there are programs that worked,” he notes. “The problem is that there is not really a political will and political connection with the Venezuelan government to do that.” Venezuela needs to undertake massive economic reforms, it must wean itself off oil revenues and in the short-term, it needs significant foreign assistance, Burke-White adds. “They have spent the last eight or 10 years making enemies of their neighbors and the United States, so no one really wants to come to their aid,” he notes. “So the question becomes — does the Venezuelan government have the ability and willingness to make the reforms necessary and can they get enough assistance in the short term to survive that populist uprising?” In “the most optimistic scenario,” according to Shapiro, “Maduro says, ‘I’m wrong; we’re following the wrong policies.’ And then he slams himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand, and says, ‘I resign — we’re going to have a technocratic government. A new government is coming in.’” Even in such an unlikely event, continues Shapiro, “if [Maduro] turns the policy around 180 degrees, it is going to take, I would argue, 10 to 15 years for Venezuela to reinvent itself as a modern, democratic society.” Even in this best-case scenario, however, there is a major risk that Venezuela’s brain drain will continue, Shapiro adds. “Panama, Colombia, Atlanta, Miami, Spain, Portugal are already full of Venezuelans who have emigrated permanently. Right next door, Colombia is booming while Venezuela is collapsing.” If he did leave, who would succeed Maduro as president? “It is not obvious what the alternative will be, partly because Chavez and Maduro have frozen out political opposition to the degree they have,” Burke-White says. “It’s not like there’s a recall election and suddenly the good guys come to power.” According to Shapiro, if “Maduro is smart enough and clever,” he will understand that “letting the recall referendum proceed is like having an escape valve on the radiator…. If he wins the recall referendum — and he is not recalled [from office]– or if he loses the referendum, it lets all this pressure building up in the political system escape.” But achieving a consensus even among new leaders would be no mean task, Shapiro notes. “Venezuela is the most polarized country I’ve ever lived in. The people on each side [of the political spectrum] not only disagree with each other, they don’t believe the other person has the right to believe the way they do.” Can a full-fledged humanitarian disaster be avoided? It doesn’t help that the country’s plight has received little attention until recent dramatic events. “What is changing now, is the visibility of the problem,” says Burke-White. “Once the world starts to see what is happening, I do think you’ll see greater humanitarian assistance. And then the question will be: Will there be the kind of political leadership and political change needed to solve the underlying problem or even to see that, if there is humanitarian assistance, it gets to the people in need, rather than getting hijacked by the rich?’” Regretfully, notes Burke-White, “Venezuela prided itself on essentially snubbing its nose at the West and fomenting socialist revolution in its neighbors. So it doesn’t have a lot of friends at the moment who are willing to do very much.” There may be some assistance from Argentina, Chile and from within the region, Burke-White says, but it will take either a greater humanitarian crisis, or a real political outreach from Venezuela before “the countries Venezuela has been thumbing its nose at – like the United States – do too much more.” Getting food to the country is only one part of the challenge, Burke-White notes. The other part is getting food properly priced and making sure that the income inequality and disparities that exist are addressed. “So you may see some real pressure from potential donors to get some of the Venezuelan house of cards in order before real assistance starts to flow.” GOLD AND GOLD STOCKS OVERBOUGHT...WHAT TO EXPECT? / THEGOLDANDOILGUY.COM \| Etiquetas: Gold, Gold Stocks, Investment Strategies Gold And Gold Stocks Overbought…What To Expect Chris Vermeulen As you likely have noticed, gold and gold stocks have been the favored assets thus far in 2016. The GDX gold miner’s ETF is up 150% from the low this year. Moreover, the exciting part is that it’s just getting warmed up! As you can see from my gold stage analysis in the chart below, the price of gold has just broken out of its yellow Stage 1 Accumulation Phase and has started a bull market. The first major resistance level will be the $1550 level. However, depending on how the economy and global financial situation unfolds, gold could easily blow past this level and reach $2400 per/oz. in the next couple years. Gold Stocks – Where They Have Been And Are Headed Last year I talked about gold stocks and how they typically rally 50%-150% in value within the first rally or bull market leg. Well, that has just happened. This is great…but now what? Take a look at the gold miners ETF – GDX below. This is a chart I have posted -- and it updates publically on my stockcharts.com public list for everyone to see. Miners dropped into key my long-term investment pricing zone and have rocketed higher to first resistance. I expect some type of pause for a pullback to start, but long-term this ETF should rally back to up $60’s in due time. Gold Stocks Overbought The gold miner’s bullish percent index is screaming overbought with nearly 100% of gold stocks trading with a bullish chart pattern base on Point&Figure charting. Expect them to stay overbought for some time. Moreover, we may only see a minor and quick pullback before going higher. Gold Stocks Trading Conclusión Gold stocks are officially overbought at current levels. But, what most traders and investors do not understand is that during a bull market stocks will be, and remain, overbought the majority of the time. In many cases, stocks will only pause before moving higher. This means that selling positions or shorting gold stocks in anticipation of a pullback is a losing position most of the time. The better play is to wait for the bullish percent index to pull back. Subsequently, then start to turn back up before buying or adding more gold stocks to your portfolio. During the early stages of the bull market is when chart patterns for stocks and breakouts of these patterns are most accurate and tradable. Breakout trading has been out of favor for years in both gold stocks, and the overall stock market in general because of the Stage 1 basing phase gold has been in, and the Stage 3 topping phase the US stock market is in. CENTRAL BANK WONDERLAND IS COMPLETE AND NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS -- THE EPOCALYPSE HAS FULLY BEGUN / SAFE HAVEN \| Etiquetas: Banks And Banking, Brexit, Central Banking, Europe Economic and Political, Investment Strategies, U.S. Economic And Political Central Bank Wonderland is Complete and Now Open for Business -- The Epocalypse Has Fully Begun By: David Haggith Summer vacation is here, and the whole global family has arrived at Central-Bank Wonderland, the upside-down, inside-out world that banksters and their puppet politicians call "recovery." Everyone is talking about it as wizened traders puzzle over how stocks and bonds soared, hand-in-hand, in face of the following list of economic thrills: Britain voted to exit the EU, and a handful of other nations are talking openly along similar lines. One major crack in the European Union just happened, and others are forming. (Brexit is the name of this new Earthquake ride near the gates of Wonderland.) Italy's oldest bank (also the world's oldest bank, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena) faces bankruptcy unless it gets bailed out. The bank that has survived the greatest tests of time (founded in 1472 before Columbus sailed the ocean blue) is going down unless it finds a savior! Italy's prime minister is screaming for tax-payer bailouts. At the same time, one of Germany's oldest banks and one of the largest -- Deutsche Bank -- has just about become a penny stock and faces the likelihood of imminent collapse if not bailed out, too. (Welcome to Wonderland's zombie freak show of the world's oldest walking-dead banks dying again.) Gold and silver have been soaring as though people are fleeing to safety (in Wonderland's Bouncy House of Coins). People are also fleeing to safety in bonds, bringing the US 10-year bond down to a 1.318% yield, its lowest yield in history. (Hit me on the head with a hammer like a pop-up gopher, and watch me smile.) In many nations around the world, government bonds have been selling hotter than bombs in Syria even with negative interest rates, meaning you lose money every day you hold them. (The bonking game of bigger gophers for the near-sighted so that Wonderland remains handicap accessible.) In Switzerland, people are cuing up in the ticket line to give the government their money to hold for a fifty year ride now that the Swiss 50-year bond has turned negative. (Wonderland's biggest gopher for the totally blind. You don't just hit this one; it takes you the ride of your life for the rest of your life. We call it "Gopher Broke.") US jobs crashed in May, causing stocks to drop, but rebounded in June, causing stocks to rise, so that May is now seen as an unexplained anomaly. (Welcome to Ripley's House of Unexplained Economic Mysteries.) The Great Britain Pound crashed to a thirty-year low against the dollar. (Enjoy your ride on the currency bumper cars!) Japan's decade of quantitative wheezing has accomplished so little that they're going to cough up more of the same all over again because it was so much fun the first five times. (House of Bodily Humors and Horrors.) Central banks in Europe say they need to and will crank their own quantitative easing back up, so effective have all previous rounds been. (And, so, the merry-go-round spins and the calliope plays its happy music in Euro Dizzyland.) Falling oil prices, which contributed significantly to January's spectacular stock market plunge, are going back down the pipeline while oversupply is building rapidly at the bottom again with the buildup reaching its highest point in ten weeks. (Wonderland's log ride through oil with more than one crude splash.) Venezuela and Brazil are collapsing into economic chaos. (It's more fun than that bungy-jumping vehicle for two at the carnival.) Etc. (I know, darn! Just as he was on a roll. Well, hang on...) Yet, the S&P 500 and Dow have soared to all-time record highs! Whoohoo! Hold onto your safety harness and try not to choke on your popcorn for the fun never ends in Bankster Wonderland! What's up with stocks and down with bond yields? US Stocks are flying high at the same time demand for sovereign bonds is soaring and precious metals are experiencing a bull market. That says to me that money is fleeing to safety, and the apparent irrational exuberance in the stock market, considering all the flights to safety, is partially fueled by foreign investors fleeing to US investments now that Europe's cracks are showing like Frankensteins body seams. This chart from David Stockman's Contra Corner shows how people are piling into bonds right now: As a result, US bond interest rates are the lowest they have been in the history of this nation! Here's another chart from Contra Corner: Whoohoo! Two massive records in one week. Highest stock market prices and lowest bond rates in the history of the United States! Does it get any better than this? Geez, I love this place! We have never seen anything like this Stocks are setting all-time record highs, and interest on US bonds is hitting all-time record lows. Money is running to gold and silver. Money is running to long-term sovereign bonds. And money is running to the US stock market all at the same time. Heck, money is running all over the place! What is there not to be happy about? However, before you think, Whoo! the stock market is going up; there's no crash happening, ask yourself what the heck is happening. We've never before seen either of these two extremes where stocks are free of all bondage and all bonds are free of their stocks. Only during the years of quantitative easing and zero-interest-rate policy have we seen bonds and stocks play together, but never to this extreme. So, when all the gauges on the instrument panel are pegging their needles past the red zone, including the one that says "We're going super fast now," you might want to say, "Whoa! What's going on?" Maybe the engineer on this train has fallen dead over the throttle. As Jesse Felder said on Contra Corner, "We're witnessing the greatest dichotomy in the history of financial markets." Interest rates on bonds have now gone below any low of any recession ... ever. Far, far below. We're digging out the sub basement to find where the money is buried. If you were to gauge the economy's future based on where bonds have gone, you'd have to say, "This must be the scariest future ever because there has never been such a flight to presumably safe vehicles at any cost." At the same time, stocks have never been more overpriced than they are today. They hit their highest price ever during a period in which earnings have been flagging for many months. So, they're not rising because, "Woohoo! Businesses are making bank!" No, they're making new heights in spite of the fact that sales are down, profits are down, and wholesale inventories have remained locked in a highly backed-up position that is comparable only to the Great Recession and the dot-com crash ... and while things are not looking generally good in the world economically. So, there is not a lot of reason to think sales will grow to fit the high stock values. In other words, median price-to-sales ratio (price of stocks compared to sales of the businesses) has also hit an all-time record high. Three all-time records in one week! This is the funnest place in the universo! Is this irrational euphoria among investors? Is it even people who are buying the bonds? Is it people who are buying the stocks? Or is it entities like central banks and their proxies -- not buying them as investments, but buying them in mass to shore up the entire global economy and stop the crash that started right after Brexit ... or that started right after December 16, 2015? (It's just one crash right after another here at Wonderland's National Demolition Derby.) Are central banks firing up all engines to stop a crash in its tracks with a massive coordinated salvo of purchases? So, what is happening as central bankers watch each other in mutual admiration? Says Jeff Cox of CNBC, The reason anyone would buy negative-yielding debt is actually pretty simple: Because they have to. They are central bankers looking to help promote economic growth. They are insurance companies, pension funds and money managers who have to match liabilities with assets. They are not, by and large, retail investors who are so afraid of risk that they're willing to pay for the privilege of lending money to a government. Together, those buyers have helped build a nearly $12 trillion funnel of negative-yielding sovereign debt -- unprecedented in world history. Gee, there are a lot of things breaking historic world records this week. That must mean it's a great week! Cox thinks the big buyers of bonds are central banks, pushing down interest rates to stimulate the economy. No surprise there. Central banks have been going pedal-to-the-metal to hold interest rates to the floor for almost a decade, so why not continue? The record highs in bond sales (with corresponding lows in interest) and high in stock sales most likely are due to rapid pressure being applied to the accelerator as a counter-measure to the concerns governments and bankers have had about Brexit. Central banks could do that directly, or they could do it invisibly (since they operate under a cloak most of the time anyway) by offering enticements or pressure to their proxies. ("You want this mega-conglomerating merger to happen: buy ten billion dollars worth of US bonds, and then I'm sure we can get it approved." If not that, there's a thousand other ways for central banks to push money into markets now that they are accustomed to doing so in an unbridled fashion. It's the new norm.) That the stock markets are being driven up by central bank purchases can be seen in the following graph: Emerging markets (EM) that were crashing at the start of 2016 offloaded assets to raise funds to keep the home front running at the start of the year. That contributed to January becoming the worst January in the history of the US stock market -- worse than any start of a year in the Great Depression or the Great Recession. The central Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank increased their buying of those assets to offset that fall, and both recently announced they are going to apply a lot more stimulus. Cox goes on to write, Ostensibly, the global race to the bottom was supposed to stimulate growth, and it may just well keep pushing risk assets [stocks in particular] higher. But what awaits on the other side is adding to the worries of investing professionals. "Ultimately, there will be a day of reckoning," said Erik Weisman, chief economist at MFS Investment Management.... There remains a pervasive feeling on Wall Street that the risk rally is built on sand, with a price to pay in a world where owning government debt no longer pays but rather costs. Even central banksters who create money out of nothing cannot create a free lunch. Somebody pays, but probably you, not them. It's an ominous feeling really -- a sense that there is no underlying reality anymore -- that the sands are shifting under your feet. "There's no doubt that there are and will continue to be unintended consequences, and the further we move away from something conventional into unconventional, the ratio of unintended consequences to intended consequences will rise," Weisman said. We're seven years on since stimulus responses to the Great Recession began. These have also been the greatest stimulus measures in the history of the world. (No wonder these rides are so thrilling as they reach new world records multiple times a week.) However, outside of flying stocks, we still have a global economy that seems endlessly stuck in the dog days of summer. Or, to change to my old winter metaphor (now that summer has turned abnormally cold here where I write), the longer and harder the snow plows push the snow straight ahead, the more it piles up as an impossible obstacle ahead of them. The louder they get with chained tires clawing and engines roaring and smoking, the less snow they push. The plows are now grinding away at full throttle in the lowest gear they have, and it is looking like they are going to remain stuck in that gear for a very long time -- maybe another decade ... unless they simply give up the battle. The world is buried under the highest mountains of the cheapest debt ever imaginable, and nothing is moving in the overall economy (except financial instruments that are trading places). And that is where I said we would wind up when I wrote my very first articles in my Downtime series on government bailouts and stimulus back at the start of the Great Recession. I said they were pushing all the snow straight ahead, instead of off to the side, so (quite a ways down the road) they would have a mountain of snow so high in front of them that all the plows in the world could push it no further. We are now quite a ways down the road. The European banks that are screaming for bailouts are buried in bad debt they pushed forward from the Great Recession. They never wrote it off then because the damage to their balance sheets would have been so severe. As I said back then, such policies only meant the damage to their balance sheets in the future would be even more severe. The problem of bad debt owned by banks in Italy is now four times worse than it was at the bottom of the Great Recession. Why did I know that would happen? Because nothing about this "recovery" is recovery. It has all been a forestalling of problems, "kicking the can further down the road," with the inevitable pay-back time becoming worse the longer we forestall the inevitable write-off of bad debt. My Downtime articles years ago sounded many warnings that everything governments and central banks were doing was making a very bad situation worse just so we could avoid the pain at the time. Such actions resolved none of the true underlying problems that are built right into the foundation of our debt-based economy. Until we stop thinking we can build true monuments of wealth over ever-growing chasms of debt, we will solve nothing at all. Europe's banking troubles are now far deeper than they were at the belly of the Great Recession Part One. Europe endlessly scrambles to solve banking troubles that become harder to solve with each new phase. The snow plows I talked about in my Downtime series have not only stopped pushing the snow ahead, but the drift is now avalanching back onto them and pushing the plows backward, even as their wheels are spinning and screeching forward. (This is what we do in the parking lots here in Winter Wonderland.) Why else would the entire financial world be upside down? Another explanation for the greatest dichotomy in financial history that is now happening in the US is that money is exiting European markets and fleeing to anything in the US because the US remains the best looking corpse in the cemetery; so, if you want to dance with stocks, do so with Stockzilla, bride of Bankenstein. What appears completely irrational is in part a flight of money from one part of the world to the last safe place on earth. (Safe for the moment, but moments count when you're fleeing an avalanche.) Central banks have become the biggest bullies in the playpen. With the biggest bullies pushing their weight around as much as they possibly can, there is no safe place for small investors in the playpen. So, individual investors around the world are fleeing to the safest investments they can think of. With Europe in such volatile flux and China being such an unknown with its own massive upheavals, what more readily comes to mind right now as a final resting place than the good ol' US of A? Naturally, the US will be the last major economy affected by the second avalanche of bank failures, which this time has started in Europe. Brexit isn't likely to trigger anything in the US directly, other than the immediate panic selling that was seen in stocks right after the vote. Once it was clear that Brexit wasn't going to destroy the United States, some euphoria within the US probably kicked in and helped push the stock market up rapidly past its long-standing ceiling because that euphoria was accompanied by even larger money flows from outside the nation as people ran for cover. Brexit appears to be triggering the failure of banks that were too fat to fail, lest they flounder upon us and squish us all -- some of the world's most established banks. As things fall apart to this unprecedented degree in Europe, money has to run somewhere, and the US casino still has pretty lights that can be seen as far away as the growing darkness in Europe. The United States will not remain immune to what is happening in Europe forever, but the hot air coming out of Europe's balloon may fill the US sails for awhile. For the moment, the US is the beneficiary of Europe's decline. This could be a brief moment, however, as there are likely to be surprising connections (black-swan events) between Europe's failing banks and US banks that materialize faster than anyone expects. We're sailing in uncharted territory that looks nothing like anything we've seen before, so who knows what comes next in a world where stocks soar in the face of generally gloomy economic news while bond sales also soar at the lowest interest rates in history? (Welcome to our Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride where Mario Draghi plays the part of Jack Sparrow!) With Europe reaping the whirlwind as its banks turn out the lights with China looking lost and confused and sometimes spinning erratically, with Japan ecstatically voting to start its umpteenth round of unsuccessful quantitative easing, with South America breaking into greater anarchy every day of its pitiful, starving life, and with the US in longterm manufacturing decline with corporate profit growth also in continual decline, one cannot seriously think the world is just going to pull out of this! That means those who are buying stocks because they believe there's a new 30% rising bull market just beginning are taking euphoria to new heights, too. They are, in the very least, taking a perilous ride. "Investors are buying bonds for capital appreciation and stocks for income. The world has turned upside down," said James Abate, chief investment officer at Centre Asset Management LLC. The shift, according to Abate, has been fueled by central-bank stimulus inflating government-bond prices across the world, pushing yields on nearly $12 trillion of government debt into negative territory. And as bond yields tumble, more and more equities are yielding more than government bonds, spurring demand for companies offering sustainable income in the form of dividend payments. "It is a poison brew that central banks keep serving us,"Abate said. ~ MarketWatch In other words, central banks have taken all rationality out of all financial markets ... at least in one sense. Everything everywhere now is contingent upon what central banks are doing. The contagion of their poison is ubiquitous. There is another sense, however, in which this is all rational. I call it the new rationality: central banks have all the money, and money follows money. So, individual investors are doing the best they can in following the money. So, in terms of global economics and politics, its irrational; but in terms of following the makers of money who run the show, it makes perfect sense. It has is own mad mindset. "There's a perception there's a greater fool behind you," Kohli said, pointing to the strategy of buying a bond with the intention to sell later at a higher price. But the main forces behind the rally, Kohli added, are central-bank purchases that keep fueling demand and propelling prices higher.... What's more, the recent divergence between the main U.S. equity indexes and benchmark Treasury yields has been flashing "mind the gap" signals that fuel fears of a sharp correction.... So, despite popular belief, the decline in interest rates "should be viewed as a bad sign," noted BAML's Global Rates and Currencies Research team, in a report released Monday. "Too often we have heard how declining interest rates are good news and are used as a justification for investors being pushed out the risk spectrum. We disagree and argue this time is different and the decline in rates should be interpreted as a bad sign," the analysts noted. ~ MarketWatch If Kohli's first statement doesn't sound like the definition of a Ponzi scheme, what does? In terms of everything that once made sense financially, central banks' transformation of this world into Wonderland is now complete. In this topsy-turvy world, Mad Hatters may not be so mad as they look. Everyone is simply trying to maneuver around the biggest bullies in the playpen by finding the safest place to play. It's the new rationality of a world intentionally turned on its head -- at last, by nearly everyone's recognition -- even more than it is euphoria. The irrationality has become obvious. What is not so obvious is the rationality of the irrationality. In other words, if investors take the bullish gamble on a rising stock market in the US at a time when most of the world is falling apart, they may be right for all the wrong reasons ... for now. In Central Bank Wonderland, they have nowhere to fall but up. On a short-term basis (probably very short-term) market bulls could be right only because all the other circling drain holes around the world are dumping into sovereign bonds, precious metals ... and the US stocks as the last casino open for business. Everything is now flowing into the extreme zone at the same time. You can bet on the wild ride in US stocks, or you can bet on bonds that guarantee you almost nothing (or even less than nothing), or you can bet on precious metals. All three markets are rising together right now. The question is which one is likely to continue rising as Europe disintegrates, the oldest banks in the world crash, China teeters between crashes and stimulus while running the world's most notoriously cooked books, Japan takes the governor off the throttle and flies with full-hot afterburners blazing into the rarified nozone, and South American economies implode into social chaos? This is the crazy new zombie economy I call "The Epocalypse" -- a world of economic collapse everywhere, apocalyptic in scale, epic in that it already exceeds the greatest extremes in history, and epoch in that it will come to be known as its own period in time. One word that says it all. You have witnessed the beginning of this hideously convoluted world, and it only gets more distorted from here because nothing has been done to right the essential problems that are creating this grotesque chaos while ungoverned greed rules the day. The children are no longer asking, "Are we almost there yet?" We've arrived, and they're now asking if they can go home. Welcome to Central Bank Wonderland where Janet Yellen is the Queen of Hearts and all the little carnival riders are Mad Hatters whose moves are rational if you live in a world with irrational rules created by truly mad leaders. Dinner is served in our Zombie Epocalypse Room where only zombie banksters get to dine ... and dinner is you! You see, if you were ever able to walk out the back door of Wonderland and look over your shoulder, the sign above the door says "Hotel California." You are always welcome here ... and can never leave. Doest it get any more fun than this? Sure it does. Wait till you Act Two, which could be as early as next week! TROUBLE IN PARADISE: TOURISM IN THE AGE OF TERRORISM / DER SPIEGEL \| Etiquetas: Tourism, Travel Tourism in the Age of Terrorism Hotel beach in Taba, Egypt Terrorism is making life difficult for many vacation destinations, with European travelers choosing holidays closer to home. The travel industry is fundamentally changing as a result and many once popular places are facing ruin. By SPIEGEL Staff He quickly performed yet another inspection of the surveillance cameras, got an update on the status of maintenance work being performed on the bomb detector and went over his calculations on the future strength of his team of guards for the umpteenth time. Now all security expert Mohab Bakr needs is his cigarettes, then he'll be ready for his most important appointment of the day, maybe even of the season: the security meeting with the managers of the Egypt's seaside resort Taba Heights. Bakr is in charge of security. His senior-most supervisor, "Mister Jokim," will also be at today's meeting. His real name is Joachim Schmitt, the German vice president of hotels and resorts for the Orascom Group, which owns Taba Heights. The international corporation operates 25 locations with nearly 15,000 beds between the Nile and Red Sea, but business has seen better days. The unrest following Hosni Mubarak's deposition in 2011 along with Islamist terrorism have taken their toll on the Swiss-based company's share price, which has fallen from 150 Swiss francs to below 10. "Mister Jokim" has come to Taba to talk about the security situation -- security, in these trying times, has become an invaluable commodity. Bakr, a bulky man in his early 50s, wears a dark mustache, light linen trousers and a blue and white plaid shirt. When Bakr makes the rounds inspecting the resort, he blends right in among the guests. But now he's back in his office, situated directly above the resort's central laundromat at the far edge of the complex, talking about how he protects the tourists. Bakr's greatest wish is that visitors feel safe again in Egypt. He wants to see the French, Swiss and German tourists return to the hotels, the coral reefs and the deep blue sea. The area Bakr oversees is enormous. At 4 million square meters, or 43 million square feet, is about as big as 616 football fields. Three security perimeters encircle the resort village, which has its own golf course, shopping center and clinic. The main road, which continues on to the Egyptian-Israeli border town of Taba, is secured by military outposts fortified with machine guns and sandbags. The main entrance to the resort is guarded by police and Bakr's security team, a force of around 100 men. The bottom of every approaching vehicle is inspected with mirrors and sniffed by bomb dogs. The guards make no exceptions, not even for the Peugeot of "General Mohab," as they call Bakr. The name comes from Bakr's former life, back when he was a brigadier general in the Egyptian military. As a liaison officer on the Sinai Peninsula, he maintained contact with the Israelis, multinational troops and the Palestinians. He has photos of himself sitting at a negotiating table across from Israeli officers and in the Gaza office of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He even worked for Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, back when the now-Egyptian president was still the head of Egypt's military intelligence. After three decades of service as a brigadier general, Bakr retired. "The stress was too much," he says. His current position, commanding security guards at Taba Heights, is much more relaxed -- and the pay is better too. "This new job is a piece of cake," he says. It's not the kind of thing you'd expect to hear on the Sinai Peninsula, which is considered a stronghold of Islamic terrorists and Germany's Foreign Ministry has officially issued a "partial travel warning" for all of Egypt. It's the kind of cautionary notice that's read carefully by German travelers -- like the Koslowski family. Sylke and Ulrich Koslowski are nice people. She's a cashier at Lidl, the German discount supermarket chain, while he works as a machinist. They live in Warstein, a town that is, geographically speaking, smack in the middle of Germany. From the balcony of their second-story apartment, they look out upon the green undulations of the Sauerland, a low range of hills. The Koslowskis like to go for walks and they love where they live. Yet the walls of their apartment are decorated with framed photographs of the many trips they've taken. They've always loved to travel. Hungary, Bulgaria, Mallorca, Italy and Fuerteventura along with city trips to Amsterdam, London and Brussels. They were in Abu Dhabi and the Maldives. They wanted to go to Turkey next -- Istanbul perhaps, or to Antalya, where the prices are tempting for so many Germans. They're worldly people, interested in new places. But then came terror -- and with it, fear. This year, the Koslowskis aren't going to Turkey or the Maldives. Instead, they've chosen Fehmarn, a Baltic Sea island off Germany's northern coast. Their choice to travel domestically is a common one these days and Germany's beach resorts are fully booked. Such travel choices made by the Koslowskis of this world, totally normal Germans, are having a profound impact. Due to their anxieties, their fears and their trip cancellations, hotels in Tunisia are going bankrupt and Turkey is losing a significant chunk of its usual tourism revenue. Sylke Koslowski once visited a mosque in the Maldives, which was very impressive, she says. But today, she's afraid. She fears a rage she does not understand. She doesn't want to have the feeling of "being accepted in these countries just because tourists bring in money" without actually being welcome. Vacation was once a microcosm of globalization, one that was accessible to everyone. Average Joes, cashiers and machinists alike, would fly in crammed discount jets via Dubai and Singapore to Phuket, Thailand. The diving instructor would be from Kuala Lumpur, Muslim and married to a Buddhist. At night, everyone would drink Dutch beer and eat Thai soup and ribs with sauerkraut. It was pleasant and comfortable, but it was not a situation that was built to last. It was delusional to believe such a comfort zone could be maintained forever, whether people were paying for it or not. Many such vacation destinations were in countries where society was in a precarious state of tension, aggravated by political repression, poverty and hatreds. But are tourists really interested in all that? Of course not. Tourists are in search of simplicity, says crisis and communications expert Peter Höbel, who advises firms in the travel industry. They want a place where they are removed from psychological strain, from incomprehensible anger -- and they want to be loved. The tsunami in December 2004, for instance, cost more people their lives than all terrorist attacks since then. But that was a natural disaster, an act of God. Terrorism, on the other hand, is the personification of evil. It undermines our self-image as travelers; we want to be smiled at and greeted as friends. This illusion is currently being destroyed. But isn't fear of terrorist attacks, rationally speaking, completely overblown? From the sober perspective of statisticians and risk analysts, the answer is yes. The probability of falling victim to terrorist violence in a foreign country is extremely low. You're much more likely to get into a car accident on the way to the airport or suffer a heart attack inside the terminal because the check-in line is so long. Risk analysts have come up with a unit of measurement for death called the micromort. It measures the probability of dying an unnatural death on a an otherwise normal day. One micromort is the equivalent of a one-in-a-million chance that someone will die. A holiday flight, for example, is relatively safe. You can fly from Düsseldorf to Antalya and back and only expose yourself to a risk of less than 0.5 micromorts. A Caesarean section, on the other hand, has a statistical probability of 170 micromorts, while bypass surgery clocks in at 16,000 micromorts. And when Ulrich Koslowski rides home from Fehmarn on his Harley-Davidson, a trip that covers a distance of about 400 kilometers (248.5 miles), he'll hit a risk factor of 40 micromorts. That's not very high, but it's higher than was the risk of dying in a terror attack in France in 2015. Death by terrorism is as likely as death by falling coconut, which kills 150 people a year. Or by walking backwards off a cliff while taking a selfie -- a fairly new kind of fatal accident. But vacation isn't a probability calculation. It is an emotional journey. And fear breeds more fear. Tourists are social creatures -- and not many of them would enjoy the prospect of sitting alone near the hotel buffet, surrounded by melancholic waiters. Another factor came into play as the Koslowskis decided upon Fehmarn. It's an invention from northern Germany, and it first hit the market this year -- a beach chair that transforms into a canopy bed where you can spend the night. At 1.3 meters wide and 2.4 meters long, it can be zipped up and it has portholes for peeking outside. From the confines of its walls, you can look up and see the stars and listen to the waves breaking against the shore. Arne Schultchen has a particularly nice way of explaining the success of this beach basket. He runs a design agency in Hamburg and it was his company that developed this novelty and the philosophy to go along with it. The beach chair, Schultchen says, represents shelter and security: "The beach chair is kind to me, it's reliable -- the opposite of a terrorist." That's certainly one way to see it. The beach chair is certainly symbolic of an important trend in tourism. Since 2005, the number of overnight visitors to Germany has jumped 27 percent, and in the last year alone, it rose 2.9 percent to 436 million people. Fear of terrorism is dividing the world into winners and losers. Spain, Germany, Greece and Italy are profiting. In Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, small family-owned companies and large hotel chains alike are going under. The year 2016 could be a decisive one: The winners are experiencing the full power of the tourism industry, one of the biggest economic sectors on the planet. In the EU, there are as many people working in tourism as there are in the auto industry or the agricultural sector. The losers see themselves in a war of sorts, one in which today's enemy was yesterday's friend. Their mode of attack is the fact that they no longer show up. Unemployed Egyptians, desperate Tunisians -- that's how new refugees are made, or how legions of young men become susceptible to the siren song of Islamist preachers. Survival Loans in Paradise Hayatli Simsek enjoyed his work the most when he was traveling with his guests in the Taurus Mountains, where the women still bake pita bread by hand and children swim in the turquoise river. For Simsek, a travel guide, these were special excursions: "I wanted to show them how we live." Simsek is a gaunt 50-year-old with a tattoo of a stylized heart on his forearm. He goes by Hajo -- that's what people used to call him back when he lived in the southern German city of Heilbronn. Simsek was born to a family of guest workers from Anatolia. He played football with the other boys from his neighborhood, became a stonemason and married in Germany before having two daughters. Fourteen years ago, his wife divorced him and Simsek needed a fresh start. So he went to Turkey. Things weren't so bad -- at first. Simsek sits under a pomegranate tree in his yard in Side, a seaside town located about 60 kilometers from Antalya. He looks at the beach bordering his property and talks about how he built a new life for himself here on the Turkish Riviera after more than 30 years in Germany. After completing his tour guide training, he convinced his boss to buy a white Mercedes bus. He painted colorful waterfalls and cliffs onto the side and began offering "Mountain safaris" for €20 a ticket. The bus seats 50 people. Business was going well. On some days, he even had to rent a second bus. But now? Practically every week, a bomb goes off somewhere in the country, or a terrorist detonates a suicide belt. More than 300 people have died since June 2015 in nearly two dozen attacks by Islamic State or the banned Kurdistan Workers Party. On the last Tuesday in June, three suicide bombers killed 45 people and injured 240 others at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul. Ankara suspects Islamic State was behind the attack. In the first five months of 2016, the number of foreign visitors to Antalya dropped by more than 40 percent. Economists worry this could amount to a €7 billion loss in revenue. Along the Turkish Riviera, almost all the hotels have had to take out loans. Until recently, Turkey's travel industry was generating more than 6 percent of the country's gross domestic product with nearly one in 10 jobs depending on tourism. The sector, observers say, has sufficient financial reserves to keep going for a year, two at the most. After that, 30 to 40 percent of the hotels and restaurants will have to close, which would cost thousands of jobs. Simsek walks along the empty beach promenade in Side, past closed hotels and restaurants. The last time he took guests into the Taurus Mountains was three weeks ago, he says. "If things continue like this, I'll be bankrupt in half a year." Turkey isn't the only travel destination that has lost its innocence. The world has become a dangerous place, or so it seems. In 2015 alone, there were dozens of attacks and numerous kidnappings outside Iraq and Syria for which Islamic State claimed responsibility. Tourists are especially "soft targets." Their behaviors and their routes are easily predictable, they're unsuspecting, sometimes naive and unprotected, and they don't know their way around. They're the perfect victims. Nemea (Peloponnes) It's just past 6 p.m. when the black car pulls up. It's a single, modest-looking sedan without a police escort or cordons or sirens -- which is remarkable, because Greek politicians tend to be fond of making a grand entrance. As soon as Elena Kountoura, Greece's minister of tourism, gets out of the car, people begin approaching her and she joins the event's organizer to have him explain the set-up. A former model and athlete, Kountoura is probably Greece's most popular politician. Tourism is the only sector in Greece where things are actually doing quite well, and Kountoura is the ruler of this empire of hotels and beaches, restaurants, camping sites, bars and souvenir shops. Today she has come to Nemea, an ancient town on the Peloponnese peninsula where the Nemean Games are held every four years. The games have their roots in Greek antiquity and pay tribute to Zeus. It's a perfect, warm summer evening and Kountoura is in a good mood. Last year, more than 26 million tourists came to Greece, an increase of 7 percent over 2014. It's an industry of utmost importance for the crisis-ridden country, employing more than a million Greeks, or one-fifth of all workers, even if it's mostly seasonal. Is Greece profiting from the tourism crisis in the rest of the world? Kountoura says that Greece has had its problems too. The arrival of the refugees, she says, caught the country off guard at first. But, she says, "our people, this beleaguered nation, responded to the refugee crisis with humanity, hospitality, generosity and kindness. This was a hugely important message to the world, that counterweighted the negative publicity of the refugee crisis." But things didn't unfold quite as harmoniously as Kountoura would have it. On Kos, for example, the island that lay along the migrants' route last year, there was discontent and unease among many vacationers. People visiting the island didn't want to be confronted with the sight of refugees and their suffering during their vacation, and they certainly didn't want to stroll past them in their bathing suits along the beach promenade. Traveling for pleasure is a relatively new invention. In the past, ordinary people only traveled when necessary -- unless they were greedy or crazy, say, an adventurer, merchant, missionary or a man possessed. It wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that literary greats glorified travel as a romantic experience, a way to discover oneself. In the 20th century, thanks to flat-rate trips and budget travel agencies, globe-trotting was democratized and mechanized. But it wasn't all innocent. Western tourists tromped through isolated villages, snapping photos along the way, and women in hotpants sauntered through Oriental bazaars. Tourists put their money, cameras and way of life on display, as well as their skin and sexuality. And now, in the 21st century? Are we witnessing the end of this lack of inhibition? A Spanish Revival The Royal Kenz Hotel in Port El Kantaoui is an ocher-colored building on the beach with bubbling fountains, well-maintained swimming pools and ebullient staff. Inside are 950 beds. Many of the structures here are like this one, but the Royal Kenz stands out because of its location. A year ago, right next door at the Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba, the terrorist Seifeddine Rezgui Yacoubi pulled a Kalashnikov out of an umbrella and opened fire, killing 38 people, all tourists, most of them British, before he was overpowered. Since then, a dark cloud has hung over this stretch of coastline. Restaurants and small entrepreneurs have given up and sun umbrellas rot on the beach. The Royal Marhaba is sealed off by a fence topped with razor wire. The livelihoods of roughly 2 million Tunisians depend on tourism. The turmoil that followed the Arab Spring was already keeping some foreigners away, but it wasn't until the dual attacks in 2015 -- one in March in front of the Bardo National Museum in Tunis and another in June on the beach in Port El Kantaoui -- that revenues from tourism plummeted by 35 percent. Who's to blame for this situation? The politicians, says Ridha Jegham, because they're the ones making people afraid. Jegham, 50, has an athletic build and sports a crew cut. He's the manager of the Royal Kenz. Jegham gives a tour of his empty hotel. At a lonely bar sits a man named Mehdi, a hulking security guard in a red polo shirt. From his perch, he watches over the eight rows of beach recliners for guests of the Royal Kenz. Three Russian families have claimed the first row, dragging the chairs from the shade into the sun, right up to water. It's almost only Russians who ever come here anymore. Tunisia became their destination of choice over Egypt after the attack on a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai desert. The hotel personnel would prefer the English; they're not as surly as the Russians. But British tour operators are shunning the country, along with most Belgians and Dutch. British airlines don't even fly into the area anymore. Contributing to hotel manager Ridha Jegham's tragedy is also a great misunderstanding. Jegham thought the tourists were like friends who were coming for personal reasons. He believed there was something akin to sincerity or loyalty in this business. He says his country, Tunisia, has emulated European ideals like no other country in the region. Freedom, democracy, self-determination, responsibility -- born out of the Arab Spring revolution of 2011 and the free elections that followed. He points out that there are satirical programs on TV now, something that would have been unthinkable before. Attending university is free, and education is just as compulsory for Tunisian children as it is for those in German or France. Jegham speaks with an air of equal parts pride and bitterness. It's like he's saying: We deserve better. "We are peaceful and liberal. We're modern," Jegham says. He doesn't understand why the Europe that was once so eager to bask in the sun on his beaches and take full advantage of the eternal North African summer isn't showing more solidarity and sending its tourists. The day began wonderfully for Víctor Tatay, and it's only going to get better. Tatay has been in a glorious mood since the beginning of the vacation season. After all, he's doing what he does best: finding jobs for his compatriots. Tatay is the director for the Valencia region at Spain's leading temporary employment agency, Adecco. He's 35 with a neatly trimmed beard, dark suit and a handkerchief sticking out of his breast pocket. He sits in his office inside an Art Nouveau house in the bustling central neighborhood of Valencia. As he gazes up at the ornate stucco ceiling, he talks, offering one statistic after another. He's been at Adecco for 12 years and he likes the job. Twenty-five offices report to him, from Castellón to the border with Andalusia, including 120 staffers. He hopes to find jobs for most of the region's 450,000 unemployed during the next three months of the summer season. The demand is there, with the popular tourist destinations Denia, Benidorm and Alicante urgently needing workers. All three locations are in Tatay's area. He's an important figure for Spain at a very important time. This country is the most significant beneficiary of the shift in the tourism sector. Last year, 68 million people poured into the country -- 22 million more than Spain's entire population. By May 2016, 25 million tourists had already visited, an 11 percent spike compared to the same period the year before. The onslaught has been a blessing. When the financial crisis struck Spain, driving savings banks to their knees and collapsing the country's construction sector in 2008, millions of people lost their jobs. Six million women and men were left without work during the worst of the crisis and there are still close to 4 million in search of a job. That's where Tatay comes in: He's the man who feeds the industry as it calls for laborers, the man who turns the unemployed into friendly receptionists, waiters, cooks, maids or drivers. Tatay's people have a special suitcase always at the ready for testing new candidates. Inside it are a tray, silverware and a bottle. "The young man must demonstrate that he can set a table, that he knows how to serve dishes and pour wine." Tatay looks at the clock. Time to leave; he's got a busy day ahead of him. Mohab Bakr, the former general and security expert, turns on his computer and prints out a military map. "Here," he points to the map, "that's the Sinai, with an area of 61,000 square kilometers. And this up here, in the right-hand corner, on the border with Gaza, that's the really dangerous part. It's 800 square kilometers, max. Here on the map it's about as big as my thumb. That's it!" So is the Sinai not actually dangerous? What about the terror attack in February 2014 that killed four people? And the bombing in Dahab that claimed the lives of more than 20 people, including a boy from Germany? And doesn't Islamic State have an offshoot it calls the "Province of Sinai"? Bakr says he can appreciate "certain concerns tourists may have." But what he cannot fathom is how his Egypt, his Sinai, are being put under quarantine. Because airlines are no longer flying to Sharm el-Sheikh, only one of the hotels in Taba Heights is still in operation. "Did the German Foreign Ministry issue travel warnings for France after the Paris attacks?" Bakr asks indignantly. "Did anyone advise against trips to Florida after the Orlando massacre? There's a double standard in the West!" Then Joachim Schmitt, the vice president of the hotel group, finally arrives. Bakr hurries to the lobby, where the meeting is starting. Bakr reports on the cabling work being done on the 40 newly installed surveillance cameras. Should monitoring be expanded? Schmitt dismisses the notion, out of respect for the privacy of the guests. But what more can we do? Bakr reports on the positive experiences his team has had with the bomb detector they recently acquired. It's a Russian model, expensive but efficient. Schmitt approves of Bakr's suggestion to replace bomb sniffing dogs at entrances with more detectors after Bakr explains that machines don't need to take breaks. The investment could pay off if guests start visiting the resort again in greater numbers. Schmitt looks at the number of bookings. There are more reservations from Jordan, good. At some point, he believes, the Russians will start coming back too. And the Germans as well. He nods. Taba Heights should be prepared for when things get better again. On the website of Germany's Foreign Ministry, the travel advisories for Egypt still read: "Travel to the northern Sinai Peninsula and the Egyptian-Israeli border region is strongly discouraged. This also includes the Taba resort area." The Koslowskis are taking that advice to heart. By Dieter Bednarz, Giorgos Christides, Julia Amalia Heyer, Ralf Hoppe, Maximilian Popp, Jan Puhl and Helene Zuber THE REPUBLICAN PARTY: PAST AND FUTURE TRUMPS / THE... WHAT´S THE PROBLEM WITH PROTECTIONISM? PROJECT SYN... THE FED´S NEW FROTH PROBLEM / THE WALL STREET JOUR... GOLD AND GOLD STOCKS OVERBOUGHT...WHAT TO EXPECT? ... CENTRAL BANK WONDERLAND IS COMPLETE AND NOW OPEN F... TROUBLE IN PARADISE: TOURISM IN THE AGE OF TERRORI... MONEY AND THE UNIVERSE FROM NOTHING: IS IT RIGHT? ...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line112
__label__cc	0.514726	0.485274	THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS / JOHN MAULDIN´S OUTSIDE THE BOX NEWSLETTER \| Etiquetas: Investment Strategies, Speculation By David McWilliams At school, our Religion teacher, a wise Catholic priest known as ‘Doc Carroll’, urged us to read St Thomas Aquinas on sinfulness. As you can imagine, in an Irish Catholic boarding school, sin was a big deal. The 1980’s moral tug of war for my soul pitted Aquinas at Mass against Bananarama on Top of the Pops. Guess who won? However, Aquinas has proved more enduring. I can only remember Bananarama chorus lines after too much wine at 50th parties (not pretty); but Aquinas’ observations have stayed with me. He believed in the idea of a ‘just price’ whereby a ‘good man’ shouldn’t knowingly sell anything for more than it was worth and, under no circumstance, should he lend money for interest to anyone. Usury was a clear sin; absolution from this crime demanded deep penance as the common or garden “a dozen Our Fathers and hail Mary’s” wouldn’t suffice. In Thomas’ world, speculation was a venial sin and using borrowed money to speculate verged towards a mortal sin. Of course, the reason the great Catholic philosopher was interested in money is because he was interested in human nature and how money affects human nature. He was also interested in the flock or the herd: anything that moves the herd in a certain direction needs to be watched, and speculation (especially leveraged speculation) does strange things to the herd. The word speculation comes from the Latin ‘speculare’ which is to be on the look out for trouble. The Roman forum with its whores, thieves and moneychangers, had a special corner reserved for the speculari. They’ve been around for a long time. Bulls and bears have long dominated markets, manipulating human nature and undermining rationality in the pursuit of riches. When other peoples’ money is cheap, the incentive to borrow to drive up prices and sell on to the next guy, pocketing the difference, is as old as humanity itself. But as Aquinas understood, speculating is a very different business to investing. In a nutshell, the speculator starts with a small amount of money, hoping to make a lot, quickly. The investor, in contrast, starts with a lot of money and hopes to make a little more, slowly. It’s all around us Innovation has always excited the speculator, so too has cheap money. Although investments are subject to wasteful booms and busts, it doesn’t mean they are useless. Many innovations that have been the subject of wild speculation have lasted or had a profoundly positive effect on the productivity of the economy. Speculation isn’t useless but it is dangerous and with leverage it can link bits of the global economy, which otherwise have no obvious connection. The legacy of various speculative manias is all around us. For example, I live in a truncated terrace of houses built just after the Napoleonic Wars when Dublin and the rest of urban Britain was in the grip of a building boom. The boom was fuelled by paper profits generated by exotic investment in the first emerging markets mania. Following British victories over France, the colonies were seen as a place to make fortunes – which in some cases they were. Once the war was won, yields on British government bonds (Consols) collapsed and interest rates fell dramatically. Between 1820 and 1824, powered by the confidence that followed the military victory abroad and rock bottom interest rates at home, local speculators played the arbitrage between the paltry yields on British Consols and the stellar yields of colonial debt. Colonial projects promised vast fortunes. Punters piled in. Banks lent using existing colonial debt as collateral, encouraged by the exciting mathematics of notional arbitrage. This is a common feature of many booms. The bank’s balance sheet plays tricks on itself, whereby expensive collateral is mistaken for good collateral. Money gushed into the system, linking for the first time, credit with the business cycle. Up to the 1800s, wars and agriculture drove the vagaries of the business cycle. Once credit emerged, it came to dominate the business cycle. The modern cycle, whereby credit begets credit, first emerged in the 1820s. In 1825, the Bank of England, fearing that asset price inflation was getting out of control, raised rates and the highly leveraged, post Napoleonic boom came crashing down, driving banks to the wall. Building on the terrace where I live was stopped as the developer went bust. Things that last As I write, looking out the window over Dun Laoghaire harbour towards Wales, Dublin’s only efficient metropolitan railway trundles reliably along just across the road, hugging the coastline. This line was one of the world’s first suburban railways, completed in 1834 to whisk the wealthy Victorians out from the fetid city centre to the refreshing air of the seaside. Following the emerging markets crisis of 1825, the next big financial boom in these parts revolved around railways. The first railway boom, or ‘railway fever’ as it was called at the time, broke out just after the 1825 crash with the opening of the Stockport / Darlington line. In no time – and again driven by easier monetary conditions after the crash – ‘railway fever’ engulfed both islands, with Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin vying to match London’s enthusiasm for new railway companies. Not unlike the dotcom boom a few years back and today’s tech boom, the technological revolution wrought by the railways was real. It brought massive social change. The 1840s and 1850s witnessed a speculative mania like no other in terms of participation and excitement. Railways captured the imagination of all with the promise of cheap transport for the masses, opening up the countryside and connecting people like never before. It’s hard to overstate the impact of cheap transport on a society where up to then, a significant proportion of the population had barely travelled more than a few miles beyond their own villages. The place was giddy with railway exhilaration. As more lines were laid, more railway shares were issued and more and more people were sucked into the financial vortex. John Mills, head of the Manchester Statistical Society, looked back at the railway boom in the 1860s and noted that “Panics do not destroy capital; they merely reveal the extent to which it has been previously destroyed by its betrayal into hopelessly unproductive works.” Railways were the future but they still had to make money. Mass transport means cheap transport and the cheaper the tickets the more compromised the revenue stream of the newer lines, which were being built in more and more remote places. In time, the disparity between the soaring speculative share prices buoyed up by ever increasing leverage and the underlying modest profitability of many of the lines themselves, coaxed some to take profits. The very psychological act of defiance that is selling early, undermines the shaky edifice of the boom. In the end, the railway boom came to a shuddering halt weighed down by its own internal contradictions between price and value. As always, value elbows its way into the speculative group trip and wrecks the buzz. That’s not to say the railway mania was an irrelevant wasteful period in our history. Not at all. In fact, after I finish writing this I’m going to hop on a new train on the old Victorian line into the city. But the point is that boom and bust cycles tend to follow similar paths. The most expensive four words of all are: “This time it’s different”. Credit cycles, as Thomas Aquinas understood, are part of human nature. Boom / bust episodes do strange things to us. It is easy to be caught up in the effervescence, misdiagnosing flakey speculation in the asset of the moment for a solid long-term investment. The Kindleberger / Minsky framework When thinking about asset bubbles, I frequently turn to the work of two economists whose work on credit bubbles, booms and busts seems, to me, extremely accurate. Charles Kindleberger and Hyman Minsky, rejecting classical economics that took the irrational human out of the equation, both recognised the importance of the human propensity to panic, indulge in herd behavior and believe our own propaganda. They outlined the stages of a credit boom, where investors go from optimism and euphoria to depression and panic – a journey that leads to the destruction of wealth. Like Aquinas, they understood human nature. Because we are a flock or a herd, we are essentially pro-cyclical. That is why we tend to act in ways that reinforce whatever economic trend prevails at a given time. In other words, most people are what is known in financial markets as ‘momentum investors’, who follow the crowd, buoyed up by the excitement of it all, rather than value investors who are constantly asking themselves whether prices are reflecting real value or something else. The predominance of momentum investors has the effect of amplifying the high and low points of cycles. It is this sort of behaviour that leads to bubbles and can also push the economy out of kilter for long periods of time. It is simply not true that the self-interested economy naturally rights itself and finds equilibrium. In fact, the opposite is the case. The self interest of banks, market players and leveraged speculators can lead the economy to long inflationary periods or can find itself stuck in long periods of unemployment and deficient demand. Kindleberger’s seminal work – Manias, Panics and Crashes – is well worth a read over Christmas. In it he rejects two widely-held views in classical economics: that financial markets are efficient and that people are rational. He quotes Isaac Newton, who lost a small fortune on the great 18th century speculative punt, the South Sea Bubble, “I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies but not the madness of crowds”. Kindleberger observed that panic can be sparked by a relatively trivial event. Once there is leverage in the system, small events have the tendency to become amplified, particularly if there is no hegemon that will backstop the system when a panic occurs. Such a hegemon in a financial crisis is a large active central bank with sufficient ammunition to mollify the panic. If a panic occurs when rates are high and unorthodox monetary policy has not been used, the central bank’s powder is dry so to speak. But today, after nearly a decade of QE, this is not the case. Looking at the Great Depression and sharing some of Kindleberger’s analysis, Minsky observed how the financial system can go from rude health to fragility extremely quickly. He also identified the five sequential stages of a credit crisis: (1) displacement; (2) boom; (3) euphoria; (4) profit-taking and (5) panic. At the beginning something real happens to displace or disrupt the old order and replace it with something new. This can be a monetary event like the ZIRP or QE where monetary conditions are changed dramatically. This has a real impact on valuations. The displacement or disruption can also be an innovation, which changes the market, such as the emergence of railways, the Internet, Amazon or Uber. Prices of assets start to rise rapidly and people who usually remain aloof from these events become involved. The boom period leads to gearing as the banks fall over themselves to get involved. The next stage is euphoria, when the herd gets excited. This is when balance sheets play tricks on both lenders and borrowers. But of course success breeds a healthy disregard for the chances of failure. The thundering herd is galloping. During the euphoria stage, leverage amplifies prices. At these lofty levels, some savvy players take this as a signal to cash in their chips. A prescient few take profits. This begins the process of unraveling when the herd realises that prices are falling and, in an effort to get out, everyone rushes for the door in panic. The edifice collapses, fortunes are lost and we start again. The essence of a credit cycle is a debt build up combined with old fashioned human nature fueling humanity’s pathological optimism as we end up believing our own propaganda. Minsky made another crucial observation which helps us to understand panics; it is important to look at the types of borrowers who obtain financing during a boom. There are the ‘hedge borrowers’ who can finance their borrowings, both the capital and the interest, out of their own income. Then there are the ‘speculative borrowers’ who can finance the interest on their borrowing but need to roll over the principal. Finally, there are the ‘Ponzi borrowers’ who can’t afford the interest or principal; only the rising value of the asset makes their investments viable. In this type of deal, money doesn’t change hands. The Ponzi borrowers buy ‘on paper’ and sell ‘on paper’ and if the market goes up quick enough they make a tidy killing. If the market falls, they are goosed and so too are those who lent to the Ponzi borrowers! When the bubble pops, the first guy to fall is the Ponzi borrower – but it doesn’t stop there. The generalised fall in asset prices affects the speculative borrower too, because the bank will only allow him to rollover the principal if the asset has value; if the asset value falls, the bank slams on the brakes. As the withdrawal of credit causes the economy to seize up, everyone’s income falls. This affects even the hedge borrower’s position because although he could finance both interest and capital out of income, as everyone’s income is falling, his is too, making it difficult for even the hedge borrower to meet his payments. As markets go ever higher and the gap between valuation and prices becomes more and more stretched, it would seem injudicious to ignore the repeated warnings from history and overlook our human capacity for individual and collective self-delusion. At Christmas time, even the faithful could do with a little self-doubt. DONALD TRUMP´S BIG CHOICE AT DAVOS / THE FINANCIAL TIMES COMMENT & ANALYSIS \| Etiquetas: Davos, Donald Trump, World Economic And Political Donald Trump’s big choice at Davos Will he reassure his audience that the US believes in strong global institutions? If the short run concern of those gathered in Davos is how the world will deal with the next recession, the long run one has to be the declining appeal of democratic global values © AFP Donald Trump will be attending this year’s World Economic Forum. Inevitably, attention will focus on whether the US president projects a commitment to internationalist values or reiterates his commitment to truculent nationalism in the name of making America “great again”. Attention will also focus on the question of the durability of the current economic and market upswing that has buoyed the spirits of businesses and investors around the world. While President Trump will probably try to take credit for all the economic good news, it is unlikely that he deserves it. He is president of the US, not the whole world. And the economic surprises in the rest of the world have been more favourable than those in America. The scale of upwards revisions of growth forecasts for 2017 and 2018 is higher in Europe, Japan, China and emerging markets broadly than it is for the US. Many other stock markets have outperformed those in the US. If Mr Trump’s pro-business policies were driving the global economy, one would have expected an increase in net capital flows into the US, and so a stronger dollar. In fact, the dollar has weakened significantly in the last year, despite more Federal Reserve tightening than was anticipated at the beginning of 2017. In the 1990s and again in 2006, I remarked that “the main thing we have to fear is lack of fear itself”. Today there is an undercurrent of geopolitical concern that was not present at those times. Yet there are important similarities between the situations then and now, where households and business come to fear missing out on good things more than getting caught up in irrational exuberance. Complacency about the economy can be a self-denying prophecy when it leads to excessive valuations, lending and spending. We are surely closer to such a point than we were a year ago. Sooner or later another downturn will come, perhaps because central banks overreact to what they perceive as inflationary threats, perhaps because elevated financial markets converge to more normal levels, or perhaps because of a geopolitical shock. The world will have much less room than usual to manoeuvre if and when recession comes. From a narrow economic perspective there will be much less room than the usual 500 basis points of space to bring down rates. There will also be much less room for fiscal expansions than there was when countries were less indebted. At the political level, the kind of agreement forged in London in 2009 between the G20 group of most developed countries to keep markets open, support international institutions and co-operate to stimulate their economies seems much more difficult today. And there is the real risk in many countries that recession will reinforce tendencies towards authoritarian nationalist politics. If the short run concern of those gathered in Davos is how the world will deal with the next recession when it comes, the long run one has to be the declining appeal of democratic global values. In countries as diverse as the US, UK, Turkey, Russia, Israel and China, it appears the governmental platform that commands the most popular support is rooted in nativism, nationalism and negativism. Populist nationalism eventually produces bad economic results, leading to more pressures for anti-establishment leadership and for extreme policies. It is far from obvious what re-equilibrates the system. It is hard to predict whether the president will seek to reassure or provoke his audience in Davos. The president’s speech will most probably be compared with President Xi Jinping of China’s rousing defence of globalism at Davos last year. Mr Trump will be further challenged by the suspicion that his rhetoric cannot be relied on to be consistent from speech to speech, let alone to be consistent with subsequent action. What should he say? It depends crucially on what he believes and that is far from clear. The world can accept a message that the US wants a fairer allocation of the burden of upholding the global system, that after a period of weak economic performance America needs to concentrate more efforts at home, and that it will be guided by its economic and security interests, and not the promotion of abstract values. But such a message needs to be accompanied by clear signals that the US will strive to be a reliable and predictable partner, that it understands its interest in strong effective global institutions, and that it recognises that even self-interested nations can benefit from thoughtful diplomacy. If this is the combination of messages that comes out of Davos, a nervous world may become a bit less nervous. That would be a very good thing for those gathered at the forum — and everyone else as well. The writer is Charles W Eliot university professor at Harvard and a former US Treasury secretary READY OR NOT FOR THE NEXT RECESSION? / PROJECT SYNDICATE \| Etiquetas: Europe Economic and Political, Recession, The Fed, U.S. Economic And Political, World Economic And Political Ready or Not for the Next Recession? COPENHAGEN – A sunny day is the best time to check whether the roof is watertight. For economic policymakers, the proverbial sunny day has arrived: with experts forecasting strong growth, now is the best time to check whether we are prepared for the next recession. The answer, for the United States in particular, is a resounding no. Policymakers normally respond to recessions by cutting interest rates, reducing taxes, and boosting transfers to the unemployed and other casualties of the downturn. But the US is singularly ill-prepared, for a combination of economic and political reasons, to respond normally. Most obviously, the US Federal Reserve’s target for the federal funds rate is still only 1.25%-1.5%. If no recession is imminent, the Fed may succeed in raising rates three times by the end of the year, to around 2%. But that would still leave little room for monetary easing in response to recessionary trends before the policy rate hits zero again. In the last three recessions, the Fed’s cumulative interest-rate cuts have been close to five full percentage points. This time, because slow recovery has permitted only gradual normalization of interest rates, and because there appears to have been a tendency for interest rates to trend downward more generally, the Fed lacks room to react. In principle, the Fed could launch another round of quantitative easing. In addition, at least one of US President Donald Trump’s nominees to the Federal Reserve Board has mooted the idea of negative interest rates. That said, this Fed board, with its three Trump appointees, is likely to be less activist and innovative than its predecessor. And criticism by the US Congress of any further expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet would be certain and intense. Fiscal policy is the obvious alternative, but Congress has cut taxes at the worst possible time, leaving no room for stimulus when it is needed. Adding $1.5 trillion more to the federal debt will create an understandable reluctance to respond to a downturn with further tax cuts. As my Berkeley colleagues Christina and David Romer have shown, fiscal policy is less effective in countering recessions, and less likely to be used, when a country has already incurred a high public debt. Instead of stimulating the economy in the next downturn, the Republicans in Congress are likely to respond perversely. As revenues fall and the deficit widens even faster, they will insist on spending cuts to return the debt trajectory to its previous path. Congressional Republicans will most likely start with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food to low-income households. SNAP is already in their sights. They will then proceed to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The burden of these spending cuts will fall on hand-to-mouth consumers, who will reduce their own spending dollar for dollar, denting aggregate demand. For their part, state governments, forced by new limits on the deductibility of state and local taxes to pare their budgets, are likely to move further in the direction of limiting the duration of unemployment benefits and the extent of their own food and nutrition assistance. Nor will global conditions favor the US. Foreign central banks, from Europe to Japan, have similarly scant room to cut interest rates. Even after a government in Germany is finally formed, policymakers there will continue to display their characteristic reluctance to use fiscal policy. And if Germany doesn’t use its fiscal space, there will be little room for its eurozone partners to do so. More than that, scope for the kind of international cooperation that helped to halt the 2008-2009 contraction has been destroyed by Trump’s “America First” agenda, which paints one-time allies as enemies. Other countries will work with the US government to counter the next recession only if they trust its judgment and intentions. And trust in the US may be the quantity in shortest supply. In 2008-2009, the Fed extended dollar swap lines to foreign central banks, but came under congressional fire for “giving away” Americans’ hard-earned money. Then, at the London G20 summit in early 2009, President Barack Obama’s administration made a commitment to coordinate its fiscal stimulus with that of other governments. Today, almost a decade later, it is hard to imagine the Trump administration even showing up at an analogous meeting. The length of an economic expansion is not a reliable predictor of when the next downturn will come. And the depth and shape of that recession will depend on the event triggering it, which is similarly uncertain. The one thing we know for sure, though, is that expansions don’t last forever. A storm will surely come, and when it does, we will be poorly prepared for the deluge. Barry Eichengreen is Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former senior policy adviser at the International Monetary Fund. His latest book is Hall of Mirrors:The Great Depression, the Great Recession, and the Uses – and Misuses – of History. WHAT THE BOND MARKET TURMOIL REALLY MEANS / BARRON´S MAGAZINE \| Etiquetas: Bond Markets, Cash, Financial Markets What the Bond Market Turmoil Really Means Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto I’m not dead! The bond market these days seems to be acting out a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail: During the Great Plague, a collector of corpses making his rounds encounters somebody who protests he hasn’t died yet. Another fellow, who wants his buddy to be removed presently rather than risk being stuck with his remains until the corpse gatherer returns in a few days, counters that “he will be soon; he’s very ill.” Eventually, the problem is solved when the poor guy is whacked over the head and tossed in the cart with the rest of the bodies. All of which may serve to demonstrate that the Pythons’ brand of humor appeals mainly to males of the baby-boomer generation—and everybody else, not so much. Yet the rise in yields has spurred any number of investors and analysts to declare the death of the bull market in bonds, which began in 1981 when long-term Treasury yields topped 15%. Since then, there has been a steady, stairstep decline to a low of 1.36% on the 10-year Treasury note in mid-2016. (Bond prices and yields move in the opposite direction.) Last week, as the benchmark yield topped 2.5%, the calls declaring the 36-year bond bull dead grew louder, as the Current Yield column details. Whether the bull has actually met its demise remains debatable. But even if that is the case, whether it means the end of the climb in the stock market and the expansion in the global economy is at hand is another matter altogether. To be sure, there have been earlier, but premature, declarations that the bond bull market had met its demise, including in Up & Down Wall Street’s online edition back in October 2012, which cited a call by Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s chief strategist Michael Hartnett. Yields—then a bit under 2% for the 10-year Treasury—did have further to fall. But Hartnett also recommended overweighting assets that would benefit from central banks’ liquidity expansion, including U.S. stocks, and especially technology. That advice proved profitable. Over that span, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index nearly doubled in price, while the Nasdaq Composite has done even better, in case you haven’t noticed. Throughout most investors’ careers, interest rates have been in a broadly declining trend, which provides a tailwind to the prices of most assets, from stocks to high-yield credit to real estate. As DoubleLine’s Jeffrey Gundlach observes in the Barron’s Roundtable, when he got into the investment business, the Treasury long bond yield hit 14%, while inflation was 4% and falling. This combination appeared in May 1984, providing an unparalleled 10% real return on a U.S. government obligation, a never-to-be-repeated opportunity. Barron’s online files don’t go back that far, but I vividly recall our Robert Bleiberg pounding the editorial table to buy bonds at those yields. The Dow Jones Industrial Average then hovered around 1,100 (no, I didn’t drop a zero), which shows just how much stocks and bonds alike have benefited from the three-decade-plus decline in interest rates. It would seem we’re now at the polar opposite moment, with 10-year Treasuries, at 2.55%, barely yielding more than inflation. (The consumer-price index is up 2.1% in the past 12 months, according to the latest data out Friday morning.) If the long-term secular trend in interest rates is beginning to reverse, is that fatal to the bull market in equities? To a couple of pros, whose perspectives extend beyond a market environment in which falling interest rates presented a boost, rather than a barrier, to investment returns, that’s not a worry. Higher bond yields, along with higher stock prices, would be like “ice cream on top of the cake” for much of Corporate America, says Dan Fuss, the octogenarian vice chairman of Loomis Sayles, who has 59 years of investment experience. That combination would bolster the pension plans for the companies that still provide them. To illustrate, despite the stock market’s sparkling performance in 2017, pension consultants Milliman found that the top 100 corporate pension plans experienced a $2 billion worsening in their funding status. That’s because their discount rate for future liabilities fell to 3.53% at the end of 2017 from 3.99% a year earlier, raising the present value of those liabilities. For those who didn’t suffer through Finance 101, think how easy it would be to save for retirement if you could lock in yields of 7% or more without risk. Companies with defined-benefit retirement plans have to assume a return of about half that, based on the yield on investment-grade corporate bonds. That means they have to sock away much more to meet those future obligations, just as folks scrimping have to set aside more in their 401(k)s to provide for their golden years. (This leaves aside the many public pension plans that have much larger deficits, given their unrealistic return assumptions, which is a discussion for another time.) OVER THE TRULY LONG TERM, there are other factors to consider. Louise Yamada, who heads the technical advisory firm bearing her name, looked at more than two centuries of U.S. interest rates and found several recurring characteristics. First of all, rate cycles have lasted from 22 to 37 years, so the current one of 36 years is at the lengthier end of the range. Secondly, reversals of trends have tended to be sharp, as when yields fell from double digits in the early 1980s or when they bounced from their extreme lows in 2016. That said, the transitions from declining rate regimes to rising ones have been very slow, shallow affairs “that have taken two to 14 years,” she says. Investors need to bear in mind the historical pattern. As Fuss of Loomis Sayles has suggested for some time, interest rates are in the “foothills” of a climb. Yamada’s work shows the early years of a climb in rates corresponds to an abatement of deflationary pressures. As long as those depressants on prices remain in place, rates don’t rise enough to hurt. An analysis of charts can tell what is happening. It doesn’t explain why, however. With that in mind, Yamada’s work shows Treasury yields have moved above downtrend lines on charts extending back to 1981. In particular, the two-year Treasury note yield topped the 2% mark on Friday for the first time since 2008. The 10-year note also moved up to key levels. It hit 2.6%, short of the 2017 peak of 2.63%, and ended the week at 2.55%. Yamada calculates that a bond bear market would begin in earnest whenever the 10-year Treasury yield breaches the 3% resistance level that has persisted for six years. That’s far off at this point, but she suggests selling longer-duration fixed-income assets into strength, that is, lower yields, and shifting into shorter assets (more on that later). For stock investors, the direction of interest rates seems to matter less than the point at which we stand in the cycle. At the extremes, it’s negative. Soaring rates when inflation is high, or plunging rates when deflation takes hold, correspond to structural bear markets, Yamada’s work shows. Reversals from those extremes support new, structural equity bull markets. In other words, moderation in all things is a good thing. So, if interest rates rise from a historically low level, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. A modest rise in yields suggests an abatement in downward price pressures. In the event of an extreme jump in rates, Fuss argues, the Federal Reserve will resist a destabilizing surge. All of which would translate to a gradual rise in interest rates, but from historically low levels. That shouldn’t be too painful for the stock market or economy. For those who want to ride out rising rates, the Fund of Information column points out money-market mutual funds finally paying something visible to the naked eye, over 1% in many cases, as the Fed has raised its target rate to a range of 1.25% to 1.5%. In an interview with CNBC last week, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett said his firm stashed its cash in Treasury bills and estimated that Berkshire owns about $100 billion in T-bills. Emulating the Oracle of Omaha rarely has been a bad thing, and that goes for savers now. One-month bills yielded 1.3% Friday, while three-month bills yielded 1.44% and six-month bills returned 1.6%. Hardly anything to send your heart aflutter, but a darned sight better than what most bank accounts, brokerages, or money funds yield. It goes without saying that T-bills are the gold standard in terms of safety and liquidity for institutional investors such as Berkshire. And for individual investors in high-tax states, the elimination of the deduction for state and local taxes under the new tax law makes Treasuries’ exemption from state and local income levies all the more attractive. Buying government securities at auctions via its website, treasurydirect.gov, is relatively simple. Many major online brokers, including Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*Trade, and Vanguard, charge no fee to purchase or sell Treasury securities. What could be more contrarian in a market melt-up than cash? INVESTMENT BANKS´ CULL OF COMPANY ANALYSTS BRING DANGERS / THE ECONOMIST \| Etiquetas: Invesrment Banks, Investment Strategies Investment banks’ cull of company analysts brings dangers The baby of astute analysis risks being thrown out with the bathwater of corporate soft soap THEY are not extinct, nor even on the endangered-species list. But company analysts, once among the most prestigious professionals in the stockmarket, are being culled. New European rules, with the catchy name of MiFID2, have just dealt analysts another blow. A study by Greenwich Associates estimates that the budget for the research they perform may drop by 20% this year. In their heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s, analysts could make or break corporate reputations. A “buy” or “sell” recommendation from the leading two or three analysts in an industry could move a share price substantially. Fund managers, and many financial journalists, relied on analysts to spot those companies that were on a rising trajectory, and those where the accounts revealed signs of imminent trouble. And the best analysts were very well paid. But that golden age was built on some rusty foundations. Analysts were well paid because they worked for the big investment banks. But those big banks made money not just by helping investors to trade but also by advising companies on new issues, and on mergers and acquisitions. In such circumstances, there was an implicit bargain that analysts would be positive about a company’s prospects. If they were not, the chief executive might take his business elsewhere. Over time, “buy” recommendations far exceeded “sell” suggestions. This looked less like dispassionate analysis than marketing. A second problem came in the 2000s as regulators cracked down on the way that companies released news to the market. Information could no longer be selectively released to favoured analysts. By the same token, those “Sherlock-like” analysts who liked to spot trends through independent company visits faced difficulties. Everything came to depend on the profits guidance issued by companies for the next quarter or year. And analysts dared not let their forecasts stray too far from what the companies suggested. The paradoxical result was that finance, an industry whose acolytes often trumpet the superiority of free-market economics, had created a poorly functioning market—one that was oversupplied with analysts who mostly offered the same product. Why, then, did it survive at all? The conventional way that investors rewarded banks for good research was not to pay for it directly, but to funnel securities trades their way. This system of “soft” commissions created two conflict-of-interest questions. Were fund managers trading more than they needed to just to pay for their research? And were they getting the best terms available when they did that trade? In both cases, the client, not the fund manager, was in effect paying for the service. There was little incentive to change. Under the new MiFID rules, banks will not be allowed to bundle research up with other products. Fund managers will have to pay for it separately. As a result, they are expected to be much more selective. This recalls Dr Johnson’s response when Boswell asked whether the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland was worth seeing. The great man replied: “Worth seeing, yes; but not worth going to see.” The suspicion is that, for many fund managers, the work of analysts is “worth having, but not worth paying to have”. The rules may technically apply only to Europe but even American investment banks are expected to adjust their business models to cope with MiFID. The employment prospects of analysts had already been hit by index-tracking, or “passive” fund management, which simply buys all the shares in a benchmark, and by the growth of quantitative hedge funds, which use computer programs to select stocks. But the best analysts need not despair completely. The biggest fund managers employ in-house research. Some may be willing to pay for analysis from independent boutiques (as has been the case in the world of economics). The fear, however, is that something will be lost in the process. For all their faults, analysts acted as conduits for company information to be passed to investors who could not afford their own research (charities and small pension funds, for example) and, via the media, to the general public. A few heroic analysts (one thinks of Richard Hannah, a long-term Eurotunnel sceptic) proved adept at exposing corporate flimflam. Alas, the industry generated far too few sceptics and far too many corporate cheerleaders. The baby is being thrown out with the bathwater—but in recent times it was a very small baby amid an awful lot of murky water. WHO WANTS AMERICA´S DEBT? A CLOSER LOOK / SEEKING ALPHA \| Etiquetas: Government Debt Markets, U.S. Economic And Political Who Wants America's Debt? A Closer Look by: The Heisenberg - In light of the ongoing debate about China's alleged plans to "halt" U.S. Treasury purchases, I thought I'd go over some of the scenarios for you. - Obviously, this is an important issue given the Fed's efforts to shrink the balance sheet and Treasury's increased borrowing needs. - What other options does China really have and what other factors are at play here? Unsurprisingly, people are still debating whether China truly intends to "halt" their purchases of U.S. Treasurys or otherwise rethink their strategy with regard to how they allocate their reserves. The Bloomberg story on this hit early Wednesday morning. I talked a ton about it over at Heisenberg Report and I wrote a piece on it for this platform as well. Officially, Beijing suggested the Bloomberg story "might have cited wrong sources or may be fake news." I shouldn't have to say this, but somehow I feel like it's necessary: just because China says it's "fake news" doesn't mean it's not true. Increasingly, Americans seem to believe that when a story comes out that either reflects poorly on a third party or else puts the subject of the story in an uncomfortable position, the ultimate arbiter of truth is somehow the subject of the story. Clearly, that's absurd. Something like: "your Honor, my client is accused of robbing the local McDonald's, but I asked him and he said that's 'fake news', so I rest my case." Additionally, assuming nothing was lost in translation, the above quote from SAFE makes no sense. How does SAFE not know whether it's false or not? That is, what's with the "might" and the "may"? There is only one entity who knows this for sure and it's SAFE, so even if you can't necessarily trust them when it comes to whether they'd admit it if the story were true, they definitely know whether it is or it isn't, so it makes no sense for them to use the terms "might" and "may." Anyway, there are a couple of obvious conclusions one can pretty quickly come to about this. First, China wouldn't jawbone the value of their Treasury portfolio lower if they were about to sell. That wouldn't make any sense. So if they are considering diversifying away from USD assets, it's going to unfold over the longer term. Second, this was almost surely an intentional leak designed to send a message to the U.S. about China's capacity to retaliate in the event the Trump administration gets aggressive with the trade rhetoric. I talked about this in the second linked post above. (Basically, China can drive up rates vol. and if suppressed rates vol. is what's ultimately keeping cross-asset vol. tamped down across the board, then China could theoretically try and engineer a jump in the VIX and an equity selloff in the U.S. by pushing up Treasury yields with vague threats about halting purchases.) All of that said, this is something that's worth discussing, especially in light of the fact that Treasury's borrowing needs are set to rise going forward thanks in part to the tax bill increasing the deficit (see full projections here) and the Fed allowing its balance sheet to run off. Additionally, it seems like some coincidence that Bloomberg just happened to get the information that served as the basis for their story on Wednesday when 10Y yields had just hit 9-month highs following the BoJ cutting purchases on 10-25Y JGBs and amid calls from the likes of Bill Gross for the beginning of a bond bear market. It is not at all far-fetched to suggest that Beijing saw an opportunity to amplify the message they wanted to send to Washington so they threw a bit of gas on the fire. Well, according to Morgan Stanley, it's not realistic for China to make a concerted push away from U.S. debt. For one thing, comparable debt (in terms of quality and liquidity) simply doesn’t yield as much. Here's the comparison: (Morgan Stanley) Deutsche Bank made a similar point on Friday evening on the way to adding a bit of additional color the gist of which is that the sheer size of the flows make the U.S. market the only realistic option. To wit: It remains the case that the US, and perhaps more broadly speaking members of the dollar bloc, generally offers the highest nominal yields – this is the “cleanest dirty shirt” argument. However, the sheer size of Chinese flows creates a natural limit to the ability of investors from this market to diversify away from Treasuries. Indeed, the flow of funds report and reserve balance data illustrate that the average increase in Chinese FX-valuation adjusted reserves has frequently and significantly exceeded the total net flow of capital into debt securities from the “rest of the world”. The simple fact remains that in the short run, the US fixed income market is the only market with sufficient size and depth to accommodate the bulk of the demand from China. BofAML (and Bloomberg's Richard Jones) suggested that the timing of the news out of China isn't coincidental for another reason (i.e., in addition to the fact that it seemed deliberately timed to coincide with a burgeoning selloff in Treasurys). Here's BofAML: The announcement is timely as it coincides with French President Macron’s official visit and an interesting takeaway from the comments is that China officials have cited trade tensions as a factor in their decision. With politics in the Euro Area on a more stable footing, improving macro fundamentals and the end of ECB QE in sight, the EUR as a reserve currency appears to be an increasingly attractive long-term proposition. That QE bit is important. As the ECB tapers, UST-EGB spreads should narrow, making the latter more attractive than they are currently. But that seems like a shift that would take place over the longer term. (I mean, I don't even know if this would be a concern, but if you moved into EGBs too quickly, the mark-to-market losses as the ECB tapers would offset the yield pick-up, so you'd probably want to wait until that had played out.) Moreover, China still runs a trade surplus and assuming exporters repatriate the dollars they receive; the PBoC will have to do something with those dollars or else exchange them for other currencies in order to buy non-USD assets. Here's Morgan Stanley on that (from the same note cited above): If China’s central bank keeps the US dollars instead of converting them into other currencies, what does it buy that is (1) cheaper and (2) offers comparable liquidity to US Treasuries? That's a rhetorical question. Morgan Stanley doesn't think China has any good options in that regard. But look, the bottom line here is that international demand for Treasurys is something to keep an eye on in an environment of rising supply and decreased Fed support for the market. Reduced policy divergence between the ECB/BoJ and the Fed (i.e., the ECB taper and presumed 2019 hike and the BoJ's first steps away from accommodation) will naturally play a role as will the evolution of hedging costs (basis swap levels). The irony is that in the event a severe Treasury selloff triggers a tantrum that flips stock-bond correlations positive (i.e., there's no diversification and balanced portfolios experience a drawdown), the flight to safety could end up underpinning the very assets that sparked the panic in the first place. U.S. HOUSEBUILDER´S DEBT DEAL SPARKS OUTCRY / THE FINANCIAL TIMES \| Etiquetas: Credit Default Swaps, Derivatives, Financial Markets US housebuilder’s debt deal sparks outcry Traders say Blackstone-led refinancing undermines legitimacy of $5tn CDS market Joe Rennison in New York Derivatives traders are crying foul over a Blackstone-led refinancing deal for the US housebuilder Hovnanian, saying the controversial arrangement threatens to further undermine the shrinking market for credit default swaps. Hovnanian, which is based in New Jersey and is one of America’s largest homebuilders, has agreed with Blackstone-owned hedge fund GSO to refinance up to $320m of its debt — but the deal has a catch. In order to secure the funds from GSO, Hovnanian has agreed to skip a payment on some of its existing bonds, triggering a technical default and a big payday for the hedge fund, which placed bets on a default in the CDS market. While legal, traders say the arrangement makes a mockery of a market designed to be used to hedge the risk of real defaults at companies in genuine financial distress. “We fear that the Hovnanian situation could embolden investors to pursue manufactured credit events with other corporate issuers, which would undermine the true intention and spirit of the CDS market,” said Adam Savarese, co-head of leveraged finance trading at Goldman Sachs. GSO is able to offer attractive financing terms precisely because they stand to receive a payout on its CDS contracts. Others, including Goldman and credit hedge funds Citadel and Solus Alternative Asset Management, are on the other side of the CDS trades and stand to lose money, according to people familiar with their positions. Goldman and Solus had offered Hovnanian an alternative refinancing deal. “You can do your credit work but you may not know what is going on behind the scenes where someone could be trying to manufacturer a credit event,” said another fund that had sold Hovnanian CDS. Hovnanian’s investors face a deadline of this Friday to give a green light to the plan, although it also rests on the approval of a market committee of banks and credit investors, which will have to certify an event of default to trigger the CDS payout. The tactic of making refinancing conditional on triggering CDS has been used on occasion before, although the Hovnanian situation is unusual because of the size of the deal and because the company is not in financial distress, according to analysts and traders. CDS fell out of favour after the credit crisis and trading has further shrivelled as market players complain about a lack of transparency and liquidity. The value of outstanding “single-name” CDS, designed to hedge the risk of default on individual companies, has fallen from $33tn in November 2008 to $5tn in the middle of 2017, according to data from the Bank for International Settlements. GSO and Hovnanian say their deal represents the best financing that was available to the company for replacing debt coming due in 2019. “The company appropriately utilised the most attractive financing techniques available,” said a GSO spokesperson. But Peter Tchir at Academy Securities, who spearheaded the use of CDS during the early 2000s, said the controversy would have an impact on the market. “CDS was never designed for something like this,” he said. “I think this is going to create more and more pressure to create a better synthetic hedging vehicle than CDS.” THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS / JOHN MAULDIN´S OUTSIDE THE... DONALD TRUMP´S BIG CHOICE AT DAVOS / THE FINANCIAL... READY OR NOT FOR THE NEXT RECESSION? / PROJECT SYN... WHAT THE BOND MARKET TURMOIL REALLY MEANS / BARRON... INVESTMENT BANKS´ CULL OF COMPANY ANALYSTS BRING D... WHO WANTS AMERICA´S DEBT? A CLOSER LOOK / SEEKING ... U.S. HOUSEBUILDER´S DEBT DEAL SPARKS OUTCRY / THE ...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line113
__label__wiki	0.900903	0.900903	Places of Interest In Kolkata Victoria Memorial The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India which was built between 1906 and 1921. It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria (1819–1901) and is now a museum and tourist destination under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. The Memorial lies on the Maidan (grounds) by the bank of the Hooghly River, near Jawaharlal Nehru road. In January 1901, on the death of Queen Victoria George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston and Viceroy of India, suggested the creation of a fitting memorial. He proposed the construction of a grand building with a museum and gardens.The Victoria Memorial was funded by many Indian states, individuals of the British Raj and the British government in London. The Victoria Memorial's architect was William Emerson (1843–1924), president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The design is in the Indo-Saracenic revivalist style. This style uses a mixture of British and Mughal elements as well as Venetian, Egyptian, Deccani and Islamic architectural influences. The building is 338 feet (103 m) by 228 feet (69 m) and rises to a height of 184 feet (56 m). It is constructed of white Makrana marble. The gardens of the Victoria Memorial were designed by Lord Redesdale and David Prain.Atop the central dome of the Victoria Memorial is the 16 ft (4.9 m) figure of the Angel of Victory. Surrounding the dome are allegorical sculptures including Art, Architecture, Justice, and Charity and above the North Porch are Motherhood, Prudence and Learning.The Victoria Memorial has a number of galleries, 25 in all. These include the royal gallery, the national leaders gallery, the portrait gallery, central hall, the sculpture gallery, the arms and armoury gallery and the newer, Calcutta gallery. The Victoria Memorial has the largest single collection of the works of Thomas Daniell (1749–1840) and his nephew, William Daniell (1769–1837). The Victoria Memorial also has a collection of rare and antiquarian books such as the illustrated works of William Shakespeare, the Arabian Nights and the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam as well as books about kathak dance and thumri music by Wazid Ali Shah. The Royal Gallery displays a number of portraits of Victoria and Prince Albert and, paintings illustrating their lives, by Jansen and Winterhalter. The oil paintings are copies of those in London. They include Victoria receiving the sacrament at her coronation in Westminster Abbey (June 1838); Victoria's marriage to Albert in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace (1840); the christening of the Prince of Wales in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle (1842); the marriage of the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra (1863); Victoria at the First Jubilee service at Westminster Abbey (1887) and the Second Jubilee service at St. Paul's Cathedral (June 1897). The gardens cover an area of 64 acres (260,000 m2). They are maintained by a team of 21 gardeners. They were designed by Redesdale and David Prain. On Esch's bridge, between narrative panels by Gascombe John, there is a bronze statue of Victoria, by George Frampton. Victoria is seated on her throne. She is wearing the robes of the Star of India. Indian Museum The Indian Museum is the largest and oldest museum in India and has rare collections of antiques, armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons, mummies, and Mughal paintings. It was founded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, in 1814. The founder curator was Dr Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist.It has six sections comprising thirty five galleries of cultural and scientific artifacts namely Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Economic Botany. At present, it includes six cultural and scientific sections, viz. Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, geology, zoology and economic botany, with a number of galleries under each section. The Indian Museum originated from the Asiatic Society of Bengal which was created by Sir William Jones in 1784. The concept of having a museum arose in 1796 from members of the Asiatic Society as a place where man-made and natural objects could be collected, cared for and displayed. The objective began to look achievable in 1808 when the Society was offered suitable accommodation by the Government of India in the Chowringhee-Park Street area. In February 2, 1814, Dr Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist, who had been captured in the siege of Serampore but later released, wrote a letter supporting the formation of a museum in Calcutta which he said should have two sections - an archaeological, ethnological and technical section and a geological and zoological one. The Museum was created, with Wallich named the Honorary Curator and then Superintendent of the Oriental Museum of the Asiatic Society. Wallich also donated a number of botanical specimens to the museum from his personal collection. After the resignation of Dr Wallich, curators were paid salaries ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200 a month. Until 1836 this salary was paid by the Asiatic Society but in that year its bankers, Palmer and Company became insolvent and the Government began to pay from its public funds. A temporary grant of Rs 200 per month was sanctioned for maintenance of the museum and library, and Dr J. T. Pearson of the Bengal Medical Service was appointed curator followed shortly by Dr John McClelland and after his resignation by Edward Blyth. In 1840, the Government took a keen interest in the geology and mineral resources and this led to an additional grant of Rs 250 per month for the geological section alone. A new building became a need and this was designed by Walter R Granville and completed in 1875 for the cost of Rs 1,40,000. In 1879 it received a portion of the collection from the India Museum (South Kensington) when that collection was dispersed. The Zoological and Anthropological sections of the museum gave rise to the Zoological Survey of India in 1916, which in turn gave rise to the Anthropological Survey of India in 1945. It currently (2009) occupies a resplendent mansion, and exhibits among others: an Egyptian mummy, The organs are taken out of the mummy's body through nostrils,except heart. The heart is placed in special chambers. The body was then massaged with salt and oil. The covering was done by thin cotton cloth[12] the Buddhist stupa from Bharhut, the Buddha's ashes, the Ashoka pillar, whose four-lion symbol became the official emblem of the Republic of India, fossil skeletons of prehistoric animals, an art collection, rare antiques, and a collection of meteorites. Kalighat Kali Temple The Kalighat temple in its present form is only about 200 years old, although it has been referred to in Mansar Bhasan composed in the 15th century, and in Kavi Kankan Chandi of the 17th century. Only two types of coins of Chandragupta II, who incorporated Vanga in the Gupta Empire, are known from Bengal. His Archer type coins, which became the most popular type of coinage with the Gupta rulers after Kumaragupta I, have been found in Kalighat. This is evidence of the antiquity of the place. The original temple was a small hut. A small temple was constructed by King Manasingha in the early 16th century. The present temple was erected under the patronage of the Kaliprasad Dutta of Hatkhola Dutta Bari with the help of Santosh Roy Chaudhury of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family of Barisha.[3] It was completed in 1809 by Santosh Roy Chowdhury and his grand son.Kaliparasad Dutta had given Rs.25,000/- to Santosh Roy Chaudhury to build the Mandir.Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family is the original owner of this temple.Halder family of kalighat is called the 'sebadas' of this temple In the 1960s a committee was formed for the administrative management of the temple with representation from the Government. Shoshti Tala is a rectangular altar about three feet high bearing a small cactus plant. Beneath the tree, on an altar three stones are placed side by side - left to right representing the goddesses Shashthi (Sosthi), Sitala and Mangal Chandi. This sacred spot is known as Sosthi Tala or Monosha Tala. Natmondir a large rectangular covered platform called Natmondir has been erected adjacent to the main temple, from where the face of the image can be seen. This was originally built by Zamindar Kasinath Roy in 1835. It has been subsequently renovated often. Jor-bangla the spacious varandah of the main temple Facing the image is known as Jor Bangla. Rituals occurring inside the sanctum sanctorum are visible from the Natmondir through the Jor-bangla. Harkath Tala this is the spot adjacent to the Natmondir, southwards meant for Bali (sacrifice). There are two Sacrificial altars for animal sacrifices side by side. These are known as Hari- Kath. Radha-Krishna Temple this temple is known as Shamo-ray temple and is situated inside the temple at the west side of the main temple. In 1723, a settlement officer of Mushirabad district first erected a separate temple for Radha-Krishna. In 1843 a Zamindar called Udoy Narayan Mondal erected the present temple in the same spot. The Dolmancho was founded in 1858 by Madan Koley of Saha Nagar. There is a separate kitchen for preparation of vegetarian Bhog (food offering) for Radha-Krishna. Kundupukur this is the sacred tank situated in the south-east of the temple outside the boundary walls. Present area of the tank is approximately 10 cottahs. In the past it was bigger and called 'Kaku-Kunda'. In 16th century 'Sati-Ango' ( the right toe of Sati) was discovered from this tank. This tank is well known for its power to bestow the boon of a child. The water from this tank is regarded as sacred as that of the Ganges. Efforts at draining the water from the tank for cleaning has failed in the past showing the possibility of a subterranean with Adi Ganga. Science City, Kolkata is the largest science centre in the Indian subcontinent under National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is at the crossing of Eastern Metropolitan Bypass and J B S Haldane avenue, Kolkata. It is considered by some people as the most distinguished landmark in post-independence Kolkata. Dynamotion Hall hands-on and interactive exhibits on various topics of science encouraging visitors to experience with props and enjoy the underlying scientific principles. Fresh Water Aquarium variety of fresh water fishes in 26 tanks; provide the bio-diversity of the fish species. Live Butterfly Enclave a colony of live butterflies hatched here and screening of a film Rang Bahari Prajapati on life cycle of butterfly. Earth Exploration Hall inaugurated on 6 December 2008 by Ambika Soni, the then Union Minister for Culture, India. A permanent exhibition on earth is housed in a two storied hemispherical building that displays the details of the southern hemisphere in the ground floor and northern hemisphere in the first floor. Slicing a huge earth globe at the centre of the hall into 12 segments vertically in each hemisphere, important features of each segment such as physical geography, lands and people, flora and fauna and other dynamic natural phenomenon on earth have been highlighted around the central globe with the modern display technologies such as attractive visuals, interactive multimedia, video walls, panoramic videos, tilting tables, computer kiosks and 3-D effects theatre wearing a special Polaroid spectacle. Evolution Park a theme tour of 1300 square meter covering 7 large walk through dioramas with 71 robotic pre-historic animals, 26 dinosaurs and 140 early plant model set to their periods. It portrays the story of evolution of animal life, specially the extinct species. Space Odyssey comprising Space Theatre equipped with Helios Star Ball planetarium supported by 150 special effect projectors and Astrovision 10/70 Large format Film Projection system housed in a 23-meter diameter tilted dome having unidirectional seating arrangements for 360 person immersive shows on sciences. 3-D Vision Theater a show based on stereo back projection system where visitors experience 3D effect by Polaroid spectacles. Mirror Magic there are 35 exhibits based on reflection of light. Time Machine 30-seater motion simulator provides virtual experience of space flight or journey into unknown world sitting in a casual maneuvered by hydraulic motion control system. Maritime Centre depicts maritime history of India, artifacts, dioramas and interactive exhibits on shipping and navigation systems. There is an unmanned quiz corner also. Eden Garden Eden Gardens is a cricket ground in Kolkata, India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a venue for Test, ODI and T20I matches. With a seating capacity of 66,000, it is the largest cricket stadium in India, and the second-largest cricket stadium in the world behind the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Notable events in 1946, an in-form Mushtaq Ali was dropped from the Indian team selected to play an unofficial test against Australian Services XI. Following crowd protests (with slogans like "No Mushtaq, No Test"), the selectors brought him back to play. Rioting occurred at the ground during the 1966/67 West Indies and 1969/70 Australian tours. 16 football fans died in a stampede after a derby league game between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan on 16 August 1980. Hosted the memorable World Cup final of 1987 which ended with Australia defeating England by 7 runs. The 1996 World Cup semi-final was called off and Sri Lanka awarded the match after crowd disturbances following an Indian batting collapse. During the 2nd final of the 1997 Pepsi Independence Cup, the Test and ODI captains of the Indian cricket team of all time (with a few notable exceptions) were given a lap of honour around the stadium. Kapil Dev took an ODI hat-trick against the Sri Lankans in 1991 at the ground. On its 150th anniversary, on 13 November 2014, Eden Gardens witnessed the highest ever score by a batsman in One Day Internationals, a 264 off 173 balls scored by Rohit Sharma during the 4th One Day International of Sri Lanka vs India at the venue. The top four Test cricket batting scores in this stadium were registered by India: 657–7 in 2001, 643–6 in 2010, 633–5 in 1998, and 631–7 in 2011. The most runs in Test Matches Played here was scored by V.V.S. Laxman (1217 runs), followed by Rahul Dravid(962 runs) and Mohammed Azharuddin (860 runs). The most wickets taken here was by Harbhajan Singh (46 wickets) followed by Anil Kumble (40 wickets) and Bishen Singh Bedi (29 wickets). The highest score in ODIs here was made by India, who scored 404–5 in 2014 The second highest score in ODIs here was made by India, who scored 317–3 in 2009. The third highest score was made by Sri Lanka, who scored 315–6 in 2009, the fourth highest score was again made by Sri Lanka who were all-out for 309 in 1997. VVS Laxman and Mohammed Azharuddin have scored 5 centuries each at this venue,the last being the unbeaten 176 by Laxman. The highest ODI individual score is made by Rohit Sharma on this historical ground; Rohit Sharma 264(173) vs Sri Lanka.[13,Nov,2014] Eden Gardens underwent renovation for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Renovation had been undertaken to meet the standards set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the 2011 World Cup. The Cricket Association of Bengal retained the team of Burt Hill and VMS to renovate the Eden Garden Cricket Stadium. The plans for the renovated stadium included a new clubhouse and players' facilities, upgrades of the exterior walls to give the stadium a new look, cladding the existing roof structure with a new metal skin, new/upgraded patron amenities & signage and general infrastructure improvements. The upgrade also meant reduction of the seating capacity to about 66,000 from around 100,000 before the upgrade. Dakshineswar Kali Temple Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali, meaning, 'She who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of existence i.e. Saṃsāra'. The temple was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855. The temple is famous for its association with Ramakrishna, a mystic of 19th Century Bengal.The temple compound, apart from the nine-spired main temple, contains a large courtyard surrounding the temple, with rooms along the boundary walls. There are twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva—Kali's companion—along the riverfront, a temple to Radha-Krishna, a bathing ghat on the river, a shrine dedicated to Rani Rashmoni. The Dakshineswar Kali Temple was founded around the middle of the 19th Century by Rani Rashmoni. Rani Rashmoni was a Mahishya by caste and was well known for her philanthropic activities. In the year 1847, Rashmoni, prepared to go upon a long pilgrimage to the sacred Hindu city of Kashi to express her devotions to the Divine Mother. Rani was to travel in twenty four boats, carrying relatives, servants and supplies. According to traditional accounts, the night before the pilgrimage began, Rashmoni had a vision of the Divine Mother, in the form of the goddess Kali in a dream and reportedly said,There is no need to go to Banaras. Install my statue in a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges river and arrange for my worship there. Then I shall manifest myself in the image and accept worship at that place. Profoundly affected by the dream, Rani immediately looked for and purchased a 20-acred plot in the village of Dakshineswar. The large temple complex was built between 1847 and 1855. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) plot was bought from an Englishman, John Hastie and was then popularly known as Saheban Bagicha,[8] partly old Muslim burial ground shaped like a tortoise, considered befitting for the worship of Shakti according to Tantra traditions, it took eight years and nine hundred thousand rupees to complete the construction, and finally the idol of Goddess Kali was installed on the Snana Yatra day on 31 May 1855, amid festivities at the temple formally known as Sri Sri Jagadishwari Mahakali, with Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay as the head priest; soon his younger brother Gadai or Gadadhar (later known as Ramakrishna) moved in and so did nephew Hriday to assist him.On 31 May 1855 more than 1 lakh Brahmins were invited from different parts of the country to grace the auspicious occasion. The next year, Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay died, the position was given to Ramakrishna, along with his wife Sarada Devi, who stayed in the south side of the Nahabat (music room), in a small room on the ground floor, which now a shrine dedicated to her.From then until his death 30 years later in 1886, Ramakrishna was responsible for bringing much in the way of both fame and pilgrims to the temple. Rani Rashmoni lived only for five years and nine months after the inauguration of the temple. She seriously fell ill in 1861. Realizing that her death was near she decided to handover the property she purchased in Dinajput (now in Bangladesh) as a legacy for the maintenance of the temple to the temple trust. She accomplished her task on 18 February 1861 and died on the next day. Built in the traditional 'Nava-ratna' or nine spires style of Bengal architecture, the three-storeyed south-facing temple has nine spires distributed in upper two storeys, and stands on a high platform with a flight of stairs, overall it measures 46 feet (14 m) square and rises over 100 feet (30 m) high.The garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) houses an idol of goddess Kali, known as Bhavataraini, standing on the chest of a lying Shiva, and the two idols are placed on a thousand-petaled lotus made of silver. Close to the main temple are the row of twelve identical Shiva temples built facing the east in the typical aat-chala Bengal architecture, they are built on either side of the ghat on the Hoogly river. To the North east of the Temple Complex is the Vishnu Temple or the Radha Kanta's Temple. A flight of steps lead to the columned verandah and into the temple where a silver throne rests with a 21 1⁄2-inch (550 mm) idol of Lord Krishna and a 16-inch (410 mm) idol of Radha. Howrah Bridge Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata (Calcutta). On 14 June 1965 it was renamed Rabindra Setu after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first Indian and Asian Nobel laureate. It is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge. The bridge is one of two on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal. The third-longest cantilever bridge at the time of its construction, the Howrah Bridge is currently the sixth-longest bridge of its type in the world. In 1862, the Government of Bengal asked George Turnbull, Chief Engineer of the East India Railway Company to study the feasibility of bridging the Hooghly River — he had recently established the company's rail terminus in Howrah. He reported on 29 March with large-scale drawings and estimates that: The foundations for a bridge at Calcutta would be at a considerable depth and cost because of the depth of the mud there. The impediment to shipping would be considerable. A good place for the bridge was at Pulta Ghat "about a dozen miles north of Calcutta" where a "bed of stiff clay existed at no great depth under the river bed". A suspended-girder bridge of five spans of 400 feet and two spans of 200 feet would be ideal. The bridge was not built. Pontoon bridge in view of the increasing traffic across the Hooghly river, a committee was appointed in 1855-56 to review alternatives for constructing a bridge across it. The plan was shelved in 1859-60, to be revived in 1868, when it was decided that a bridge should be constructed and a newly appointed trust vested to manage it. The Calcutta Port Trust was founded in 1870, and the Legislative department of the then Government of Bengal passed the Howrah Bridge Act in the year 1871 under the Bengal Act IX of 1871, empowering the Lieutenant-Governor to have the bridge constructed with Government capital under the aegis of the Port Commissioners. Eventually a contract was signed with Sir Bradford Leslie to construct a pontoon bridge. Different parts were constructed in England and shipped to Calcutta, where they were assembled. The assembling period was fraught with problems. The bridge was considerably damaged by the great cyclone on 20 March 1874. A steamer named Egeria broke from her moorings and collided head-on with the bridge, sinking three pontoons and damaging nearly 200 feet of the bridge. The bridge was completed in 1874, at a total cost of 2.2 million, and opened to traffic on 17 October of that year. The bridge was then 1528 ft. long and 62 ft. wide, with 7-foot wide pavements on either side. Initially the bridge was periodically unfastened to allow steamers and other marine vehicles to pass through. Before 1906, the bridge used to be undone for the passage of vessels during daytime only. Since June of that year it started opening at night for all vessels except ocean steamers, which were required to pass through during daytime. From 19 August 1879, the bridge was illuminated by electric lamp-posts, powered by the dynamo at the Mullick Ghat Pumping Station. As the bridge could not handle the rapidly increasing load, the Port Commissioners started planning in 1905 for a new improved bridge. Plans for a new bridge In 1906 the Port Commission appointed a committee headed by R.S. Highet, Chief Engineer, East Indian Railway and W.B. MacCabe, Chief Engineer, Calcutta Corporation. They submitted a report stating that. Bullock carts formed the eight - thirteenths of the vehicular traffic (as observed on 27 August 1906, the heaviest day's traffic observed in the port of Commissioners 16 days' Census of the vehicular traffic across the existing bridge). The roadway on the existing bridge is 48 feet wide except at the shore spans where it is only 43 feet in roadways, each 21 feet 6 inches wide. The roadway on the new bridge would be wide enough to take at least two lines of vehicular traffic and one line of trams in each direction and two roadways each 30 feet wide, giving a total width of 60 feet of road way which are quite sufficient for this purpose... The traffic across the existing floating bridge Calcutta & Howrah is very heavy and it is obvious if the new bridge is to be on the same site as the existing bridge, then unless a temporary bridge is provided, there will be serious interruptions to the traffic while existing bridge is being moved to one side to allow the new bridge to be erected on the same site as the present bridge. Marble Palace Marble Palace is a palatial nineteenth-century mansion in North Kolkata. It is located at 46, Muktaram Babu Street, Kolkata 700007. It is one of the best-preserved and most elegant houses of nineteenth-century Calcutta. The mansion is famous for its marble walls and floors, from which its name derives. The house was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant with a passion for collecting works of art. The house continues to be a residence for his descendants, and the current occupants are the family of Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur. Raja Rajendra Mullick was the adopted son of Nilmoni Mullick, who built a Jagannath temple which predates Marble Palace, and still stands within the premises, but is only accessible to members of the family. The house is basically Neoclassical in style, while the plan with its open courtyards is largely traditional Bengali. Adjacent to the courtyard, there is a thakur-dalan, or place of worship for members of the family. The three-storey building has tall fluted Corinthian pillars and ornamented verandas with fretwork and sloping roofs, built in the style of a Chinese pavilion.The premises also include a garden with lawns, a rock garden, a lake and a small zoo. Located next to the palace is the Marble Palace Zoo, the first zoo opened in India, also by Raja Rajendra Mullick. It now primarily serves as an aviary, including peacocks, hornbills, pelicans, storks, and cranes. The menagerie also contains monkeys and several species of deers. The Maidan (literally open field) also referred as Brigade Parade Ground is the largest urban park in Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a vast stretch of field and home to numerous play grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several football stadia, and Kolkata Race Course. The Maidan is dotted with statues and pieces of architecture, most notable being the Victoria Memorial. Due to the freshness and greenery it provides to the metropolis, it has been referred to as the "lungs of Kolkata". The Maidan is a property of the Indian Army and hosts the Eastern zone high command of the Indian Army in Fort William. The Maidan stretches from as far north as the Raj Bhavan building in Esplanade and as far south as the National Library on Belvedere Rd. in Alipore. The wide field stretches from the Hoogly River on the west to the Victoria Memorial on the east. It is a historical and cultural center of Kolkata as well as a center of leisure and entertainment for Calcuttans. In 1758, one year after their decisive win in Battle of Plassey, the British East India Company commenced construction of the new Fort William in the center of the village Gobindapur. The inhabitants of the village were compensated and provided with land in Taltala, Kumartuli and Shovabazar. The fort was completed in 1773. "The tiger-haunted jungle which cut off the village of Chowringhee from the river was cleared, and gave way to the wide grassy stretch of the Maidan of which Calcutta is so proud. The formation of this airy expanse and the filling up of the creek which had cut off the settlement in the south, led the European inhabitants to gradually forsake the narrow limits of the old palisades. The movement towards Chowringhee had already been noticeable as early as 1746." In 1909, H.E.A. Cotton wrote, "The great Maidan presents a most refreshing appearance to the eye, the heavy night dew, even in the hot season, keeping the grass green. Many of the fine trees with which it was once studded were blown down in the cyclone of 1864. But they have not been allowed to remain without successors, and the handsome avenues across the Maidan still constitute the chief glory of Calcutta. Dotting the wide expanse are a number of fine tanks, from which the inhabitants were content in former days to obtain their water-supply. The roads on the Maidan are dotted with tiny greenish bungalows (club houses) belonging to sports clubs. There are patches for playing. Some of the larger clubs occupy the fields with wooden galleries. The big three of Kolkata football — Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting — have a noticeable presence. There also are names with faded glory such as Rangers. Somewhere in between fit organisations such as Kennel Club and Press Club. There are lower order clubs, who do not have much of a following but have a noticeable contribution and sometimes spring a surprise — Wari, Aryans, Rajasthan and so on — and a host of office clubs. Indian cricket began its long journey with a two-day match on the Maidan in January 1804 between old Etonians employed by the East India Company. The world's oldest hockey tournament, Beighton Cup, was instituted in 1895 and is usually held on the Mohun Bagan ground in the Maidan. For the Indian Football Association, the Maidan has been the nerve centre. The Maidan is not just cricket, football and hockey, apart of course from army parades. It is so many things to so many people. There are washermen who wash clothes and themselves in its ponds, shepherds tend their flocks, the health conscious citizens take their morning walks, the last vestiges of the horse-drawn hackney carriages ply on its fringes entertaining merry makers and businessmen make money. When Jamshedji Framji Madan entered the 'bioscope' scene in 1902, he began to screen films in tents one of which was set up on the Maidan. In Satyajit Ray's film Jana Arayanya there is a shot showing two unemployed young men, observing the sprawling urban comedy around them on the Maidan, identify the typical office clerk in the crowd. He is presented in a long shot, puny against the towering, squalid cityscape, trudging home after a nine-to-five day. Life on the Maidan is the quintessence of life in Kolkata. Fort William is a fort built in Calcutta (presently Kolkata) on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly, the major distributary of the River Ganges, during the early years of the Bengal Presidency of British India. It was named after King William III of England and Ireland and II of Scotland. In front of the Fort is the Maidan, which used to be a part of the Fort and is the largest urban park in Calcutta. There are actually two Fort Williams, the old and the new. The original was built in 1696 by the British East India Company under the supervision of John Goldsborough. Sir Charles Eyre started construction near the bank of the River Hooghly with the South-East Bastion and the adjacent walls. It was named after King William III in 1700. John Beard, his successor, added the North-East Bastion in 1701, and in 1702 started the construction of the Government House (Factory) at the centre of the fort. Construction ended in 1706. The original building had two stories and projecting wings. An internal guard room became the Black Hole of Calcutta. In 1756, the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj Ud Daulah, attacked the Fort, temporarily conquered the city, and changed its name to Alinagar. This led the British to build a new fort in the Maidan. The Fort is built of brick and mortar in the shape of an irregular octagon with an area 5 km². Five of its sides face landward, and three towards the Hooghly River. The design is that of a star fort, suited to defence against cannon, but from before the advent of explosive shells. It is surrounded by a dry moat 9 m deep and 15 m broad, which can be flooded but is designed as an area in which to use enfilade (or "flanking") fire against any attackers reaching the walls. There are six gates: Chowringhee, Plassey, Calcutta, Water Gate, St Georges and the Treasury Gate. There are similar forts at places like Thalassery in Kerala. It has a 9-hole golf course currently. Nicco Park Nicco Park is an amusement park in India, located in Salt Lake City, Kolkata. The park was created to attract tourists to the state by providing family-friendly recreation as well as educative entertainment. Nicco Park opened on October 13, 1991, and has since been referred to as the Disneyland of West Bengal. Presently, the 40 acre park is home to over 35 different attractions and has served over 24 million customers. Nicco Park also provides a "green" environment. The concept of an amusement park in Kolkata began with the 300th year anniversary of the recorded founding of Kolkata (then Calcutta). While planning was under way for the tricentennial celebrations by the ruling State Government, Rajive Kaul, the current Chairman of Nicco Group, was in the US on a family holiday to Disneyland. As per the story, when Kaul returned, there was an inquiry as to why he left for America when he was very much required back home for the planning process. Supposedly, Rajive replied, "I'd gone to see if I could create a Disneyland here." What at first seemed to be just an excuse to justify his absence actually materialized to a joint venture with the West Bengal government. Rajive Kaul sought financial help from Geoffrey Thompson, the then-owner and managing director of the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool. Thompson, however, only offered the assistance of Blackpool Leisure & Amusement Consultancy Ltd provide technical expertise, including surveying the land and suggesting design and safety matters. The idea of the River Caves at Nicco Park was taken by Kaul from Thompson's Blackpool, and a few years later Kaul offered to renovate the ones there recognizing the superiority of the ones at Nicco Park, Kolkata. Thompson accepted the offer. Two years after the conception of NPRL, and at a total cost of about rupees 8 crores, Nicco Park opened with 13 rides. It also took over the toy train from the previous Jheelmeel park and improved greatly upon it, providing for a tour of the whole park for passengers. Nicco Park has approximately thirty-five rides that include the Toy Train, Tilt-a-Whirl, Magic Carpet, Paddle Boat, Water Chute, Water Coaster, Flying Saucer, Pirate Ship, River Caves, Cyclone and Moonraker. The Giant Cyclone, added in 2003, is among Asia's largest. The ride 750 meters in length, has seven drops and goes as high as 55 feet. Attractions such as the park's cable cars and Eiffel Tower provide panoramic views of the park from above. Natural attractions include a rose garden and a forty feet high waterfall. A decommissioned MIG-21 fighter aircraft from the Bagdogra Airbase is on display at Nicco Park, serving as an attraction with educational value. It was a gift from the Eastern Air Command in 2008. There is a large food park selling North Indian, Bengali, South Indian and Chinese fast food, and kiosks run by various restaurants of Kolkata. Sheroo Bazar and Souvenir Shop Wet-O-Wild are places where one can buy accessories such as T-shirts, coffee mugs and keychains. Nicco Park has undergone expansions throughout its existence.The park has also constructed a water park, Wet-O-Wild, inside the amusement park. There are also a rain dance performances. The park also has a 4-D movie theater. A bowling alley with restaurant and bar also exist within the park. Venues such as Octagon host corporate and non-corporate events. Shaheed Minar The Shaheed Minar formerly known as the Ochterlony Monument is a monument in Kolkata that was erected in 1828 in memory of Major-general Sir David Ochterlony, commander of the British East India Company, to commemorate both his successful defense of Delhi against the Marathas in 1804 and the victory of the East India Company's armed forces over the Gurkhas in the Anglo-Nepalese War. The monument was constructed in his memory. It was designed by J.P. Parker and paid for from public funds. In August 1969, it was rededicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Indian freedom movement and hence renamed the "Shahid Minar," which means "martyrs monument" in both Bengali and Hindi, by the then United Front Government in memory of the martyrs of the Indian independence movement. The present government has decided to illuminate the tower during evenings and allow visitors to the top. The last persons who went up there were former governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and his family. Commonly referred to as the Monument, the Shahid Minar is located at Esplanade in central Kolkata in the north east facet of the Maidan the tower is 48 m (157 ft) high. It has a foundation based on the Egyptian style. The column is a combination of styles with a classical fluted column, a Syrian upper portion and a Turkish dome. It has two balconies at the top. The top floor of the minar is accessible by a serpentine staircase, a total of 223 steps. It has a total of 218 steps until the top of the tower. The vast field to the south of Shaheed Minar, is known as the Shaheed Minar Maidan or the Brigade Ground. It has a history of holding political rallies and fairs. The first political meeting on the ground, was presided over by Rabindranath Tagore to condemn the killing of a youth in Hijli by the British in 1931. The central bus terminus of the city is around the monument. New Town Eco Park New Town Eco Park is an urban park in Rajarhat, Kolkata. The park is situated on a 480 acres (190 ha) plot and is surrounded by a 104 acres (42 ha) waterbody with an island in the middle. The park was conceptualised by Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee in July 2011. West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) is the overarching body coordinating the construction of the park, along with different other government bodies responsible for implementation of different works inside the park. The park has been divided into three broad parts; 1) ecological zones like wetlands, grasslands, and urban forest, 2)theme gardens and open spaces, 3)and urban recreational spaces. The Eco Park is further divided into different sub-parts according to the different types of fauna planted. According to the plan, the park will have different areas like wild flower meadows, a bamboo garden, grasslands, tropical tree garden, bonsai garden, tea garden, Cactus Walk, a heliconia garden*, a butterfly garden, a play area and an amphitheatre. The Eco park is located along the Major Arterial Road in Action Area - II of New Town, Kolkata at 22°35′55″N 88°28′03″E. The park is surrounded by the Kolkata International Convention Center and the Kolkata Museum of Modern Art on the North, the upcoming Central Business District and International Financial Hub on the east, and existing human settlement of Jatragachi/Hatiara on the South and West. According to the masterplan made by Bengal Urban Infrastructure Development Limited, the park has been divided into the following areas: Active Zone - Consisting of Visitor center, Restaurants, Food courts, Urban Museum, Crafts Haat. Theme Area (North) - Consisting of Maidan (open field), Amphitheatre, children's play area, Chinese garden, formal garden, Bonsai garden, Cactus walk, Butterfly garden, heliconia garden and mist house and bamboo garden. Theme Area (South) - Play area, tea plantation, Water garden and utility area. Lake Zone - A bridge connecting the island, Bengali restaurant, Sculpture court, Lakefront Promenade, Wildflower meadows.3 different Eco-zones consisting of wetlands, grasslands, tropicaland mixed-moist deciduous forests. Birla Industrial & Technological Museum Birla Industrial & Technological Museum (BITM), a unit under National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is at Gurusaday Road, Kolkata. The first science museum in India was set up by the industrialist Ghanshyam Das Birla at BITS, in Pilani in a hall (185 sq.mt area) of the Tower Building. The museum depicted mainly the industries and business enterprises of the Birlas. The museum was opened to the public in 1954. Ten years later the museum was shifted to the present building. The second science museum was mooted by KS Krishnan, physicist and the then Director of National Physical Laboratory (NPL), he was inspired and encouraged by the then prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. R Subramanian was appointed to develop science museum and planetarium project by NPL in 1956. The science museum of 555 sq.mr floor space in Delhi was opened for public in 1956, but it was close down by the authority after few years, although it was appreciated by general visitors. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal and physician was impressed to see Deutsches Museum of Munich. He thought to set up a science museum and a planetarium in Calcutta. Roy requested to GD Birla for a help. Birla donated his residential house to the then prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. The three storied Victorian style architectural building along with five bighas land of 'Birla Park', where they had lived for thirty five years. Existing galleries: The Children's Gallery. (April 2013.), The Mathematics Gallery. (March 2011.), Biotechnology, Children's Gallery. Inaugurated on 14 November 2012, Electricity, Fascinating Physics, Life Science, Mathematics, Metals, Mock-up Coal Mine, Motive Power, Popular Science, Television, Transport. Alipore Zoological Gardens The Alipore Zoological Gardens (also informally called the Alipore Zoo or Calcutta Zoo) is India's oldest formally stated zoological park (as opposed to royal and British menageries) and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.81 ha (46.5 acres). It is probably best known as the home of the now expired Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, which was reputed to have been over 250 years old when it died in 2006. It is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer. As of 2015, the latest births at the zoo are that of Grant's zebra, and Indian muntjac. In 2014, an animal smuggler's den was discovered in Baguihati, a North Kolkata suburb, where three chimpanzees, eight marmosets and around 250 birds including three endemic species were kept hidden. The Kolkata Police handed over all the animals to the Alipore Zoo Authority, and now these animals are on display for the public. In November 2014, the zoo moved out the three elephants which had been staying at the zoo for around 20 years, on terms laid by the Central Zoo Authority, which stated that adult elephants could not be kept in enclosures in any zoo. These elephants were sent to the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. In turn, two baby elephants and an orphaned rhinoceros calf was brought to the zoo. The zoo presumably set a record when around 75,000 people visited the zoo on January 1, 2015. The zoo had its roots in a private menagerie established by Governor General of India, Richard Wellesley, established around 1800 in his summer home at Barrackpore near Kolkata, as part of the Indian Natural History Project. The first superintendent of the menagerie was the famous Scottish physician zoologist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton. Buchanan-Hamilton returned to England with Wellesley in 1805 following the Governor-General's recall by the Court of Directors in London. The collection from this era are documented by watercolours by Charles D'Oyly, and a visit by the famous French botanist Victor Jacquemont. Sir Stamford Raffles visited the menagerie in 1810, encountering his first tapir there, and doubtless used some aspects of the menagerie as an inspiration for the London Zoo. The foundation of zoos in major cities around the world caused a growing thought among the British community in Kolkata that the menagerie should be upgraded to a formal zoological garden. Credence to such arguments was lent by an article in the now-defunct Calcutta Journal of Natural History's July 1841 issue. In 1873, the Lieutenant-Governor Sir Richard Temple formally proposed the formation of a zoo in Kolkata, and the Government finally allotted land for the zoo based on to the joint petition of the Asiatic Society and Agri-Horticultural Society. The zoo remains one of the most popular winter tourist attractions in Kolkata. The ticket prices at the gate increased from Rs 10 to Rs 20 in the winter of 2012. The footfall figures in 2012 showed an annual visitation of almost 3 million — more than any other tourist attraction in Kolkata, and a peak of over 25,000 on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The zoo displays a large number of crowd-pulling megafauna, including the royal Bengal tiger, African lion, jaguar, hippopotamus, great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, reticulated giraffe, Grant's zebra, emu, dromedary camel and Indian elephant. Previously, other megafauna like the Panthera hybrids and the giant eland were present. The zoo sports a large collection of attractive birds, including some threatened species - large parrots including a number of macaw species, conures, lories and lorikeets; other large birds like touracos and hornbills; colourful game birds like the golden pheasant, Lady Amherst's pheasant and Swinhoe's pheasant and some large flightless birds like the emu, cassowary and ostrich. Laid out on 45 acres (18 ha) of land, the Calcutta zoo has been unable to expand or modify its layout for over 50 years, and thus has a rather backdated plan. It contains a Reptile House (a new one has been built), a Primate House, an Elephant House, and a Panther House which opens out onto the open air enclosures for the lions and tigers. It also boasts of a glass-walled enclosure for tigers, the first of its kind in India. A separate Children's zoo is present, and the central water bodies inside the zoo grounds attracts migratory birds. Birla Mandir Birla Mandir in Kolkata, India, is a Hindu temple on Asutosh Chowdhury Avenue, Ballygunge, built by the industrialist Birla family. This temple is open in the morning from 5.30 A.M. to 11 A.M. and in the evening from 4 .30 P.M. to 9 P.M. On Janmashtami, the birthday of Krishna, devotees come from far away places to pay their respect to the deities. The construction of the temple began in 1970. It took 26 years to complete the entire structure. The construction was supervised by the Sompuras.On Wednesday, the 21st of February, 1996, the Pran Prathistha was done by Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj in the morning. Dr. Karan Singh inaugurated the temple the same day. The main temple houses statues of deities Krishna and Radha. The left side temple shikhar (dome) houses goddess Durga, the Hindu goddess of Shakti, the power. The right side dome of the temple houses Shiva in meditation mode. Spread on 44 kathas of land, this temple built of white marble bears resemblance to the renowned Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar. Birla Mandir also showcases pictorial depiction of scriptures of Bhagavad Gita in its stone engravings and some intricate Rajasthani temple architecture. Designed by the architect Nomi Bose. Birla Planetarium The Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is a single-storeyed circular structure designed in the typical Indian style, whose architecture is loosely styled on the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi. Situated at Chowringhee Road adjacent to the Victoria Memorial, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Maidan in South Kolkata, it is the largest planetarium in Asia and the second largest planetarium in the world. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India: B.M. Birla Planetarium in Chennai and the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad. Popularly known as taramandal, the planetarium was inaugurated on 2 July 1963 by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. It has an electronics laboratory for design and fabrication of science equipment. It has an astronomy gallery that maintains a huge collection of fine paintings and celestial models of renowned astronomers. The Planetarium also has an astronomical observatory equipped with a Celestron C-14 Telescope with accessories such as ST6 CCD camera and solar filter. It offers to the public and students more than 100 astronomical projects dealing with various facts of astronomy, astro-physics, Space Science as well as myths concerning stars and planets. It has a capacity of 680. Daily programs are conducted in English, Bengali and Hindi from 12:00 to 19:00 hrs. Programs are occasionally conducted in Oriya, Tamil and Gujarati, as well. Extra shows are arranged on holidays. The Planetarium was constructed by ML Dalmiya & Co. which is owned by Board of Control for Cricket in India former President late Jagmohan Dalmiya. Currently going through renovations. the renovations will be completed by March, 2016. Aquatica is an 75,000sq ft (17 acre) water theme park in Kolkata, India. The theme park was started in 1999. It is one of the largest water amusement parks in Kolkata as well as eastern India. Recently another water theme park, Wet 'O' Wild, has come up near Nicco Park in the Salt Lake City area.It is quite a popular destination on the day of holi. The water theme park Aquatica is located in Kochpukur, Rajarhat, just beside the Rajarhat New Town area. The area is well connected by public transpbus from Howrah station goes all the way to Aquatica. The bus route passes through Ultadanga along VIP road until Baguiati Jora Mandir, takes a U turn and then passes through Kestopur Bazar and reaches New Town below Box Bridge (the bridge near to Technopolis that connects Sector 5 and New Town). Box bridge is very well connected by public transport from VIP Road side and EM Bypass side. Aquatica has a number of rides including tremendously exciting ones like the Black Hole, the Wave Pool, Niagara Falls,surf racer,Tornado and the Aqua Dance Floor. There is a GoKarting track adjacent to Aquatica for the die-hard karting lovers. Regular parties and Fashion shows are hosted here, especially in the winter.There is also Deluxe AC. Rooms suits, Conference Hall, Party Hall, Board Room, Food Courts available. Nakhoda Masjid The Nakhoda Masjid is the principal mosque of Kolkata, India, in the Chitpur area of the Burrabazar business district in Central Kolkata, at the intersection of Zakariya Street and Rabindra Sarani. The mosque was built as an imitation of the mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Akbar at Sikandra, Agra by Kutchi Memon Jamat, a small community of Sunni Muslim community from Kutch. Abdur Rahim Osman, a leader of the Kutchi Memon Jama'at, who funded the building was a shipping prince: The mosque was named Nakhoda meaning Mariner. The foundation stone was laid on 11 September 1926. The total cost incurred for the construction was 1,500,000 Indian rupees in 1926. The mosque's prayer hall has a capacity of 10,000. The masjid has three domes and two minarets which are 151 feet high. There are an additional 25 smaller minarets which range from 100 feet to 117 feet high. The gateway is an ersatz of the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri. For this purpose granite stones were brought from Tolepur. Inside is a superb exhibition of exquisite ornamentation and artistic extravaganza. Rabindra Sarobar Rabindra Sarobar (previously known as Dhakuria Lake) is an artificial lake in south Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. The name also refers to the area surrounding the lake. It is flanked by Southern Avenue to the North, Rashbehari Avenue(Russa Road) to the West, Dhakuria to the East and the Kolkata Suburban Railway tracks to the south. Rabindra Sarovar is 30 km away from Dum Dum airport and 12 km from the Howrah railway station. The area is served by the Rabindra Sarobar station of the Kolkata Metro and Lake Gardens and the Tollygunge station of the Kolkata suburban railway (Budge Budge section). It is one of the two points where the two railway systems interface (the other being Dum Dum). In the early 1920s, the Calcutta Improvement Trust (CIT), a body responsible for developmental work in the Kolkata metropolitan area, acquired about 192 acres (0.78 km2) of marshy jungles. Their intention was to develop the area for residential use – improving the roads, raising and levelling some of the adjacent land and building lakes and parks. Excavation work was undertaken with the plan of creating a huge lake. Originally known as Dhakuria Lake, in May 1958, CIT renamed the lake as Rabindra Sarovar, as a tribute to the great Bengali writer and Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. The area around this excavated lake was later developed to build recreational complexes, which included children's parks, gardens and auditoria. Today the lake and its surrounding areas are one of the most popular recreational areas in Kolkata. 73 acres (300,000 m2) are covered by water, while shrubs and trees, some of which are more than 100 years old, occupy the rest of the area. In the winter, one can spot some migratory birds around the lake. The lake itself is home to many varieties of fish. Fishing is strictly prohibited.A number of people come for a walk around the lake in the mornings to enjoy the fresh air. Many visit the sunrise point to offer their prayers to the sun. During the day, it is visited by families on a picnic, tourists, young lovers and joggers. Royal Calcutta Golf Club Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) in Kolkata, India was established in 1829 and is the oldest golf club in India and the first outside Great Britain. RCGC has an 18-hole golf course with the following detail: Yardage: 7195/6871 Rating: 73.6/72.1 Mostly flat terrain, small greens and natural water hazards. The Royal Calcutta Golf Club is the oldest golf club outside the United Kingdom and is the second-oldest outside Scotland. The oldest club outside Scotland is The Royal Blackheath in London, established in 1766. King George V and Queen Mary conferred the title "Royal" to the Club to commemorate their visit to Calcutta in 1911. Apart from golf, it offers tennis courts and a fine swimming pool. The Club also maintains a Lawn Bowls Pavilion in the Kolkata Maidan. The most suitable time for play is October through March. The club is currently undergoing a series of makeovers to bring it up to contemporary world standards and to make the course one of the best and most sought after in Asia. It is trying to restore its image of being the St Andrews of Asia. S S P Chowrasia is a member, his father was a greenkeeper and he started out as a caddie, but he currently plays on the European Tour. Calcutta High Court Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William on 1 July 1862 under the High Courts Act, 1861. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was preceded by the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William. The High Court building's design is based on the Cloth Hall, Ypres, in Belgium. The court has a sanctioned judge strength of 63. Despite the name of the city having officially changed from Calcutta to Kolkata in 2001, the old name is retained by the court as it is an institution. The seat of the Calcutta High Court is at Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. As per the Calcutta High Court (Extension of Jurisdiction) Act, 1953, the Calcutta High Court's jurisdiction was extended to cover Chandernagore (now called Chandannagar) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as of 2 May 1950. The Calcutta High Court extended its Circuit Bench in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in Jalpaiguri, the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri division of West Bengal. The current Chief Justice is Manjula Chellur. Barnes Peacock was the first Chief Justice of the High Court. He assumed the charge when the court was founded on 1 July 1862. Romesh Chandra Mitter was the first Indian officiating Chief Justice and Phani Bhushan Chakravartti was the first Indian permanent Chief Justice of the court. The longest serving Chief Justice was Sankar Prasad Mitra. On 20 September 1871 the acting Chief Justice, John Paxton Norman, was murdered on the steps of the courthouse by Wahabi Muslims. The neo-Gothic High Court building was constructed in 1872, ten years after the establishment of the court itself. The design, by then government architect Walter Granville, was loosely modelled on the 13th-century Cloth Hall at Ypres, Belgium. Vidyasagar Setu Vidyasagar Setu (Bidyasagôr Setu), also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge (Dbitiyô Hugli Setu), is a toll bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India, linking the cities of Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta). With a total length of 823 metres (2,700 ft), Vidyasagar Setu is the longest cable–stayed bridge in India. It was the second bridge to be built across the Hooghly River; the first, the Howrah Bridge (also known as Rabindra Setu) 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) to the north, was completed in 1943. Named after the educationist reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, it cost ₹3.88 billion to build. The project was a joint effort between the public and private sectors, under the control of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC). Initially, under the toll collection regime of the HRBC, daily traffic was recorded to be a minimum of 28,000 vehicles and a maximum of 39,000 vehicles in 2000, but fell to a maximum of around 30,000 vehicles by December 2002, when the management of the toll plaza was handed over to a private firm. Subsequently, the daily traffic reached a minimum of 45,000 vehicles and a maximum of 61,000 vehicles by early 2008, against a maximum capacity of 85,000 vehicles per day. The original management of the toll revenue collection by HRBC was consequently criticized for corruption and significant loss of revenue. Population and commercial activity grew rapidly after India gained independence in August 1947. The only link across the Hooghly River, the Howrah Bridge, between Howrah and Kolkata, was subject to much traffic congestion, with over 85,000 vehicles every day. This necessitated planning for a new bridge across the river so that it could connect to the major cities of Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi and Chennai (Madras) through the national highways located close to the bridge. The foundation stone for the bridge was laid by Indira Gandhi on 20 May 1972. The bridge took more than 22 years to complete and cost Indian Rupees 3.88 billion, but in seven of those years there was no construction activity. The bridge is named after the 19th-century Bengali educationist reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Work on the cable-stayed bridge started with the construction of the well curb on the Calcutta bank end on 3 July 1979. There are three other bridges on the Hooghly River connecting Kolkata with Howrah district: Vivekananda Setu built in 1932, (road-cum-rail bridge) – the first to be commissioned,[8] and which had become old and needed repairs; Howrah Bridge, a cantilever bridge commissioned in 1943, now renamed as Rabindra Setu (since 1965 in honour of the Noble Laurette Rabindranath Tagore); and Nivedita Setu (named after Sister Nivedita), also known as the Second Vivekananda Setu, which is 50 metres (160 ft) downstream of the old Vivekananda Setu and was commissioned on 4 June 2007. The bridge was designed by Schlaich Bergermann & Partner, and checked by Freeman Fox & Partners and Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam Limited. Construction was carried out by the consortium of "The Braithwaite Burn and Jessop Construction Company Limited" (BBJ). The Hooghly River Bridge Commission (HRBC) was responsible for the commissioning operations of the bridge. Construction began on 3 July 1979, and the bridge was commissioned on 10 October 1992 by the Hooghly River Bridge Commission. Raj Bhavan Raj Bhavan is the official residence of the Governor of West Bengal, located in the state' capital city Kolkata. Built in 1803, it was known as the Government House in the pre-independence days. Later after the transfer of power from the East India Company to the British Crown in 1858 it became the official residence of the Viceroy of India, shifting here from the Belvedere Estate. With the shifting of capital to Delhi in 1911 it became the official residence of Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. Since independence in 1947 it serves as the official residence of the Governor of West Bengal and came to be known as the Raj Bhavan, a name it shares with the official residences of other states' governors. In the early nineteenth century Calcutta (Kolkata) was at the height of its golden age. Known as the City of Palaces or St. Petersburg of the East, Calcutta was the richest, largest and the most elegant colonial cities of India. It was during this time one of Calcutta's finest colonial structure the Government House (later Raj Bhavan) was constructed. Before 1799, the Governor General resided in a rented house, called Bukimham House, located in the same location. The land belonged to Mohammad Reza Khan, a Nawab of Chitpur. It was in 1799 the then Governor General of India, Lord Wellesley, took the initiative of building a palace, because he believed that India should be ruled form a palace and not from a country house. Wellesley wanted to make a statement to the imperial authority and power and so the building was done on a grand scale. After 4 years construction was complete at a colossal cost of 63,291 pounds (about 3.8 million pounds in today's estimate). Wellesley was charged for misusing of East India Company's fund and was finally recalled back to England in 1805. Although Wellesley lost his job, he does have the credit of giving Kolkata one of its finest colonial mansions. The plan comprises a central core with four radiating wings. The state rooms located in the central core are accessed from the outside by a flight of grand steps on the north. On the south is another portico surmounted by a colonnaded verandah with a dome above. The four wings accommodate the various offices and residential quarters along with four sets of staircases. The plan of the wings allows for a great deal of natural ventilation in the spaces while also permitting views across the gardens. The entire compound is surrounded by a balustraded wall with a grand arched gateway at each of the four cardinal points. The plan of the building is very typical, a little like a man standing on his feet and holding two boxes in his two hands. The front of the palace faces north-east. The three storied Raj Bhavan building with a huge central area consisting of large halls has curved corridors on all four sides radiating to detached wings, each constituting a house in itself. There are about 60 rooms in Raj Bhavan, beside public halls, verandahs, porticos, banquets & halls and the sumptuous Throne room. Drawing and dining rooms: Yellow Drawing Room located on the first floor of the Raj Bhavan, the beautiful drawing room has some wonderful paintings. Blue Drawing Room an elegantly furnished room used by the governor to meet guest. Brown Dining Room adjacent to the Blue Dining room, it is used for small conferences and meetings. Halls and banquet rooms: Throne Room the Throne Room, as the name suggests, contains the throne of Wellesley. Next to it is the throne of Tipu Sultan. The room contains oil paintings of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr B C Roy. it also contains an Urn used to carry the Mahatma Gandhi's ashes. Council Chamber the Governor General used the Council Chamber to preside over the executive and later the Legislative Council. Now it is used by the governor to hold large meetings. A small dining room known as the Bharat Ratna Room and a billiard room is located just outside the Council Chamber. The Marble Hall located on the ground floor of the Raj Bhavan, this is used for state and private meetings. The Banquet Hall the Banquet Hall with rows of Doric pillars on each side, flowering chandeliers and black Mahogany tables has entertained eminent guests like Queen Elizabeth. The General Post Office, Kolkata, is the central post office of the city of Kolkata, India, and the chief post office of West Bengal. The post-office handles most of the city's inbound and outbound mail and parcels. Situated in the B.B.D. Bagh area, the imposing structure of the GPO is one of the landmarks in the city. The site where the GPO is located was actually the site of the first Fort William. An alley beside the post office was the site of the guardhouse that housed the infamous 1756 Black Hole of Calcutta (1756). The General Post Office was designed in 1864 by Walter B. Grenville (1819-1874), who acted as consulting architect to the government of India from 1863 to 1868. The GPO is notable for its imposing high domed roof (rising over 220 feet) and tall Ionic-Corinthian pillars. A Postal Museum that was built in 1884 displays a collection of artefacts and stamps. The Philatelic Bureau is located on the southwestern end of the building. Rabindra Sadan Rabindra Sadan is a cultural centre and theatre in Kolkata, located near the Nandan cinema and cultural complex and the Academy of Fine Arts on AJC Bose Road in South Kolkata. The foundation stone of Rabindra Sadan was laid by the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru on 5 August 1961. The construction work of the auditorium ended in October 1967. It is noted for its large stage which is a prime venue for Bengali theatre and Kolkata Film Festival. The Rabindra Sadan complex now houses the Rabindra Sadan stage, Nandan, Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi, Gaganendra Prodorshonshala among other centers of cultural activities. It is service by Rabindra Sadan station of Kolkata Metro on North South Corridor. Metropolitan Building is the number 46.26 building on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Kolkata near Esplanade. Formerly known as the Whiteway Laidlaw department store, it was a famous department store in Calcutta during the British Rule in India. This neo-baroque emporium—with domes, a clock tower, and arched recessed windows—exemplifies fashionable shopping during the British Raj in British India. The building was built in 1905. Post Independence Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. assumed ownership, so people know it more commonly as Metropolitan Building. It is located near the Shaheed Minar and the Grand Hotel. It is a large building recognisable by its corner tower with the dome raised high on a pavilion. Rustication in the ground floor and a semicircular arched arcade in the first floor. The facade is punctuated by a series of projected and pedimented bays with plain columns and Corinthian capitals. Repaired recently, the Metropolitan Building still stands as an important landmark overlooking the crowded Chowringhee. In 1991, a fire ravaged the top floor of the majestic Metropolitan Building and hundreds of original negatives of Bourne and Shepherd, reputed to be the world's oldest operational photography studio, established in the late 19th century, perished in the fire. The building was restored by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). But it still houses a commercial complex. Tollygunge Club The Tollygunge Club popularly called Tolly, is one of the premier country clubs of India, located in Tollygunge in south Kolkata. Sir William Cruikshank established the club as an equestrian sports facility in the year 1895 to "promote all manner of sports". It is spread over a 100 acres (400,000 m2), with a clubhouse that is over 200 years old. The extensive grounds of the club were originally an indigo plantation laid out in 1781 by the Johnson family, who were amongst the pioneers of the plantation industry in India. Later the grounds were to become a royal park at the heart of the princely estate established by the exiled family of Tipu Sultan, the deposed ruler of Mysore and the house which the Johnsons had built as their home became the garden house of the new Mysore Estate. In 1895, the entire property was acquired from the Mysore family by the Tollygunge Club Limited and the old Johnson home is today the club's clubhouse. The club grounds boast an enviable collection of flowering trees and tropical plants, many of which have been brought from far afield as Australia and South America. These provide a natural sanctuary for a variety of exotic birds. Birds & Trees of Tolly, written by Kushal Mookherjee, explores these in greater detail. Sporting Facilities: Golf - 18 holes, par 70, 6,304 yards (5,764 m). Squash - 4 glass backed indoor courts. Tennis - 4 clay courts; 2 hard courts (all outdoor). Swimming - 1 Covered pool; 1 outdoor pool; 1 outdoor Jacuzzi Riding - Horses and children's ponies available. Riding classes are conducted twice a day. Billiards - 2 tables. Also, 1 pool table. Health Club - Health and fitness centre with sauna and steam bath etc. Nandan is a government-sponsored film and cultural centre in Kolkata, India.The primary aim of the cultural hub is to encourage and facilitate cinematic awareness in society. It includes a few comparatively large screens housed in an impressively architectured building. The foundation stone of Nandan was laid by former Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and was officially inaugurated on 2 September 1985 by film-maker Satyajit Ray. The complex, besides being a modern cinema and cultural complex, is a popular destination for the young and the aged alike. The foundation stone of Nandan was laid by former Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in 1980 and it was inaugurated by Satyajit Ray in 1985. He designed the now-famous logo for the complex as well. Initially, Nandan had two auditoriums, a third auditorium was made soon after. In April 2011, the false ceiling of a Nandan auditorium crashed down. Right after the incident, the West Bengal government decided to refurbish Nandan, starting the renovation work with the construction of a new false ceiling for Nandan I. For the first phase of the renovation project, West Government gave 2.5 million (US$37,000) to the Nandan authorities. The restoration works completed weeks before the 2011 Kolkata International Film Festival. As of February 2013 The Nandan committee is headed by Bengali film director Sandip Ray. Few other members of the managing committee are Aparna Sen, Prabhat Roy, Ranjit Mullick etc. Nandan has been a cultural hub of Kolkata for a long time. Memorial lectures and special programs are organised here on regular basis. Nandan also organises a Social Communication Film Festival in collaboration with Roopkala Kendra. Tipu Sultan Mosque The tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque (also known as Tipu Sultan Masjid) is a famous mosque in Kolkata, India. Located at 185 Dhartamtalla Street, the mosque is a relic of architectural and cultural heritage. This building was built in 1832 by Prince Ghulam Mohammed, the youngest son of Tipu Sultan. An identical mosque built later by the waqf committee is at Tollygunge. The Tipu Sultan Shahi Masjid Protection & Welfare Committee was founded in the late 1980s by Seraj Mubarki, Mohammad Sharfuddin, Izhar Khan and Syed Zafar to motivate and educate people about the damage caused to the masjid by the Metro railway. This committee is headed by Mohammad Sharfuddin as its chairman. The committee was established to negotiate with the Kolkata Metro authorities to repair the damage caused by the construction underneath the building. The authorities agreed to demolish the damaged part of the mosque and rebuild it. The Tipu Sultan Shahi Masjid Protection & Welfare Committee, under the guidance of Janab Sami Mubaraki, the incumbent chairman, continues to play an active role in the daily affairs of the mosque. Committee members raised INR 21,501 for the 2004 Tsunami victims as part of the Prime Minister's Tsunami fund. The committee went on a five-day hunger strike to seek the intervention of the central government when a Muslim dargah and a Hindu temple were ruined in Vadodara. The fast was later broken with an initiative by H.E. Honorable Governor Shri. Gopal Krishna Gandhi who offered glass of juice to the fasters and later condemned attacks on Hindu temples in Pakistan and the attacks on Christian missionaries in Orissa and other parts of India. The Academy of Fine Arts, in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is one of the oldest fine arts societies in India. The academy was formally established in 1933 by Lady Ranu Mukherjee. It was initially located in a room loaned by the Indian Museum, and the annual exhibitions used to take place in the adjoining verandah. In the 1950s, thanks to the efforts of Lady Ranu Mookerjee and patronage by B.C. Roy, Chief Minister of West Bengal, as well as Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, the academy was shifted to a much larger space in the Cathedral Road, beside St. Paul's Cathedral, the present location. Dignitaries artist Swapnesh Chowdhury became President,and Eminent artist Shri Sudip banerjee is secretary. There are some famous paintings here like Saat bhai champa by Gaganendranath Tagore, Shiva with Ganesh by Jamini Roy. There is a theatre auditorium in Academy of Fine Arts which is one of the most popular spot for performers and viewers of the city. Since 1984, an annual theatre festival is organized here. Salt Lake Stadium Salt Lake Stadium or Yuva Bharati Krirangan is a multipurpose stadium in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal, with a current capacity of 68,000. It is the largest stadium in India by capacity. Before its renovation in 2011, it was the second largest football stadium in the world, having a seating capacity of 120,000.[2] Reportedly, a total of 85,000 bucket seats will be installed in the stadium before the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India. The record attendance of 131,000 was set in 1997 in a Kolkata Derby match between Mohun Bagan A.C. and East Bengal FC. The stadium is situated approximately 10 km to the east of the Kolkata downtown. The roof is made of metal tubes and aluminum sheets and concrete. The stadium covers an area of 76.40 acres (309,200 m2) and it was inaugurated in January, 1984. After its inauguration in January, 1984 with the Jawaharlal Nehru International Gold Cup Soccer Tournament, the Salt Lake Stadium has hosted several important international tournaments or matches such as The Pre-World Cup Tournament in 1985, Super-Soccers in 1986, 1989, 1991 and 1994, 3rd SAF Games in 1987, USSR Festival Cup in 1988, Charminar Challenger Trophy in 1992, Jawaharlal Nehru International Gold Cup in 1995. The Salt Lake Stadium hosts the home games of local clubs Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal FC, Mohammedan SC and United SC, four of the clubs in Indian football.[6] Many of the home games of the India national football team are also played in Salt Lake.Since 2014 a new tenant team 'Atlético de Kolkata' (playing in ISL) had made the stadium their home ground. On 12 October 2014, the stadium hosted the first match in the Indian Super League, preceded by an opening ceremony including Priyanka Chopra. In the opening match, Atlético de Kolkata defeated Mumbai City FC 3–0. St. Paul's Cathedral is a Anglican cathedral in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, noted for its Gothic architecture. It is the seat of the Diocese of Calcutta. The cornerstone was laid in 1839; the building was completed in 1847.[1] It is said to be the largest cathedral in Kolkata and the first Episcopal Church in Asia. It was also the first cathedral built in the overseas territory of the British Empire. The edifice stands on Cathedral Road on the "island of attractions" to provide for more space for the growing population of the European community in Calcutta in the 1800s. Following the 1897 earthquake and the subsequent massive earthquake of 1934, when Calcutta suffered substantial damage, the cathedral was reconstructed to a revised design. The architectural design of the cathedral is "Indo-Gothic", a Gothic architectural style designed to meet the climatic conditions of India. The cathedral complex has a library, situated over the western porch, and a display of Plastic art forms and memorabilia. Apart from that of Bishop Daniel Wilson, the founder of the cathedral, the other notable burial in the church is that of John Paxton Norman, an acting Chief Justice who was assassinated in 1871. The cathedral is across from the Bishop's Palace on Chowringhee Road, in a direct line of sight from the Victoria Memorial. The cathedral is located to the east of the Victoria Memorial and at the southern edge of the maidan, a park. The building stands on Cathedral Road, on the "island of attractions" in Kolkata, along with the Victoria Memorial, Nandan, Rabindra Sadan theatre complex, and the Birla Planetarium. The cathedral was built to replace St. John's Church, which had become too small for Calcutta's growing European community; by 1810 there were 4,000 British men and 300 British women in Bengal. In 1819, at the request of Marquess of Hastings, then Governor-General of Bengal, architect William Nairn Forbes produced a design for the proposed cathedral; however, it was not accepted as it was deemed too expensive to build. Bishop Middleton suggested as a site for the new cathedral the part of the city now known as "Fives Court", where the cathedral now stands. In 1762 the area had been described as a forest so wild that it harbored tigers, and, at first, it was regarded as "too far south" to serve as a location for the cathedral. Middleton died in 1822 before building plans took shape. The next three bishops, Heber, James and Turner, all died after brief tenures, and it was not until 1832, under Bishop Daniel Wilson, that the project to build the cathedral was revived. Following acquisition of 7 acres (3 ha) of land to build the cathedral, a Cathedral Committee was set up to build it. The military engineer, Major William Nairn Forbes (1796–1855) (who later became a Major General of the Bengal Engineers), at the request of Bishop Wilson, designed the cathedral with the assistance of architect C. K. Robinson, modelling the tower and spire upon the Norwich Cathedral. On 8 October 1839, construction was initiated by laying the cornerstone. The cathedral was completed after eight years and consecrated on 8 October 1847. The consecration ceremony, to mark which Queen Victoria had sent "ten pieces of silver-gilt plate" for the cathedral, was largely attended by Europeans and local people. The cathedral was built in Gothic revival style, but with modern construction elements, including an iron framework. It was built with a chancel, a sanctuary, chapels and a 201 feet (61 m) tall spire; the cost of construction of the edifice was then Rs. 4,35,669. The cathedral can accommodate 800 to 1,000 people. In the 1897 earthquake the cathedral suffered damage and was refurbished. In the subsequent massive earthquake of 1934, when Calcutta was devastated, the cathedral's steeple tower collapsed. It was reconstructed to a revised design. Following the 1934 Calcutta earthquake, the tower was rebuilt along the lines of the central Bell Harry tower of Canterbury Cathedral. On its completion, St. Paul's replaced St. John's Church as the cathedral. The cathedral also has a statue of Bishop Heber (1783–1826), who was the Second Bishop of Calcutta; the statue was sculpted by Francis Leggatt Chantrey. The Bishop's House across the street is also architecturally notable. The cathedral is well maintained in a serene and peaceful atmosphere. People of all religious denominations can visit the church. Service is held regularly. Christmas is a special occasion when a large number of people assemble to participate in the festivities. The cathedral's interior has a display of many plastic art forms and memorabilia. There is an "episcopal throne" on the southern flank of the altar and a decorative reredo or wall on its back side dated to 1879; it has carvings of episodes related to the life of St. Paul, the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Flight into Egypt, all the work of Sir Arthur Blomfield. The parish hall within the premises of the cathedral is the venue for holding social functions. The eastern wall in the cathedral has paintings of the life of St. Paul, painted by Blomfield in 1886. Also notable is the font, with its sculpture of Bishop Heber in a kneeling posture. The cathedral's organ, with 41 stops, made by Joseph Willis and Sons of London, is still in use. The cathedral complex also has a library, situated over the western porch, to dimensions of 61 by 22 feet (19 m × 7 m) with a height of 35 feet (11 m). It was built at the initiative of Bishop Wilson, who donated 8,000 of his books and manuscripts. Further donations of books to the library were from W. Gordon and Rev. J. Nath of the University of Oxford and the Calcutta Bible Society. The library also has a sculpture of Bishop Wilson made in marble. Emami Chisel Art Emami Chisel Art is an art gallery in Kolkata under Emami. Founded in 2008, the organization hosts a variety of exhibitions which includes art exhibition, painting exhibition and craft fairs. Richa Agarwal, wife of Aditya Agarwal and daughter-in-law of Radhe Shyam Agarwal, is the Director of Emami Chisel Art and continues to highlight contemporary art in India with the help of events and exhibitions. Each year, Emami Chisel Art hosts its annual exhibition known by the name of ECA Calling. Situated in E.M. Bypass, Kolkata, it is a common place to visit for the tourist and the locals. Sabarna Sangrahashala Sabarna Sangrahashala in Kolkata is a museum about the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. It has been developed by The Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad. It was established in 2005 to cater the need of students and research scholars and also to create an awareness about the preservation of historical source materials. The Museum exhibits rare articles and historical documents of history. It is located at Barisha in Kolkata. The Institution caters to the needs of researchers doing studies on Kolkata and the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. This family museum possesses rare documents and articles, including Kabilatipatras dating from the 18th and 19th centuries: an important holding being one which has signature of Kavi Ramprasad Sen dated 1794. Other articles include a huge earthen rice pot dating 1840 with a capacity for 240 kg of grain, a metal hookah dated c. 1878, a metal candle stand dated c. 1795, and grinding wheels dated 1845. The philatelic and numismatic divisions possess rare stamps, First Day Covers and coins. Also on display is the historic judgement of the Kolkata High Court regarding the Kolkata Birthday Case and the Expert Committee Report on the matter. The Judgement states that Job Charnock was not the founder of Calcutta (Kolkata), nor is 24 August is the city's birthday Kolkata was an important trade and religious centre before the arrival of Charnock. The Museum has its own reference library with some rare collection of books and journals. A new and exclusive Digital Library cum Resource Archive, a first such initiative in Kolkata, has been included and may be used by public free of cost. This Digital Library cum Resource Archive has a vast collection of rarest books, travelogues, journals and seminar papers covering topics of history from across the world with a special focus on the history of Kolkata, Mughal Era and the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family. Nivedita Setu Nivedita Setu (also called Second Vivekananda Setu) is a cable-stayed bridge over Hooghly River in Kolkata, West Bengal. It runs parallel to and around 50 m downstream of the old Vivekananda Setu opened in 1932. The bridge is named after Sister Nivedita, the social worker-disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Belghoria Expressway that connects the meeting point of NH 2 with NH 6 at Dankuni to NH 34, NH 35, Dum Dum Airport and northern parts of Kolkata passes over the bridge. The bridge is designed to carry 48,000 vehicles per day. Vivekananda Setu had become weak as a result of ageing and with heavy traffic even repairs became difficult. There was need for a second bridge. The main challenge was to design and construct a new bridge that did not mar the view of the old Vivekananda Setu, did not dwarf the historically important Dakshineswar Kali Temple which is located well within visible distance, and carry substantially higher levels of fast traffic for around half a century. The bridge rests on deep-well foundations going down to the river bed level. It carries six lanes for high speed traffic. The carriageway is supported by 254 pre-stressed concrete girders. Cables from 14m high pylons extend additional support. Nivedita Setu is the first bridge in the country that is a single profile cable-stayed bridge. By design, the height of the columns are lower than the tip of the Dakshineswar temple. This "wonder of an architecture" bridge is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 6,50 crore. The construction of the bridge started in April 2004, by the construction giant Larsen and Toubro and was opened to traffic in a record time in July 2007. The bridge is the India's first multi-span, single-plane cable supported extra-dosed bridge; with short pylons and seven continuous spans of 110 m, totaling a length of 880 m (2,887 feet). It is 29 m wide and will be able to support 6 lanes of traffic.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line114
__label__wiki	0.557318	0.557318	university of north carolina at greensboro (16) university of north carolina at greensboro. school of music, theatre and dance (9) arts -- north carolina -- greensboro -- periodicals (2) college student newspapers and periodicals -- north carolina -- greensboro (2) creative writing (higher education) -- north carolina -- greensboro -- periodicals (2) student publications -- north carolina - (2) afghan war, 2001- (1) ua9.2 school of music performances -- programs and recordings, 1917-2007 (9) oh003 uncg centennial oral history project (2) rl.00207 william henry chafe oral history collection (2) state normal magazine / coraddi (2) oh002 uncg institutional memory collection (2) cc066 the historic dimension series (1) mss255 robert c. hansen performing arts collection (1) oh007 uncg alumni association oral history program collection, 1972-1979 (1) ua108.2 university archives subject files (1) foster, john r. (1) franz, jeannine marie (1) gordon, janet harper (1) harmon, nina bryson (1) agostini, peter (1) althouse, diane (1) colley-lee, myrna (1) davis, john w. (1) diehl, travis (1) : realism The Carolinian [March 13, 2012] The March 13, 2012, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Oral history interview with Peter Agostini, 1978 OH007 UNCG Alumni Association Oral History Program Collection, 1972-1979 Peter Agostini (1913-1993) received his only formal art training at New York’s Leonardo da Vinci Art School in 1935-1936. He taught painting and sculpture at New York Studio School and Columbia University. From 1966 to 1983, he was a professor... The Carolinian [March 4, 1982] The March 4, 1982, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Oral history interview with Myrna Colley-Lee, 2011 [text/print transcript] OH002 UNCG Institutional Memory Collection Myrna Colley-Lee (1941- ) graduated in 1962 from the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She taught art education for a few years before moving to New York, New York, where she... 2004-02-24 UNCG Symphony Orchestra [recital program] UA9.2 School of Music Performances -- Programs and Recordings, 1917-2007 Spring 2004 programs for recitals by students in the UNCG School of Music. 2004-04-23 Woodwind Chamber [recital program] 2004-04-29 Woodwind Chamber Music [recital program] 2005-04-29 Woodwind Chamber Music Recital [recital program] The Greensboro patriot [May 27, 1908] The Greensboro Patriot The May 27, 1908, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by W.M. Barber & Co.. The Carolinian [October 24, 2006] The October 24, 2006, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The Greensboro patriot [April 26, 1915] The April 26, 1915, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by W.I. Underwood. The Greensboro patriot [August 14, 1916] The August 14, 1916, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by W.I. Underwood. The ORD news [August 18, 1944] The ORD News The August 18, 1944, issue of The ORD News, published by the United States Army Basic Traing Center 10/Overseas Replacement Depot in Greensboro, North Carolina. Homespun [April 1929] Literary magazine of Greensboro Senior High School. The Carolinian [February 7, 1920] The February 7, 1920, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of the North Carolina College for Women (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The Carolinian [May 24, 1940] The May 24, 1940, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The Carolinian [April 25, 1947] The April 25, 1947, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The Carolinian [October 7, 1949] The October 7, 1949, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The March 10, 1950, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The Carolinian [November 13, 1964] The November 13, 1964, issue of The Carolinian, the student newspaper of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line115
__label__wiki	0.58722	0.58722	Ten Questions, with Julia McCarthy Submitted by erin on June 13, 2011 - 3:32pm Julia McCarthy talks to Open Book about the poet's underworld — living in rural Nova Scotia alongside nature's red tooth and claw — and how this environment influenced the writing of her poetry collection Return from Erebus, recently published with Brick Books. Julia McCarthy will be reading at the Art Bar Poetry Series on Tuesday, June 14th and at the Press Club's Pivot Reading Series on Wednesday, June 15th. See our Events page for details. You can also catch her — along with Brick Books authors Brian Henderson, Karen Enns and Adam Dickinson — at the Niagara Literary Arts Festival in St. Catharines at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 19th. Find out more here. Open Book: Tell us about your new collection of poetry, Return from Erebus. Julia McCarthy: It was a difficult book to write…eight years from start to finish. When my first book came out I’d already written away from it and was very aware of a shift. Without articulating that difference, I tried to follow it daily as much as possible, either by reading or writing or both. I think this book reflects the inner and outer worlds I inhabited during its writing, the overlap between them, finding its way into language. In many ways it’s a record of that overlap, letters from the chiasma. OB: What was it about the Greek mythology of the Underworld that inspired you to write this book? I think it was more my direct experience that fed many of the poems. Writing while experiencing deep solitude and reading a lot, particularly early Greek thinkers/writers/poets….along with poetry. At the same time I remembered that the Celts thought this world to be the underworld and I began to understand why. The act of writing a poem struck me as a complete cycle, as winter and summer, fall and spring, as both a voyage and a return, a death and rebirth, that shift in consciousness that occurs when you’re working well in spite of yourself and bending to the poem’s will, when you’re listening to the poem, both the preverbal whisper and the image, that frequency just beneath the words that carries them along, following it and hoping you are recreating that same shift for the reader so that the poem becomes both container and contained, both vessel and river, where hopefully, it becomes whole. I believe this to be paradise found. There's a darkness to these poems, and many images of night, winter and blackness. Do you do your best writing at night, or is it the Underworld that gives the poems this atmosphere? There are so many underworlds aren’t there? There’s the shadow side of nature/ourselves and life in general, our unconscious both personal and collective, there’s memory and all the worlds we can’t see and all the shades between. I live very rurally and thus enjoy a lot of solitude, which does create a certain atmosphere. When you don’t interact much with people for long periods of time you experience things differently, you’re less distracted, more alert and more present to subtle things, which creates a different mood and tone in which to be. Contrary to my expectation, my world expanded rather than contracted. I do tend to be a night person by nature and walk in my woods at night or sit outside listening to the wealth of creatures. I have heard the death screams of animals caught by owls, the strange mating calls of porcupines and the hollow sound of a winter’s night. I do live across from a cemetery; it has a lovely view of the small valley in which I live, so I walk up there regularly. In some sense I’ve been surrounded by the dead, those I’ve known and those I’ve not. It’s bound to seep into my work. Despite the darker tones, white is also a common image in Return from Erebus. You even have a poem called "Poem in White," which meditates on the absence that white evokes, calling it "the primary wound." What did the juxtaposition of light and darkness mean for you during the writing of these poems? The world of duality is such that we need one thing to know the other or its opposite in any meaningful way. To experience light you need the dark, to know joy you must know sorrow and vice versa…yin and yang, each contains the seed of the other. Or as Jung wrote: Our greatest treasure is not natural possessions or money, but is that which is hidden deep within our own subconscious. It is that dark, unused part of our self that is, in fact, light that is unconscious of itself. For me, I think the “primary wound” is the way human culture has evolved….the idea that duality or the world of distinctions (i.e. this isn’t that) is all of reality rather than a limited perception on the gross level, creates a kind of absence, unconsciousness, a severely unrealistic view. The “primary wound” is one of consciousness on some level, a loss of innocence in the sense of grounded awareness of wholeness, connectedness. I think it was Marcus Aurelius who wrote about singularity and plurality using sunlight to illustrate that it is broken up by walls and hills and uncountable things, it splits into many forms and various shapes, can cast shadows but it is still sunlight. At the core of metaphor-making is a more inclusive way of being, a "this is that" awareness that to my way of thinking is as realistic and as whole as it gets. Tell us about the poems called "Meditations on Ephemera" that ribbon throughout the book. Where did you begin with them, and how do you see them interacting with the other poems in the collection? Because I experienced the death of so much and so many in a concentrated period of time after moving back to Canada — and to Nova Scotia in particular, where I’d never lived before — it would’ve been impossible to not really understand the statement: know that everything you love will die. It was in many ways a fragile time, when fragility was a luxury I didn’t have. I think the meditation poems grew out my awareness of the fragility of life and a growing attentiveness to presence, whether it be an earwig, a dying fly, dust motes, the sun or more abstract things, which seemed important to ground in concrete experience, thus the Idea and Poem and Metaphor meditations. Originally they were written in a sequence, micro to macro, but when I was shaping the manuscript I let go of that idea and found interspersing them through the book worked much better. Some of them, I think, help ground the aesthetic of the book. Return from Erebus is your second collection. How was the experience of writing this manuscript different from the writing of your first book, Stormthrower? It was very different….I think of my first book as an apprenticeship and it took far too long — some poems in Stormthrower were written by a 19-year-old, others by a 36-year-old, and that made for an uneven book. Also I was living mostly outside of Canada during those years, in unusual and difficult circumstances, moving around a lot including to different countries (and a move back to Canada for a spell to study with Robin Skelton, who became a good friend and mentor). Return from Erebus was written entirely while living in one place and in a more concentrated time period of eight years. I think there’s continuity in Erebus that the first book lacks. Though I’m still very proud of some of the poems in the first book, I feel without a doubt the second book is the one I was meant to write, if I’m meant to write anything at all. How does living in Nova Scotia affect and influence you as a writer? I think it’s been tremendously influential for me as a poet…..something in the air here…the salt perhaps? but it feels open and removed and connected all at once. The forest behind my house has been a huge influence, living rurally which is a slower pace, but especially in Nova Scotia where everything is geared down compared to, say, Ontario. I’m never far from water here, which in some form seeps into my work here and there. I’ve lived here now for 14 years…the longest I’ve lived anywhere in the last 28 years, and that in general has been hugely advantageous…allowing me focus and concentration I didn’t have before moving here. I’m now officially allergic to moving….my headstone will read: "Here lies Julia, who isn’t moving anymore!" What poets would you say have had the greatest influence on your work? Definitely Gwendolyn MacEwen has been the single most influential…it was hearing her read her poems on CBC’s Anthology program when I was around 12 that stunned me….I realized she was doing something incredibly important, and I wanted to do that too. I didn’t understand her work at all then, of course — I was only 12, but it was a visceral experience that changed everything for me. At the same time I was also reading Plath and Hughes, Jay McPherson, and learning a lot by osmosis about image-making and the mythopoetic impulse. These earliest influences were probably the greatest ones as well. Later I came across John Haines, Robert Bly, W.S. Merwin and their translations….and would say they've been very important to my sensibilities as well. I studied for a time with Robin Skelton in Victoria, back in 1988 or so, and learned a great deal from him. He was a wealth of poetic knowledge, and became a mentor; he and his wife, Sylvia both became good friends. What was the last book of poetry you read that really knocked your socks off? I’ve been reading W.S. Merwin’s new book, The Shadow of Sirius and The Yale Anthology of Twentieth Century French Poetry…..just love Merwin’s rich subtleness as in the poem “Little Soul” (after Hadrian): Little soul little stray little drifter now where will you stay all pale and all alone after the way you used to make fun of things It doesn’t get better than that… Right now I’m working bit by bit on new poems and have no idea whatsoever where they are going. Also I’m reading a lot of poetry and non-fiction. Julia McCarthy is originally from Toronto. She spent ten years living in the United States, most notably Alaska and Georgia. She has also lived in Norway and spent significant time in South Africa. Her previous collection of poetry, Stormthrower, was published by Wolsak and Wynn in 2002. She now resides in Nova Scotia, where she works as a freelance writer and editor. For more information about Return from Erebus please visit the Brick Books website. Buy this book at your local independent bookstore or online at Chapters/Indigo or Amazon. Wed June 8, 2011 Ten Questions, with Jill Downie View more items filed under “Ten Questions With” in our Open Book Archives. Submitted by erin on June 8, 2011 - 12:54pm Jill Downie talks to Open Book about the grim research required to write an authentic crime novel, the benefits of belonging to the Crime Writers of Canada and the experience of writing her first novel in the genre, Daggers and Men's Smiles, just released with Dundurn Press. Jill Downie will be signing copies of Daggers and Men's Smiles at the Avid Reader Bookstore in Cobourg on Thursday, June 9th. Visit our Events page for details. Contest! Win one of three copies of Daggers and Men's Smiles from Dundurn Press and Open Book. To enter, send an email with the subject heading "Downie" to contests@openbooktoronto.com and tell us the name of the island on which Daggers and Men's Smiles takes place. Contest closes June 22nd.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line117
__label__cc	0.636524	0.363476	The WAR Series: Writers as Readers, with Paula Daly Submitted by Grace on May 8, 2014 - 8:36am Paula Daly is the author of Keep Your Friends Close (Doubleday Canada). In the novel, Natty Wainwright's daughter collapses while travelling in France, sending Natty flying off to France to retrieve her. Natty leaves her best friend, Eve, at home with her husband, Sean, to hold down the fort. Imagine her surprise when she returns two weeks later to find that Sean, her devoted husband, has fallen in love with Eve. Natty is devastated, but her feelings become more complex when she receives a note advising that this is not Eve's first time snatching someone else's life... and that Natty's life may in fact be what is in danger. Paula joins us today on Open Book to tackle the WAR (Writers as Readers) series, where authors share with us about the books that have influenced and touched them throughout their lives. Paula talks about the book that got her hooked on suspense, the best time to read Russian novels and the book that would have saved her a lot of grief if she'd read it earlier. The WAR Series, Writers as Readers The first book I remember reading on my own: George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl. A book that made me cry: The first adult book I read: Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon (My sister gave me this to read when I was ten and I became hooked on suspense). A book that made me laugh out loud: Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple. How to be Idle by Tom Hodgkinson. The book I have re-read many times: One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson — I love each and every character in this book. A book I feel like I should have read, but haven't: Anna Karenina. I’ve been told by many that it’s right up my street, but I think if you haven’t read the Russian novelists as a teenager — when you have nothing to do but lounge around for days on end — then you’re probably not going get around to it until much later in life. The book I would give my seventeen year old self, if I could: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. I started worrying when I first had children at the age twenty-three, and didn’t find this book until I was twenty-nine. I could have saved myself a lot of unnecessary nonsense had I come across it sooner. A book I feel strongly influenced me as a writer and why: The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy. This book has everything — suspense, great settings, good characters, lovely twists. When I started writing I knew that this was the type of book I wanted to write. The best book I read in the past six months: The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. Paula Daly lives in Cumbria, England, with her husband, three children and whippet Skippy. She is a freelance physiotherapist and lived for a short while in France but returned to the UK after missing the hustle and bustle. Just What Kind of Mother Are You? was her first novel. Paula is currently working on another novel, The Day Before You Came. Wed September 19, 2012 At the Desk: Jennifer Hillier View more items filed under “Grace” in our Open Book Archives. Submitted by Grace on September 19, 2012 - 2:15pm For each book that sits on our shelves or rests in our hands, a writer has spent countless hours researching, organizing, writing and rewriting. In Open Book’s At The Desk series, writers tell us about their creative processes and the workspaces that inspire them. Keep Your Friends Close Paula Daly (Doubleday Canada) From Doubleday Canada: Natty and Sean Wainwright are happily married. Rock solid, in fact. So when Natty’s oldest friend, Eve Dalladay, appears—just as their daughter collapses on a school trip in France—Natty has no qualms about leaving Eve with Sean to help out at home while she flies to France to see her daughter. When Natty returns two weeks later, Eve has slotted into family life a little too well. Natty’s husband has fallen in love with her friend. Sean’s sorry, he says, but their marriage is over. With no option but to put a brave face on things, Natty embarks on building a new life for herself. And then she receives an anonymous note: Eve has done this before, more than once. Don’t let her take what’s yours. Buy this from Amazon Buy this from Indigo Find this at a local indie bookstore	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line118
__label__cc	0.680468	0.319532	Crowdfunding – Clearing Away the Fog The JOBS Act made the sale of securities to the general public through crowdfunding legal, subject to rulemaking by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Our memorandum Crowdfunding – Clearing Away the Fog explains how the crowdfunding market for sales of securities to accredited investors has developed outside the auspices of the JOBS Act regulation, as a consequence of the lifting of the ban on the use of general solicitation and general advertising for certain unregistered private sales. A Seismic Shift In The Securities Laws: The Elimination of the Ban on the Use of General Solicitation or General Advertising in Certain Private Placements, and What It Means for Issuers, Accredited Investors, and Crowdfunding REGULATION CROWDFUNDING: Proposed Rules by the SEC to give effect to the Crowdfunding Provisions of Title III under the JOBS Act	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line119
__label__wiki	0.694022	0.694022	The United States of America, 1784 This hand-colored map by Amos Doolittle (1754-1832), a Boston engraver and silversmith, was one of the first national maps published in the United States immediately following the 1783 Peace of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War and guaranteed independence for the United States. Conceived as a fold-out map to be inserted into the nation’s first bestselling geography schoolbook, Jedidiah Morse’s Geography Made Easy (1784), this map reached thousands of citizens, young and old alike, during the first decades after Independence. Unlike previous maps showing geopolitical sections of North America, the Doolittle map is designed to present exclusively the territory of the nation-state. It therefore traces the international borders from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Mississippi River in the west, and from British Canada to the north and Spanish Florida to the South. At the same time it provides information about the interior, which, despite being rudimentary, offered Americans a first synoptic view of the union. Later national maps, often conceived as giant wall maps, were much more detailed. Combined with the textual apparatus and reading protocols of school geographies, these maps accompanied lessons in which students learned how to travel the nation in the virtual setting of a map: Oral recitation required students to match locations on the map with encyclopedic entries describing the geography of the land, rivers, and settlements. Prefacing the map at the lower right is an ornamental cartouche that introduces through its visual narrative the relationship between map and literary mapping. Hovering in a swirl of billowing clouds, the female figure of Liberty (or Columbia) lifts, together with the help of the American eagle, a banner inscribed with the words “Aspera ad Astra”—which translates as “a rough road leads to the stars”—in order to unveil the new nation’s name (in bold print) while the land is shown beneath (in a pictorial sketch). When considered in juxtaposition to the map image, the cartouche suggests that as long as they are viewed separately the two discursive modes of either word or image will foster imaginings that are easily clouded and distorted. If used jointly, however—as the dual gesture of unveiling the geographic name of the nation and of the map image itself indicates—the cartouche celebrates the mixed language of the map as the ideal literary means for representing and traveling the nation in clear and unambiguous terms. Doolittle, Amos, "A Map of the United States of America", in Jedidiah Morse's Geography Made Easy (New-Haven : Printed by Meigs, Bowen and Dana, [1784]). Ayer 109.5 .M7 1784	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line121
__label__wiki	0.902497	0.902497	Inscope Medical Solutions takes advantage of the ‘best of both worlds’ of Indiana and Louisville Inscope at the Cardinal Challenge \| Photo by UofL Inscope Medical Solutions, the University of Louisville Entrepreneurial MBA powerhouse, which has racked up win after win at international pitch contests over the past two years and even rang the bell at the Nasdaq, has continued to ride that winning streak even as the company has settled into a new home in Jeffersonville, Ind. CEO Maggie Galloway told Insider that relocating from downtown Louisville to Indiana last December has helped the company “to take advantage of both worlds.” Inscope produces disposable laryngoscopes that allow a medical professional to open and suction a patient’s airway with one hand while intubating with the other. A similar device with a video component is on the way. The standard device is being manufactured at Occam Design in downtown Louisville; the video device is being manufactured at Key Electronics in downtown Jeffersonville. In early June, Inscope took home the top prize in the Venture Club of Indiana’s Innovation Showcase Pitch Competition. Over 130 companies competed in regional qualifiers to be whittled down to just a handful of startups that competed at the statewide innovation showcase, inx3. They won a $100,000 prize package. Winning, said Galloway, helped “catalyze our intro into the entrepreneurial community in Indiana.” She spent much of last week traveling the state and meeting with regional entrepreneurial community leaders. Galloway says she finds Indiana has better funding for companies in life sciences than Kentucky, in part because there are a number of large life sciences companies in the state. Eli Lilly and Company has its headquarters in Indianapolis. Cook Medical is in Bloomington. There are several large orthopedic companies in the state as well, Galloway said. She also said that there are a lot of organizations supporting health care entrepreneurs and startups, like the Indiana Health Industry Forum. The company’s laryngoscopes are currently undergoing a clinical study in California, with plans for the first devices to be commercially available this fall and its video laryngoscopes to be available in 2018. Galloway said the devices would retail at $20 and $100, respectively. The company’s target markets are trauma centers and ambulance companies. Last year, Inscope Medical completed the three-month Techstars Healthcare Accelerator, in partnership with Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Indiana’s Elevate Ventures’ entrepreneur-in-residence, Dan Owen, came on as an investor and new board member when the team raised their first round after attending TechStars. “Inscope’s decision to move its operations to Jeffersonville is a good first step toward creating more parity within the Kentuckiana region for startups,” Kent Lanum, president and chief executive of the Jeffersonville-based Ogle Foundation, which supports philanthropic activities within the region’s startup ecosystem told Business Facilities Magazine. “The state boundary line is merely a line on a map and not a physical barrier. One of the many things that’s great about this region is that both states have something unique and industry-specific to offer. With Jeffersonville’s proximity to the urban Louisville core, it provides the perfect location for Inscope to quickly scale up its business.” Inscope’s first device has made it through all its FDA hurdles, Galloway said and should be available for sale in September. Currently, Inscope is working with “a little team” of three, Galloway said, as well as some contractors. Once the device is introduced the company will build up a sales team. What’s next for Inscope once both the standard and video laryngoscopes enter the market? Galloway said that the obvious next step is to create a pediatric version of the device. She also said that the imaging tech that the company created for the video laryngoscope could be repurposed for other low-cost, disposable medical devices. By Melissa Chipman\|2019-12-31T13:18:05-05:00July 5th, 2017\|	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line123
__label__cc	0.599054	0.400946	INCOME TAX CODE View Entire Chapter F.S. 220.03 1220.03 Definitions.— (1) SPECIFIC TERMS.—When used in this code, and when not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) “Ad valorem taxes paid” means 96 percent of property taxes levied for operating purposes and does not include interest, penalties, or discounts foregone. In addition, the term “ad valorem taxes paid,” for purposes of the credit in s. 220.182, means the ad valorem tax paid on new or additional real or personal property acquired to establish a new business or facilitate a business expansion, including pollution and waste control facilities, or any part thereof, and including one or more buildings or other structures, machinery, fixtures, and equipment. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (b) “Affiliated group of corporations” means two or more corporations which constitute an affiliated group of corporations as defined in s. 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. (c) “Business” or “business firm” means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), and any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (d) “Community Contribution” means the grant by a business firm of any of the following items: 1. Cash or other liquid assets. 2. Real property, which for purposes of this subparagraph includes 100 percent ownership of a real property holding company. The term “real property holding company” means a Florida entity, such as a Florida limited liability company, that: a. Is wholly owned by the business firm. b. Is the sole owner of real property, as defined in s. 192.001(12), located in the state. c. Is disregarded as an entity for federal income tax purposes pursuant to 26 C.F.R. s. 301.7701-3(b)(1)(ii). d. At the time of contribution to an eligible sponsor, has no material assets other than the real property and any other property that qualifies as a community contribution. 3. Goods or inventory. 4. Other physical resources as identified by the department. (e) “Corporation” includes all domestic corporations; foreign corporations qualified to do business in this state or actually doing business in this state; joint-stock companies; limited liability companies, under chapter 605; common-law declarations of trust, under chapter 609; corporations not for profit, under chapter 617; agricultural cooperative marketing associations, under chapter 618; professional service corporations, under chapter 621; foreign unincorporated associations, under chapter 622; private school corporations, under chapter 623; foreign corporations not for profit which are carrying on their activities in this state; and all other organizations, associations, legal entities, and artificial persons which are created by or pursuant to the statutes of this state, the United States, or any other state, territory, possession, or jurisdiction. The term “corporation” does not include proprietorships, even if using a fictitious name; partnerships of any type, as such; limited liability companies that are taxable as partnerships for federal income tax purposes; state or public fairs or expositions, under chapter 616; estates of decedents or incompetents; testamentary trusts; or private trusts. (f) “Department” means the Department of Revenue of this state. (g) “Director” means the executive director of the Department of Revenue and, when there has been an appropriate delegation of authority, the executive director’s delegate. (h) “Earned,” “accrued,” “paid,” or “incurred” shall be construed according to the method of accounting upon the basis of which a taxpayer’s income is computed under this code. (i) “Emergency,” as used in s. 220.02 and in paragraph (u) of this subsection, means occurrence of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property proclaimed pursuant to s. 14.022 or declared pursuant to s. 252.36. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (j) “Enterprise zone” means an area in the state designated pursuant to s. 290.0065. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (k) “Expansion of an existing business,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone property tax credit, means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), and any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, located in an enterprise zone, which expands by or through additions to real and personal property and which establishes five or more new jobs to employ five or more additional full-time employees at such location. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (l) “Fiscal year” means an accounting period of 12 months or less ending on the last day of any month other than December or, in the case of a taxpayer with an annual accounting period of 52-53 weeks under s. 441(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, the period determined under that subsection. (m) “Includes” or “including,” when used in a definition contained in this code, shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined. 2(n) “Internal Revenue Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect on January 1, 2019, except as provided in subsection (3). (o) “Local government” means any county or incorporated municipality in the state. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (p) “New business,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone property tax credit, means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), or any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, first beginning operations on a site located in an enterprise zone and clearly separate from any other commercial or industrial operations owned by the same entity, bank, or savings and loan association and which establishes five or more new jobs to employ five or more additional full-time employees at such location. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (q) “New employee,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone jobs credit, means a person residing in an enterprise zone or a participant in the welfare transition program who is employed at a business located in an enterprise zone who begins employment in the operations of the business after July 1, 1995, and who has not been previously employed full time within the preceding 12 months by the business or a successor business claiming the credit pursuant to s. 220.181. A person shall be deemed to be employed by such a business if the person performs duties in connection with the operations of the business on a full-time basis, provided she or he is performing such duties for an average of at least 36 hours per week each month. The person must be performing such duties at a business site located in an enterprise zone. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (r) “Nonbusiness income” means rents and royalties from real or tangible personal property, capital gains, interest, dividends, and patent and copyright royalties, to the extent that they do not arise from transactions and activities in the regular course of the taxpayer’s trade or business. The term “nonbusiness income” does not include income from tangible and intangible property if the acquisition, management, and disposition of the property constitute integral parts of the taxpayer’s regular trade or business operations, or any amounts which could be included in apportionable income without violating the due process clause of the United States Constitution. For purposes of this definition, “income” means gross receipts less all expenses directly or indirectly attributable thereto. Functionally related dividends are presumed to be business income. (s) “Partnership” includes a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization through or by means of which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on, including a limited partnership; and the term “partner” includes a member having a capital or a profits interest in a partnership. (t) “Project” means any activity undertaken by an eligible sponsor, as defined in s. 220.183(2)(c), which is designed to construct, improve, or substantially rehabilitate housing that is affordable to low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28); designed to provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004; designed to provide commercial, industrial, or public resources and facilities; or designed to improve entrepreneurial and job-development opportunities for low-income persons. A project may be the investment necessary to increase access to high-speed broadband capability in a rural community that had an enterprise zone designated pursuant to chapter 290 as of May 1, 2015, including projects that result in improvements to communications assets that are owned by a business. A project may include the provision of museum educational programs and materials that are directly related to any project approved between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 1999, and located in an area that was in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to s. 290.0065 as of May 1, 2015. This paragraph does not preclude projects that propose to construct or rehabilitate low-income or very-low-income housing on scattered sites or housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004. With respect to housing, contributions may be used to pay the following eligible project-related activities: 1. Project development, impact, and management fees for special needs, low-income, or very-low-income housing projects; 2. Down payment and closing costs for eligible persons, as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28); 3. Administrative costs, including housing counseling and marketing fees, not to exceed 10 percent of the community contribution, directly related to special needs, low-income, or very-low-income projects; and 4. Removal of liens recorded against residential property by municipal, county, or special-district local governments when satisfaction of the lien is a necessary precedent to the transfer of the property to an eligible person, as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28), for the purpose of promoting home ownership. Contributions for lien removal must be received from a nonrelated third party. (u) “Rebuilding of an existing business” means replacement or restoration of real or tangible property destroyed or damaged in an emergency, as defined in paragraph (i), after July 1, 1995, in an enterprise zone, by a business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), or a bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, located in the enterprise zone. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (v) “Regulations” includes rules promulgated, and forms prescribed, by the department. (w) “Returns” includes declarations of estimated tax required under this code. (x) “State,” when applied to a jurisdiction other than Florida, means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, and any foreign country, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing. (y) “Taxable year” means the calendar or fiscal year upon the basis of which net income is computed under this code, including, in the case of a return made for a fractional part of a year, the period for which such return is made. (z) “Taxpayer” means any corporation subject to the tax imposed by this code, and includes all corporations for which a consolidated return is filed under s. 220.131. However, “taxpayer” does not include a corporation having no individuals (including individuals employed by an affiliate) receiving compensation in this state as defined in s. 220.15 when the only property owned or leased by said corporation (including an affiliate) in this state is located at the premises of a printer with which it has contracted for printing, if such property consists of the final printed product, property which becomes a part of the final printed product, or property from which the printed product is produced. (aa) “Functionally related dividends” include the following types of dividends: 1. Those received from a subsidiary of which the voting stock is more than 50 percent owned or controlled by the taxpayer or members of its affiliated group and which is engaged in the same general line of business. 2. Those received from any corporation which is either a significant source of supply for the taxpayer or its affiliated group or a significant purchaser of the output of the taxpayer or its affiliated group, or which sells a significant part of its output or obtains a significant part of its raw materials or input from the taxpayer or its affiliated group. “Significant” means an amount of 15 percent or more. 3. Those resulting from the investment of working capital or some other purpose in furtherance of the taxpayer or its affiliated group. However, dividends not otherwise subject to tax under this chapter are excluded. (bb) “Child care facility startup costs” means expenditures for substantial renovation, equipment, including playground equipment and kitchen appliances and cooking equipment, real property, including land and improvements, and for reduction of debt, made in connection with a child care facility as defined by s. 402.302, or any facility providing daily care to children who are mildly ill, which is located in this state on the taxpayer’s premises and used by the employees of the taxpayer. (cc) “Operation of a child care facility” means operation of a child care facility as defined by s. 402.302, or any facility providing daily care to children who are mildly ill, which is located in this state within 5 miles of at least one place of business of the taxpayer and which is used by the employees of the taxpayer. (dd) “Citrus processing company” means a corporation which, during the 60-month period ending on December 31, 1997, had derived more than 50 percent of its total gross receipts from the processing of citrus products and the manufacture of juices. (ee) “New job has been created” means that, on the date of application, the total number of full-time jobs is greater than the total was 12 months prior to that date, as demonstrated to the department by a business located in the enterprise zone. (ff) “Job” means a full-time position, as consistent with terms used by the Department of Economic Opportunity and the United States Department of Labor for purposes of reemployment assistance tax administration and employment estimation resulting directly from business operations in this state. The term may not include a temporary construction job involved with the construction of facilities or any job that has previously been included in any application for tax credits under s. 212.096. The term also includes employment of an employee leased from an employee leasing company licensed under chapter 468 if the employee has been continuously leased to the employer for an average of at least 36 hours per week for more than 6 months. (2) DEFINITIONAL RULES.—When used in this code and neither otherwise distinctly expressed nor manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof: (a) The word “corporation” or “taxpayer” includes the words “and its successors and assigns” as if these words, or words of similar import, were expressed. (b) Any term used in any section of this code with respect to the application of, or in connection with, the provisions of any other section of this code has the same meaning as in such other section. 2(c) Any term used in this code has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the Internal Revenue Code and other statutes of the United States relating to federal income taxes, as such code and statutes are in effect on January 1, 2019. However, if subsection (3) is implemented, the meaning of a term shall be taken at the time the term is applied under this code. (3) FUTURE FEDERAL AMENDMENTS.—On or after January 1, 1972, when expressly authorized by law, any amendment to the Internal Revenue Code shall be given effect under this code in such manner and for such periods as are prescribed in the Internal Revenue Code, to the same extent as if such amendment had been adopted by the Legislature of this state. However, any such amendment shall have effect under this code only to the extent that the amended provision of the Internal Revenue Code shall be taken into account in the computation of net income subject to tax hereunder. (4) It is the intent of the Legislature that all amendments to the Internal Revenue Code be given effect under the Florida Income Tax Code in such manner and for such periods as are prescribed in the Internal Revenue Code, to the same extent as if such amendments had been adopted by the Legislature of the state. (5)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, each amendment to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, which was enacted by the Congress of the United States after January 1, 1980, and before January 1, 1982, and which had an effective date prior to January 1, 1982, shall be given effect under this code retroactive to the effective date of such amendment unless the taxpayer makes the election provided for in paragraph (b) or in paragraph (c). (b) Unless a taxpayer makes the election under paragraph (c), she or he may make an election, in the manner prescribed by the department, by August 26, 1982, or a taxpayer filing an initial return may make an election upon filing the first return for tax due under this chapter, whichever is later, to report and pay the tax levied by this chapter as if all such amendments described in paragraph (a) became effective on January 1, 1982. If such an election is made, all such amendments shall have no application to such taxpayer for periods prior to January 1, 1982, and all transactions and events occurring between January 1, 1980, and January 1, 1982, and the continuing tax ramifications of such events and transactions shall be governed by the law in effect on January 1, 1980. (c) A taxpayer may make an election, in the manner prescribed by the department, by August 26, 1982, or a taxpayer filing an initial return may make an election upon filing the first return for the tax due under this chapter, whichever is later, to report and pay the tax levied by this chapter as if: 1. The Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, is in effect indefinitely thereafter; and 2. Solely for the purpose of computing depreciation deductions, the provisions of chapter 220, Florida Statutes, 1980 Supplement, are in effect indefinitely thereafter. For the purposes of taxation of taxpayers who make the election provided for in this paragraph, the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, shall include, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1982, the provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, Subtitle C of Title XI of Pub. L. No. 96-499 and the amendments to those provisions codified in the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in paragraph (1)(n). Taxpayers may one time only revoke an election made pursuant to this paragraph, in accordance with rules formulated by the department. Such revocation shall be prospective in nature, and all transactions and events occurring during the period during which the election provided for in this paragraph is in effect and the continuing tax ramifications of such events and transactions shall be governed by the provisions of this paragraph. (d) Any taxpayer who has not made the election pursuant to paragraph (c) shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 221, and the provisions of that chapter shall be retroactively effective to the effective date of s. 168 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, unless the taxpayer has made the election pursuant to paragraph (b), in which event the provisions of chapter 221 shall apply retroactively to January 1, 1982. (e) Paragraphs (b) and (c) and any election made pursuant to such paragraphs shall expire and be void for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1987, except any depreciation method elected and applied to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1987. (f) Any taxpayer who made an election pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) for any prior taxable year shall recompute tax for all prior years for which such election was effective by determining the tax for all such taxable years as if the election had not been made, except for differences attributable to depreciation methods. The aggregate of the changes in the tax liabilities resulting from such recomputation shall be treated as an addition to tax or credit against tax, as the case may be, ratably over the five succeeding taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986. Any ratable portion of a credit against tax which cannot be utilized in any taxable year may be carried over to subsequent taxable years until fully utilized. History.—s. 1, ch. 71-984; ss. 2, 3, ch. 72-278; s. 1, ch. 73-321; s. 1, ch. 74-324; s. 2, ch. 75-293; s. 1, ch. 76-173; s. 1, ch. 77-402; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-58; s. 1, ch. 79-35; s. 1, ch. 80-15; s. 6, ch. 80-77; s. 2, ch. 80-199; ss. 2, 6, ch. 80-247; ss. 2, 10, ch. 80-248; s. 21, ch. 81-167; s. 126, ch. 81-259; s. 3, ch. 82-119; s. 4, ch. 82-177; ss. 1, 8, ch. 82-232; ss. 1, 9, ch. 82-385; ss. 4, 8, ch. 82-399; s. 19, ch. 83-55; s. 12, ch. 83-297; s. 11, ch. 83-334; s. 2, ch. 83-349; s. 37, ch. 84-356; ss. 4, 11, 13, 18, ch. 84-549; s. 3, ch. 85-118; s. 54, ch. 85-342; s. 12, ch. 86-121; s. 12, ch. 87-99; s. 14, ch. 87-102; s. 16, ch. 88-119; ss. 16, 29, ch. 88-201; s. 50, ch. 89-356; s. 37, ch. 90-132; s. 13, ch. 90-203; s. 1, ch. 91-19; s. 1, ch. 92-10; s. 3, ch. 92-207; s. 1, ch. 93-172; s. 7, ch. 93-233; s. 1, ch. 94-86; s. 49, ch. 94-136; s. 1518, ch. 95-147; s. 1, ch. 95-397; s. 1, ch. 96-250; s. 21, ch. 96-320; s. 35, ch. 96-397; s. 15, ch. 97-287; s. 21, ch. 98-57; s. 1, ch. 98-100; s. 9, ch. 98-101; s. 2, ch. 98-293; s. 21, ch. 98-342; s. 28, ch. 99-208; s. 11, ch. 2000-157; s. 37, ch. 2000-210; s. 22, ch. 2000-355; s. 6, ch. 2001-201; s. 1, ch. 2001-218; s. 39, ch. 2002-218; s. 1, ch. 2002-283; s. 2, ch. 2002-395; s. 1, ch. 2003-85; s. 1, ch. 2004-262; s. 1, ch. 2005-112; s. 2, ch. 2005-282; s. 24, ch. 2005-287; s. 4, ch. 2006-2; s. 1, ch. 2006-46; s. 2, ch. 2006-113; s. 1, ch. 2007-35; s. 1, ch. 2008-206; s. 1, ch. 2009-18; s. 1, ch. 2009-192; s. 1, ch. 2010-142; s. 88, ch. 2011-142; s. 1, ch. 2011-229; s. 48, ch. 2012-30; s. 3, ch. 2012-145; s. 1, ch. 2013-46; s. 1, ch. 2014-25; s. 1, ch. 2015-35; s. 16, ch. 2015-148; s. 18, ch. 2015-221; s. 1, ch. 2016-131; s. 13, ch. 2016-220; s. 30, ch. 2017-36; s. 1, ch. 2017-67; s. 1, ch. 2018-119; s. 1, ch. 2019-168. 1Note.— A. Section 5, ch. 2008-206, provides that “[t]he Department of Revenue may adopt rules necessary to administer the provisions of this act, including rules, forms, and guidelines for computing, claiming, and adding back bonus depreciation under s. 168(k) and deductions under s. 179 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.” B. Section 3, ch. 2009-192, provides that “[t]he Department of Revenue may adopt rules necessary to administer the provisions of this act.” A. Section 7, ch. 2018-119, provides that: “(1) The Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed to be met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing this act. “(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, emergency rules adopted pursuant to subsection (1) are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules. “(3) This section expires January 1, 2021.” B. Section 5, ch. 2019-168, provides that: C. Section 7, ch. 2019-168, provides that “[t]his act shall take effect upon becoming a law and operate retroactively to January 1, 2019, except that section 3 shall operate retroactively to January 1, 2018.”	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line126
__label__cc	0.706101	0.293899	Catholics: Your misguided compassion will come back to bite you in the rear The culture has quickly moved from complete aversion to gay "marriage" (which was unthinkable even fifteen years ago) to the beginnings of real acceptance. I've noticed that most who have moved towards acceptance have done so out of a misguided sense of compassion. I've seen otherwise faithful Catholics publicly declare that we should not speak against, vote against or fight against gay "marriage", because a) we heterosexuals have already messed up marriage enough on our own, and b) we cannot "judge". We can practice our Faith and also give homosexuals the right to civil "marriage". No conflict, they say, and no problem. Well, if you're a Catholic who doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, I'm talking directly to you: Such misguided compassion (which equates to "love without truth") will come back to bite you in the arse, and with a vengeance. Because if you believe that gay "marriage" laws will not affect you or your Church, you're already too late. Check the writing on the wall: This very week, an Illinois judge ruled that the state can sever its contract with Catholic Charities' foster and adoption program because the Catholic agency refuses to place children with homosexual couples. In the wake of the state's new "civil unions" law, these Catholic ministries must either formally cooperate with grave sin or end their mission. After the ruling (which affects 2500 foster children), Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria lamented that “important elements of the political establishment in the state of Illinois are now basically at war with the Catholic community and seem to be destroying their institutions.” Already, back in May, the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, shut down a 100-year-old adoption and foster care ministry that helped place hundreds of children with families each year. According to diocesan official Peggy Wiegert: Catholic Charities and other religious agencies implored the State of Illinois to allow their agencies to refer such couples to other adoption and foster care agencies so as to not violate the moral teachings of their faith. Tragically, that did not happen. Supporters of Illinois' "civil union" law falsely claimed that its passage would have no effect on faith-based adoption agencies. Yeah, right. Whoever believed that is a fool. Attentive Catholics knew better, because Illinois is not an anomaly, it's a trend. Last year, D.C. passed a gay "marriage" law, effectively forcing Catholic Charities in that diocese shut its adoption/foster programs after 80 years of service. And in 2006, Boston Catholic Charities ended its century-old adoption/foster services rather than place children with homosexual couples, which was required by the legalization of gay "marriage" in Massachusetts. From Catholic commentator Jack Smith: Everywhere civil unions or same-sex marriages have become the law, they have been used to shut Catholic Charities out of adoption and foster care services. And there is no reason to expect they won’t be used to erode other religious freedoms down the road. Now, unlike other civil union and gay "marriage" laws, the recent New York State gay "marriage" law did include a religious exemption, which placated a few nervous legislators, but which shouldn't bring Catholics much comfort. Some religious entities are protected from having to accommodate gay "marriages", but as one Christian wisely put it: "We didn't need any protection before!" True, that. Yesterday we weren't discriminating, but today we are. We are "protected" now, but protections for discriminators won't last long. After all, dear Catholics, when grave sin is re-categorized as a societal virtue and a civil right, then you and your Church are suddenly the ones in violation and will be penalized for speaking or acting in opposition. If you think, as I naively once did, that the general public will be horrified by the loss of so many wonderful, longstanding Catholic charities, think again. Most Americans are clueless about what's happening, and the secular left loathes the Catholic Church. We've had at least one atheist in the Bubble state with pride that she would be pleased to see a world without the Catholic Church, and she is far from alone in her desire. Unfortunately, the secular left have a lot of political power. Worse still, they are aided and abetted by a cadre of dissident Catholic politicians who are more than happy to betray their own Church and Lord in exchange for worldly accolades and thirty pieces of silver. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Joe Biden --and a host of others -- all have a hand in the present and future persecution of the Catholic Church and her ministries, and all will bear responsibility for our individual and institutional loss of religious freedom. If faithful Catholics don't stand up and fight with courage soon, we will see a day when Catholic hospitals are compelled to civil disobedience, crisis pregnancy centers (now targeted across the nation) are forcibly shut, and other religious freedoms and charities are gravely harmed (as with the new contraceptive mandate, which caused a "national violation of conscience and an attack on Catholic intermediate institutions"). Even today, merely speaking Christian truth as a private citizen could cost a man his livelihood. And so I implore you, fellow Catholics: Stop trying to "get along" with the world. The world hates you as it hated Christ, an assurance we have from Our Lord Himself. The new age of secularism is upon us, and its endless drone of "tolerance" does not apply to you. Catholics-who-don't-want-to-offend, you will inevitably offend someone, and the only question is who. If any of us is more worried about offending our fellow man than we are about offending God, it's time to reassess our commitment to Jesus Christ, as St. Paul said: Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. -- Galatians 1:10 We cannot serve two masters. And if you are still confused about your responsibility as a Catholic in the public square, drink in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who makes your choice beautifully clear: As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable. Among these the following emerge[s] clearly today: ...Recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage and its defense from attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different forms of union which in reality harm it and contribute to its destabilization, obscuring its particular character and its irreplaceable social role…. (2006 speech to European politicians, emphasis mine) Being faithful to Church teaching and courageous in the public square is our calling as Catholics! Faithful courage -- as opposed to misguided compassion -- will not only help save the Church's mission and charities in America, it might save your own butt, as well. Not to mention your soul. John 15:18 (What? You don't believe Him?) Labels: adoption, Catholic Charities, compassion, crisis pregnancy centers, fostering, Gay marriage, homosexuality I'm currently reading Faith That Endures: The Essential Guide to the Persecuted Church and if one thing has been hit home, it is this: if we think it can't happen to us, we are wrong. We must be watchful, vigilant, and unapologetic in living our faith to the extreme. Thank you for this post. It really woke me up. Nubby August 25, 2011 at 4:08 AM You're on fire with this and I totally appreciate and applaud your honesty and bold warning. You and I just chatted privately about some stuff and I say all the grim faces and darkness in people is there because of the lack of real love and joy that only comes from (and can only ever come from) living for Jesus Christ. The people I know personally who "love" all the sin in their neighbor are the ones most intolerant of my love for my faith. Coincidence? Nah. Darkness and light cannot fellowship. The darkness cannot comprehend the light. How risky it is becoming in our own country of America to want to be a light to the world and encourage people toward God. Only the love and friendship of the One who is Emmanuel can open hearts and minds. Lisa August 25, 2011 at 4:19 AM Officially my favorite post ever, and the one I needed to deal with a matter I'd been wrestling with. Great post, Leila! And a great explanation of why Catholics can't just roll over and play dead. Stacy Trasancos August 25, 2011 at 4:56 AM Great post. We are living this out in MA, literally. It's one reason I never leave the house much anymore. Melissa August 25, 2011 at 5:46 AM Far more worrisome to me (and, don't get me wrong, I think that shutting down Catholic adoption agencies is plenty worrisome) are the implications toward parenting that redefining marriage to include same sex couples would have to include. Probably the main reason that marriage exists, and has for the span of human civilization, is in order to attach parents to their children, and children to their parents. More specifically, because moms attach rather naturally to their kids, marriage exists to attach fathers to their children. Right now, in law, we have what is called the presumption of paternity. That is, the husband of the mother of the baby is presumed to be the father, because, well 90-95% of the time, he is! What's going to happen (has happened in Canada, where I live) is that the presumption of paternity will turn into the presumption of parentage. That is, when a lesbian has a baby, her partner is presumed to be the second parent of the baby. In 100% of the cases, this is not biologically true. In fact, you sometimes see three parent's names put on the birth certificate: the mother, her lesbian partner, and the father of the child. Now, coupled with easy-access-to-divorce laws, what is going to happen when some of these couples (inevitably) split up? Custody split three ways? Children of divorce are going to end up even more messed up then they currently are. And I'm not just picking on gays here. Because, once you open up the option of triple parenting, it is going to be impossible to hold it back from the heterosexual community. A child with its mother, father, and the mother's new husband as legal parents? Yeah, like that isn't a recipe for disaster! It would be one thing if you could limit triple parenting to the gay community, where the number of children affected will be quite small, but once it gets hold in the heterosexual community, the damage will be severe. Jennifer Roback Morse does a good job talking about this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7AwGxqjPWg&feature=mh_lolz&list=FLjca297NaykDsvtHfU2y7bQ Sorry it's long, but the arguments don't really condense well to soundbites Hebrews 11:1 August 25, 2011 at 6:06 AM Very true. And very scary. Ha. I'm sorry. But yeah, the state chooses not to give money to organizations that discriminate. Like the Catholic Church. Because two gay daddies or two gay mommies can raise a kid just as well. And other adoption agencies were more than willing to take up those children and help place them. The religious exemption is ridiculous. We don't exempt religions if they want to only serve white people. If it's a church, fine, whatever. But I'm pretty certain that religious exemption has business connotations as well. Ridiculous. But I know that arguing here doesn't help. -zach Manda August 25, 2011 at 6:32 AM Great post, Leila! Connecticut Catholic Corner August 25, 2011 at 6:36 AM There are three more things that every Catholic should be aware of. First our catechism states that in NO WAY can we accept gay marriage or unions, to quote "Under no circumstances can they [gay marriage] be approved". Secondly, the last part of Romans 1 in the bible says that people who approve of homosexual relations (among other sins listed) are just as guilty of that sin by merely approving of it. And finally, the Vatican has a wonderful document about gay marriage and politicians and Catholic voting- We as Catholics can NOT under any circumstances support gay marriage or we are guilty of a grave sin- this includes in how we vote. If a Catholic is doing these things they need to get to Confession before they participate in Communion or they are gravely sinning. That is something all Catholics should be worried about. If you haven't read the Vatican's statement on gay marriage/unions you really need to- especially the part about politicians and voting: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html Chris (Longmont, CO) August 25, 2011 at 6:50 AM Ugh … this reminds me of what happened recently … in my own home. My daughter and her buddy, who happens to be gay (the friend, not our daughter), where staying over for a few days for vacation. The young lady who suffers from SSA used to be Catholic. So, my wife was chatting with this young lady so that she could understand her situation better. This young lady had no problems discussing her past with us. However, our daughter blew a head gasket when she came into the room and heard the conversation. Our daughter kept going on and on and on about how "you" Catholics are so intolerant of other people’s ways of life (uhhh … who was getting upset there?). But that microcosm just goes to show who is tolerant and who isn’t. We need to discuss these matters in the open. Unfortunately, the other side is so often closed minded they aren’t even willing to give us an inch on our discussion it is completely disgusting. All I can say is Heaven help us … because we sure can’t do this on our own. Rudy August 25, 2011 at 6:50 AM Mrs. Miller you are absolutely right. This is a prophetic post and needs to be told and retold. The goal of the left (current administration, feminists, gay activist, atheists,socialists, etc.,) is the destruction of the Roman Catholic Church. They will use any means to do it and undermine orthodoxy as tool to the destruction. Unfortunately there are many deceived Catholics who either because of ignorance, misguided charity or outright malice, cooperate and actively work for this destruction. Great post. Melissa - you hit on a concern that worries me greatly too. Not only are Catholic adoption agencies no longer able to serve effectively, but... these socially sanctioned "alternative" arrangements affect children (adopted and created through ART) for a lifetime. It is appalling to me that with so. many. studies. showing that the healthiest situation for a child is with his/her mother and father, married to each other, stable (and traditional adoption is unique but equivalent to this arrangement), that our culture has so carelessly opened wide the doors to all sorts of odd arrangements, going even as far to have three parents listed on birth certificates. Many respond to the idea that non-traditional homes are a hardship for the kids with, "Oh are saying a single mom can't do a good job???" No, that is not what I am saying or what others are saying. Single moms CAN do a good job. But in the past, single parenthood was seen as a hardship, as something that was not ideal, and as a situation that benefits from outreach and ministry for support. Back in the 80's, that began to change some with folks trying to convince kids like me that my "different" family (divorced parents) was "just fine", no big deal. Oh the damage that did! My generation is filled with folks my age who are struggling to make sense of love, marriage, and family thanks to their "great" arrangements growing up. My little mind NEEDED to hear, "Hey, what you're experiencing IS sad, and needs to be mourned, and will affect you." Not, "Oh, your father living across town is just another beautiful expression of diversity." Ugh. How does a child even begin to properly mourn something everyone is telling them is "great"??? And these poor kids with "three" parents will be even more confused (isn't it great that your daddy was a sperm donor??). No, sorry, for the child, it's not great. The parents may enjoy their "freedom" to live however they want, but it's not great, it's not fair, it's not a "free choice" for the kids. Can you tell I get worked up about this? Lol. It doesn't help that even secular publications will occasionally run these stories about kids brought into alternative situations having a hard time with it... yet no one connects the dots. Leila@LittleCatholicBubble August 25, 2011 at 7:05 AM Zach, thank you for utterly proving my point. And, there are legions of African-Americans who seriously resent being told that their (morally neutral) skin hue is akin to your decision to commit sodomy. Seriously, bad analogy. Would you consider it "discrimination" if an airline were to refuse to let a chronic alcoholic fly planes drunk for a living? And, aren't you discriminating when you won't acknowledge polygamous marriage? You are smart enough to get this, Zach. Catholic Vote does a better job than I at explaining the real life harm to those kids and families who will be devastated by this ludicrous bow to absolute sexual freedom, all else be damned: http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=20182 MaiZeke August 25, 2011 at 8:02 AM Leila tells Zach that he is "smart enough" to know that his love for his partner is "sodomy". Leila, you are smart enough to know that there are no longer laws against what you are calling sodomy, because they were declared unconstitutional. The courts had no desire to police what goes on in someone's bedroom. MaiZeke, what is legal and what is moral are sometimes two different things. Surely you understand that. Do you think that slavery was moral, because it was legal, for example? Try a different angle. And, MaiZeke, if sodomy is not illegal anymore, does that mean it must now be called "marriage"? There are lots of sexual pairings (and more than pairings) that are not illegal, but that we don't demand be called "marriage". Unless you think all sexual acts should be able to form the basis of a legal "marriage"? If not, why do you discriminate? "what you are calling sodomy" Sorry, has the definition of sodomy changed since it became legal? I will stand corrected if so. JoAnna Wahlund August 25, 2011 at 8:40 AM MaiZeke, you should know by now that morality and legality are not the same thing. Just because something is legal doesn't not mean it is moral. Melissa, your comments reminded me of this news story, in which an Australian dad's name was removed against his will from his child's birth certificate after a lawsuit by the lesbian mother and her cohort. Although he was a sperm donor, he was active in the child's life (at the mother's request), and very much opposed being taken off the certificate. So terribly sad when a biological parent is not legally called a non-parent of the child he helped to create. that should read, above, "Just because something is legal does not mean it is moral." Or basically, what Leila already said as I was typing. Nicole C August 25, 2011 at 8:46 AM Zach, it has nothing to do with state funding. The state is telling Catholic Charities that they CANNOT operate according to their morals, money from the state or not. The issue isn't "the state will not fund Catholic Charities anymore if they don't adopt to gay couples." The issue is, "Catholic Charities must cease and desist its operations if it does not adopt to gay couples." Can you honestly say that's fair? I am a bit confused. I really have no problem with a Catholic organization not referring children to gay couples, seeing that there are other options out there for the couples. Is the state giving financial support to Catholic Charities, as Zach alluded to. "The D.C. City Council’s law recognizing same-sex “marriage” required religious entities which serve the general public to provide services to homosexual couples, even if doing so violated their religious beliefs." How is providing services the same thing as getting money? If I went to a male baseball team, and wanted to be allowed to play, they are not required to allow me to play because there are female teams I can play on, isn't that correct? Or if I wanted to join an all-male fraternal organization, must they accept me? I don't know the law here. Spence Ohana August 25, 2011 at 9:07 AM "Such misguided compassion (which equates to "love without truth") will come back to bite you in the arse, and with a vengeance..... Catholics-who-don't-want-to-offend, you will inevitably offend someone, and the only question is who. If any of us is more worried about offending our fellow man than we are about offending God, it's time to reassess our commitment to Jesus Christ." Amen, I couldn't agree with you more! It's one thing to judge with intentions to condemn, or judge as Christians to help lift up those falling into sin. I recently offended a family member, unfortunately she thinks I am condemning her, when I am really trying to lift her up and away from her sinful ways. Second Chances August 25, 2011 at 9:13 AM Well we live in the Rockford diocese of Illinois and let me tell you, it was a sad, sad day for us Catholics when we heard Catholic Charities could no longer provide adoptive services. Absolutely devastating on many levels. Our priests preached big time on this injustice. And Nicole is right. No more adoptive services regardless of funding. It's a MAJOR intrusion on our faith. Major. God have mercy. Funny how that works, eh Spence? The world would rather we be morally apathetic. Unfortunately just bringing up the name of Jesus Christ offends so many. How odd, considering He always spoke the truth and He always did it in love. Yet He offended to the point of crucifixion. Mary, the laws regarding "gender equity" in sports, etc. (such as Title IX) have been devastating. In this left-wing obsession to "make everything equal" and be "non-discriminatory" they have screwed up men's sports. For examples, read here: http://www.usa-sports.org/TitleIX.pdf Liberalism in general, and this obsession to force everyone to be "equal" and not hurt anyone's feelings usually leads to disaster. I have always said that liberal policies always are about what "feels" like it might be the right thing to do, with NO basis for what the actual outcome might be. With these gay marriage laws, you can bet that we will see the push to make gay acceptance a "civil right", that gays are a "protected class", and that even speaking against the gay agenda will be "hate speech" (already happening in Europe and Canada) and will not tolerated. So not serving up children to gay couples for fostering will be seen as equal to not serving a black man in a diner. It is becoming a "civil rights" issue to be an active homosexual, and violators will be prosecuted. Watch and see. Second Chances, it IS a major intrusion and you would think secular society would stand up and defend us...future laws and regulations are based on preceding ones, and the more power we give to government the less we have ourselves. At some point they will intrude on your rights, or take away something important to you, regardless of who you are or what you believe. If there is set precedent, you won't have a prayer's chance. I would submit that we will see gay couples trying to force the Church to marry them-those same gay couples who have so much hatred for it will try to get the law to force the Church into submission, out of their endless need for recognition of legitimacy. Kara August 25, 2011 at 9:34 AM Love it... I have used this passage a bunch this week but it's so true: Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 It always helps me through times where I can feel the attacks. Michael D. August 25, 2011 at 10:18 AM Isn't there someplace we can move to so we don't have fight the gay marriage crowd and other "politically correct" ideologies? Yes, Michael D. The planet is Mars and I'd be happy to speed up the process any way possible to allow you and yours to move there ASAP. -gwen Chelsea T August 25, 2011 at 10:25 AM I have a question. Isn't it better for a child to be placed in a loving home with a homosexual couple, then in a group home with dozens of kids, and a few overwhelmed care givers. Isn't it better then them being placed in a foster home, where they feel unwanted? Aka, can't the charities be understanding, in the hopes of allowing kids to go to loving, and good homes? Leila@LittleCatholicBubble August 25, 2011 at 10:32 AM Gwen, thanks again for proving the point of the post! And, Michael D., the good news is that it's not really a fair fight. The Church will long outlast even America. And every other nation and sovereignty on earth. :) Manda August 25, 2011 at 10:34 AM How tolerant and open-minded of you, Gwen. I bet you have a co-exist sticker on your bumper. ;) Chelsea, the Catholic Charities were willing to refer to other agencies who could provide those type of services. The state wouldn't allow it. And to force the Church to do so (which is the only option given) is to force real human being to do things which violate their most dearly held beliefs. If I were to cooperate formally with evil, my very eternal soul would be at risk. The state has no moral right to compel Catholic Charities to cooperate in mortal sin. But we live in a nation which no longer places religious liberty above the "right" to free sex for all, and in every configuration. Ironic, since this nation was founded on the desire for citizens to be able to practice their Faith without government interference or oppression. Chelsea, this part addresses your question: "Catholic Charities and other religious agencies implored the State of Illinois to allow their agencies to refer such couples to other adoption and foster care agencies so as to not violate the moral teachings of their faith. Tragically, that did not happen." Ahhhh, liberal tolerance! Right, Miss Gwen? ;) Manda: he asked, I answered. Clearly you are a beacon of tolerance? LOL! Sorry bust your bubble, no co-exist sticker on my car. Thanks Leila for a great example of ethnocentrism to use for my students. Manda, I thought the same thing! "Coexist. Or we will run you out of business, throw you in jail, and send you to Mars." Gwen, I will pray for your students. Which "ethnocentricity" are Catholics? Last I heard, we were in every nation on earth, with every color accounted for. Extremely diverse. I'm seriously asking. For the record, I appreciate the hard work Catholic Charities does in communities to benefit human beings. What I don't appreciate is the idea that same-sex couples are inferior as parents and shouldn't be allowed to be foster or adoptive parents. If CC doesn't want to be forced to match kids with SS couples, so be it, but projecting the idea that SS couples are unfit parents is incorrect. eth·no·cen·trism (thn-sntrzm) 1. Belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. 2. Overriding concern with race. This somehow applies to Catholicism? Hello? And you teach at the university level? Couldn't they just look up a definition and say "Our teacher doesn't even know the definition of her words"? I don't subscribe to a "tolerant, open-minded" philosophy, as many liberals claim as their platform. I subscribe to Catholicism which has a certain set of beliefs with no room for compromise. I was simply using what you said to make an attempt at pointing out the hypocrisy which exists in the liberal mentality. Liberals claim to be tolerant and open-minded, but in doing so they push their "open-mindedness" on others, as we see in the subject of this post. "incorrect" according to you. But not incorrect according to the Church. So now we are at an impasse. And why should anyone be compelled into mortal sin for your belief that free sex is the highest good of all? It just seems like if the choices are: Allow homosexual couples to adopt, therefore allowing many children to get adopted. Closing the whole place down and moving a whole lot of kids. Then closing the door for some prospective parents. Seems like the best choice whould be the first one. Allowing Catholic organizations to suggests other adoption agencies seem reasonable to me, personally. The law makers of Cnnecticut does not agree with me though. Connecticut Chelsea, you are a reasonable girl. Those on the far left don't think like you do. It's actually very totalitarian. There is a reason that the totalitarian governments are leftwing socialists. Total state control, no freedom of speech, thought, religion. Miss Gwen, I keep coming back to this "ethnocentrism" crack. Do you think the Catholics in Africa would appreciate that? Or the Asian Catholics? Or the South American Catholics? Or the Catholics in the Middle East? Just wishing you would follow up on that…. ethnocentrism is a perspective that one's own culture and way of life is correct and natural. Any other way of life that goes against this belief is usually viewed as distorted and wrong. I teach the concept with my students so we can all be aware of our own biases and judgements. I don't ask everyone to agree with every other person's way of life (that would be impossible), but I do teach that if we can get beyond what immediately horrifies or bothers us about another cultural practice, we can better understand the complexities of our shared realities. Thanks for praying for my students. I'll try to take that as a helpful compliment and not a rude assessment that I'm a bad teacher. And you can always ship those who do disagree with you off to Mars. Ok, I'll stop now ;) Just playing, Miss Gwen! hey, he asked if there was someplace to go to live w/o the "authoritarian" rule of liberal agendas and other viewpoints that might challenge his way of life. I suggest Mars if you are going to try to escape having to "deal" with people who think differently. ethnocentrism is a perspective that one's own culture and way of life is correct and natural. The Catholics in Africa have a vastly different culture than the Catholics in America, for example, so I still don't see how this applies? If anything, you should be lauding the Catholics for the incredible diversity of cultures it spans, while the universal faith unites al those cultures of the earth in harmony and peace and love. (Did you see the World Youth Day pictures?) I wish you would teach that to your students. Miss Gwen, Catholics always "deal with" people who think differently. It's just that we don't really want to lose our jobs and go to jail for "thinking differently" from our leftist minders. Nubby August 25, 2011 at 11:23 AM Oh, good God, please don't tell me you teach this opinion. What exactly do you teach, what class? Hopefully a Catholic who knows his/her faith would set this comment straight like I would if I was under your tutelage. It's not a matter of inferior/superior parenting. It is a moral teaching. Let's get over inferiority complexes. I would love to sit in your class. Yeah, you try to convert them! And I don't feel like being told I'm going to hell if I don't follow mandated beliefs that supporting gay unions is a mortal sin. I'd enjoy you as a student Nubby. Notice I claimed that paragraph you copied as my opinion-not as something I teach. Your concept of morality is completely based upon your own culture and adherence to your religion Nubby. I teach students to think critically and move beyond categorizing the world into moral versus immoral based explicitly on Catholic teaching. "The Catholics in Africa have a vastly different culture than the Catholics in America, for example, so I still don't see how this applies? If anything, you should be lauding the Catholics for the incredible diversity of cultures it spans, while the universal faith unites al those cultures of the earth in harmony and peace and love. (Did you see the World Youth Day pictures?)" We will discuss this Leila when we get to religion! African, Asian, South American Catholics may all have different ways of practicing their faith but when it comes down to the basic principles, haven't you argued here that in order to be a "true" Catholic one must advocate against same sex marriage? Gwen, do you teach any kind of morality in your class? And I don't feel like being told I'm going to hell if I don't follow mandated beliefs that supporting gay unions is a mortal sin. Um, the only mandates are coming from your side... JoAnna Wahlund August 25, 2011 at 11:40 AM Miss Gwen, I take it that you are fully supportive of cultures that practice female genital mutilation (aka female circumcision)? It seems to me that, by your own standards, FGM cannot be opposed by anyone because otherwise we are being ethnocentrists imposing our moral beliefs on other cultures. For the record, I also oppose circumcision for male babies; I consider it unnecessary cosmetic surgery. However, while I oppose FGM across the board, I recognize that some people have legitimate medical and religious reasons for choosing circumcision for male babies. haven't you argued here that in order to be a "true" Catholic one must advocate against same sex marriage? That's not a cultural issue, Gwen, nor an ethnocentric one. It's a moral issue. The orthodox of ALL major world religions reject homosexuality. Very multi-cultural belief. Teach that to your students. Hm, you don't say? Critical thinking. Now there's a critical thought. Wouldn't it be swell if more people thought critically about all things, morality included? And your assumption of me is wrong.... Again. I never grew up in the "catholic culture". I was shaped by free thinking professors much like yourself, I imagine. By the way, critical thinking comes pretty naturally to those in problem-solving based careers and vocations. Just throwing that out there so that you glean understanding. Critical thinking hardly ever takes place on the classroom. Those classroom walls are confining for a reason. Also, Gwen, if you could please post the Catholic teaching (from the CCC would be fine) that clearly states, "Anyone who does not believe that gay marriage is a sin is going directly to hell," with no exceptions whatsoever, I would appreciate it. I have never seen such a Church teaching. All the teachings I've seen in that regard say that only God can determine the state of one's soul, and only God can determine a person's eternal destination at the time of their death. Christina August 25, 2011 at 11:42 AM Bravissima! I know a lot of young Catholics and Christians my age who are afraid of offending, but the circumstance is always the same: if you love Christ, someone will inevtiably hate you. Whitewashing and sugar-coating do harm, not good. Tell the truth with compassion, but don't lie because you're afraid of hurting someone's feelings. in the classroom. What class do u teach and where? If I'm close, I might enroll for the hell of it. Leila@LittleCatholicBubble August 25, 2011 at 12:11 PM That is the one thing that distresses me soooooo much: The lack of critical thinking skills, especially among young, twenty-something college students. They base all their "thought" on their feelings! It is a horrendous state of affairs, and I think Chesterton called what we are seeing the "suicide of thought". What a wasteland. Chantal August 25, 2011 at 12:20 PM This may be off topic but "The organization B4U-ACT sponsored the event in Baltimore last week, which was attended by pro-pedophile activists and mental health professionals. The conference examined the ways in which “minor-attracted persons” could be involved in a revision of the American Psychological Association (APA) classification of pedophilia." lifesitenews website. Here is the link to B4U-ACT conference program. http://b4uact.org/science/symp/2011/program.htm At 1:30pm last Wednesday. " This presentation will focus on the DSM-V changes to the diagnosis of pedophilia. The theoretical foundation and scientific evidence for the inclusion of the diagnosis of Pedohebephila will be reviewed. The legal, ethical, and medical consequences from the creation of Pedohebephilia will be discussed." speaker Renee Sorrentino. After 40 years (if we look at the acceptance of homosexuality) society accepts this and then, they will want to change and have incestuous relationships accepted as there is a sigma and they just can't help it and children have a right to be taught and discover properly their sexuality by their parents... JoAnna, we were just beginning to talk about FGM today : ) You are working with a constrained, negative view of relativism that would seemingly support blind tolerance for FGM. But culture is not homogenous, closed off and static. Other factors such as politics, economy, and globalization affect practices like FGM. And many African women are working in their communities to discourage the practice of FGM. Finally, what is so horrible in your mind about understanding something? It is not the same as approving of it. Leila, I teach at a public university in social science. In other words, no I do not teach college students morality. Nubby, you'd be surprised at the critical thinking skills and engagement with discussion many of my students have. Okay, off to do lesson plans, Nubby August 25, 2011 at 12:27 PM Thought this was appropriate to the discussion, since we're on about critical thinking. Wiki has this under "skills". I read it and thought, "we can stop after the first tick mark (logic)". Oh, the bane of godless existence: logic. Critical thinking employs not only logic but broad intellectual criteria such as clarity, credibility, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, significance, and fairness. After another glance, Gwen, do you teach these skills accurately in your school of thought to your pupils? Gwen, do you ever use words like "homophobic" or "misogyny" in your class? Do you teach that "ethnocentricity" is a morally neutral thing? Chantal, you have hit on another big topic that is going to come to the fore soon. The acceptance of pedophilia is on the horizon. Why not, since sex is for fun, children are "sexual beings" from birth, and pedophiles may be born with their sexual dispositions (a "gift")? It makes sense that there are "enlightened" and "courageous" ones going down that road. I'm watching it all closely and I am glad you are too. The Church's wisdom will out, as it always does. No, no. I don't think I'd be surprised. What kind of lesson plan for what unit are you designing? I'd like to contribute to make the learning experience fuller, if you will. Afterall, I've got a few years of teaching under my belt, too. Any higher level math or logic courses? Social sciences? Psychology? Various histories? JoAnna Wahlund August 25, 2011 at 12:43 PM You are working with a constrained, negative view of relativism that would seemingly support blind tolerance for FGM. But culture is not homogenous, closed off and static. Other factors such as politics, economy, and globalization affect practices like FGM. But when Catholics bring up the political, economical and global disadvantages of same-sex marriage, those are irrelevant because it's all about recognizing and affirming twoo wuv. Yeah. That makes sense. You didn't really answer my question, though. How is it possible to condemn FGM without being ethnocentric? Finally, what is so horrible in your mind about understanding something? Nothing at all. In fact, when I was Lutheran, I was fully in favor of homosexual marriage and couldn't figure out what the big deal was. I taught a Sunday school class in conjunction with a homosexual couple, in fact. However, when I began studying Catholicism, I was faced with the possibility of objective truth as opposed to subjective truth based on feelings. I understand all of the arguments in favor of SSM. However, they're all based on subjective feelings, not objective truth, so I no longer agree with those arguments. Sarah August 25, 2011 at 12:44 PM In regards to saying same-sex parents are "inferior." Again, this is taking the issue and making it all about the adults' feelings and wishes. When I say that I did not grow up in an ideal or even healthy home situation because my parents were divorced, I am not saying my mother was as a mom, an inferior mom to other moms. She was a great mom. But kids need more than mom. I am not even saying my father is "inferior." It's not about bashing my parents as parents. I am saying that I as a child would have benefited greatly from my father's presence in the home and from his commitment to my mother. No two ways around that. Again, parenting is about the kids, not just parents and their wishes and desires and sense of identity. Amazes me how this issue always gets turned back into "But what about the poor parents who want to feel good about who they are and what they have to offer?" Years later, both of my parents wish they could have offered us kids what we truly deserved. Saying kids need/benefit from a certain arrangement is not exactly the same thing as saying an alternative arrangement is all bad. However, it's important for the sake of the kids to 1. not purposely set up situations where a child will inherently be deprived of his/her mother and father and 2. acknowledge that children who don't have mom and dad at home, committed to them and each other, have experienced a true loss (as well as offer the tools to overcome the crazy stuff life hands them). I've read one too many children's books that try to paint it differently (isn't it great that daddy left mommy for his male roommate? It's a "different kind of love"). Well isn't that nice for daddy. Completely and totally unfair to the kids. Sarah, as a child of divorced parents, I couldn't agree more. Oh my gosh, Sarah, you said it so well! Gwen? Zach? Leila@LittleCatholicBubble August 25, 2011 at 1:13 PM And Gwen, just out of curiosity, are there a lot of pro-life, pro-traditional marriage faculty members at your institution? Danya @ He Adopted Me First August 25, 2011 at 1:38 PM What another brilliant liberal idea (sarc.)! Let's shut down faith-based Catholic and Christian charities because they're "homophobic" in THIS economic climate. I guess the people they serve can look to the bloated government for help instead. Danya, how do you get so much common sense truth into so few words?? Gwen, for the record, I taught at a large (literally in the top 10 largest public university campuses as of Fall 2010, according to Wikipedia...) public University. I taught my students to argue persuasively, use logic and facts, and think critically. Fortunately, you can be a Conservative and Catholic and still do that well. :) I don't think I'd thrive on Mars-- no chai tea lattes, I hear. My faith was in no way incompatible with my teaching, which I'm sure would be a surprise to the MANY liberal, often atheistic, professors out there who believe that someone who believes in God and the beauty of the Catholic faith has no place in the classroom. 1. JoAnna, ethnocentrism is not necessarily an inherently bad thing. Combating FGM calls for advocating for human rights, especially organizations/individuals from communities where FGM is practiced working to stop it 2. Leila, I don't know the religious affiliations or political leanings of a few hundred professionals. If you're concerned about a lack of Christian and Catholic presence on campus, I just passed a table on lunch break for new students interested in joining the student Catholic community. There is an Aquinas student center on campus as well. 3. Lisa, Never said it's impossible to be conservative and teach critical thinking. Glad you were able to do it too. And actually your faith and ability to teach doesn't surprise me. Mary August 25, 2011 at 3:51 PM Hi, I followed the Catholic Vote link, but didn't see any stats on the harm done to children in gay households. I really don't know anything about the statistics. Are there any for kids brought up by gay parents? I know one guy raised by two mothers, and he seems fine to me, but it does seem a little odd to me on some level. Miss Gwen, I know there are plenty of Christians and Catholics on campus (students). I am talking about faculty. Is there an even-handed presence of pro-lifers and those who believe in traditional marriage? That's mainly what I was wondering. Also, do you use words like "homophobic" in your class? And, you say that you don't really speak in terms of morality. Is everything morally neutral, then? Do you know anyone who approaches teaching in the classical sense? Education as a search for truth, goodness, beauty? Or is there another paradigm, generally? Mary, I don't live and die by studies, but I can tell you that I don't know anyone who would clamor to be raised by two mommies (and a sperm donor) or two daddies (leaving a child without a mother in this world). It is "a little odd" to you because it is natural law, common sense disordered. We want to be raised by our mother and our father. No one wishes to be fatherless or motherless. It is sad and wrong and weird. And I won't even go into the fact that they cannot be "married" and everyone knows it's a farce, to gain acceptance. Two men cannot "marry" and two women cannot "marry". They cannot even consummate the "marriage". Why should a society say that there is no difference between having a mother and a father, and having "two daddies"? And yet, society wants us to say it's all the same! No study needs to tell you that it's not the same. You know that instinctively, Mary. We do not need a research study to tell us what is morally right. Watch out when people cite studies saying that kids do best in households with married parents, and use them to suggest that kids with same-sex parents are doomed. From what I've seen, a lot of those studies are only comparing kids with married (presumably heterosexual) parents to kids in single-family homes or kids with cohabiting parents or kids with step-parents - there's not a mention of same-sex parents anywhere. And I don't care what you believe, that's just bad science. Michelle, speaking of bad science, please go back to the thread about abortion…. Bad science is saying that "personhood" (metaphysical) is based on your "opinion" (subjective) of "viability" (an unstable and moving target). That is bad science. I really do not fully understand your commitment to "science" after that thread. What are your thoughts about the shutting down of Catholic Charities? Good, bad, indifferent? Michelle, like I said to Mary, it doesn't take any science to know that a child is better off with his mother and his father. That is the obvious. You can't "prove" the obvious. But when you say "beware" the study which says that kids are better off with two married parents, can you also say "beware" the study which says there is no difference if Bobby has two daddies? Because I could imagine a scenario where that study just might have an agenda behind it. Nubby August 25, 2011 at 4:22 PM Michelle, would that be the same kind of bad science as your whole zygote debacle? Let's pump the brakes on what's truly truly poor science. All by the use of our critical thinking skills. Agreed? I know 4 SS couples raising kids at the moment. Everyone involved is healthy, happy and well adjusted. And I know several wonderful single mothers with lovely children. And it's very, very sad that they are being raised without their fathers. And the mothers all agree. And the children "get it" too. A child deserves to be raised by his mother and his father. Gwen, I'd like you to comment on Sarah's points from 12:44pm. Do you understand what she is saying? Is she just dead wrong in your opinion? Michael D. August 25, 2011 at 4:32 PM Wow, a whole lot of comments here. I see Gwen is a pretty good debater but I wonder why being "tolerant" and "politically correct" almost always end up being anti-Catholic. Whatever happened to freedom of religion? Michael, I think it goes back to what "Choice" said in this post (she said she was "intolerant of intolerance and proud of it", but she was kind enough to back down and recant a whole lot: http://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/2011/04/answering-choice-who-describes-herself.html Gwen, do you use words like "homophobic" when you teach? And, do you know of many pro-life or pro-traditional faculty on your campus? "In regards to saying same-sex parents are "inferior." Again, this is taking the issue and making it all about the adults' feelings and wishes." And yet, Sarah is wholeheartedly against SS couples being allowed to have recognized unions and being able to legally adopt children; so in effect she is actually part of a movement that deems SS people unfit as parents. Tell me, specifically what about sleeping with a man makes Sarah inherently able to raise a child and what specifically is lacking in a gay person's ability to raise a child? Secondly, Sarah's argument also draws on emotion and feelings: her parents feelings about their divorce, wishing they could provide a difference scenario for her, and a tone from her own words of regret about not having a specific familial configuration. Now, there's nothing "dead wrong" about Sarah's argument except that is holds no scientific weight. It's her own discourse formulated from experience, emotions, and cultural practices. "Gwen, do you use words like "homophobic" when you teach? And, do you know of many pro-life or pro-traditional faculty on your campus?" Leila, as I answered before, there are hundreds of professionals teaching on campus. I have no idea which ones or how many are politically aligned with pro-life agendas. I would like to know why you are so eager to know if I use the word "homophobic" when I teach? Is this some sort of bizarre trick question? I use a lot of words when I teach. Leila, Is it imperative for me to be married to a man and having non-contraceptive sex in order to teach students about different worldviews? Oh my Lord, Gwen. Seriously? Saying that a child needs his mother and his father is simply "emotional and cultural" and not "scientific"? Scientific? Are you kidding me? You need science to tell you what is right and good? Is this just academic mumbo-jumbo or have you really bought this crap? I want you to say straight out, Gwen, that you don't believe a child needs his mother and his father. Please, I hope you are not that far gone that you cannot even say that. Because you said that you don't teach morality in the classroom, Gwen. I'm questioning that. Use of the word "homophobic" implies immorality on the part of people who oppose gay marriage. It implies that homosexual acts are moral, and that devout Catholics are bigots. I just want to know if you use that word, Gwen. Absolutely not. When did I even imply such a thing? Gwen, then let me ask this way: Do you personally know any faculty on campus who are pro-life, anti-gay marriage? Let's hit some of that critical thinking, shall we? It's not a question of what abilities are present, Gwen. It's a question of what is best. Anyone is probably "able" to care for a child. What situation would be the logical if not moral "best" situation? But if you're talking strictly physical abilities to reproduce, then critical thinking shows that gay parents can't even do that. How much time is spent engaging students in all forms of critical thinking in your social science class? Can you quantify it with a ratio? A third of the course? Half? so in effect she is actually part of a movement that deems SS people unfit as parents. This sort of cracks me up, because actually the ENTIRE WORLD has basically been part of that "movement" that said homosexual couples should not be parenting children as if it were all normal. How strange that you call it a "movement" as if it is some new anomaly that seeks to take away the rights and the understanding that has always been there throughout mankind and every civilization. Exactly the opposite is true! The "movement" which has begun (and only recently) is the "movement" to try to force everyone to accept gay parenting as normal and ordered and good. It's so bizarre that you would frame it in precisely the opposite way it happened in reality. I'm sorry Leila, did you miss the memo that I'm an atheist and a social scientist? So every time the word "homophobic" is used it immediately refers to and implies Catholics are bigots? right, I'll try to be aware of that. I probably do work with some pro-life faculty. I have no idea. Some of my colleagues are Catholic, Jewish and Mormon. Guess what? Pro-life as a subject of conversation hasn't come up in when we're talking about syllabi, textbooks, weekend plans, research, grading and so forth. Gwen, do you truly believe that everyone has always and everywhere pretty much been fine with gay couples becoming parents, adopting, etc., and only now some people like me and Sarah have risen up and are part of this growing little "movement" which says that gay parenting is not right? Or do you recognize the reality that in fact the opposite is true? I'm just trying to see how you can see a blue sky and say it is red. Just shaking my head at how we can have one reality in front of our eyes, and yet you and I see it in polar opposite ways. One of us has to be seeing it wrong. Okay, Gwen, what does "homophobic" mean or imply to you? I have no idea which part this refers to. Hold the phone. Gwen, you're a social scientist and you don't know of any demographic study that's been done, peer approved and all, that supports a mother and father as the best possible social family construct? You're teaching this to your students? Give them back their money. Before I get to answering what you've written above, Leila, you never answered my question: Tell me, specifically what about sleeping with a man makes Sarah inherently able to raise a child and what specifically is lacking in a gay person's ability to raise a child? I think arguing over whether SS couples can or cannot raise happy, healthy and well adjusted children is really skirting the issue which is do American citizens have the freedom to practice their religion or not? If not, then we need to rewrite the US Constitution because the freedom of religion is clearly a premier right. Personally, I wish the Church would not take any state money but there are plenty of other adoption agencies to handle SS couples. Here in IL since the civil union law was passed in the middle of the night (sound familiar anyone???) there are lawsuits against people of faith who own B & B's for refusing to host same sex ceremonies or events. My thought is that gays purposefully search out these particular places to persecute Christians for not accepting their lifestyle. There are 100's if not 1000's or other locations where a SS couple would be welcomed. So, if you are a Christian and you think "SS unions will have no effect on me" that may be true if you are a progressive or social justice Christian or have avoided children in your marriage. But, if you really practice your faith or have a PRIVATE business or a child to give up for adoption, or children in public schools (where like in MA parents can't opt their children out of homesexual indoctrination like the case in Concord) your right to protect your child and to practice your faith is put below the unfettered right to sexual freedom and license, all promoted by the statists. So, what do people like Gwen, Zach etc want? For Catholics to hide under rocks and just shut up like the good, obedient sheeple the statists would like us all to be so they can do whatever they want? We have the same rights that you do to be part of the discussion and Leila, keep it up- this is a great post. Seems like progressives don't REALLY believe in freedom after all, do they? Nubby now I have to ignore you. You're rude, insulting and naive. Have a good night. Leila, this comment: "Gwen, do you truly believe that everyone has always and everywhere pretty much been fine with gay couples becoming parents, adopting, etc., and only now some people like me and Sarah have risen up and are part of this growing little "movement" which says that gay parenting is not right? Or do you recognize the reality that in fact the opposite is true?" I don't even know where to begin so I'll wait for you to answer my question from above. "So, what do people like Gwen, Zach etc want? For Catholics to hide under rocks and just shut up like the good, obedient sheeple the statists would like us all to be so they can do whatever they want?" -No, is that you expect us to do? Sunshine, exactly! We are supposed to roll over and let the sexual libertines run roughshod over us for some reason. I have quoted David Horowitz (former commie activist, now conservative) before: Liberals are only truly liberal on two things: Sex and drugs. All else, they want to control. Gwen, it's not the "sleeping with a man" which makes her inherently better suited to be a child's mother, it's that she is the child's mother and praise God, is married to the child's father (when they are blessed with something as precious as new life). This makes them suited to be good parents. Now, Nubby's question is entirely valid, and I must ask you: "Gwen, you're a social scientist and you don't know of any demographic study that's been done, peer approved and all, that supports a mother and father as the best possible social family construct?" Seriously, you need to answer that, because I have no idea how you could have missed all that social science. Vuyo August 25, 2011 at 5:29 PM What a great thread. Many great points. Sadly many Churches have sold out to culture. Anglicans and United have open homosexuals at the pulpit. And I was shocked to read that when Joanna was a Lutheran, she was allowed to teach that homosexuality was ok. Martin Luther must be clamouring to get back saying "this is not what I wanted to happen." This is scary stuff. No, is that you expect us to do? Wait, are you being persecuted by the gov't? What are Catholics doing to make you lose your job? Did you see a Catholic in your bedroom lately? What do you expect Catholics to do now that practice of our very mainstream, worldwide faith is considered a violation of the civil rights of gays? What should we do, Gwen? Vuyo, you are right. Protestantism has slowly sold out to the culture, but it's because they have left the Church and don't have that guaranteed protection of the Holy Spirit. You can count on the Catholic Church to never, ever, ever change her moral teachings. Truth is truth is truth and will be forever. I'm not the naive one if you can't even point to one social study that shows the healthiest family construct is a mother and a father. As far as insulting, now that's rich considering the source and considering some sweet love I've received from you as if your etiquette is stellar. Way to dash from the tough questions which aren't even tough! Yet another fruitless endeavor with gwen Goodnight. First, I like that you said "arse"... it's so much more sophisticated than the American alternative! Also, I've read that while the NY law provides "protection" to Catholic agency, it provides no such protection to private citizens - i.e. if a wedding photographer is Catholic and refuses to photograph a wedding for a homosexual couple, he/she can get sued and has no protection whatsoever. What happened to the Constitution? I like how the Protestants founded this country for religious freedom and Catholics are being stepped on all over the place. Correction: I don't have to answer any question that's asked in a disrespectful manner. "What do you expect Catholics to do now that practice of our very mainstream, worldwide faith is considered a violation of the civil rights of gays?" 1. So you're saying there is some legitimacy to the argument you're faith violates civil rights for gay people? 2. How is a worldwide religion like Catholicism going to crumble if gays are allowed to have recognized unions and be parents if they wish? Oh, Miss Gwen, don't get me wrong. I am not worried about the survival of the universal Catholic Church. The Church will survive us both and every nation and government on this earth. She has proven that she is going nowhere. She will outlast everything, including this earth. So don't worry about that. I'm not. :) As for civil rights violations: That is what YOU say. I am using the language of the left. Of course I do not for one split second believe that Church teachings violate anyone's rights, not ever. But if you and those in power suddenly slap a "civil rights!" tag on a sin, then what should we do, Miss Gwen? Bow down at the altar of the Left? Um, ain't gonna happen. But what do YOU (a liberal) expect us to do? Gwen, what does "homophobic" mean or imply to you? homophobia: fear or hatred of homosexuals seriously, why ask when we all know you have access to dictionaries and classically centered education? How would that hatred or fear manifest itself in the homophobe? What a great post. But your posts are usually great. I think people without faith look to the government for morality. So, I think they think if it is legal then it is OK. Of course, if they thought about it for one minute they would see how absurd that is. But I think that is their first incling. At least, the people I know. Giving in to the sin of human respect is something I struggle with not only with non-catholics but also with catholics who are "nice." Everyone wants to be liked and say the right thing and get "voted in." I want to be known as a nice person. With politicians it is ever more evident, "I don't believe in abortion personally but I won't let that interfere with my politics." We have heard that said in my country more than once by catholic political leaders. In other words, I will appear nice and tolerant of many view points so you will vote for me. The sin of human respect. And lastly, if you want to go to the most intolerant place in the world, go to university. For real. That's weak, sorry. You won't site a study, point us to a link, copy and paste hard data because I didn't say pretty please with a cherry on top? Well. I got my answer. Leila, she won't point me to it cuz she's being disingenuous to the facts. They're out there and she won't be honest. Wow. New low. Shall I post a link of my own? For your own good, it might com in handy, you know, to share honestly with your class. Be Not Afraid, I could not agree more. Gwen, homophobia is a bad thing, right? Chelsea T August 25, 2011 at 6:01 PM My father works at a public university, and is also pro-life. My mother works at another, she is pro-choice though. Neither are vocal about it. What study do you need Nubby? My mother works in that area, and has dozens on how kids turn out alright, even if they are raised by gay parents. One Man August 25, 2011 at 6:01 PM Leila, as always thank you for saying it like it is. Just a few days ago I was listening to a Catholic Answers Live podcast about the Catholic persecution in Mexico in the 1910's-1920. In the course of less than two decades and with the steady passage of one law after another marginalizing Catholics, a formerly richly Catholic country descended into militant anti-Catholicism, resulting in the martyrdom of thousands of religious and lay people. As Patrick Madrid closed his article (http://hopeitis.com/2008/10/25/patrick-madrid-the-catholic-persecution-in-mexico-dih-2008/), "It is quite possible that we, in the US, may find ourselves in precisely the same situations, particularly if we remain faithful." I'd have to say that, while we certainly don't seek that, based on what's happening the evidence compels me to agree. Leila, why do you ever need to ask me if homophobia is bad? Liesl, Christians are being steeped on all over the place. Those churches that are violating God's truth are shrinking in membership. In fact I think the Pope spoke about allowing Anglicans to come back to Catholism. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If you don't speak the truth, The Lord is not with you, and you are doomed to fail. JoAnna Wahlund August 25, 2011 at 6:02 PM JoAnna, ethnocentrism is not necessarily an inherently bad thing. Combating FGM calls for advocating for human rights, especially organizations/individuals from communities where FGM is practiced working to stop it Oh, I see -- so ethnocentrism is good if you're advocating for something that fits your own agenda, but bad if someone else is advocating for something that you oppose. It's relativism in action! What right do you have to impose your moral beliefs on those who practice FGM? Vuyo, to clarify - when the homosexual couple and I took turns teaching the Sunday School class, we did NOT teach anything about homosexuality or the morality thereof. We taught little kids -- 1st, 2nd grade, maybe -- and it was pretty much just Bible stories and whatnot. 'stepped' JoAnna, You're not even attempting to understand what I wrote nor are you reading it correctly. It's fruitless to continue back and forth with you here in this context. Gwen - yes, I used an example from personal life experience. Apparently, so many people have experienced detrimental effects from being raised in situations where one parent is missing that piles and piles of studies have been done on it. That's why my psyc professors (state university) taught over and over again that children thrive when their mom and dad are present in the home and are prone to far more issues when that does not occur. (Although like Leila said... is the idea that a child benefits from being raised by his or her dad and mom so hard to believe? I mean even taking religion out, from a biological perspective, doesn't it seem logical that when a man and woman create a child, that child is their responsibility to love and care for and raise to become an adjusted adult? And don't you think it might be confusing for a child to be told they have three parents... an impossibility in nature?? Just maybe?). "Tell me, specifically what about sleeping with a man makes Sarah inherently able to raise a child and what specifically is lacking in a gay person's ability to raise a child?" I don't know where you got this from based on what I said. I used an example of my parents -- male and female -- wishing they had given their kids the best possible home situation. I didn't say anything about heterosexuality inherently making a person an awesome parent. Turn on the evening news - plenty of people don't make awesome parents. Which is why at least in adoptive situations, they do background checks and home studies, etc to try to determine (based on things like morals and laws and social and cultural factors, I am sure) if a child should be placed in that home. One Man, it's scary, but I think you are right that we are in for something ugly in the future, if we stay faithful. Mexico is a sad tale. Fr. Miguel Pro, what a hero. Gwen, my point is: You speak of homophobia in your class do you not? And you speak of it as if it is "bad" (i.e., immoral). So you say you don't talk about morality in your class, but of course you do. I just need you to tell me how homophobia is manifest in this culture? Please, just say it. Thanks! PS: "homophobia" is a made-up, agenda-driven word. I don't subscribe to it, but since you do, I'm asking. I personally have never met anyone who is "afraid" of gay people. That is just silly. I am not the one in need if social studies, Chelsea. It seems that a man and a dog could raise a child. Procreation and that ability is what we're designed for. "Ability" , per gwen, doesn't mean it's critically thought out as the. Best. Scenario. As for variables on the "happiness meter" in socially constructed studies, that's a nice way to make mint off government funds. Gwen, over the months of dialoguing with you I've come to realize that this translates to, "I don't like the conclusion to which this chain of logic is leading, so I'm going pull on my cloak of superciliousness and refuse to dialogue." There are plenty of people whom say they dislike homosexuals, what would you call them? Homophobia=from the Greek word "Homo" meaning "the same" and the Greek word "fobos" meaning "fear of" That's quite an interesting take on the word Leila. I think pro-life is an agenda-driven word. When I discuss human sexuality, kinship and gender, I focus on what social science has added to the discussion. I don't lecture my students on what is "bad" and "good" For that, I refer people to philosophy and/or religion classes. off to mow the lawn before it gets dark! Gwen, I am sooooo frustrated. Why won't you just answer? What was my interesting take on the word? And why won't you tell me (please??) how homophobia manifests itself? Please? Answer? And as far as JoAnna's question, I think the argument is linear and fruitful. Why on earth do you dodge the question? Have we dodged yours? I'm still wondering how a religion which spans all ethnicities, every nation and culture, every race, can be called "ethnocentric". And as I said (and you ignored), the orthodox in every major world religion is opposed to gay "marriage". So, how is this a Catholic "ethnocentric" issue? And, what about the idea that a child is best when he is raised by his mother and his father? Can you not say those words? Again, why won't you answer the questions? Back to the question I most want answered: How does homophobia manifest itself in our culture? Please, Gwen, will you answer? I will answer any question you pose. I will never run from questions when they get tough. Chelsea, I guess I would call them "people who dislike homosexuals". As for me, I dislike active homosexuality (it's a grave sin), but not homosexuals. If I disliked adultery, would you say I am an adulterophobe? (Fear of adulterers?) I didn't know your dad was prolife! Does he believe it's murder to kill the unborn? Does he vote prolife? Okay, off to a school event. Critical thinking, indeed. I sure hope Gwen doesn't leave her students hanging like she leaves the commenters. Some frustrated students be sitting at her feet. Excuse me, I just went to get my socks and shoes on for mowing the lawn. I notice it's always "okay" for Leila and others on here to excuse themselves to go do other activities and no one says "heyyyyy dodging the questions!!!" There's one of me at this end, okay? I'm going to mow the lawn before it's completely dark outside. Time permitting, I'll endeavor to answer your question Leila. Rest assured, I'm not running away from your questions, but I'm also not a left wing agenda programmed robot meant to sit here for hours on end answering every possible question posed. I think that there are many odd words in the US, I think that Homophobia was a kind of made up word, not exactly fitting. However, always saying "people whom dislike homosexuals" is a mouthful, so homophobic works. My father, although pro-life, does not really vote pro-life, since he usually disagree with other things that politicians that are pro-life say. I know several people in that position. I think he just thinks that every-one's life is important, I do not know how far he would go to say it is murder. The fact that no one here got my point about the studies - that you can't use a study that doesn't even mention same-sex parents to prove a point about same-sex parents - makes me wonder why I bother sometimes. If a study said that having same-sex married parents was better than being an orphan, and someone used that to say that heterosexual parents are no good and shouldn't be allowed, that would also be bad science. It has nothing to do with belief. And you know, if you really want to go into what is and isn't scientific, I think science has a lot to say about people rising from the dead, food turning into flesh, and virgin births. It shouldn't be okay for religion to operate and rely wholly on belief (which, I would argue, has a lot to do with feelings), but then argue that science is always on your side when someone disagrees with you. I'm not going to continue commenting on this post, since I think Gwen and Chelsea are doing a fabulous job of it, and I think the fact that I was immediately attacked regarding previous comments does not bode well for me commenting here much more at all. Gwen, if you taught at my school, I'd be among the first to sign up for your courses - seems like they'd be informative and very entertaining. I like your style! :) Good thing those aren't scientific questions, but rather metaphysical ones! (Although the Vatican does often employ scientists when attempting to verify or disprove Eucharistic miracles). It's interesting, Michelle, that you won't let science affect your "feelings" regarding abortion. Why is that subject alone absolved, in your mind, from any sort of scientific evidence or inquiry? Gwen, I don't think anyone here is focusing on the speediness or timeliness of your replies, but rather the content (in which you avoid questions). Take all the time you wish to answer. I'm glad I don't have a lawn to mow! (We have desert landscaping, and it was 113 degrees today... very hot for outdoor work!) Leila, thanks for the link. All these debates and arguments are good as far as they go but let me quote something from Professor Richard Geraghty as to what is really important here concerning the Catholic Church: "Dear Karl, There are two approaches one can take to the Church. The first is to seek the Church founded by Christ if one is not a Catholic or to obey the Church if one is a Catholic. Everybody is capable of doing this, both the illiterate and the literate. For it is a question of eternal salvation for which God gives the necessary grace. The second approach is to study it as an historian. That is a much more complex affair requiring great historical imagination to appreciate the past. You seem to be mixing up the two approaches. Do you believe the Catholic Church is the true Church or don't you?" Dr. Geraghty "How would that hatred or fear manifest itself in the homophobe?" By slamming kids into lockers. By shoving their face into their lunch. By tripping them on ice. By harassing their siblings. By jaunting them at sporting events. By threatening them. You can see it by the graves of gay kids that killed themselves. I see it in scars and in rope burns. Homophobia seems pretty appropriate for a word. I don't know. When people say homophobia they don't think people are afraid of homosexuals in the sense that they're hiding under their covers from the elusive Flamer. They refer to a fear of things that go against the idea of "common sense". If people do something that goes against my idea of what's "natural", and it works for them, then that might mean what I'm doing isn't the best possible way to do it. It's fear we might be wrong. It's fear that we might not be superior. It's unconscious. (I doubt the kids who harassed my sister after I left high school are "afraid" of me) BTW, the things Michelle listed are physical occurances. I think that's well within the realm of science. And metaphysics? Seriously? I get so sick of metaphysics and theology because it's mostly just really intelligent people rationalizing things that are just wrong. Leila, I don't think there should be any public acknowledgement of marriage! Call me a libertarian. There are plenty of reasons to support two-person couples. But it's been shown that everyone here thinks that Catholic morality is the only "objective" system of morals. So, I mean, I can't bring my secular ideas here and expect people to listen. But, go Gwen! Zach August 25, 2011 at 8:06 PM Also, this: "And, there are legions of African-Americans who seriously resent being told that their (morally neutral) skin hue is akin to your decision to commit sodomy." Um, I would hope so! I think the word sodomy is hilarious, by the way. People care an awful lot about what others do in the privacy of their own bedrooms. But look, I don't choose to be gay. And no one knows if I'm committing "sodomy". And if they do, they should probably stop stalking me. And if the problem is sodomy--you can't know it, and you can't base discrimination off of it. Zach-you hit the nail on the head answering Leila's question. Michelle-don't stop commenting! If I haven't said it before, I'm in agreement with you. p.s. JoAnna, I waited for nightfall specifically to avoid the heat! Gardening in 90 degree heat is bad enough-I can't imagine 113! Jan August 25, 2011 at 9:10 PM Gwen, on what do you base your belief system? It is a sincere question. I am often quite baffled by this. Take Ayn Rand for instance...a self proclaimed atheist. She rejected God's teachings for what? Her own. Yet, oddly enough she did not welcome and encourage her followers to establish their own belief systems...because hers were "right." So it was only her own individual thinking she admired...she saw herself as a little god. So really, the non-religious being still has a "god"...science, themselves, socialism...whatever forms and guides their opinions and beliefs. They believe they are right and make judgements based on their belief system. This includes you. You have a framework of beliefs that you think is right based on something, right? Doesn't that make you ethnocentric or are you saying that your culture is incorrect and unnatural? I, for one, prefer to base my beliefs on a 2000 year religion that has produced miracle upon miracle way beyond any scientific explanation. A religion that has converted more brilliant minds than any other....not on the thinking and beliefs of one mind...mine. I think I will get a t-shirt that says "I am ethnocentric and proud of it!" because I do think my monogamous married relationship is natural and correct! Michelle, my world is one of science (true science, not agenda or personal opinion) and metaphysics. But in your world it's only science. That is why I try to hold you to the science of things when we talk about abortion, etc. You keep wanting to go off on your own "faith" issues about "personhood", etc, and I want to pull you back to the science of it. I hope you understand. When we talk about scientific things (when human beings come into existence), I ask you to stick to science. If you want to talk about things of the Catholic faith, we can talk about that, too. (We talked about logic and reason and human nature regarding the Apostles' reaction to the Resurrection… Lots more to talk about there, too, if you'd like.) Anyway, I hope you get my reasons for not being sure if you want to talk science, since it took so long to get you to even acknowledge the science textbooks and the truth that human life begins at fertilization. Nothing personal, just trying to get at the facts. Gwen, apologies! I truly did not mean that you had to give up mowing the lawn. I have no problem with people having a life outside my blog, ha ha! I assumed (as JoAnna did) that you were brushing off the questions. Now that I know you are not, we are back on track. I see what the manifestations of "homophobia" are in Zach's view. Personally, I would call that bullying and criminal acts, but because it is done out of hatred for homosexuals, I see why you say "homophobia". However, in my twenty years of political activism, reading materials, papers, blogs, websites and news from the left, I see the term being used much, much, much more broadly than that. I have seen that anyone who opposes gay "marriage" or believes (and says) that homosexual acts are sinful is a "homophobe" (with the requisite claims of "hater" "hate speech", etc.). Do you not have any knowledge of such a use of the term "homophobic", "homophobia" or "homophobe"? I have heard the Catholic Church referred to as "homophobic" more times than I can count. Have you never heard such a thing? Zach, you are right I have no idea what you do, and I don't mean to imply any knowledge of your private life…. I certainly hope you are living chastely (we are all called to chastity, even marrieds are called to marital chastity), and beyond that, it's not my business to police you, or anyone! (Except my minor children.) But sodomy is the word that has been used for centuries to describe certain common homosexual acts. We sugarcoat sin so much that one day pedophilia will be called "man-boy love" by those who want it, instead of child rape. WAIT! It already is! I guess I am just tired of making mortal sin look and sound so pretty and white washed. Sin is sin and it is ugly and horrid and rotten to the core. Your sin and my sin and everyone else's (don't think I'm singling you out!). All rotten. It all put Jesus on the Cross. Pure Innocence took our disgusting sin on Himself and saved us pathetic, prideful, smug little creatures. I just can't sugarcoat moral evil after what it cost Our Lord. Jan, it's such a great question. I hope Gwen will answer. Zach, you said: But it's been shown that everyone here thinks that Catholic morality is the only "objective" system of morals. Actually, when it comes to sexual morality and marriage, the orthodox of every major world religion has condemned homosexual acts. It's really not only apprehensible by Catholics. The moral law is apprehensible by the light of natural law. That's why all religions have always had the same understanding about it. Actually, the problem is the redefinition of marriage. Even if a gay couple is chaste, there is no way we call a man marrying a man "marriage". There is nothing discriminatory about something being what it is defined as being. Marriage has always meant one thing, and you want it to mean something totally different. If you have the exact same rights as I do (you may marry a person of the opposite sex, just like everyone else), then there is no "discrimination" involved. At least you are honest enough to say that marriage should be abolished. But since marriage is the foundation of every society (because of the CHILDREN who come from the UNION of a man and woman), the abolition of marriage pretty much sinks your society and it will soon go "poof". Easy come, easy go. I will miss America when it finally falls, because I love her. But the Church will stand. I am interested in why you think marriage should be abolished. Leila and others: Could someone point me to the studies that show that gay parents produce maladjusted kids? Everyone keeps talking about studies, but I would like to see them for myself. One of my major issues with gays having children, is the whole IVF issue. But...the adoption case is different. Also, I think, (again) there is a difference (on the whole) in considering two women who want to adopt vs. two men. For example, many countries will allow a single woman to adopt but not a single man. Their reasoning is that (as unfair as it is to lots of great men out there) most sex offenders are male, and most violent crime is male, therefore they are trying to avoid issues. That said, I know some amazing stay-at-home-dads. Mary, let me ask you straight out, no study needed: Here is an tiny infant. There are two couples waiting to adopt her. One is a married couple, mother and father. The other is two gay men. What does your instinct tell you about what would be best for that child? What is the ideal, Mary? Should that baby have a married mother and a father or "two daddies"? You don't need a university study to answer that question, I hope? Some things we all just know from the light of natural law. It's interesting that Mary asked the question of Zach about abolishing marriage, because I had a lot of thoughts about that very thing last night. Here is the question I formulated for Zach: Marriage is the most enduring, most pervasive, most culture-spanning institution in the history of mankind. As long as there have been humans and human society, there has been marriage. Marriage has been a given, and a foundational unit of society for all of mankind. So, now Zach, you come in, as a 21st Century American college student, barely out of your childhood, and you essentially say, "Eh. I think marriage should be abolished. It's not really important to a society. There's really no point. Yawn." Do you see why I am concerned with your depth of thinking on this issue (and those who agree with you)? It seems we have lost our minds. This cavalier willingness to jettison the most ancient and enduring of societal institutions, of all class, race, religion, culture, for (as JoAnna mentioned) "twoo wuv" is alarming. And it bespeaks a very serious lack of critical thought and connection to anything human that has come before. Do you see that you might need a little more thought or wisdom of years on this issue of the abolishment of marriage? Of course, as it happens, Chesterton said it a million times better than I just did, with his fence analogy: In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, "I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away." To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: "If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it." This paradox rests on the most elementary common sense. The gate or fence did not grow there. It was not set up by somnambulists who built it in their sleep. It is highly improbable that it was put there by escaped lunatics who were for some reason loose in the street. Some person had some reason for thinking it would be a good thing for somebody. And until we know what the reason was, we really cannot judge whether the reason was reasonable. It is extremely probable that we have overlooked some whole aspect of the question, if something set up by human beings like ourselves seems to be entirely meaningless and mysterious. There are reformers who get over this difficulty by assuming that all their fathers were fools; but if that be so, we can only say that folly appears to be a hereditary disease. But the truth is that nobody has any business to destroy a social institution until he has really seen it as an historical institution. If he knows how it arose, and what purposes it was supposed to serve, he may really be able to say that they were bad purposes, that they have since become bad purposes, or that they are purposes which are no longer served. But if he simply stares at the thing as a senseless monstrosity that has somehow sprung up in his path, it is he and not the traditionalist who is suffering from an illusion. 1. Leila, using 'ethnocentric' to describe your posts seems accurate to me since anything and everything not deemed acceptable and "right" within your faith is, as you so often put it, "disordered" There's nothing wrong perse with a little ethnocentrism, but what's baffling is the refusal to even accept the merit of ideas outside of your comfort zone. 2. I said your take on the word "Homophobia" was interesting b/c never have I heard someone say they refuse to use, don't believe in it, and so forth. I think Zach answered your question about that too. 3. Jan, your question reads like a large, messy assumption with a giant dollop of pugilant superciliousness. Rest assured, I don't think I'm some sort of 'god' asking to be followed and just because I teach and am involved in social science hardly makes me some sort of anti-christ. Whereas you may argue your opinion from the point of view of your faith, which is fine, I argue my point of view from my own professional background, experiences, research and education. Kapiche? 4. I have a lot to do today and don't expect to be checking in very often here. I think I've said my peace. Leila, using 'ethnocentric' to describe your posts seems accurate to me since anything and everything not deemed acceptable and "right" within your faith is, as you so often put it, "disordered" There's nothing wrong perse with a little ethnocentrism, but what's baffling is the refusal to even accept the merit of ideas outside of your comfort zone. Gwen, many of the commenters here (including myself, and Leila) used to be liberal. We used to hold beliefs that are, according to you, "outside our comfort zone." The difference is we've come to see the logical errors inherent in those beliefs. It also strikes me that you yourself practice ethnocentrism by refusing to accept the merits of Catholic belief or even Christian belief. Pot, meet kettle? "Marriage is the most enduring, most pervasive, most culture-spanning institution in the history of mankind. As long as there have been humans and human society, there has been marriage. Marriage has been a given, and a foundational unit of society for all of mankind." One last comment here. Correction to Leila's above comment: Marriage has not been around since our ancestors first walked the earth nor is it a universal institution. Of interest: in the 1930s E.E. Pritchard wrote about the Nuer of Africa. A Nuer woman could marry another Nuer woman, pay a bride price of a few cattle and then have a male kinsman impregnate the female wife. Ahhh! I'm going to be late to work-must grab coffee and run. JoAnna, "It also strikes me that you yourself practice ethnocentrism by refusing to accept the merits of Catholic belief or even Christian belief. Pot, meet kettle?" Absolutely not. I may not agree with tenets of Catholicism or Christianity; however, just because I don't don't follow them doesn't mean I label them disordered. But Gwen, you conveniently neglect to mention that traditional marriage also exists in that particular culture: Cattle have historically been of the highest symbolic, religious and economic among the Nuer. Cattle are particularly important in their role as bride wealth, where they are given by a husband's lineage to his wife's lineage. It is this exchange of cattle which ensures that the children will be considered to belong to the husband's lineage and to his line of descent. The classical Nuer institution of ghost marriage, in which a man can "father" children after his death, is based on this ability of cattle exchanges to define relations of kinship and descent. In their turn, cattle given over to the wife's patrilineage enable the male children of that patrilineage to marry, and thereby ensure the continuity of her patrilineage. Barren women can even take wives of their own, whose children (obviously biologically fathered by men from outside unions) then become members of her patrilineage and she is legally and culturally their father, allowing her to participate in reproduction in a metaphorical sense. The arrangement you mention is unique to barren women who have been unable to beget children of their own, so it's essentially their version of surrogacy. I may not agree with tenets of Catholicism or Christianity; however, just because I don't don't follow them doesn't mean I label them disordered. I didn't ask about agreeing with them or following them, Gwen. I said "accept the merits of" those beliefs. You may not label them disordered but you do label them as misogynistic, homophobic, discriminatory, etc. I can't see how you can do the latter but condemn the former. Seems like two sides of the same coin, essentially. Gwen, now it does seem like you are dashing away from the conversation. First, you never did address the "homophobic" thing. Would you describe the Catholic Church (or conservatives who are opposed to gay "marriage") as "homophobic? Because I hear that lingo from your side all the time. Address it, please? Also, really? Marriage is just a fly-by-night, culturally isolated little construct on the face of human society? Or is it more substantial and enduring than what you are now trying to imply? As for my "ethnocentrism": The moral code that the Church holds of sex within marriage (and the moral code of not shredding children in the womb) is what I think you are talking about, above. Mostly the sex-related issues. Sex and abortion. What I've said before is that the orthodoxy of every major religion sees the same thing. Because it's all natural law. So, if you are saying that my belief in the natural law moral order is "ethnocentric", then I would have to say that it's a pretty huge ethnocentrism. Very wide "ethno" and very big "center". Let me ask you, Miss Gwen: Is it "ethnocentric" to believe that rape is morally wrong? If so, please God, let me be ethnocentric!! Gwen, for perspective, for me, can you tell me the things that you would label as "disordered"? what's baffling is the refusal to even accept the merit of ideas outside of your comfort zone. Gwen, I have lived plenty of years of my life in moral "disorder" and the spirit of the age. Goodness gracious, and in the political realm, I was even a registered Democrat who voted for Bill Clinton! So, I am never sure what the heck you are talking about when you bring up stuff like that. Talk about baffling. I said your take on the word "Homophobia" was interesting b/c never have I heard someone say they refuse to use, don't believe in it, and so forth. This illustrates so perfectly what I wrote long ago, about the liberal bubble: http://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/2010/11/theres-liberal-bubble-too.html Wait, whaa…???? Miss Gwen, did you just say that "marriage is not a universal institution"? Could you name an institution that comes closer? From my studies, I know that if there are two things all societies do, it's marry and bury their dead. But nah, that's not too pervasive and enduring, because someone reported that there might have been a society of twelve goat herders in outer Frontubia in 3,562 B.C. (translation for liberals: BCE) who never technically got hitched. Some days, I wish I'd stayed in bed. ;) Gwen, I don't think you answered this one. Thanks! You know, this is a really interesting conversation, but I feel like it's missing the point. I feel as though the issue is not whether or not homosexuals are fit parents or whether or not homosexuality is morally wrong or not (although those things certainly should be discussed, but the issue really is does the government have the right to demand a faith-based charity change its operations in order to facilitate something that the faith of the charity explicitly condemns? At least, I feel like that is the issue to me. Eliz, we go on a lot of tangents here, ha ha, but you are absolutely right that that is the main issue here. I'm guessing Zach would say "yes" because the charity is "discriminating" and therefore has no right to operate, too bad. That is so disturbing to me on so many levels. Any secularist want to take that question? Ru August 26, 2011 at 10:21 AM I don't really understand how adoption agencies work, but I can't believe that the Catholic-run one was the only one in Indiana. If a homosexual couple wants to adopt, then there are secular organizations that should allow them to do so. Likewise, if a birth parent wants to find a safe, healthy, and happy home for their child that ISN'T with a homosexual couple, that should be their right as. Adoption is a business OF discrimination, and it is so for the best reason possible--to ensure the safety, health, and happiness of children whose biological parents are not in a position to provide those things. Heterosexual couples are turned down every day by adoption agencies only to be approved by another, and yet those first agencies aren't shut down. Ru, you are exactly right, and this should be a common sense issue. The only reason it isn't is because it's entirely agenda-driven. It is about a political movement that wants to make gay sex normalized and gay "marriage" a civil rights issue. So, if an agency were to refuse a baby to a gay couple, that agency is guilty of civil rights violations. Of course there are other agencies who will place with gay couples and that should be more than enough for gay activists. But it's not enough so you have to ask why? It's bullying and control and coercion of conscience. On a small scale, this is what totalitarianism looks like. Seriously. Hey There Leila: I didn't read all the posts as I don't have the time on the computer to read them all. I am so sad that these Catholic Charities aren't able to continue doing the good work that they have for so many years. I guess I shouldn't be suprised though. The Gay Agenda or whatever you want to call it has set up the stage for a host of other evils as well. Pedophilia now is becoming an accepted thing. There were conferences last week on how to deal with the pedophilie's without making them feel bad. Same thing with beastility. I can't even remember the name they want to call that. So we've gone from same sex being accepted to sex with children being accepted to sex with animnals. And if that's not bad enough; in Boston, some guy who murdered his wife in 1990 claims he has some gender identity disorder and is taking the department to court in an effort that would force prisons to pay for sex change operations that would cost taxpayers $20K for each inmate if they did indeed have such a disorder. When is it going to end? It's not. It's like this Pandora's box was opened because someone didn't want to hurt someone else's feelings or offend someone and now the rest of the world is going to have to pay for it. DD August 26, 2011 at 11:37 AM I'm a big fan of Jodi Picoult's novels, but her latest is about homosexuality and I just watched a video of Jodi talking about the book and how her son just recently came out to her and her husband. She said she knew he was gay (had since he was three) and it was only a matter of time. Do you mean she had all these years to help him past this and point him in the right direction and she didn't? She talked about him marrying and having children and it made me think of this post. We cannot allow this type of family dynamic to occur in our adoption places and our churches. These are the things that will tear down what we believe in...stone by stone... Mary August 26, 2011 at 11:59 AM To answer Leila's question, I would say that my gut would have me place a child with a mom and dad over two daddies, but also with two mommies (all other things being equal) over two daddies. But, I can imagine there are two daddies out there who would be good parents and it would be far better for a child to grow up with them than in an institution. However, I cannot imagine "rating" parents based on their fitness related to sexuality and doling out only the least likely to be adopted to gay parents. mary August 26, 2011 at 12:01 PM From the little I know, your comment "Do you mean she had all these years to help him past this and point him in the right direction and she didn't?" means you think people can changed their sexuality. I don't think this is a Catholic notion. I think some (a minority) might have some success with this, but it seems futile and damaging with most. Um, Mary... DD is a former lesbian, so I think she might have SOME idea of what she's talking about. DD, your perspective, as a former lesbian, is much appreciated! Mary, why do you think your gut tells you that, about children being placed with a mom and dad ahead of a gay couple? And what do you think about Eliz's last comment, about the issue at hand? Mary, at the very least, Picoult could have pointed him towards virtue and chastity. But she seemed to say "Ah, this is inevitable, so it must be all good." However, I cannot imagine "rating" parents based on their fitness related to sexuality and doling out only the least likely to be adopted to gay parents. Mary, Catholic Charities would never place children in a home with a gay couple to begin with, so it's not a question of doling out less-adoptable kids to gay parents. That option is off the table. Sorry DD, I am not sure I knew that! I did not mean to be callous!!! But, you must know that many people have tried valiantly to "pray away the gay" without any success. Actually, since I am convinced the origins and causes of homosexuality for women is different than that for men, I find it very interesting that both you and Melinda Selmys have managed to live as heterosexuals, but we have not heard from a male who has made that transition. Leila: my gut tells me that because that is how I was brought up and how most people carry on. I didn't even know about homosexuality until I was about 15. It seemed puzzling, but then I started meeting people who were homosexuals and were nice, so I started re-thinking my former ideas. I agree with Liz. I think that is the issue, and I'm sorry, I thought I said before that I think they should be able to discriminate, but I am wondering about the legality....thinking along the lines of discriminating against someone because they are a different race or because they are obese. But...really to me it is a non-issue. They should be allowed to discriminate regarless because there are other options available to gays. Mary, thanks! I am glad you think that Catholic Charities should be able to carry on their ministries without legal sanctions. This caught my attention: I started meeting people who were homosexuals and were nice What does "niceness" have to do with whether something is moral? Of course homosexuals (and all the rest of us sinners) can be "nice". But is that how we determine morality? See, I truly don't get that…. DD August 26, 2011 at 2:52 PM Hi Mary, I know that some have chosen a chaste life because they cannot change the way they "feel" but it doesn't make it right for them. I am still attracted to women but I do not act on it. I don't know that I could ever be with a man, but for now, I live a chaste life and, if God so chooses, then he will send the right man to me. Calah August 26, 2011 at 5:02 PM Leila, first, ROUND OF APPLAUSE SISTER! Thanks for shaking up the fence-sitters (aka Me) about this issue. Second, I didn't read all the comments but I did catch your little vocabulary lesson on ethnocentricism (the modern vocabulary is so frighteningly Orwellian) and it made me snort my wine up my nose. So, thanks for the laugh but not for the incredible stinging in my sinuses. Seriously, I love you. You're my hero. Did you catch your nomination in the Cannonballs? My vote is for you, sister! LOL, Calah, the love is more than mutual, dear friend!! I do believe that you yourself are up for TWO Cannonballs (what did I tell you a few months ago)? We must lobby for each other shamelessly, ha ha! Sorry about the sinuses. I just hope it was good wine. :) Essentially, my point was that EVERYBODY discriminates, we all are ethnocentric to some degree and many of these terms you throw out to insult...could describe yourself. You have ideas that you believe are right and you demean and sometimes even insult those who do not agree with you. You are prejudiced...you will instantly defend stances on social issues that are opposite of Catholicism and universal norm. You refuse to see or admit any merit in our viewpoints. Do you truly believe you are more open-minded than the rest of us? Jan, that is a fair and straight-forward question. Gwen? Barbara August 27, 2011 at 12:20 AM I have a question. Do any of those who support gay marriage/adoptions ever give one thought to the well-being and rights of children? or is it all about the subjective desires of adults. Children are not a "stage in life" or a "lifestyle choice" akin with buying a condo or living in one city or another. They are complete human beings who have a mother and a father by default. For this reason children have a right to know where they come from and to be born into a family. A fundamental part of a child's identity, of a person's identity, is knowing where you come from, knowing whom you share blood with and knowing your history. Children have a right to be the product of a loving commitment between two people and not to be test-tubed or turkey-basted into existence because a pair of college lezzies want to play house with human dolls. How many young men and women are now growing up with a gaping hole in their sense of themselves because they don't know one of their parents, or don't have a relationship with them...all because parents decided that their own narcissistic desires were paramount and the kids just have to come along for the ride. The Catholic Church is the only one who is defending the full scope of children's rights, not only the right to a stable, loving home-life but also the right to know who you are, to be created as the product of love between two committed people. Secular, liberal society only focuses on satisfying the subjective desires of adults "for a kid or something". It's squishy sentimentalism, with no respect for the rights of the most vulnerable, the guinea pigs in this social experiment, a generation of kids who are going to grow up with a whole new set of neuroses we can't even begin to define. Jan: I was thinking about this today as I was listening to this interview with Melanie Phillips, she put it quite succinctly. "If you are a progressive, left wing individual you basically think that your point of view is the embodiment of virtue because your point of view is basically all about creating the perfect society. You subscribe to all kinds of ideologies, all kinds of -isms designed to make the world better. Because you stand for virtue, axiomatically and obviously, it follows that anyone who is not of your view, anyone who dissents from your view must be not just having an alternative or opposing point of view but they must stand for something really bad. They stand outside the moral sphere of goodness where you're standing. They are basically evil, and so you demonize them." http://www.ctstv.com/michaelcoren/?vidID=20589 Zach August 27, 2011 at 8:15 AM "Children have a right to be the product of a loving commitment between two people and not to be test-tubed or turkey-basted into existence because a pair of college lezzies want to play house with human dolls." Oh. Classic. At least I'm pretty sure nearly all the atheists here at least refrain from petty name calling! Leila said: But is that how we determine morality? See, I truly don't get that…. No, we can't get morality from someone just being nice. Morality comes up a lot here... have you considered reading one of the Horseman's books? Either Dawkin's (Delusion, I guess) or Harris (The Moral Landscape). These are obviously not representative of the entire secular body of thought, but they're good examples. Barbara just said: They stand outside the moral sphere of goodness where you're standing. They are basically evil, and so you demonize them Which is ironic, because that's what's been done to us tons of times, here and in the public sphere. You know, rarely do I call Catholics as antithesis to my moral view. YES, I am trying to make the world a better place, and I DON'T see how that's a bad thing.. I see Catholic charities and agencies as obviously doing a lot of good for a lot of people. But so do a lot of "secular" agencies and nonprofits. (Case in point, I'd consider a "Catholic" agency a secular one if it bothered to treat everyone. And they do. And that's what secular means.) So, no, I don't look to playing house with my boyfriend. I look to purchasing a house with him while we try to succeed in our careers, and maybe a little while after fostering a kid. Because it's two guys instead of one of each, that's completely immoral? Do you understand how ridiculous that sounds to us yet? Does anyone? Kids need a lot of things: absolutely. And two men can provide all of that. But it's still hilarious that your quote can easily be applied to many Catholics. Eliz said: the issue really is does the government have the right to demand a faith-based charity change its operations in order to facilitate something that the faith of the charity explicitly condemns? If the state sees two men as being fit to raise a child (as it does, for reason), then it's discrimination to not allow them to. Particularly in the face of there being children who need adopting. I mean, it's discrimination whether its a good thing or a bad thing, because clearly I see it as bad and you see it as good. Either way, it's objectively discrimination when you are choosing selectively. The state obviously sees it as negligent discrimination. That is, the state sees fit couples that Catholic Charities refuse to serve. Negligence because the kids aren't getting put into healthy loving family. Insofar as I understood the news stories, IL isn't giving them state money anymore. And of course that's understandable. They are for the public welfare. So should an adoption agency, regardless of where their funding comes from, be able to refuse service to an interracial couple on faith-based grounds. I'm not saying it's your faith, I'm saying that's their faith. Should they be allowed to do that? Late to the conversation, as usual. But the thread about the Nuer women (starting Aug 26, 8:09 AM)caught my eye, specifically this "...she is legally and culturally their father, allowing her to participate in reproduction in a metaphorical sense." I think that Gwen is trying to "prove" that gay marriage/parenting is accepted or natural in some people groups, but it actually proves the opposite point, because one of the women is supposed to take on the male/father role. Presumably, when Baby A, is born, the Nuer people don't say, "Welcome, Baby A! Here are your two mommies, Mommy B and Mommy C." They probably say something more like, "Welcome, Baby A! Here is your Mommy, and here is the person who will be your Daddy, culturally and legally." It's actaully REINFORCING gender roles, not challenging them. Zach - I didn't see any name calling...? Have you ever read "The Godless Delusion" by Patrick Madrid & Kenneth Hensley? It refutes Dawkins' notions of morality as spelled out in his book. You said, The state obviously sees it as negligent discrimination. That is, the state sees fit couples that Catholic Charities refuse to serve. Negligence because the kids aren't getting put into healthy loving family. What? Catholic Charities clearly stated that it would refer same-sex couples to other agencies that had no qualms about placing children with homosexuals, so obviously it's not the case that without Catholic Charities no children would ever get placed for adoption in loving families. I don't agree with everything Zach is saying, but I thought the comment: "a pair of college lezzies" crossed the line into being insulting. Zach, you said, "If the state sees two men as being fit to raise a child (as it does, for reason), then it's discrimination to not allow them to". That seems to indicate that the state is dictating all morality. What about people who are able to get exemptions so they don't have to work on a Sat. (like Orthodox Jews) even if they work for the government? The state makes lots of people work on Sat., so they don't think it is a problem, but they allow people to take exemptions for faith reasons. Not a perfect example, but there are some connections. And two men can provide all of that. Can they provide the child with a mother? JoAnna - "pair of college lezzies" isn't name calling? Barbara, I find the Phillips quote rather ironic, as the fact that she's saying such things at all suggests that she finds progressive, left-wing individuals evil, that she thinks "they stand outside the moral sphere of goodness where you're standing" - basically, she's doing exactly the things she attributes to them. And, do you really think that same-sex parents are just "playing house," that the fact that there's two moms or two dads means that the whole thing is a farce, that it can't possibly be successful? I don't know, I just found your whole description a bit mean and close-minded. Leila, I know Gwen touched on this at one point, and I don't think you addressed it fully - what is it, specifically that a mother and father can provide that two mothers or two fathers cannot? I know you say it's intuitive and obvious, but I think for your argument to be really solid you need to be able to spell out what the difference is for those of us who don't see it as obvious. Thanks! Doctrinal Quiz Show! Marriage and the Eucharist! Bubble Comments that deserve a second look... Catholics: Your misguided compassion will come bac... What I Never Learned, Part V: Jesus as the "Lamb o... WYD and PSA 7 Things This Blog is Not When devout secularists and devout Catholics agree... Quick Takes! School, shameless popery, and barbari... Guess who's in your neighborhood? Recommendations for your Catholic library! Answering Michelle: I don't think you want all bab... Obama admin: Fertility and pregnancy = disease	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line129
__label__wiki	0.592657	0.592657	2008 Obama VS. McCain "Yes We Can (Web)" "Yes We Can," Will.i.am and Jesse Dylan, 2008 (Acoustic guitar) OBAMA (speaking) and WILL.I.AM (singing): It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes we can. [TEXT: YES WE CAN] With KAREEM ABDUL-JABAR and COMMON: It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists, as they blazed the trails towards freedom: Yes we can. Yes we can. With JOHN LEGEND (singing): It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness. With TATIANA ALI and KATE WALSH: It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballot; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier... With JOHN LEGEND: ...and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land. OBAMA: Yes we can to justice and equality. Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can. AISHA TYLER: Yes we can. SAM PAGE: Yes we can. KATE WALSH: Yes we can. KAREEM ABDUL-JABAR: Yes we can. JOHNATHAN SCHAECH: Yes we can. OBAMA with SAM PAGE, SCARLETT JOHANNSEN, and JOHN LEGEND: Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. CROWD (cheering): Yes we can. GROUP: Yes we can, yes we can... OBAMA with WILL.I.AM: We must remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. GROUP: Yes we can, oh, yes we can. I want change. OBAMA (joined by members of GROUP, singing): We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks to come. We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. AISHA TYLER: I want change... CROWD (cheering): We want change, we want change. OBAMA with WILL.I.AM: That the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA With COMMON: We will remember that there is something happening in America With members of GROUP (singing): That we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in America's story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea - Yes. We. Can. GROUP (singing): Yes we can, yes we can, yes we can. For when we have faced down impossible odds; when we've been told that we're not ready, or that we shouldn't try, or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people. "Yes We Can (Web)," Will.i.am and Jesse Dylan, 2008 Video courtesy of Jesse Dylan and FORM. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/yes-we-can-web (accessed January 20, 2020). Harry Belafonte (D:1960, endorsement [celebrity]) Raymond Massey (R:1964, endorsement [celebrity]) E.G. Marshall (D:1968, endorsement [celebrity]) Pearl Bailey (R:1976, endorsement [celebrity]) Frank Sinatra (D:1968, endorsement [celebrity]) Henry Fonda (D:1960, endorsement [celebrity]) Will Ferrell Will Do Anything To Get You To Vote (D:2012, endorsement [celebrity]) 2008 Obama McCain Results The 2008 election, which resulted in the selection of the first African-American president in the nation's history, was about change. Polls indicated that more than 80 percent of likely voters felt that the country was on the wrong track or moving in the wrong direction. For the first time since 1952, there were no candidates on either major-party ticket who have served as president or vice president. As in 2004, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were important issues, yet foreign policy was strongly overshadowed by the economy when the credit and mortgage crisis hit full force in September. Other economic concerns included health-care costs, energy policy, gas prices, and rising unemployment. From the primary campaigns into the general-election contest, candidates positioned themselves as agents of change. Normally it is the party out of power in the White House that calls for change. In 2008, both parties claimed to offer “change,” as opposed to “more of the same.” The candidates made these claims in an ad war that was unprecedented in its quantity and cost. Ads were created in rapid-response fashion, timed for the increasingly fast-paced news cycle. Also, as a reflection of the shift in popular culture toward the provocative tone of the Internet, which relies on bold statements and humor to inspire “forwardability,” the 2008 ads were noticeably sharper and more aggressive than that of previous elections. "Change We Can Believe In." Barack Obama’s campaign created a number of positive ads that emphasize such words as “values” and “work,” portraying him as someone whom working-class voters can feel comfortable with. While Obama’s ads tended to be more positive in tone than McCain’s, there were also a large number of attack ads. Just as President Clinton’s 1996 ads linked Bob Dole with Newt Gingrich, nearly all of Obama’s attack ads linked John McCain with President Bush, whose approval ratings are extremely low. By linking McCain to Bush, the Obama campaign successfully undercut McCain’s image as an independent maverick. John McCain for president Sarah Palin for vice president "Country First." John McCain’s ads were mainly about Barack Obama. Following the pattern of the 2004 election, the Republican campaign used its ads to define the Democratic candidate. In addition to attempting to portray Obama as a liberal Democrat who favors tax increases, the ads also tried to suggest that he is a celebrity who isn’t ready to lead. However, with the selection of Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential candidate, the message was refined. Rather than focusing on the question of experience and readiness to be commander in chief, the later McCain ads claimed that Obama was a dangerous choice because we don't know enough about him.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line130
__label__wiki	0.502009	0.502009	Mike Haynie Founder- Chairman of the Board Michael Haynie has devoted his entire professional career to the lodging and hospitality industry. After attending Northeastern University in Boston, MA, he took on various entry level positions before rising through the ranks to the executive level positions he has held for many years. Mr. Haynie has experience in every facet of hotel operations and has served in leadership capacities in hotels ranging from economy to luxury. Prior to launching his own hotel management enterprise, Mr. Haynie served as the Vice-President and Managing Director of Baltimore’s Tremonts Hotels which encompassed the upscale Tremont Plaza Hotel and the economy Tremont Park Hotel. He also spearheaded the debut of the award-winning Tremont Grand events venue. Under his leadership, Baltimore’s Tremonts ascended to new levels of profitability due to the strategic initiatives Mr. Haynie implemented. Mr. Haynie has also served as a General Manager with Hilton and InterContinental Hotels in Baltimore, Boston, and Hartford; as well as a General Manager with independent and branded hotels in Charlotte, Hartford, Boston and Washington, DC. While developing his extensive professional port folio, Mr. Haynie has also held numerous community service leadership roles in the Baltimore area. He currently serves as the Co-Chairman of Baltimore’s National Academy Foundation High School (NAF), a flagship public high school, which pairs a college preparatory curriculum with five career disciplines: hospitality and tourism, finance, information technology, law and engineering. In addition to being a dedicated and effective youth mentor and advocate, Mr. Haynie was instrumental in helping NAF move and expand to its own middle/high school campus.NAF will now provide career enrichment opportunities to twice as many students. Mr. Haynie recently concluded a term as Chairman of the Board for the Historic Charles Street Association and he currently serves on the board of directors for each of the following professional organizations: The Maryland Tourism Development Board; Visit Baltimore Board of Directors; Charles Street Development Corporation; the Downtown Management Authority, The Downtown Partnership Board of Directors; the Hospitality Advisory Board for the Morgan State University School of Hospitality and The Maryland Hotel and Lodging Association; President of the Waverly Main Street Organization. Mr. Haynie was honored by the Maryland Hotel & Lodging Industry in 2007 as the state’s “Hotelier of the Year” and in 2009 as the “Office of Tourism Development as the ” Mentor of the Year”. Mr. Haynie lives in Baltimore City with his three children Rachel, Michael Jr. and Aaron. Patty Sipes Patty is an accomplished Executive assistant offering 25+ years of administrative experience reporting to the CEO and other top executives. Patty serves as an effective gatekeeper, preparing well-researched and accurate documents, and efficiently handles day-to-day operations. She performs overall administrative, human resource and accounting duties for the President/CEO and members of the Executive Management Team. As a member herself, she attends department head and other strategic meetings, producing and distributing minutes. She provides efficient and comprehensive secretarial services to the Executive Team, promotes the desired work culture of trust and integrity by maintaining the strictest confidentiality at all times on all matters, and performs related duties and special projects as assigned by management. Mr. Evans brings extensive experience in hospitality law and regulation and has served in leadership capacities in government, branded hospitality, and leisure real estate. He has developed a successful track record in legal and government affairs having developed initiatives, and worked directly with business partners, entrepreneurs, policy makers and regulators in the European Union, Singapore, the People’s Republic of China, and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Mr. Evans’ legal career spans both public service and private practice. Prior to joining Parkway Hospitality Management, he was Group Vice President, President Legal – Asia Pacific, for Wyndham Exchange and Rental, the worldwide leader in vacation property exchange and hospitality occupancy and revenue solutions. Prior to his work with Wyndham, Mr. Evans served as Senior Legislative and Corporate Counsel for the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the trade association representing resort developers and managers worldwide and as Associate General Counsel for Sunterra (now Diamond) Resorts, supervising acquisition, resort registration and regulatory matters. He began his career as Senior Attorney to the Florida Division of Land Sales, Condominiums, and Mobile Homes, and served as Assistant General Counsel to the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Evans and his family live in Silver Spring, Maryland He is an honors graduate of the University of Tennessee, and holds a JD from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. Mr. Evans is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia Bar Associations and holds a Practicing Certificate from the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority of England and Wales. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Evans served with distinction as an officer in the United States Air Force. Michele Morrissey Director of Training Michele Gilliam Morrissey, M.A. CCC-SLP was born, raised, and currently lives in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she and her husband, Dale, raise their four children. Michele is a 1992 graduate of Hampton University in the field of Communication Disorders and a 1995 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She is also a certified P-ESL Certified Accent Modification Instructor. Seeing the value of communication coaching beyond the traditional view of a school-based speech-language pathologist, she established Lucidity in 2009. Although she continues to foster effective communication and critical thinking skills in students in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, her clientele and career experience have expanded to include: conducting training in state agencies and community college administrators, training and coaching employees and executives in effective business communication skills,and event-specific preparation for events such as the 2012 Congressional Black Caucus and the 2012 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. She has also worked with graduate level students to further develop cross-cultural competence in communicating with inner-city youth. Other beneficiaries of her services include aspiring artists and authors who recognize the need to communicate effectively in business contexts and non-native English speakers desiring to diversify their communication skills through accent reduction/modification. Michele is known for practical application of her knowledge of communication science as it relates to workplace performance. She is a recurring participant of the “Does Image Matter?” panel series hosted by Bmorenews. She has been interviewed on various radio shows sharing information regarding communication in business. Michele has also served as a guest speaker for organizations such as Business Networking International and other sales organizations. She finds her work to be gratifying in knowing that by imparting a little information, she can be a catalyst for growth in trainees’ personal and professional lives. Natalie West-Makel Natalie is an Adjunct Faculty Instructor at Catonsville Community College where she teaches students skills and tools on how to have a professional and successful event and wedding business. She provides students with the necessary information for certification courses in event and wedding planning. Natalie is a graduate of Morgan State University and hold a B.S. in Business Management. Possess excellent and verbal communication skills. Natalie has extensive knowledge of event planning in various business environments and possesses knowledge in project management and organizational skills. Natalie is the Owner and Consultant of Unforgettable Wedding Services. After decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, U.S. needs more tradespeople Life at the Maryland Center for Hospitality Training & Research. The Maryland Center for Hospitality Training & Research’s curriculum gives participants the core foundation necessary to enter the hospitality field, and continue to advance in the field, particularly on the “soft skills” such as communications and customer service that are critical to success. Tom Noonan, President & CEO, Visit Baltimore, Baltimore City’s official tourism agency The MCHTR curriculum provides participants with the core foundation skills necessary to fill and excel in the many positions available throughout the gaming, hospitality and related service industries. Dominick E. Murray, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development The MCHTR program will increase the availability of trained, qualified and proficient employees within Maryland and provide better preparation for jobs in the gaming, hospitality and related service industries. Margot A. Amelia, Executive Director, Maryland Office of Tourism Development The Education and Training Program developed and designed will indeed prepare the workforce with the skills, tools, and resources needed to be marketable and successful in its field, as well as meet the needs of the employer. Dionne Pratt, HR Manager, Hilton Baltimore Good Evening Mr. Haynie, Just wanted to say thank you for having this program but most of all thank you for being there for us, even on “borrowed time” some days, I noticed and I appreciate you all your support! You seriously have an amazing staff, but you know that! Their like the “Dream Team” highly supportive towards us students both academically and emotionally, I am both honored and blessed to have been a part of this rare opportunity! Our Graduation ceremony was very beautiful a… Cieara I graduated from the 2017 class. Shortly after graduation I started working at Under Amour through a temp agency. I’m now working for McCormicks. I’m grateful to have a ran across your people who were dedicated in helping us achieve something. I really appreciate you, Ms Patty, you helped me complete my resume, made several copies for me, taught me how to set up email and learn how to send it. So I just wanted to say thank you for your patience, kindness, caring heart and helping me help myself … Teresa McFadden, Class of 2017 I believe this will be a well-timed, highly relevant educational and training program, one that will also help coordinate the efforts of local workforce investment boards, community colleges and high schools. Anirban Basu, economist, Sage Policy Group, Inc. MY MCHT&R Maryland Center for Hospitality Training & Research. Elkridge, Maryland 21075 Hours: Monday - Friday: 9am to 7pm Email: info@marylandhospitalitytraining.com Home \| Training Programs \| About Us \| Partnerships \| Blog \| Contact Us Copyright © Maryland Center for Hospitality Training. All Rights Reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line131
__label__wiki	0.864028	0.864028	Home / Society / Tributes / Ann Pittman St. Louis Woman Tries to Preserve Legacy of Song Ann Pittman is writing a book and is the subject of a documentary video on the music of her parents and grandparents. Thursday, December 23, 1999; the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (reprinted by permission) By Chris Carroll Ann Pittman has been remembering, writing down and performing Negro spirituals since the 1960s, but still songs remain locked inside her that have gone unheard for decades. Sometimes they bubble into her conscious thoughts about the days of slavery and sharecropping, and she grabs a pen and paper and records whatever she can remember. Sometimes it is a chorus. A title, even an isolated phrase sung to her a lifetime ago by her grandmother as a lullaby or her mother at washing time. She sings them strongly, with a low voice mellowed around the edges by her 91 years. When she dies, the songs she has not documented die with her, she says. “For a long time, I never knew it wasn’t written down or set to music,” she said. “This all came down to me orally from my parents, and some of it is unique to my family.” Her goal has been to preserve a legacy of song that preserves her ancestors’ efforts to maintain their spirits and their dignity under a system that refused to acknowledge even their humanity. She’s finally getting some help. Pittman and her music are to be the subject of a documentary video and printed study guide funded by a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council. Rick Ulman and Bob Butler, St. Louis-area musicians and musical historians, are producing the video with the $2,500 grant. It will feature Pittman performing some of the 150 or more spirituals she knows. The video was shot Monday at a local recording studio, and the pair plans to release the project early next year. Ulman and Butler, co-founders of FIDLSTYX, a music educational, research and performance group, became aware of Pittman through her performances at various folk festivals. She likewise knew they were looking to document old music and approached Ulman for help. She turned out to be the ideal subject for an educational video on a nearly extinct style of music, Ulman said. “This is someone who, like many rural Americans, black and white, has a strong family tradition, but she also has a fairly sophisticated education,” he said. “That’s what makes her so valuable — she has something to communicate. And she has the book learning that allows her to communicate.” At 74, Pittman became the oldest person to earn a degree from St. Louis University when she received a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1982. She wanted the college education to help her in the writing of a book about the music of her parents and grandparents. She says she is now looking for someone to help her organize reams of material for the book, to be called “Hand Me De Bounty Down,” after another spiritual passed down through her family. The song’s title reflects Pittman’s strong guardianship over the nuances of her music. She insists that “the” be spelled “de,” because that’s how her parents said it, and made her say it, as well. “We were raised between two cultures,” she said. “My mother wanted me to pass the test at school, but at home I talked like my mother wanted. I said ‘this and that’ at school, but at home, if I didn’t pronounce it ‘dis and dat,’ I’d get spanked for talking sassy.” Pittman’s parents were sharecroppers on a tenant farm in Mississippi, and her grandparents were born slaves in Virginia. Her family’s spirituals, like spirituals sung by African-Americans elsewhere, were double-edged, expressing genuine spirituality and covert social criticism at the same time. The song “Hand Me De Bounty Down,” for instance, is at once a request for help from God but also a reproach to slave owners who would claim to be devout: I’ll tell you how some folks do, ‘Fore yer face dey got love for you, ‘Hind yer back dey scandalize yer name, Jes’ de same you got to bear de blame. “It can be material and it can be spiritual at the same time,” she said. “What the song really means is don’t be a hypocrite. But they couldn’t say it directly to the owners without getting themselves in trouble.” Some of Pittman’s early memories are of her father sitting by the fire, late at night, shotgun nearby, reading the Bible. As he guarded his family from robberies and lynching parties, he turned his devotions into songs that echoed through the family’s history over the years. She’s not about to let them be forgotten. “If the people who recorded the Ten Commandments had just died with it in them, we would not have enjoyed what they had to offer,” she said. “I’m endeavored in the same way to hand down these beautiful songs I have to offer.” The pictures of Ann Pittman (with her daughter, above) were taken in the office of the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection, Ellis Library (University of Missouri-Columbia) during the 1996 meeting of the Missouri Folklore Society.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line133
__label__wiki	0.509978	0.509978	In February 2012, Rhonda weighed 457 pounds. Today, she’s down to 180 pounds and she’s completely changed her life. Her Pedego Electric Bike was the stepping stone that got her started on her journey. “It’s not about the weight I’ve lost,” she says. “It’s about the life that I’ve gained. I was merely existing and today I’m truly living my life.” Beth’s Pedego Comfort Cruiser has allowed her to maintain an active and sustainable lifestyle. Struggling to pedal uphills on the way home from work is a thing of the past. It’s also empowered her to participate in charity cycling events with her friends without feeling left out. “I feel free and liberated and ready to hit the trail!” Norm and Teri thought their cycling days were over. Their bikes hung in the garage gathering dust for years. Then they bought Pedegos, and now they’re having a blast! “The thing about the Pedego is that nothing hurts when you’re finished riding,” says Norm. “It’s almost like being a teenager again. You can’t beat it. It’s a damn good life.” Esther rides her Pedego City Commuter to and from work about 18 miles a day. She has enjoyed many benefits from riding, but she maintains that the best benefit is all the fun she’s having. “I’m loving it,” she says. “ It’s just a better quality of life. I look better, I feel better and I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.” Suzanne rides her Pedego Interceptor about 20 miles a day along with her dog Bogie. She’s lost weight, normalized her diabetes, and stopped taking cholesterol medication since she started riding. “I love the fact that it’s getting me out there doing something I never thought I could do, or keep doing, and now I know I can!” Larry gave up driving about ten years ago due to a degenerative eye disease.Now he gets around on his Pedego City Commuter with his guide dog, Trip, in a trailer behind him. “The thing about the Pedego bike that really changed my life, is that it moved me from a life of isolation to one where I’m empowered to go anywhere I want to go.”	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line140
__label__wiki	0.697212	0.697212	Being an artist, it’s being engaged in a mystery. There is something about making art that is involved in such a tangible abstract experience of living that it really does feel like an engagement in a mystery. So from very young I’ve always been interested in the unseen, in the unknown, the unexplained, the unexplored. By making art it gives me a vehicle to work with this. It gives me a root and a direction to kind of understand what words don’t give us and to kind of understand also what’s around us all the time and what’s around us all the time and what we take for granted, which when you make art there are many things that manifest themselves that you are just familiar with in such a way that you don’t realize that they are special. So even watching a sunset sometimes is something we can take for granted but when you are an artist and you look at a sunset in a special way and than you work with your art in relationship to that, it becomes or it can become a whole new world. Well, I think an artist in society can and should have a role of being a spokesperson. Leading and guiding people to an insight, which the artist has, or hopefully is working towards. So that as you make your art, you begin to develop an understanding which when the art is finished the viewer has an opportunity to experience. And it’s about that mystery, its about that kind of very ephemeral unspoken unseen places that’s within us that the artist is sharing with the person. That has a lot of political, social and spiritual ramifications because if you are talking about a kind of peace within or kind of turmoil within of which you are looking to resolve than you’re presenting to the viewer a place where they can examine that within themselves. And have another dimension, another way to look at things other than a concrete form. Because we are so, almost imprisoned with concrete reality in our culture that we forget that it’s only part of our existence. And so art is really about taking people from that place to another space. Or can be. I mean I don’t think all artists are interested in doing that. Some artists are just interested in working with their mind. Other artists are interested only in working with their sensate feelings. But to me one needs to put it all together to really make a kind of presence so that the viewer can have a way to rethink things perhaps. Well, for me my route of direction has been probably I was trying to place it in time in my live but I think my route in direction from very young has been feminism. You know the questions about what women’s art is really like and if we had an opportunity to experience the world they way we should than I think that we would really advance ourselves in a way that we can’t at the moment or it was very hard and I think that that’s my place as an artist is to present this point of view. And that’s my place in the art world too and I think in a lot of cases the art world may be close to me because it’s not a very popular point of view. It’s changing now because the younger generation is seeing feminism as a very necessary essential part of existence, which of course we, all the feminists have always known and we’re beginning to embrace each other in a new way. So I would say that my place in the art world is about speaking from the voice of the feminine, speaking from the voice of the goddess, whatever that means, and the voice from the (not clear: infinite power of women within?). And I think I have a lot to say about that. And I think it’s very valuable for men as well as women and don’t think it’s important to say it in big bright letters. I think it’s there and I think people experience it. Well, I had a traditional art education at a place called the art students league, so it wasn’t an academic collage setting. But it was still as patriarchal as anything. The sculpture teacher for instance, of course a male, there were really only maybe a couple of women who were teachers at that time and those women taught children or I think maybe there was one who taught design and I’m talking about the 1960’s. So the sculpture teacher used to come to class and he used to give demonstrations to the ladies. And he, lets say, pick up clay and put it in his hands and shape it and said: Ladies you make the work like hamburgers and he’d slap it onto a wall. Or hotdogs and he roll up a hotdog and slap it onto the wall, and it would go on like that so on and so forth. And then after he finished the demonstration with the ladies he’d go out to lunch with the men. And that was the way, that’s a good metaphor for the way art school was for me. Most of the women were told that they were good artist who were there to be excellent wives to a male artist. They would be very supportive and be very perceptive because that was really their role in live was to be an accessory. So I think that’s most why women artist were brought to experience art school in those days. I mean I don’t think it’s changed a great deal because there is still an underlying part that exists today. But nobody would say that anymore. So that planted a seed in me and than this first piece I made, a major work of mine, it really belonged to me, was a huge maple, carved maple, a piece of the crowning. You know the crowning is the experience of the actual birth. Well, that’s what its called in English, I don’t know what it would be called in another language, and so it was the actual sensate feeling of the crowning of when my daughter was born. And it’s an immense piece. I have some nice pictures of it. So that piece I think was a seed piece because it was about feelings and it was about the intellectual experience of feeling and it was about an expression of a female experience. One of the ways in which art was dealt with in those days, was that if you didn’t like a work of art and or if it was done by a women, and you felt it was not so good you would say that this work is to personal. You would always say, that person doesn’t make very good art because it’s too personal. So personal was something that was deeply looked down upon. And the women’s movement came along and just smashed trough all of that, and so this is my first conscious awareness just before the women’s movement started because my daughter was born in 1967 and the women’s movement started in 68\69. It was beginning in 67. So as that information came from the women who were working on change, like I was working on change and we were all working on change, most of us in isolation. Some of the women were very political so they were working on change in a more broader scale in the world in terms of politics but those of us who were artist in the New York art world were working on a kind of understanding of where our inner forms came from and giving ourselves permission and saying the personal is political. Here we are and we’re gonna make art out of that deeper place inside of us. Too bad guys, thats not what we feel and figure out a way how to make that seen. How to make that really become part of our environment and part of the art world and it did happen. I can’t say that it happened as well as we would liked it to happen. Someone was pointing out the other day that most of the women’s work that did get known came out of the same kind of place that was already set up like a conceptual reverence, or some kind of sort of reverences that were already established in the male environment, so that was the case. But now I’m thinking that maybe that’s gonna change because the younger generation of artist make work that is so different in many ways. I as an older artist, a women artist, because it is gender specific in some ways. I as a women artist have to make myself look at some of this work, I have to tell myself, ok I don’t like it, but if I don’t look at it what will I ever learn and maybe I’ll understand it and maybe liking is not that important anyway. Maybe really understanding and dialog and dynamic is the most important. Which is what I always believed in anyway. But when you are contested with that, when you really experience that out front like that, than you have to rethink, you know, o yeah I don’t care if people don’t like my work, but what about this work that I don’t like either, what does that mean. So a lot of the younger women artist, who make works that I don’t understand, and I don’t feel comfortable with but I don’t really think that that’s a reason not to experience it and find a dialogue with it, or lack of value. I mean it has real major value, much of it, and of course its fun to get to know them then because I can have a dialogue with them, too. Most of the women in the New York art world worked in solitary. Most of the women in California worked in groups. And a lot of times we think that that’s why the California women feminist women’s art experiences got more attention because there were large groups. Whereas the women artist in New York, most of them worked singularly in solitary in a much more traditional manner. And many of them didn’t want to be just called feminist artist. Many of them wanted a broader term, even though they were working of and out of a feminist place. So as the years began to develop in the 1970s and as we were doing, consciousness was raising more and more, and we started to think myself, and the school started with myself and five other women, but many of us began to think and talk and explore whether or not there really was a women aesthetic, whether or not women had a particular unique way of making art, and whether or not women had a particular vision that would be expressed in their art. And so since it was a whole new movement, we really thought we are gonna solve this quicker than we did. But you know women have been oppressed for thousands of years, we are not gonna change that in 20 years or 5 years or 10. We are not. So we don’t know. And mostly now people don’t talk about this anymore, but it is possible somehow, sometimes to see the women’s work has a bit of different touch to it. Maybe in a hundred years, maybe two hundred years we will be able to know. Maybe we’ll never know, maybe it doesn’t exist. But that was the basic goal of starting a feminist art institute. Plus women in art school have my experience. There will be special classes for the ladies. They were just diminished, they were told that they were going to be excellent artists for male artists as a husband. So they were always diminished, and they were made to make art that didn’t come from inside of themselves. You know, women would go into art school and they’d be so excited to go to collage, to get a degree in art, They’d been so excited because they would be making art and they would have all this images and ideas. And they’d get to art school and their teachers, who were all male, would say, no you don’t make it like that. And you are not gonna graduate, you are not gonna get a good grate if you don’t follow this formula. And there are many different formulas, but there were formulas, male formulas. So New York feminist art institute NYFI, wants to just demolish that. Now your work from within, now you see what you are, what your forms are, and what you want to make from them. And so that’s how that began to build. So we get women from all over the country. Some women would be very young, our oldest student I think was around 67, 68 at the time. Hellen, I have some pictures of these, I showed them yesterday. And we were exploring that. And out of that came some very interesting art. I can’t say that its particular female, because after that men, began to make art like that too, so I don’t know. But it was exciting, it was vital, and it made them revive within them the sense of making art, with excitement they had all their lives, to become an artist which had been lost. Many, many people from graduate schools came, who just dropped out or went through graduate school and never made art again, because they just couldn’t take working at this formula. So we start making a formula and they fell in love again. So that was the idea, I guess we could call it falling in love with art in a way that belongs to you. You know, not somebody out there of one or another. Nancy Azara / Artist * New York, lives and works in TriBeCA section of Manhattan. Nancy Azara’s sculpture is carved and painted wood, often with gold and silver/ aluminum leaf and encaustic. Azara’s Collage/Scrolls include large rubbings, tracings and painted cutouts on Mylar scrolls. The wood, the paint, the layers that make up the sculpture and collage/scrolls record a journey of images and ideas from within memory, often using leaves, hand prints and tracings and rubbings as a metaphor. Azara recently exhibited her work in one person exhibitions: I am the Vine, You are the Branches at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, Brooklyn Heights, NY; Of leaves and vines… A shifting braid of lines at SACI Gallery in Florence, Italy and in group exhibitions: Allegory of Leaves at New Jersey State University; Atwater Art Gallery in Rhinebeck, NY; Pseudo Empire, Brooklyn, NY; Gallery Sensei, NYC; Scripps College in Claremont, CA and at the Asya Geisberg Gallery in Chelsea, NY. Earlier one woman exhibitions: Donahue/Sosinski Art, the Andre Zarre and A.I.R. Galleries in New York City, the Froelick Gallery, Portland, Oregon, the Tweed Museum in Duluth, Minnesota, Rudolph E. Lee Gallery in Clemson, N.C., the Gwinnett Fine Arts Center in Duluth, Georgia and group shows such as the traveling Rutger’s University exhibition, How American Women Artists Invented Post-Modernism. She was the featured sculptor at the SANYI Museum, NANCY AZARA in Taiwan in 2008. http://www.nancyazara.com The interview was conducted on March 4 2015 at the artist’s studio in New York.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line141
__label__wiki	0.529756	0.529756	2006 - 2nd International Competition & Assemblage 2007 - 3rd International Competition & Assemblage 2008 - 4th International Guitar Assemblage 2010-2011 Concert Servies 2012-2013 - 25th Anniversary Festival Miami Classical Guitar Society 2014-2015 Concert Series - 27th Season UPCOMING ARTISTS: CONCERTS, MASTERCLASSES, EVENTS MOLINA DUO: CARLOS MOLINA guitar / MARISA MOLINA soprano (Cuba/USA) & GUESTS CONCERT has been postponed for the Summer Season. Please check back for updates. Thank you for your support! DIMITRI ILLARIONOV (Russia) CONCERT: Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 8:00 PM The Miami Classical Guitar Society is thrilled to present: brilliant young Russian classical guitarist, Maestro DIMITRI ILLARIONOV! "Blessed with the star gene … with such temperament, musicianship, richness of colour, radiance, sense of timing and feeling the acoustic qualities of his soft-toned instrument that the combination of all these abilities, coupled with an evident gift for entertainment, is the best expressed in one single word: wow!” - Tages-Anzeiger (Zurich, Switzerland) Dimitri ILLARIONOV (b. 1979) is a multi-award winner of more than 20 international competitions in the U.S., Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and other countries, including First Prize Winner of two of the most prestigious guitar competitions in the world: Guitar Foundation of America International Competition (2002, Miami, USA) and Francisco Tárrega International Competition (2008, Spain), where he was the first Russian winner in the 42-year history of the competition. As well as performing numerous solo recitals, Dimitri is one of the rare guitarists who appears frequently as guest-soloist with symphony and chamber orchestras all over the world, such as with: I Solisti Veneti, State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta di Valencia etc. His partners on stage are world-renowned artists – conductors Claudio Scimone (Italy), Vladimir Fedoseyev, Dmitri Liss (Russia), Leo Brouwer (Cuba), Carlos Miguel Prieto (Mexico), Gum Nanse (Korea), Fabio Mastrangelo (Italy), Alexander Sladkovskiy (Russia), Tao Lin (China), guitarists Dusan Bogdanovic (Yugoslavia–USA), Roland Dyens (France), Duo Gruber-Maklar (Germany), cellist Boris Andrianov (Russia), pianist Denis Matsuev (Russia), violinists Janine Jansen (Holland), Julian Rachlin (Austria), and Bosnian lute player Edin Karamazov who worked in duo with rock-star Sting. Dimitri Illarionov is artistic director of the Novosibirsk Guitar Festival – one of the most important guitar festivals in Russia. He has given concerts in Europe, Asia, North and South America in some of the most prestigious halls in the world – Tonhalle (Zurich), Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Osaka Symphony Hall, Seoul Arts Center etc. Taking part in many festivals, Dimitri was the first solo guitarist to participate in “Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Soloists” (Switzerland) and the International Chamber Music Festival in Utrecht (Artistic Director – Janine Jansen, Holland). Dimitri studied in Russia with the famous performer Alexander Frauchi and also took lessons with composer Nikita Koshkin, and in Germany with Professor Andreas von Wangenheim. Dimitri is now professor at the Russian Gnesins’s University of Music in Moscow. Dimitri Illarionov has recorded several CDs: solo for the Naxos and Daminus labels, with orchestra for Les Editions Doberman-Yppan. His “Classical Duo” CD (Delos Records) with Boris Andrianov was on the long-list of the prestigious “GRAMMY-2004” Awards. Composers have dedicated works to Dimitri, including Angelo Gilardino (Italy) who wrote for him the Concerto "Star of the Morning" (Homage to Nikolaj Roerich) for Guitar, Cello and Orchestra; Nikita Koshkin (Russia) dedicated to Dimitri his Concerto Grosso for Guitar and Orchestra; Alexei Rybnikov (Russia) wrote for Dimitri the Suite “Travel though Time” for Guitar and Orchestra. From 2006 to 2009, Dimitri, together with the Moscow State Philharmonic Society, was organizer and one of the founders of the International “Guitar Virtuosi” Moscow Festival, held in one of the most prestigious halls in the world – Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall. Since 2009, Dimitri is one of the organizers of the Alexander Frauchi International Guitar Competition and is director of the classical section of the largest guitar festival in Russia, the World of Guitar Kaluga International Festival. CONCERT LOCATION: Saint Philip's Episcopal Church 1121 Andalusia Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134 MAP Parking is Free. CONCERT TICKETS: $30 at the door. (Discounts: $25 for members, seniors, students with ID). Children under 12 are free. No Reservations needed. DIMITRI ILLARIONOV May 2, 2015 - 8PM * DIMITRI ILLARIONOV MASTERCLASS: Friday, May 1, 5:30pm-8:30pm (Open to the Public) MASTERCLASS LOCATION Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus Room 8122, Bldg 8, Hernandez Center 11011 SW 104th Street, Miami, FL 33176 MAP MASTERCLASS PERFORMERS: Registration is required Email: info(at)miamiguitar.org / Subject Line: "Masterclass Performer Registration - Dimitri Illarionov" for more info. Limited number of Performer spaces available. Preference will be given to MCGS Members. Performer Fee - $40 for 30 minute class. Please come prepared with one or two pieces, and please bring sheet music. Of course, don't forget your guitar! :) (Masterclass Performers will receive a special $15 ticket for Dimitri Illarionov's Concert). MASTERCLASS AUDITORS: Open to the Public. Auditor Tickets - $10 at the door. Free Audit for MCGS Members. Ticket includes audit for entire day. MASTERCLASS Performer Fee, with Dimitri Illarionov $40.00 CAVATINA DUO - DENIS AZABAGIC guitar / EUGENIA MOLINER flute (Bosnia/Spain) CONCERT: Saturday, April 18, 2015 - 8:00 PM The Miami Classical Guitar Society is proud to present one of the most renowned guitar duos of today, guitarist DENIS AZABAGIC (Bosnia), and flutist EUGENIA MOLINER (Spain) ~ CAVATINA DUO! “This pair is considered to be the best of them (flute and guitar duos)” ~NEW YORKER MAGAZINE CAVATINA DUO has captivated audiences with their electrifying performances in major venues and festivals across Europe, the USA, and Asia, such as the Ravinia Festival, The Harris Theater, DaCamera Society (Los Angeles), Buntrock Hall at Symphony Center in Chicago, Mainly Mozart San Diego, National Performing Arts Center in Beijing, China, the Opening Gala at the 2008 National Flute Association Conference USA, the Aix-en-Provence Summer Festival in France, the Eem & Veem Festival in Groningen, Netherlands, the International Guitar Festival in Frechen, Germany, The Link (Netherlands), and in three occasions at the National Concert Hall in Taipei (Taiwan), among many others. Composers from around the world have written and dedicated new works to the Cavatina duo; Sérgio Assad and Clarice Assad (Brazil); Carlos Rivera, Michael Karmon; Alan Thomas (UK-USA), Erik Otte (the Netherlands); Alejandro Yagüe (Spain); Boris Gaquere (Belgium) and V. Ivanovic (Bosnia/Greece). The Duo received the Encore Prize in 2003 for their collaboration with Michael Karmon. They have recorded five CD’s. Prize winner in 24 international guitar competitions, Denis Azabagic has been described as “a virtuoso with flawless technique.” As a guest instrumentalist and soloist, Azabagic has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Sacramento Chamber Orchestra, Madrid Symphony, L’Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Mons, among others. He is a regular guest at such venues as Chicago’s Symphony Center, Masters of the Guitar at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Radio France in Paris, Aix en Provence Festival, France, El Palau de la Musica, Valencia-Spain, Savannah on Stage, USA, Omni Foundation and Ravinia Festival, USA, National Chang Kai Shek Cultural Center, Taiwan, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, China. Flutist Eugenia Moliner has been acclaimed as a “brilliant young musician.” Moliner has performed recitals with pianist Rob Broek and the New Opus Trio, and collaborated with the Chicago Symphony and Rotterdam Philharmonic principals and co-principal players, the Rotterdam Baroque Ensemble, the National Philharmonic of the Netherlands and the Montebello Ensemble, among others. As a soloist she has appeared with the Chicago Sinfonieta, the Camerata Serbica, Sarajevo Philharmonic, Monterrey symphony and Traverse Symphony. CAVATINA DUO MASTERCLASS: Friday, April 17, 5:00pm - 8:00pm (Open to the Public) Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus, Room 8122, Bldg 8, Hernandez Center Please note: Masterclass is opened to both Guitar and Flute participants. Email: info(at)miamiguitar.org / Subject Line: "Masterclass Performer Registration - Cavatina Duo" for more info. Performer Tickets - $40 for 30 minute class. Please come prepared with one or two pieces, and please bring sheet music. Of course, don't forget your guitar, or flute! :) (Masterclass Performers will receive a special $15 ticket for Cavatina Duo's Concert). HUGO MOLTO MEDINA (Spain) CONCERT: Saturday, March 14, 2015 - 8:00 PM The Miami Classical Guitar Society proudly presents, young virtuoso Spanish guitarist, First Prize Winner of the prestigious 2013 International Classical Guitar Competition XVII “Ciudad de Coria,” HUGO MOLTO MEDINA! Hugo MOLTO MEDINA’s classical guitar style favors nuance. Delicate passages are languid and unrushed. His career, on the other hand, is anything but. Just ten short years after he began studying classical guitar, in 2003, Hugo earned an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall. Everything in between is the story of an extraordinary talent developing at an incredible rate. The nineteen-year-old guitarist from Dénia, Spain, showed an interest in music at an early age. But it was discovering classical guitar that fortified his musical life. Shortly after entering Dénia’s Conservatory of Music, Hugo began performing throughout Spain and France. This led to his participation at many regional and national competitions, and a glimpse of what was to come. As his career progressed his travel radius widened to include international competitions. Hugo earned top prizes at the International Guitar Competition XI of Benidorm (first prize, 2009), International Contest VII of Young Performers “Liria City” (first prize, 2011) and International Guitar Competition II “Jijona City” (first prize, 2011), among others. In August 2013 he won first prize at the International Classical Guitar Competition XVII “Ciudad de Coria,” which included an invitation from the D’Addario Foundation to perform at Carnegie Hall. Concerts kept Hugo busy, too. In March 2012, accompanied by the Metropolitan Orchestra of Madrid, he performed Joaquín Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” in the Symphony Hall of Spain’s National Auditorium. Hugo is currently studying at Spain’s Higher Conservatory of Music, Oscar Esplá, with guitar legend Ignacio Rodés. He also takes master classes from celebrated guitarists Hopkinson Smith, Margarita Escarpment, Carles Trepat, Aniello Desiderio, Marcin Dylla, and others. His debut CD, “Música y Vida” (“Music and Life”), was released in 2012. It includes eight works from Spain that represent the musical evolution of the guitar. St. Bede Episcopal Chapel of Coral Gables, at U.M. 1150 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 MAP Located on the University of Miami Campus. RICARDO GALLEN (Spain) CONCERT: Saturday, February 28, 2015 - 8:00 PM The Miami Classical Guitar Society, in collaboration with Centro Cultural Español de Miami, is thrilled to present our second Concert of the Season, featuring internationally renowned Spanish Maestro, RICARDO GALLEN! "Flawless interpretation and charisma, exquisite technique and particularly beautiful sound" ~Diario de Cordoba Born in Linares, Spain, Ricardo GALLEN began playing classical guitar at the age of four, performing in public just a year later. At the age of ten he entered the Conservatory of Music in Cordoba, receiving his first formal music education by the Conservatory's director and founder Tomás Villajos Soler. He continued his studies at the Conservatories of Jaén, Cordoba, Madrid, and Granada, and later studied guitar and ancient music at the Universities of Mozarteum, University of Salzburg, and Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, with the Masters Eliot Fisk, Christoph Eglhuber, Jürgen Hübscher and Joaquin Clerch. In 1999, Gallén completed the Meisterklassendiplom (Konzertexam) in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, under Joaquin Clerch, in addition to winning numerous international competition prizes. He has been a professor of superior level at the Ramon Llull University, the University of Extremadura, the Superior de Música de Aragón in Zaragoza and the Palma de Mallorca Conservatories of Music in Spain, the Mozarteum of Salzburg in Austria, and the Hochenschule fur Musik in Germany, where he presently teaches. Gallén has given recitals all over the world, with solo performances, duets, as well as with orchestras, under the direction of conductors such as Maximiano Valdes, En Shao, Juan Jose Mena, Monica Huggett, Leo Brouwer, Jordi Savall and Seirgiu Comisiona, in more than 30 countries throughout Europe and America, including Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Cuba, USA, Costa Rica, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel. He has performed in prestigious concert halls such as the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, National National Auditorium of Music, in Madrid, L'Auditori and Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Shostakovich Hall in Saint Petersburg and Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. In addition, he has been a jury member in numerous International Guitar Competitions, as well as taught master classes in Austria, Germany, Poland, Israel, USA, Chile, Lebanon, Portugal, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, France, Greece, Romania, Spain, Finland, France, Australia, New Zealand. Gallén's first album was one of Naxos Records best-selling albums in 2001, and received sensational reviews in the specialized press. It was followed by five more albums published by Naxos, in which he performs music by Mauro Giuliani, Leo Brouwer, Toru Takemitsu, etc., as well as all of the concerts for guitar and orchestra by the Spanish Maestro Joaquin Rodrigo. In 2013 his double CD with the Bach Complete Lute Suites was released with Sunnyside Records, and in May 2014 his last CD, Fernando Sor - Guitar Sonatas was released, by Eudora Records. He has also recorded for Radio and Television in various countries including Spain, Finland, Belgium, Romania, Germany, Cuba, Mexico, South Korea and Bulgaria. Gallen's concert will include a premiere of a new Sonata dedicated to him by Leo Brouwer. Centro Cultural Español of Miami - CCE (Cultural Center of Spain) 1490 Biscayne Boulevard; Miami, FL 33132 * MAP PARKING: Available on N.E. 2nd Avenue, between 14 & 15 Street. Parking is $5. RICARDO GALLEN *MASTERCLASS: Friday, February 27 - 5:00pm-8:00pm (Open to the Public - please see details below) MASTERCLASS LOCATION: 1490 Biscayne Boulevard; Miami, FL 33132 MAP PARKING: Available only on N.E. 2nd Avenue, between 14 & 15 Street. MASTERCLASS PERFORMERS: Registration is required. Email: info(at)miamiguitar.org / Subject Line: "Masterclass Performer Registration" for more info. Limited number of Performer spaces available. Preference will be given to MCGS Members. Non-members will be registered on a first come, first serve basis. Performer Tickets - $40 for 30 minute class. Please come prepared with one or two pieces, and please bring sheet music. Of course, don't forget your guitar! :) (Masterclass Performers will receive a special $15 ticket for Ricardo Gallen's Concert). Auditor Tickets - $10 at the door. (Free Audit for Members). Ticket includes audit for entire day. Brought to you in collaboration with Centro Cultural Español de Miami, CCE ANTON BARANOV (Russia) Inaugural Season Concert: Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 8:00 PM The Miami Classical Guitar Society is very excited to launch our highly anticipated 27th Season, starting October 18, with Guitar Foundation of America's First Prize Winner, Russian guitarist ANTON BARANOV! Anton BARANOV is a prizewinner of more then fifteen prestigious international guitar competitions, including the Koblenz Guitar Competition, Andrés Segovia Competition, Agustín Barrios Competition, Robert Vidal Competition, and Pittaluga Guitar Competition. At the height of his young career, he won both the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition and the Francisco Tárrega Competition in 2013. Known for his daring interpretation and innovative programming, guitarist and composer Roland Dyens calls him, “a real musician, one of those rare guitarists who are able to have their attendees almost forget the instrument they play, managing to have them focus on the expressivity of the music and only this.” As part of his prize from winning the GFA competition, Mr. Baranov will embark on a 50-city concert tour throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Brazil, including his debut at New York's Carnegie Hall later this month. He has just recorded his first album on the Naxos label, and has been a D'Addario artist since 2013. He currently teaches at his alma mater, the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Anton Baranov was born in 1984 in the Northwest region of Russia. He graduated from the famous St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in 2010 under grants from the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Russian Performing Arts Foundation. CONCERT DATE: Saturday, October 18, 2014 at 8:00 PM (At the University of Miami campus) The MCGS is a 501c3 non-profit cultural organization, brought to you with support from our SPONSORS - 27th Season: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, Savarez Strings, The D'Addario Music Foundation, Anita and Morris Broad Foundation, MAD Studios, Societa Dante Alighieri, Country Inns and Suites, Vitalini Corazzini PA, Bacardi USA, Harvey & Margie Willensky. In Collaboration With: Guitar Foundation of America, USA; Ciudad de Coria International Guitar Festival, Extremadura, Spain; Centro Cultural Español of Miami, CCE. © All materials Copyright The Miami Classical Guitar Society, www.miamiguitar.org. All Rights Reserved. Created on 10/09/2014 04:24 PM by admin Updated on 11/29/2019 04:33 PM by admin	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line142
__label__cc	0.729688	0.270312	Avigilon Continues Organizational Expansion with Appointment of New Director of Sales for Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest Ian McCorkindale joins team to meet growing demand for Avigilon’s high definition surveillance solutions in the region VANCOUVER, BC – October 13, 2009 – Avigilon today announced the appointment of Ian McCorkindale as the company’s director of sales for Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. In this role, McCorkindale will be responsible for all sales activities required to support the needs of the region’s expanding market. McCorkindale joins Avigilon from Honeywell Security, where he was most recently the leader of global strategic corporate accounts responsible for lead generation, training, and system design for enterprise video surveillance systems. Prior to Honeywell Security, McCorkindale was the owner and operator of Securapro Services, an enterprise systems integrator. He has also held positions with Richardson Electronics, a distributor of security and surveillance solutions. “Ian brings years of industry experience, technical knowledge, and proven success in increasing revenue growth in his areas of responsibilities to his new role at Avigilon,” said Dave Tynan, vice president of global sales and marketing at Avigilon. “Leveraging his expertise to further develop Avigilon’s presence in the region, Ian will provide the strategic support required to meet the growing demand for our award winning HD and megapixel video surveillance systems.” Based in Vancouver, McCorkindale will manage all sales activities pertaining to Western Canadian and Pacific Northwestern markets including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. McCorkindale will manage customer, integrator, and consultant relationships, provide technical expertise and support, as well as develop new business opportunities for the company. “With its singular focus on security and strong commitment to research and development, Avigilon has developed an end-to-end HD surveillance system that is unmatched in the industry,” said Ian McCorkindale. “I look forward to being part of a progressive organization that is bringing the benefits of HD surveillance to end-users around the world.” Avigilon Control Center with HDSM Avigilon Control Center is the award winning HD network video management software with High Definition Stream Management (HDSM) that delivers full situational awareness and detail, leading to faster response times, reduced investigation times, and superior overall protection. Avigilon Control Center is available as stand alone software or pre-installed and configured on Avigilon HD NVRs. Avigilon Control Center is a secure and reliable open enterprise class network video management platform for capturing, managing, and storing high definition surveillance video while efficiently managing bandwidth and storage. Providing the industry with a complete HD and megapixel surveillance system, Avigilon offers the industry’s greatest choice in HD cameras from one to 16 megapixels. The performance and value leader in high definition and megapixel video surveillance systems, Avigilon was honored by Frost & Sullivan with the 2009 Best Practices Award as the HD Surveillance Company of the Year. Avigilon’s HD surveillance systems offer a breakthrough in imaging performance, which is required for the protection of the public, critical assets, and infrastructure. Avigilon’s exceptionally strong commitment to research and development ensures that it will continue to be the leader in supplying high definition surveillance systems on which demanding security professionals rely. For further information please visit www.avigilon.com.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line148
__label__wiki	0.898594	0.898594	United States Mint announces historic collaboration with the Royal Australian Mint January 11, 2019 By Press Release 1 Comment Washington — The United States Mint announced today a collaborative project with the Royal Australian Mint. The two mints will produce a commemorative coin set in celebration of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20, 1969. The set will feature a U.S. Apollo 11 50th Anniversary half dollar paired with an Australian 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing one-ounce $5 silver coin. The limited production set will be sold and distributed by the Royal Australian Mint, and will include a certificate of authenticity signed by the director of the United States Mint and the chief executive officer of the Royal Australian Mint. The United States Mint will market the set on its website and provide a link to the Royal Australian Mint’s website for U.S. customers who wish to purchase the product. “This jointly–issued coin set magnificently symbolizes our long standing alliance and friendship with Australia,” said United States Mint Director David Ryder. “Many Americans will remember listening for the critical reports from the tracking stations in Australia at Carnarvon, Honeysuckle Creek, Tidbinbilla, and Parkes, as the Apollo 11 spacecraft traveled to, orbited and landed on the Moon.” “We are very pleased that the Royal Australian Mint is entering into a product partnership with the United States Mint to bring customers a unique collectible that marks one of mankind’s most remarkable achievements,” said Senator the Hon. Zed Seselja, the Australian Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance. “The collaboration highlights the unique part Australia had to play in sending a man to the Moon.” The United States Mint unveiled the designs for the 2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program on October 11, 2018. The obverse and reverse designs will be featured on the four coins in the program: A $5 gold coin, a standard size $1 silver coin, a half dollar clad coin, and a five-ounce $1 silver Proof coin. In a manufacturing first for the U.S. Mint, the five-ounce silver Proof coin is curved, as are the other coins in the program. Hover to zoom. The obverse design was selected from entries in a juried competition as required by the authorizing legislation, Public Law 114-282. The winning design is by Gary Cooper of Belfast, Maine. It features the inscriptions MERCURY, GEMINI, and APOLLO— separated by phases of the Moon—and a footprint on the lunar surface. The design represents the efforts of the United States space program leading up to the first manned Moon landing. Additional inscriptions are 2019, IN GOD WE TRUST, and LIBERTY. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted the design. The reverse design is by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. It features a representation of a close-up of the iconic “Buzz Aldrin on the Moon” photograph taken July 20, 1969, showing just the visor and part of the helmet of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. The reflection in Aldrin’s helmet includes astronaut Neil Armstrong, the United States flag, and the lunar lander. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the respective denomination, and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Ms. Hemphill also sculpted the design. The law that authorizes the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program also requires the United States Mint to collect surcharges from coin sales—$35 for each gold coin, $10 for each $1 silver coin, $5 for each half-dollar coin, and $50 for each five-ounce silver Proof coin. The Mint is authorized to distribute the surcharges as follows: one half to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum’s “Destination Moon” exhibit, one quarter to the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, and one quarter to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. The United States and the Royal Australian Mint will announce the release date for the two-coin set as soon as it has been determined. Press release courtesy of the United States Mint. United States Mint launches 46th America the Beautiful Quarters Program coin U.S. Mint and Royal Australian Mint partner on Apollo 11 50th anniversary coins Historic coin set celebrating the pride of two nations goes on sale on July 3 U.S. coin designer Emily Damstra signs exclusive PCGS signature label deal Filed Under: 2019, Coin Articles, Coin Design, Columns, Commemorative Coins, Press Releases, Royal Australian Mint, U.S. Coin Collecting News, United States Mint, US Coins, World Coins Ariana says Now that is a beautiful coin! I am excited to get my hands on it. I love both mints, I actually just picked up this	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line149
__label__wiki	0.770385	0.770385	Doctor Who - Spyfall - Arrives Today Wednesday, 1 January 2020 - Reported by Marcus Doctor Who returns to TV screens around the world today with the launch of the 38th series of the show, the twelfth since the series returned in 2005. The series returns with Spyfall, written by showrunner Chris Chibnall and starring Jodie Whittaker as the thirteenth Doctor. Written by Chris Chibnall Directed by Jamie Magnus Stone Starring Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill. Guest-starring Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry Intelligence agents around the world are under attack from alien forces, so MI6 turns to the only people who can help - The Doctor and friends. As the team travels the globe looking for answers, attacks come from all sides. Earth’s security rests on their shoulders - but where will this planet-threatening conspiracy lead them? The series launches on BBC One at 6.55pm on New Year's Day, with the Australian/New Zealand debut about an hour later at 6:55am AEDT/9:00am NZDT on ABC's online iView service and TVNZ 2, and the American/Canadian debut following a few hours later at 8pm ET on BBC America and CTV Sci-Fi channel. Viewers in Australia can also see it on television at at 7.30pm on ABC. Full broadcast details can be found here, and ongoing adventures of the Doctor can be found via This Week in Doctor Who. Images 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 FILTER: - Series 12/38 - Thirteenth Doctor	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line150
__label__wiki	0.95458	0.95458	Christie withdraws same-sex marriage challenge, as NJ recognizes unions New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday withdrew his challenge to legalized same-sex marriage in the state, after a court determined that the appeal is not likely to prevail. The decision by Christie came as, in response to the court move, the state on Monday began to recognize same-sex marriages. Christie's administration formally withdrew the appeal in a letter to the state Supreme Court. "Although the Governor strongly disagrees with the Court substituting its judgment for the constitutional process of the elected branches or a vote of the people, the Court has now spoken clearly as to their view of the New Jersey Constitution and, therefore, same-sex marriage is the law," the governor's office said in a statement. "The Governor will do his constitutional duty and ensure his Administration enforces the law as dictated by the New Jersey Supreme Court." Earlier in the day, gay couples exchanged vows in early morning ceremonies in several New Jersey communities as the state became the 14th state to recognize them. The hastily planned first weddings to legally unite long-time couples were planned for a state Senator's grand home in Elizabeth, the boardwalk in Asbury Park and government buildings in small towns and big cities. In the arts community of Lambertville, Mayor David DelVecchio led the ceremony to marry Beth Asaro and Joanne Schailey. He also presided when they joined in a civil union the minute they became recognized in the state in February 2007. Soon after they cut the cake, DelVecchio handed Asaro a pink marriage license. "We're floating on air," she said. Added Schailey, "It's like winning the Super Bowl." The couple, both wearing suits, hosted a reception attended by friends, family and several politicians. The song "In the Mood" played. Asaro, a member of the city council in Lambertville, said they wanted to get married at the first moment, in part, to promote the gay-friendliness of their community north of Trenton. "This shows to the world that Lambertville is open for business," DelVecchio said. In Newark, Mayor Cory Booker was marrying the first of several couples when someone attempted to disrupt the ceremony. Booker had asked if anyone had reason to object to the marriage and a protester screamed "This is unlawful in the eyes of God and Jesus Christ." Booker, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last week, called for the person to be removed and police dragged him out. As Booker continued speaking, "...not hearing any substantive and worthy objections," thunderous applause erupted. The weddings came amid a flurry of legal activity after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the federal government should recognize gay marriages and confer couples with the same benefits that it does for heterosexual married couples, including joint tax filings, the right to live together in government-funded nursing homes and Social Security survivor benefits. A state judge last month agreed with advocates who said that by allowing civil unions but not marriage, New Jersey was keeping gay couples in the state from legal equality. The administration of Christie, a Republican and possible 2016 presidential candidate, had appealed both the ruling and Monday's implementation date to the state Supreme Court. And on Friday, less than 60 hours before the weddings were to begin, the state's top court refused to delay them while it sorts out the overall case. The court said the state is not likely to prevail. Many of the people who have long fought for the right for gay couples to marry had been bracing for a delay, even while they were optimistic the state's top court would ultimately force New Jersey to recognize same-sex marriage. For the first couples to tie the knot legally, it's been a weekend of fast wedding planning and confusion. Some towns began taking applications for same-sex marriage licenses on Thursday and continued even after the state government told them not to until there was clarity from the courts. Other towns refused to grant licenses even after the state Health Department said Friday evening that towns should accept the applications. It's expected that a rush of weddings will continue in coming days as couples are able to get licenses.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line152
__label__wiki	0.713942	0.713942	First Day Proceedings of the Provincial Assembly Oath of Members: After general elections, elected members in the first meeting take oath. Those members who have not taken oath in the first meeting take oath when they attend an Assembly meeting for the first time. Election and oath of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. In addition to oath taking by the members, the Provincial Assembly elects from amongst its members a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker. When the office of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the Assembly elects another member as Speaker or Deputy Speaker. The Governor of the Province has the power to call a meeting of the Provincial Assembly. The Governor is also authorized to postpone or discontinue the session. Also the Speaker, on a written request signed by not less than a quarter of the total membership of the Provincial Assembly, can summon it, within 14 days of receipt of the request. Number of Sessions and Days during a Year: It is specified that there must be at least three sessions of the Provincial Assembly every year, with not more than 120 days intervening between the last sitting of the Assembly in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session. Duration of the Provincial Assembly: The term of Provincial Assembly in Pakistan is five years unless it is dissolved before that. Dissolution of the Provincial Assembly: Dissolution of Provincial Assembly on the advice of the Chief Minister: The Governor is empowered to dissolve Provincial Assembly if advised by the Chief Minister. On the Chief Minister’s advice, the Provincial Assembly can be dissolved within 48 hours. Dissolution of the Provincial Assembly: The Governor can dissolve the Provincial Assembly if the President so advises. This takes place if the Governor is of the opinion, that after a vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister has been passed, there is no other member of the Provincial Assembly who can command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Provincial Assembly. At the first sitting of the Assembly after a general election, the Members take an oath before the Assembly. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker preside over the meeting but if he/she is not present then the Governor may nominate from amongst the Members of the Assembly, a Chairman who presides over the session. After the Speaker has been elected by a majority vote, he or she takes on his /her role as an impartial arbiter of all proceedings. Commencement of a Session The Speaker nominates from amongst the Members a panel of not more than four Chairmen, and decides the order of precedence in which order they are to preside during the session only in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. If at any sitting of the Assembly, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and all Chairmen are absent, the Secretary informs the Assembly accordingly, consequently, the Assembly elects one of its Members that are present to presiding over the session. A member may give notice in writing to the Secretary to move a resolution seeking a vote of confidence for the Chief Minister. The Secretary circulates the notice to all the Members and the Chief Minister then signs a statement that he/she has consented to move a resolution. The resolution may be taken on any day including a holiday or a non-official day. The Speaker then informs the Governor of the result of the vote. A notice may be given to the Speaker to move a resolution for a vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister, If the resolution is in order it shall be moved by a member, from amongst the members who have signed the resolution; Provided that the voting on the resolution shall be held not less than three days and not more than seven days from the date of its introduction in the Assembly. If the resolution is passed the Speaker will forward a copy of it to the Governor Number of Sessions and Order of Business There are four sessions of the Assembly every year. Every session begins with a recitation from the Holy Quran. The Speaker has the authority to suspend or hold another session if the points of discussion have not been adequately debated or if the matter is decided upon earlier than expected. The Secretary arranges government business to take place in the following order: Bills to be introduced; Resolutions; Bills already introduced The order of priority for the introduction of Private Bills is determined by ballot. Bills already introduced are to be taken up in the following order: Bills for which the next stage is that the Bill be passed; Bills for which a motion has been carried that the Bill as reported by the Standing or Select Committee be taken into consideration; Bills for which the report of the Standing or Select Committee has been presented; Bills for which the report of a Standing Committee or Select Committee is to be presented; Bills circulated for eliciting public opinion The precedence of private resolutions is determined by ballot. A resolution not drawn in a ballot is be included in subsequent ballots in the same session of the Assembly. The Secretary prepares a List of Business for each working day for the Members. The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan has the power to initiate, pass and amend bills of law. However, a Bill that aims to amend the Constitution cannot be presented to the President of Pakistan for assent unless it is passed by the Provincial Assembly and voted on by not less than two-thirds of its total membership. Constitutional power for introduction and passing of money bills including the annual budget statement has been provided to the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan. The Provincial Assembly of Balochistan has the power to initiate and pass a motion for the passing the vote of no- confidence against the Chief Minister of the province (only if the majority of the members voting are in favor of the vote of no confidence). A proposal for law making must reach the Provincial Assembly in the form of a Bill. Bills are of three kinds: Government Bills – introduced by ministers Private Member Bills – introduced by any Member Ordinances proclaimed by the Governor when the Provincial Assembly is in recess, which are then introduced in the Provincial Assembly. The Assembly may then approve or endorse or reject it and sent to Governor for assent. Every Bill goes through three stages: The first reading stage is a formal stage in which a general discussion on the Bill may take place. However, at this stage a Member may also give notice of moving an amendment. At the second reading stage the general principles of the Bill are debated; though a rejection is possible, but rejections are not common in the case of Government Bills. At the third stage the Bill may be sent to one of the several Standing Committees, by the Speaker, who may hear from Ministers, experts, and debate the Bills, as well as recommend amendments in the Bill. The Standing Committee may even re-write a Bill from scratch. If a Standing Committee has not proposed any amendment in the Report, the Bill is passed on to the third reading. If amendments are recommended by the Standing committee to a Bill, then they require the assent of the House. Once a Bill is passed in the House, with or without the amendments, it is sent to the Governor, who has three options within thirty days: he/she can grant assent (convert the Bill into an Act or Law); withhold assent (veto the Bill) with the exception of a money Bill; or return the Bill to the Parliament for reconsideration. When the Bill has been returned to the Provincial Assembly, it shall be reconsidered by the Assembly and if it is again passed with or without any amendment by the Provincial Assembly through the votes of the majority of the members of the Provincial Assembly present and voting, it shall again be presented to the governor for assent and the governor shall not withhold assent after that. A Bill pending in the Provincial Assembly shall lapse on the dissolution of the Assembly. The Budget is dealt with by the Assembly in the following stages: A general discussion on the Budget as a whole; A discussion on expenditure charged upon the Provincial Consolidated Fund; A discussion on demands for grants; Voting on demands for grants. A general discussion on the Budget shall last for not more than four days, provided that not more than one day shall intervene between the presentation of the Budget and the commencement of the general discussion. The Assembly will, during its first Session after the general election, elect Standing Committees for the duration of the Assembly. Each Committee will be representative of every department of the Government, for example there will be a Standing Committee for Food, one for Agriculture, one for Finance and so on. The Standing Committees shall examine legislative proposals with the best interests of their respective departments in mind. They will also follow the Rules of Procedure of Standing Committees meticulously. Each Standing Committee shall consist of seven members to be elected by the Assembly and the Minister concerned as member ex officio. A Committee shall examine a Bill or any matter referred to it by the Speaker or the Assembly and submit a report to the Assembly with its recommendations within the specified period or the period extended by the Assembly The function of Committees is primarily to, support Parliament in its role in holding the government accountable for its actions, scrutinize all decisions of the Government, taking into account the needs of the public and, to support Ministers in carrying out their responsibilities and improve their management performance, not only as oversight bodies that participate in making policies at the highest levels, but also as representative of the different political parties so that there is a fair and just consideration of those policies. Qualification and Disqualification Disqualification can take place on grounds of defection, and it was added in the Constitution in 1997. Members of the Provincial Assembly are free to voice their opinions. No member can be held accountable for any view expressed or any statement made during Assembly proceedings in any court of law. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker After the first meeting of the Assembly, the members take an oath. Then from among its members the Assembly elects a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker. The election is held through a secret ballot, and the members who obtain majority of the votes from the members present in the House are elected as Speaker or Deputy Speaker. The term of office of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker is the same as that of the Assembly. Once the Assembly is dissolved, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker remain until they are replaced at the following session. Resignation or Removal: The Speaker may submit his/her resignation to the Governor, and the Deputy Speaker may do so to the Speaker. The Speaker or the Deputy Speaker may also be removed from office by the majority of the total membership of the Assembly. The Speaker/Deputy Speaker cannot take the chair at the meeting of an Assembly in which a resolution for his/her removal from office is being considered. Functions: At the start of each session, the Speaker nominates, in order of precedence, from amongst the members, a panel of not more than four Chairmen to preside over the sittings of the Assembly. The Speaker takes a central position in the Assembly. Although elected as a nominee of a political party, it is assumed that the Speaker will conduct the business of the Assembly in a just and fair manner, as an impartial arbiter, and manage the proceedings in line with the established norms of democracy. The Speaker is required to affect a balance between the Treasury and the Opposition benches. In addition to the functions relating to the conduct of business of the Assembly, the Speaker also performs certain administrative and financial functions under the Constitution and rules. Briefly, the Speaker is required to take the Chair at every sitting of the Assembly at the appointed time call a sitting to order and to conduct business preserve order and decorum, and to enforce decisions suspend or expel a member order the Galleries to be cleared or if any stranger is present he/she can be removed by the Speaker hold a secret sitting of the Assembly delete any remarks from the proceedings of the Assembly, and amend notices and motions. In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker takes the Chair. If the Deputy Speaker is also absent, the Chairman having precedence amongst those present at the sitting, occupies the Chair. In the absence of all three, the Assembly may elect one of the members present to preside at the sitting. The Chief Minister After the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, the Assembly cannot transact any other business unless it elects the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is elected in a special session, summoned by the Governor on a day specified by the President. The Chief Minister obtains vote of confidence from the Assembly within 60 days of assuming office. The majority of the total membership of the Assembly may also remove the Chief Minister by passing a resolution for a vote of no-confidence against him. The notice for the purpose is given to the Secretary Assembly by not less than 20 per cent of the total membership of the Assembly. The Chief Minister no longer holds office after the resolution is passed. The Chief Minister may, by writing addressed to the Governor, resign. A Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister, is formed to aid and advise the Governor of his functions. The Governor appoints Provincial Ministers from amongst members of the Assembly on the advice of the Chief Minister. A Minister may also submit resignation to the Governor. A Minister may also be removed from office by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Opposition within the Assembly has a significant role in the democratic process. The Members of the opposition who have an alternative view of governance to the party in power are also committed to the same principles upheld by the Constitution. A Member, elected to serve as the focal point and presenter of such opposing views, is known as the Leader of the Opposition. There are no fixed processes described in the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan for the election or the powers and duties of the Leader of Opposition, but the functions listed below have naturally come to be accepted as part of the procedures of the Assembly over time. The parliamentary opposition bench has the following functions: To participate in the deliberations of the Provincial Assembly; To provide opposing views when it feels that government policy is against the best interests of the citizens; To oblige the Government, through facts and arguments, to modify policies which are not seen to be best serving the public; Through its voice in the Assembly, create a public platform for citizens’ views that oppose the direction the Government is taking; To propose an alternative program, in the Opposition’s view, which would best serve the interests of the citizens; It can also influence legislative decisions by encouraging amendments to legislation; and Most significantly the opposition provides a counterpoint and oversight role for government policies. Through debate and exposition it can modify and sometimes even redirect policies. Opposing views also provide the electorate with different perspectives.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line154
__label__wiki	0.69095	0.69095	#28 - The Shoulder Holster Base Price: $180.00 Description: This is a typical design used between 1885 and 1920. However, it was not intended as a concealment holster. Original Maker Unknown. Barrel lengths over 7 1/2" are special order and non-returnable. #29 - Buntline Scabbard Base Price: $175.00 Description: Made to fit the Colt Buntline revolvers with barrels 10" and 12". Longer barrel lengths available on special order. #31A - The Gambler Base Price: $80.00 Description: This little belt holster was originally designed for Remington Over and Under .41 Caliber Rimfire Derringers. This item can be made for most modern Over and Under Derringers. It will accommodate belts up to 2 1/2 inch width. #31B - The Gambler Base Price: $90.00 Description: This little pocket holster was designed originally for Remington Over and Under .41 Caliber Rimfire Derringers. This item can be made for most modern Over and Under Derringers. Can easily be carried in a coat pocket. #32 - The Cheyenne Base Price: $150.00 Description: Made to fit most Single Action Revolvers in various barrel lengths. Original maker - F.A. Meanea, Cheyenne, Wyoming. This particular holster dates between 1885 and 1895. #32PI - Packing Iron Base Price: $215.00 Description: A true reproduction of F.A. Meanea's original holster as pictured on the front cover of Richard Rattenbury's book "Packing Iron". This holster, which dates to around 1895, came from the estate of cowboy artist Joe DeYoung. It is believed that it was a gift from his mentor, Charlie Russell. #32TR - Teddy Roosevelt Base Price: $200.00 Description: This holster was made for and owned by Teddy Roosevelt. Original maker - J.S. Collins in Cheyenne, Wyoming. #34 - The Wyoming Base Price: $145.00 Description: Available in 4 3/4" and 5 1/2" barrel lengths. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - A.J. Williamson in Casper, Wyoming. This particular holster pattern dates to around 1900. #36 - The Pueblo Base Price: $145.00 Description: Available in 4 3/4" and 5 1/2" barrel lengths. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - S.C. Gallup in Pueblo, Colorado. This holster pattern dates to around 1890. #38 - The Miles City Base Price: $150.00 Description: Available in 4 3/4", 5 1/2" and 7 1/2" barrel lengths. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - Moran Brothers in Miles City, M.T. This holster dates to 1885. #40 - The Territory Base Price: $145.00 Description: Available in 4 3/4" and 5 1/2" barrel lengths. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - Newton Porter in Phoenix, Arizona. This holster dates to 1895. #41 - Sheriff's Model Base Price: $145.00 Description: Available for 2 1/2" to 4" barrel length. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker- Unknown. This holster pattern dates to around 1890. #43 - The Lawman Base Price: $150.00 Description: Available in 4 3/4" and 5 1/2" barrel lengths. Made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - J.S. Collins & Co. in Miles City, M.T. This holster dates between 1880 and 1885. #45A - Slim Jim Base Price: $145.00 Description: The Slim Jim pattern is reminiscent of the California gold rush period. It was used primarily for cap & ball revolvers, but can also be adapted to most cartridge revolvers. This is just one of the many styles available. #45AF - Slim Jim Base Price: $220.00 Description: This Slim Jim holster is the same as the #45A - Slim Jim, but with a slightly different pouch contour and the addition of buckskin fringe. It is available primarily for cap & ball revolvers, but can also be adapted to most cartridge revolvers. Original maker - Unknown. #45AWB - Slim Jim Base Price: $190.00 Description: This Slim Jim holster is copied from an original in our collection and pictured on Page 86 in the book "Packing Iron", by Richard Rattenbury. Original maker - John Moore in Independence, Missouri. It dates from the 1855-1865 period. Primarily made for Cap & Ball Revolvers but can also be adapted for most cartridge revolvers. #45B - Slim Jim Base Price: $145.00 Description: The Slim Jim pattern is reminiscent of the California gold rush period. It was used primarily for cap & ball revolvers, but can also be adapted to most cartridge revolvers. Note that this holster is not made with a cut-out for the trigger guard. This was another popular style between 1849 and 1870. #45HCP - Prospector Slim Jim Base Price: $190.00 Description: This is a copy of an original Main & Winchester holster. The hand carving is typical of the early California style. The original holster, which is in our collection, can be seen on Page 79 in the book, "Packing Iron", by Richard Rattenbury. This Slim Jim holster dates to 1860. Primarily used for Cap & Ball revolvers but can be adapted for most cartridge revolvers. #48 - The Gallatin Base Price: $150.00 Description: The Gallatin is made to fit most Single Action revolvers in 5 1/2" and 7 1/2" barrel lengths. Original maker - E.L. Gallatin in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory. This holster dates between 1875 and 1880. #49 - The Helena Base Price: $145.00 Description: Available in 5 1/2" and 7 1/2" barrel lengths. This holster is made to fit most Single Action revolvers. Original maker - E. Goettlich in Helena, M.T. This holster dates between 1889 and 1895. #50 - The Slipper Holster Base Price: $140.00 Description: One Holster fits all barrel lengths. Available for most single action revolvers. Original maker - Unknown.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line156
__label__cc	0.512564	0.487436	BE-BOP DELUXE: LIVE! IN THE AIR AGE (1977) 1) Life In The Air Age; 2) Ships In The Night; 3) Piece Of Mine; 4) Fair Exchange; 5) Mill Street Junction; 6) Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape; 7) Blazing Apostles; 8) Shine; 9) Sister Seagull; 10) Maid In Heaven. Recorded on a UK tour in early 1977, this is the official answer to all of the fans' red-hot prayers for a live Be-Bop Deluxe record — but coming just a wee bit too late in the band's career, I'd say. Because there is no better reason to hope for some documentation of Bill Nelson's live powers than a desire to check the man's guitar prowess in action — yet, by that time, Nelson was already edging away from the status of a guitar hero and moving more in the direction of «economic» songwriting. There is plenty of guitar prowess on display here, not to worry; but not the sort of bold, reckless melodic experimentation as first seen on Axe Victim — for the most part, things are kept under tight control, almost as if, with new musical values on the horizon and all, Nelson was becoming afraid of potential accusations of «wankery». Altogether, the selected setlist, spread across an unusual format of one LP and one «bonus» EP, includes but two sprawling workouts. ʽAdventures In A Yorkshire Landscapeʼ, extended by a good four minutes from the original running length, contains several fusion-style workouts in the spirit (though not quite in the form) of John McLaughlin, interspersed with Simon Clark's less involving, but pretty, keyboard solos. In stark contrast, ʽShineʼ (not the same as the studio recording, appended as a bonus track to Sunburst Finish) goes for a completely different mix of funkiness and psychedelia — real trippy, far-out-there stuff that sounds like nothing else in the band's catalog. The majority of the other tracks comes from Sunburst Finish — oddly enough, none of the material from Modern Music was seen fit for inclusion, even though the tour itself was allegedly held to promote the latest record — and they are not too drastically different from the original, being about as well-polished and well-rehearsed as the studio blueprints. Then, almost as a «for-the-casual-fans» afterthought, Futurama is represented by quick, polite, but honest runs through ʽSister Seagullʼ and ʽMaid In Heavenʼ on the last side of the EP. All in all, due to solid choice of material and professional commitment, In The Air Age is never «bad» or «unlistenable», but it is still a disappointment — adding very little, if anything at all, to our understanding of and «spiritual bond» with the band and Nelson in person. Serious fans will, of course, enjoy the many nuances and appreciate the minute differences in tones, tempos, and textures, but this really ain't no Live At Leeds or Made In Japan, where these differences just jump out and kick you in the face, regardless of how many years of experience you have had with the bands in question. A pity, that — Be-Bop Deluxe was one of those bands that seems like it had enough brains and brawn to make their stage act into a separate phenomenon from their studio creativity. Maybe it was just a case of unlucky selection, but, whatever be the answer, I am not going to implore you to run off in search of Be-Bop Deluxe live bootlegs based on this particular experience; sticking to the studio albums seems quite enough. Check "Live! In The Air Age" (CD) on Amazon Check "Live! In The Air Age" (MP3) on Amazon Posted by G. S. at 12:32 PM Labels: Be-Bop Deluxe MNb November 7, 2013 at 1:55 PM Frankly I suspect that albums like Live at Leeds and Made in Japan are the exceptions. From 1975 until now the vast majority of live albums are nothing but as faithful as possible renditions of the studio versions. This means they invariably fall somewhat short. It's the reason I never cared for Rush live. The idea that live versions should be some way or another something special seems so rare that it should be treasured. Mr. X November 7, 2013 at 5:03 PM Again, I bring up a comparison to R&B, where the audience participation thing can be a factor in live performances. Of course, the only full-fledged R&B performers whose live albums I own are James Brown and Otis Redding. Otherwise, it's only rhythm-and-blues based bands like Humble Pie (whose live albums are almost as good as The Who's and Deep Purple's, in my opinion). Malx November 8, 2013 at 6:24 AM Studio technology didn't really allow "stage" bands like Deep Purple, Ten Years After, etc., the chance to fully reproduce their live sound until relatively recently. Thanks to the quantum leap in sonic engineering, any band can now make a studio album that pretty much puts them in your lap. Plus, there's the concert DVD that gives you the chance to see, as well as hear, the band play. And there's also the fact that social media basically guarantees that every band that plays live gets the results posted on Youtube within the hour. Due to all of these factors, the "live album" is essentially obsolete (except in the case of archival releases for groups who haven't existed in years). Mr. X November 8, 2013 at 7:20 AM Sarcasm: Yes, because Youtube uploads of live performances are of such high quality. Malx November 8, 2013 at 6:50 PM Some of them are of equal quality with bootleg recordings made in the 70's. The point is that groups don't really need live albums they way they used to.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line158
__label__cc	0.746923	0.253077	Traditional clothing in the Philippines. Barong Tagalog & Baro at Saya Earliest reference to the Baro was in the historical account of Ma-i, a pre-colonial ancient sovereign ... Traditional dress of Canada. History and examples The comments on this thread sound like a bunch of immature children who have absolutely no idea what ... Traditional clothing of Colombia. Diverse climate conditions influence the fashion Oktoberfest Outfit Folk dress of Nepal. Main Nepalese garments The national costumes of Nepal are deeply connected to the local religious beliefs. Even the number of fastenings or color of the piece can be explained from the point of view of the symbolism. Let’s take a closer look at the main Nepalese male and female garments – daura-suruwal, gunyou cholo, and Dhaka topi. These are not the only traditional pieces worn in Nepal, far from it, but they are among the most popular and often serve as the ceremonial garments. Dhaka topi The Dhaka topi or Nepali topi is a type of hat popular among Nepalese and Indian Gorkha men, along with their diasporas. It became popular during the reign of King Mahendra of Nepal, who ruled between 1955-1972. Today, it is a significant part of Nepalese national costume. The Dhaka topi is a kind of a skull-cap. It is round at the base, the height is 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm). The cap symbolizes Himalayan mountains after the ice on their peaks melted – that’s why the color palette is typically brown, black, beige, with a bit of green and red, etc. This headwear is made from Dhaka cloth, fine cotton. The fabric used to be exclusively imported from Dhaka city (now, capital of Bangladesh). This cloth is still used in Nepal to make clothes today – not only folk garments but ordinary clothing as well. The Dhaka cloth is hand-woven and there is a great demand for it. Daura-suruwal The daura-suruwal, also called “labeda-suruwal”, is the traditional Nepali men’s dress. It consists of a shirt called “daura” and trousers called “suruwal”. The outfit remained the same for years. It is still used in modern times for special occasions and religious ceremonies, though older people wear it in day-to-day life as well. The costume has several religious beliefs identifying its design. First of all, the attire has 8 strings (a lucky number in Nepalese mythology) used to tie it to the wearer’s body. They are called Astamatrika-Singini, Byagini, Kumari, Barahi, Brahmayani, Indrayani, Maheshowri, Byasnabi, and Mahalaxmi. The daura-suruwal typically has 5 pleats that signify Pancha Buddha or Pancha Ratna. Also, the neck of the shirt is closed, which signifies the snake around the Lord Shiva's neck. Gunyou cholo Gunyou cholo is the women’s national attire in Nepal, the equivalent of the daura-suruwal. It consists of a long skirt, a blouse, and a sash. A Nepalese female receives her first gunyou cholo, along with a sari, at the celebration of her coming-of-age ceremony. That’s when she begins to wear this attire. Photos are from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjbCRxB66qQ Category: Nepal NOTE! If you’re the owner of materials used to make this article and you don’t want it to be published here, please let us know and we’ll remove the article or certain photos. But please consider that we always add active links leading to your video. It can help you get more visitors. And video transcriptions increase the validity of your video clips in Google ratings. Folk Costume Native American Indians Caucasian peoples About site Contact us Advertising © 2020 Nationalclothing.org	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line161
__label__wiki	0.991279	0.991279	Division table for N = 51 / 5999÷6000 51 / 5999 = 0.0085 [+] fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine equals zero point eight five 51 / 5999.01 = 0.0085 [+] fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine equals zero point eight five 51 / 5999.1 = 0.0085 [+] fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point one nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point two nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point three nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point four nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point five nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point six nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point seven nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight eight equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight nine equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine one equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine two equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine three equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine four equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine five equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine six equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine seven equals zero point eight five fifty-one divided by five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine eight equals zero point eight five Navigation: Home \| Addition \| Substraction \| Multiplication \| Division Tables for 51: Addition \| Substraction \| Multiplication \| Division Operand: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 5991 5992 5993 5994 5995 5996 5997 5998 5999 6000 6001 6002 6003 6004 6005 6006 6007 6008 6009 7000 8000 9000 Division for: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 40 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 70 80 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__label__wiki	0.823514	0.823514	The Story of Diana: The Making of a Terrorist Lucinda Franks & Thomas Powers • United Press International • Sep 1970 This Pulitzer-winning series originally appeared in the United Press International and is reprinted on Longform by permission of the authors. When Diana Oughton, dead at 28, was buried in Dwight, Ill., on Tuesday, March 24, 1970, the family and friends gathered at her grave did not really know who she was. The minister who led the mourners in prayer explained Diana’s death as part of the violent history of the times, but the full truth was not so simple. The newspapers had provided a skeleton of acts. Diana Oughton and two young men were killed March 6 in a bomb explosion which destroyed a townhouse in New York’s Greenwich Village. Two young women, their clothes blown off, had run unharmed from the crumbling house and disappeared after showering at the house of a neighbor. It had taken police four days to find Diana’s body at the bottom of the rubble and another week to identify it. Diana and the others were members of the violent revolutionary group known as “The Weathermen.” They had turned the townhouse into what police described as a “bomb factory.” Months later, they were all to be cited in a Grand Jury indictment as part of a conspiracy to bomb police, military, and other civic buildings in their campaign to destroy American society. The facts were clear but the townspeople of Dwight (pop. 3,086) could not relate them to the Diana they remembered. Her family, too, had their own memories. Diana’s father, James Oughton, had watched her tear away from a closely-knit family and a life where beautiful and fine things were important. Her nanny, Ruth Morehart, remembered how uneasy Diana felt about the money which set the Oughtons apart and how, when she was only six, she had asked: “Ruthie, why do we have to be rich?” Carol, her sister, recalled the last phone call, days before Diana’s death, and the voice that asked: “Will the family stand by me, no matter what?” Diana’s mother, Jane Oughton, wondered whether her daughter had been making the bomb that killed her. There seemed to be many Dianas. There had been the small-town girl who had grown up with an abundance of good things in a luxurious home, superior schooling, and people who loved and encouraged her to be anything in the world she wanted to be. There had been the frothy, slightly scatterbrained student at Bryn Mawr College, the self-denying teacher in an impoverished Guatemalan market town, and finally the Diana that no one in Dwight really knew or understood—the serious closely-shorn woman whose mug shots appeared on police files in at least two cities. Diana had never stopped loving her family, but the bomb which had accidentally killed her had been designed ultimately to kill them and their king. The revolution she would have died for would have stripped her father of his vast farmlands, blown his bank to pieces, and destroyed in a moment the name and position which had taken a century to build. Her love of family was not the only traditional value that Diana was unable to shed. She never lost her gentleness, either, or her sense of morality; but consumed by revolutionary commitment, she became a terrorist, fully prepared to live as an outlaw and killer. Diana wanted to destroy many things. Not only the government she detested but her class, her family, her past. Perhaps, in the end, even herself. Now that Diana is dead, now that many memories are beginning to recall things from the past, it becomes easier to understand why she became what she did and died as she did. This account of her life is based on long and frank conversations with members of her family, with her friends, associates, teachers and acquaintances over a period of several weeks. Some of the sources were young people involved in the radical movement. Some, to judge from the mysterious way in which they contacted the writers of this article and their steadfast refusal to give their names, were clearly fugitives from the law. The world that Diana Oughton grew up in was a world of spacious, elegant homes, sweeping lawns, the best schools and an ancestry of distinguished and monied men. One of Diana’s great-grandfathers had founded the Boy Scouts of America. Another built the Keeley Institute, the first home for alcoholics to treat the condition as a disease. Her father, James Oughton, a graduate of Dartmouth College, served in the Illinois legislature from 1964 to 1966. His holdings, which make him one of the wealthiest men in the state, include 6,000 acres of corn and soybeans, 100 heads of cattle, several farmhouses, a restaurant, and part ownership of the family bank in Dwight. Diana was born January 26, 1942, in a town where her family had been prominent for decades. The Oughtons paved the village streets of Dwight, built the waterworks, furnished land for the schools and athletic fields. Townsfolk still talk of the 1869 visit to Dwight by King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, who shot wild turkey and planted a tree on the Oughton estate. They remember the Rolls Royces which filled the driveways of the Keeley Institute before it closed a few years ago; the wealthy and famous people who came for the “Keeley Cure,” a rest, and feasts of pheasant and venison in the tapestry-lined banquet hall. Diana grew up as a farm girl, huntress and horsewoman. She hunted pheasant and was the best shot in the family, drove the tractor through the cornfields at harvest time, was an active member of the local 4-H Club and once, as a child, cried for hours when she found a dead bird and was told it could not be brought back to life. She was close to her three younger sisters—Carol, now 26 and a television writer; Pamela, a 24-year-old housewife; and Deborah, 17, a senior at the Madeira school. Her father, a handsome, well-read gentleman who is nearly blind from a hereditary ailment, and her mother, Jane, tall and gracious, liked to keep the dinner conversations lively and encouraged their children to discuss at home what they learned in school. The Oughton estate is a landmark in Dwight. On one side sits the huge, brick, tudor-style home with swimming pool, deer park and small vegetable garden where the family gets the first corn of the season. On the other side there is a lodge full of antiques, a full suit of armor and tapestry, and a restaurant which serves superb prime beef and homemade strawberry shortcake. Behind the lodge and the family home there is a wood studded with trees imported from the orient and an old woodmill which can be seen miles away. As a child, Diana was easygoing and helpful. “She never fussed or demanded this and that like most kids,” said Ruth Morehart, the family cook and nanny for 21 years. “She didn’t ask why, she just did what she was told.” Diana’s childhood was sheltered and her upbringing strict. “The Oughtons never let the kids run around,” Ruth said. “Diana was not allowed to do a lot of things other children were. If she went someplace it was usually with her mother and father.” Her family’s multi-million dollar fortune made Diana feel a bit different from her schoolmates. They used to call her “Miss Moneybags”—a hurt which she remembered, and sometimes mentioned to friends, until her death. Several of Diana’s teachers in high school rented their homes from her father. She sometimes wondered whether the good grades she got were entirely based on her work. Once, when she was only six, she came to her nanny and said, “Ruthie, why do we have to be rich?” A few years later, a school friend who lived in a poor section of Dwight was sent away by her family to live with a grandmother. Diana came to her father in tears. “Why can’t we be ordinary like them?” she asked. As Diana grew older she took a dislike for frilly clothes, for dressing up and going to parties. She was not a child who often asked for new things and she never made out birthday lists. Sometimes, she gave her allowance to her sisters; although they all got the same amount, Diana always used to have some left at the end of the week. At fourteen, Diana left Dwight for the first time, to finish her high school years at the Madeira School in Greenway, Va. There she mixed with the daughters of rich and prominent families, and often spent weekends at the homes of the Rockefellers. The days of Connecticut and Madeira were what Diana had always known: green rolling grounds, manicured gardens, picnics by the lake, people of her own background. They were the kinds of places where it was important to wear Lanz dresses and McMullin blouses, where having an ambassador for a father was a ticket to popularity, where scholarship students wanted to keep that fact a secret. Diana went to football games, and happily did all the things a Madeira girl did. In her senior years, she was accepted by all of the seven sister colleges and decided on Bryn Mawr. When Diana walked onto the suburban, spreading campus of Bryn Mawr just outside Philadelphia in the fall of 1959 she was a tall, bony girl with short blonde hair and long aristocratic hands. A midwestern Republican, she was against Social Security, Federal banking regulations and everything else which smacked of “liberalism” or “big” government. In 1960, she supported Richard M. Nixon against John F. Kennedy. She ardently defended her father’s ownership of tenant farms in Lickskillet, Ala., since sold, arguing that he treated his tenants well and fairly. During her first year, Diana was known as a lighthearted girl, always clowning around, and the kind of person you came to if you wanted to be cheered up. She never was scholarly and studied reluctantly, but still managed to get A’s and B’s. At examination time she would entertain with caviar and sour cream and then memorize her notes on the way to the test. To force herself to get up in the morning, she sometimes wrapped three alarm clocks in newspaper and placed them across the room beneath a sign that read, “Get up, you bitch!” If there was a Princeton or Yale weekend, Diana was always on the bus, sometimes having arranged dates with two different boys. “It wasn’t that she was particularly beautiful,” said one man who knew her. “She had a round face, and a funny nose but she was so sharp and kind of glowing that everyone fell half in love with her.” Back home in Dwight, she was the pride of the family. James Oughton pointed to Diana as an example for her sisters and took keen pleasure in her quick mind and her ability to grasp and understand ideas long after others were still absorbing them. In 1961, when she was 19, Diana went off to Germany to spend her junior year at the University of Munich. Living with a German family, she immersed herself in the culture and picked up the language quickly. She spent time learning different dialects so she could talk to any German she might meet, whether a Bavarian beer garden owner or a Swiss-German businessman. Diana made close friendships with German students and would sometimes remain late into the night at the student cafes, discussing over cigarettes and coffee the special problems in the United States which she later was to feel could be solved only by violence. Her letters to her parents were filled with accounts of people she met and their conversations. She talked of the crush she had on a Romanian refugee, “My new unreachable—wonderfully conscientious, melancholy and romantic.” She described how happy she felt when strangers were warm and kind, how she had taken candy to a German woman who had picked up some books which dropped from her bicycle. She spoke of conversations with a German boy, Peter: “He said something which made sense. He said the trouble with America was it had lost its pioneer spirit ... it put women in the wrong place and they were becoming neuter. Hurrah for socialism!” While in Germany, the nineteen-year-old Diana began to develop a new consciousness of her country, its people and its problems. When she met some relatives in Rome toward the end of her stay, she suddenly saw them in a different light although she had known them since childhood. ”I just sat wide-eyed and listened,” she said in a letter to her parents in the spring of 1962, a few months after her 20th birthday. “I didn’t know people like that existed. She (the relative) doesn’t like anyone who hasn’t a proper pedigree ... talking about poor me surrounded by all these German peasants, that Nuremberg was the center of world Communism. I was amazed.” Politics were still incidental to Diana’s life, however. She had not yet started the slow process of radicalization which would make her a revolutionary. She was still a fun-loving college girl, gay and confident. She began her letters to her parents with “Mes Chers Parents” and closed them “Muchest love, me.” She refused to wear glasses out of admitted vanity and had trouble spotting people more than a few yards away. She was casual and scatterbrained and once made a special trip to Wurttemburg only to blurt out when she got there, “My God, I’ve seen this castle before.” Diana’s senior year at Bryn Mawr in 1962-63 was a year of change for young people throughout the country. John F. Kennedy’s promise in 1960 to “get the country moving again” had ended once and for all the silence of the fifties. Young people began to think about America and found it fell short of what they had always been taught to believe it was. They went on freedom rides in the South, joined voter registration projects and picketed stores which discriminated against negroes. Students at fashionable schools like Bryn Mawr talked about social justice and racial prejudice and turned away from deb parties and champagne in the back of a fast car. During the same period, a kind of genteel bohemianism was becoming fashionable in the colleges. Diana was among the small advanced class of students, inspired by the beatniks of the 1950s, who grew their hair long and traded their shirtwaists and circle pins for sandals and suede jackets. A book which made a deep impression on thousands of white students was John Howard Griffin’s “Black Like Me,” an account of a trip the author made through the deep South disguised as a negro. Diana was strongly affected by it and joined a project in Philadelphia to tutor black ghetto children. Although tutors were supposed to be limited to one child each, Diana soon had three. She took a train from Bryn Mawr into the city two days a week and spent more and more time with the children she was helping. There are few negroes in Dwight; there was only one in her class at Bryn Mawr. Inevitably, the Philadelphia ghettos began to show Diana that the prosperous tranquility of Dwight was not the rule in America. On one occasion, she told her sister Carol how amazed she was that seventh grade children could not read. Like thousands of other students touched by the new mood in the country, Diana often spent long evenings discussing what was wrong and how to make it right. She began going out with what one friend called “sad-souled men” and showed less interest in the Princeton football players who still came to see her. She shunned college mixers and proms and listened to Joan Baez albums by the hour. At graduation, she was listless about commencement activities and more embarrassed than pleased by the elaborate party given by her parents in a Philadelphia hotel. The message beneath Diana’s picture in her college yearbook read: “The milkmaid from Dwight who’s always on a diet ... traveler far and wide but never knows where she’s been ... loves Bryn Mawr but has never spent a week-end here.” Those who knew her best saw qualities emerge in Diana during those four years which were not described in the yearbook. Beneath the frothy exterior, there was an increasingly serious, somewhat troubled young woman who was gradually growing away from the protected and privileged world of her childhood. Diana in her high school years (left) and Diana's mug shot after protests in Chicago. (United Press International) By the time she had graduated from Bryn Mawr in June of 1963, Diana Oughton had traveled among the poor in the byways of Europe and worked closely with children in one of Philadelphia’s decaying ghettos, but she did not really begin to learn about poverty until she went to Guatemala. When she filled out a personal information form after being accepted by the Quaker-run, Voluntary International Service Assignments (VISA) program, she put a single word after the heading marked experience: Barbara Ann Graves, director of VISA, felt Diana’s sheltered upbringing and gentle character would be a handicap and tried to dissuade her from the lonely assignments in back-country areas. Diana refused to be given special consideration, however, and was assigned to the isolated Indian market town of Chichicastenango in Guatemala. Chichicastenango is a small, still half primitive place where Catholic priests look the other way when the Indians burn incense to the old gods and beat ceremonial drums on the steps of the church. When Diana first arrived she was struck by the gaudy vitality of the town, by the bright-colored shawls of the Indians, the rambling streets, whitewashed buildings, church bells and surrounding jungle, a damp rank tangle of vines and undergrowth and towering trees. She was delighted by the market where Indians from the surrounding hamlets came to sell cakes of brown sugar, earthenware, handwoven cloth, firewood, vegetables and freshly killed goats, pigs and chickens. Gradually, however, Diana began to see other things—the Indians’ bad health, their short stature, the small, child-sized coffins sold in such numbers in the market. She plunged into work, helping local priests to launch a nutritional program, editing a newspaper for adults who were just learning how to read, and helping to care for the children who swarmed through the town. She went shopping in the market two or three times a week, learning to bargain over carrots and cabbages, and she began to know and respect Father Jose Maria Casas, an energetic middle-aged man who had spent many years helping the Indians. The directors of VISA in Guatemala City, Bill and Donna Dreyer, began with the same doubts about Diana that Barbara Ann Graves had originally felt. When they saw the speed with which Diana learned Spanish and the rapport she established with the priests and the people of Chichicastenango, their doubts disappeared. Dreyer remembers Diana most clearly in the market one sunlit morning, simply dressed, surrounded by Indian children. She was bargaining with a vendor for vegetables, her blonde hair catching the light; a kind of northern goddess above the dark-skinned, dark-haired throng. After Diana had been living in Guatemala for several months she met Alan Howard, a young Fulbright Scholar in Guatemala City. He was running an experimental adult reading program in the city’s federal prison and long conversations with political prisoners had made him cynical about the chances of peaceful change in the country. When Diana told him about the work she was doing in Chichicastenango, Howard said it would never end the poverty of the Indians. “You’re only delaying the revolution,” he told her. He argued that VISA was treating the symptoms of poverty, not the basic causes. He pointed to the experience of another Fulbright Scholar who had planned to spend a year studying the country’s corporate structure but completed his project in a week. There was no corporate structure, he said, only a handful of ruling families. Whenever Diana was in the capital, Guatemala City, she would spend the evening with Howard, talking late into the night about the peaceful revolution envisioned by the Quakers and the violent revolution already under way in the mountains to the East. Howard argued that Guatemala’s only hope for fundamental change lay with guerilla leaders like Luis Turcios. Howard’s views were shared with one of Diana’s Guatemalan friends who prescribed violence even more bluntly. “What this country needs,” he told Diana, “is to line up the fifty first families against the white wall.” Diana, oldest daughter of the first family of Dwight, Ill., a midwestern Republican who opposed Social Security until she went to college and who favored Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election, found such ideas hard to accept. She was not necessarily against violence in extreme circumstances; but like most Americans, she had always assumed that hard work could achieve the same ends with less suffering. Throughout her two years in Guatemala Diana struggled with the questions of poverty, social justice and revolution. She and Ann Aleman, another VISA volunteer in Chichicastenango, had been exposed to the country’s deep conservative roots as soon as they had arrived; the priests warned them bluntly that discussion of birth control or other subjects considered sensitive by the Catholic Church was forbidden. During the months that followed, both girls gradually began to see that no matter how hard they or Father Casas worked, there would always be more people than food or jobs or places to live. “Father Casas is one of the finest men I’ve ever met but he’s a fool too,” she once said to Mike Kimmell, another VISA volunteer living in a small town about fifteen miles from Chichicastenango. Diana told Kimmell that she sometimes doubted she would ever make a difference in the lives of the Indians, no matter what she did. Sometimes she took pride in having taught fifty or more Indian men to read Spanish, but then she would think, so what? The country is still seventy percent illiterate. Despite her doubts, however, Diana committed herself totally to her work. She deliberately sought out a simple, almost primitive place to live. She carried all her own drinking water, cooked over a wood fire, read by candlelight and washed her clothes in a large wooden tub. Her door was always open and the children in the neighborhood wandered in and out freely. When two Indian children contracted a rare eye disease Diana kept prodding the sluggish Guatemalan bureaucracy until operations for the children could be arranged in the capital. Several times she took the children to Guatemala City for eye examinations and returned the same day, a bruising four-hour trip each way. When she developed asthma in the high mountain climate of Chichicastenanago she tried to ignore it. During severe attacks Ann would build a fire to dry out the air and Diana, refusing to leave the town and her work, would simply retreat into bed until the attack had passed. Once she was bitten by a dog the whole town considered rabid, but refused to leave to get rabies shots, saying she couldn’t spare the time. At night she would sometimes walk a dozen miles along the twisting mountain roads, checking on the programs she had established in the tiny village. One night she stumbled down a steep embankment into a water-filled ditch, got herself out, and continued on despite cuts and bruises. Diana was tireless and hard to discourage. When a problem arose she thought about it until she had decided how to solve it, and then did whatever was necessary without asking anyone for aid. On one occasion when she and Mike Kimmell were trying to find a way to build some ovens, Diana decided the best way was to cut openings in large earthenware pots. She took a small elegant tool kit out of her pack, a present from her father, attached a chrome-plated saw to its chrome-plated handle and then sat in the sun for five hours, laboriously cutting openings into the rock-hard pots. When she was done her hands were covered with blisters and the saw was ruined. The volunteers were paid a small subsidence salary, which most of them found barely adequate, but Diana spent even less than she received. When her clothes wore out she patched and re-patched them. "Buy yourself a dress," Kimmell told her once. "No one will hold it against you." Her disinterest in clothes was part of a broader dislike for traditional middle-class amenities. She said what was on her mind and tended to be brusque with people she didn't like. She and Ann both were unwilling to restrict their activities to avoid violating the Guatemalans' notion of proper behavior for women. On one occasion, when they were out at a time most women were supposed to be at home, a Guatemalan approached them under the assumption they were prostitutes. As time passed Diana began to feel that American economic aid was only consolidating the control of Guatemala’s ruling families without ever reaching the broad mass of people. The American influence seemed to reach everywhere. Diana knew that the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had been responsible for a coup against a left-wing Guatemalan regime in 1954, and that the Spanish newspaper she helped edit was run by the Guatemalan Army with U.S. military assistance funds. She and other VISA volunteers made friends with the people who ran CARE in Guatemala City, stopping in whenever they got to the capital to pick up a couple of pounds of radish seeds for the Indians or a box of ballpoint pens or whatever else had arrived since their last visit. The volunteers were surprised and disturbed when two CARE officials suddenly left after it was reported that both were CIA agents. On another occasion Diana was angry to learn that a large shipment of baby food donated to CARE had been prompted by something other than charity. The American manufacturer had simply decided that free samples distributed by CARE would be the cheapest form of advertising. Diana’s growing concern over the American influence in Guatemala was matched by a growing dislike for the American tourists who came to Chichicastenango and stayed at the Mayan Inn, where they spent enough in a week to support an entire Indian family for a year. She hated the Americans’ gaudy clothes, their broken Spanish, their silly questions, the way they snapped pictures of the Indians. She began to hate doing the marketing because the Americans would always spot her blonde head above the crowd and ask what in the world an American girl was doing in such a godforsaken spot. Diana’s distaste for American extravagance was also directed at her friends. When an old college friend and her husband, both heirs to large fortunes, came to Guatemala for a visit, Diana was disgusted by their complaints about the food and water and by their extravagant spending. “My God,” Diana said to Kimmel after the couple had left, “She used to be my very best friend in the whole wide world.” The attitude she had tolerated in her friends was something she could not abide in her parents. For weeks before they came to visit her during the Easter holidays of 1964 Diana worried that they would shatter in a moment the image she had worked a year to create, erecting a barrier between her and the Indians. She told Kimmel she didn’t care what her parents did or how they lived in Guatemala City, where no one knew her, but she couldn’t bear to have them behave like visiting aristocrats in Chichicastenango. Before they arrived she made them promise they would stay at the cheapest of the town’s three hotels, not the comfortable but expensive Mayan Inn. During the visit her parents were always aware of Diana’s tenseness. She was impatient with their occasional discomfort and constantly afraid they would anger or insult the people she worked with. Later, after they had gone, she wrote them and apologized. “I had forgotten how long it took me to adjust to life here,” she said. Shortly before the end of her two years in Guatemala, Diana wrote home and tried to explain what the experience had meant to her. She did not mention the long conversations with Alan Howard about revolution and the disturbing charges taking place in her attitudes toward her upbringing, her country and her own life, but she alluded to her doubts about the Quakers’ approach to changing society. “When you work at such a basic level with people from a different culture, with different values and different ways of thinking, you really have to seek a common denominator of understanding,” she said. “Instead of talking about equality of the races, you live with it, get past the hump many people get stuck on and begin to really look at people as people with needs, happinesses, tragedy. “I have to admit grudgingly that I benefited far more than the inhabitants of ‘Chichi’ from these two years. I’ve come to a real understanding of that which one might call an ideal, practically gained.” By the time she left, Diana had a totally new view of the problems faced by underdeveloped peoples and of the U.S. role in the struggle to solve those problems. When an Aid for International Development (AID) official, impressed by her fluency in Spanish, offered her a job Diana was flattered but refused to take the offer seriously. By this time she had largely accepted Howard’s argument that American and Guatemalan interests were directly opposed. She felt that working for AID would inevitably put her on the side of Guatemalan aristocrats resisting change. The following year, when Diana returned to Guatemala for a brief visit, she was half embarrassed to tell Donna Dreyer she was working in a poverty program in Philadelphia. “What are you doing working for the Federal government?” Donna asked. Diana tried to dismiss the question with a joke, but Mrs. Dreyer felt she was troubled by it. After leaving Guatemala, Diana occasionally wrote the priests of Chichicastenango, Mike Kimmell, Howard and other people she had known there. She carried the letters she received in return from place to place until the week before she died. On New Year’s Eve in 1967, Diana met Kimmell for dinner in New York. “I’ll drive,” Diana said when Kimmell started to get on his big BMW motorcycle. “You’re crazy,” Kimmell said, but Diana insisted. Kimmell finally agreed and she startled him by expertly kicking the machine to life and then maneuvering through New York traffic until the icy December air began to hurt her gloveless hands. After dinner she flew back to Ann Arbor, Mich., where she was helping to run an experimental school with a handsome, charming radical named Bill Ayers. Kimmell never saw her again. In November 1968, Diana wrote him to say the experimental school had folded and that she was thinking of becoming a fulltime organizer for the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). She included a quote from D.H. Lawrence which referred indirectly to a discussion she and Kimmell had on the plane to Guatemala in 1963. “There is no point in work unless it absorbs you like an interesting game,” Lawrence had said. “If it doesn’t absorb you, if it’s not any fun, don’t do it.” “With her money, she can afford to think that way,” was Kimmell’s first reaction. Later, remembering the way Diana had worked in Guatemala, he decided his first reaction had been wrong. He felt that she had not been telling the truth, that out of embarrassment she had been trying to disguise her almost puritanical seriousness and devotion to hard work, and that in fact Diana always did what she thought was her duty, whether she liked it or not. In 1964, Diana works with poverty-stricken children in Guatemala. (United Press International) The Diana Oughton who returned from Guatemala in the fall of 1965 was not the same young woman who had graduated from Bryn Mawr two years earlier. Her family was bothered by her seriousness and a new air of melancholy in everything she did. She seemed to have lost some of her sense of humor and her taste for clowning around. After living in a single room with a dirt floor and no plumbing for two years, Diana found it hard to adjust to the luxury of the Dwight Estate. Her family’s way of life made her uneasy. She preferred to wash dishes herself instead of using the dishwasher. She would rummage through the attic and pull out an old sweater or wool skirt instead of buying new ones. Her college German professor, whom she visited upon her return, found her deeply distressed at the poverty she had seen in Guatemala. Others said she had become disillusioned with her country’s role in Guatemala and increasingly critical of its policies elsewhere, particularly in Vietnam. Diana moved into the Bohemian Powelton quarter of Philadelphia when she returned from Guatemala and deliberately lived an acetic life. Her apartment contained a bed and a table and nothing else. Her cupboards were generally empty except for a stock of caviar, smoked oysters and other gourmet food sent by her mother. She took a job teaching in a federally-financed adult literacy program but soon became disillusioned with the other teachers. She said they were tired professionals who had little interest in their pupils and were “just trying to pick up an extra 100 bucks a week.” In the spring of 1966, Diana left Philadelphia for Ann Arbor to enroll in the University of Michigan Graduate School of Education to get her master’s degree in teaching. She was adamant about being on her own and at times tried to conceal her family’s wealth. When asked what her father did, she often said, “Oh, he’s a farmer,” and quickly changed the subject. In Ann Arbor, she again lived frugally, ate little, and refused to let her father give her money. ”I don’t want you to give me an allowance,” she said in a letter in March 1967. “It is important to me to be on my own and to feel I can support myself and have responsibility for my own life ... I think by age twenty-five, I have the right to live the way I want without feeling guilty that my way of life upsets you.” A variety of influences played on Diana in Ann Arbor. It was a time when opposition to the Vietnam War was growing, when many young people began to feel despondent about the failure of mass peaceful demonstrations to change American policy. At home, there was a feeling that Bob Dylan’s prophecy of “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” was coming true; beginning in 1964 there were riots in the urban ghettos, senseless, freak violence like the murder of eight nurses in Chicago and the massacre of fourteen persons by a deranged gunman from a tower at the University of Texas. A darker vision of America was emerging in the minds of many young people, but most still believed the way to combat war and violence was through non-violence and reform. After she arrived at the University of Michigan in 1966, Diana joined the Children’s Community School, a project based on the Summerhill method of education and founded a group of students the year before. It was there that Diana met Bill Ayers, the son of the chairman of Commonwealth Edison Co. of Chicago and one of the Weathermen later indicted on bomb conspiracy charges. Ayers probably exercised the single most powerful influence over Diana until her death. The school, a kindergarten in the basement of the American Friends Committee building, was based on the premise that something had gone wrong with America’s schools. Its goals were to create an integrated student body where black and white children would be treated alike, and an unstructured classroom where the children would choose what they wanted to learn. There were no classes or grades and the kids were allowed to come and go as they pleased. They wandered from room to room, free to choose from among sand tables, clay, blocks and books. A child was taught to read or write only if she expressed a desire to learn. Diana was loved by the children, and, as she had in Guatemala, plunged herself totally into the effort to make the school a success. She wrote promotional brochures and designed a button with the slogan, “Children are only newer people.” Three years later, some of her children were to place that same button, pinned to a bouquet of flowers, on the site of the bombed-out New York townhouse where she was killed. At the Children’s Community School the students spent more time on outings than in the classroom. They visited supermarkets to learn the value of money and when one child asked what a dead person looked like, they all went off to visit a morgue. They had Sunday picnics and a huge party at Christmas, 1967, where the children gave each other presents. Bill gave Diana a long Indian dress and she gave him a pair of leather pants. Bill and Diana grew closer and eventually began to live together in an attic room near the university. Like most of the men Diana had been attracted to, Bill was charming, manipulative, and a bit cruel. Diana was always at his side and when she went home to Dwight, she talked about him frequently, quoting things he had said and talking about their plans for the school. Members of her family felt her ideas, which were becoming steadily more progressive, were a reflection of his. In March, 1967, Diana’s sister, Carol, got her a job offer to work for the crusading, liberal Washington journalist, I.F. Stone, who was looking for an editorial assistant fluent in Spanish. Diana considered it seriously for several months, but finally decided to stay in Ann Arbor with Bill. The relationship deepened and a year later, she and Bill tried to have a child but failed. The Children’s Community School had begun to attract considerable attention by the end of 1967, and had expanded to include first and second grade levels. Ayers, who had become somewhat of a figure in Ann Arbor, ran for the town’s school board in April, 1968, on a joint ticket with a Negro woman, Joan Adams, the mother of one of the children in the school. Both were defeated. Despite its early acclaim, the school began running into severe problems in the spring of 1968. The American Friends Committee complained that the kids were running wild, marking up the walls, and damaging property in their basement. Two professors withdrew their children, saying that the black students were dominating the school and terrorizing the white children and that, in fact, the school was teaching their children to become racists. In June, the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) Board in Ann Arbor turned down a request for funds by the school, which had previously been self-supporting. It was a double blow for Bill and Diana because members of the black community in Ann Arbor, including some with children at the school, were among those who argued most heatedly against the grant. Most troubling to Bill and Diana was the fact that Joan Adams, a member of the OEO Board, abstained in the voting at a moment when the board was split five-five on the issue of the grant. The bitterness of the attack on the school partly centered on the fact that Bill and Diana were living together and stunned both of them. When the school ran into still other problems because of state zoning regulations, Bill and Diana, too disappointed to go on, looked elsewhere for involvement and became more active in the Ann Arbor chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Ayers had been a member of the SDS radical education project for several years at a time when SDS was still a loosely-organized group of students who believed in experimental schools and community projects as vehicles for change. In June, 1968, they attended an SDS convention in East Lansing where a sharp split was emerging between the Progressive Labor Party (PL) and the cultural revolutionaries who naturally attracted Bill and Diana. PL was a dour, highly disciplined but distinctly old-fashioned Marxist-Leninist party which frowned on marijuana, sexual freedom, long hair and anything else which would offend the American working classes. After the convention Diana and Bill spent part of the summer in Chicago working in the SDS national office where they had intense political discussion with Mike Klonsky, an SDS national officer, and Bernardine Dohrn, a later leader of the Weathermen. Diana and Bill became convinced that direct action rather than education and peaceful reform were the way to change society. Diana was deeply affected by the demonstrations at the Democratic Party convention that August and what she and the SDS and eventually the Walker Commission felt was a “police riot.” At the peak of the violence, she called her sister, Carol, in Chicago for $150 to help bail Tom Hayden, one of the founders of SDS in 1962, out of jail. A day or two later she called again and said she and Bill were leaving the city because “it’s getting too rough.” It was also during that summer that Bill and Diana turned full-scale toward the cultural revolution. They developed a taste for “acid” rock at ear-shattering volume. They cut off their hair and began to wear hippy headbands and wire-rimmed glasses. They took LSD, sometimes with another couple. On one occasion one of the group ran out into the street naked but was coaxed back inside before the police came. The returned to Ann Arbor that fall in an activist mood. At the first meeting of the Ann Arbor SDS on Sept. 24, 1968, a sharp division in the group was apparent. Diana and Bill along with some 40 other radicals banded together against the moderates and formed a faction which they called “The Jesse James Gang.” The gang declared themselves revolutionary gangsters. They held peaceful methods of reform in contempt. They urged direct action instead of talk, individual violent confrontations instead of big peace marches. Contained in their still half-formed ideas about the role of America in the world and white radicals in America was the germ of the Weatherman analysis which would later call for violence. The gang disrupted SDS meetings and made vicious personal attacks on their opponents. The meetings frequently degenerated into brawls. The gang shouted and heckled and even threw eggs and tomatoes at moderate speakers. They often let it be known that their opponents were running the risk of physical beatings. Bill Ayers, Diana at his side, spoke against the failure of education to change people and described the gang as “the arms of liberation inside the monster.” "We are tired of tiptoeing up to society and asking for reform. We’re ready to kick it,” he told one opponent. The gang became unpopular on campus and the majority of the left inside and outside SDS called them "action freaks," "crazies" and self-destructive adventurists. The behind-the-scenes leader of the Jesse James Gang was a mysterious, 31-year-old man named Jim Mellen who appeared out of nowhere in Ann Arbor that Fall. No one knew where he had gone to school or why he had come to the University of Michigan. Although he was the major intellectual force behind the gang, Mellen carefully avoided any position of formal authority. A rumor began circulating among his critics that Mellen was an agent provocateur sent by the Central Intelligence Agency to destroy SDS and the radical movement in Michigan. Ten months later, after helping to write the Weatherman manifesto and playing a part in the June, 1969, SDS convention which destroyed the organization, Mellen faded from the Ann Arbor radical scene as mysteriously as he had arrived. Within a period of a few weeks the Jesse James Gang triumphed within the SDS chapter at Ann Arbor. Early in October, 1968, the moderates decided they had had enough and walked out to form their own group. Through psychological warfare and vague threats of violence, the gang had captured the single most important SDS chapter in Michigan, which automatically gave them a powerful voice in the national organization. The gang carried out few actions, but when they did the entire University of Michigan campus generally knew about them. On one occasion they held a demonstration outside a campus building while the University’s president, Robben Fleming, was giving a speech inside. Armed with a portable public address system, records and loaves of bread they attracted a crowd. Diana spoke during the demonstration while other gang members handed out slices of bread, shouting, “Here’s the bread. Get the baloney inside.” Ayers rose to a position of strength with the gang because of his ability to dominate groups through a combination of charm and the volume of his voice. Handsome and brash, he was a notorious lady’s man who did not hide his promiscuity from Diana. Diana told friends that although she was hurt by Bill’s infidelity, it made her redouble her efforts to be a true revolutionary. Stung by frequent jibes that she could afford to be one because her daddy was rich, Diana struggled to make her own mark in the movement. In November, 1968, Diana became a regional organizer for the SDS in Michigan, not fully aware that the appointment was an attempt by national SDS to head off criticism by the just-born Women’s Liberation Movement that SDS was “male chauvinist.” Diana’s status as a token woman brought her into conflict with other women radicals, but she eventually earned acceptance as a genuine liberationist. Early in 1969 she organized a “Cuba Month” on campus, a series of films and seminars on the Cuban revolution. Gradually she became known less as Bill Ayers’ sidekick than as a radical “sister” in her own right. Diana’s upbringing made her an asset to the movement. Naturally gracious and tactful, she was used as a negotiator in disputes with other left groups, and with the university administration. As one non-SDS student put it, “She was the only one in the gang you could talk to without wanting to punch her in the nose.” As Diana deepened in her political commitment, her relationship with her father, which had always been close, began to break down. During December, 1968, Bill and Diana both began to emerge as leaders in the national SDS at a conference held in Ann Arbor. At about the same time, on Dec. 9, 1968, she wrote in one of her last letters home: "It gets harder and I get more reluctant to justify myself over and over again to you—I feel as if I’ve gone through a process of conscious choice and that I’ve thought about it a lot and people I admire agree with me, educationally important, recognized and respected people... "I feel like a moral person, that my life is my values and that most people my age or even younger have already begun to sell out to materialism, status, hypocrisy, stepping on other people, etc. ... I feel like part of a vanguard, that we speak of important change to come...” In October, 1968, Diana and Kathy Boudin, believed to have been one of the two girls who ran from the house after the bomb explosion which killed Diana, went to dinner at the Chicago apartment of an old college friend of Diana, Karin Rosenberg. The pair were astonished at the “bourgeois, middle class” way in which Karin and her husband, Merrill, lived. During dinner Diana got into a long, heated argument about politics with Merrill, a liberal who said he agreed with some of SDS’s goals but not with its methods. ”How can you think that way and then do nothing?” Diana asked. Merrill became angry and defensive. “If you’re serious about bringing on a revolution,” he said, with a strong implication he did not think she was, “then you are going to have to throw bombs.” Bill Ayers is arrested twice during the Democratic National Convention in 1968. The final nine months of Diana Oughton’s life were absorbed almost entirely by the disintegration of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the growth of a new, much smaller organization which turned to terrorism as the Weathermen. In June, 1969, the SDS, long troubled by deep differences on questions of ideology, suddenly burst apart at a chaotic, slogan-shouting convention in Chicago. When the SDS was founded in 1962 it was a fluid, open group which emphasized persuasion, community organizing and broad popular participation in all important decisions. By 1969, however, the organization was locked in a power struggle between the Progressive Labor Party, a highly disciplined offshoot of the Communist Party, and a more militant faction which became the Weathermen. By the end of the Chicago convention, the Weathermen had captured control of the SDS national headquarters in Chicago’s West Side ghetto. The new SDS leadership was committed to action and over the summer of 1969 gradually worked out a plan for turning student radicals into a “Red Army” which would fight the establishment in the streets of America. Late one night during the convention, Diana called an old friend from Bryn Mawr, asked if she could spend the night and finally arrived with eight exhausted SDS members after 4 a.m. One of the people with Diana that night was Alan Howard, who had been working for the underground Liberation News Service (LNS) in New York since leaving Guatemala. Before returning to the convention the next day, Diana and Alan went for a long walk down Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. They talked about the impending split in SDS and the Weatherman manifesto, partly written by Diana’s boyfriend, Bill Ayers. The 25,000-word manifesto—named after a line in a Bob Dylan song, “You Don’t Need a Weatherman To Tell Which Way the Wind Blows”—argued that white radicals in the United States could help bring on a worldwide revolution only by fighting in the streets of the “mother country.” Howard, who had first started Diana thinking seriously about revolution in Guatemala, now found himself in the awkward position of trying to restrain her, to convince Diana that a premature attempt to bring on the revolution would be suicidal. Diana insisted that the time had come to fight. While the SDS was beginning to plan for a four-day series of antiwar demonstrations in October, Diana’s relationship with Bill Ayers and her family both came under increasing strain. Ayers had been elected one of the three national officers of the Weathermen, along with Mark Rudd and Bernardine Dohrn, and was spending most of his time in the national office. Friends of Diana and Ayers say he was increasingly fascinated by Bernardine’s toughness intelligence and hard beauty, so unlike Diana’s warm, almost enveloping softness of spirit. Ayers told Diana he would not allow himself to be tied to one woman and she began spending her time with a number of other men. During the same period, Diana’s father canceled a gas company credit card she had been using on behalf of SDS and she wrote him a letter explaining why the money was being spent in a good cause. ”You speak of a revolution against capitalism,” her father answered from the family home in Dwight. “This can only mean that you are developing forces against me and the rest of your family. The oldest and most reasonable form of capitalism is the ownership of agricultural land and this is what your family has been involved with for a hundred years. ”I will resist any effort to change the basic ideology governing my own life and it should be obvious I do not want to support any movement that would develop into violence against me and my family.” After Diana had returned to the United States from Guatemala, Mr. Oughton had incorporated the family-owned farmland surrounding Dwight, partly in the hope that Diana’s shares in the company would give her a vested interest in the society she was turning against. The move did not strengthen her ties to Dwight or weaken her belief in revolution, however, and Mr. Oughton sometimes did not even know where to send Diana’s dividend checks. The passionate intensity with which the Weathermen took their political ideas created a state of mind in Diana which her father later called “a kind of intellectual hysteria.” He found her less and less willing to really talk about politics, increasingly heated when she did. She finally refused to discuss the subject altogether. ”I’ve made my decision, Daddy,” she said. “There’s no sense talking about it.” Diana came home less and less often; when she did, it was usually with a group of friends. He father, opposed to her political ideas but at the same time fascinated by them, attempted to discuss the revolution with her friends but got nowhere. They seemed to talk in a kind of secret language, reducing everything to phrases like, “wow, man” and “outtasight” and “get it together,” responding to every question with mocking laughter and exaggerated disbelief, sure of each other and intolerant of the beliefs of anyone outside their own circle. When Mr. Oughton persisted in questioning his daughter about her politics she would sometimes kid him in response. Once he asked her where the Weatherman were getting their instructions. "Peking, Daddy," she said. On one occasion Diana's mother was deeply hurt when she and her friends openly made fun of her when she tried to ask them about their political ideas. Fearing she would lose her daughter if she persisted, Mrs. Oughton never asked again. Diana’s difficulty in talking about politics with her family was only a reflection of the difficulty all Weathermen found in trying to explain why violence was necessary. The group’s opponents argued that the Weathermen were repeating the errors of the “Narodniki” (Russian terrorists) who assassinated the Czar in 1881 and set back the cause of reform in Russia for decades. Like the Narodniki, the Weathermen were an elite, self-appointed body from the upper classes who wanted the revolution now and, like children, could not force themselves to be patient. The Weathermen themselves joked about their upper class origins, saying that the first requirement for a prospective member was a father who made at least $30,000 a year. The arguments against the demonstrations planned for October were generally well thought out, but they ignored one thing which made the Weathermen determined to go ahead anyway: A profound frustration with argument and a hunger for action of almost any sort. While sentiment against the war in Vietnam grew between 1965 and 1969, SDS had raced ahead in its thinking, rejecting the war first, then rejecting the “liberalism” which they held responsible for the war, finally rejecting “the system” they saw behind everything they opposed. By 1969 they were committed to revolution, but revolution seemed further away than ever as the radical movement broke up into squabbling factions. It was clear the working class was not about to occupy the factories, that the hordes of rock-loving, marijuana-smoking young people were not necessarily revolutionaries, however much they fought with their parents. The country did not take the revolutionary fervor of SDS seriously, and SDS grew increasingly impatient with strategies which would take thirty years to work. They wanted to act; they wanted the country to take them seriously, and perhaps most important, they wanted to take themselves seriously. When the Weathermen began planning for a super-militant “kick ass” street battle with police in Chicago, Oct. 8-11, 1969, however, the remnants of the SDS split again. During the summer the Black Panthers denounced the Weathermen, a serious blow from their point of view, but with each setback those who remained became more determined than ever. The pace of events picked up after Diana and a delegation of Weatherman returned form a trip to Cuba in August marked by secret meetings with Cubans and representatives of the Viet Cong. The delegation left feeling even the Cubans were too moderate and losing their revolutionary fervor. On the morning of Saturday, Sept. 6, 1969, only a few hours before Diana’s sister Pamela was to be married in Chicago, Diana called her family in Dwight and abruptly told them she would not be able to come and be a bridesmaid after all. That weekend Diana was attending the Cleveland SDS conference where the Weathermen strategy of total commitment to revolutionary violence finally emerged as a comprehensive position. During the following weeks the Weathermen raided a Pittsburgh high school, invaded a community college outside Detroit, took a gun away from a policeman in New York, attacked Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs and provoked fights at drive-in restaurants and on beaches in Chicago, Cleveland and other Midwestern cities. The theory behind the street fights in working class districts was that tough high school students, generally referred to as “Grease,” felt SDS was made up of “sissy intellectuals” who would never fight. A punch in the nose would do more to radicalize the Grease, Weathermen argued, than years of community organizing and patient argument. More important than the occasional battles, however, was the attempt by Weatherman to literally recreate themselves as street fighters by a brutal process of group criticism which tended to break down their personalities. Diana's experiences in collectives in Detroit and Flint, Mich., where she went to live after returning from Cuba, were an indication of her willingness to sacrifice herself for the movement. People who knew her during this period say that, put simply, she and the other Weatherman went through a hell of their own making. In the months following the June, 1969, convention, Weathermen collectives ranging in size from a dozen to thirty or more people began to barricaded themselves inside rented houses. They put double locks on every door and nailed chicken wire over the windows to prevent enemies, real or imagined, from throwing in bombs. Inside they lived a 24-hour existence of intense political discussion, marked by a complete abandonment of all the bourgeois amenities of their largely middle class childhoods. Clothes were strewn everywhere, food rotted on unwashed plates, milk turned sour in half-empty containers, toilets jammed, flies and cockroaches swarmed in kitchens filled with encrusted spoons and spilled food. Diana’s dividend checks and all other money went into a common fund; every expenditure, without exception, was a matter for collective decision. When the collectives needed money for bail or for buying guns and, later, explosives, and sometimes simply as a matter of discipline, the members would go without food for days. In a number of ways the collectives attempted to destroy the “bourgeois morality” they had been taught as children. On at least one occasion they vandalized gravestones in a cemetery as a way of destroying conventional attitudes of respect for the dead. On another occasion, partly from genuine hunger and partly to instill in themselves a kind of savagery, a collective killed, skinned, and ate a tomcat. The collective also attempted to destroy all their old attitudes about sexual relationships. At the Cleveland conference the Women’s Liberation caucus had proposed that Weathermen attempt to “smash monogamy” on the grounds that it oppressed women and at the same time created love relationships which interfered with revolutionary commitment. As a result, long-established couples were sometimes ordered to separate and sexual relations became mandatory between all members of a collective. Diana and Bill Ayers were one of the couples forced apart during this period. Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol were usually banned by the collectives for reasons of discipline and economy. On several occasions, however, as the result of a policy decision made by the Weather Bureau in Chicago, collectives took LSD, hashish and other drugs and engaged in what amounted to orgies. In some instances homosexuality and lesbianism were involved. For a relatively brief period the attempt to destroy traditional sexual behavior led to a situation in which any man could simply announce that he wanted to sleep with a particular woman and she would be required to submit. Women quickly came to resent the fact this did not seem to work in the opposite direction, however, and the sexual experimentation began to moderate. The attempts at self-transformation turned collectives into a violent groups with an almost savage emotional atmosphere. The group criticism sessions inevitably led to hurt feelings and smoldering grudges. The attempt to overcome traditional niceties led to exaggeratedly crude behavior. People became stiff, unnatural, afraid they would be attacked, and perhaps even purged, if they were found lacking in commitment to the revolution. Many Weatherman became nervous, high-strung and emotionally unstable. The military aspects of the training—karate, target shooting, practice in street fighting and, later, the making of bombs—suffered in the chaotic atmosphere of the collectives where everyone was always overtired and underfed. Diana’s commitment was to the revolution. Her loyalty to her friends and her determination to repress all “bourgeois hang-ups” led her to participate fully in everything, but friends say she was deeply upset by much that was happening. A gentle woman who preferred staying with one man at a time, Diana questioned both the sexual excesses and the emphasis on violence and was brutally criticized as a result. Nevertheless, she was often the one who pressed for a rest during the long, highly chafed meetings and she tried, largely without success, to prevent the collectives from becoming excessively cold and brutal. During street actions in Flint, where she was arrested on a minor charge (later dropped) at the end of September, Diana could not bring herself to shout obscenities at the police and she sometimes even tried to argue with them. "You’re a revolutionary now, not a society bitch,” a Weatherman once yelled at her when she was talking to a policeman. Before the October action Diana and Bill Ayers returned to Ann Arbor to gain recruits for the demonstrations. Diana was jeered during a speech in a student center where the audience included people who had been her allies in the Jesse James Gang the year before. Bill Ayers, a far more persuasive speaker, was also attacked during the meeting for his emphasis on action at the expense of political organizing. “When I was at Ann Arbor all the talk about revolution was in the abstract,” he argued. “Since we’ve moved to Detroit we’ve made the revolution real. The Grease come up to us and say, ‘Hey aren’t you the guys who beat up the pigs at McDonald's last night? How come?' "You understand the revolution when you make the revolution, not when you talk about it. If I’m going into a new town I don’t look for the guy with a comprehensive political analysis, I look for the kids who are fighting the pigs.” Ayers predicted that at least 1,000 teenagers would come to Chicago from Detroit alone. His estimate, like those of other Weathermen, proved wildly overoptimistic. When the Four Days of Rage began with a rally in Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 8, only 300 Weathermen in helmets and denim jackets turned out for the battle. The group went ahead anyway, however, charging through the Loop and Gold Coast areas, smashing windows and windshields and even charging directly into the ranks of police. More than fifty were arrested. The following day Diana joined 70 Weatherwomen who marched to Grant Park for an all-women’s action. When they got there they found themselves outnumbered by the police, who threatened to arrest them if they tried to leave the park wearing their helmets and carrying Viet Cong flags at the end of long, heavy poles. Diana was one of a dozen Weatherwomen who gritted their teeth and plunged into the police lines but were immediately overpowered. After a dozen had been hustled into police vans, the rest of them women, some of them crying, dropped their clubs, took off their helmets and were escorted by police to the nearest subway station. After Diana had been booked she was allowed to call home and her father immediately left for Chicago, driven by his lawyer, to post her bail. When Diana was led out by the police she seemed subdued and resigned, saying little as she got into the car. “Why don’t you come back to Dwight for a few days?” Mr. Oughton asked. “No,” she said quickly, not wanting to argue the question. “I’ve got an important meeting in Evanston.” When the car pulled up in front of the suburban Evanston Church being used by the Weathermen as a temporary headquarters, Diana said, “good-bye, Daddy,” and jumped out. Mr. Oughton watched as a group of excited young men and women ran over to greet his daughter. She did not look back as he drove away. When the Chicago and Evanston police made a surprise raid on the church early Saturday morning, Oct. 11, arresting forty-three Weathermen, Diana was one of those who escaped by jumping out the windows. Later that afternoon Weathermen began filtering into Haymarket Square for the final action of the Days of Rage. At a signal, a small group of young men and women pulled crash helmets from shopping bags and put on denim jackets with Viet Cong flags sewed to the back beneath the legend, "Motor City SDS." Then the remnants of the "Red Army," about 200-strong, started out through the streets of Chicago on a final rampage. When it was over 103 had been arrested and those who had managed to escape were being hunted through the city. That night, still trying to find a way out of Chicago, Diana called a friend. “The pigs are picking everybody up,” she said. “Can you give me a ride to the airport? I’ve got to get back to Detroit.” Diana was scared but elated over the phone that the Weathermen had overcome their fear and fought in the streets. Despite the arrests (290 in all), the $1 million in bail and the injuries (three Weathermen had been wounded by gunfire the first day; dozens of others had been severely beaten) she felt they had created the core of the Red Army. When Diana’s friend said it would be impossible to drive her to the airport, she changed her mind and went back to Dwight where she stayed for a few days, resting and eating ravenously. Diana’s mother, distraught at the thought of her daughter fighting with police, tried to talk her into abandoning the Weathermen. “But, honey,” she said, “you’re only going to make things worse. You’re only going to get yourself killed.” Diana refused to argue. “It’s the only way, Mummy,” she said, stalking back and forth in the hall. “It’s the only way.” Firemen remove the remains of Diana's body on March 10, 1970, four days after a bomb exploded and killed her and two other weatherman. (United Press International) During the late fall of 1969 the Weathermen had few illusions about their ability to spark a revolution in the United States, but their fanaticism only seemed to increase as a result. Diana Oughton, fundamentally gentle, had nevertheless been exhilarated by the violent Days of Rage in Chicago in October. In spite of their fear, their fewness and the hopelessness of their cause, the Weathermen had gone into the streets to fight the police and had not found their courage wanting. When Diana went to Washington for the massive Nov. 15 demonstration against the war, it was in an almost buoyant mood. The night before the demonstration Diana’s boyfriend, Bill Ayers, went to the moratorium headquarters and tried to shake down the group for $20,000 to help cover legal expenses incurred by the Days of Rage. In return for his token “Fraternal Solidarity,” Ayers said, the Weathermen would not provoke a violent battle with police. Ayers was asked what the Weathermen program was. “Kill all the rich people,” Ayers answered. “Break up their cars and apartments.” “But aren’t your parents rich?” he was asked. “Yeah,” Ayers said. “Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that’s where it’s really at.” The moratorium said it didn’t have $20,000 to spare and the following day Ayers and Diana, their faces decorated with war paint, joined in a march on the Department of Justice after the main rally. The brief collision was more a revolutionary theatrical than a serious street action, marked by shouting and scuffles with police and clouds of tear gas. It was the last time the Weathermen found a kind of fun in politics, their last action before turning to a politics of terror which had no place for the humor that called for war paint. That night Diana drove across Washington to visit her sister Pam and to meet Pam’s husband for the only time. Diana was breathless and keyed up by the day’s battle with police and said she felt the revolution was near. “When blue collar workers are making $6 an hour, where is the support coming from?” asked Carol, another of Diana’s sisters, also living in Washington. Diana simply dismissed the question. “The revolution is here,” she insisted. “It’s a world-wide thing.” Diana saw her family in Dwight, Ill. for the last time on Christmas Day, 1969. It was a special holiday for the Oughtons with caviar, aunts and uncles, lots of presents and a fir tree that reached the ceiling. Diana had called to say she would be there but the family, disappointed so often in the past, was not really sure she would come until the last moment. Diana finally arrived after midnight, hours late, wearing blue jeans and a borrowed sweater and carrying a toothbrush and a nightie in a paper sack. Mrs. Oughton was upset by Diana’s thinness, her arms not much thicker than her wrists, but the family avoided talking about politics and other touchy subjects. Diana seemed happy to be home and asked all kinds of questions about the family, wanting to know what everybody was doing and what had been going on in Dwight. On Christmas morning she went into the kitchen and gave her old nanny, Ruth Morehart, a peck on the cheek and helped her make dressing for the Christmas salad. Ruth felt for a minute that the old Diana had returned until she asked what Ruth thought of the SDS. Ruth gave a vague answer and Diana seemed to cool. Diana had not brought any presents for anyone but she seemed pleased, for the first time in years, by the presents she received—a shirt and slacks from her mother, a heavy fisherman’s sweater from Carol, other odds and ends. The family pressed Diana to stay but she left immediately after Christmas dinner, as abruptly as she always had in the past. Her father thought Diana felt threatened by the warmth of her family, as if her commitment to a life of denial and privation might be weakened if she remained at home too long. That afternoon Diana returned to Flint, Mich., to help with final preparations for the Weatherman war council which began on Dec. 27, a well-publicized meeting that attracted as much attention from the Flint police and the FBI as it did within the radical movement. The atmosphere of the convention hall was far different from the heady excitement and optimism of student meetings in the early 1960s. Guards frisked everyone entering the building, the women as thoroughly as the men. Signs proclaimed “Piece (that is, guns) Now” and an eight-foot-high cardboard pistol stood by the door. Mark Rudd, a persuasive, witty speaker, described Weatherman as a kind of political joyride, an explosion of creative energy made possible by total commitment to revolution and an end to the “bourgeois” fear of violence. “It’s a wonderful feeling to hit a pig,” he said with the tone of a boy describing his first trip on a roller coaster. “It must really be a wonderful feeling to kill a pig or blow up a building.” For many of those at the council, however, the talk of violence was oppressive and degrading, not liberating. They felt slightly sick when Bernardine Dohrn, once among the most articulate of American radical leaders, praised the alleged murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others. “Dig it!” she told the 400 people gathered in the meeting hall. “First they killed those pigs, then the ate dinner in the same room with them, then they even shoved a fork into a victim’s stomach! Wild!” When Weathermen grinned and held up three fingers symbolizing the fork, non-Weathermen found the gesture obscene. Much of the argument in favor of violence centered on the killing of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton by Chicago police on Dec. 4, 1969. Weathermen argued that the entire radical movement should have taken to the streets and avenged Hampton’s death. Others found a certain ambivalence in this, since it had been Hampton who had denounced the Weathermen as “anarchistic, adventuristic..., masochistic and Custeristic” during the Days of Rage. When one Weatherman argued that the white race was itself the problem—“all white babies are pigs” he said—others felt he was expressing self-hate rather than a coherent political opinion. When Weathermen insisted blacks would be the vanguard of the revolution and that they were fighting on the side of blacks, their words rang false. Radical black groups had turned against them and the organization, despite its efforts to recruit blacks, was as lily-white as the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Rudd urged radicals to be like Captain Ahab in “Moby Dick,” who lived with “one thought—to bring down the white whale.” The rest of the movement realized that Rudd’s white whale included virtually everyone with a white skin and pointed out that it was Ahab, not the whale, who was destroyed in the end. Like Ahab, they said, Rudd and the Weathermen were themselves on a “death trip.” During the four-day council in Flint, Weathermen leaders slipped away to meet secretly in a seminary across the city where they debated the fate of the organization. The enormous legal difficulties which sapped their energies and finances following the Days of Rage, and the hostility of much of the radical movement, made it clear that “Wild in the Streets” was not a strategy that could be sustained. Before the council ended on Dec. 30, Weathermen leaders decided they should make a final break with American society and go underground. During the following weeks the Weatherman collectives began breaking up into smaller groups. Members severed their relationships with friends and family and one by one began to disappear. It was not an easy decision to make. Breaking windows in Chicago and making bombs were far different things, and Weathermen knew there would be no turning back. The policy of the Weathermen was that every member would participate, so far as possible, in every illegal act, whether obtaining, making or planting explosives. They knew their chances of a normal life were being irretrievably put behind them. They knew they might have to die. Of the 400 people who attended the Flint council, fewer than 100 went underground. For those few, committed to the revolution above all else, it was a matter of logic. Community organizing had failed. Mass demonstrations had failed. Fighting in the streets had failed. Only terror was left. The activities of Diana and the other Weathermen between the end of the Flint council and the bomb explosion in New York on March 6 are extremely difficult to reconstruct. People who knew what they were doing are naturally reluctant to talk and even the federal indictment handed up in Detroit in July gives only the barest outline of the alleged activities of the group’s leaders. Diana is connected with only three of the 21 overt acts cited in the indictment and those fall on two dates, Dec. 26, when the Flint council opened, and March 6, the date of her death. A Weatherman who dropped out of the organization when it decided to go underground said that Diana had begun to question the policies of the group’s leaders—that she was no longer sure the young, the poor and the black would ever support the kind of revolution the Weathermen were committed to making. Despite her doubts, however, Diana was prepared to go underground with a small group of friends. On Feb. 4, Diana appeared in court in Chicago and was fined $450 for her part in the women’s action the previous Oct. 9. When her name was called the judge raised his head and asked, “Are you related to Jim Oughton, the legislator?” With a smile of amusement, Diana admitted that she was. Later that day she called her friend, Karin Rosenberg, and was invited for dinner. “Is it safe?” she asked, knowing that Karin lived on the edge of a Negro ghetto. Karin said of course, and asked if Diana were serious. “You don’t know how deep the hate of the black man is,” Diana said. When she arrived she looked tired, underfed and somehow “scruffier” than ever before. She was quiet during dinner, vague about what she was doing. In the past she always answered that question by saying, “high school organizing.” Now she did not even mention that. The old liveliness and the sense of humor had disappeared completely. She seemed somber, sardonic, at moments almost heavy-hearted. She told Karin that the sixteen people in her collective had decided to break into groups of four and five because of mounting harassment by police. The Rosenbergs were going to a ballet and dropped off Diana in the loop on their way. When she got out of the car Diana gave Karin a kiss, something she had not done for a long time, and urged her to keep in touch. She made a point of giving Karin the SDS address in Detroit, a box number since the group was now moving from place to place. A few days later she did something else uncharacteristic. She sent Karin a copy of the Weatherman manifesto with a brief note across the top: “Karin—I’d love to talk to you about this—Love, Diana.” Before going back to Detroit Diana called her parents in Dwight and told them she had paid her fine with part of the bail money put up by her father and that she intended to keep the rest. “You know, Diana,” her mother said, hurt by Diana’s cold tone, “you’re killing us both off.” “I’m sorry, Mummy,” Diana said. Not long afterwards Mrs. Oughton told a friend, “We have lost our daughter.” During her last weeks of life Diana was torn by conflict, determined not to falter and yet reluctant to make a final break with her friends and family. The ambivalence ran deep. She loved people and at the same time tried to use them. On one occasion in these final weeks she tried to involve a friend in a complicated scheme to “rip off” (that is, defraud) a travelers’ check company. On Monday, March 2, just four days before she died, she called her sister Carol in Washington. She asked lots of little questions about the family. Carol felt that perhaps Diana was beginning to move away from the violent politics of the Weathermen. About halfway through the conversation Diana asked: “Will the family stand by me, no matter what? Will they help me if I need it?” Carol said of course. Later Diana asked if she could send Carol some papers and other personal items. "The pigs have been rifling our house,” she said. “They aren’t anything important but I just don’t want anybody to find them.” A couple of days later a large envelope arrived marked, in French, “Do not open.” It had been so long since Diana had used French expressions that Carol assumed someone else must have written it there. Nevertheless, she did not open the envelope until after Diana’s death. It contained letters from old friends, an address book, some pages from an appointment calendar, scraps of paper with names and addresses on them, papers about the family farm corporation, every document, in fact, which conceivably could have been used by police to identify her. It was no accident that the Weathermen were the children of the privileged classes of America. From the very beginning of the student movement, when white students organized to support black sit-in demonstrations in 1960, the strength of their commitment was subject to ridicule and attack. Their defensive parents and teachers, their non-political friends, the public officials who always hoped they would go back to their studies, even, most painfully, the blacks they were trying to help, all suggested scornfully that white activists were summertime soldiers who would retreat into the middle class womb which had created them whenever the going became hard. There was no way white students could defend themselves against this charge. The police might hit them over the head but the courts treated them indulgently and they would always be welcomed back by the establishment, perhaps even valued more highly for the spunk they had shown before settling down. It was not until they became criminals that the Weathermen proved their commitment beyond a doubt. They could not believe in themselves until they had turned against the middle class world which had made them. It was their country, their class, their families, even themselves which they considered the enemy. In Dwight, Diana had hated being rich; in Guatemala she hated being an American; in the Weathermen she finally came to hate herself. How else could she have attempted, at such a cost in suffering, to destroy everything that she was? In the end, Diana Oughton relinquished her humanity in hopes of creating a new world where she thought people could be more human. She denied her own nature and everything she loved. She grew more and more distant from her family; she gave up teaching children, the thing she loved to do best; she gave up her relationship with Bill Ayers when he argued the revolution came first. Willingly, she became an instrument of the revolution. She stopped asking questions to make bombs. She regarded the world she saw around her as the implacable enemy of everything she believed in. Like the rest of the Weathermen, the privileged children of that world, in the end Diana had only one ambition: to be its executioner. The bomb, which exploded a few minutes past noon on Friday, March 6, 1970, killing Diana and two other Weathermen in the townhouse at 18 West 11th Street in New York City, was a bomb designed to kill. It was made of dynamite surrounded by heavy metal nails which acted as shrapnel. The doctor who examined the remains of her body said she had been standing within a foot or two of the bomb when it exploded. It may, in fact, have gone off in her hands. Four days after the explosion, bomb squad detectives found Diana’s body near a workbench in the rubble-filled basement of the devastated townhouse. At the end of another week a detective discovered the tip of the little finger from a right hand. A print taken by a police department expert was matched later that day with a set of Diana’s prints in the Washington files of the FBI. The prints had been taken in Chicago following her arrest during the Days of Rage in October, 1969. That evening the New York Police Department called the tiny police force in Dwight. A member of the Dwight force then went to the Oughtons’ house on South Street and told Mrs. Oughton her daughter was dead. The accidental explosion did not end the campaign of terrorism begun by the Weathermen. Remaining members of the organization are reported to be in hiding, staying off the streets almost altogether, but continuing to build bombs and plan attacks. Three of the Weathermen have reportedly gone to Cuba but the rest remain in the United States, as determined as ever. In the months since the March 6 explosion there has been a steady stream of bombings, not all of them attributable to the Weathermen. In New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Omaha and Madison, Wis., among other places, bombs planted by terrorists have caused death, injuries and destruction. The only friend Diana contacted in New York before she died was Alan Howard. Sometime that week, probably on Wednesday, Howard and Diana met. They talked about the Weathermen. Diana told him she still believed the only course open to American radicals was the building of a “Red Army” in the United States which would be part of the international army fighting for a world-wide revolution. She admitted that the Days of Rage had been at least partly a failure, that the Flint war council had weakened the Weathermen even further, that the revolution was impossible without a mass base. Nevertheless, she insisted that her role was to physically fight in any way possible. “We have a lot to learn,” she told Howard. “We’ll make mistakes.” On Friday of that week one of those mistakes ended her life. Untitled Chapter	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line176
__label__wiki	0.529265	0.529265	Special Meeting Home Ragged Banner Home Chinese Original Some details about Tubo (Tibet) in Gyanak (China) by Woeser One afternoon I went to the post office to mail some books. They were my books: one copy of Tibetan Memories, published by Dakuai on Taiwan, and one copy of Poem In Tibet’s Name translated into Böyik (Tibetan), a volume that arrived not long ago from America. I wanted to send these two books to a friend in Amdo. Not long before — well, a bit more than a month ago — I had mailed some books, the Taiwan magazine Unitas and a copy of my Invisible Tibet. On that occasion they had gone out with no fuss after the comrades at the Post Office thumbed through them perfunctorily — not like that spell during the Olympics, when even a single piece of paper would get taken apart for analysis. And this was November, now, even further removed from the Olympics; who would have thought they’d have grown edgy again? The two women comrades at the Post Office were quite young. They said, “Ah, Tibet, this book’s about Tibet, that’s pretty sensitive.” Suddenly on my guard, I asked, “How come? Is there a rule?” “Well of course,” one of them said, “These days Tibet’s gotten very sensitive. You can’t just go and mail anything you want about Tibet. This book of yours, where was it published? It’s in the traditional characters.” The other chimed in, “And this one hasn't got a single word of Chinese, it’s all in Tibetan. Where was this published?” I got annoyed at the way they were taking turns grilling me. “What’s wrong with traditional characters? What's wrong with Tibetan? They’re both formal publications.” “Even if they are, we can’t do it,” they said firmly. “Got to ask our boss for instructions. We’ll find out whether we can mail ’em for you.” They both wore a relaxed, pleasant smile. One of them actually picked up a phone and started telling the person on the other end: two books on Tibet, can they be mailed, one in traditional characters and the other all in Tibetan yada yada. I asked the other one whether no books about Tibet could be mailed. “No, it’s not that,” she said. “Anything published in our country can be mailed, like, you know, from the China Youth Publishing House and so on, that stuff can be mailed.” The other woman put down the phone and said to me, “You leave these books here with us. The boss will check them out for you, OK?” “Why should I do that?” I almost had to laugh. “Thanks a lot! I won’t mail them; someday I’ll deliver them myself.” I picked up the books and walked out somewhat discouraged. When I got home, I told W. it seemed this country was starting to view Tibetans in a very different light. He answered nimbly: “What’s there to feel glum about? If this were a rational world and irrational things were happening, that would be bad news. But in an irrational world, irrational phenomena are perfectly normal — it’s only if rational things started happening that there would be something wrong.” With a little thought, I saw the truth of this, and it made me feel better. A few days ago I passed through Xidan. There’s a small shop which sells clothing and accessories from India. A few years back, I bought a skirt there, genuinely ‘MADE IN INDIA.’ But this time I didn’t see any goods from India, and I asked the pudgy, heavily made−up shopgirl for the reason. Can you guess what she said? “It’s ’cause of that Dalai, he ran off to India; now there’s fighting going on, things can’t get through no more.” I almost choked. Both amused and irritated, I said, “Don’t you know the Dalai Lama went to India long ago, so many years ago… what does this have to do with whether you sell things from India?” She opened her innocent eyes as wide as saucers and tried to explain, “Well, that’s what our supplier over there says… um, wait, now I remember: Didn’t the Dalai go to Nepal? It’s got something to do with this, I swear.” I could only shake my head. O my fat little made−up Chinese young lady: whatever you say! In any case, after what we’ve gone through this year, it looks as though our Tubo (Tibet) has found quite a place in people’s hearts. I have a good friend in Lhasa whose mother wanted to go visit her son, a college student in a certain inland city, for the National Day holiday. But her son had heard that hotels were turning Tibetans away, so he phoned his mother to tell her that, to avoid the hassle, she’d better not come. But the mother missed her son too much, and asked friends and relatives what she should do. One relative, who worked as an official, photocopied for her Document Number Such−and−Such, which handed down a high−level directive from the summer meeting of the Central Sizhung (Central Government). The key point was that the Fatherland is a big family, with 56 flowers, all of them are nationalities of China and to take away even one would be no good. Therefore you couldn’t discriminate against any one flower, you couldn’t treat a single flower roughly, and if anyone did, that would be a violation of the Party’s nationalities policy… and so on. Well, my friend’s mother thought she was all set. She put this photocopy of the high−level directive in her purse and on the birthday of the Great Fatherland she set forth a little nervously on her long journey into Gyanak (China). Later, I heard from my friend that, sure enough, the mother had not been able to stay in any hotel outside the college and had had to make do with a few days in the college guesthouse. Alas, it seems that all these documents are of little use, and anyway it is hardly possible for every Tibetan to lay hold of an official document before venturing away from home. Even if he could, who’s going to care? In this article, Woeser uses a number of Tibetan terms: Gyanak is a Tibetan word for China. In the Tang Dynasty, Chinese referred to the Tibetan Empire as 吐番, which might have been pronounced either tufan or tubo. In modern usage, though written with different characters, the name Tubo alludes to that history and provides a designation for Greater Tibet, which is useful since the most common Chinese name (Xizang) properly designates central Tibet. Böyik refers to the Tibetan written language. Sizhung is the Tibetan word for ‘government.’ Böpa is a Tibetan word for Tibetans. Xidan is a shopping district in Beijing. Whatever you say. The original is idiomatic and recognizable as a line from the 1996 Hong Kong film Dahua Xiyou, a parody of the legend of the Monkey King. The film, starring Steven Chiau, was written and directed by Jeff Lau. 56 flowers. Officially, the People’s Republic of China contains fifty−six different ethnic groups. National Day October 1, the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. Copyright © 2008 Ragged Banner Press. Best viewed with Mozilla Firefox.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line179
__label__wiki	0.865837	0.865837	River Ave. Blues » David Cone Managerial Search Update: Wedge, Boone, Flaherty, Cone Wedge. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty) Two weeks and one day ago, the Yankees parted ways with longtime manager Joe Girardi. They’ve just now started interviewing managerial candidates, at least as far as we know. Here’s the latest. Yankees interview Eric Wedge The Yankees have interviewed former Indians and Mariners manager Eric Wedge for their managerial opening, the team announced earlier today. He joins Rob Thomson as the only candidates who we know actually interviewed for the job. Wedge, 49, managed the Indians from 2003-09 and the Mariners from 2011-13. He famously ripped the Mariners after resigning, accusing the front office of “total dysfunction and a lack of leadership.” Zoinks. Wedge, who managed CC Sabathia for a number of years with the Indians, has spent the last few seasons working with the Blue Jays in their player development department. He was well regarded for his work with young players during his time in Cleveland, and he has a reputation for being a players’ manager, though he will get on his guys if he feels it is necessary. Wedge has made it no secret over the years he wants to get back into managing. I do like the idea of Wedge as a candidate, though he has been out of the managerial game for a few years now. Boone a candidate for managerial opening According to Buster Olney and Andrew Marchand, former Yankee and current ESPN television analyst Aaron Boone is a candidate for the team’s managerial opening. He of course played for the Yankees in 2003, and hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history. The Yankees have reached out for an interview. Also, Marchand says David Ross, another ESPN analyst, may be a managerial candidate as well. Hmmm. Boone, 44, last played in 2009 and he joined ESPN immediately after retiring. He has no coaching or managerial experience. Boone did grow up in MLB clubhouses as a third generation big leaguer, and he spent the last few seasons of his career bouncing around as a role player who received praise for his leadership. Based on his broadcasts, Boone is into analytics. Can he be an effective manager? Your guess is as good as mine. Cone, Flaherty interested in manager’s job Cone. (Al Bello/Getty) Both David Cone and John Flaherty, two former Yankees turned YES Network broadcasters, have reached out to the team to let them know they’re interested in the manager’s job, reports Mike Mazzeo. “I just wanted (Brian Cashman) to know I’m at a point in my life where I would be interested in it. My agent and him have had a conversation, but it hasn’t gone any further than that,” said Flaherty. The Yankees have not gotten back to either Flaherty or Cone about an interview. Neither Cone nor Flaherty has any coaching or managerial experience, and as fans, it’s tough to separate our opinions of them as broadcasters from their potential as managers. Just because Flaherty comes off as old school on television doesn’t mean he’d be a bad manager, the same way Cone reciting FIP and WAR doesn’t make him a good manager. Cone has been a staunch pro-labor guy throughout his career and he was heavily involved in the MLBPA. I wonder if that’ll work against him. Ownership might not love the idea of him running the clubhouse. Thomson wants to remain with Yankees Even if he doesn’t get the manager’s job, Thomson would like to remain with the Yankees, he told Erik Boland. “I’m a Yankee. I’ve been here 28 years and if didn’t get this job, I would certainly want to come back because this is what I consider my home. I love it here, I love the players, I love what’s going on here,” he said. Thomson, who interviewed earlier this week, has been with the Yankees since 1990 and has done basically everything there is to do in the organization. Given his existing relationships with the young players on the roster, I think Thomson is worth keeping around in some capacity. Filed Under: Coaching Staff Tagged With: Aaron Boone, David Cone, David Ross, Eric Wedge, John Flaherty, Rob Thomson The Near No-No: David Cone’s Return from his Aneurysm February 3, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment From 1982-94, the Yankees never once made the postseason. They finished higher than third in the division just twice during that time: second place finishes in 1985, 1986, and 1993, and a first place finish in 1994 before the work stoppage wiped out the postseason. The Yankees were 70-43 at the time of the strike and had a 6.5-game lead in the AL East. So, when the Yankees were 41-41 and one game back of a postseason spot on the morning on July 28th, 1995, then-GM Gene Michael shipped three prospects to the division rival Blue Jays to rent 32-year-old David Cone for the stretch run. Cone won the 1994 AL Cy Young award and he pitched well down the stretch in 1995, though the Bombers were bounced from the ALDS in soul-crushing fashion by the Mariners. The Yankees were able to re-sign Cone to a three-year contract after the season — he was reportedly deciding between the Yankees and Orioles before George Steinbrenner offered a no-trade clause — and he was the team’s Opening Day starter in 1996. He allowed two hits in seven shutout innings against the Indians to earn the win in Game One of the new season. Cone’s first three starts of 1996 were brilliant: seven shutout innings against the Indians, seven innings of one-run ball against the Rangers, and seven innings of one-unearned run ball against the Rangers again. One earned run in his first 21 innings of the season. Pretty awesome. His fourth start didn’t go well (six runs in five innings against the Brewers) but Cone rebounded his fifth (two runs in five innings against the Royals) and sixth (one unearned run in nine innings against the White Sox) times out. That sixth start on May 2nd would be Cone’s last start for four months. He had been experiencing discomfort and a tingling sensation in his fingers. His index finger turned white. Cone was soon diagnosed with an aneurysm in an artery under his right armpit. He was receiving treatment but surgery was always considered a possibility. When the treatment didn’t work as hoped, Cone underwent surgery in mid-May. “Everybody wants to know, ‘When is he coming back?'” said team doctor Stuart Hershon to Malcolm Moran. “My concern primarily is his health and well-being. After that, we’ll worry about when he’s going to be a baseball player. That’s why I didn’t go into the issue of coming back. That’s important for me to convey. You worry about a patient’s well-being, then you worry about the occupation.” The Yankees were not particularly deep with starting pitchers at the time, and now they were going to be without their ace for an unknown amount of time. Young Andy Pettitte stepped into the ace role, Jimmy Key was able to stay healthy after missing most of the 1995 season, and Doc Gooden was surprisingly solid, so the rotation was okay. Scott Kamieniecki, Ramiro Mendoza, Brian Boehringer, and Mark Hutton all made spot starts during Cone’s absence. Cone had his surgery in May, rehabbed through June and July, and come August, he was in good enough shape physically to begin pitching again. Doctors gave him the okay to start throwing, and the Yankees, who were on top of the AL East and looking ahead to the postseason, were excited about getting their ace back. Cone made two rehab starts with Double-A Norwich before rejoining the big league team on September 2nd, a little less than four months following surgery. The Yankees were in Oakland on Labor Day and they were in a funk at the time. They had lost six of their last eight games and eleven of their last 17 games. The AL East lead had dwindled from nine games to four games during that 17-game span. The A’s were not very good in 1996, but the Yankees needed to right the ship, and they needed Cone to show he could be effective following surgery. He did exactly that in his first outing off the DL. Not the best start! Cone walked the first batter in his first game back on four pitches. He did rebound to strike out the next batter, and Joe Girardi did Cone a solid by throwing out Jose Herrera trying to steal second. That probably would have driven me nuts if I were an A’s fan at the time. You’ve got a pitcher coming back from a four-month layoff and he just walked the first batter of the game on four pitches. Why risk it? It looked worse when Cone walked Jason Giambi, the No. 3 hitter, on five pitches. A Mark McGwire pop-up ended the inning. Much better second inning for Cone, who got three quick outs on eleven total pitches. He needed that after throwing 19 pitches in the first inning and putting himself in the stretch right away. The A’s weren’t any good, but Giambi and McGwire were hardly easy outs. Oakland scored runs 5.31 runs per game in 1996, not too far behind the eventual World Series champion Yankees (5.38). Another quick inning in the third. Cone needed only eight pitches to get two fly balls and a strikeout. I remember watching the game live and thinking it looked like he was starting to get settled down and find his rhythm. I’m sure he was amped up after missing so much time and also a little nervous given the severity of the injury. “I struggled in the first. I didn’t have a feel for anything,” said Cone to Jack Curry after the game. “The first five pitches weren’t close. I was just thinking, ‘Don’t let them get anything.'” Giambi was 25 at the time and in his first full season, and he had yet to emerge as the offensive force he was in the late-1990s and early-2000s. He was still a very good hitter though, and in the fourth inning he worked another five-pitch watch to snap Cone’s string of eight straight retired. Giambi saw five pitches in the fourth inning. The other three batters saw seven pitches total. Eleven pitches. The Athletics had drawn three walks on the afternoon but they did not yet have a hit through five innings against Cone in his first start off the DL. He had only thrown 61 pitches as well, so he was efficient. The Yankees had him on a pitch count — Joe Torre said Cone was good for 100 pitches before the game but indicated he didn’t want to push it — and he was giving them length. It was everything the Yankees wanted to see from him. Three up, three down once again. Two fly balls and a strikeout. That seemed to be Cone’s formula for the afternoon. Fly balls and strikeouts. The Yankees finally broke through and scored a run in the top of the sixth — Cecil Fielder was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded — so Cone had a little bit of support. He was through six hitless innings. Another three up, three down frame, though this one came with some warning signs. Giambi hit a line drive to Derek Jeter at shortstop. Charlie Hayes made a diving stop and threw McGwire out at first base, robbing him of a base hit. Berroa crushed a ball to dead center that Bernie Williams caught right at the top of the wall. All three batters made loud contact. Hayes hit a home run to help break the game open in the top of the seventh and give Cone some breathing room. His pitch count was at 85 after the seventh inning and he had retired eleven straight and 19 of the last 20 batters he faced. Torre could have easily sent him back out for the eighth with the no-hitter intact, but that’s not what happened. Cone’s afternoon was done after seven hitless innings in his first start off the DL. ”If I would have left him in to throw 105 or 106 pitches and his shoulder would have been achy tomorrow or down the road, I never would have been able to live with myself. I would have always regretted it,” said Torre to Curry, keeping the big picture in mind. Girardi added, “He’s one of the best pitchers in the league. That’s why everyone wants him in September for the pennant run.” Did Cone want to go back out for the eighth inning? Of course. “I was ready to go back out. I was ready to throw caution to the wind. Joe did the right thing,” he said. The aneurysm was a scary, career-threatening thing. Cone couldn’t have possibly known he still had several years left in the tank and would later throw a perfect game. Fielder hit a home run in the top of the eighth to give the Yankees a 5-0 lead. Torre went to ace reliever Mariano Rivera to close out the no-hitter, and after a clean eighth, Rivera allowed a ground ball single to the speedy Herrera with one out in the ninth. Jeter almost threw him out from deep in the hole but couldn’t get the out. Torre argued to no avail. The Yankees settled for the one-hitter and a 5-0 win. The Yankees needed the win given their slide in the standings, and they needed Cone to show he could be effective following the aneurysm. He did that and then some. Cone continued to shake off the rust in September before helping the Yankees win the World Series in October. He came close to a no-hitter that afternoon in Oakland. More importantly, the Yankees had their ace back. “I’ll never wonder if this could have been my last opportunity to throw (a no-hitter),” said Cone to Curry after the game. ”I wouldn’t think that way. I appreciate that they took me out of the game. It’s more important for us to get to the playoffs and the World Series.” Filed Under: Days of Yore Tagged With: David Cone, Retro Week FanGraphs Q&A with David Cone November 20, 2012 by Mike 6 Comments David Laurila of FanGraphs posted an interview with former Yankee and current YES Network analyst David Cone today … well, it’s not much of an interview really. Cone did all the talking and basically told a big story. He spoke about his development as a pitcher throughout his playing career and his love for data, something that extends into his broadcasts. It’s no secret that Cone is a personal fave in the booth, so you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m giving this RAB’s highest level of recommendation. Check it out. Filed Under: Asides Tagged With: David Cone February 8, 2012 by Mike 39 Comments (AP) Getting spurned by big name free agents isn’t a familiar feeling for Yankees fans, which is why the Cliff Lee decision last winter was so disappointing. We’d grown accustomed to the Yankees just getting whoever they wanted, and that was a shock to the system. Being told no by Lee was nothing compared to what happened two decades ago, however. The 1992-1993 offseason was highlighted by a pair of in-their-prime superstar free agents: 28-year-old reigning NL MVP Barry Bonds and 26-year-old reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux. The Yankees wanted both, and started the winter by offering Bonds a five-year, $36M contract that would have made him the highest paid player in baseball. Then-GM Gene Michael made the offer the Monday before the winter meetings, but he gave Bonds and agent Dennis Gilbert just two days to accept. When they asked for a sixth guaranteed year, Michael broke off negotiations. “We wanted him and now it’s off,” said Michael. “We’re going for pitching. Maybe it’s the right thing to do. We will not have Barry Bonds with a sixth year … We have to draw the line somewhere. I have no regrets saying we did not offer him a sixth year. We offered him a fantastic contract for five years. We really went out of our way to make a nice offer.” The day after making the offer to Bonds, Michael met with Scott Boras about Maddux and presented a standing five-year, $34M contract offer. Maddux was their true number one target that offseason. “If we are going to step out, we’re going to step out for this guy,” said Michael. “He’s the best pitcher available, and he knows our offer is serious … There is no scare in this kid.” A few days later, Bonds got his guaranteed sixth year from the Giants and headed to San Francisco for $43.75M. Boras was seeking $7M annually for Maddux, saying “if you’re the Cy Young Award winner and the most durable pitcher in baseball, you deserve the premium salary.” The right-hander had thrown 260+ innings in each of the previous two seasons and 235+ innings in each of the previous five seasons. Maddux visited the New York area with his wife in early-December, and Michael showed them around New Jersey. The Yankees had acquired Jim Abbott from the Angels for three young players — Russ Springer, J.T. Snow, and Jerry Nielsen — earlier in the week, a move that reportedly impressed Maddux and seemed to boost the Yankees chances of signing him. Ultimately, it did not. A few days later, Greg Maddux was a Brave, taking less money to go to Atlanta and remain in the National League. “This one hurts,” said Michael. “He’s the best one out there. I never thought I could say this, but he’s a steal at [five years and $28M]. He’s a steal … It’s not over yet for us. We’ll do some things.” The Yankees had multiple irons in the fire all winter, so Michael turned to Plans C, D, and E after being jilted by his top two free agent targets. He’d offered David Cone a three-year deal worth $17M earlier in the offseason, but the 29-year-old right-hander went home to the Royals for three years and $18M. Doug Drabek and Jose Guzman signed with the Astros and Cubs after being extended offered from the Yankees. Plans C through E were now off the table as well. While Michael was busy dealing with Bonds, Maddux, Cone, et al., then-managing partner Joe Molloy was serving as the team’s chief negotiator with free agent lefty Jimmy Key. Key was 31 at the time and had a bit of an injury history, but like Cone he had been an All-Star and won a World Series with the Blue Jays the year before. His wife Cindy was his agent, and the two were on vacation when they accepted the Yankees’ four-year, $17M proposal a few days after Maddux headed to Atlanta. “You can’t dwell on Bonds or Maddux or Cone,” said then-manager Buck Showalter. “I’m excited about getting a player of [Key’s] background and with his track record coming to New York … As important as that is, I’m excited that he wanted to come to play in New York.” Since the signing was brokered by Molloy, questions about Michael’s job security arose. George Steinbrenner had been banned from the team’s day-to-day management two years earlier by commissioner Fay Vincent for the Dave Winfield fiasco, so Molloy was left to answer questions about who was running the team. “[Michael is] an excellent general manager … As long as I’m the general partner, Gene should feel confident in his job as the general manager,” said Molloy. “That’s not to say if I get upset with Gene, I won’t fire him either.” Key joined Abbott in the 1993 rotation, which also included holdovers Melido Perez and Scott Kamieniecki. He was the Yankees best pitcher in 1993 and 1994 (3.11 ERA in 404.2 IP), but he got hurt in 1995 and managed just five starts. Key returned in 1996 and wasn’t as effective as he had been in the past, but he did help the club to the World Series. He got the ball in the deciding Game Six of the Fall Classic, and outpitched Maddux to give the Yankees their first title in 18 years. Not bad for a guy that was Plan F. Filed Under: Days of Yore Tagged With: Barry Bonds, David Cone, Greg Maddux, Jimmy Key, Retro Week The David Cone Years (Photo via baseball.wikia.com) David Cone was no stranger to New York. The Yankees acquired the right-hander from the Blue Jays just before the 1995 trade deadline in exchange for three young pitchers — Jason Jarvis, Mike Gordon, and Marty Janzen — three years after his five-and-a-half year stint with the Mets came to an end. Cone, 32 at the time, was a hired gun. A hired gun that just so happened to be a former World Champion and the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. “What’s not to like?” said Don Mattingly after the trade. “I don’t even know the other three guys … It’s kind of like with John Wetteland. We got him for nothing.” The Yankees were six-and-a-half games behind the division-leading Red Sox at the time of the trade, but they were on a six-game winning streak and had surged from ten-and-a-half back with an 11-4 stretch. Cone went 9-2 with a 3.82 ERA after the trade but the Yankees were unable to move past Boston in the standings. Instead, they were the first AL Wild Card team in baseball history. Cone got the ball in Game One of the ALDS against the Mariners, and led his team to a win by allowing four runs in eight innings. The decisive Game Five did not go as well, as Cone’s 147th and final pitch of the night was ball four to the light hitting Doug Strange, forcing in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth. The Yankees went on to lose the game and series in extra innings, and Cone became a free agent after the season. Jimmy Key was slated to come back from injury, but they were still in a position to lose both Cone and Jack McDowell that offseason. Mailbag: David Cone November 25, 2011 by Mike 24 Comments Kurt asks: I was just curious about how David Cone came to the Yankees, and if you considered him underrated? Cone is by far my most favorite analyst on YES, and he was also one of my most favorite players on the team during his 5+ seasons in pinstripes. He won the Cy Young Award with the Royals in 1994 (16-5, 2.94), but they traded him to the Blue Jays shortly after the strike ended for Chris Stynes and two minor leagues. After 17 very good starts for Toronto (9-6, 3.38), the fifth place Jays sent him to the Yankees just before the 1995 trade deadline for Marty Janzen and a pair of minor leaguers (Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon). Intra-division trades weren’t as frowned upon back then. Cone stepped right into a Yankees’ rotation that included Jack McDowell, Sterling Hitchock, Andy Pettitte, and Scott Kamieniecki. Shoulder problems sent Opening Day starter Jimmy Key to the DL after just five starts, so that’s essentially who Cone replaced. The fill-in starter whose job he took after the trade? Some skinny kid from Panama named Mariano Rivera, who had a 5.40 ERA in 40 IP across eight starts before giving way to Cone. The Yankees were 41-42 and in third place on the day of the trade, but Cone helped them to a 38-23 finish by going 9-2 with a 3.82 ERA in his 13 starts. Cone, 32 at the time, pitched okay against the Mariners in the ALDS (eight runs in 15.2 IP), though he infamously walked Doug Strange with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth of Game Five to force in the tying run. That game/series was the first time I ever felt true heartbreak as a baseball fan. It was brutal. Cone became a free agent after the season, but the Yankees eventually re-signed him to a three-year deal worth $18M, the going rate for ace-caliber pitchers back then. He spent most of the 1996 season on the DL due to an aneurysm in his arm, but he threw seven no-hit innings in his first game back. Cone finished the season at 7-2, 2.88 in just eleven starts, then got rocked in the ALDS (6 IP, 6 R) by the Rangers before pitching well in the ALCS (6 IP, 2 R) against the Orioles and in the World Series (6 IP, 1 R) against the Braves. Everyone remembers the Andy Pettitte-John Smoltz matchup in Game Five, but Cone outdueled Tom Glavine in Game Three to keep his team from falling behind in the series three games to none. During the final two years of his deal, Cone went a combined 32-13 with a 3.20 ERA, helping the Yankees to another World Series title with a 20-win season in 1998. The Yankees re-signed him to a two-year deal worth $20M or so after the 1998 season, and although he pitched well in 1999 (12-9, 3.44 ERA), throwing a perfect game against the Expos in July, he turned in one of the worst pitched seasons in Yankees’ history in 2000 (4-14, 6.91 ERA). During his 5+ years in the Bronx, Cone went 64-40 with a 3.90 ERA, though it was 60-26 with a 3.31 ERA before that ugly 2000 season. He helped them to six playoff appearances and three World Championships, twice going to the All-Star Game (1997 and 1999) and thrice finishing in the top six of the AL Cy Young voting (1995, 1998, and 1999). I don’t think Cone was underrated during his time with the Yankees, but I think he was easy to underappreciate because he always seemed to pitch well and deep into games. Does that make sense? His high-end production was easy to take for granted after a while, which is sorta like what’s happening with CC Sabathia. Cone was a key part of the most recent Yankees dynasty, and those guys tend to live forever in our memories. Filed Under: Mailbag Tagged With: David Cone David Cone interview in New York Magazine May 27, 2011 by Mike 6 Comments Everyone loves David Cone, at least I think everyone does. I’ve made it very well known that he’s my favorite YES announcer because of his affection for advanced stats, his candid stories, and because he occasionally talks before he thinks. He’s great. Cone sat down for an interview with Joe DeLessio of New York Magazine, and it truly is a must read. He discusses those advanced stats and his favorite sites, but also the Jorge Posada situation, the end of his own career, his involvement with the Stars and Stripes cap program, and much more. It gets RAB’s highest level of recommendation, so check it out.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line182
__label__cc	0.659413	0.340587	News: NEW CHILD BOARD CREATED IN THE POLITICAL SECTION FOR THE 2016 ELECTION Home Help Login Register Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum > High Profile Crimes and Trials (not missing persons) > Jodi Arias trial - for the murder of Travis Alexander > Topic: Travis Alexander of Mesa, AZ Found Murdered June 2008-Jodi Arias on Trial Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 » Go Down Author Topic: Travis Alexander of Mesa, AZ Found Murdered June 2008-Jodi Arias on Trial (Read 1387172 times) flamom Monkey All Star Jr. Re: Travis Alexander of Mesa, AZ Found Murdered June 2008-Jodi Arias on Trial « Reply #3120 on: May 21, 2013, 12:36:57 PM » Hi Monks! Nurmi is gross, Willmott looks anxious, Jodi is still writing.... The mom's sister doesn't seem to be there yuckin it up.... and her friend bailed... nothing to see here! If you can read this thank a teacher. If you're reading this in English thank a soldier.. Tamikosmom Monkey Mega Star Quote from: Tamikosmom on March 25, 2013, 02:18:09 PM Food for thought in regards to the attempted withdrawals from the case of defence attorney Kirk Nurmi as well as the allegedly forged letters that were allegedly written by Travis ... allegedly forged letters that Jodi attempted to present as evidence to support her claim that Travis had an interest in children. Defense Counsel Information based on case minutes: First public defender at arraignment is James Hann. There is a minute entry about the public defender having a possible conflict. The State’s Attorney is Juan Martinez On 9/19/08 the public defender is Maria L Schaffer as primary. On 9/19/08 another public defender Judis R Andrews requested an extension of time to challenge the Grand Jury proceedings as they did not have a copy of the Grand Jury transcript. On 12/18/08 the primary public defender is Maria L Schaffer and the secondary public defender is Gregory T Parzych. Juan M Martinez is still the State’s Attorney. On 5/22/09 the defendant submitted a request for a change of council. Additional hearings and status meeting are held without further mention of the change of council. On 8/10/09 the Court received and reviewed a motion from both public defenders to withdraw from representing the defendant. The Court found sufficient cause to allow them to withdraw and noted that the trial was set for February 2, 2010 so there is adequate time for new counsel to be assigned without putting the trial date in jeopardy. On 8/18/09 Victoria E Washington and Kirk Nurmi appear as counsel along with Maria Schaffer and Gregory Parzych at an evidentiary hearing. Of interest, this hearing was to determine if there is probable cause to add an Aggravating Factor that will make this a death penalty case. This is where the prosecution presents to the Court that the victim was shot first, then repeatedly stabbed, then stabbed in the heart and finally had throat slit. Detective Flores represents to the court that he spoke with the Medical Examiner Dr. Horne and that this is the sequence of events Dr. Horne gave him. On 8/18/09 Victoria E Washington (secondary) and Kirk Nurmi (primary) are assigned as new defense counsel. On 11/3/09 new trial date of 8/16/2010 is set. This is per the request of defense counsel who previously stated they need more time to prepare. On 6/18/10 the trial date was reset to 8/2/2011. On 2/25/11 Kirk Nurmi announced to the Court that he is leaving the Public Defender’s Office. On 3/8/2011 a hearing is held regarding Kirk Nurmi withdrawing as defense consel. Very interesting minutes. Defendant strenuously objected to new counsel and possibility of pushing back trial date. The Court noted that “Once a case is set for trial, counsel may not withdraw except upon motion providing the name and address of another attorney, along with a statement from that attorney stating that he or she has been advised of the trial date and will be prepared for trial. Rule 6.3(c). No such motion or statement has been filed in this case. “ Mr. Nurmi was ordered to continue as the lead defense counsel at the standard public defender hourly rate paid to the primary defense counsel. On 3/9/2011 Mr. Nurmi submitted a formal motion to withdraw and as hearing on the motion was set for 3/21/2011. On 3/21/2011 Mr. Nurmi’s motion to withdraw as counsel is denied. At this hearing the State’s request to change the trial date due to a scheduling conflict with State Attorney Juan M Martinez was also denied. On 3/22/2011 another hearing is held with a second motion to withdraw by Mr. Nurmi. After the hearing on the previous day the Public Defender Office notified Mr. Nurmi that they were withdrawing the mitigation specialist, investigator, and paralegal because the Public Defender Office does not want Mr. Nurmi directing staff when he is no longer an employee. The Court ordered that Mr. Nurmi motion was denied and he was required to remain as the primary counsel and that the Public Defender Office must immediately reassign the personnel to the case. On 4/4/2011 Mr. Nurmi stated his objection to remaining on the case during a status hearing as he has left the Public Defender Office to go into private practice. The Court found that Mr. Nurmi has an ethical obligation to continue representing the defendant but would begin receiving a reasonable hourly rate of $225.00 as compensation to avoid any financial interests that would place Mr. Nurmi in conflict with his client. On 8/8/2011 defendant has a hearing on an oral motion she submitted to represent herself. At the end of the hearing this motion is granted but Kirk Nurmi and Victoria Washington are to remain as advisory counsel, with Victoria Washington as primary. The evidentiary hearing on the purported letters from Travis Alexander alleging he is a pedophile is held with Ms. Arias as defense counsel. On 8/9/2011 during a normal status conference both Victoria Washington and Kirk Nurmi address the Court as to the roles and responsibility of advisory counsel, and the primary counsel (which is now the defendant). The Court agrees and addresses this with Ms. Arias and asks her if she wishes to remain as her own counsel. She states she will continue as primary counsel. On 8/15/2011 the evidentiary hearing regarding the “pedophile” letters is completed. The Court orders that the letters are precluded and the defense withdraws them. At the end of this hearing Ms. Arias submits an oral request to withdraw as her own counsel and requests that Mr. Nurmi and Victoria Washington be reinstated as defense counsel. The Court orders Kirk Nurmi and Victoria Washington to represent the defendant in all further proceedings. On 9/9/2011 the trial date is reset to 2/21/2012 due to the primary defense witness needing to withdraw because of a health issue. A new witness will need to be retained and allowed time to prepare for the trial. On 12/22/2011 a hearing was held on a motion from the Public Defender Office to withdraw from this case due to a conflict of interest with Victoria Washington. Motion was allowed but the Public Defender Office will appoint a new second counsel, investigator, mitigation specialist, and paralegal. Victoria Washington is released as counsel. On 1/3/2012 a hearing was held on a motion to continue trial due to assignment of new counsel. New secondary counsel Jennifer L Willmott was assigned by the Public Defender Office. Defendant agreed and waived the applicable time limit. Trial date was changed to 10/17/2012. On 3/12/2012 a hearing was held on a defense motion to dismiss the Intent to Seek Death Penalty. Per the motion “At the status conference on January 3, 2012, the Court granted an oral motion by the defense to continue the trial due to the recent appointment of Ms. Willmott. Defendant Arias agreed to the continuance and the exclusion of time. The trial was reset to October 17, 2012. All time was excluded. See minute entry dated January 3, 2012. Defendant now asserts the State’s Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty should be dismissed because, to assure she had effective representation by counsel, Defendant Arias had to agree to the continuance of the trial to October 17, 2012.” The Court denied this motion as the need for competent and prepared counsel trumps her right to a speedy trial. During this hearing the defense also submitted a motion to preclude the State from referring to Travis Alexander as a “victim” during the trial. Specifically, Defendant Arias argues she would be prejudiced by permitting the State and its witnesses to refer to Mr. Alexander as the victim since it is contrary to her claim of self defense. As such, she would be prejudiced. The State responds that the term “victim” is routinely used in criminal cases and does not imply the defendant committed the crime with which she has been charged. Further, the State argues Mr. Alexander was murdered and thus he was a “victim” of a criminal offense as defined by Arizona law. The Court finds the defendant failed to establish she will be prejudiced if Mr. Alexander is referred to as the “victim” in front of the jury during the trial. The State’s evidence will show Mr. Alexander was the victim of a homicide. Apparently, the defendant will argue she acted in self defense and was thus justified in her actions. Regardless, referring to Mr. Alexander as the “victim” during the trial will not unfairly prejudice the defendant. On 10/30/12 defense submits another request to continue the trial date (there was a previous motion that was granted moving the trial date from 10/17/2012 to 11/19/2012) because they want their own review of a computer hard drive. State objects to the continuation. On 11/19/2012 motion is granted changing trial date to 12/10/2012. On 12/4/2012 defense submits another motion for continuation. Motion is denied. Jury selection begins on 12/10/2012. Final jury is selected and sworn in 12/20/12. Opening statements scheduled to being 1/2/2012. jacct - 01-10-2013, 04:48 PM http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8715239 http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/JOnamesearch.asp?casenumber=CR2008031021 Kirk Nurmi has attempted to withdraw from the Jodi Arias case time and time again going way back but each motion was denied. Could it be that Nurmi realized he could not defend someone with an ego that insisted on being in control of the defense. Loving Natalee - Beth Holloway Page 219: I have to make difficult choices every day. I have to make a conscious decision every morning when I wake up not to be bitter, not to live in resentment and let anger control me. It's not easy. I ask God to help me. “A person of integrity expects to be believed and when he’s not, he let’s time prove him right.” -unknown crazybabyborg Twittersteve krafft @SKrafftFox10 #jodiarias #fox10 Arias family comes in, sits down in front row across the aisle from Travis' family. No eye contact. Like old Berlin Wall. http://www.wptv.com/generic/news/national/Jodi-Arias-trial-live-video Quote from: Brandi on May 21, 2013, 12:36:34 PM Still no sign of #JodiArias' parents yet, rest of the court is pretty full now. We are still hwaiting. http://wildabouttrial.com/videos/jodi-arias-live-stream.html @WildAboutTrial #JodiArias' family is here now. Her father sits in the aisle seat in front row. We await the judge, jury and Jodi. Today the defense wears blood red... SHAMEFUL!!! Quote from: Tamikosmom on May 16, 2013, 10:48:03 PM The following is a link to Jodi Arias' March, 2011 letter to the judge in response to one of several motions filed by Kirk Nurmi to withdraw his representation. http://twitdoc.com/view.asp?id=94223&sid=20PB&ext=PDF&lcl=JA-Letter-from-Jodi-to-Judge-re-Nurmi-Motion-to-Withdraw.pdf&usr=zou2&doc=139833553&key=key-2gxotllz9sge8erm21fo I can remember when Jodi first took the stand to testify ... the first question Kirk Nurmi asked was "Are you testifying on your own free will?" (paraphrased) Monkey Junky Quote from: flamom on May 21, 2013, 12:39:33 PM omg are you serious? I haven't seen him but they said on HLN that Nurmi was wearing a tan suit. HLN: Jodi's in the courtroom wearing black holding a manilla envelope. Can you imagine how the Alexander family is feeling. HLN: Attorney and Jodi are still in chambers. Hln says the DT is having a problem with the killer. What's in the envelops the manifesto or those fake pedo letters? Drama drama drama HLN is speculating that Jodi wants to ask the jury for death, and the judge is vetting her with questions about that decision to protect the case from appeal. Who knows? Maybe they're right. grace-land jose miguel @reporterjmiguel RT @elizabetherwin : @tavations She just got here, then went into chambers w/attorneys and two Alexander sisters I said it yesterday and will say again: If there is stuff to clear up that requires "in chamber" stuff, the judge should order the attorneys to appear BEFORE the set time for court to start. This is so disrespectful to the jury, IMO. I agree! A few of the jurors were visibly pissed yesterday. So sorry!! I forgot I was watching trutv..... duh.. I do think it is so odd how the defense attys dress alike... Wild About Trial @WildAboutTrial Prosecution and two Travis' sisters just came out. Flores and Juan went into side room by me. He was moving fast. Quote from: loca on May 21, 2013, 01:03:44 PM Hi Loca.. 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__label__wiki	0.580689	0.580689	Persita Tangerang (@1.57) vs Persiraja Banda Aceh (@5.0) Persita Tangerang will win Persita Tangerang vs Persiraja Banda Aceh Persita Tangerang – Persiraja Banda Aceh Match Prediction \| 19-09-2019 04:30 Persiraja Banda Aceh video highlights are collected in the Media tab for the most popular matches as soon as video appear on video hosting sites like Youtube or Dailymotion. Persita Tangerang Persiraja Banda Aceh live score (and video online live stream) starts on 18.9.2019. Links to Persita Tangerang vs. We're not responsible for any video content, please contact video file owners or hosters for any legal complaints. Here on SofaScore livescore you can find all Persita Tangerang vs Persiraja Banda Aceh previous results sorted by their H2H matches. at 08:30 UTC time in Liga 2 - Indonesia. Most of spectators in Persiraja games are not affiliated with any supporter community and go to stadium just to enjoy the game. However, Persiraja have relatively small numbers of fanatic supporter community named SKULL[13][14], which was established in 2007.[15] The name is an abbreviation of Suporter Kutaraja Untuk Lantak Laju[16] (en: Banda Aceh Supporter for the Keep Fighting). They used to have rivalry and conflict with The LAN,[17] which is the supporter community of other Aceh club, PSAP Sigli. Persiraja Banda Aceh only have 2 wins to counter their 6 defeats and 0 draws. Bitter travels for Persiraja Banda Aceh as they have lost five games in a row away from home. The last time they avoided an away-from-home loss was the PSGC Ciamis. There's been little loot from Persiraja Banda Aceh's travels as they have only collected 6 points from 8 away games in the Liga 2. Dimurthala Stadium for their home game's venue. The result was not disappointing, three wins and four draws. Dimurthala Stadium, located in Lampineung village, Kuta Alam sub-district, Banda Aceh. Of the five games that were held in H. Before deciding to move to the old stadium in the second round of competition Indonesian Premier League, the team spent some perioda playing at the Harapan Bangsa Stadium, located in Lhong Raya, Banda Raya, Banda Aceh. But, after they switched back their homeground to H. The stadium is considered as the "Stadium of the most Sacred", because every other team that played in Banda Aceh, never draw against Persiraja, let alone defeat it. Ever since, Persiraja use only H. Persiraja Banda Aceh's current home stadium is H. Dimurthala Stadium, the result was incredible. Dimurthala Stadium, all games were won by Persiraja with perfect or 100% without loss though. Persiraja used to have a rivalry with fellow Aceh club, PSAP Sigli. Akli suffered bladder leakage and, a few days after the match, died from his internal injuries due to that tackle.[8] Although Agus Rahman said that he never intended to harm Akli, and asked for a forgiveness from Akli's family,[9] he received a year suspension given by PSSI.[10] Nowadays, since Persiraja and PSAP Sigli are no longer in the same league level, the rivalry has been coolen down. This derby is usually called as the "Classic Aceh Derby". Their matches were always in hot atmosphere.[6][7] One most tragic incident occurred in 2014, when PSAP Sigli goalkeeper, Agus Rahman, made a harsh tackle on Persiraja striker, Akli Fairuz. You can watch Persita Tangerang vs. It's also easy to find video highlights and news from the most popular sports leagues in the world. We don't offer a TV schedule here, if you would like to watch this match on TV you'll probably find it it on some more popular channels like iTV, BBC, Al Jazeera Sports, Sky Sports, Gol TV, Canal+, SportTV, FOX Soccer, Setanta, ESPN, etc. If this match is covered by bet365 live streaming you can watch football match Persita Tangerang Persiraja Banda Aceh on your iPhone, iPad, Android or Windows phone. Live bet365 odds are viewable in SofaScore's football livescore section. Persiraja Banda Aceh live stream online if you are registered member of bet365, the leading online betting company that has streaming coverage for more than 140.000 live sports events with live betting during the year. Therefore, in March 2017, the management of Persiraja established a private company.[20] Nazaruddin, a local businessman, bought most shares, forming PT Persiraja Lantak Laju,[21][3] and became the club's president. However, according to new ordinance by Indonesian Minister of Internal Affair in 2017, the local municipalities are no longer allowed to give any fund support to Indonesian professional clubs, [19] which means for all clubs in Liga 1 and Liga 2, including Persiraja. Like most Perserikatan clubs, Persiraja had been funded by the local municipality. Persiraja could have been relegated in 1979, but PSSI successfully prevented by adding a team so that a total of six teams. The club is still under the shadow of PSMS Medan who became one of the strongest teams. At that time, Persiraja successfully topped the final standings with 11 points and goal difference 31-10 (21). Dimurthala in Lampineung. During the period 1957 to 1974, there was no great achievement to be proud of, until finally in 1975, Persiraja successfully passed the shadows of PSMS Medan. In finding talented players, the team is making a "Bonden" or another term for the academy. Persiraja also began to be known by everyone. Persiraja have to wait for 23 years since 1957 to win the title in the national football arena. Persiraja was founded as a semi-professional team on July 28, 1957, initiated by PSSI. At the beginning of this team, there's nothing special from this team. Thus, Persiraja right to advance to the National Championship 1975-1978 PSSI national level with PSMS Medan, PSL, and PS Bangka. In the early formation of this team, the team's headquarters are located at Blang Padang Field, before being moved to the Stadium H. An honor when it won the to remember, Persiraja known since 1975, five years after the rising levels. Finally, in 1980, Persiraja successfully become a national champion in 1980 by beating Persipura Jayapura 3-1 in the final game. In the 1973-1975 National Championship PSSI western region, Persiraja successfully become champion by beating strong teams from Sumatra. The name change from a previous name of Persib Banda to current name Persiraja is unknown to the public. At the beginning of its participation, Persiraja broke through the ranks of the 8. In the following season, Persiraja managed to increase ranking to top 5. Frog's Verdict Find out more about contacting bet365 here , either by telephone, post, email or chat. IMPORTANT NOTICE SofaScore.com in partnership with bet365 offers over 140,000 live streaming events per year. Prior to joining bet365 and funding your account in order to view Persita Tangerang Persiraja Banda Aceh, or any other particular event via the bet365 live stream, you are strongly advised to check with bet365 if, depending on your place of residence, it is possible to view the live streamed event in question. However, please note that the intellectual property rights to stream such events are usually owned at a country level and therefore, depending on your location, there may be certain events that you may be unable to view due to such restrictions. Vitesse Arnhem / Az Alkmaar Prediction Willem II / Feyenoord Prediction Az Alkmaar / Sparta Rotterdam Prediction Heerenveen / Fortuna Sittard Prediction PSV / Vitesse Arnhem Prediction	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line187
__label__wiki	0.790169	0.790169	12:56 PM 09-Oct-2017 Tan Xi-en Rachel (Research Assistant at the Centre for International Law and Incoming Practice Trainee at Rajah and Tann LLP) and Professor Lucy Ferguson Reed (Director, Centre for International Law and Professor, NUS Faculty of Law) 1 Kingdom of Lesotho v Swissbourgh Diamond Mines (Pty) Limited and others (“Lesotho v Swissbourgh”) is the first case in which the Singapore High Court (“SGHC”) has set aside the final jurisdiction and merits award of an investor-State arbitral tribunal. The case was brought before the SGHC in Originating Summons No 492 (“OS 492”), in which the plaintiff, the Kingdom of Lesotho (“Lesotho”), successfully sought to set aside the final award issued against it by the arbitral tribunal (“Tribunal”) in an ad hoc arbitration administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (“PCA”) and heard in Singapore. Following an exhaustive de novo review of a panoply of jurisdiction and admissibility issues, the SGHC held that the Tribunal lacked jurisdiction and set aside the entire award. 2 Lesotho v Swissbourgh comes on the heels of the well-publicized Singapore Court of Appeal (“SGCA”) decision affirming the positive jurisdictional decision of the arbitral tribunal in another investor-State arbitration; Sanum Investments Limited v the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic [2016] SGCA 57. Lesotho v Swissbourgh will no doubt attract similar attention, because, in Justice Steven Chong’s words, it “tick[ed] all four boxes of complexity, difficulty, novelty, and precedential value”. Courts, counsel and academics alike – in Singapore and beyond – will learn much from the comprehensive 172-page judgment addressing a multitude of public international law and treaty interpretation questions set against the backdrop of allegedly expropriated diamond mine leases and the dissolution of a special court established under the 1993 South African Development Community Treaty. 3 The plaintiff in OS 492 is Lesotho. The defendants are a South African businessman and eight associated companies and trusts, who in the 1980s invested in diamond mines in Lesotho. 4 The first defendant, Swissbourgh Diamond Mines (Pty) Limited (“Swissbourgh”), obtained five mining leases in 1988 in five regions of Lesotho, including Rampai. This was two years after Lesotho and South Africa had entered into a large-scale commercial joint venture named the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which benefited Lesotho with royalties for water transfers and electricity from hydropower stations. 5 Despite the leases having being granted by the King of Lesotho and registered, Lesotho subsequently claimed to discover non-compliance with the application process. Lesotho alleged that the Rampai mining lease was illegal because there had been no consultation with the local chiefs. Lesotho enacted legislation taking back areas within the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and enacted the Revocation of Specific Mining Leases Order of 1992. This led to litigation in the Lesotho courts, culminating in a declaration that the Rampai lease was void ab initio. The investors did not pursue litigation over the other four leases because they anticipated the same negative outcome. After failing to obtain diplomatic protection from South Africa, the investors commenced an action in 2009 before the South African Development Community Tribunal (“SADC Tribunal”), alleging expropriation of their investments in violation of the protections in the SADC Treaty. 6 As events played out, the SADC Tribunal did not hear the claim because it was dissolved following controversy over previous decisions against Zimbabwe. Importantly - for the purposes of the arbitration that was to follow - Lesotho approved the resolutions dissolving the SADC Tribunal. 7 In 2012, the investors commenced an international arbitration against Lesotho under Article 28(1) of Annex 1 of the 2010 Protocol on Finance and Investment to the 1993 SADC Treaty (“Investment Protocol”). The investors’ core complaint was Lesotho’s “shuttering” of the SADC Tribunal without providing an alternative means for adjudication. 8 Lesotho disputed the Tribunal’s jurisdiction on various grounds, arguing that (a) the true dispute was the expropriation dispute which predated the entry into force of the Investment Protocol; (b) the defendants did not qualify as “investors” under the Investment Protocol, (c) the right to claim in a particular international forum was not an “investment” under the Investment Protocol, and (d) local remedies had not been exhausted. 9 The Tribunal, by a majority, found in favour of the investors in a final award on jurisdiction and merits. The Tribunal ordered that a new tribunal be established to determine the original SADC claim. Lesotho then commenced OS 492. The SGHC’s Decision in OS 492 Jurisdiction to review the Tribunal’s decision 10 The SGHC first dealt with the objections raised by the investors to its own jurisdiction. The court agreed that it could not hear the case under s10(3) of the International Arbitration Act (“IAA”), because that provision limits review to awards on jurisdiction alone and excludes reviews of awards dealing with both jurisdiction and merits. However, the SGHC found that it could proceed under Article 34(2)(a)(iii) of the UNCITRAL Model Law read with s3 of the IAA, because it applies where the final award on jurisdiction and merits exceeds the scope of the arbitration agreement. The SGHC detailed why this interpretation of Article 34(2)(a)(iii) is consistent with “authority, principle and policy”. As a matter of principle, the SGCA earlier confirmed that the reviewing court may set aside an award if there was a violation of due process or irregularities in the proceedings. An award determining a dispute outside the scope of the arbitration agreement falls squarely within Article 34(2)(a)(iii) and cannot be set aside under any other limb of Article 34 of the Model Law. As a matter of policy, to hold that Article 34(2)(a)(iii) does not apply where no other limb under Article 34(2) can be engaged would allow an arbitral tribunal to immunize its awards against judicial scrutiny by resolving jurisdiction and merits in a single award. This would mean that such awards could escape review under both s10 of the IAA and Article 34 of the Model Law. 11 Having established its own jurisdiction, the SGHC proceeded to review Lesotho’s suite of jurisdictional defences in relation to the arbitral award. It found the Tribunal correct in finding jurisdiction ratione temporis, but incorrect in finding jurisdiction ratione materiae and incorrect in its reasons for lacking jurisdiction ratione personae. Jurisdiction Ratione Temporis 12 The key question in determining jurisdiction ratione temporis turned on whether the true dispute before the Tribunal was the shuttering of the SADC Tribunal or the alleged expropriation of the mining leases. The SGHC relied on ATA v Jordan and Chevron v Ecuador in setting out three considerations to separate a pre-existing dispute from the actual dispute submitted to arbitration; whether the disputes (a) were the same; (b) stemmed from the same cause; and (c) related to the same conduct. 13 On the facts, the SGHC found that (a) Lesotho’s role in shutting down the SADC Tribunal was distinct from its actions in relation to the expropriation dispute, and (b) that the expropriation and the shuttering of the SADC Tribunal were attributable to different Lesotho actors. Therefore, the Tribunal did possess jurisdiction ratione temporis because the true dispute was the “shuttering dispute”, which arose after the 2010 entry into force of the Investment Protocol. Jurisdiction Ratione Materiae 14 The characterization of the true dispute as the “shuttering dispute” proved fatal to the investors’ case as the SGHC determined that “a right to hear a claim”, ie, before the SADC Tribunal, could not constitute an “investment” under the Investment Protocol. The SGHC started its analysis of the definition of an “investment” with Article 31 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (“VCLT”). Annex I of the Investment Protocol expressly provides that an “investment” is “the purchase, acquisition, or establishment of productive and portfolio investment assets”, rather than using the familiar broader language of “every kind of asset”. 15 The SGHC then explored whether the secondary right to bring a claim before the SADC Tribunal nonetheless could be construed as part of the “bundle of rights” created by the underlying investment in the mining leases in 1988. It found that the right to bring such a claim did not derive from the leases, but from the 1993 SADC Treaty and a 2001 Protocol. Therefore, recourse to the SADC Tribunal was conferred through these instruments only after execution of the leases, rather than in exchange for the lease investments. Thus the right to bring a claim before the SADC Tribunal also fell outside any “bundle of rights” created by the mining leases. Exhaustion of Local Remedies 16 As a question of admissibility, the SGHC considered whether the investors had exhausted local remedies as required by the Investment Protocol. The SGHC concluded that the investors had not done so, because the earlier litigation was related to the separate dispute involving expropriation. Further, Lesotho’s domestic courts recognize a special “Aquilian action” to seek compensation for economic loss. The SGHC rejected the investors’ argument that an Aquilian action would be futile, noting that the Lesotho courts had found in the investors’ favour in certain earlier cases. 17 The SGHC dealt with Lesotho’s objection to jurisdiction ratione personae although it was not strictly necessary to do so. The SGHC agreed with the Tribunal’s decision on jurisdiction ratione personae but disagreed with the Tribunal’s reasoning. 18 The Tribunal found that both domestic and foreign parties could fall under the definition of “investors” under Annex 1 of the Investment Protocol, but nevertheless found that only the three defendants who were nationals of South Africa or representatives of South African trusts were proper parties to pursue the claim. This was premised on the other defendants being Lesotho companies that had assigned their rights to pursue the expropriation claims to a South African trust. 19 Again turning to the VCLT, the SGHC interpreted Annex 1 of the Investment Protocol to apply only to foreign investors. The court reasoned that applying the definition of “investor” to Lesotho nationals would invariably include “every national who had ever purchased property, acquired company shares, or acquired licenses to exploit natural resources”, which would constitute a significant intrusion into State sovereignty. This precluded personal jurisdiction over the Lesotho defendants, leading to the same outcome on jurisdiction ratione personae as the Tribunal. 20 Lesotho v Swissbourgh again signals the Singapore courts’ willingness to undertake a critical review of investor-State awards where the seat of the arbitration is Singapore. The SGHC undertook an exhaustive de novo review of the Tribunal’s jurisdictional decisions, even though it could have disposed of the case based on its holding that the investors’ right to have a claim heard in the SADC Tribunal did not constitute an “investment” under the relevant treaty. Regardless of any appellate proceedings to follow, the court’s comprehensive review of all the objections raised and the authorities cited by both parties serves to provide valuable guidance for future cases in Singapore and beyond. 21 A snapshot of the court’s approach to investment treaty law appears in the concluding remarks of Kannan Ramesh J at [343]: “Investment treaties are fine-tuned to balance the interests of host states and investors, and it would be ultimately counteractive to a treaty’s object and purpose to extend its protections to situations beyond its contemplation. While the defendants are disappointed with the turn their investment has taken, that cannot be cured by doing violence to a dispute resolution provision in the treaty. The defendants’ difficulties in establishing jurisdiction stem from the fact that their true investment – the Mining Leases – was made before Annex 1’s entry into force.” The SGHC will objectively interpret relevant treaty provisions in reviewing jurisdiction, and take issue with the arbitral tribunal’s conclusions if necessary. The investors may be disappointed in this case, but it could just as likely be the State in the next. * The opinions contained in this case comment reflect the authors’ own views and are not to be understood as reflecting the views of their employers or colleagues. This blog entry may be cited as Rachel Tan and Lucy Reed, “Developing Singaporean Jurisprudence on Reviewing Investor-State Arbitral Awards” (9 October 2017) (http://www.singaporelawblog.sg/blog/article/196) * A PDF version of this entry may be downloaded here	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line188
__label__cc	0.577376	0.422624	A Little-Known Story ... 42.00EUR A little-known story about a movement, a magazine, and the computer's arrival in art: New Tendencies and Bit International, 1961-1973 : [bit international [Nove] tendencije. Computer und visuelle Forschung Zagreb 1961-1973] Exhibitions: Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum 28.04.-17.06.2007 ZKM \| Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe 23.02.2008-18.01.2009 Editor: Margit Rosen Publisher: MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2011 Text: engl., 576 p. This book documents a short but intense artistic experiment which took place in Yugoslavia fifty years ago, but whose impact has been felt far beyond that time and place. Ostensibly, the “little-known story” concerns the advent of computers in art and a movement which began in 1961 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. It was through the activities of that movement, known as New Tendencies, and its supporting institution, the Galerija suvremene umjetnosti, that the “thinking machine” was adopted as an artistic tool and medium. Pursuing the idea of “art as visual research,” the New Tendencies movement proceeded along a path which led from Concrete and Constructivist art, Op art, and Kinetic art with its dynamic apparatuses to computer-generated graphics, film, and sculpture – from “programmed art” without computers to art generated or controlled by computers. With their exhibitions and conferences on the theme of computers and visual research and the launch of the multilingual, groundbreaking magazine bit international in 1968, the New Tendencies transformed Zagreb, already one of the most vibrant artistic centers in Yugoslavia, into an international meeting place where artists, engineers, and scientists from both sides of the Iron Curtain gathered around the then-new technology. For a brief moment in time, Zagreb was the epicenter for exploring the aesthetic, scientific, and political potential of the computer. This volume, edited by Margit Rosen, includes new essays by Jerko Denegri, Darko Fritz, Margit Rosen, and Peter Weibel; a great number of essays and texts that were first published in New Tendencies exhibition catalogs and bit international magazine; and historic documents. Over 650 black-and-white and color illustrations testify to the wide and diverse panorama of artworks that were presented in the exhibitions, and introduce the movement’s protagonists. Many of the historic photographs, translations, and documents are presented here for the first time. The book presents the long overdue history of the New Tendencies experiment and its impact on the art of the twentieth century.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line193
__label__wiki	0.954289	0.954289	Black Label Society Available In: Rock, Metal Rock, Metal, Classic Rock, Alternative, Documentary Stoned and Drunk Destruction Overdrive Funeral Bell Suffering Overdue In This River Suicide Messiah Demise of Sanity Spread Your Wings Solo Acoustic Jam Spoke in the Wheel Genocide Junkies Live at the Roundhouse Of Mice & Men is an American metalcore band from Costa Mesa, California. The group was founded by Austin Carlile and Jaxin Hall during mid-2009 after Carlile's departure from Attack Attack!. Their band name is derived from the novella of the same title. Watch them perform an exhilarating show live at the Roundhouse in Sydney, Australia. Live at the White River Amphitheater American nu metal heroes Godsmack are taking over the stage at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn Washington. Completed in 2003, the 98-acre project cost more than $30 million and hosts musical events under an acoustically treated metal roof; it features two 30-by-40-foot video screens on either side of the stage. The band performs hit songs as “Locked and Loaded,” “Keep Away,” “Out of Line,” “Generation Day,” “Cryin' Like a Bitch, ” and many more. Sully Erna's singing style has been stated as "the snarl of James Hetfield", and "composed of dark harmony that sounds a lot like Alice in Chains". Merrill's bass style has been described as "bulldozer bottom with occasional slap-bass reverb". Larkin's drumming is thought to "worship at the twin altars of Neil Peart and John Bonham". And Rombola's guitar playing style has been praised as "guitars that sound like percussion instruments". Unblackened Black Label Society, formed in the late nineties by legendary guitar hero Zakk Wylde, have established themselves at the forefront of heavy metal with a series of hard riffing and hugely successful albums alongside worldwide tours that have cemented their reputation as one of the most powerful live bands of their generation. "Unblackened" finds Black Label Society in a mellower mood in a performance filmed at Club Nokia in Los Angeles earlier this year. The concert showcases the band's songs with a greater use of acoustic instruments but without losing any of their power and intensity. Zakk Wylde leads from the front as always, performing here on both guitar and piano and demonstrating the subtler side of his music alongside the blistering solos that his fans know and love Recorded live over their summer 2003 tour with heavy metal giants Metallica, this concert film features footage from shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Seattle. With candid backstage and behind the scenes footage, as well as a detailed look at the making of the video for "World So Cold," this is a fascinating look at the life of the band. Live tracks include "Dig," "Internal Primates Forever," "Death Blooms," and many more. Live at the Bamboo Room Includes live performances of Travers best known tunes including "Boom Boom Out Go The Lights, "Snortin' Whiskey," "Crash And Burn" and more. Special guest performance by Pete "Mars" Cowling. Rage Against the Machine released this self-titled film in 1997, collecting live concert footage and music videos of some of their best material. The band starts with a passionate rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Ghost of Tom Joad" live from the Irvine Meadows in Irvine, CA. The well-filmed performance captures Rage near the top of their game. Seeing Zack de la Rocha interact with a large crowd and the band work a tight, incendiary groove is required to understand the appeal of the now-defunct political rock band. This is underscored by "People of the Sun" and four other songs live from the Rock Am Ring Festival in Germany, where Rage plays before what must be 100,000 people. The second half of the film is filled with six music videos, including "Freedom" and "Memory of the Dead (Land and Liberty)." Live from the inside This film captures the final show supporting the RIAA Certified Gold debut LEAVE A WHISPER at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Shinedown toured in support of four Top-5 rock singles (Fly from the Inside, 45, Simple Man, Burning Bright), an incredible achievement, especially for a debut release. Shinedown have clearly left more than a whisper. This film, directed by Chris Sims (Poison the Well, Lamb of God), captures the intensity, spirit and magic of a Shinedown performance like never before. The band continues to tour constantly. For more information, go to Shinedown.com. All Excess "All Excess" brings fans up-to-date with a visual and aural history of Avenged Sevenfold. This film includes a documentary with footage dating back to 1999, four live performances, along with four music videos, and several outtakes. Also included is exclusive backstage footage and interview material with the band. Live at The O2 Academy Running red hot on the heels of their fourth album 'Temper Temper', Bullet For My Valentine rolled into Birmingham's O2 Academy like a tank, armed with burning anthems like 'Your Betrayal', 'Tears Don't Fall' and 'Waking The Demon' alongside newer cuts 'Temper Temper' and 'Riot'. With big ambitions and bigger riffs, the band have always had world domination fairly in their sights, but they've never been more on target than now. With album sales over four million and a monster legion of fans, the lads have rightly earned the tag of "the best British metal band to emerge in years" (as Q Magazine dubbed them). Lock and load people, it's Bullet time! Eurock 15 Watch the hard-rock driven intense performance of Eagles of Death Metal live at Eurockeennes 2015. Live at The Metro Theatre Fronted by vocalist Ville Valo, the "love" metallers left an indelible stamp on the hearts of their fans when they brought their show to The Metro Theatre featuring all the hits including 'Right Here In My Arms', 'Wicked Game', 'Join Me In Death' and many more! Live at Enmore Theatre We got the opportunity to attend one of the most anticipated metal gigs of the year so far. The lights went down and the mighty Opeth entered the stage with the crowd roaring for them. Opeth blew the roof off the Enmore in Sydney, playing as amazingly as they always do. After they were all plugged in they began playing one of their hit songs. Effortlessly the members of Opeth themselves were getting lost in the music and drawing you in with them into a tranced atmospheric dimension as lead vocalist and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt’s voice carried through the venue. Classic Albums: Paranoid The second album by Black Sabbath, released in 1970, has long attained classic status. Paranoid not only changed the face of rock music, but also defined the sound and style of heavy metal more than any other record in rock history. The result of a magic chemistry which had been discovered between four English musicians, it put Black Sabbath firmly on the road to world domination. This programme tells the story behind the writing, recording and success of the album. Despite vilification from the Christian and moral right and all the harsh criticism that the music press could hurl at them, Paranoid catapulted Sabbath into the rock stratosphere. Using exclusive interviews, musical demonstration, archive footage and a return to the multi-tracks with engineer Tom Allom, the film reveals how Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward created their frighteningly dark, heavy and ear-shatteringly loud sound. Additional comments from Phil Alexander (MOJO & Kerrang! editor), Geoff Barton (Classic Rock editor), Henry Rollins (writer/musician) and Jim Simpson (original manager) add insight to the creation of this all-time classic. Live at Sonisphere 2014 Alice In Chains performs Live at Sonisphere in 2014. The show features performances of hits: Them Bones, Dam That River and Again. Coming Alive Ferret Music recording artist Chimaira made some big noise with their 2009 release THE INFECTION. Chimaira paved a successful path on tour, bringing their unrelenting, blistering form of metal to larger audiences by performing on the Music is a Weapon Tour. Now with COMING ALIVE, fans will see a 2 hour + concert with a documentary featuring the making of the album and world tour. Love on Top (Live in Atlantic City) Life is But a Dream	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line194
__label__cc	0.598423	0.401577	Combatting Climate Change Means Changing The System Numerous newly discovered massive craters across Siberia—believed to have been formed by methane gas exploding through a thawing permafrost—may be the latest visible signs that climate change is here, and it's changing the very contours of the earth's surface. A 100-foot crater was first spotted last summer in Yamal peninsula, a freezing cold land 2,000 miles north of Moscow, and two other funnels were discovered soon after. While it is not entirely clear what caused the blowholes, the dominant theory is that global warming has thawed the permafrost causing methane trapped inside the icy ground to explode. In a new development, the Siberian Times reported this week that such funnels, in fact, are "more widespread than was first realized." "We know now of seven craters in the Arctic area," Professor Vasily Bogoyavlensky, deputy director of the Moscow-based Oil and Gas Research Institute, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the paper. "We must research this phenomenon urgently, to prevent possible disasters." The bursts of methane—a highly flammable gas—are themselves dangerous, and many researchers are frightened to study the funnels as a result. This phenomenon has long been warned about by climate scientists and now what the funnels reveal about the rising temperature in the Arctic is that it is heating twice as fast as the rest of the planet. A new Reuters/IPSOS poll has found that a significant majority of Americans say combating climate change is a moral issue that obligates them – and world leaders - to reduce carbon emissions. The poll of 2,827 Americans was conducted in February to measure the impact of moral language, including interventions by Pope Francis, on the climate change debate. In recent months, the pope has warned about the moral consequences of failing to act on rising global temperatures, which are expected to disproportionately affect the lives of the world’s poor. The result of the poll suggests that appeals based on ethics could be key to shifting the debate over climate change in the United States, where those demanding action to reduce carbon emissions and those who resist it are often at loggerheads. Two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) said that world leaders are morally obligated to take action to reduce CO2 emissions. And 72 percent said they were “personally morally obligated” to do what they can in their daily lives to reduce emissions. “When climate change is viewed through a moral lens it has broader appeal,” said Eric Sapp, executive director of the American Values Network. “The climate debate can be very intellectual at times, all about economic systems and science we don’t understand. This makes it about us, our neighbors and about doing the right thing.” 'Moral' and 'ethical' to most people means conforming to notions or accepted standards of what is 'right' and 'good', to recognised standards based on fairness and equity, something akin to treating others as one wishes to be treated oneself. With that in mind, and recognising that this was a poll of very small numbers, respondents concurred that there is a need to seriously address the challenges of climate change, both at the national and personal levels. Socialists would point out that acting at a personal level by changing daily use habits or shopping for green alternatives actually makes minimal difference to the overall problem BUT that when the majority of us come to the realisation that the system which exploits us and our planet's resources can't function without our compliance, then together, overcoming any superficial differences, we are in a strong position to make the difference we choose. It is global capitalism that we must overcome together to have any realistic hope of averting climate disaster. Bringing together people who are prepared to make changes at the individual level to protect future generations with those global populations who are demanding national and international structural change leads to the ability to implement the results the vast majority is seeking. There is an alternative to the current system, another way of organising society - one which is built on the concept of democracy, with access for all to the necessities of life. Isn't that what people are clamouring for world wide - to live in societies run by the people for the people? That alternative is socialism. info from here and here Posted by Janet Surman at 9:19 am No comments: Labels: climate change, system change What about the NHS? Election candidates are being asked by the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) for their views on what is happening to the NHS. Naturally, as socialists we see nothing wrong with the idea that health care should be provided out of the resources available to society as a whole and that people should have free access to health care and medicines as and when they need them. It's what will happen in a socialist society. Attempts to achieve this within capitalism run up against all sorts of problems, as the history and current state of the NHS show. The basic problem arises from the fact that, as far as the minority who own society's resources are concerned, there is no such thing as a free service. Anything provided free has to be paid for out of taxation and in the end taxes fall on their property and their profits. So, the free service gets undermined at both ends. The funds to finance it are cheese-pared and charges are introduced. Some services remain free at the point of use but come to be provided by profit-seeking enterprises. Given capitalism, the service cannot be run democratically but has to be administered by a bureaucracy whose remit is to save money by cutting costs, including the cost of paying the wages and salaries of those who work for the service. It's a never-ending battle by trade unions and pressure groups to try to stop this happening. A defensive and often losing struggle just to stop things getting worse. A free health service in the midst of an economy based on production for profit will always be insecure. The NHS was introduced in the first place because it suited the minority owning class to have a relatively healthy and productive workforce that, when sick, could be quickly treated and got back to work as soon as possible. Now that more and more of those needing health care are retired the owning class are less interested in paying for the NHS and it shows. The only way to secure a lasting free health service is as part of a socialist society where there will no longer be class ownership of society's resources or production for profit. Then, all services and not just health care will be both free and democratically administered. Where will the money to pay for this come from, the clever dick interviewer will ask? Nowhere, as there won't be any money, just resources and these exist in sufficient quantity especially after the artificial scarcity and organised waste of capitalist society have been removed. The Ten Candidates Jacqueline Shodeke - Brighton Kemptown; Howard Pilott - Brighton Pavilion; Robert Cox – Canterbury; Steve Colborn – Easington; Andy Thomas - Folkestone and Hythe; Bill Martin - Islington North; Kevin Parkin - Oxford East; Mike Foster - Oxford West and Abingdon Brian Johnson - Swansea West; Danny Lambert – Vauxhall. Labels: general election, National Health Service, NHS Think globally, act globally Our candidates have received, along with the other candidates standing in the same constituency, the following invitation from an organisation calling itself Simpol (Simultaneous Policy) “As candidates in the forthcoming General Election, we invite you to pledge your early support to the Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) campaign. Simpol is an international association of citizens who use their votes to encourage their political representatives to implement solutions to global problems that individual nations, or groupings such as the EU, cannot tackle alone; problems such as global warming, financial market re-regulation and other transnational issues. (….) The global problems Simpol addresses are not being dealt with adequately by national governments, or by the EU, because of the fear that acting unilaterally will harm their economic competitiveness. That is why, under Simpol, solutions are to be implemented by nations simultaneously, only when all or sufficient nations have signed the Pledge.” To which we have replied: The Socialist Party fully agrees that global problems such as, precisely, global warming can only be dealt with by action on a global scale. However, we think that, because of capitalism's nature as a system of production for profits by competing enterprises and states, the sort of simultaneous political action you advocate to deal with these problems just won't happen as long as capitalist continues to exist. The most that will happen would be far too little far too late. This, for the reasons you yourself outline of concern for profits and competitiveness on world markets. The only framework within which the required global actions can be taken is a world community without frontiers where the resources of the Earth, natural and industrial, have become the common heritage of all humanity. Then, the vested commercial, economic and geopolitical interests that impede such action under capitalism will no longer exist. Humanity will be free to find a solution to the various global problems (as indeed to regional and local problems) in a rational way and in the common interest. Purely capitalist problems like unregulated financial markets would not need to be dealt with since in a non-capitalist world there would no longer be any financial markets. I pledge to work towards the establishment of such a world socialist system by democratic political action. The Socialist Party Candidates Bill Martin - Islington North; Danny Lambert – Vauxhall; Brian Johnson - Swansea West; Steve Colborn – Easington; Kevin Parkin - Oxford East; Mike Foster - Oxford West and Abingdon; Robert Cox – Canterbury; Andy Thomas - Folkestone and Hythe; Howard Pilott - Brighton Pavilion; Jacqueline Shodeke - Brighton Kemptown If there is no Socialist Party candidate in your constituency, that doesn't stop you helping via the internet and social media. We are reaching out to people who are interested in socialist ideas and trying to draw them closer to our movement. Posted by ajohnstone at 6:58 am 1 comment: Labels: Environment, general election The End of Capitalism or the End of the World? Taken from here : World leaders decided that global warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius. Achieving that target, though, would take nothing less than a miracle. It is becoming increasingly clear that mankind has failed to address its most daunting problem. Since 1880, when global temperatures began to be systematically collected, no year has been warmer than 2014. The 15 warmest years, with one single exception, have come during the first 15 years of the new millennium. Indeed, it has become an open question as to whether global warming can be stopped anymore -- or at least limited as policymakers have called for. Should greenhouse gas emissions continue as they are today, the world will likely reach the 2 degree Celsius maximum within 30 years. Indeed, in order to have any chance at all of stopping global warming at 2 degrees Celsius, emissions would have to fall by 10 percent per year starting in 2017 at the latest, says Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency. Take Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. He’s extremely proud of his country's wonder of the world, the Great Barrier Reef. At the same time, though, Abbott believes that burning coal is "good for humanity," even though it produces greenhouse gases that ultimately make our world's oceans warmer, stormier and more acidic. In recent years, Australia has exported more coal than any other country in the world. And the reef, the largest living organism on the planet, is dying. Half of the corals that make up the reef are, in fact, already dead. CLICK READ MORE FOR FULL ARTICLE Capitalism versus the Climate Our candidate for Oxford East, Kevin Parkin, has received the following enquiry as to our policy on climate change: “To have some chance of keeping future climate change from moving into unknown and possibly catastrophic levels, climate scientists agree that global temperature increase must be restricted to below 2˚ C. Accordingly, at the Copenhagen Conference in 2009, 167 of the world’s governments – representing countries responsible for 87% of carbon emissions and including our own – subscribed to that figure. To keep within that limit, it is calculated that the world can afford to pump only one trillion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere – that is the total global carbon budget. It doesn’t matter exactly when this is done but the limit must not be exceeded. This in turn means leaving 80% of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground. On behalf of Low Carbon Headington, Low Carbon South Oxford and Global Justice Oxford, we are writing to all prospective parliamentary candidates to ask the following: • Does your party accept the need to leave 80% of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground? • Which of your party’s policies will ensure the rise in global temperatures is restricted to below 2˚C and how will they achieve this level? • What is your personal commitment to ensuring these limits are adhered to?” We have replied: The Socialist Party accepts that global warming is slowly taking place and that the past and present release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels is largely responsible. So, yes, there is a need to cut back on this by employing alternative methods of generating energy. As this is a global problem, to deal with it requires co-ordinated action on a world scale but this is proving impossible under capitalism because of vested commercial interests and the security of energy supply considerations of the various competing states into which the world is divided. As Naomi Klein has pointed out in her recent book ‘This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate’, it is the capitalist system of production for profit by competing enterprises that is responsible both for the existence of the problem and for impeding effective action to deal with it. Some timid and wholly inadequate measures may be agreed at international level but that’s the most that will happen under capitalism, as we explain in this article “Too Little, Too Late”: This is why we say that the only framework within which the problem can be rationally and lastingly dealt with is where the Earth’s natural and industrial resources have become the common heritage of all humanity. To make this point, and to encourage action to bring about such a world, is one of the reasons why we are standing in this election. We have no specific policies for dealing with the problem within capitalism. In fact we think this is a waste of valuable time – fiddling while Rome burns – as the problem continues and gets worse. We know that the scientific knowledge and the technological ability to deal effectively with the problem exist and are confident that they would be rapidly applied once world capitalism has been replaced by a world of common ownership, democratic control and production directly for use not profit. Naomi Klein’s book is reviewed in the current (February) edition of our magazine here: Steve Colborn - Easington; Robert Cox – Canterbury; Mike Foster - Oxford West and Abingdon; Brian Johnson - Swansea West; Danny Lambert - Vauxhall; Bill Martin - Islington North; Kevin Parkin - Oxford East; Howard Pilott - Brighton Pavilion; Jacqueline Shodeke - Brighton Kemptown; Andy Thomas - Folkestone and Hythe. If there is no Socialist Party candidate in your constituency, that doesn't stop you helping. Those who do NOT have the opportunity of voting for the Socialist Party candidates in the ten listed constituencies, a sticker has been produced and available on request for members and sympathisers to freely make use of as they see fit. They Tell Us That This is Democracy The legacy of 2014 will likely be that the world suffered a "historic failure" in human rights, according to Amnesty International's annual assessment. Released Wednesday, the human rights report says that the year had been "devastating" for civilians caught in the cross-hairs of war and that governments "failed miserably" to protect those most in need. The report broadly condemns violence and oppression, whether from international bodies or from violent extremists. Further, Amnesty charges that government crackdown in response to such violence further exacerbates the dangers by suppressing civil society and other human rights efforts. But one doesn't need to be living in a war torn area or a refugee camp to grasp the level of horror or simply the difficulties of day to day living in such places. Violence and oppression can also be witnessed around the globe in countries free from internal conflict or outright war, on the streets of towns and cities where peaceful demonstrations in support of many causes are trampled on by domestic 'security' bodies. National and local laws are regularly and incrementally being tightened to make any kind of protest by civilians a criminal act. Physical protest, written protest, spoken protest – more and more are assaulted, arrested, imprisoned and/or fined for trying to express disagreement. They tell us we live in democracies but what kind of democracy is it where dissent is disallowed? "From Washington to Damascus, from Abuja to Colombo, government leaders have justified horrific human rights violations by talking of the need to keep the country 'safe'," states the report. "In reality, the opposite is the case. Such violations are one important reason why we live in such a dangerous world today. There can be no security without human rights." The report cites such events as the ongoing crisis in Syria, the war against Gaza, the rise of non-state aggressors such as the Islamic State and Boko Haram, the Ukrainian conflict, and disappearances in Mexico as the more significant conflicts of the year. It says that millions of civilians were killed last year while the number of displaced people around the world exceeded 50 million for the first time since the end of World War II. Within this international scenario each reader of this blog, from a variety of countries spread across the globe, will immediately be also aware of incidents much closer to home where millions have been displaced by economic reasons: loss of employment, home foreclosure, land rights grabbed, displacement by international corporations bent on profit from building mega-dams, mega-farms and mines, people losing access to securing their own futures while profits are accrued elsewhere. Millions die (or are they killed?) from poverty or from diseases related to poverty because poverty gives no access to necessary food and cures. Representation is sorely lacking on all levels. The report also highlights the failure of Western countries to welcome and protect the millions of refugees. The human rights group particularly singles out the European Union's immigration policy, which Amnesty says has turned the continent into "fortress Europe, putting lives at risk." "Those governments who have been most eager to speak out loudly on the failures of other governments have shown themselves reluctant to step forward and provide the essential assistance that those refugees require," the report states. According to the report, by the end of 2014, only 150,000 of over 4 million Syrian refugees were living in EU states, while 3,400 refugees and migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea trying to make their way to Europe. And this number will surely grow now that the Mare Nostrum rescue programme has finished and rescue operations have been severely cut. The reason being it's too expensive to continue. That tells us quite clearly where people fit on the scale of desirables. But will these serious odds of drowning actually prevent those who can see no other way out from trying for a better life? The human rights group also criticizes the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, which include Britain, China, France, Russia and the U.S.. Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said the countries have "consistently abused" their veto right to "promote their political self-interest or geopolitical interest above the interest of protecting civilians." Backing a proposal agreed upon by roughly 40 other governments, Amnesty is calling for the UN Security Council to "adopt a code of conduct agreeing to voluntarily refrain from using the veto in a way which would block Security Council action in situations of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity." Whether as individuals we would agree or disagree with this proposal, or indeed have any other proposals is not open for discussion. As with most decisions taken, at local, national or international level, we are not a party to be considered, except maybe when it's time to catch a few votes to further self-interest. It is the depth and breadth of the lack of engagement civil society has in any meaningful manner with those who actually make our laws and who proceed with plans that, quite clearly in so many cases, majorities don't agree with is so astonishingly breathtaking when told that it is democratic. Democracy, self-determination, is being withheld by those who uphold the system which benefits the minority. Capitalism will never yield democracy to us. We have to take it for ourselves. source material from here Labels: Democracy Why are the Greens so green? Why are the interviewers always catching Natalie Bennett out? Is it because the Leader of the Green Party is not up to it? Or because she was having a bad day? The second is her explanation for what happened yesterday. Maybe she did have one but there is another possible explanation -- that the Green Party's reformist programme is incoherent and doesn't stand up to scrutiny. The Green Party supports capitalism and believes that under it people's needs can be made to come before profit-making. But history has amply demonstrated that this can't be done, that capitalism cannot be reformed so as to benefit the majority in society. So, when the Green Party advocates that 500,000 new houses should be built (or any other expensive reform measure for that matter and there are plenty on the Green Party's wish list), "how are you going to pay for it?" is a question which revolutionary socialists can legitimately pose as well as pro-capitalist interviewers. The Green Party answers vaguely something along the lines of taxing the rich, corporations as well as individuals. But that means reducing profits and profits are what makes capitalism go round. So if you reduce them then you risk provoking an economic downward and you're back to square one. It's official Green Party policy that banks can create money out of thin air and Bennett could have answered that the money to pay for the 500,000 new houses could simply be magicked into existence. Which of course would cause massive inflation. Fortunately for her, she did not to give that answer as the interviewer would have torn her to pieces. Or perhaps in this case she decided that discretion was the better part of valour and that um... er ... was the best way out. Twenty-five years ago Derek Wall, once a Green Party spokesperson (in the days before they had a Leader) described rather well what was likely to happen if ever a reformist, Green Party government were to be elected: ‘A Green government will be controlled by the economy rather than being in control. On coming to office through coalition or more absolute electoral success, it would be met by an instant collapse of sterling as 'hot money' and entrepreneurial capital went elsewhere. The exchange rate would fall and industrialists would move their factories to countries with more relaxed environmental controls and workplace regulation. Sources of finance would dry up as unemployment rocketed, slashing the revenue from taxation and pushing up the social security bills. The money for ecological reconstruction – the building of railways, the closing of motorways and construction of a proper sewage system – would run out’ (Getting There, 1990, p. 78). The socialist idea is ecological The conclusion is not that we can't do anything but that we should act to get rid of capitalism and its production for profit and establish a socialist system, based on the common ownership and democratic control of the means of production. This, and only this, is the framework in which problems such as the housing crisis can be solved once and for all. Then, it wouldn't be a question of trying to put people before profits. It would be people instead of profits since production for profit, and so profits, would no longer exist. Labels: general election Whoever wins the election workers will lose Are you angry and frustrated with the usual kind of politics? But, nevertheless, still committed to a fundamental change to society. We have to confess, there does exist a certain amount of skepticism about voting but the Socialist Party runs candidates in elections as it is a time when people are more open to thinking about politics. For socialists, standing for parliament represents an opportunity to put forward the key elements of socialist principles. The expansion of voting rights is one of the recurring themes of history. Many people understand the limitations of ‘democracy’. They see pro-capitalist parties imposing austerity upon the people and giving generous breaks to the plutocracy. Everyday people think the world is overdue for change. For those sickened by the whole affair, there is good news: there are candidates worth voting for, even if in just a handful of constituencies. The Socialist Party is the only party in this election which stands resolutely against the present economic system and for the overthrow of wage-slavery. The Socialist Party’s campaign is to show that the system doesn’t work and that the world capitalist system is rotten to the core and must be replaced before it’s too late for society. We say everything depends on the building a genuinely socialist party of the working class. There’s barely a difference between the Labour Party and the Conservatives. Not surprising, given that both aim for the same thing: to manage the capitalist economy. Both are in the pockets of big business and the corporations. Both have zero to offer the working class. Neither party has the determination to genuinely address climate change. The jockeying between the two parties over who can be rougher on benefit claimants and tougher on immigration is a despicable. Regardless of which party gains government the majority of people in this country, the working class, will be worse off. Whoever wins will continue to oversee measures that will profit a tiny minority of rich, the capitalist class. Whoever wins will continue to promote the decline of the real wages of workers. Whoever wins will continue to subsidise wasteful environmentally and climatically destructive methods of production that ultimately threaten our very existence. Whoever wins will continue to exercise xenophobic immigration rules. Whoever wins will continue to protect the socially, economically and environmentally unsustainable system of capitalism, a system driven by consumerism rather than social need that enslaves the majority of the world’s population The Socialist Party is committed to both democracy and socialism. In fact, the path to socialism has largely been one of winning battles for democracy. Socialism will widen participation and public engagement beyond even democracy’s best practices today. We have no illusions about capitalism; we will need to move beyond it and replace it. Basic change never comes from elections alone, but it almost always proceeds through electoral battles. We are not simply looking to redistribute wealth. We want to take down the structures of class. One of the greatest obstacles to winning working people to the perspective of a socialist revolution is the widespread and deeply ingrained illusion — inculcated in their minds day-in and day-out— that through reforms passed in parliament, people can defend and advance their interests. On the contrary, parliament is an instrument of capitalist rule. Socialism can only realistically be implemented with the wide public support of an awakened working class. The chief objective of the Socialist Party at the moment is educational, to enlighten the workers for the conquest of political power and to arouse working people to a realisation of the historic role they are called upon to play, namely, their self-emancipation from the yoke of capitalist exploitation. The Socialist Party practices transparency. Not only members but non-members are welcome to attend all meetings of our administrative bodies, and we openly publish regular reports of discussions and our finances. Those granted with special responsibilities are all elected. If you feel these views are in tune with your own, we strongly urge you to make contact. The more politically conscious workers are becoming increasing aware that politics is not about choosing the lesser of two evils at the ballot box: it’s a year-round class battle in our workplaces and in our communities. Voting for a lesser evil does not bring relief to working people. There is a better way of doing things, and it is called socialism. To achieve this, we must convince the majority that socialism is not only preferable, it is possible. A society based on satisfying human need is totally realistic. The anarchist slogan “Don’t vote, it only encourages them” must now be replaced by the not-so-cynical slogan “Not voting only reinforces them” when there is a genuine socialist candidate in the race, for a change. The Socialist Candidates Steve Colborn - Easington; Mike Foster - Oxford West and Abingdon; Danny Lambert - Vauxhall; Jacqueline Shodeke - Brighton Kemptown: Andy Thomas - Folkestone and Hythe. If there is no Socialist Party candidate in your constituency, that doesn't stop you helping us via the internet and social media. Capitalist Choice? "Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food." - Hippocrates Selling food is big business, with big profits. Masses of farmers and small producers compete to supply a smaller number of processors, manufacturers, and wholesalers. These supply the handful of large retailers who sell directly to the global population of consumers. The current global food crisis is simple to fix. Simple because all we need is sufficient, healthy food to eat, simple because it's technically possible to have an abundance of healthy food. Globally, we produce double the amount of calories required for the current population, or 4,600 kcal edible food per person per day, which is the right amount for the future peak population of 14 billion. However the world isn't 'being fed'. In fact the recently published Global Nutrition Report shows that almost all countries are facing a serious public health risk due to malnutrition. Malnutrition isn't surprising, given that the chief goal of the majority of players in the food system, from farmers upwards, is not to produce nutritious healthy foods for the people, but to make a profit. In 2011 in the European Union, the largest five retailers in every country had a combined market share of more than 60 percent in 13 member states (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom), with market concentration exceeding 80 percent in both Denmark and Estonia. In most countries, however, market concentration among two or three major retailers is the norm. Two supermarket chains—Coles and Woolworths—control over 70 percent of the Australia’s food retailing sector, while Wal-Mart and Kroger made 43.2 percent of grocery store sales in the United States in 2013. In Canada, 55.5 percent of the grocery and food retail sector was held by three retailers in 2011. Similar consolidation can be observed in South Korea, Brazil, and elsewhere. Food retailers’ unprecedented power as buyers within national and global markets gives them the ability to set the terms under which the food supply chain operates. Their ability to impose contracts and prices with tough deadlines is key to understanding the growing demand for sub-minimum wages in the food industry. In order to meet their obligations, stay afloat financially and weather the efforts of retailers and processors to lower costs, producers and suppliers often subcontract labour and other low value-adding business activities. For example, farmers, who rarely have the labour capacity to harvest time-sensitive crops, may hire large numbers of workers through agencies for short periods of time. These agencies may in turn outsource their activities to a third party, either because they are unable to meet their obligations or because they want to take advantage of a lower cost provider. Labour supply chains operating through multiple intermediaries and stages of subcontracting are particularly vulnerable to forced labour. Slavery in the Thai fishing industry, forced labour in American and British agriculture United States and the United Kingdom agriculture, child labour and human trafficking in the chocolate industry, and forced labour in palm oil plantations in Malaysia are just a few examples of the ever-growing number of food commodities produced—in part or in whole—for supermarkets through forced labour. Retailers’ hold over global food production and their ability to command low prices not only breeds cheap, flexible and casual labour in food production; it also creates the conditions of insecurity under which forced labour flourishes. Forced workers are not victims of greedy and morally bankrupt individuals. They are the living reality of a violent economic environment where food retailers’ rising profits and market power go hand in hand with food producers’ chronic insecurity and poverty. Tinkering around with ‘ethical’ audits, labour codes and corporate social responsibility has done little to address the relationship between retail business models and forced labour. There can be no sustainable solution to forced labour in the food industry without challenging food retailers’ ever growing power and control over the conditions of production of the essential elements of life. https://www.opendemocracy.net/beyondslavery/s%C3%A9bastien-rioux/food-retailers-market-concentration-and-forced-labour US expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages (2012) $672.6 billion Total food retail revenue in 2013 Germany: $204.1 billion (€180.4 billion) United Kingdom: $146.1 billion (£95.9 billion) France: $172.7 billion (€152.7 billion) Top five global retailers by retail revenue in 2012 Wal-Mart: $469.1 billion Tesco: $101.3 billion Costco: $S99.1 billion Carrefour: $98.8 billion Kroger: $96.8 billion Posted by ajohnstone at 12:26 am 1 comment: Labels: food production, supermarket BRIBING THE OLDIES WITH GOODIES! (weekly poem) BRIBING THE OLDIES WITH GOODIES! The Institute of Economic Affairs has accused the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, of cynical electioneering after he announced the issue of extra Old-Age Pensioner bonds The Chancellor is sucking up, To wrinklies for their vote; In a quite sneaky ruse to keep, His government afloat. As geriatrics are the ones, Who’ll vote the Tory way; Along with anti-immigrants, And the now married gay. The I.E.A.’s passed judgement on, The Chancellor’s crude scam; A government that is TODAY, Providing folk with jam! Now as the oldies in their plots, Rub fungus off their Fronds; At least they know they’re quids in with, Their Old Age Pension Bonds! © Richard Layton Labels: Richard Layton What Future For Civilisation? Can civilisation continue? An Earth system scientist explains The Conversation organised a public question-and-answer session on Reddit in which James Dyke, a lecturer in Complex System Simulation, discussed planetary boundaries and whether global industrialised civilisation is headed for collapse. If the world has a finite amount of natural resources, and these resources have been diminishing steadily since the industrial revolution, how is the model of infinite economic growth possibly expected to continue? Doesn’t it have to end eventually? This is a good question, however I think it’s possibly something of a red herring. That is, we don’t have to worry too much about ultimate or absolute limits to growth. What we need to worry about is how we move towards such limits from where we are right now. We have an increasingly narrow space within which to operate, to organise ourselves on Earth. Essentially, we have seriously eroded our choices. Do you agree that it is already too late to prevent global catastrophe caused by global warming? No. There is nothing physically insurmountable about the challenges we face. I think it’s very important to continually stress that. Yes, in about a billion years time the increase in the size of the sun will mean the death of the biosphere. We have plenty to play for until then. Sometimes people talk about social transitions. For example in the UK, drink driving and smoking in pubs/bars. It’s become the norm to do neither and that happened quite quickly. It always seems impossible before it is done. Best estimate. How long do we have to spend all our savings before this hits? I find it hard to be optimistic about the welfare of some people around the middle to the end of this century if we continue as we are. If we maintain business as usual with regards carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, biogeochemical inputs (we keep exceeding planetary boundaries) then I find it hard to see how our current connected, distributed, industrialised civilisation can function in the way it currently does. There is no natural law, no physical principle which means the tremendous increases in wellbeing, industrial output, wealth etc observed over the past 300 years have to continue. Consider the broader historical context and you realise we live in extraordinary times. But we have become habituated to this and simply expect the future to resemble the past – and that includes future rates of change. What largely keeps our current civilisation aloft is fossil fuel use and an unsustainable consumption of natural capital (sometimes discussed in the context of ecosystem services). There are end points for both of these and these end points are decades not centuries away. I don’t see the connection between a loss in biodiversity and its impact on human civilisation. We depend heavily on crops, raw materials, minerals etc. What does human society depend on which is created by other species? We do rely on biodiversity. Ecosystems provide all manner of services to us. They provide clean water, pollinate crops, stabilise slopes and coastal regions, house fisheries, regulate climate … If you were to add up how much it would cost us humans to provide such services you produce a ridiculously large number. But, because these services are “free” we have happily ignored them or rather assumed that we can do pretty much what we want and the ecosystem services will continue to flow. They will not. Won’t most of the negative effects of ecosystem disruption be disproportionately levelled on poor countries? Yes. This needs to be continually stressed. This chart scales country size to carbon emissions (top) and increased mortality due to climate change (bottom): Causes vs consequences. A) shows distribution of carbon emissions 1950-2000, B) shows climate-sensitive malaria, malnutrition, diarrhoea, and flood-related fatalities. UCL/Lancet The great irony with climate change is that those countries that contributed least to the problem are those same countries that will be most affected. On a more positive note, are there any planetary boundaries that we are likely to stay in safe limits of? I think stratospheric ozone depletion looks under control. That was a great example of international coordination and effective management of the commons. Why does the scientific community seem so afraid of geoengineering? Won’t there eventually come at point where that is our only choice? Our understanding of the Earth’s climate has increased tremendously over the past couple hundred of years. But we are not in any position to be able to say we have a sufficient understanding of it to be able to conduct global-scale climate alteration in the ways that we want. We’ve got ample evidence we can change the climate, we’ve been enthusiastically pulling all sorts of levers. But we cannot give any assurance that explicit attempts to manage the climate would not in fact lead us closer to disaster. For example one of the concerns with solar management geoengineering is that it completely ignores ocean acidification. That’s a good example of only looking at one element of the problem. These global challenges are very often closely linked and interact. from here with links to further information And one final question and answer (from this poster): With regard to all the questions above and considering all of the responses, as this is obviously a global, not a national or regional problem, what would the best, most appropriate global action to take in order to enable us to move forward in an egalitarian manner in the right direction for both people and planet? Considering all of the above responses from James Dyke what is required is a global system of organisation which takes into consideration the needs of both population and that which it relies on for subsistence and well being, ie the planet. This is best achieved by the removal of artificial and unnecessary incentives which currently allow a minority to take decisions undemocratically and accumulate wealth from the common store to the detriment of the vast majority. Global capitalism is damaging our common heritage while a tiny minority tune their violins and look the other way. Egalitarianism can only spring from universal access to our common wealth and that can only be achieved by the inclusiveness of a socialist system. Labels: civilisation, earth systems, political systems Tax-dodging by the super-rich not our problem Our candidates in Swansea and Vauxhall have received between them nearly a hundred identical emails, apparently via 38 Degrees: “I'm concerned about the recent revelations that HSBC has been helping the super-rich dodge their tax, and that the government has not been acting to stop this. As a prospective parliamentary candidate in my area, can you let me know what you pledge to do to crack down on tax dodging and prevent scandals like HSBC from happening again?” To which we replied: “The Socialist Party is not particularly concerned that the super-rich dodge paying their taxes. We are more concerned with the existence of a class of super-rich within society. Their income and wealth derives from the exploitation of the rest of us who, by our work, produce all the wealth of society. Socialism will put an end to this by making the means of wealth production common property under the democratic control of the community. There will be no rich or super-rich nor poor or super-poor, just a classless society of free and equal men and women cooperating to produce and distribute what they need in accordance with the socialist principle of "from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs".” On the same issue, the Morning Star (14-15 February) published a letter from Nick Long, who is standing in the general election in Lewisham for “Lewisham People before Profit”, in which he expressed a common view amongst left-wingers: "Taxing the super-rich and getting tax-dodging corporations to pay their taxes can bring an end to austerity". But would it? It might make things worse by provoking an investment strike. The problem is not tax-dodging by the super-rich. That's par for the course as Lord Fink has admitted. The problem, as we told our 38 Degrees enquirers, is the existence in society of a class of super-rich. To which the answer is not to tax them but to dispossess them by bringing the means of production into common ownership under democratic control. The Workers’ Choice Brighton Kemptown - Jacqueline Shodeke Brighton Pavilion - Howard Pilott Canterbury - Robert Cox Easington - Steve Colborn Folkestone and Hythe - Andy Thomas Islington North - Bill Martin Oxford East - Kevin Parkin Oxford West and Abingdon - Mike Foster Swansea West - Brian Johnson Vauxhall - Danny Lambert Labour ‘anti-business’? You’re having a laugh It’s quite amusing really. The Labour Party has long since given up any opposition to capitalism and its profit-making and merely offers itself as an alternative manager of the capitalist state and economy in Britain. Yet some capitalists and their mouthpieces in the media don’t believe them – or feign not to – and accuse Labour of being ‘anti-business’. Labour politicians protest. And grovel, the worst example to date being the historian Tristram Hunt, their spokesperson on education, who wrote a rather disparaging biography of Engels. Under the headline ‘We’re furiously pro-business, Labour MP tells private sector’, the Times (9 February) reported him as saying. ‘I’m enormously enthusiastic about businessmen and women making money, delivering shareholder return, about making profit’ (Times, 9 January). Former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock was not so gushing but still reassured business corporations that Labour was not proposing to increase the tax on their profits: ‘Lord Kinnock also said that the business world has nothing to fear from Labour.”Nobody’s talking about raising corporation tax”, he said.’ (Times, 18 February) There is a certain logic in this position. If you accept capitalism and that productive activity under it is driven by the need for firms to make a profit, then you have to accept that they should, and not do anything that might discourage or endanger this. Otherwise you will provoke an economic downturn. Not that anything Labour is saying or proposing to do is anti-business or anti-profit. Miliband might have been unable to disguise his boredom when meeting capitalists but the most Labour has done is to criticise and say that they will put a stop to the practices that some capitalists and capitalist firms have engaged in to boost their profits such as tax-dodging, customer-cheating, supplier-bullying and market-rigging. This is to go no further than Ted Heath, when as Tory Prime Minister in 1973 he labelled one action of the businessman Tiny Rowland as the ‘unacceptable face of capitalism’. Which of course is not a criticism of capitalism as such but merely of the way some capitalists behave, a criticism that can be shared by other capitalists such as that of tax-dodging capitalist firms by other firms which don’t have the chance to do this and so have to pay more tax. Though Hunt, with his enthusiasm for profits not just as the driving force of the capitalist economy but also as ‘delivering shareholder return,’ can’t logically complain about this because the various sharp practices that capitalist firms engage in do increase ‘shareholder return’, at least in the short run, and are engaged in precisely to do this. That the Labour Party is in any way anti-capitalist, anti-business or anti-profit is a joke as the capitalists who are raising this spectre must know full well. Labour has thoroughly absorbed enterprise culture. Your Top Ten Posted by ajohnstone at 10:49 am 2 comments: We Refuse to be Enemies Marx and Engels, by saying that “the workers have no country” were only stating a fact. Since the workers do not own their right share of the country, it can be argued that they are without a country. Socialists look upon the world as belonging to all the people on earth. The capitalists have no right to seize resources, because they do not aim at using them for the benefit of the world’s peoples but for themselves and their own class. Capitalism, indeed, has in view only gain for the benefit of one class, and not the prosperity of all. Socialists try to convince workers who are ready to fight for nationalism that they are mistaken and vainly expending their energy in a wrong direction, and that only the class war can emancipate them; that only the abandonment of every kind of national or state sovereignty and the disappearance of all exploitation of man by man can produce the conditions necessary to guarantee a permanent state of peace in the world. The attitude of socialists towards national independence resembles that of a doctor who sees a naïve faith-healer treating a disease with ridiculously absurd means. If such a doctor is charitable he or she feels compassion for the patient who is being so dealt with, but he cannot assist in such treatment. The doctor then suggests suitable medicines and is grieved if the attendant will not accept his advice. The agitation for the independence of peoples is, indeed, essentially reactionary, is opposed to that unification of the world which is so desirable, and causes an enormous loss of energy, time, and blood. The real significance of the nationalist struggles is that the capitalist class in those countries want to exploit the workers themselves, without the competition of foreign capitalists, with whom they have to share the surplus value. The interest of ALL workers lies in the class struggle, in organising to that end, and in linking up their activity with that of other workers. The nationalist struggle is essentially reactionary; the class struggle is indubitably revolutionary. The class struggle, furthermore, makes the exploited recognise the necessity for universal solidarity, whereas the national struggle perpetuates in the masses those patriotic feelings which are a very strong subjective barrier impeding the unity of the workers of different countries. Nationalist struggles may have had some justifiable significance many years ago, when autonomous national economic systems existed. That era has passed away. Experience shows daily that the class struggle can be successful only if it is organised on a world scale. The existing international method of organising the workers is no longer the most suitable for bringing the class struggle to victory. The present problem of the emancipation of the working class is very simple though of vast extent; it is to overthrow the capitalist class, and to organise and administer the economics of the world. The objective conditions for this are already in existence. Those who desire, consciously and purposefully to work for world socialism must wage a ceaseless, uncompromising fight against all kinds of nationalist myths. The Socialist Party, therefore, declares quite openly that they are unwilling, to take part in any agitation or struggle for any “independence” movements. They warn the workers that they can in no way free them. National “freedom” struggles are a delusion and a snare for the workers. The only advantageous fight for the workers must be the class struggle, not the national struggle. Labels: Immigration, Nationalism Why I wouldn’t make a good MP On 8 February Mike Foster, the Socialist Party candidate for Oxford West & Abingdon was invited to address a group of electors in Oxford. Here is what he said. Thank you all for taking the time to come along this evening to hear why I wouldn’t make a very good MP. Definitely don’t put a cross in the box for the Socialist Party of Great Britain if you somehow come to the conclusion that I would play the Westminster game for the benefit of everyone. Because I couldn’t, even if I tried. No-one can. The state, and the very way that our society is put together, can’t be made to work in the interests of the vast majority of people. MPs who start out with good intentions about reforms and representing their constituents soon get stifled by the cumbersome bureaucracy and made to follow vested interests or the dictates of the elite. MPs who don’t start out with good intentions probably have an easier job. If you vote for the Socialist Party, you wouldn’t be voting to put me in that position, thankfully. Instead, you’d be making the point that the whole system which we live under has to be replaced. We would say that to aim for a better world, we first have to understand how our present society is arranged. For the last few hundred years, society has been divided into just two main groups, or classes. There’s the overwhelming majority of us –well over 90 percent – who don’t own much in the big scheme of things and can only get what we can afford through our wages, savings or state subsidies. If we’re able to find employment, we get our money by selling our time and our abilities to companies and organisations. These same companies and organisations then sell the services we run and the products we make back to us. But collectively, we don’t get back all that we put in. It’s a lop-sided arrangement. All the economic clout is with the corporations and landowners, owned by a tiny minority of people, possibly around 5 percent. Owning the means of production allows them to cream off a profit or a surplus for themselves, and they do this by exploiting the rest of us. Their economic power is backed up by political power. The state is there to try and manage the status quo, and protect the interests of those with all the wealth. This doesn’t mean that they have control over the economy, though. Market forces fluctuate between growth and slump regardless of what politicians and corporate strategists want. Instead, they’re more likely to be playing catch-up and trying to keep things financially viable in a shaky economy. It’s like being on a fishing boat on a choppy sea, struggling to stay afloat while the boat’s owner, Captain Birdseye, relaxes on a desert island. This arrangement leads to massive inequalities in wealth, not just within this country, but across the globe. Goods and services only go to those who can afford them, not to those who need them. Those who can’t afford the basics risk falling into a lifestyle of poverty it’s hard to escape from. Living in an unequal world where everything is rationed creates divisions between us, leading to prejudice and discrimination. Even those of us with a reasonable standard of living never have enough real involvement or sense of ownership in where we work and live. Although we’ve all got our own role in making society tick along, we’re never really satisfied with it. We often feel powerless to influence what really matters to us. We end up stuck in unfulfilling jobs, stressed about whether we can afford to pay the bills, or frustrated by our lack of independence. Reform or Revolution Other political parties support the basic way society is structured, or just assume it’s the only way things can be. They would say that it can be improved from within, by changes to the law, or finding more funding for public services. Reforms or increased public spending may help some people in the short-term. But they only last as long as they’re financially viable or politically acceptable. A reform has to fit in with the economy and the political climate, which run in the interests of the elite. The needs and wishes of the vast majority of people aren’t as important. People have been campaigning for higher wages or increased funding for the NHS for decades, without long-lasting, satisfactory resolutions ever being found. It’s the same with campaigns to protect the environment. Concerns about reducing pollution or preserving wildlife tend to be over-ruled when there’s money to be made. Our society treats the environment as a commodity, as something to be exploited to make a profit. Whereas surely the environment should be treated as a precious resource which shouldn’t be squandered? The same problems keep resurfacing again and again: funding shortages, low pay, climate change, terrorism, war, famine. This shows that they haven’t been addressed at their cause. We would say that to solve the problems in society, we have to change the way society is structured. This means going from our world where the means to produce and distribute wealth are owned by a minority, to one where those resources and facilities are owned by everyone in common. Then, goods would be produced and services would be run directly for anyone who wants them, without the dictates of the economic market. Industries and services would be run just to satisfy people’s needs and wants. This doesn’t mean that resources would be squandered. Our present society is much more wasteful, not only in its exploitation of the environment, but also in the effort and energy used up by the bureaucracy of pushing money around. The new world we advocate would be able to manage our natural resources in a sustainable way, as the waste and short-term profitability which lead to environmental damage wouldn’t be there. All this could only be achieved by fundamentally changing the way society is organised, a revolution. The kind of revolution we want is one which involves the vast majority of people across the world. Every country now is part of an integrated global economy and class structure. So, people across the world would have to want to change society. The only legitimate and practical way this could be achieved is by organising equally and democratically. This means voluntary, creative work, with decisions and responsibilities agreed through everyone having an equal say. This would mean a much broader and more inclusive use of democracy than we’re used to today. Different democratic organisations or procedures would apply in different circumstances. This doesn’t mean having leaders or groups with more authority than others. The kind of society we aim for is reflected in the way the Socialist Party is organised. We don’t have leaders or hierarchies, all work is voluntary, and our principles are decided on democratically. This approach has worked for us for over a hundred years. We publish literature and audio-visual materials, hold discussion groups and talks, and we also stand candidates in elections, hence me being here. We do this to use what limited democracy we have in our current society to advocate a better world for everyone. Reaction To Capitalism, Proaction For Socialism Below is the text of an appeal from an activist group, SumOfUs, seeking to increase support for one of their actions against a huge corporation: On April 20, 2010, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig led to 11 deaths and injured and killed hundreds of marine animals, making it the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The long-term effects of the reckless oil spill have been even worse. Just recently, a new scientific study from Florida State University showed that sediments settling on the ocean floor from the spill will contaminate the entire food supply for years to come. BP caused the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, but it only wants to pay a tiny fraction of the price. In 2014, the oil giant was ordered to pay $18 billion for the devastating Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This January, its executives appealed the figure claiming it “can’t afford” to pay. But not having enough money is the least of BP’s problems. Last year alone, BP made a profit of $23 billion, making it one of the 10 most profitable companies in the world. It’s also distributed a whopping $19 billion in dividends to investors since the spill. If it can share its huge profits amongst its shareholders, it can afford to pay to clean up this devastating environmental disaster. This isn't the first time BP has tried to avoid responsibility for this tragedy. Back in 2010, a BP executive blatantly lied: he told the US government that just 5,000 barrels of oil a day were being released, even though he knew that number was much higher. Now, it has lost an appeal to the U.S. Supreme court asking to pay less than what is required to. It's clear, BP is doing everything and anything to wiggle out of this responsibility. Time and time again the SumOfUs community has stood up to Big Oil's destruction of the environment. Hundreds of thousands of us joined forces to stop Shell from drilling in the Arctic and almost 200,000 of us came together to demand that Chevron pay for its crimes in the Ecuadorian Amazon. And together with allies, we’re holding back climate-destroying fossil fuel projects like the Keystone XL pipeline. Worthy as these aims may be, to protect the environment and public health from further damage, they need to be viewed in perspective. All around the globe there are groups of people acting together, reactively, struggling against what they perceive to be crimes against the planet and/or crimes against people. We should not forget that capitalism, as a system, is focussed on accumulation with the primary goal of making profit. For the vast majority our function has necessarily become reactive because the rhetoric of 'democracy' has failed us. We have no democracy without input. We are not invited to the table to join in making the major decisions that affect our lives. We are neither represented nor consulted by our so-called representatives because they work to protect the global capitalist system on behalf of capitalists. We may manage to win a battle here and there but to win this war to gain real democracy and gain the status to be proactive, to be a part of the decision-making process, we first have to replace the established system with socialism. Posted by Janet Surman at 10:27 am No comments: Labels: activism, Capitalism, proactivity, reactivity, Socialism Combatting Climate Change Means Changing The Syste... Whitstable Election Husting Change the system not the climate Our Party Line Working Conditions in UK - High Levels of 'In-Work... Politics for a change — here come the Socialist Pa... The Real Farmers Market - The Real Growth Putting forward the socialist case Banksters, Gangsters, Unlawful Thieves and Robbers... Three Evils of Capitalism - How To Understand The... What the conspiracy theories aren't telling you Asbestos Still Killing Profit Before Cure Repression and Demobilization in Spain Beginners' Guide to Economic Crises A TAXING QUESTION! (weekly poem) Inequality: A Matter of Conflict? Declining Wages and Rising Unemployment: The Effec... Hiroshima's A-Bomb Survivors Still Denied Recognit... Europe needs immigration When “revolutionaries” turn… Wot Recession? The rich are in the money. DONCASTER DAY SCHOOL The Law Is Subservient To The Economics Of Sectors... Jail - a 'De Facto Punishment For Poverty' 'Charter Cities' in Honduras 'A Recipe For Disaste... There is power in the union Trade Pact Secrets The Function of the Police: Whom Do They Serve? Wh... Perspective From India: Marginalised, Unrepresente... This Sporting Life - The NFL Wage Gap Widens The Tax Dodgers Living Close To The Minimum Wage In US More Opposition to Secret TTP and TTIP - from Inte... Workers of The World - 31 A World of Free Access The Housing Issue Canterbury Tales - Explaining the Socialist Case Capitalism - Socialising The Costs Accumulation By Dispossession - Capitalism and HSB... The Time-Honored American Tradition of Taking From... The Money Pipeline from Big Oil to Congress The Socialist Party on the Ballot Polish Farmers Blockade Motorways Across Country World Bank's Sham Conference On Land And Poverty No sporting chance for the poor Colour Matters: Supporting Capitalism and Self-Int... Corporate Water Grabs - Global Capitalism Aiding the Corporations Little has changed since the 30s Are you in the 1% Dying to work Employment Challenges and The Case For Socialism Marginalised Workers Vote for the Real Thing A FUGGING SCAM! (weekly poem) Solitary Dystopia In Texas Against The Oligarchy - A Struggle We Must Win Together we can win The Death Sentence The Hype and The Truth About Living and Working In... Monsanto - One Small Gain For Popular Will? Abolish Taxes, Abolish Profits, Abolish Capitalism... Political Honesty Peak Capitalism? US Oil Refinery Strike Escalates The Banksters Caught Again There Is No Good War But The Class War Who Has Money In Retirement? The Evolution of Low Wage America Vampire Capitalism - Sucking Victims Dry Breadline Britain Corporate Land Grab: A Neoliberal Menace In Pakist... Who Should Clean Up Capitalism's Mess? Stressed out America Karoshi - Worked to death Revolution needed Oxford Politics Hungry For Profit - The Amazon Oil Boom World Socialist Party (India) Conference	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line201
__label__wiki	0.761533	0.761533	Artists & Previous Exhibits WBYC 107.3 4th Saturday Bay Strolls All Things Somerset: A Plein Air Event Arts and Entertainment District Somerset County Arts Council Serving Somerset County, Maryland Carol Brooks President Michel Demanche Vice President Ernest Satchell Recording Secretary Louise Windsor Treasurer Linda Alder Kathy Crockett Joseph "Joey" Gardner Florence Horsey Lara Nagle Bruce Stasi Robin Daniels The Somerset County Arts Council originated in 1969 as the Cultural Affairs Council through the auspices of the National Humanities Series, presented by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. A local committee of county residents served as a planning agency for the quarterly visits from the National Humanities Series, headed by Cathy Jones (69-71), Frances Grant (71-72) and Philip Morris (72-73). When the funding for the series was terminated in 1972, Chairman Philip Morris, turned to an ecumenical group called the Princess Anne Laymen Society (PALS) for which he was serving as the representative from the Princess Anne Ministerial Association, and formed the Somerset County Humanities Council. During the next couple of years, the group was supported by PALS and the Special Affairs Committee at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and presented many cultural events at the University. In 1975, the group met with the Somerset County Commissioners and were authorized to form an agency which would provide a forum for these cultural groups, offer support and promotion of art programs, and give a coordinated approach to the cultural affairs in Somerset County. Subsequently, in 1976, the organization was incorporated as a not for profit corporation in the State of Maryland under the name of the Somerset County Council on the Arts. The stimulus was the need for a legal entity which would act as a conduit to Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) funds. From that time until 1986, the organization functioned primarily as a sub granting authority for the MSAC's Community Art Development (CAD) funds which were granted to eligible organizations within the bounds of Somerset County. Highlights of those years included a performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sergiu Commissiona in 1980 and a theater presentation written and presented by Marci Bryant in 1986. In 1988, the Arts Council was given the opportunity, through the efforts of the City of Crisfield, to accept the old Arcade Theater on Main Street from its owner. The Arts Council was in the process of getting its IRS not for profit (501c (3)) application reinstated and couldn't accept the donation, however the City of Crisfield accepted it for the Arts Council. The goal was to renovate the building and turn it into a Center for the Arts. A feasibility study and foundation were formed to oversee the project and raise the necessary funds. The Center was subsequently named the Lem and Steve Ward Center for the Arts. During that period of time, the Arts Council opened its 1st office located in the Old Customs House (Post Office) and were able to centralize its efforts, to coordinate activities, provide support for other organizations, cultural events, and exhibit space. The 1st theater group was formed, initially named "County Caper Theater Group", and was later changed to "The Somerset Players", opening with a performance of Everybody Loves Opal. In 1990, the Arts Council initiated the 1st Soft Shells and Jazz Festival, focusing on Main Street Crisfield. Local talent and Len Gray's Orchestra were the headliners and a Soft Shell Ball was held on the City Dock featuring Artie Shaw's Orchestra. After receiving the IRS determination of the Council's not for profit tax exempt status, the name was changed to the Somerset County Arts Council. During the next 3 years work continued on the Lem and Steve Ward Center for the Arts project. In 1993 all plans for the renovation of the Arcade Theater building were terminated. Although the project had been greeted with much enthusiasm, it became apparent it would cost millions of dollars to renovate and would not be feasible for the Arts Council to continue the project. It was then donated to the City of Crisfield and has since been torn down. In 1994, the Arts Council purchased their current building and began renovations. After months of work, it was formally opened in May 1994 with an exhibit of art work of the late Kirk Sterling. From then until present, the Arts Council has grown, featuring art, crafts, and cultural exhibits, children's activities, workshops and classes for both adults and children, sponsored performances and exhibits from national, regional and local artists and craftsmen, and sponsors the Somerset Strawberry Festival held the 2nd weekend in May. Create a Free Website at Bravenet.com.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line202
__label__wiki	0.862767	0.862767	HM Revenue & Customs, Parabola Road Cheltenham Gl50 3be We can forward your call to the HM Revenue & Customs Now(Calls cost £1.50 connection fee plus £1.50 per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge)This website and any 0843 telephone numbers therein are operated by e-Call Connect Ltd and is not affiliated with, or operated by, any organisation listed on this site. Any 09 numbers are operated by 118 Connect Limited, who can be contacted by calling 0330 332 7663. A direct number for this organisation can be obtained from the Gov.UK website at no or lower cost by clicking here. If you do not wish to use this connection service, are disconnected or put on hold, we recommend you call using a direct number which can be found in the link above. From our research, HM Revenue & Customs locations (including HM Revenue & Customs, Parabola Road Cheltenham Gl50 3be) can be open 24 hours a day, but their customer service team are available to answer your questions between the hours of Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm, Saturday: 8am to 4pm, Sunday: 9am to 5pm . We have been unable to discern the opening hours for this location. Taxation in the United Kingdom may involve payments to at least three different levels of government: central government (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs), devolved governments and local government. Central government revenues come primarily from income tax, National Insurance contributions, value added tax, corporation tax and fuel duty. Local government revenues come primarily from grants from central government funds, business rates in England, Council Tax and increasingly from fees and charges such as those for on-street parking. In the fiscal year 2014-15, total government revenue was forecast to be £648 billion, or 37.7 per cent of GDP, with net taxes and National Insurance contributions standing at £606 billion.[1] Call Connection Phone Numbers – we are in no way affiliated with any organisation mentioned Tax Office (Calls cost £1.50 connection fee plus £1.50 per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge) HM Revenue & Customs (Calls cost £1.50 connection fee plus £1.50 per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge) Income Tax (Calls cost £1.50 connection fee plus £1.50 per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge) Tax Code (Calls cost £1.50 connection fee plus £1.50 per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge) Corporation Tax (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Tax Credits (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Inheritance Tax (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Tax Rebate (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Child Tax Credit (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Working Tax Credit (Calls cost 7ppm + network charges) Click here for directions to HM Revenue & Customs, Parabola Road Cheltenham Gl50 3be on Google Maps Britain’s income tax has changed over the years. Originally it taxed a person’s income regardless of who was beneficially entitled to that income, but now tax is paid on income to which the taxpayer is beneficially entitled. Most companies were taken out of the income tax net in 1965 when corporation tax was introduced. These changes were consolidated by the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970. Also the schedules under which tax is levied have changed. Schedule B was abolished in 1988, Schedule C in 1996 and Schedule E in 2003. For income tax purposes, the remaining schedules were superseded by the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005, which also repealed Schedule F. For corporation tax purposes, the Schedular system was repealed and superseded by the Corporation Tax Acts of 2009 and 2010. The highest rate of income tax peaked in the Second World War at 99.25%. This was slightly reduced after the war and was around 97.5 percent (nineteen shillings and sixpence in the pound) through the 1950s and 60s.[citation needed] Tax revenues as a percentage of GDP for the UK in comparison to the OECD and the EU 15. In 1971, the top rate of income tax on earned income was cut to 75%. A surcharge of 15% on investment income kept the overall top rate on that income at 90%. In 1974 the top tax rate on earned income was again raised, to 83%. With the investment income surcharge this raised the overall top rate on investment income to 98%, the highest permanent rate since the war. This applied to incomes over £20,000 (equivalent to £204,729 in 2018 terms),[3]. In 1974, as many as 750,000 people were liable to pay the top rate of income tax.[8] Margaret Thatcher, who favoured indirect taxation, reduced personal income tax rates during the 1980s.[9] In the first budget after her election victory in 1979, the top rate was reduced from 83% to 60% and the basic rate from 33% to 30%.[10] The basic rate was further cut in three subsequent budgets, to 29% in 1986 budget, 27% in 1987 and 25% in 1988.[11] The top rate of income tax was cut to 40% in the 1988 budget. The investment income surcharge was abolished in 1985. Subsequent governments reduced the basic rate further, to the present level of 20% in 2007. Since 1976 (when it stood at 35%), the basic rate has been reduced by 15%, but this reduction has been largely offset by increases in national insurance contributions and value added tax. In 2010 a new top rate of 50% was introduced on income over £150,000. A predictable result was that taxpayers disguised their income, and revenue to the Exchequer went down.[12] In the 2012 budget this rate was cut to 45% for 2013-14; this was followed by an increase in the tax paid by additional rate taxpayers from £38 billion to £46 billion. Chancellor George Osborne said that the lower, more competitive tax rate had caused the increase.[13] Business rates were introduced in England and Wales in 1990 and are a modernised version of a system of rating that dates back to the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601. As such, business rates retain many previous features from, and follow some case law of, older forms of rating. The Finance Act 2004 introduced an income tax regime known as “pre-owned asset tax” which aims to reduce the use of common methods of inheritance tax avoidance.[14] About HM Revenue & Customs Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HM Revenue and Customs or HMRC)[3] is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes, the payment of some forms of state support and the administration of other regulatory regimes including the national minimum wage. HMRC was formed by the merger of the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise, which took effect on 18 April 2005.[4] The department’s logo is the St Edward’s Crown enclosed within a circle. The department is responsible for the administration and collection of direct taxes including Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Inheritance Tax (IHT), indirect taxes including Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duties and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), and environmental taxes such as Air Passenger Duty and the Climate Change Levy. Other aspects of the department’s responsibilities include National Insurance Contributions (NIC), the distribution of Child Benefit and some other forms of state support including the Child Trust Fund, payments of Tax Credits, enforcement of the National Minimum Wage,[5] administering anti-money launderingregistrations for Money Service Businesses[6] and collection and publication of the trade-in-goods statistics.[7] Responsibility for the protection of the UK’s borders passed to the UK Border Agency within the Home Office on 1 April 2008 and then to UK Border Force and the National Crime Agency in 2013. HMRC has two overarching Public Service Agreement targets for the period 2008-2011: Improve the extent to which individuals and businesses pay the tax due and receive the credits and payments to which they are entitled Improve customers’ experiences of HMRC and improve the UK business environment Powers of officers[edit] HMRC is a law enforcement agency which has a strong cadre of Criminal Investigators (c. 2000) responsible for investigating Serious Organised Fiscal Crime. This includes all of the previous HMCE criminal work (other than drug trafficking but used to include this up until 2008) such as tobacco, alcohol, and oils smuggling. They have aligned their previous Customs and Excise powers to tackle previous Inland Revenue criminal offences. They are responsible for seizing (or preventing the loss of) billions of stolen pounds of HMG‘s revenue. Their skills and resources include the full range of intrusive and covert surveillance and they are a senior partner in the Organised Crime Partnership Board. HMRC criminal investigation officers have wide-ranging powers of arrest, entry, search and detention. The main power is to detain anyone who has committed, or whom the officer has reasonable grounds to suspect has committed, any offence under the Customs and Excise Acts as well as related fraud offences.[8] On 30 June 2006, under the authority of the new Labour Home Secretary, John Reid, extensive new powers were given to HMRC. Under Chairman Sir David Varney, a new Criminal Taxes Unit of senior tax investigators was created to target suspected fraudsters and criminal gangs. To disrupt and clamp down on criminal activity. This HMRC/CTU would pursue suspects in the same way the US Internal Revenue Service caught out Al Capone on tax evasion. These new powers included the ability to impose penalties without needing to prove the guilt of suspected criminals; extra powers to use sophisticated surveillance techniques, and for the first time, to have the same ability as Customs Officers to monitor suspects and arrest them.[9] On 19 July 2006, the Executive Chairman of HMRC, Sir David Varney resigned.[10] HMRC is also listed under parts of the British Government which contribute to intelligence collection, analysis and assessment. Their prosecution cases may be coordinated with the Police or the Crown Prosecution Service. Structure[edit] The department is organised around four operational groups, each led by a director general. The four operational groups are:[11] led by Mike Baker Benefits and Credits led by Nick Lodge[12] led by Jim Harra[12] Customer Compliance led by Penny Ciniewicz[12] In addition to the four operational groups, there are five supporting groups. These are:[11] Permanent Secretary for Tax group Chief Finance Officer group Chief information Officer group General Counsel and Solicitor group Chief People Officer group HMRC deals with the top 2,000 large business via CRM (Customer Relationship Managers). The next 8,400 business are dealt with via Customer Co-ordinators who provide a single point of contact with HMRC.[13] The merger of the Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise was announced by then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown in the Budget on 17 March 2004. The name for the new department and its first executive chairman, David Varney, were announced on 9 May 2004. Varney joined the nascent department in September 2004, and staff started moving from Somerset House and New Kings Beam House into HMRC’s new headquarters building at 100 Parliament Street in Whitehall on 21 November 2004. The planned new department was announced formally in the Queen’s Speech of 2004 and a bill, the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Bill, was introduced into the House of Commons on 24 September 2004, and received Royal Assent as the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 on 7 April 2005. The Act also creates a Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) responsible for the prosecution of all Revenue and Customs cases. Headquarters are at 100 Parliament Street, Westminster The old Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise departments had very different historical bases, internal cultures and legal powers. The merger was described by the Financial Times on 9 July 2004, as “mating the C&E terrier with the IR retriever”.[14] For an interim period officers of HMRC are empowered to use existing Inland Revenue powers in relation to matters within the remit of the old Inland Revenue (such as income tax, stamp duty and tax credits) and existing Customs powers in relation to matters within the remit of the old Customs & Excise (such as value added tax and excise duties). However, a major review of the powers required by HMRC was announced at the time of the 2004 Pre-Budget Report on 9 December 2004, covering the suitability of existing powers, new powers that might be required, and consolidating the existing compliance regimes for surcharges, interest, penalties and appeal, which may lead to a single, consolidated enforcement regime for all UK taxes, and a consultation document was published after the 2005 Budget on 24 March 2005. Legislation to introduce new information and inspection powers was included in Finance Act 2008 (Schedule 36). The new consolidated penalty regime was introduced via Finance Act 2007 (Schedule 24). As part of the Spending Review on 12 July 2004, Gordon Brown estimated that 12,500 jobs would be lost as result of the merger by March 2008, around 14% of the combined headcount of Customs (then around 23,000) and Inland Revenue (then around 68,000). In addition, 2,500 staff would be redeployed to “front-line” activities. Estimates suggested this may save around £300 million in staff costs, out of a total annual budget of £4 billion. Logo of HMRC until 2013 The total number of job losses included policy functions within the former Inland Revenue and Customs which moved into the Treasury, so that the Treasury became responsible for “strategy and tax policy development” and HMRC took responsibility for “policy maintenance”. In addition, certain investigatory functions moved to the new Serious Organised Crime Agency, as well as prosecutions moving to the new Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office. A further programme of job cuts and office closures was announced on 16 November 2006.[15][16] Whilst some of the offices closed will be in bigger cities where other offices already exist, many will be in local, rural areas, where there is no other HMRC presence. The numbers of job reductions and office closures has not been officially announced, but the proposals imply that up to 200 offices will close and a further 12,500 jobs were to be lost from 2008 to 2011.[17][18] In May 2009, staff morale in HMRC was the lowest of 11 government departments surveyed.[19] In 2013, HMRC began to introduce an update to the PAYE system, which meant it would receive information on tax and employee earnings from employers each month, rather than at the end of a tax year. A trial of the new system began in April 2012, and all employers switched by October 2013.[20][needs update] In 2012 Revenue Scotland was formed and on 1 April 2015 it took HMRC responsibility to collect devolved taxes in Scotland.[21] In 2015 Welsh Revenue Authority was formed and on 1 April 2018 it took HMRC responsibility to collect devolved taxes in Wales. On 12 November 2015 HMRC proposed to replace local offices with 13 regional centres by 2027.[22][23] Governance structure[edit] The Board is composed of members of the Executive Committee and non-executive directors. Its main role is to develop and approve HMRC’s overall strategy, approve final business plans and advise the Chief Executive on key appointments. It also performs an assurance role and advises on best practice. The Treasury Minister responsible for HMRC is the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride MP.[24] Chief Executive[edit] The Chief Executive is also the Permanent Secretary for HMRC and the Accounting Officer. Dame Lesley Strathie 2008 – 2011 Dame Lin Homer 2012 – 2016[25] Sir Jon Thompson 2016 – Present Jon Thompson, formerly Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, succeeded Lin Homer as Chief Executive in April 2016.[26] Chairman[edit] The Chairman of HMRC was an executive role until 2008. Mike Clasper served as a non-executive Chairman. From August 2012, the post was abolished with a ‘lead non-executive director’ chairing Board meetings instead. Sir David Varney April 2005- August 2006 Paul Gray (acting) September 2006 – February 2007 and (confirmed) February 2007 – November 2007 Dave Hartnett CB (acting) 2007- 31 July 2008 Mike Clasper CBE 1 August 2008 – 1 August 2012 Executive Chair and Permanent Secretary Sir Edward Troup April 2016 – Present Non-executive board members[edit] Non-executive board members[27] as of January 2013 are: Ian Barlow (lead non-executive director) Volker Beckers Colin Cobain Edwina Dunn Philippa Hird Phil Hodkinson Norman Pickavance John Whiting Personnel[edit] Higher Officer Source:[28] See: Her Majesty’s Civil Service#Grading schemes, for details. HM Revenue and Customs Rank Badges of Uniformed Staff Grade Assistant Officer Officer Higher Officer Senior Officer Police Equivalent [29] Constable Sergeant Inspector Chief Inspector Superintendent Performance[edit] HMRC estimated tax gaps 2005/6-2014/5 (the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be collected by HMRC, against what is actually collected.)[30] HMRC collected £557 billion for the Treasury in 2016/17.[30] It estimated that total theoretical tax liabilities in that year were £590 billion, but £33 billion was not collected due to the “tax gap“, made up of money lost to tax evasion, tax avoidance, error and unpaid tax debts. This equates to a collection rate of 94.3% (up from 92.7 in 2005-6).[31] At the end of March 2009, HMRC was managing 20 million ‘open’ cases (where the department’s systems identify discrepancies in taxpayer records or are unable to match a return to a record) which could affect around 4.5 million individuals who may have overpaid in total some £1.6 billion of tax and a further 1.5 million individuals who may have underpaid in total some £400 million of tax.[32] In 2007-08 HMRC overpaid tax credits to the value of £1 billion; at the end of March 2009, HMRC had £4.4 billion of overpayments to be recovered.[33] Controversies[edit] Child benefit records misplacement[edit] Main article: 2007 UK child benefit data misplacement On 20 November 2007 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, announced that two discs that held the personal details of all families in the United Kingdom claiming child benefit had gone missing.[34] This is thought to affect approximately 25 million individuals and 7.5 million families in the UK. The missing discs include personal details such as name, date of birth, National Insurance number, and bank details. The then Chancellor, stated that there was no indication that the details had fallen into criminal hands; however, he urged people to monitor their bank accounts.[34] IT problems[edit] EDS ran the Inland Revenue’s tax and National Insurance system from 1994 to 2004.[35] In 2003, the launch of a new tax credit system led to over-payments of £2 billion to over two million people. EDS later paid £71.25 million in compensation for the disaster.[36] In 2004, the contract was awarded to Capgemini.[37] This contract, also with Fujitsu and BT, was one of the biggest ever IT outsourcing contracts, at a value of £2.6 billion.[38] In February 2010, HMRC encountered problems following the implementation of their taxes modernisation program called Modernising Pay-as-you-Earn Processes for Customers (MPPC).[39] The IT system was launched in June 2009 and its first real test came in a period known as annual coding. Annual coding issues certain codes to tax payers on a yearly basis. The annual coding process sent out incorrect tax coding notices to some taxpayers and their employers meaning that they would pay too much tax the following year.[40] It was claimed[by whom?] that HMRC knew the errors were going to occur as early as June 2009. Underpayments to ethnic minority claimants[edit] In August 2010, seven HMRC staff were sacked for deliberately underpaying benefits to ethnic-minority claimants.[41] Dave Hartnett, permanent secretary for tax at HMRC, said the department operates a zero-tolerance policy on racial discrimination. Goldman Sachs deal and surveillance of Osita Mba[edit] The whistleblower Osita Mba revealed to The Guardian that HMRC entered a deal with Goldman Sachs which allowed Goldman Sachs to escape paying £10 million interest on unpaid tax.[42] Following this HMRC used powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) “to examine the belongings, emails, internet search records and phone calls of their own solicitor, Osita Mba, and the phone records of his then wife” to find if he had spoken to the editor of The Guardian, David Leigh.[43] MPs in the House of Commons public accounts committee praised Osita Mba and called for scrutiny into HMRC’s use of RIPA powers in a report. The report said: “We are deeply disappointed by HMRC’s handling of whistleblowers. We consider that HMRC’s use of powers reserved for tackling serious criminals against Mr Osita Mba was indefensible. HMRC told us that it had changed how it deals with whistleblowers and that it now provides information to its audit and risk committee who can use this to challenge how HMRC handles whistleblowers.”[44] Call waiting times[edit] In September 2015, a report from Citizens Advice highlighted frustration amongst callers to HMRC over long holding times. The report claimed that “thousands” of callers were waiting on average 47 minutes to have their call answered, often at considerable expense to the caller.[45] HMRC alleged that the “unscientific and out-of-date survey of tweets” did “not represent the real picture” but said that 3000 extra staff had been taken on to respond to calls. A June 2015 report from the National Audit Office indicated that the total number of calls answered by HMRC fell from 79% in 2013-14, to 72.5% in 2014-15, however a subsequent report in May 2016 suggested that performance improved following the recruitment drive.[46] Posted byHelpline August 13, 2019 Posted inHMRC HM Revenue & Customs, Port Street Stirling Fk8 2ej Universal Credit in Aberaeron \| Universal Credit Addresses, Information, and Phone Numbers	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line210
__label__wiki	0.611782	0.611782	Celebrities Playing Table Tennis Books by Larry Hodges Maryland Table Tennis Center No chats are scheduled at this time. Forehand Smash Mon, 11/05/2012 - 15:28 — Larry Hodges Developing Your Forehand Smash. (Note - this is a greatly expanded version from a blog entry from Oct. 19, 2012.) USATT's Newsletter Blog and a Possible New USATT Partnership with Clubs My blog on Friday about the USATT's Newsletter and ways USATT could promote themselves and non-USATT table tennis programs around the country, was by far my most read blog ever, with 1690 reads (so far), versus 605 for the day before. It also led to some helpful email exchanges among USATT officials and myself, leading to a possible new emphasis on promoting leagues and junior programs around the U.S. with the newsletter and web page. The last paragraph of the blog was the key part, so I'll reprint it here: Why not use the USATT eNewsletter (and webpage) to systematically promote the leagues and junior programs from around the country, even if they are not USATT programs? This brings players into the sport, and these players usually become USATT members. Specifically, they could have a central online listing of these leagues and junior programs, and use the eNewsletter to refer readers to them. (They already have this for tournaments, so they just need to refer to them in the eNewsletter. But there's far greater membership potential in leagues and junior programs, as demonstrated in Europe.) If a kid or parent gets the USATT eNewsletter (or goes to the USATT web page, for that matter), they don't learn about the great junior programs at clubs around the country. They don't learn about the great leagues in SF, LA, NY, and other regions, or in individual clubs. They don't even know these things exist. And so we lose them. Tennis and European table tennis actively refers people to these programs as their central focus. Why not use these non-USATT programs to promote table tennis, referring to them constantly in the eNewsletter and webpage, leading to a more prosperous USATT? I think the key is that new players who come to the USATT home page or receive the newsletter have no idea there are leagues and junior programs out there, often right in their backyards. USATT doesn't have the resources to set up and run these programs, but others are already doing them - so a natural partnership is practically slapping us in the face, where USATT promotes these programs on their highly-trafficked web page, and these programs bring in USATT members. (In my emails, I explicitly pointed out I have a conflict of interest in this, since I run junior programs at the Maryland Table Tennis Center, which also has leagues.) Developing Your Deep Serves Here's an article "Your Deep Serves Should be a Weapon" by Olympian and three-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion Jim Butler. This is a must read for anyone who wants to turn their serves - long or short - into a weapon. Jim not only talks about how to make the long serve effective, but how it makes your short serves effective. (I find it almost astonishing how his thinking on this topic parallels my own - and he has the "moral" authority of someone who's beaten many of the top players in the world - including Waldner - with these serving tactics.) Here's my own article on the topic, "Turn Opponents into Puppets with Long Serves," the Tip of the Week on Oct. 22, 2012. World Cadet Challenge The World Cadet Challenge in Guam ended yesterday. Here's the ITTF page where you can get full results, articles, and pictures, and see how the players from your country did. (Here's another page that has lots of pictures from the event.) And here's a highlights video (2:52) that features USA Cadets Jonathan Ou and Allen Wang. Here's a video feature (1:35) of USA's table tennis star and model Biba. When you only need one name to be known, you're good!!! That is Table Tennis Here's a new table tennis highlights video (14:54) from ttGermany. The second point shown (between Kalinikos Kreanga and Tokic Bojan) might be the best counterlooping point of the year. The filming in Ocean City for the upcoming movie "Ping Pong Summer" (starring Spin NY owner Susan Sarandon, Lea Thompson, John Hannah, Robert Longstreet, Amy Sedaris, and of course the great Judah Friedlander - who I've coached several times!) just finished. Here's an article on it, and here's the IMDB page. "The story is a coming-of-age tale involving one boy's love of hip-hop and ping pong during a summer in Ocean City in the 1980's." I'm Running for President of the United States Yes, I, Larry Hodges, am throwing my paddle into the ring. Here is my platform where I answer the hard questions facing our illustrious nation. I'm ready to debate Obama and Romney anytime (today) and anywhere (within driving distance of my house in Maryland) - or we could just settle it, mano-a-mano, on the table. Foreign Affairs. We're too soft on the Chinese. Next time I see Zhang Jike I will punch him in the nose. This will show the world we're serious about these foreign affairs thingies and gain us respect so other countries will cower in fear and do our bidding. Immigration. If your name is Wang, come on in. (Penhold or shakehand?) If your name is Rodriquez, sorry. Economy. I will require all Americans to play table tennis for one hour every day. With 300 million people regularly buying exorbitantly priced table tennis sponge, rackets, shoes, and other table tennis necessities, it will spur the economy. Health Care. Who needs it when everyone's getting in such great shape from an hour of ping-pong every day? Energy Independence. I've tried oil, coal, even radium, and all it did was get my paddle all gooey, dusty, and gave me cancer. We'll just have to rely on Japan for our tenergy needs. Taxes. I will neither raise nor lower taxes. I believe taxes should stay right where they are, at street level, ready to transport Americans from airports and hotels to tournament playing halls every weekend. You should tip your hats to these hard-working Americans, and tip them well. Bi-partisanship. I am willing to work across the aisle with anyone, except those stupid pen holders who can't shake hands without jabbing you with their pen. Pen holders should be banned; we have things called word processors. Vice President. I want a vice president who is level-headed, thoughtful, and without ego. Marty Reisman is my choice. (We'll ignore for now that his name is an anagram for "Misery Mantra," "Remain Smarty," "Martyr is Mean," and "My Rat Seminar.") Service. I have nothing but praise for the service, whether it be pendulum, tomahawk, or backhand. The service is our front-line defense, and I have nothing but contempt for those who receive the service aggressively rather than give it the respect it deserves. Hard bat. I am very much in favor of the hard bat movement. In fact, I keep a toy plastic bat on my desk. Go ahead and wrap your knuckle against it, it's hard as rock. Core Values. Unlike some candidates, I do not flip based on the situation just to score political points. I pledge to you that I will only push against short balls. Let my opponents be the flippers we all despise. National Debt. We've been building up a national debt for many years, while China, Japan, Sweden, Hungary, and other countries have had an imbalance with us. I figure we should sweep the next ten World Championships, and we'll call it even. Self-sufficiency. There's an old saying, "Give someone a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, and he eats for a lifetime." It's true - some of the best fishers play in the European leagues, and with their topspin defense, make hordes of money. They'll never go hungry. Capitalism or Socialism? Yes. Table Tennis or Ping-Pong? Yes. Size of Government. I want government to keep their dirty hands off our social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and off our streets and out of our schools and libraries. Why can't they just build ping-pong centers and leave us alone? Send us your own coaching news! Deep Serves I'm Running for President Judah Friedlander Ping Pong Summer ttGermany USATT Newsletter Larry Hodges's blog Fri, 08/03/2012 - 15:25 — Larry Hodges Southern Open and Junior Olympics I'm back!!! I've been away for a week coaching at the Southern Open and Junior Olympics in Houston. Both were held in the same huge hall at George R. Brown Convention Center, with the Southern Open on Saturday and Sunday, the Junior Olympics Mon-Wed. While I coached a number of Maryland players, I was there mostly to coach John and Nathan Hsu. Here are complete results for the Southern Open (release on "Southern Open" in the drop box). I coached Nathan Hsu and Yahao Zhang as they pulled off several upsets to win Open Doubles, defeating the U.S. Open Over 40 Doubles Champions Viktor Subonj and Niraj Oak in the final. The standout tactic was how effective they were serving simple no-spin serves disguised as backspin. (This is a standard tactics in singles and especially doubles.) Tactically, Nathan played mostly control while Yahao put the ball away, though Nathan ripped a lot of backhand loops as well. Topping that off Nathan's brother John and father Hans won Under 3600 Doubles over a rather large field. Jim Butler dominated to win Open Singles as he continues his comeback from nearly a decade off. Now 41 and a member of the U.S. Table Tennis Hall of Fame, he's in the mix as a contender to win Men's Singles at this year's USA Nationals, with his dominant serves and backhand. In the Junior Olympics, the best match of the tournament might have been Nathan Hsu versus Andrew Chen in the final of Division A. (On the first day players are put in divisions based on rating, so it's essentially rating events, with Division A essentially Open Singles for all players. On the second day they get into age specific events.) Both played looping forehands, but on the backhand it was a contrast in styles, with Nathan all-out looping everything against Andrew's blocking and hitting pips-out backhand. Nathan won the first two. Down 2-10 in the third, he scored five in a row, forcing Andrew to take his timeout. In the fourth, Nathan was up match point, and he led 9-8 in the fifth before Andrew finally won. We weren't the only events held in the huge hall. We also shared it with sports stacking, wrestling, weight lifting, and Tae Kwon Do. The sports stacking, where they rapid-fire stack and unstuck cups, was especially fun to watch. Here's a video. I managed to convince at least two kids that they used to have younger events at the Junior Olympics, and that I was once the U.S. Boys' Under 2 Gold Medalist. I also explained to a set of parents after their son won a game that without my coaching the opponent would have scored twice as many points. Their son had just won 11-1. (And on the way home I introduced our players to "Airport Ping-Pong" - see segment blow.) The players in the Junior Olympics were probably 90% Chinese, a huge increase from the last time I went. I started coaching there in the 1980s and went nearly every year until around 2005 or so. It used to be something like 60% Chinese. It's also become more regionalized, as the large majority of players were local Texas juniors. MDTTC used to send 30 or so players every year, but this year we only had nine (including two Virginia players who train at MDTTC). California only had two. Here is the state-by-state breakdown of entries, from an Excel file from a few days before the tournament: TX: 49 GA: 13 NJ: 8 MD: 7 NY: 6 VA: 2 CA: 2 AL: 1 FL: 1 MA: 1 MO: 1 PA: 1 WA: 1 I was quite happy with the running and officiating at the tournament. They even did something that often doesn't happen - they enforced the hidden serve rule. Twice I asked referee Scott Ryan to watch the serve of a player, and each time he agreed the serve was hidden, and sent out an umpire (I believe Ken Potts in both cases) who called the serve. In both cases the player didn't complain, and simply began to serve legally. On Monday night someone broke into Director John Miller's car and stole his computer, printouts, his glasses, and lots of other stuff. This could have created havoc, but John stayed up all night with a borrowed computer and recreated the entire tournament from scratch. Though he had to squint all day at the computer screen (often staring from a few inches away), he managed to keep the tournament running successfully the rest of the way. No results were lost, though he said he'd have a lot of tedious re-entering to do. Here are complete Results of the 2012 Junior Olympics. (Ignore the links for Saturday and Sunday, which are mistaken repeats of other results and should be taken down soon.) MDTTC won a bunch of medals, even though we only had a small contingent this year. MDTTC winners were: Amy Lu (Gold in Under 12 Girls' Singles and Under 16 Girls' Doubles and Teams) Lilly Lin (Bronze in Under 16 Girls' Singles, Gold in Under 16 Girls' Doubles and Teams) Lisa Lin (Bronze in Under 10 Girls' Singles, Silver in Under 10 Girls' Doubles, and Gold in Under 16 Girls' Teams) John Hsu (Silver in Under 22 Men's Singles, Doubles, and Teams) Nathan Hsu (Bronze in Under 18 Boys' Singles, Silver in Under 22 Men's Doubles and Teams, and runner-up in Division A) Jackson Liang (Silver in Under 18 Boys' Doubles and Under 22 Men's Teams) George Nie (Silver in Under 18 Boys' Doubles and Under 22 Men's Teams) Wesley Duan (Bronze in Under 14 Boys' Teams) Kyle Wang (Bronze in Under 14 Boys' Teams) Now the down side. After watching his son miss a shot, a father yelled out to him, "You suck, [son's name]!" I wanted to punch him. It amazes me at how many parents see nothing wrong with berating their kids, even publicly. In the third point of a game an opponent got a clear edge ball to go up 3-0. His father jumped to his feet cheering and clapping non-stop, and went on so long the players had to delay the next point until he stopped. A player entered as an unrated player, using his Chinese name rather than his Americanized one. He had a 2227 rating, but didn't tell anyone. So he was placed in the lowest divisions on the first day of competition, which are essentially rating events. The result? This 2200+ player won the equivalent of Under 800 and Under 1200, and messed up the Under 18 draws, where he should have been seeded. Disciplinary action will likely be taken against him, and he will probably be asked to return the division medals. I've never seen so much "strategic dumping" by junior players. A number of them were told to dump matches so as to get better draw positions or to avoid playing teammates. One 2500 player dumped to a 1900 player, a student of his, to give him a better draw, but was ordered to play the match by the referee or drop out of the event. (They played and he won.) Another player was up 2-1 in games when, after a consultation with his father, he suddenly defaulted, thereby apparently avoiding playing a teammate. (He later claimed he was sick, but then played his other matches. He ended up playing the teammate after all when the 2500 player was forced to play the 1900 player.) And now we get to the biggest problem, one that will leave a bad taste in my mouth for a long time to come. In the small print in the entry form it said that "Non-citizens are welcome to play in the AAU events" (i.e. the Junior Olympics age events), and so, I believe for the first time ever, non-citizens played in the U.S. Junior Olympics. (Yes, this means the Chinese junior champion can take a quick vacation to the U.S. and win the U.S. Junior Olympics.) The result? The older events of the tournament were dominated by Chinese Province players who had been hired to train U.S. players. Worse, there was no way to check the ages. I've been assured for years by just about everyone from China that it is standard to subtract 2-4 years from ages of junior players to better their chances of making teams. And strangely enough, all these Chinese Province players looked much older than their listed ages. (You'd think there'd be at least one that looked young for his "age.") And so we had at least two Chinese Province Players, now professional coaches in the U.S., who looked in their mid-twenties, playing in and dominating the U.S. Junior Olympics. Several Chinese told me they knew of the Under 18 Singles, Doubles, and Team winner as a Chinese Province Player they said was 24 years old, but of course there's no way to prove it. (In China I'm told all you do is pay a fee and fill out a form and you can get a birth certificate with whatever age you put down. This is very different from the U.S., where we expect birth certificates to be accurate.) Finally, someone pulled me aside and assured me the player wasn't 24, he was "only 21." And that's who beat Nathan Hsu in the semifinals of Under 18 Singles. The tournament referee said he had already contacted the people running the tournament next year to warn them of the problem. I think the only solution is to go back to citizens only in the U.S. Junior Olympics. Who knows, maybe these older-looking Chinese Province Players/Professional Coaches playing in the U.S. Junior Olympics really are the age they say they are, but there's no way of knowing. Airport Ping-Pong On the flight back from the Junior Olympics on Wednesday night our flight at Houston International Airport was delayed four hours. So how did we pass the time? Airport Ping-Pong! Here's the video (1:42) of Nathan Hsu, Lilly Lin (righty) and Amy Lu (lefty) hitting on the airport lounge tables, which we positioned about four feet apart. (I'm the ballboy on the left.) We played for over an hour. I hit with Nathan for fifteen minutes at the end (lot of vicious countering, looping, and lobbing), and I might be able to get some footage of that up later. I've been away. Did an Olympics happen? I'm guessing there's been coverage somewhere else. Baltimore Sun and Gazette Articles While I was away coaching at the Southern Open and Junior Olympics, the Baltimore Sun and local Gazette Newspapers both ran recent articles on the Maryland Table Tennis Center. Here is the Baltimore Sun article that features U.S. Open Boys' 11 & Under Champion Derek Nie, and here is the Gazette article (where it quotes me as saying San Francisco is a hotbed for table tennis, when I said the Bay Area near San Francisco). The print editions also have pictures. The Washington Post also has a feature on us, most likely coming out next week. Google Table Tennis Logos Yesterday, for the third time, Google had a table tennis Google Doodle (that's what they call it) as their logo. They did the same thing for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, doing one for each sport. Here are the three table tennis logos: Summer 2012 - see also the music video (1:07) featuring it. Here's a short video (0:48) from 2011 U.S. Men's Singles Champion Peter Li giving a tip on the forehand smash. Panda Ping-Pong Here's a hilarious video (5:03) of the folks at PingSkills training a Panda (someone in a Panda suit) to be an Olympic Table Tennis player. Non-Table Tennis - Leashing the Muse and The Haunts of Albert Einstein I just sold another story, this time the fantasy story "Leashing the Muse" to Space and Time Magazine. It's the story of an English professor (modeled on Tim Boggan) who is disgusted with the poor work his students are turning in. And then, due to global warming, the muse Polyhymnia (the muse of sacred song, oratory, lyric, singing and rhetoric, and the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyn) is released from where she had been imprisoned in arctic ice for thousands of years by Zeus for criticizing his poetry. She decides her mission is to turn all written work into masterpieces, whether it be Milton, a newspaper articles, or a how-to manuals. When any three-year-old with a crayon can write masterpieces, nothing stands out anymore, and so there are no more masterpieces. It's up to our English professor to capture the muse and convince her to stop - and it'll take a powerful story-generating computer (fifty billion stories per second) to do so. World Weaver Press has also announced the table of contents for its new anthology, "Specter Spectacular: 13 Ghostly Tales," which includes my humorous ghost story "The Haunts of Albert Einstein," which deals with Einstein's problems with bickering physicists and the paparazzi in the afterlife. 2012 Junior Olympics 2012 Southern Open Leashing the Muse The Haunts of Albert Einstein	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line212
__label__wiki	0.623554	0.623554	UKScreen \| Locke – Review Home / Reviews / Locke – Review Locke – Review - Review By: Jason Korsner - Released Release Date: 18th April, 2014 Director: Steven Knight Starring: Alice Lowe, Andrew Scott, Ben Daniels, Bill Milner, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Tom Hardy, Tom Holland Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is the best at what he does; managing major construction sites. His building site in the Midlands is about to boast the biggest concrete-pour Europe has ever seen and he is the only man who can be trusted to make it work. But, for the first time in his career, he’s not going to be there. One big mistake from nine months earlier has caught up with him; on a business trip, he slept with a stranger, Bethan (Olivia Colman), and got her pregnant. He’d managed to avoid telling his wife (Ruth Wilson) and football-mad sons until now, but Bethan has called to say that she’s gone into labour in London and the honorable man that he is, he can’t let her go through it alone. In real-time, we follow Ivan’s drive down to London, as he makes a string of calls – hands-free, don’t worry – to try to keep his life – both personal and professional – on track; explaining to Katrina why he won’t be home to watch the match with the boys, reassuring Bethan that he’s on his way to help her through the birth, while trying to ensure that everything is in place for pour to go to plan. As high-concept films go, this is as much of a text-book example as Buried (which saw Ryan Reynolds buried underground in a wooden box for the entire film) or Phone Booth (which saw Colin Farrell spend most of the film in the titular glass box); once Ivan gets into his car, the camera stays with him all the way and never ventures further away than a bracket on the outside of the vehicle. This is a film that is visually one man in a car, talking to people on a hands-free phone, so we at least get to hear the other side of all his conversations. But that’s it. And it’s at night, so we don’t even see anything outside the car except for a blur of lights. It’s a tremendously simple concept – man makes phone calls in the car on the motorway – and in the wrong hands, it could have been horribly dull. But evidently, the hands of writer-turned-director Steven Knight and actor Tom Hardy are the right ones. Always impressive, Tom Hardy – better known as a hard-man in films such as Bronson and Warrior and Batman’s nemesis Bane in The Dark Knight Rises – delivers a surprisingly warm and sensitive performance with little more than his head as a conflicted Welshman whose code of honour means that he doesn’t want to let anyone down – his bosses, his wife, his kids or even the woman he got pregnant on a one-night stand – he has a fierce loyalty to everyone. The film passes no judgement on him – he’s made a mistake and he knows it and he just wants to put it right – even if that risks everything else in his life. In addition to remaining both interesting and thought provoking throughout, Locke is consistently visually arresting, despite a paucity of opportunity; some of the shots out of the car window, with blurred tail-lights and street lamps, are simply gorgeous – worthy of a still to hang up on your living room wall. Given the claustrophobic nature of the film, the camerawork opens up the canvas. The film’s one failing – and sadly, it’s a big one – was its determination to stick so rigidly to its high concept. Being such a slave to a format that almost seems like it could have been given out by a film-school teacher, Steven Knight breaks the cardinal rules of screenwriting; essentially, he sets up two questions – (1) can he make the concrete pour work in his absence? and (2) can he save his marriage? – but without wanting to spoil it, in a real-time film that comes in at less than an hour and a half, he can’t possibly answer them. Of course, film-makers don’t have to answer every question, but if a screenplay follows the famed “three act structure,” the first introduces the protagonist and sets up his goals while the next two acts follow his journey as he tries to achieve or reach his goals. So if this film sticks not only to the “staying in the car with Locke” rule but also the “real-time” rule, it will have to finish long before the concrete pour is due to start, long before he’ll get to sit down and explain things to his wife and – traffic and nature depending – possibly even before he gets to London for the birth. Narratively, of course, a writer has every right to say the audience has to do some work and doesn’t need to be spoon-fed, but with such a short window into a life that’s going to be changed dramatically by this night’s events, in reality, decisions made in the heat of the moment – whether by him, the women or his bosses – might be different the following morning, after a little time for reflection. This, then, makes Locke not about whether the eponymous protagonist will be able to achieve his goals within our time, but how he deals with the fact that he has got himself in such a mess. It becomes more about Tom Hardy’s ability to carry the project and to hold our attention than what the outcomes might be. Once we’ve got over his inexplicable but perfectly acceptable Welsh lilt, it’s fascinating and admirable watching him flip from one phone-call onto the next, remaining as calm as he can in the circumstances, with the only thing stopping him from pulling his hair out being that he has to keep his hands on the wheel. We identify with him and wonder how we might cope in a similar situation – but what do we learn? Apart from “don’t get into a similar situation,” we learn that he can drive, that he can think about lots of different things while he’s driving and we learn a lot about the qualities of his character – but this is all first act material. In effect, we’re being shamelessly told in advance that we’re going to the cinema to watch only Act One. Similarly, there’s a tremendous array of voice talent being thrown at us, but – as with the celebrities who used to “phone in” to Frasier – when we can’t see who he’s talking to, much of our brain power is extended trying to work out who that familiar voice belongs to, when we should be engaging more in the story. Locke is worth watching for Hardy’s compelling performance, the surprisingly effective cinematography, the neat unfolding of the situation through a well-paced script, but ultimately, it feels like Knight had a good idea without really knowing where to take it. It’s more admirable than satisfying. Perhaps the parameters of this film-school exercise were just that bit too rigid for him to secure a distinction. Tagged with: Alice Lowe • Andrew Scott • Ben Daniels • Bill Milner • high concept • Locke • Olivia Colman • Ruth Wilson • Steven Knight • Tom Hardy • Tom Holland This Means War – Review The Lobster – Review The Revenant – Review Son of Rambow – Review	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line214
__label__wiki	0.676318	0.676318	Robert Chambers (1802-71) author/publisher & natural philosopher John van Wyhe, Fellow, National University of Singapore; Researcher, History & philosophy of science, Cambridge University [Victorian Web Home —> Science —> Geology] Robert Chambers was a prolific journalist of Edinburgh. A well-know literary and intellectual figure at his time, he is primarily remembered today as the then secret author of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (1844), a work which caused a great sensation in Victorian Britain. His circle of friends included the Combes brothers, Robert Cox, the journalist Alexander Ireland, and the Glasgow professor of astronomy J.P. Nichol. Chambers initially intended his book to be a "philosophy of phrenology". Vestiges drew heavily on the naturalistic rhetoric and especially the doctrine of the natural laws from Combe's Constitution of Man. Vestiges took the phrenological doctrine of natural laws and brought it to cultural territory it might not otherwise have reached. Vestiges is now usually remembered for the controversy it initiated over transmutation (evolution). Charles Darwin later remarked that Vestiges was important in preparing many people to accept his own theory of evolution. Reading the book in a post-Darwinian world often leads to the skewed representation of Vestiges as a flawed precursor of Darwin's Origin of Species (1859). However, during the 1840s and 1850s Vestiges was the only 'evolution' book readers in the English speaking world were familiar with. Rather than dismissing the book as flawed, we might be impressed by how remarkably modern the book reads today. Vestiges argues for a general "development" theory. Although much of the critical invective directed against the book focused on the issue of speciation- readers of Vestiges found a grand tale of the "development" or progress of nature from swirling clouds of interstellar gas, to the geological ages of the Earth, to the increasing complexity of organic forms and the improvement of man. Only in 1884 (long after Chambers' death) with the publication of the 12th edition, was it revealed that Vestiges was written by Robert Chambers. [Chambers, Robert.] Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation. London, 1844. [Chambers, Robert.] Explanations: A Sequel to "Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation" By the author of that work. London, 1845. Secord, James. Victorian Sensation: The Ext raordinary Publication, Reception and Secret Authorship of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation. A a major work on Victorian cultural history- brilliantly written, painstakingly researched, and beautifully illustrated. Secord makes many provocative and insightful revisions to our understanding of the history of evolutionary thought and how history can be studied through one of the most common yet unappreciated human activities — reading. Chambers, R. Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation and other Evolutionary Writings. ed. James Secord, London, 1994. (This re-print also contains Chambers' Explanations and a complete bibliography of the contemporary reviews and more secondary literature than is given here.) Cooney, Sondra Miles. 'Publishers for the People: W&R Chambers, the early years, 1832-50' Ohio State University, PhD, 1970. Egerton, F. 'Refutation and Conjecture: Darwin's Response to Sedgwick's Attack on Chambers', in Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science, 1, 1970, pp. 176-183. Gillispie, Charles. Genesis and Geology: A Study in the Relations of Scientific Thought, Natural Theology, and Social Opinion in Great Britain, 1790-1850. Cambridge, 1951. Hodge, M.J.S. 'The Universal Gestation of Nature: Chamber's Vestiges and Explanations' in Journal of the History of Biology, vol. 5, no.1, Spring 1972, pp. 127-151. Millhauser, Milton. Just before Darwin: Robert Chambers and Vestiges. Middletown, Connecticut, 1959. (The old standard on Vestiges and still worth a look.) Secord, J. 'Behind the Veil: Robert Chambers and Vestiges', in James Moore ed., History, Humanity and Evolution, Cambridge, 1989, pp. 165-194. Created 28 September 2002 Last Modified 6 January 2017	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line217
__label__cc	0.583407	0.416593	Presentation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy Vatican City, 5 May 2015 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and Msgr. Graham Bell presented the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016). The archbishop began, “The Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which continues be the programmatic outline for the pontificate of Pope Francis, offers a meaningful expression of the very essence of the Extraordinary Jubilee announced on April 11: 'Such a community [the Church] has an endless desire to show mercy, the fruit of its own experience of the power of the Father’s infinite mercy. Let us try a little harder to take the first step and to become involved'. It is with this desire in mind that we should re-read the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee, Misericordiae vultus, in which Pope Francis details the aims of the Holy Year. As you know, the two dates already marked out are December 8,the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – the day of the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica – and November 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which will conclude the Holy Year. Between these two dates a calendar of various events is being developed. “In order to avoid any misunderstanding, it is important to reiterate that this Jubilee of Mercy is not and does not intend to be the Great Jubilee Year of 2000. Therefore, any comparisons lack validity, for every Holy Year possesses its own unique nature and aims. It is the Pope’s desire that this Jubilee be celebrated in Rome as well as in the local Churches; this will give due focus to the life of individual Churches and their needs, in such a way that the initiatives will not place an extra burden on local Churches, but will blend into their calendars and usual activities very naturally. Also, for the first time in the history of the Jubilee tradition, there will be an opportunity for individual dioceses to open a Holy Door – the Door of Mercy – either in the Cathedral or in a church of special significance or a shrine of particular importance for pilgrimages. Similarly, it is easy to cull other characteristics from the Bull of Indiction that will make this Jubilee unique. From the very beginning, however, the call to mercy breaks with the traditional pattern. The history of Jubilees has been marked by their occurrence every 50 or 25 years. The two Extraordinary Jubilees fell on anniversaries of Christ’s redemptive act (1933, 1983). This Jubilee, however, is based upon a theme. It will build upon the central content of the faith and intends to call the Church once again to its missionary priority of being a sign and witness in every aspect of its pastoral life. I also have in mind Pope Francis’ appeal to Judaism and Islam as loci in which to contextualise the theme of mercy in order to foster dialogue and a way of overcoming difficulties in the public realm. We must also not forget another original characteristic of this Jubilee, namely, the designation of Missionaries of Mercy. Pope Francis will give them their mandate on Ash Wednesday during the celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Missionaries must be patient priests, possessing an understanding of human frailty but ready to express the loving kindness of the Good Shepherd in their preaching and in the Sacrament of Confession. However, I would rather not spend too much time on these general questions, because it is important now to explain some of the specifics pertaining to the organisation of the Holy Year. “We begin with the logo which represents a summa theologiae of the theme of mercy and the motto which accompanies it. The motto Merciful Like the Father (from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure. The logo is the work of Father Marko I. Rupnik. It is an image quite important to the early Church: that of the Son having taken upon His shoulders the lost soul, demonstrating that it is Christ's love that brings to completion the mystery of His incarnation culminating in redemption. The logo has been designed in such a way so as to express the profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and does so with a love that has the power to change one’s life. One particular feature worthy of note is that while the Good Shepherd, in His great mercy, takes humanity upon Himself, His eyes are merged with those of man. Christ sees with the eyes of Adam, and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Every person discovers in Christ, the new Adam, his or her own humanity and the future that lies ahead. The scene is enclosed in a mandorla, an element typical of ancient and medieval iconography, that recalls the coexistence of the two natures, divine and human, in Christ. The three concentric ovals, with colours progressively lighter as we move outward, suggest the movement of Christ Who carries humanity out of the darkness of sin and death. Conversely, the depth of the darker colour suggests the impenetrability of the love of the Father Who forgives all. “The logo has been registered in the international forum in order to safeguard its rights and to prevent any inappropriate use. It is obvious that permission must be granted by the Pontifical Council for any non-religious use of the logo and that any infringement will be duly prosecuted. “The calendar of celebrations is to be read from three perspectives. First, some events are being organised which most likely will involve large crowds of people. We wanted the first event, which will be held from January 19-21, to be dedicated to all those involved with the organisation of pilgrimages. It will symbolically emphasise that the Holy Year is a true pilgrimage and should be lived as such. We will ask pilgrims to make a journey on foot, preparing themselves to pass through the Holy Door in a spirit of faith and devotion. It will be essential to prepare those working in the travel industry sector to go beyond the sphere of tourism, because they will be the first to provide assistance to pilgrims. “We thought it would be important to gather together believers who live in a particular way the experience of mercy. It is for this reason that, on April 3, we will have a celebration for those who in various ways are inspired by a charism of mercy (movements, associations, and religious institutes). On September 4, charitable volunteers will gather from all over the world. A volunteer is a dynamic witness of someone who lives the works of mercy in its various expressions and deserves to be celebrated in this special way. Similarly,for those who are inspired in a particular way by Mary, there will be a special day on October 9 to celebrate her as the Mother of Mercy. There will be a number of events dedicated particularly to youth, who upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation are called to profess their faith. For those between the ages of 13 and 16, for whom there are few opportunities for involvement within the ordinary pastoral life of the Church, we have reserved the date of April 24, as World Youth Day, which will be held in Krakow from July 26-31, is geared toward youth of an older age bracket. “Another event will be for deacons who by their vocation and ministry are called to preside in works of charity in the life of the Christian community. Their Jubilee will be held on May 29.On June 3, which marks the 160th anniversary of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, there will be a Jubilee celebration for priests. On September 25 there will be the Jubilee of catechists who,in transmitting the life of faith, support Christian communities and, in particular, our parishes in a decisive way. On June 12, we will have a large gathering for the sick and disabled, as well as for those who care for them with such love and dedication. On November 6, we will celebrate the Jubilee for those in prison. This will be held not only in prisons but we have been studying the possibility of giving many of those in prison the opportunity to celebrate their own Holy Year with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica. “Secondly, there will significant efforts to enact Pope Francis vision and witness of reaching out to those on the existential 'peripheries' of society, in order to give a direct testimony to the Church’s affinity and care for the poor, the suffering, the marginalised, and all those who need a sign of tenderness. These moments will have a symbolic meaning, but we will also ask bishops and priests to perform in their own dioceses similar symbolic gestures of communion with Pope Francis so that everyone may receive a concrete sign of the Church’s ministry of mercy and closeness. As a concrete sign of the Pope’s charitable love, which is an essential component of this Jubilee, effective measures will be taken to meet real needs in the world that will express mercy through tangible assistance. “Thirdly, we must meet the needs of the many pilgrims who will come alone to Rome apart from any organised tour or tour group. For these individuals, there will be a number of churches in the historic centre of Rome where they will feel welcome, where they can have moments of reflective prayer and prepare themselves thoroughly to walk through the Holy Door in an atmosphere of genuine spiritual devotion. All the pilgrims who will come to Rome, however, will have a privileged route through which to walk through the Holy Door. This is necessary in order to ensure that the event is lived in a religious way, safe from any climate of abuse that can easily confront millions of people making a pilgrimage to Christian holy sites. “The official website for the Jubilee has already been launched: www.iubilaeummisericordiae.va, and can be accessed also at www.im.va. The site is available in seven languages: Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and Polish. On the site you will find official information regarding the calendar of the major public events, information for participating in the events with the Holy Father, and all of the official communications regarding the Jubilee. Also, through the site,dioceses will be able to receive information and pastoral suggestions, register pilgrimage groups, andrelay to us their local diocesan projects. The website uses a number of social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus and Flickr) through which we will be able to provide updates on the Holy Father’s initiative and follow in real time the major events as they take place. We have also been studying the possibility of an app with which to better integrate all this information”. Archbishop Fisichella concluded, “We are convinced that the path of mercy on which Pope Francis has placed the Church in this journey of the Jubilee will be a moment of true grace for all Christians and a reawakening to the path of the new evangelisation and the pastoral conversion the Pope has indicated. As Pope Francis wrote: 'In this Jubilee Year, may the Church echo the word of God that resounds strong and clear as a message and a sign of pardon, strength, aid, and love. May she never tire of extending mercy, and be ever patient in offering compassion and comfort. May the Church become the voice of every man and woman, and repeat confidently without end: Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old'”. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri: signs of light in the churches of Iraq Vatican City, 5 May 2015 (VIS) – Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, concluded his visit to Iraq at a meeting of the bishops of the country with the entities that form the Roaco (Riunione Opere Aiuto Chiese Orientali”, “Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches”) in Erbil. The cardinal, in his second trip to Iraq, brought Pope Francis' blessing to Iraqi Christians and transmitted the acknowledgement and encouragement of the Authorities for their work in the difficult current context of Iraq in favour of Christians, other minorities and those who suffer as a result of the violence. From 1 to 3 May Cardinal Sandri visited Baghdad where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Chaldean Cathedral of St. Joseph and lunched with refugees assisted by various ecclesial institutions. In Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, he met with the Roaco delegation which is planning aid projects in various areas of pastoral life and in the assistance of refugees. In his final address to the bishops in Erbil, the cardinal referred to the “signs of light” he had seen in the Churches of Iraq during his visit: “The liturgy, the hymns, the trust in Mary, but above all the splendour of charity, through ordinary works and those linked to the various forms of welcome and pastoral assistance to displaced and persecuted people. I have encountered first hand the heroic dedication of the many priests who are truly good pastors, who do not flee and who stay beside their flock; I have been moved by the profound communion that precedes any theological discussion – although the latter is necessary – and any other form of ecumenical agreement, when priests of different Christian churches wish well to each other and, along with the laypeople, organise aid activities for displaced persons, or guide educational paths in schools and parishes. It is also good to see the collaboration that the various agencies of the Roaco have offered in the planning and implementation phases for the good of all of you”. “You are all members of the Synods of the respective patriarchal Churches”, he affirmed, addressing the bishops. “Along with the patriarchs and in communion with them, seek to ensure that the ecclesial body grows with collaboration at every juncture. And I add: especially in this time of difficulty in Iraq, ever deeper communion is needed between the Churches. I hope that this may occur between the Chaldean and Syro-Catholic Churches, which represent the majority, and between these two and the smaller Churches. Let us reject any form of isolation or self-referentiality, and I invite you to recognise and enhance the value of the assembly of Catholic bishops of Iraq and the assembly in which you gather with your brethren in the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Indeed, ensure that the logic of majority and minority that is causing so much harm to the country does not have repercussions within the confines of the Church, although I am sure that this danger is far removed from reality”. Cardinal Sandri concluded his address by invoking the protection of Our Lady and of St. Peter for Pope Francis, “always so close to the Christians of the Middle East and to all those who are persecuted”, and for their Beatitudes the Patriarchs Louis Raphael I Sako of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and Ignatius Joseph III Younan of the Syro-Catholic Church. Vatican City, 5 May 2015 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon, Monday 4 May, the Holy Father received in audience Bishop Nunzio Galantino, secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference. Presentation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy... Cardinal Leonardo Sandri: signs of light in the ch...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line218
__label__wiki	0.579343	0.579343	Wendy Riemann is President of 1492 Communications, a communications consulting firm she founded in Washington, D.C. Wendy is a native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin with extensive experience in state and federal government affairs, and strategic communications. Prior to founding her own company, Wendy spent 4.5 years as the Director of Federal Relations for the State of Wisconsin under Governor Scott Walker. In that role, she proactively worked across the aisle on a range of issues and routinely brought state and federal staff and officials together. She was successful in helping shepherd needed legislation for the St. Croix Bridge, protecting the cranberry industry from burdensome regulations, moving federal legislation to convert Highway 41 to Interstate 41, and spearheading the Governor’s propane initiative during a shortage, among many other achievements. Wendy also served as a Communications Director on both Capitol Hill and for a winning, competitive open-seat congressional campaign. She was the Regional Communications Director for John McCain’s 2008 Presidential Campaign in Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois, with Missouri being the only battleground state he won, thus ending the state’s bellwether streak. She earned her start in Washington writing speeches and planning events in the public affairs office at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Secretary Tommy Thompson. During this time she was selected to represent Wisconsin as its Cherry Blossom Princess in the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Wendy also maintains a strong understanding of the private-sector, having worked at a public relations firm on corporate issues, including managing messages and writing speeches for executives at Fortune 100 companies. One of the highlights of her career was serving as Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s speechwriter during an exceptionally busy term. She authored multiple nationally televised addresses during two of the most devastating hurricane season’s in Florida’s history, as well as the Governor’s congressional testimony regarding the federal government’s role in responding to emergencies, like Hurricane Katrina. Wendy later took on the position of Communications Director at the Florida Department of Health, where she oversaw the $1.4 million dollar “Fifth Guy” campaign advocating flu prevention behaviors. The campaign won an Emmy and a Silver Anvil, among other public relations awards. In her free time, Wendy is active in her church and her community, particularly with children in local homeless shelters. Seeing a need, in 2015 she created a six-week “Swim Camp” to teach homeless children this critical, lifesaving skill. Wendy led four camps that taught dozens of children how to swim, before leaving the popular program in the capable hands of a local organization to maintain and grow. Wendy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. While a student, she served as a White House intern under President George W. Bush and was elected Senior Class Secretary. At Wisconsin, she also addressed an audience of more than 10,000 people as the class commencement speaker. She earned her master’s degree in Health Communication from Johns Hopkins University with a thesis focused on organ donation. Both degrees were with honors. Wendy is now an adjunct communications professor at the Northern Virginia Community College. She enjoys stand-up comedy, is a regular volunteer in the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children’s National Medical Center, is learning to play golf, and loves her rescue beagle, Bailey, who is a certified pet therapy dog. Together, they regularly volunteer with the Paws to Read Program in Arlington libraries where children practice their reading skills on Bailey. Wendy is also a proud part-owner of the Green Bay Packers! 1492 Communications LLC 202.590.5604 www.1492communications.com	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line220
__label__wiki	0.946975	0.946975	FB Roundup: Rausing, Yanai and Kristiansen Tetra Pak billionaire Hans Rausing dies age 93, Billionaire Uniqlo founder wants to be succeeded by a woman and Marvel superheroes rescue Lego sales. Tetra Pak billionaire Hans Rausing dies age 93 Hans Rausing, the billionaire Swedish industrialist who helped turn his family’s food packaging company Tetra Pak into a global giant, has died aged 93. In a statement, his family said Rausing (pictured) died peacefully in his sleep at Wadhurst Park, his estate in East Sussex, with his wife, Marit, at his side. He is survived by Marit, three children—Lisbet, Sigrid and Hans Kristian—and seven grandchildren. Billionaire heir makes a tasty profit from Ocado listing Jörn Rausing, one of the heirs to the Tetra Pak fortune, has made a tidy sum from one of the few initial public offerings on the London Stock Exchange this year. Rausing is thought to have made around £50 million from his initial 7% stake in Ocado, the groceries delivery firm, when it listed in London today. This initial stake cost Rausing around £15 million when he bought the shares back in 2003. Rausing family office chief moves to private bank The man responsible for looking after the wealth of the Rausing family – founders of the Tetra Pak empire – has left to join family-owned private bank Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch. Charles O'Ferrall joins the Swiss-based bank in its new London office as COO. "Charles has significant experience operating and managing teams of advisors and in running successful family offices," commented Sally Tennant, chief executive of LODH UK. "He has the right skill set and knowledge to play a vital role in building our UK offering." Police arrest Tetra Pak heir The heir to the Tetra Pak fortune has been arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine and heroin. The heir to the Tetra Pak fortune has been arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine and heroin. Hans Rausing, 44, who is the grandson of the packaging giant's founder, was arrested at his home in London yesterday. The raid on his Chelsea home followed the arrest of his wife, Eva Rausing, who allegedly tried to take small amounts of cocaine and heroine into the US Embassy. A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed the pair (pictured) had been arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and had been bailed until July, pending further enquiries.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line225
__label__wiki	0.513249	0.513249	Virtual reality racing revs up in Warrington Start-up company Century Sim Racing is revving up in Warrington offering the first virtual racing simulator centre of its kind in the region. Founded by a gaming and racing enthusiast duo, the centre will have state-of-the-art virtual reality simulators and a range of world-famous tracks to choose from The racing car simulator centre equipped with some of the very latest in gaming technology is opening its doors to the public within Team Sports Go Karting building at Bank Quay Trading Estate on Slutchers Lane, Warrington, next Friday, October 18. Century Sim Racing will be the first venue of its type anywhere in the North West and offers local residents the chance to test their driving skills on some of the world’s most iconic racing tracks. The brand-new centre is the brainchild of James Whitehouse and Chris Stapleton, who met whilst working at Team Sport Go Karting. The duo – who share a passion for racing and gaming – are leaving their full-time jobs behind to launch the new venture. Once opened, the true-to-life racing experience will give drivers a 180-degree view of the track thanks to three panoramic screens surrounding each state-of-the-art simulator, with the option to add a virtual reality (VR) headset for an even more immersive experience.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line228
__label__cc	0.749679	0.250321	Wood to provide technical support for new nuclear power station Nuclear specialist Wood has secured a framework agreement to provide technical help for a project to build a new nuclear power station in the UK. The company is supporting General Nuclear System Limited (GNS), a joint venture between China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) and EDF Energy, as it seeks preliminary regulatory assessment of the UKHPR1000 reactor proposed for Bradwell in Essex. The Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency are currently conducting a Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of the reactor. Wood’s nuclear business employs more than 1,300 people in the North West, mainly at Knutsford and Birchwood in Cheshire and at Sellafield and Whitehaven in Cumbria.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line229
__label__cc	0.693375	0.306625	COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Southeast cities take part in CicLAvia program Posted on May 12, 2016 Author Wave Staff 386 Views Four southeast area cities and part of South Los Angeles close down several main thoroughfares for the first area CicLAvia program from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 15. Bicycle riders, pedestrians, skate boarders and roller skaters may use the streets any time during the event and can enter or leave anyplace in the route. Various activities and entertainment take place along the 10-mile route. Affected streets are Pacific Boulevard between Florence Avenue and Gage Street in Huntington Park; Long Beach and Firestone Boulevard in unincorporated Los Angeles County, generally south from Huntington Park through Walnut Park; Tweedy Boulevard and Long Beach Boulevard in South Gate; State Street in Lynwood; and Central Avenue and 103rd Street in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, where the closures end near the Watts Towers Art Zone. CicLAvia, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, coordinates the event. Information: (213) 355-8500. Other upcoming events include: Bingo play: Bingo is hosted at 10 a.m. at the Uptown Senior Center, 13225 Walnut Street, Whittier. (562) 567-9470 Library market: A farmers market is open in the Bruggemeyer Library parking lot, 318 S. Ramona Ave., Monterey Park, from 4 to 8 p.m. It features fresh and organic fruits, vegetables and flowers grown at California farms. Also available are hummus, breads and tamales, raw honey from Energy Bee Farms, peaches from Arnett Farms and a wide selection of Asian vegetables from Vu Produce of Fresno. (626) 307-1388 Dance night: Parnell Park, 15390 Lambert Road, Whittier, hosts Friday night dances from 6 to 10 p.m.Dance professionals Rudy andMaria Hernandez offer lessons on a specific style of dancing from 6 to 7 and then a dance party runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Cost is $10 and includes light refreshments. (562) 567-9450 Artist reception: The Mary Paxon Art Gallery, 13200 Clarkdale Ave., Norwalk, hosts a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. for Roy Anthony Shabla, a local artist and poet whose paintings and sculptures titled “Water Music, Fire Dance,” are on display through May 28. Gallery hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. (562) 929-5521 Downey market: A farmers market offers fresh produce and other items from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Downey Avenue between Second and Third streets in Downey. Parking is available in the city’s parking structure there or on marked spaces on surrounding streets. (562) 904-7284 Health fair: Whittier conducts its annual Community Health Fair and Police Department Open House from 9 a.m. to noon at City Hall, 13230 Penn St. A Kiddie-K Fun Run starts at 10 a.m. for children. The quarter mile run is for children 1 to 5 and the half-mile run is for youngsters 6 to 12 years. Pre-registration is accepted at the Parnell Park, 15300 Lambert Road, and the Whittier Community Center, 7630 Washington Ave. until May 6. (562) 567-9400 L.A. River plans: Members of the organization River LA conduct a meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the South Gate Park Girls Clubhouse, 4940 Southern Ave., to receive community input on plans for the Los Angeles River. (323) 221-7800 Pottery program: Professor G.Lola Worthington discusses Native American pottery from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Norwalk Library, 12350 Imperial Highway. (562) 868-0775 Bellflower market: A farmers market operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Simms Park, 16614 S. Clark Ave., Bellflower. Fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, breads, sprouts, honey and more are available. (562) 866-7510. South Gate market: Harbor Area Farmers Markets sponsors a farmers market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at South Gate Park, Tweedy Boulevard and Walnut Avenue. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, fish, eggs, honey, baked items and gardens plants are available. (323) 774-0159 Health program: A program on how to prevent osteoporosis is offered at 10 a.m. at the Uptown Senior Center, 13225 Walnut St., Whittier. (562) 567-9470 Junior golf: Youngsters from 7 to 17 may participate in the Pico Rivera Junior Golf Club at the Pico Rivera Golf Course, 3260 Fairway Drive, from 5 to 6 p.m. Cost is $10 per week or $30 for the month. (562) 692-9933 Farmers market: The Norwalk Committee on Aging conducts a farmers market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Excelsior High School south parking lot, on the south side of Alondra Boulevard west of Pioneer Boulevard. Fresh fruits, flowers, vegetables and fish are available. Free screenings: AppleCare and Pioneer Medical Group offer free blood pressure screenings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. to those 50 or older at the Norwalk Senior Citizens Center, 14040 San Antonio Drive. (562) 929-5580 Stroke awareness: The staff of Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk offers information on strokes, free to those 50 or older from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Norwalk Senior Citizens Center, 14040 San Antonio Drive. (562) 929-5580 Fresh produce:The Huntington Park Farmers Market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and other items from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Salt Lake Park, 3401 E. Florence Ave. (323) 584-6218 Bike day: Residents who ride their bicycle to work on Bike to Work Day may participate in a free bicycle pit stop from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Palm Park Trailhead of the Whittier Greenway Trail, 5703 Palm Ave., Whittier. The Pit Stop includes free refreshments, prizes, giveaways, information booths and bicycle displays. (562) 908-3666. Coloring club: The Norwalk Library, 12350 Imperial Highway, conducts a coloring club called Color us Happy from 1 to 2 p.m. Coloring is a no-pressure art form that helps people unwind from a day at the office. Materials are provided. (562) 868-0775 Smartphone assistance: The Norwalk Library, 12350 Imperial Highway, offers assistance to be people with smartphones and tablets from 4 to 5 p.m. Those attending are asked to charge their device in advance. Assistance is on a first come basis and those needing more than 15 minutes of assistance may be asked to make an appointment. (562) 868-0775 Miniature golf: The Norwalk Chamber of Commerce conducts its 93rd annual miniature golf fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. at Golf ‘n Stuff. 10555 E. Firestone Blvd., Norwalk. Cost is $30 for an individual golfer and $100 for a team of four. Registration deadline is May 13. (562) 864-7785 Cerritos commencement: Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is the guest speaker at the 59th annual Cerritos College commencement ceremony at 6 p.m. in Falcon Stadium, on campus, 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk. The college presents associate degrees and skills certificates earned during the academic year. Admission is free. Dance night:Musical hits of the 1960s are featured at a Motown Night dance program at Parnell Park, 15390 Lambert Road, Whittier. Rudy and Maria Hernandez conduct the program. Registration and social begins at 6 p.m. and dance lessons at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dance party until 10 p.m. Light refreshments are provided. Cost is $10. (562) 567-9450. Talent sought:Norwalk’s Cultural Arts Center, 13200 Clarkdale Ave., offers members of the community a chance to perform at an Open Mic night at 8 p.m. It is open to musicians, poets, singers, comedians or other types of entertainers. The Image Sharks also perform a unique fusion of blues, rock, country and Latin percussion. (562) 929-5521 Cancer relay: The American Cancer Society conducts a 24-hour Relay for Life, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Downey Adult School, 12340 Woodruff Ave. Participants form teams and obtain sponsorships to benefit the cancer society. A team member must be on the track at all times during the 24-hour event. It starts with a ceremony and a survivor’s lap. At night, bags of sand with lighted candles are placed around the track in memory of cancer victims. (800) 227-2345 E-waste collection: The Bellflower Chamber of Commerce sponsors electronic waste collection and recycling from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. in the Somerset High School parking lot, 9242 Laurel St. Accepted are computer equipment, televisions, stereo equipment, printers, scanners, radios, telephones and cellular phones. (562) 867-1744. Cultural carnival: Central American Foundations conduct a fundraiser cultural carnival from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the baseball diamond at Salt Lake Park, 3401 E. Florence Ave. Huntington Park, with proceeds going to its program of aiding abandoned children of Nicaragua. The event features cultural entertainment, native food, information booths, dancers and other public activities. General admission is $20, $10 for senior citizens. Children are free. (213) 321-7260. Items for the Community Calendar may be submitted in care of Wave Newspapers, 3731 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 840, Los Angeles, 90010 or by email to dwanlass@wavepublication.com. Please include a daytime phone number. Tagged CicLAvia, Huntington Park, Lynwood, South Gate, South Los Angeles Culver City Edition Lead Story National & World Northeast Edition The Press West Edition Non-certified LAUSD workers authorize strike vote Posted on April 20, 2018 Author Wave Wire Services LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District has responded to the vote by thousands of cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants and other school workers to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary, saying it is taking steps to line up replacements. Between March 12 and April 13, Read More… Culver City Edition Lead Story Northeast Edition West Edition L.A. council votes to move faster on housing homeless Posted on March 29, 2018 Author Wave Wire Services LOS ANGELES — The City Council approved a proposal March 23 that seeks a workable emergency strategy to provide shelter for every homeless person in the city, which at last count numbered more than 34,000 people. The motion was introduced in February by Councilmen Mike Bonin and Marqueece Harris-Dawson. It says there is little evidence Read More… LAPD to produce manual to govern youth programs Posted on August 11, 2017 Author Wave Wire Services LOS ANGELES — A top-to-bottom review of the Los Angeles Police Department’s troubled cadet program found “a number of deficiencies” the department has been addressing, most notably through the production of a youth programs manual, Chief Charlie Beck said Aug. 4. The LAPD has also implemented formal training for Youth Services officers and is developing Read More… L.A. DIGEST: Inner City Youth Orchestra to perform ‘Elijah’ Governor issues new mandates for water use	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line230
__label__cc	0.745536	0.254464	ACT, Legal Services: comments on CHA draft Plan FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2015— Today ACT and Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services (CASLS) submitted comments on CHA’s "Moving To Work" (MTW) Draft Annual Plan for the fiscal year beginning April 1. CHA releases draft Plan for 2015-16 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014— The Cambridge Housing Authority has made the draft of its next Annual Plan available for public comment. Click here to see the draft. The Plan covers Fiscal Year 2016 which begins April 1, 2015. The draft will be the subject of a public hearing at CHA heaquarters on Thursday, December 11 beginning at 6:00 p.m. CHA staff will meeting with tenant leaders the following week and written comments will be accepted through the first week in January. Tenant Town Hall—update WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014— Around 85 residents braved the threat of a nor'easter to attend the Tenant Town Hall in Central Square's Cambridge Senior Center yesterday evening. After opening remarks from Councillor Simmons, legal services attorneys and the co-chairs of ACT spoke briefly. The main event was residents speaking about their own experiences as tenants and their ideas about how to address the current crisis. CHA art contest TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2014— The Cambridge Housing Authority invites voucher and public housing tenants to enter the annual CHA Resident Art Contest. First prize is $300. Artwork must be submitted by Friday, November 14. For details, click here State public housing reform is law WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014— This morning Governor Patrick signed public housing reform into law. The new law does not provide the sweeping change the Governor had hoped for but does include some significant innovations. Read a summary of what's new, or click for the complete text of H.4347. Allston Street families need our help Mayor establishes Fire Relief Fund TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014— Patricia Tuccinardi, aide to Mayor David Maher, writes: "Nine families were displaced and are currently staying in hotels and shelters. The majority of the residents displaced were renters, making it difficult to recover losses. These families are low income and working class and have lost all their possessions. Update: State public housing reform: Senate, House bills differ Senate would add to immigrant restrictions, increase DHCD oversight TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014— On Thursday, July 24th, the State Senate passed its own public housing reform bill, S.2292. The Senate version differs from the one passed by the House July 16th. According to Eric Shupin, Policy Associate at Citizens Housing And Planning Association (CHAPA), "It is likely that Public Housing Reform will go to Committee" to reconcile differences between the House and Senate reform bills. SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014— A Harvard Square day shelter for homeless people has been closed. It was a sad day for Cambridge. After decades of service, "Bread and Jams" will be missed. However a committee has been formed to restore the program's funding. Results of ACT Board Election Bill Cunningham, ACT Election Committee WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014— On Monday April 28, in the Terrace Room at Manning Apartments, volunteers from the Arlington League of Women Voters read and tabulated the ballots in the 2014 ACT Board election. The event was public, and interested people, mostly candidates, came and went until the count was completed shortly before 9:00 p.m. The new Board’s term runs through April 2016. Fourteen public housing and thirteen voucher representatives were elected. Here are their names: Ballot count rescheduled Count moved back to April 28; voting deadline is still April 21 THURSDAY, APRIL 17— The ACT Office reminds ACT members that the deadline for voting in the 2014 ACT Board election is 5:00 p.m., Monday April 21. However the votes will not be tallied that evening as originally planned. The count has been postponed for one week and will take place on the evening of Monday, April 28. The Election Committee and executive officers made this change because postal service has been so unreliable.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line235
__label__wiki	0.771637	0.771637	Life · Movies Gene Wilder: The Comic Bond Between A Father & Son by Shyam Sriram Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory “Kings will be crowned, and the word goes around, From father to son, to son” — Queen I met Gene Wilder in 2010 during a book festival at the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody, Georgia. Not only did I get to sit on stage with a select group of fans, but I was also lucky enough to join the same group when we serenaded him with “Pure Imagination.” After his talk, I stood in line, shook his hand, and got my copy of one of his books autographed. Tattoo by Russ Abbott at Ink & Dagger in Atlanta I turned the Wilder autograph into a tattoo. The autographed book, however, became a present to my dad, Dr. K. Sriram, for Father’s Day. As I reflect on the first anniversary of the entertainer’s death, no single person better represented my childhood dreams than Gene Wilder, whose films and characters were magical, whimsical, touching, and part of the bond that unites me and my father. Movies are a big part of my family’s interests, particularly on my paternal side, and movie-watching, especially at the “cinema” was something pivotal to my father’s childhood in Chennai (Madras) in the 1950s and 1960s. While he grew up in an independent India, it became a ritual for my dad, his two brothers, and his parents to visit the cinema frequently to see the latest British (and American) movies. When I lived in India from age nine to 17, I saw a lot of movies with my paternal grandfather, Dr. P. Krishnan (or “PK” for short). To this day, when I see a particularly British film — like The English Patient (1996), Atonement (2007), or Dunkirk (2017) — I think of him and wish he was around to see it with me. Shyam and his dad My dad must have known early on that if he had children, he would pass on his love for movies to them, and he did indeed. My childhood in Illinois could only be described as idyllic and besides the punctuation of trips to India or grandparents coming to stay with us, I often think about it in terms of pop culture. The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, and 3-2-1 Contact were always on, but it was the films of Gene Wilder that became the “soundtrack” or frequent reference point for guaranteed giggles in my house. Wilder was American, not British, though it would be hard to tell from his films where he either adopted an Eastern European accent — Young Frankenstein (1974) and The Frisco Kid (1979) — or which were set in locales that could have been anywhere like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). One Wilder vehicle in particular became a family film favorite — The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975). To call this film silly would be an understatement; it was an absurd and farcical reinvention of the detective oeuvre, with a focus not on the famous detective, but on his alleged younger brother, Sigerson, who in one scene, contemptuously refers to his elder brother Sherlock as “Sheer-Luck.” Still from The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Younger Brother This strange musical comedy film, set in England, with an American actor playing a British detective and chock-full of references to the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, became the unofficial Sriram family movie. Wilder was joined by Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman, both of whom had just come off of Young Frankenstein, as well as other stalwarts of cinema and theatre including Leo McKern, Roy Kinnear, and Dom DeLuise. “No single person better represented my childhood dreams than Gene Wilder, whose films and characters were…part of the bond that unites me and my father.” I have seen it many, many times, as a child and adult, and I believe now that the reason my dad loved it so much, which in turn gave my sister and I an excuse to also love it, was because Gene Wilder was such a gentleman. I was obviously too young for Wilder’s more ribald adventures with Richard Pryor, but one thing that seemed to course through all of his roles was a lack of explicit or graphic sexuality and cursing — even when he went as far as falling in love with a sheep in Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex* (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972). Dad, Shyam, and Mom in 1981. Can we ever truly repay our parents, knowing as I do now that the sacrifices they made — as well as the supreme patience they must have had to put up with our bullsht — all came from a higher place that extended beyond mere duty? This question is only compounded for the children of immigrants who understand the risks and fears associated with leaving the country of one’s birth to take a chance at a new life and the sheer bravery that must have taken. It’s almost like I knew their struggle was difficult, but it took seeing The Namesake (2006) for me to really put it all in perspective. How do we tell our parents we love them when we grow up without public displays of affection? I didn’t even see my parents hold hands till I was 28! Which brings me back to Gene Wilder. Despite the challenges it took for my mother and father to acclimatize themselves to the whole new world that would have been Chicago in the 1970s, I had the most amazing childhood. For that first ten years of my life (1979 to 1989) when I called Illinois home, before we all moved “back” to Chennai, I had the kind of youth that others might look at it envy. It was full of every possible type of fun and I never wanted for affection. The glue that kept it together and created a bond between father and son was the gentleness and sensitivity of perhaps the most underrated comic genius ever, Gene Wilder. Rest in peace, sir. Shyam Sriram is a Ph.D. student in the department of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His primary area of focus is Asian Pacific American politics, but he also works on the political attitudes of refugees. Tags: Gene WilderPure ImaginationThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter BrotherWilly Wonka & The Chocolate Factory Previous story Review: Arundhati Roy’s Second Novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness Next story Hena Ashraf’s Short Film Takes A Fun Swipe at Tinder Date Selfies Deepika Padukone’s Latest Film: The Offbeat ‘Finding Fanny’ Living As a Refugee in Lucknow: Zahoora’s Story Finding Music In India While Growing Up In The ’80s and ’90s Spotlight On: Bollywood-Hollywood Doppelgängers	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line236
__label__cc	0.618825	0.381175	I Feel Sick I Feel Sick, Because The U.S. Is On The Verge Of Making An Extremely Costly Mistake April 14, 2017 April 14, 2017 by Michael Snyder All day long I have just felt sick. Right at this moment, we are closer to war with North Korea than we have been at any point since the Korean War ended in 1953. If Donald Trump decides to launch a military strike against North Korea’s nuclear facilities, the consequences could be absolutely catastrophic. The North Koreans have already promised to launch nukes at South Korea and at U.S. military bases in the region in return, and they also have vast stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons that they could use as well. To get an idea of the chaos that just a handful of North Korean agents armed with biological weapons could unleash inside the United States, just see this article. A military strike on North Korea could be the spark that sets off a global war in which millions of people die, and so we need to do all that we can to prevent this from happening. My hope is that if people make enough noise that Trump will back down and decide not to attack. Earlier today, I was sent the following piece of intel. I was told that I could share it with all of my readers as long as I kept the name of the individual that sent it to me out of it. According to this source, it certainly looks as though an attack is being prepared… An O-5 silver maple leaf Air Force puke says the bomb buses in Guam are maximum loaded, fully fueled and reserves are topped off. ‎ Reserves are only topped off just before the buses go airborne. Kunsan has everything pointed north and ALL gates are closed…no traffic in or out. 7 air wings have been moved into the area and an augmented Carl Vinson CVN-70 (not alone) (per CMC x 2 and an O-5) has also moved into the area. An O-5 barker and an O-6 Marine says all Easter leave has been cancelled with ALL‎ loaded up, geared up and warming up in several theaters. Castle is locked and loaded. Seoul is moving essential government and military personnel, as is true for U.S. Command Components and Personnel located at Yongsan‎, further south to Daegu. AND…Red Cloud is ready to go on the war path with nobody sleeping in the wigwams, all the arrows have been taken from the box. For those that don’t know, “Kunsan” refers to a U.S. Air Force base that is located at Gunsan Airport on the west coast of the Korean peninsula. But just because these preparations are being made does not mean that a strike will actually happen. In fact, there are some signs that indicate that we will not see a U.S. attack over the next several days. For one thing, Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to be in South Korea on Sunday and Monday. So it would seem that it would be quite unlikely that anything would happen during that time. In addition, Fox News is reporting that the Trump administration has come to the conclusion that military force should not be used against North Korea… But a U.S. military official, who requested anonymity to discuss planning, said the U.S. doesn’t intend to use military force against North Korea in response to either a nuclear test or a missile launch. The official said plans could change in the unlikely event a North Korean missile targets South Korea, Japan or U.S. territory. But of course things seem to shift hour to hour with the Trump administration. On Thursday, NBC News was reporting that the U.S. military was poised “to launch a preemptive strike with conventional weapons against North Korea” if it looked like the North Koreans were about to conduct a nuclear weapons test… The U.S. is prepared to launch a preemptive strike with conventional weapons against North Korea should officials become convinced that North Korea is about to follow through with a nuclear weapons test, multiple senior U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News. North Korea has warned that a “big event” is near, and U.S. officials say signs point to a nuclear test that could come as early as this weekend. So I don’t know what is going to happen. But without a doubt we are very close to war with North Korea at this moment, and I am going to join with millions of others to do whatever we can to prevent that from happening. A war with North Korea would be far different from the wars that the U.S. military has been fighting in the Middle East. An ideology known as “Juche” is essentially the national religion of North Korea. In Juche, the people are put at the center of everything, and “the leader” is considered to be at the center of the people. In other words, “the leader” is almost put at the level of a deity. It is a very sick and twisted philosophy, but here in the western world we need to understand that when we openly talk about killing Kim Jong-Un on television and on the Internet, we are essentially threatening to kill their “god”. And the reason that is a problem is because Kim Jong-Un is surrounded by throngs of brainwashed supporters that will carry out any order that he gives them. Here in the western world, we consider it to be highly immoral to use chemical and biological weapons against innocent civilian populations, but the North Koreans do not share those moral values. The North Koreans consider the United States to be the great force for evil in the world, and if they feel like their way of life is being threatened by the U.S. they will not hesitate to use those sorts of weapons. And of course they are constantly threatening to use nuclear weapons against us. Just today I saw a report that talked about how the North Koreans are threatening to unleash “nuclear thunderbolts”, and in another report the North Koreans were quoted as saying they would “ruthlessly ravage” the United States if they are attacked… North Korea upped its warmongering with Donald Trump today in a series of menacing boasts threatening to ‘ravage’ US troops amid fears the two countries are heading for war. The secretive state vowed to ‘pulverize’ US bases and South Korean capital Seoul if it was threatened by the US military, which is carrying out drills on the Korean peninsula. A US aircraft carrier group is steaming towards the region. It claimed it would ‘ruthlessly ravage’ the US if Washington attacked. North Korea is one of the most wicked nations on the entire planet, and I would certainly greatly rejoice if their government were to fall. But I don’t see any way that a military strike on North Korea would be successful. If the North Koreans were able to fire even a single nuclear or chemical warhead at a major city such as Seoul or Tokyo it would be the worst foreign policy disaster in the history of the United States. The North Koreans would certainly be blamed, but the Trump administration would also be blamed for conducting such a reckless attack in the first place. Our relationships with our allies in the region would be permanently destroyed, and this would benefit China greatly. Without using nukes in an overwhelming first strike (which would be unthinkable), I don’t believe that there is any possible way that we could take out all of North Korea’s nukes before they had a chance to at least fire some of them off. And if North Korea did nuke Seoul or Tokyo or any U.S. military bases in the region, we would almost be forced to respond with nukes of our own, and that would have to be followed up by a massive ground invasion to topple the regime. So if Donald Trump is reading this, for the good of humanity I would like to strongly urge him not to conduct a military strike on North Korea at this time. The risk is just way too great, and if things go wrong we could easily be looking at a scenario in which millions of people end up dead. Categories Asia, CommentaryTags Death, Feel Sick, I Feel Sick, Injuries, Injury, Medical, North Korea, Nuclear War, Sick, Sickness591 Comments	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line238
__label__wiki	0.983047	0.983047	Nickelodeon Orders Up "All That"-Inspired Good Burger Pop-Up with Team Behind Viral Saved by The Max The new pop up is set to open Wednesday, July 10, located at 7100 W Santa Monica Blvd (in the former home of Saved by The Max), in Los Angeles and will remain open through 2019. [via press release from Nickelodeon] Good Burger Dining Experience Set to Open in Los Angeles July 10 LOS ANGELES-June 13, 2019-Ahead of the highly anticipated return of Nickelodeon's iconic All That series on Saturday, June 15, Nickelodeon and the duo behind viral pop-up phenomenon Saved by the Max are teaming up to open Good Burger, a brand-new restaurant inspired by the '90s fan-favorite All That sketch. The new pop up is set to open Wednesday, July 10, located at 7100 W Santa Monica Blvd (in the former home of Saved by The Max), in Los Angeles and will remain open through 2019. Tickets officially go on sale on Monday, June 17, at 10:00 AM PST. "The opportunity to turn this cult Nick favorite into our next themed pop up is such a dream come true," says Derek Berry, one of the partners. "Immersive nostalgic experiences continue to be something fans really clamor for; and we know our execution with The Max spoke for itself. When the timing aligned to bring Good Burger to life, it was something we just couldn't pass up." "Nickelodeon's iconic All That series and the Good Burger feature film were comedic touchstones for an entire generation of kids," said Sharon Cohen, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Experience. "With the return of All That to our air, this is the perfect time to give '90s Nick kids and a whole new fan base an opportunity to settle in for a fast food culinary adventure, which will of course include Ed's special sauce!" Fans of All That and Good Burger can feast on real-life Good Burgers, Good Chunks, and of course Good Shakes. The diner will also include an assortment of fan-favorite, insta-worthy moments, Good Burger-themed service experiences, merchandise, games, secret sauce and more. It wouldn't be a trip to Good Burger without expecting a few comedic mishaps and surprises along the way. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, June 17, at 10:00 AM PST at https://www.goodburgerpopup.com/ and will allow guests to book their experience through end of the year. Stay tuned on social media for the latest announcements. Nickelodeon's brand-new version of its legendary sketch comedy series, All That, returns on Saturday, June 15, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT), with an all-new cast. In the series premiere, the new cast will be joined by original All That cast members Kel Mitchell, Lori Beth Denberg and Josh Server. Beloved roles are reprised in some of the series' most memorable sketches including Good Burger, with Mitchell taking on his role as fast food slacker "Ed." The episode will also feature a performance by Grammy(R)-nominated multiplatinum powerhouse trio Jonas Brothers, of their smash hit "Sucker." The trio will also make a special appearance alongside Mitchell in the Good Burger sketch. Executive produced by original cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, All That will air weekly on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB). · ALL THAT (NICKELODEON) Apple Announces "Defending Jacob" Starring Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery to Premiere April 24 Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by William Landay, "Defending Jacob" will premiere its first three episodes exclusively on Apple TV+ starting Friday, April 24, and new episodes will premiere weekly thereafter every Friday. "Dear..." Complete First Season Premieres June 5 on Apple TV+ The series will profile internationally recognized leaders including Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Spike Lee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Yara Shahidi, Stevie Wonder, Aly Raisman, Misty Copeland, Big Bird and more. "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" Renewed for Second Season "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game. Apple Announces New Comedy Series "Trying" to Premiere May 1 Starring Rafe Spall and Esther Smith, "Trying" is a new comedy series about growing up, settling down and finding someone to love. New Documentary Series "Home" to Premiere April 17 on Apple TV+ "Home" is a new documentary series that offers viewers a never-before-seen look inside the world's most innovative homes. Apple Announces Premiere Date for Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" and Unveils First Look Image A reimagining of the original anthology series, each episode of "Amazing Stories" will transport the audience to worlds of wonder through the lens of today's most imaginative filmmakers, directors and writers. Apple Reveals "Central Park," A New Animated Musical Comedy from Emmy Award Winner Loren Bouchard, to Debut in Early Summer 2020 The series voice cast includes Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess, Daveed Diggs and Stanley Tucci. Apple Announces Early Season Two Renewal for New Mystery Series "Home Before Dark" Ahead of Global Premiere The series will premiere its first three episodes Friday, April 3 exclusively on Apple TV+, and new episodes will premiere weekly thereafter every Friday. BYUtv Announces Winter Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows Newcomers "Story Trek: Trending" and "All-Round Champion" will be joined by new episodes of "Show Offs," "Random Acts," "Dwight in Shining Armor" and "Studio C." Wayne Brady Joins with BYUtv to Create and Host Comedy Competition Series "Wayne Brady's Comedy IQ," which counts Queen Latifah among its executive producers, will premiere on April 6. Two-Part Doc Series "Laurel Canyon" to Premiere on EPIX on May 31st, 2020 Directed by Alison Ellwood, the series features an intimate portrait of the artists who created a music revolution through a wealth of rare and newly unearthed footage and audio recordings. EPIX Unveils Development Slate Highlights include drama series adaptations of Bernard Cornwell's trilogy "The Warlord Chronicles" and Ken Follett's "A Column of Fire." EPIX to Premiere Carnival Films' "Belgravia" on Sunday, April 12 The six-part limited series is a story of secrets and scandals amongst the upper echelon of London society in the 19th Century.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line239
__label__wiki	0.963388	0.963388	[monday, may 05, 2014] show: all posts \| rants & reviews \| interviews \| ratings \| video Video: "Gang Related" - "Torn" Series Trailer The Ramon Rodriguez-led newcomer premieres Thursday, May 22 at 9:00/8:00c on FOX. Video: "Gotham" - Official Extended Trailer Watch the official two-minute trailer for the series, which stars Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue and Jada Pinkett Smith. Video: "Beauty and the Beast" - Arrested Trailer Get your first look the show's summer premiere, airing Monday, June 2 at 9:00/8:00c on The CW. Video: Watch Highlights from the "24: Live Another Day" World Premiere Event at the Intrepid in New York City The series returns with a two-hour premiere this Monday, May 5 at 8:00/7:00c on FOX. Video: Official Trailer Released for Starz' Original Series "Outlander" Based on Diana Gabaldon's international best-selling books, the series launches this summer. 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Video: "Fargo" - The First Seven Minutes of the New FX Series The series premieres Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00/9:00c on the cable channel. Video: BBC America Premieres New "Orphan Black" Trailer Season two of "Orphan Black" premieres Saturday, April 19 at 9:00/8:00c. Video: David Letterman Announces His Retirement from the "Late Show" Watch the history announcement set to air during tonight's episode. Video: Meet Michael Carbonaro of truTV's Unbelievable New Series "The Carbonaro Effect" Premiering May 15 The network previewed the show's pilot last night at 10:30/9:30c. Video: A Look at AMC's New Drama Series "Halt and Catch Fire" The new series premieres Sunday, June 1 at 10:00/9:00c on the cable channel. Video: MTV2's "Guy Code" Debuts an Epic First Look at the All-New Season Jessica Gomes, Ariel Meredith and Arianny Celeste join the cast of the new season, premiering Wednesday, April 16 at 11:00/10:00c. 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Video: Meet Ezra from "Star Wars Rebels" "Star Wars Rebels" is scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel and will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world. next page of results >> · SHOWATCH (series past and present) · DEVWATCH (series in development) · MOVIEWATCH (tv movies and mini-series) most recent video \| view all posts Video: Facebook Watch and Blumhouse Television Drop Official Trailer for "Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones" at TCA This season of Sacred Lies follows Elsie (Jordan Alexander) as she searches for the family she never knew after being abandoned as a child. Video: Showtime(R) Releases Season Three Trailer and Key Art for "Our Cartoon President" The upcoming season dives into a momentous election year to explore the critical question of who could be the next Cartoon President. 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__label__wiki	0.558146	0.558146	BIG UNIONS FUND BIG GOVERNMENT STATES OF THE UNIONS Mark Steyn on America http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/3767/26/ The Democrat palace guard of America's dying monodailies are doing a grand job in reporting the current stand-off in Wisconsin. A headline in The New York Times sums up the media's bizarre enthusiasm for sacrificing what remains of their reputations in order to protect the cause: Billionaire Brothers' Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute The dogged John Hinderaker of Powerline is endeavoring to get some answers from the shy and retiring Eric Lipton as to the basis for certain aspects of his story. [UPDATE: New York Times "fact"-checking in action.] But I find the headline alone so perverse you wonder how, even at the Times, it could have wafted up through six layers of editors without someone saying, "Oh, come on..." What's happening in Wisconsin is all about money: budgets, shortfalls, obligations, perks, pensions, privileges - and the burdens of the beleaguered productive class that pays for it. In a story awash with money, the Koch brothers are the least of it. They're certainly billionaires, and that's a lot of dough. Of it, what they inject into the political process is little more than a rounding error. As David Harsanyi puts it: The libertarian Kochs are super rich and gave less than $2 million to Republicans in the last election cycle, which mathematically speaking amounts to nothing. In fact, Timothy Carney of the Washington Examiner dispatched Krugman's claim that unions were a "counterweight to the political power of big money" by pointing out that "every one of the top ten industries contributing to the 2010 elections gave more money to Democrats." If some public union rollbacks are a harbinger of rebirth of the robber barons, why is it that the Service Employees International Union boss — who represents a sliver of the American workforce — has been the most frequent guest at the White House after he handed Barack Obama $28 million and used tens of million more to campaign for him and his policies? So Big Business and Big Unions both favor Big Government - and for the same reason: it drives out their competition. Why isn't SEIU honcho Mary Kay Henry (born in that monument to union muscle, Detroit) as famous as the sinister Koch siblings? Ms Henry is a fascinating figure: A lesbian advisor to the Conference of Catholic Bishops whose partner is a bigshot with the Teamsters, she is an advocate for "health care" for "working families" and for same-sex marriage, and on both those issues the President's views seem to be swinging ever more into happy alignment with her money. [EMPHASIS ADDED] Wouldn't that be worth an in-depth analysis from the Eric Liptons of the world? Instead the Koch brothers, waging their lonely battle for small government, are being lined up as this decade's Halliburton. I doubt it will work. The media's perverse priorities might be just about tenable if they weren't also making themselves look ever more ridiculous by their willingness to airbrush the truth about the ugly union bruisers out on the streets of Madison. The Kochs' money is irrelevant to the future of Wisconsin. The unions' money, on the other hand, is an existential crisis for the state. Last year, The Times of London reported: The President of Greece warned last night that his country stood on the brink of the abyss after three people were killed when an anti-government mob set ﬁre to the Athens bank where they worked. The Times managed to get the salient feature of the story entirely wrong. They were not an “anti-government” mob, but a government mob, a mob of "public servants" objecting to austerity measures that would end, for example, the tradition of 14 monthly paychecks per annum. You read that right: the Greek public sector cannot be bound by anything so humdrum as temporal reality. So, when it was mooted that the “workers” might henceforth receive a mere 12 monthly paychecks per annum, they rioted. Their hapless victims - a man and two women - were a trio of clerks trapped in a bank when the mob set it alight and then obstructed emergency crews attempting to rescue them. You don’t have to go to Athens to find "public servants" happy to take it out on the public. In Madison, politicized doctors provide fake sick notes for politicized teachers to skip class. In New York's Christmas snowstorm, Sanitation Department plough drivers are unable to clear the streets, with fatal consequences for some residents. On the other hand, they did manage to clear the snow from outside the Staten Island home of Sanitation Dept head honcho John Doherty, while leaving all surrounding streets pristinely clogged. Three hundred Sanitation Department workers have salaries of over $100,000 per year. In retirement, you get a pension of 66 grand per annum plus excellent health benefits, all inflation proofed. That's what "collective bargaining" is about: It enables unions rather than citizens to set the price of government. It is, thus, a direct assault on republican democracy, and it needs to be destroyed. Unlovely as they are, the Greek rioters and the snarling thugs of Madison are the logical end point of the advanced social democratic state: not an oppressed underclass, but a spoiled overclass, rioting in defense of its privileges and insisting on more subsidy, more benefits, more featherbedding, more government. Big Unions fund Big Government. The union slices off two per cent of the workers’ pay and sluices it to the Democratic Party, which uses it to grow government, which also grows unions, which thereby grows the number of two-per-cent contributions, which thereby grows the Democratic Party, which thereby grows government… Repeat until bankruptcy. Or bailout. In his pithiest maxim, John Maynard Keynes, the most influential economist of the 20th century social-democratic state and the patron saint of “stimulus”, offered a characteristically offhand dismissal of any obligation to the future: “In the long run we are all dead.” The Greek and Wisconsin bullies are Keynesians to a man: The mob is demanding the right to carry on suspending reality until they’re all dead. After that, who cares? If the new class war is between “public servants” and the rest of us, some countries no longer have enough of “the rest of us” even to put up a fight. That's why you can't wait to fight in the last ditch. The longer you wait to stand up against the "public service" unions, the less your chance of winning. THE WISCONSIN DISPUTE IS ALL ABOUT POWER THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE The Means of Coercion The privileged are revolting in Wisconsin. By JAMES TARANTO To make sense of what's going on in Wisconsin, it helps to understand that the left in America lives in an ideological fantasy world. The dispute between the state government and the unions representing its employees is "about power," Paul Krugman of the New York Times observes accurately, before going off the rails: What [Gov. Scott] Walker and his backers are trying to do is to make Wisconsin--and eventually, America--less of a functioning democracy and more of a third-world-style oligarchy. And that's why anyone who believes that we need some counterweight to the political power of big money should be on the demonstrators' side. Kevin Drum of Mother Jones elaborates: Unions are . . . the only large-scale movement left in America that persistently acts as a countervailing power against corporate power. They're the only large-scale movement left that persistently acts in the economic interests of the middle class. . . . The decline of unions over the past few decades has left corporations and the rich with essentially no powerful opposition. No matter what doubts you might have about unions and their role in the economy, never forget that destroying them destroys the only real organized check on the power of the business community in America. If the last 30 years haven't made that clear, I don't know what will. There are several problems with this line of thinking. First, to talk of America in terms of "class" is to speak a foreign language. Outside of university faculties and Marxist fringe groups (but we repeat our self), Americans do not divide ourselves up by class; rather, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . ." When Americans describe themselves as "middle class," the term is a synonym for "ordinary" or "respectable," not part of a taxonomy of division. Actual middle-class Americans don't feel put upon by "corporate power" or "the business community," because by and large, they own the means of production: They run businesses; they hold shares in corporations through their investment and retirement accounts. Some belong to unions, but the vast majority do not: "In 2010, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union--was 11.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent a year earlier," according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Take that, taxpayers! In any case, it seems to have escaped Krugman's and Drum's notice that the Wisconsin dispute has nothing to do with corporations. The unions' antagonist is the state government. "Industrial unions are organized against the might and greed of ownership," writes Time's Joe Klein, a liberal who understands the crucial distinction. "Public employees unions are organized against the might and greed . . . of the public?" The "labor movement" in America has increasingly come to consist of people who work for government, not private companies. As the BLS notes, the union-participation rate for public-sector workers in 2010 was 36.2%, vs. just 6.9% for private-sector workers. There is a fundamental difference between private- and public-sector workers. A private-sector labor dispute is a clear clash of competing interests, with management representing shareholders and unions representing workers. In the public sector, as George Will notes, taxpayers--whose position is analogous to that of shareholders--are usually denied a seat at the table: Such unions are government organized as an interest group to lobby itself to do what it always wants to do anyway - grow. These unions use dues extracted from members to elect their members' employers. And governments, not disciplined by the need to make a profit, extract government employees' salaries from taxpayers. Government sits on both sides of the table in cozy "negotiations" with unions. Collective bargaining in the public sector thus is less a negotiation than a conspiracy to steal money from taxpayers. The notion that this is "in the economic interests of the middle class" for government employees in Wisconsin and elsewhere to get above-market wages and extremely lavish benefits is just laughable. Sure, government employees are "middle class," but so are the vast majority of taxpayers who don't enjoy the special privileges that come from owning the means of coercion. Commentary's Jennifer Dyer argues that the Wisconsin dispute--likely the first of many, as states and localities face up to the unsustainable costs they have imposed on taxpayers via such collusion with unions--reflects a "crisis of progressivism": The term "progressive" has been batted around in various incarnations over the last decade, but in its original sense in U.S. politics--the sense popularized by the Wisconsin Progressives and the spinoffs from their movement--progressivism was about enlarging the government's supervisory role over society and entrusting the administration of that role to experts employed in public agencies. . . . The agencies were sold to the public as a means of taking the corrupt politics out of issues that ought to be decided straightforwardly by disinterested experts. The progressive idea has always been that this stable of public experts should be insulated from the demands of interest groups--even if the interest group in question is a majority of registered voters. The Wisconsin Republicans are challenging that idea directly. The vociferous political left isn't wrong about that: the crisis in Wisconsin is a power struggle for the future of government, not just a clash of this year's fiscal priorities. If the voting public can, in fact, deny professional autonomy--in this case, the option to organize for collective bargaining--to public employees, the essential premise of progressivism is badly undercut. Public employees, in their professional capacity, would not then have a "right" to anything the voters don't choose to accede to. That would include the scope of their agencies' portfolios as well as the terms of employment for government workers. It's an intriguing argument, but it doesn't seem quite right to us. Unionized government employees are not, by and large, professional "experts." If any government workers are undercompensated relative to their private-sector counterparts, it is those with special expertise--lawyers, scientists, economists, top administrators. Public-sector union members mostly have commoner abilities, for which they are overpaid. Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) on the budget battles in Washington and back home. Like WSJ's OpinionJournal on Facebook! Get our articles and insights from our editorial staff free when you follow us on Facebook. Here is the contradiction of progressivism. Progressives tell us they want the government to do more. But they can't win elections without public-sector unions. Because they are beholden to those unions, their main priority when in power is to increase the cost, not the scope, of government. Because resources are finite, the result is the worst of both worlds: a government that taxes more without doing more. This is unsustainable economically. Fortunately, as Wisconsin voters showed last November, it's unsustainable politically as well. 'Push Back Hard'--Again "The unions should make their voices heard and push back hard," editorializes the New York Times, one of the few newspapers to support the Wisconsin antitaxpayer revolt unreservedly. "Push back hard" must be a macro on the computers over at the Times editorial page, which demanded back in August that supporters of the Ground Zero Mosque "push back hard" against ordinary Americans. In the meantime, of course, the Times has delivered many a pious lecture on the evil of "incivility" in politics. It's quite striking the way almost every lie the left ever told about the Tea Party has turned out to be true of the government unionists in Wisconsin and their supporters: • Extreme rhetoric. The Wisconsin Republican Party has produced what Mediaite.org calls an "incredibly effective" video juxtaposing liberal complaints about allegedly extremist Tea Party rhetoric with unionist signs likening Gov. Walker to Hitler and other dictators. Left-wing journalists are making similar invidious comparisons: "Workers Toppled a Dictator in Egypt, but Might Be Silenced in Wisconsin" read the headline of a Washington Post column by Harold Meyerson last week. The other day on CNN we saw scenes of a Madison crowd chanting, "Kill the bill"--which was said to be violent and invidious a year ago, when "the bill" was ObamaCare. • Violence. Blogress Ann Althouse, a state employee based in Madison, posted a video of municipal salt trucks blowing their horns in support of the unionists. A YouTube commenter responded (quoting verbatim), "whoever video taped this has no life and should be shot in the head." Unlike Frances Fox Piven, Althouse has never advocated violence, but don't expect the Times to give this the kind of coverage it gave Piven's claims that she had received threatening emails. • Partisan AstroTurf. That's the Beltway term referring to a fake grassroots movement. Politico reported last week that "the Democratic National Committee's Organizing for America arm--the remnant of the 2008 Obama campaign--is playing an active role in organizing protests." A blogger at the OFA website, BarackObama.com, writes: "To our allies in the labor movement, to our brothers and sisters in public work, we stand with you, and we stand strong." We've also received emails from MoveOn.org, which says it's holding a pro-unionist rally outside our offices later this afternoon. Sorry, MOO, we're working at home today. • Refusal to accept election results. Although Republicans have a majority in the Wisconsin Senate, Democrats have fled the state, taking advantage of the body's rules to deny the majority a quorum. The Indianapolis Star reports that Democrats from the Indiana House are employing the same tactic. Even Barack Obama, when he was an Illinois senator, usually voted "present." • Stupidity. Remember "Teabonics," a photo album of misspelled Tea Party signs? The unionists can't spell any better--and some of them are teachers! Althouse got one photo of what we think is a woman holding a sign that reads " 'Open for business' = Closed for Negotiatins [sic]." Also, some of the teachers' tactics--in particular, fraudulently calling in sick and exploiting other people's children by enlisting them as protesters--seem not only unethical but calculated to repel the public. One blessing of low standards for public school teachers is that it ensures many of them are not bright enough to stage an effective protest. The one exception: So far we haven't seen any evidence of racism by the Wisconsin unionists. But we're watching for it. OBAMA CONTINUES TO FLOOD AMERICA WITH MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS OBAMA AUTHORIZES 80,000 “REFUGEES” TO ENTER COUNTRY GET READY FOR NEW MUSLIM INVASION “JUSTIFIED BY HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS” Paul L. Williams, Ph.D. President Barack Hussein Obama, in a determination letter to Congress, has announced that he will allow an additional 80,000 immigrants – - mostly from Islamic countries – - to resettle in the United States during fiscal year 2011. Mr. Obama says that the increase in Muslim immigrants “is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.” The following “goals” for new immigrants has been set as follows: Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000 East Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,000 Europe and Central Asia . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 Latin America/Caribbean. . . . . . . . . . . 5,500 Near East/South Asia. . . . . . . . . . . 35,500 Unallocated Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 Refugee Resettlement Watch and other organizations have expressed grave concern that Mr. Obama is allowing so many immigrants into the country while so many Americans remain out of work and living in poverty. According to the US Department of Labor, 14.8 million Americans remain unemployed. 6.1 million have been out of work for 27 weeks or over. This figure has been challenged by the Union of the Unemployed who provide statistics that the actual number of unemployed Americans is 31 million. The U. S. Census Bureau shows that the median household income for Americans has fallen to $49,777 – - a decline of 0.7% in the past year. One in seven Americans no longer can feed themselves. According to The Wall Street Journal, 14.3% of the American people live in abject poverty. A refugee is defined by The US Department of Immigration and Naturalization as someone who has left one’s country due to persecution or a fear of persecution. This accounts for the sharp rise of Somali communities throughout the country. However, the definition of refugee is ‘fudged’ in several cases. “Refugees” who have not left their country due to persecution, according to Mr. Obama’s determination letter, can still be called “refugees” if they are from Iraq, one of the Islamic countries of the former Soviet Union, or Cuba. According to Section 413 (a) of the Immigration and Nationalities Act, the Office of Refugee Resettlement is required to submit an annual report to Congress on the activities of the refugees. The report is supposed to include the number who are on public welfare programs. But no report has forthcoming from the Office of Refugee Resettlement since 2007. Swift agrees to Muslims demands for prayer times Sep 18, 2008 … Look at the Somali cab drivers, alcohol, pets. … Surely they’re not handling PORK at that meat packing plant!? Tags: Barack Hussein Obama, Creeping Sharia, Immigration, Immigration Jihad, Islamic Conquest, Post-America, Sanctuary Nation, Stealth Jihad 69 Responses to “OBAMA AUTHORIZES 80,000 “REFUGEES” TO ENTER COUNTRY” Muslims, wherever they are, can cry victim and the world listens. They persecute and murder Christians, Hindus, and all non-Muslims, homosexuals, women, children, etc., and they’re still able to convince the world of their victimhood. That is one for the history books if we ever get chance to write the history of this age. Unwilling Witness says: Barack (pronounced “Bear-ick”) has a never-ending love for outsourcing citizenship. I suggest someone at the Pentagon figure out why Barack aka Barry came into the United States mainland in 1971 and told people he wasn’t born here, but wanted to be president someday, anyway. Frank Marshall Davis, renowned Communist and recreational pedophile had been “homeschooling” Barry for a year then, if my calculations are correct; Stanley Ann Dunham exiled Barry to HI with her mother and father and FMD as role models. Our Treasury Secretary won’t admit that he had quite a bit of knowledge about Barry even in 1970 when they came into the United States from Jakarta with their mother to escape Indonesia for the summer. Timothy Geithner and his sister were quite aware of who Barry was and Tim knew about SAD’s plans to send Barry to HI to live with her “parents.” Perhaps, Peter Geithner, Stanley Ann’s boss at the Ford Foundation in Jakarta, Indonesia talked about the boy and his mother in front of the Geithner children. Audie Geithner attended Fransiscus Besuki School with Barry where she saw Barry dress in Muslim attire and attend Koranic studies where he learned his flawless Arabic pronunciation and the tenets of the (cult) religion. There is no better substitute for cultural and religious indoctrination into Islam (and indoctrination into Marxism) than seizing upon an impressionable, fatherless boy and making his identity and self-esteem hinge on his religious (and political) identification. We are the victims of the Dunham’s love affair with Communism, Marxism, Islam and all things anti-American. Barry was exposed early on to Davis’ brand of anarchy, drugs and anger towards mainstream America. What kind of people exploit a child for their own political gain? Radical Muslims, Communists and Marxists. How curious that one of Barack’s first acts as President was to appoint Timothy Geithner as his wingman in the Treasury. Geithner’s advantage as a financial insider was secured by Geithner, Sr. who migrated to the IMF from the Ford Foundation. Former President George Bush nominated Timothy Geithner to the head of the New York (un-)Federal Reserve Bank in 2007 in preparation for his graduation to Secretary of the Treasury. Geithner’s role in re-setting our financial system and the world’s economies has been pivotal in paving the way for a future global government. He is an insider’s insider, having received the designation of Knight of the Order of the Garter from the Kuh-ween of England (another placeholder who serves at the pleasure of the Temple Bar Court Bankers). The only thing more disastrous than an Obama Presidency is the promotion of Obama to the helm of the United Nations as Secretary General, but then, Obama is well-versed in the ins and outs of corrupt organizations, the exploitation of slumbering mainstream Americans who ignore the abridgement fo the Constitution and Bill of Rights for the benefit of the disenfranchised third world. If Obama was not biologically sired by Sukarno, he was ideologically sired by Bung Sukarno, who declared independence from the Dutch to govern his people under the chosen guiding principles of Marxism and Islam. Bung Sukarno was sympathetic to Communists, too, and assisted Emperor Hirohito in WWII by allowing Japanese planes to re-fuel on one of Indonesia’s islands. Just received this in my E-mail from a Dear Friend. Having spent three weeks in a hospital in Naples, Florida with my wife I couldn’t help noticing what was going on in the hospital and I had a lot of time to talk to the doctors and nurses about what I had observed. Below is a commentary from an ER Doctor. Do you think this might be a big reason our health care system and our social security system are so screwed up? Do you think this might be a big reason our taxes keep going up? Who do you think these people are going to vote for? From a Florida ER doctor: “I live and work in a state overrun with illegals. They make more money having kids than we earn working full-time. Today I had a 25-year old with 8 kids – that’s right 8; all illegal anchor babies and she had the nicest nails, cell phone, hand bag, clothing, etc. She makes about $1,500 monthly for each; you do the math. I used to say, “We are the dumbest nation on earth.” Now I must say and sadly admit: WE are the dumbest people on earth (that includes ME) for we elected the idiot idealogues who have passed the bills that allow this. Sorry, but we need a revolution. Vote them all out in 2010. ” — REMEMBER — IN NOVEMBER 2010, WE HAVE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN OUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE AND ONE-THIRD OF THE SENATE! This is an insult and a kick in the butt to all of us… Get mad and pass it on – I don’t know how, but maybe some good will come of this travesty. If the immigrant is over 65, they can apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than a woman on Social Security, who worked from 1944 until 2004. She is only getting $791 per month because she was born in 1924 and there’s a ‘catch 22.’ It is interesting that the federal government provides a single refugee with a monthly allowance of $1,890. Each can also obtain an additional $580 in social assistance, for a total of $2,470 a month. This compares to a single pensioner, who after contributing to the growth and development of America for 40 to 50 years, can only receive a monthly maximum of $1,012 in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement. Consider sending this to all your American friends, so we can all be ticked off and maybe get the refugees cut back to $1,012 and the pensioners up to $2,470. Then we can enjoy some of the money we were forced to submit to the Government over the last 40 or 50 or 60 years. And not to receive a increase for 2010 Vote them all out of office……. Please forward this to every American to expose what our elected politicians have been doing for the past 11 years to over-taxed Americans. SEND THIS TO EVERY AMERICAN TAXPAYER YOU KNOW Always On Watch says: Well, isn’t that just peachy keen? Meanwhile, American citizens who really need assistance aren’t getting that assistance. Maybe those American citizens should emigrate and re-enter? GRMA213 says: Why don’t Muslim countries take the Muslim refugees? Isn’t charity one of the 5 Pillars of Islam? this continuous importation of incompatible refugees” will turn the USA into the DBS…Disjointed Balkinized States. ad rem says: Salvage is the same little troll that craps over at Riehlworldview.com. Just one of Soro’s minions….. You truly are a Muslim Obama, you are not fooling anyone. It’s time for your impeachment or the military needs to step in and take over your dictatorship. We the American people are also fed up with your BS. You’re going to cause another revolution. Lots of vet’s out there who know guerrilla warfare. Cathey says: The so-called POTUS, Traitor Has given millions to our enemies BY EXECUTIVE ORDER OBUMMA GIVES MONEY TO HAMMAS (Feb 2009) http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488 DIRECT ACCESS STIMULUS GRANTS FOR THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD August 31:2010 http://bigpeace.com/cbrim/2010/08/29/coming-august-31-direct-access-stimulus-grants-for-the-muslim-brotherhood/ WHITEHOUSE PROVIDING FUNDING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/white-house-providing-%E2%80%9Cfunding-government-assistance-and-resources%E2%80%9D-to-muslim-brotherhood/ A MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD COLLECTION OF INFORMATION http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=144219428954350#!/note.php?note_id=131684856879667&id=100001218377837&ref=mf Scoros says: JEFFREY HARDIN says: It absolutely blows my mind that Obama received so many votes to began with.. Not one thing about him during his run gave 1 clue to who he was,he hid himself within the media.He attacked those who would dare question him and yet you voted for him. 100s of thousands of homeless bussed into states that require no IDs to vote and no registration either? This man The Mulatto Prince of Thieves is committing treachery against our Nation and you voted and still supported him,WHY? What has he done yet that can be validated as Legal? You who have supported this man betrayed God and this Country.Plain is Plain was… @ Hinda: No the Republicans are not different than Democrats.But Conservatives are different than both. We Conservatives fire our crooks,the Liberals keep theirs intact.When and how often do you see Republicans rotated compared to the Liberals? Have faith Hinda many dem’s and repubs both are getting fired,maybe we can have some with backbones to speak for us… In reply to Jen, I don’t care what GW did. I was against it then and I’m against it now. The story states that the 80,000 are in addition to the normal quota. Let Putin solve his own Muslim problem. He can, but he’d prefer to send his dissidents to America so that they can work to transplant their culture and religion on our shores. I wouldn’t ask one soldier to fall on a grenade to give a Russian Muslim birth to America. Don’t you understand why the academics have been preaching birth control and abortion to the middle class? To make room for the importation or outsourcing of citizenship to the world’s citizens. Mexican immigrants can afford to come here illegally and have many children because our government is subsidizing their reproduction. As for Obama’s assertion that he is his brother’s keeper, why are the taxpayers of MA footing the bill for her housing, food, medical care, etc? Not enough proceeds from two fictional autobiographies to provide a modest home for Aunt Zeituni? According to Aunt Z, its our Christian duty to put her up. If you find yourself in disadvantaged circumstances, don’t expect what Aunt Z receives; Aunt Z is a political refugee and non-citizen. She expects you to support her and far from being grateful, she is not thankful, she expects you to sacrifice to provide for her. This is shameful, and our President used his political connections to provide sanctuary for his aunt despite the fact that she had been ordered to be deported to Kenya. She evaded immigration authorities in violation of our laws and was not punished for ignoring a court order; she was held up as some sort of victim of the system. Meanwhile, the Obama administration sits idly by as the Army destroys an Army physician and officer’s career because he had the audacity to question why this President avoids the investigation of his bona fides. A military officer deserves less mercy, less justice than an illegal immigrant, Aunt Zeituni, the pardoned FALN terrorists, etc. Jamie Shannon says: This is by far the best explanation of the Muslim terrorist situation I have ever read. His references to past history are accurate and clear. Not long, easy to understand, and well worth the read. The author of this email is said to be Dr………. Emanuel Tanay, a well-known and well-respected psychiatrist. A German’s View on Islam A man, whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism. ‘Very few people were true Nazis,’ he said, ‘but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.’ We are told again and again by ‘experts’ and ‘talking heads’ that Islam is the religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the spectre of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honour-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. It is the fanatics who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers. The hard, quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority, the ‘silent majority,’ is cowed and extraneous. Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China ‘s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people. The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And who can forget Rwanda , which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were ‘peace loving’? History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason, we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany , they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun. Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts–the fanatics who threaten our way of life. Lastly, anyone who doubts that the issue is serious and just deletes this email without sending it on, is contributing to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand. So, extend yourself a bit and send this on and on and on! Let us hope that thousands, world-wide, read this and think about it, and send it on – before it’s too late . I have posted this letter before, and it is truly, something to think about? This is certainly ‘food-for-thought’. This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to finish, and send it on to everyone. Maybe this is why our A……merican Muslims are so quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities. Can a good Muslim be a good American? This question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his reply: Theologically – NO, Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon god of Arabia . Religiously – NO, Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam. (Quran, 2:256-Koran) Scripturally – NO, Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of Islam and the Quran. Geographically – NO, Because his allegiance is to Mecca , to which he turns in prayer five times a day. Socially – NO, Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews. Politically – NO, Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America , the great Satan. Domestically – NO, Because he is instructed to marry four Women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34-Koran) Intellectually – NO, Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt. Philosophically – NO, Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic. Spiritually – NO, Because when we declare ‘one nation under God,’ the Christian’s God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran’s 99 excellent names. Therefore, after much study and deliberation, perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both ‘good’ Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish, it’s still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future. The religious war is bigger than we know or understand. Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within. SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! THE MARINES WANT THIS………. TO ROLL ALL OVER THE U.S. They are truly our enemy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!They want you dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ask a Soldier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please pass these two letters on,America We are at a Crossroads of loosing our Country and Freedom! This is not a joke or some Politically Correct Ploy! We are repeating History, the wrong way! Wake up, be informed, But The writtings on the wall..Please don’t keep a blind eye! Cause if you do, they will Take us and Imprison us, whether it is Socially, Emotionally, economically, or even Physically! But it is real and it is here!!! If you are really honest with your self & no one else, Look at all the signs… ..The world is against us and half of America! All I can say is Stand Up..Speak Up.. and Pray Up..its going to be a wild ride as it has been for the last yr and a half! But stand for Truth no matter what, even upon Pain of Death! God Bless America! and Have mercy on all of US….of A!!!…. I only want to say to all Americans I have posted this before,But be aware of the progressives agenda,leading us towards Islam and Socialism, I have posted this letter alot and hope to keep doing it till all people know what Muhammad,& Isla……m is, and all about! Please don’t let children watch this..Muhammad.. http://…www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyKhao47qU The perfect man’ & Three things you (probably) don’t know about Islam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsrnmzxEUY After you watch these, read the letter in next post…Warning on the Video’s “DON’T LET CHILDREN WATCH” But it is the Truth! One man wrote the Quran, and there is 2 sides to the Quran,The first part of Peace & the second, Is very evil, Remember One man wrote the Quran.”IN ONE LIFETIME” .and created Islam and the Muslims, they are all Arab descent! over 40 men wrote the Bible over, 3500yrs! Be Aware and understand this post and the next! God Bless all who take heed, and God’ Bless America! Don Smith says: This is crazy, Obama is allowing people into this country that are not true Americans, they will suck our social security system dry, and destroy our healt care system with excessive overloads, they will get our benefits, while we got nothing in return. They will come first, we will be last. They need to Impeach this guy before He destroys our once great nation, He’s a Nut !! Billsocal says: Just another piece in the jigsaw puzzle showing him as a Muslim. All you have to is put the pieces together and you get a real clear picture. Mauna says: When the Jews came to America, they did not ask everyone in America to become a Jew. They went about building schools, libraries, museums, hospitals, clinics, etc. and joined with Americans to build a better America. When Muslims enter America, they go about building mosques, and from their mosques, they preach hatred for America (the very land where they can live and enjoy life), they build schools for Muslims children, schools that teach the same dislike for America and Americans, and all the schools teach from the Koran. Muslim children are brainwashed from birth, to hate Infidels and to kill jews. Their goal is total world domination by Muslims. They use our “politically correctness” to gain more power, and NEVER, NEVER have they actually turned in a terrorist when the terrorist is one of their own, instead, they protect them and cover up. Why would America want more people like that here? Americans do not want more Muslims here, but our President does not understand that. They are ruining our country. WHAT DO INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS AND MANY PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY! Mubarak finds his way out, and America's top intelligence officials find they're way off. It seems he's really gone. "President Hosni Mubarak succumbed to the demands of hundreds of thousands of his countrymen Friday and resigned from office, bringing to an end three decades of autocratic rule," The Wall Street Journal reports. For the moment, at least, autocratic rule is giving way to military rule: "Because of the current circumstances in the country the president . . . has decided to step down, and the higher command of the army is taking control of the country," Vice President Omar Suleiman announced. The announcement was supposed to have been delivered yesterday by Mubarak himself--or at least so everyone thought, including Leon Panetta, the U.S. director of central intelligence, who testified yesterday before the House Intelligence Committee. "Panetta helped touch off an avalanche of erroneous expectations Thursday when he testified that there was a 'strong likelihood' that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would step down by the end of the day," the Washington Post reports. How did that happen? According to the New York Times, "American officials said Mr. Panetta was basing his statement not on secret intelligence but on media broadcasts." Hold your applause for Clapper. This reminded us of the incident we wrote about Dec. 22 in which James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, gave an interview in which he revealed his ignorance about a major terror-plot bust in England earlier that week. As we noted Dec. 23, John Brennan, the White House's top counterterrorism adviser, defended the DNI by saying: "I'm glad that Jim Clapper is not sitting in front of the TV 24 hours a day and monitoring what's coming out of the media." Panetta's misstep makes Brennan's defense of Clapper seem more plausible than it did at the time. One wonders, though, what Brennan might make of Clapper's latest foul-up. As Politico.com reports, Clapper testified on the same panel with Panetta yesterday and, as Politico notes, he said this: "The term 'Muslim Brotherhood' . . . is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam," Clapper said. "They have pursued social ends, a betterment of the political order in Egypt, et cetera. . . . In other countries, there are also chapters or franchises of the Muslim Brotherhood, but there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally." Now, this columnist does not claim to understand the Muslim Brotherhood. Much of what we heard and read from its critics on the right has a paranoid tone to it, which arouses our suspicions. Even so, Clapper's statement that "there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally" is so heavily hedged that it is hard to imagine it could be anything other than an attempt to conceal an unpleasant truth. And his claim that a group called the Muslim Brotherhood is "largely secular" is preposterous on its face. (One imagines an Egyptian liberal with a bumper sticker on his Volvo: "The Muslim Brotherhood is neither.") Politico reports that Clapper is "backing away" from the "largely secular" statement: "To clarify Director Clapper's point--in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood makes efforts to work through a political system that has been, under Mubarak's rule, one that is largely secular in its orientation," a spokesman for Clapper, Jamie Smith, said Thursday afternoon. "He is well aware that the Muslim Brotherhood is not a secular organization." This column has largely stayed away from the subject of the Egyptian revolution. It's a complicated story, and we weren't sure we had anything to say that would be strong and original without a significant risk of being wildly wrong. Not that we're looking for a job, but it sounds as though we're well qualified to serve as a top intelligence official. Or rather, we would be if only we could become more confident in our ignorance. Newspaper as Echo Chamber John Tierney, who writes about science for the New York Times, is unusual--a Times writer of libertarian bent, one who challenges his colleagues' prevailing political assumptions. The other day he had a column about a Tierney-like academic, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt of the University of Virginia, who spoke at a recent conference: He polled his audience at the San Antonio Convention Center, starting by asking how many considered themselves politically liberal. A sea of hands appeared, and Dr. Haidt estimated that liberals made up 80 percent of the 1,000 psychologists in the ballroom. When he asked for centrists and libertarians, he spotted fewer than three dozen hands. And then, when he asked for conservatives, he counted a grand total of three. "This is a statistically impossible lack of diversity," Dr. Haidt concluded, noting polls showing that 40 percent of Americans are conservative and 20 percent are liberal. In his speech and in an interview, Dr. Haidt argued that social psychologists are a "tribal-moral community" united by "sacred values" that hinder research and damage their credibility--and blind them to the hostile climate they've created for non-liberals. One Adam Bevelacqua of Brooklyn, N.Y., took issue with this in the comments section of the Times's website: I find it difficult to take Dr. Haidt's argument seriously, given the climate of today's American society. While I agree that no academic field based on the scientific process should push an ideology, the lack of conservatives in the Social Sciences (and a few graduate students' shy emails) do not imply a general hostility toward conservative ideas. Instead, their absence highlights how far to the right the contemporary conservative movement has traveled and how out of sync it is with evidence-based reality. Since most conservative social policy revolves around religious belief or long-disproven ideas--the most obvious to point out would be the anti-gay rhetoric about curability, recruitment, etc--it makes perfect sense that conservatives gravitate away from the social sciences and Academia in general, especially when those fields contradict their core social beliefs. . . . Social science has existed as an important way to analyze often misunderstood minority communities, such as blacks and gays, and the idea that the field needs more conservatives to keep up the perception of diversity makes no sense. The social sciences have helped change many people's biases about certain populations by communicating truth based on factual evidence. These academic pursuits have aided the advancement of social progress by dispelling misinformation (such as stereotypes). If academic facts contradict today's conservative status quo regarding social issues, we need not correct that. Instead, it might be time for people to re-evaluate what it means to be a conservative. The obvious point here is that Bevelacqua is engaging in exactly the sort of stereotyping of which he accuses conservatives. His example, "anti-gay rhetoric about curability, recruitment, etc," is not exactly central to American conservatism in the second decade of the 21st century. But the interesting point arises from one further fact: Bevelacqua's comment is the most "recommended" by readers on the Times site. The second-place comment asserts that "closed-minded conservatives don't make very good scientists." No. 4: "Most thinking people are not very likely to be what you call 'conservative.' " As we write, the top five comments are all hostile to conservatives, and the top six are unsympathetic to Haidt's argument. It seems Haidt's description of the world of academic psychology as a liberal political monoculture also fits the New York Times's readership. That may explain why the Times's staff is a monoculture, though we'd say it's more likely that the internal biases of the Times attract readers who share its ideological bent and repel those who don't. This may make sense as a marketing strategy, but it explains why the paper's authority as a neutral source of news has been gradually diminishing. Posted by Leo Rugiens at 5:43 AM 1 comment: Links to this post BACK ALLEY ABORTIONS ARE NOW SANCTIONED BY BIG GOVERNMENT BIG GOVERNMENT’S BACK ALLEY Mark Steyn on Culture As I was leaving Fox News last night, I glanced up at the monitor and caught Juan Williams expressing mystification to Sean Hannity as to why Republicans in Congress were wasting the country’s time on a “little thing” like abortion. Gee, I dunno. Maybe it’s something to do with a mass murderer in Pennsylvania, or Planned Parenthood clinics facilitating the sex trafficking of minors. From the Office of the District Attorney in Philadelphia: Viable babies were born. Gosnell killed them by plunging scissors into their spinal cords. He taught his staff to do the same. This is a remarkable moment in American life: A man is killing actual living, gurgling, bouncing babies on an industrial scale – and it barely makes the papers. Had he plunged his scissors into the spinal cord of a Democrat politician in Arizona, then The New York Times, ABC, CBS, NBC and everyone else would be linking it to Sarah Palin’s uncivil call for dramatic cuts in government spending. But “Doctor” Kermit Gosnell’s mound of corpses is apparently entirely unconnected to the broader culture. Why? Well, because it’s all about a woman’s “right to choose”. What women? Well, how about the misses Robyn Reid and Davida Johnson: FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Robyn Reid didn’t want an abortion. But when her grandmother forcibly took her to an abortion clinic one wintry day in 1998, Reid figured she’d just tell the doctor her wishes and then sneak away. Instead, Kermit Gosnell barked: “I don’t have time for this!” He then ripped off her clothes, spanked her, wrestled her onto a dirty surgical stretcher, tied her flailing arms and legs down and pumped sedatives into her until she quit screaming and lost consciousness, she told the Daily News yesterday… In 2001, Davida Johnson changed her mind about aborting her 6-month fetus after seeing Gosnell’s dazed, bloodied patients in his recovery room, she said. But in the treatment room, Gosnell’s staffers ignored her protests, smacked her, tied her arms down and sedated her into unconsciousness, she said. She awoke no longer pregnant. Oh. Well, “Dr” Gosnell’s just one rogue abortionist. How about the “right to choose” over at Planned Parenthood? There are a whole range of choices – not so much for the illegally smuggled underage foreign sex slave, but at least for her pimp. If you’re a middle-aged guy running a child-sex business, you have the “right to choose” what’s best for that 13-year old Venezuelan hottie you brought over a couple weeks back. As the Falls Church clinic assures him: We don’t necessarily look at the legal status, like I said. That’s good to know. With Planned Parenthood aiding and abetting child prostitution, my friend Rich Lowry argued that the back alley is back: Legal abortion was supposed to end “back-alley abortions,” both their dangers and their entanglements with shady characters. But the practice and the mores of the back alley are with us still, tolerated by people for whom the ready provision of abortion trumps all else. Rich (the editor of National Review) is right. Ever since Roe v Wade, proponents of a woman’s “right to choose” have warned us against going back to the bad old days of rusty coat hangers and unsterilized instruments from money-grubbing butchers on the wrong side of town. Now, happily, the back alley is on the main drag, and with a state permit framed on the wall. In Philadelphia: Furniture and blankets were stained with blood. Instruments were not properly sterilized. Disposable medical supplies were not disposed of; they were reused, over and over again. Medical equipment – such as the defibrillator, the EKG, the pulse oximeter, the blood pressure cuff – was generally broken; even when it worked, it wasn’t used. The emergency exit was padlocked shut. And scattered throughout, in cabinets, in the basement, in a freezer, in jars and bags and plastic jugs, were fetal remains. It was a baby charnel house. In New Jersey: The Department of Health and Senior Services investigated the abortion facility and found dirty forceps, rusty crochet hooks used to remove IUDs, and a quarter-inch of dirt and debris under an examining table. For years, the supposed regulators averted their gaze – as a matter of policy. For abortion’s ideological enforcers, the official euphemisms trump reality. For those on the receiving end of infection, mutilation, sterilization and death, reality has a way of intruding. Ask Nicole Gaither: Nicole Gaither got an abortion from Gosnell in 2001. After four days, she said, the pain was so bad she could barely walk. She returned to the clinic, where, she said Gosnell blithely told her he’d left fetal remains in her. “Stand up! It don’t hurt that bad!” he yelled at her, she said, before suctioning – without any medication – her insides. Ask Patient SB: After inadequately dilating Patient S.B.’s cervix for a D&E abortion, Pendergraft ruptured her uterus and shoved the pre-born baby’s body into the abdominal cavity. She was rushed to the hospital where she received an emergency hysterectomy along with the removal of the dead fetus, which was missing an arm. The arm was later found at Pendergraft’s EPOC abortion clinic. His not reporting that he had removed the arm caused a delay in her care at the hospital as surgeons futilely attempted to locate the missing appendage. Ask Rasheedah Dinkins: Dinkins, who was 22 at the time of the settlement, became severely ill following the abortion and was transferred to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center where she needed blood transfusions and had her uterus removed. She also suffered a stroke due to the serious blood loss and had one of her lungs collapse. The back alley is back, and supersized: The above New Jersey clinic performs 10,000 abortions a year. When the pro-choice rally ends and Cameron Diaz, Ashley Judd and other celebrities d’un certain age return to Hollywood, and the upper-middle-class women with the one designer baby go back to their suburbs, a woman’s ”right to choose” means that, day in, day out, the blessings of this “right” fall disproportionately on all the identity groups the upscale liberals profess to care about – poor women, black women, Hispanic women, undocumented women, and other denizens of Big Government’s back alley. A government back alley, licensed and supposedly regulated, is worse than the old kind, because it implies the approval of the state, and of society. That’s what Gosnell thought he had, when he murdered those babies and mutilated those teenage girls. That’s what Planned Parenthood think they have, when they facilitate the sexual exploitation of Third World children. And, given the silence of the PC media, maybe they’re right. Aside from the intrinsic evil of not only Gosnell but a state that knowingly colludes with him, these “little” abortion stories reveal an almost totalitarian mindset in the “pro-choice” movement’s determination to brook no intrusion of reality upon the official myths. You may be one of those wealthy suburban “feminists” or “new men” indifferent to the fate of eight-pound “blobs of tissue” or 14-year old “women”, but the gulf between propaganda and truth, between the fatuous feelgood bumper stickers and the rusty crochet hooks, is profound – and, in a world where statists and social engineers serve as ruthless enforcers for the prevailing ideology, its deep moral corruption will eventually swallow you, too. America should be at the very minimum deeply disquieted by these revelations. That it is not – that it is dismissed as a “little thing” – is even more disquieting. [James Fulford argues that "Dr" Gosnell delivered live babies and killed them because he was too incompetent to perform a "partial-birth abortion" - because, in a ever more credential-obsessed America, ever more credentials have been corrupted by ethnocultural political considerations.] Posted by Leo Rugiens at 2:17 PM 1 comment: Links to this post TOTALITARIANISM COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT DISGUISES No room at the table for the Muslim Brothers http://www.jeffjacoby.com/8740/no-room-at-the-table-for-the-muslim-brothers An Egyptian anti-government demonstrator and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood prays near Egyptian soldiers in Cairo. (Getty Images) FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES take chances. They guarantee freedom of speech and of the press, despite the risk that harmful, foolish, or depraved ideas may be promoted. They require due process of law before an offender can be punished, even though some who are guilty may go free as a result. They give citizens the power to elect their rulers, notwithstanding the strife election campaigns generate -- and the possibility that voters will choose officials who are corrupt or incompetent. But there are limits. "Liberty and justice for all" does not require empowering even those who seek to do away with liberty and justice. In his famous dissent in the 1949 Supreme Court case of Terminiello v. Chicago, Justice Robert Jackson warned against interpreting the First Amendment so categorically as to fortify "right and left totalitarian groups, who want nothing so much as to paralyze and discredit . . . democratic authority." A commitment to liberal democracy is not an obligation to open the democratic process to parties that reject liberal democracy itself. Jackson cautioned the court's majority to "temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom," lest it "convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact." If even in America, where democratic institutions are old and firmly rooted, it is important to guard against antidemocratic cancers that latch on to political freedoms in order to destroy them, how much more important must it be in Egypt, where a democratic republic is still struggling to be born? This is why the question of the Muslim Brotherhood -- officially banned in Egypt, but nevertheless the country's largest opposition group -- is so crucial. The Brotherhood is the world's most influential Islamist organization, and Islamism -- the radical ideology that seeks the submission of all people to Islamic law -- is perhaps the most virulent antidemocratic force in the world today. In Daniel Pipes's phrase, "it is an Islamic-flavored version of totalitarianism." Like other totalitarian cadres, Islamists despise democratic pluralism and liberty in principle. But they are quite ready to make use of elections and campaigns as tactical stepping-stones to power. As with Adolf Hitler in 1933 or the Czechsolovak communists in 1946, Islamists may run for office and hold themselves out as democrats; but once power is in their grasp, they do not voluntarily relinquish it. Just months after Hamas, a self-described "wing of the Muslim Brotherhood," won a majority of seats in the Palestinian elections in 2006, it violently seized control of the Gaza Strip. More than 30 years after Ayatollah Khomeini took power in Iran promising representative democracy, the Islamist dictatorship he built instead remains entrenched. In Turkey, where secular democratic norms were long enforced by the military, the Islamist Justice and Development Party, or AKP, won the 2002 elections on a platform of moderate democratic conservatism. Since then, however, the AKP has shed its moderate coloration. "The party has turned authoritarian toward the opposition," writes Soner Cagaptay, who heads the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "Anti-government protestors are beaten up by security forces, opposition figures are wiretapped, and independent papers get slapped with punitive tax fines. . . . The AKP has effectively neutered the military. Not just high-ranking officers, but also the government's critics among academics have come under assault, ending up in prison." As the crossed swords and Koran on its logo suggest, the Muslim Brotherhood is fundamentally antidemocratic. If Egypt is to have any hope of a transition to a genuine constitutional democracy, the Muslim Brotherhood must not be treated as a legitimate democratic partner. For more than 80 years, it has been a fervent exponent of Islamic, not secular, rule; of clerical, not popular, sovereignty. Its credo could hardly be more explicit, or more antidemocratic: "Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Koran is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope." In 2008, the Muslim Brotherhood's supreme leader publicly called for raising young "mujaheddin" -- holy warriors -- "who love to die as much as others love to live and who can perform their duty towards their God, themselves and homeland." This week, senior Brotherhood figure Kamal al-Halbavi said his wish for Egypt is "a good government like the Iranian government, and a good president like Mr. Ahmadinejad, who is very brave." Democracy is flexible, but even in the best of circumstances it is incompatible with religious totalitarianism. What the Muslim Brotherhood seeks is the very antithesis of democratic pluralism and a free civil society. Egypt's friends must not hesitate to say so, clearly and emphatically. OBAMA CONTINUES TO FLOOD AMERICA WITH MUSLIM IMMIG... WHAT DO INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS AND MANY PSYCHOLOGIST... BACK ALLEY ABORTIONS ARE NOW SANCTIONED BY BIG GOV... HERE IS A SHOCKER YOU WILL SURELY FIND INCREDIBLE AMERICA'S MANUFACTURING GLORY IS FAR FROM BEING A ... SARAH PALIN HAD IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING: THER...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line241
__label__cc	0.560517	0.439483	OMNI Energy Services Agrees to be Acquired by Wellspring Capital Management for $2.75 Per Share in Cash OMNI Energy Services Agrees to… CARENCRO, La.–OMNI Energy Services Corp. (NASDAQ GM: OMNI), a leading provider of environmental services and seismic services to the domestic oil and gas industry, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Wellspring Capital Management LLC (“Wellspring”) will acquire all of OMNI’s outstanding shares for $2.75 per share in cash. The total value of the transaction is approximately $122 million, including assumption of debt. The agreement has been unanimously approved by the OMNI Board of Directors following the recommendation of a special committee of independent directors. The cash consideration represents a premium of 30% over the closing price of OMNI shares on June 3, 2010. “We believe this transaction will deliver an immediate and significant premium for our shareholders especially in light of the uncertain markets after the unprecedented drop in our end markets in 2009 and the continued current uncertainty in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Brian J. Recatto, President and Chief Executive Officer of OMNI. “Our strategic partnership with Wellspring is the culmination of a comprehensive process to address our balance sheet issues and will allow us to substantially improve our capital structure. Wellspring’s strategic and financial resources will provide us with the stability we need to be flexible and execute as the provider of choice for our customers.” William F. Dawson, Jr., a Managing Partner of Wellspring, said, “We look forward to working with OMNI and providing them with the long-term capital base they need in order to pursue business opportunities, grow their capabilities and weather the volatility of their end markets.” Completion of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2010, is subject to approval by OMNI’s shareholders, regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. Wellspring has furnished OMNI with commitment letters for the necessary debt financing. Three directors of OMNI, including its Chief Executive Officer Brian Recatto, are participating with Wellspring in the transaction. The merger agreement allows OMNI to actively solicit other possible bidders until July 16, 2010 and, thereafter, subject to certain conditions, to respond to unsolicited inquiries by other persons interested in acquiring OMNI. Stephens Inc. will assist OMNI in connection with dealings with other possible bidders. Should a superior proposal be received and accepted, OMNI may, subject to certain conditions, including payment of a “break-up” fee of approximately $1.8 million plus expenses up to $750,000, terminate the merger agreement with the Wellspring affiliate. Stephens Inc. is acting as financial advisor to the special committee of independent directors in connection with the transaction. GulfStar Group was also engaged by the special committee to render a fairness opinion with respect to the transaction. Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP is serving as legal counsel to the special committee. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as legal counsel to Wellspring. In light of the merger agreement, OMNI will not hold its Annual Meeting of Shareholders previously scheduled for June 9, 2010. Instead, OMNI expects to hold a Special Meeting of Shareholders to vote upon the approval of the merger agreement in the second half of 2010. About Omni Energy Services Corp. Headquartered in Carencro, LA, OMNI Energy Services Corp. offers a broad range of integrated services to geophysical companies engaged in the acquisition of on-shore seismic data and to oil and gas companies operating primarily in the Gulf of Mexico. OMNI provides its services through three business segments: Seismic Services (including drilling, survey and permitting services), Environmental and Other Services, and Equipment Leasing. Wellspring Capital Management, founded in 1995, is a leading middle-market private equity firm that manages more than $2 billion of private equity capital. The firm’s objective is to bring partnership, experience and value creation to each investment. By teaming up with strong management, Wellspring is able to unlock underlying value and pursue new growth opportunities through strategic initiatives, operating improvements and add-on acquisitions. The firm functions as a strategic rather than tactical partner, providing management teams with top-line support, M&A experience and financial expertise, and access to resources. Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties associated with the non-compliance with NASDAQ listing requirements and the possible delisting of OMNI’s securities, the ability of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of OMNI, with the assistance of management, to timely complete its internal review related to OMNI’s accounting for subordinated promissory notes in connection with certain acquisitions which occurred in prior periods, impact of the current economic climate, the efficacy of the I.M.P.A.C.T. ™ cleaning technology and receipt of its patent, the timely conversion of seismic drilling backlog into revenue, the acceptance and use of OMNI’s environmental cleaning services, OMNI’s dependence on activity in the oil and gas industry, labor shortages, permit delays, dependence on significant customers, seasonality and weather risks, competition, technological evolution, the ultimate outcome of pending litigation, the continued growth of our environmental and other services and equipment leasing business segments, and other risks detailed in OMNI’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In addition, there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the ability of OMNI to obtain shareholder approval of the merger, the possibility that the merger will not close or that the closing will be delayed , the merger transaction could involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays, OMNI’s business could suffer as a result of uncertainty, if any, surrounding the merger transaction, contractual restrictions on the conduct of OMNI’s business set forth in the merger agreement, the potential loss of key personnel, the outcome of, or expenses associated with, any litigation which may arise in connection with the merger transaction. OMNI disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this release. Important Additional Information Will be Filed With the SEC OMNI plans to file with the SEC and mail to its shareholders a Proxy Statement and a Schedule 13E-3 in connection with the transaction. OMNI SHAREHOLDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND SCHEDULE 13E-3 AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES TO THE TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement, the Schedule 13E-3 and other documents filed with the SEC by OMNI (when available) through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of such documents from OMNI by contacting OMNI Energy Services Corp., 4500 N.E. Evangeline Thruway, Carencro, LA 70520, Attn: Corporate Secretary, telephone 337-896-6664. OMNI and its directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies with respect to the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement. Information regarding OMNI’s directors and executive officers is contained in OMNI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and its proxy statement dated April 30, 2010, each of which is filed with the SEC. You can obtain free copies of these documents from OMNI using the contact information set forth above. Additional information regarding interests of such participants will be included in the Proxy Statement and the Schedule 13E-3 that will be filed with the SEC and available free of charge as indicated above. For OMNI Energy Services Corp. Ronald D. Mogel Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer For Wellspring Capital Management KEKST AND COMPANY Mark Semer / Micheline Tang	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line251
__label__wiki	0.863715	0.863715	Controversies relating to the Six-Day War Title: Controversies relating to the Six-Day War Subject: Six-Day War, Arab–Israeli conflict Collection: Arab–israeli Conflict, Historical Controversies, Six-Day War The Six-Day War was fought between June 5 and June 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt [known then as the United Arab Republic (UAR)], Jordan, and Syria. The war began with a large-scale surprise air strike by Israel on Egypt and ended with a major victory by Israel. A number of controversies have arisen out of the causes and conduct of the war, namely: whether Israel's action was a preemptive strike justified by the threat of an imminent attack by the Arab states or an unjustified and unprovoked attack; whether the Egyptians killed stragglers from their own forces as they returned from the defeat; whether the Israelis killed unarmed Egyptian prisoners; and the extent of foreign support given to the combatants in the war. Preemptive strike v. unjustified attack 1 Allegations of Egyptian atrocities against fellow Egyptians 2 Allegations that the IDF killed Egyptian prisoners 3 Combat support 4 Non-combat support 5 The USS Liberty incident 6 Footnotes 9 Preemptive strike v. unjustified attack Israeli women and children dig trenches at Gan Shmuel. The photo was taken during the waiting period in the days preceding the Six-Day War. Initially, both Egypt and Israel announced that they had been attacked by the other country. Gideon Rafael, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN, received a message from the Israeli foreign office: "inform immediately the President of the Sec. Co. that Israel is now engaged in repelling Egyptian land and air forces." At 3:10 am, Rafael woke ambassador Hans Tabor, the Danish President of the Security Council for June, with the news that Egyptian forces had "moved against Israel" .[1] and that Israel was responding to a "cowardly and treacherous" attack from Egypt…"[2] At the Security Council meeting of June 5, both Israel and Egypt claimed to be repelling an invasion by the other,[1] and "Israeli officials – Eban and Evron – swore that Egypt had fired first".[3] On June 5 Egypt, supported by the USSR, charged Israel with aggression. Israel claimed that Egypt had struck first, telling the council that “in the early hours of this morning Egyptian armoured columns moved in an offensive thrust against Israel’s borders. At the same time Egyptian planes took off from airfields in Sinai and struck out towards Israel. Egyptian artillery in the Gaza strip shelled the Israel villages of Kissufim, Nahal-Oz and Ein Hashelosha..." In fact, this was not the case,[4] The US Office of Current Intelligence "...soon concluded that the Israelis – contrary to their claims – had fired first." [5] and it is known the war started by a surprise Israeli attack against Egypt's air forces that left its ground troops vulnerable to further Israeli air strikes. Though Israel had struck first, Israel initially claimed that it was attacked first. Later it claimed that its attack was a preemptive strike in the face of a planned invasion of Israel by the Arab countries.[6] Israel's position is that, facing economic strangulation and the imminence of war on three fronts, with hundreds of thousands of enemy troops and hundreds of tanks massed on its borders, and given that shipping had been blockaded in the Straits of Tiran(90% of Israeli oil passed through the Straits of Tiran.[7] ), a casus belli in itself, and especially in light of the social and economic impossibility of maintaining her civilian army call-up indefinitely, she felt she had little choice but to initiate preemptive action.[8] According to Israeli historian and former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, the Arabs, "had planned the conquest of Israel and the expulsion or murder of much of its Jewish inhabitants in 1967". Some historians state that the neighboring Arab countries had nevertheless not begun any military actions against Israel so as to warrant an attack. Along with this view, there is a small, yet significant view that the war was an effort for Israel to expand its borders. This, according to Oren, is patently incorrect: Israel had little choice in the matter. "Preemption was the only option."[9] Israel's attack is often cited as an example of a preemptive attack and according to a journal published by the US State Department it is "perhaps the most cited example".[10][11] One scholar has referred to Israel’s actions as an act of "interceptive self-defense." According to this view, though no single Egyptian step may have qualified as an armed attack, Egypt’s collective actions that included the closure of the Straits of Tiran, the expulsion of UN peacekeepers, the massive armed deployment along Israel’s borders and her constant saber rattling, made clear that Egypt was bent on armed attack against Israel.[12] In 2002 radio broadcast NPR correspondent Mike Shuster stated that "[t]he prevailing view among historians is that although Israel struck first,the Israeli strike was defensive in nature."[13] Oren, has acknowledged that both US and Israeli intelligence indicated that troop movements in Egypt, taken by themselves, had only defensive, not offensive, purposes. However, he notes that the deployed Egyptian troops in the Sinai would move against Israel in the event that Israel undertook an invasion of Syria toward Damascus in response to repeated provocations by Syrian materiel and raids by fedayeen operating in Syrian territory.[14] This fact was mentioned by Israeli PM Menachem Begin, who, in order to argue for an Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the 80s, reminded the Israeli Knesset that preemptive strikes were already part of Israel's history and that waiting for her enemies to choose the time of coordinated warfare is a losing policy, remarking in regards to the 1967 war that, "The Egyptian army concentrations in the Sinai approaches do not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us. (...) We decided to attack him". But, he added in that speech, the 1967 war was not an act of aggression, but of response to multiple acts of aggression designed to debilitate Israel step by step as a preliminary to outright war.[15][16] The Arab view was that it was an unjustified attack. M. A. El Kony, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Republic (Egypt),remarked at a UN session that "Israel has committed a treacherous premeditated aggression against the United Arab Republic...While we in the United Arab Republic...have declared our intention not to initiate any offensive action and have fully co-operated in the attempts that were made to relieve the tension in the area",[17] After the war, Israeli officials admitted that Israel wasn't expecting to be attacked when it initiated hostilities against Egypt.[18][19] Mordechai Bentov, an Israeli cabinet minister who attended the June 4th Cabinet meeting, called into question the idea that there was a "danger of extermination" saying that it was "invented of whole cloth and exaggerated after the fact to justify the annexation of new Arab territories."[20][21] Israel received reports from the United States to the effect that Egyptian deployments were defensive and anticipatory of a possible Israeli attack,[14] and the US assessed that if anything, it was Israel that was pressing to begin hostilities.[21] Abba Eban, Israel's foreign minister during the war, later wrote in his autobiography that Nasser's assurances he wasn't planning to attack Israel were credible: "Nasser did not want war. He wanted victory without war." [22] Israeli military historian Martin van Creveld has written that while the exact origins of the war may never be known, Israel's forces were "spoiling for a fight and willing to go to considerable lengths to provoke one".[23] According to James Thuo Gathii, Israel's case did not meet the Caroline test for anticipatory self-defence, but it was the closest attack ever to the Caroline test.[24] However, Israel also maintains that its attacks were justified by the Egyptian closure of the Straits of Tiran, an international waterway, the closure of which constituted a casus belli under customary international law later codified in 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea. However, since the UAR and its Arab allies were not signatories to the 1958 Geneva Conventions, they argued that since the Gulf of Aqaba was not a waterway connecting two regions of open sea, it was not technically a strait, and therefore that it was not covered by the 1949 ICJ decision ruling that a country is required to allow passage through a strait. Moreover, the UAR disputed Israel's legal right to Eilat, which had been captured after the 1949 armistice imposed by the Security Council. The United States and the Western European nations agreed with the Israeli interpretation (although they held this opinion only in the absence of an ICJ ruling clarifying the situation). On the other hand, Egypt's position was supported by much of the third world.[25] Allegations of Egyptian atrocities against fellow Egyptians Following the war little remained of Egypt’s seven divisions deployed in Sinai. Thousands of Egyptian soldiers became stragglers and tried desperately to make their way westward toward the Suez Canal zone. Israel did not have the capacity to take them all prisoner and where possible, facilitated their movement toward the Canal where they would attempt to swim across. "However, one group (of Egyptian stragglers), as they were in mid-stream, were mown down by their own forces on the far side of the Canal with machine-guns."[26] It has been suggested that Nasser did not want Egypt to learn of the true extent of his defeat and thus ordered the killing of survivors who tried to escape.[27] Other Egyptian survivors were transferred to Egypt at Qantara and once on the Egyptian side of the Canal, were herded into compounds where they were surrounded by barbed wire.[27] Winston Churchill, the grandson of the famed former British Prime Minister, notes that Egyptian soldiers who succeeded in making their way back to Egypt, never made it home and instead were kept in cantonments, “to prevent the spread of despondency among the civil population.”[28] Allegations that the IDF killed Egyptian prisoners After the war, a national debate ensued in Israel regarding allegations that soldiers killed unarmed Egyptians. A few soldiers said that they had witnessed the execution of unarmed prisoners. Gabby Bron, a journalist for Yedioth Ahronoth, said he had witnessed the execution of five Egyptian prisoners.[29] Michael Bar-Zohar said that he had witnessed the murder of three Egyptian POWs by a cook,[30] and Meir Pa'il said that he knew of many instances in which soldiers had killed POWs or Arab civilians.[31] Uri Milstein, an Israeli military historian, was reported[32] as claiming that there were many incidents in the 1967 war in which Egyptian soldiers were killed by Israeli troops after they had raised their hands in surrender. "It was not an official policy, but there was an atmosphere that it was okay to do it," Milstein said. "Some commanders decided to do it; others refused. But everyone knew about it."[33] Allegations that Egyptian soldiers fleeing into the desert were shot were confirmed in reports written after the war. Israeli historian and journalist Tom Segev, in his book "1967", quotes one soldier who wrote, "our soldiers were sent to scout out groups of men fleeing and shoot them. That was the order, and it was done while they were really trying to escape".[34] According to a New York Times report of September 21, 1995, the Egyptian government announced that it had discovered two shallow mass graves in the Sinai at El Arish containing the remains of 30 to 60 Egyptian prisoners allegedly shot by Israeli soldiers during the 1967 war. Israel responded by sending Eli Dayan, a Deputy Foreign Minister, to Egypt to discuss the matter. During his visit, Dayan offered compensation to the families of victims, but explained that Israel was unable to pursue those responsible owing to its 20-year statute of limitations. The Israeli Ambassador to Cairo, David Sultan, asked to be relieved of his post after the Egyptian daily Al Shaab said he was personally responsible for the killing of 100 Egyptian prisoners, although both the Israeli Embassy and Foreign Ministry denied the charge and said that it was not even clear that Sultan had served in the military.[35] Capt. Milovan Zorc and Miobor Stosic, a military liaison official, who were members of the Yugoslav Reconnaissance Battalion that formed part of the 3,400-strong UNEF deployed as a buffer between Egypt and Israel and witnessed the war, have cast doubt on claims that Israel executed Egyptian prisoners of war in the area where they were stationed. They said that if an Israeli unit had killed some 250 POWs near the Egyptian town of el-Arish, they would likely have come to know about it.[36] Declassified IDF documents show that on June 11, 1967, the operations branch of the general staff felt it necessary to issue new orders concerning the treatment of prisoners. The order read: "Since existing orders are contradictory, here are binding instructions. a) Soldiers and civilians who give themselves up are not to be hurt in any way. b) Soldiers and civilians who carry a weapon and do not surrender will be killed... Soldiers who are caught disobeying this order by killing prisoners will be punished severely. Make sure this order is brought to the attention of all IDF soldiers".[37] According to Israeli sources, 4,338 Egyptian soldiers were taken captive by IDF. 11 Israeli soldiers were taken captive by Egyptian forces. POW exchanges were completed on January 23, 1968.[38] According to George Lenczowski, as early as May 23, President Johnson secretly authorized supplying Israel by air with a variety of arms systems, even when an embargo on weapons shipments was placed on the Middle East.[39] Stephen Green wrote in his book that the United States sent reconnaissance aircraft to track nighttime movement of Egyptian ground forces in order to facilitate daytime Israeli air attacks that proved important for Israel's advances.[40] Richard Parker disputes this and suggests that it is a hoax, based on the questionable testimony of a single man.[41] On the second day of the war, Arab state-run media reported that American and British troops were fighting on Israel's side. Radio Cairo and the government newspaper Al-Ahram made a number of claims, among them: that U.S. and British carrier-based aircraft flew sorties against the Egyptians; that U.S. aircraft based in Wheelus Air Base-Libya attacked Egypt; and that American spy satellites provided imagery to Israel. Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, the chief of “Al-Ahram” in the Nasserite period, repeated similar claims at Al Jazeera channel. Later, Muammar al-Gaddafi's Libyan government confirmed these claims also only to get a pretext for the coup that took place on 1 September 1969. The governments of the United States and Britain made little effort to either confirm or deny these claims. Similar reports were aired by Radio Damascus and Radio Amman. Egyptian media even said that King Hussein had personally seen radar observations showing British aircraft taking off from aircraft carriers. Outside of the Arab world, claims of American and British military intervention were not taken seriously. Britain, the U.S. and Israel denied these allegations. On June 8, Egyptian credibility was further damaged when Israel released an audio recording to the press, which they said was a radio-telephone conversation intercepted two days earlier between Nasser and King Hussein of Jordan.[42] Nasser: ...Shall we include also the United States? Do you know of this, shall we announce that the U.S. is cooperating with Israel? Hussein: Hello. I do not hear, the connection is the worst – the line between you and the palace of the King from which the King is speaking is bad. Nasser: Hello, will we say the U.S. and England or just the U.S.? Hussein: The U.S. and England. Nasser: Does Britain have aircraft carriers? Hussein: (Answer unintelligible). Nasser: Good. King Hussein will make an announcement and I will make an announcement. Thank you... Will his Majesty make an announcement on the participation of Americans and the British? Nasser: By God, I say that I will make an announcement and you will make an announcement and we will see to it that the Syrians will make an announcement that American and British airplanes are taking part against us from aircraft carriers. We will issue an announcement, we will stress the matter and we will drive the point home. In the immediate aftermath of the war, as the extent of the Arab military defeat became apparent, Arab leaders differed on whether to continue to assert that the American military had assisted the Israeli victory. On June 9, 1967, Nasser stated in his resignation speech (his resignation was not accepted): What is now established is that American and British aircraft carriers were off the shores of the enemy helping his war effort. Also, British aircraft raided, in broad daylight, positions of the Syrian and Egyptian fronts, in addition to operations by a number of American aircraft reconnoitering some of our positions... Indeed, it can be said without exaggeration that the enemy was operating with an air force three times stronger than his normal force. King Hussein, however, later denied the allegations of American military support. On June 30, he announced in New York that he was "perfectly satisfied" that "no American planes took part, or any British planes either".[43] In September, The New York Times reported that Nasser had privately assured Arab leaders, gathered in Sudan to discuss the Khartoum Resolution, that his earlier claims were false.[43] Nonetheless, these allegations, that the Arabs were fighting the Americans and British rather than Israel alone, took hold in the Arab world. As reported by the British Representative in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a country at odds with Egypt as a result of the Yemen war: President Abdel Nasser's allegation ... is firmly believed by almost the whole Arab population here who listen to the radio or read the press ... Our broadcast denials are little heard and just not believed. The denials we have issued to the broadcasting service and press have not been published. Even highly educated persons basically friendly to us seem convinced that the allegations are true. Senior foreign ministry officials who received my formal written and oral denials profess to believe them but nevertheless appear skeptical. I consider that this allegation has seriously damaged our reputation in the Arab world more than anything else and has caused a wave of suspicion or feeling against us which will persist in some underlying form for the foreseeable future ... Further denials or attempts at local publicity by us will not dispel this belief and may now only exacerbate local feeling since the Arabs are understandably sensitive to their defeat with a sense of humiliation and resent self-justification by us who in their eyes helped their enemy to bring this about. Well after the end of the war, the Egyptian government and its newspapers continued to make claims of collusion between Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. These included a series of weekly articles in Al-Ahram, simultaneously broadcast on Radio Cairo by Mohamed Heikal. Heikal attempted to uncover the "secrets" of the war. He presented a blend of facts, documents, and interpretations. Heikal's conclusion was clear-cut: there was a secret U.S.-Israeli collusion against Syria and Egypt. According to Israeli historian Elie Podeh: "All post-1967 [Egyptian] history textbooks repeated the claim that Israel launched the war with the support of Britain and the United States. The narrative also established a direct link between the 1967 war and former imperialist attempts to control the Arab world, thus portraying Israel as an imperialist stooge. The repetition of this fabricated story, with only minor variations, in all history school textbooks means that all Egyptian schoolchildren have been exposed to, and indoctrinated with, the collusion story." The following example comes from the textbook Al-Wisam fi at-Ta'rikh: The United States' role: Israel was not (fighting) on its own in the (1967) war. Hundreds of volunteers, pilots, and military officers with American scientific spying equipment of the most advanced type photographed the Egyptian posts for it (Israel), jammed the Egyptian defense equipment, and transmitted to it the orders of the Egyptian command.[44] In Six Days of War, American-Israeli historian Michael Oren argues that the Arab leadership spread false claims about American involvement in order to secure Soviet support for the Arab side.[45] After the war, as the extent of the Israeli victory became apparent to the Arab public, these claims helped deflect blame for the defeat away from Nasser and other Arab leaders. In reaction to these claims, Arab oil-producing countries announced either an oil embargo on the United States and Britain or suspended oil exports altogether. Six Arab countries broke off diplomatic relations with the United States, and Lebanon withdrew its Ambassador.[46] More broadly, the Six Day War hastened the process of anti-American radicalization in the Middle East, a process expressed by the growth of both leftist and religious-fundamentalist movements and their increased resort to terrorism as a weapon in their anti-American struggle. In fact, it transcended the Arab countries and spread to Iran, Pakistan and the Third World, whose delegates at the UN began adopting increasingly critical posture toward America.[47] A British guidance telegram to Middle East posts concluded: "The Arabs' reluctance to disbelieve all versions of the big lie springs in part from a need to believe that the Israelis could not have defeated them so thoroughly without outside assistance."[48] Non-combat support USS Independence was in service with the Sixth Fleet, in 1967 In a 1993 interview for the Johnson Presidential Library oral history archives, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara revealed that a carrier battle group, the U.S. 6th Fleet, on a training exercise near Gibraltar was re-positioned towards the eastern Mediterranean to be able to defend Israel. The administration "thought the situation was so tense in Israel that perhaps the Syrians, fearing Israel would attack them, or the Russians supporting the Syrians might wish to redress the balance of power and might attack Israel". The Soviets learned of this deployment, which they regarded as offensive in nature, and, in a hotline message from Soviet First Secretary Alexei Kosygin, threatened the United States with war.[49] The Soviet Union supported its Arab allies.[50] In May 1967, the Soviets started a surge deployment of their naval forces into the East Mediterranean. Early in the crisis they began to shadow the US and British carriers with destroyers and intelligence collecting vessels. The Soviet naval squadron in the Mediterranean was sufficiently strong to act as a major restraint on the U.S. Navy.[51] In a 1983 interview with the Boston Globe, McNamara said that "We damn near had war". He said Kosygin was angry that "we had turned around a carrier in the Mediterranean".[52] In his book Six Days, veteran BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen claims that on June 4, 1967, the Israeli ship Miryam left Felixstowe with cases of machine guns, 105 mm tank shells, and armored vehicles in "the latest of many consignments of arms that had been sent secretly to Israel from British and American reserves since the crisis started" and that "Israeli transport planes had been running a 'shuttle service' in and out of RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire". Bowen claims that Harold Wilson had written to Eshkol saying that he was glad to help as long as the utmost secrecy was maintained.[53][54] The USS Liberty incident The USS Liberty incident was a friendly fire incident between Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy torpedo boats and a United States Navy technical research ship, USS Liberty, on June 8. The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two Marines, and one civilian), wounded 171 crew members, and severely damaged the ship. All official investigations have concluded that the attack was a case of mistaken identity, however some reject this conclusion. 1949 Armistice Agreements Khartoum Resolution Yom Kippur War (also known as the October War) Syrian towns and villages depopulated in the Arab-Israeli conflict List of modern conflicts in the Middle East ^ a b Bailey 1990, p. 225. ^ Oren, p. 198. ^ "Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East" by Michael B. Oren, 2002 (page 196) ^ The Case for Palestine: An International Law Perspective; John B Quigley, p. 163 ^ Robarge, 2007. ^ BBC Panorama ^ Avi Shlaim; William Roger Louis (13 February 2012). The 1967 Arab-Israeli War: Origins and Consequences. Cambridge University Press. p. 224. ^ John Pimlott, The Middle East Conflicts 1945 to Present, Crescent Books, (New York, 1983), p.53 ^ "Q&A with Michael Oren," Jerusalem Post, 06/05/2007, http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Q-and-A-with-Michael-Oren ^ "The United States has often walked a fine line between preemption and prevention. In fact there have only been a handful of clear-cut cases of military preemption by any states in the last 200 years. (Israeli preemption in the Six Day War of 1967 is perhaps the most cited example)” U.S. National Security Strategy: a New Era U.S. Department of State (2002). ^ "Classic examples of preemptive wars include the July Crisis of 1914 and the Six Day War of 1967 in which Israel preemptively attacked Egypt…" Mueller Karl P. (2007). Striking first: preemptive and preventive attack in U.S. national security. (PDF). Rand Corporation. ISBN 978-0-8330-3881-4. ^ Distein, Yoram, War, aggression and self-defense p. 192, Cambridge University Press (2005) ^ NPR, The Mideast: A Century of Conflict ^ a b U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara told Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban that the U.S. intelligence assessment was that "the Egyptian deployments were defensive in character and anticipatory of a possible Israeli attack". Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 26, 1967, 10:30 a.m.; The Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael B. Oren has acknowledged that "By all reports Israel received from the Americans, and according to its own intelligence, Nasser had no interest in bloodshed..." Israel's assessment was that "Nasser would have to be deranged to take on an Israel backed by France and the U.S. Sixth Fleet. War, according to the Israelis, could only come about if Nasser felt he had complete military superiority over the IDF, if Israel were caught up in a domestic crisis, and, most crucially, was isolated internationally—a most unlikely confluence." Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, Oren 2002, pp. 59–60). ^ Menachem Begin, the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel, also said: "In June 1967, we again had a choice. The Egyptian Army concentrations in the Sinai approaches do not prove that Nasser was really about to attack us. We must be honest with ourselves. We decided to attack him." "Israel's First Fifty Years", by Robert Owen Freedman, page 80; for another quote, see Cooley, Green March, Black September, p. 162. ^ Address by Prime Minister Begin at the National Defense College, 8 August 1982. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs) ^ UN Security Council meeting 1347 (5 June 1967 ^ “Various Israeli officials said later... that 'Israel had not in fact anticipated an imminent attack by Egypt when it struck June 5'”. The Case for Palestine: An International Law Perspective, p. 164; John B Quigley ^ 'Armed Attack' and Article 51 of the Un Charter: Evolutions in Customary Law, by Tom Ruys, page 280 "It has been observed that several official Israeli sources admitted after the war that Egypt did not have the intention of attacking Israel"link ^ Quigley, John (1990). Palestine and Israel: A Challenge to Justice. Duke University Press (May 1990). p. 170. ^ a b The Myth of Annihilation and the Six-Day War, by Joseph Ryan (Carnegie Council, September 1, 1973) ^ Abba Eban: An Autobiography, Random House, 1977. (p. 360) ^ The Sword And The Olive: A Critical History Of The Israeli Defense Force (Martin van Creveld) p. 172 ^ ASSESSING CLAIMS OF A NEW DOCTRINE OF PRE-EMPTIVE WAR UNDER THE DOCTRINE OF SOURCES (James Thuo Gathii, OSGOODE HALL LAW JOURNAL VOL. 43, NO. 1 & 2, 2005) p. 75. link"The closest case that might have, but is now regarded as not having met the Caroline test, was Israel’s first strike against Egypt in the 1967" ^ John Quigley, The Six-Day War and Israeli Self-Defense ^ Churchill & Churchill 1967, pp. 179, 198. ^ a b Churchill & Churchill 1967, p. 179. ^ Churchill & Churchill 1967 p. 198 ^ Bron, Gabby 'Egyptian POWs Ordered to Dig Graves, Then Shot By Israeli Army', Yedioth Ahronoth, 17 August 1995. ^ Bar-Zohar, Michael 'The Reactions of Journalists to the Army's Murders of POWs', Maariv, 17 August 1995. ^ Prior 1999, pp. 209–210; Bar-On, Morris and Golani 2002; Fisher, Ronal 'Mass Murder in the 1956 War', Ma'ariv, 8 August 1995. ^ Laub, Karin 'Historians: Israeli troops killed many Egyptian POWs', Associated Press, 16 August 1995. Retrieved from the Wayback Machine. 14 October 2005. ^ "Israel Reportedly Killed POWs", 17 August 1995 ^ Segev, T., 2007, p. 374 ^ Ibrahim, Youssef 'Egypt Says Israelis Killed P.O.W.'s in '67 War', New York Times, 21 September 1995. ^ UN soldiers doubt 1967 killing of POWs by AP. Jerusalem Post, March 29, 2007. Accessed 17 July 2010. ^ Bowen 2003, p. 276 (quoting IDF 100/438/1969 order issued 11 June 1967 at 2310, sent to all three territorial commands, to G1 branch and some other departments of the General Staff). ^ Background on Israeli POWs and MIAs. 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Taylor & Francis. Handel, Michael I. (1973). Israel's political-military doctrine. Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. ISBN 0-87674-025-5 Hart, Alan (1989) Arafat, A political biography. Indiana University Press ISBN 0-253-32711-3. Herzog, Chaim (1982). The Arab-Israeli Wars. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-367-0 Herbert, Nicholas (1967, 17 May). Egyptian Forces On Full Alert: Ready to fight for Syria. The Times, p. 1; Issue 56943; col E. Herzog, Chaim (1989). Heroes of Israel: Profiles of Jewish Courage. Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-35901-7. Higham, Robin. (2003). 100 Years of Air Power and Aviation. TAMU Press. ISBN 1-58544-241-0. Hinnebusch, Raymond A. (2003). The international politics of the Middle East. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-5346-7 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2004). Background on Israeli POWs and MIAs. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2008). The Six-Day War (June 1967). "Israel Reportedly Killed POWs in '67 War; Historians Say Deaths of Hundreds of Egyptians Was Covered Up Israel Reportedly Killed POWs in '67 War; Historians Say Deaths of Hundreds of Egyptians Was Covered Up", Washington Post, 17 August 1995, p. A.30 (Fee required). James, Laura (2005). The Nassar And His Enemies: Foreign Policy Decision Making In Egypt On The Eve Of The Six Day War. The Middle East Review of International Affairs. Volume 9, No. 2, Article 2. "Israelis Say Tape Shows Nasser Fabricated 'Plot'; Recording Said to Be of Phone Call to Hussein Gives Plan to Accuse U.S. and Britain" (PDF (subscription required)). The New York Times. 1967-06-09. p. 17. Retrieved 2007-06-28. Jia, Bing Bing. (1998). The Regime of Straits in International Law (Oxford Monographs in International Law). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 0-19-826556-5. Koboril, Iwao and Glantz, Michael H. (1998). Central Eurasian Water Crisis. United Nations University Press. ISBN 92-808-0925-3 Krauthammer, Charles (2007-05-18). "Prelude to the Six Days". The Washington Post. pp. A23. Lavoy, Peter R.; Sagan, Scott Douglas & Wirtz, James J. (Eds.) (2000). Planning the Unthinkable: How New Powers Will Use Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-8704-8. Leibler, Isi (1972). The Case For Israel. Australia: The Executive Council of Australian Jewry. ISBN 0-9598984-0-9. Lenczowski, George. (1990). American Presidents and the Middle East. Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-0972-6. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. (1994). Transcript, Robert S. McNamara Oral History, Special Interview I, 3/26/93, by Robert Dallek, Internet Copy, LBJ Library. Retrieved 20 July 2010. McNamara: US Near War in '67. (1983, 16 Sep.). Boston Globe. P. 1. (Fee required). Mansour, Camille. (1994). Beyond Alliance: Israel and US Foreign Policy. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-08492-7. Maoz, Zeev (2009). Defending the Holy Land: A Critical Analysis of Israel's Security & Foreign Policy. The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-03341-6 Morris, Benny (2001) Righteous Victims New York, Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-679-74475-7 Miller, Benjamin. (2007). States, Nations, and the Great Powers: The Sources of Regional War and Peace. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-69161-3 Murakami, Masahiro. (1995). Managing Water for Peace in the Middle East: Alternative Strategies. United Nations University Press. ISBN 92-808-0858-3. Mutawi, Samir (2002). Jordan in the 1967 War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-52858-5 Nordeen, Lon & Nicole, David. (1996). Phoenix over the Nile: A history of Egyptian Air Power 1932–1994. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 1-56098-626-3. "Mediterranean Eskadra". (2000). Federation of American Scientists. Oren, Michael (2002). Six Days of War. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515174-7 Oren, Michael. (2005). The Revelations of 1967: New Research on the Six Day War and Its Lessons for the Contemporary Middle East, Israel studies, volume 10, number 2. (Subscription required). Oren, Michael. (2006). "The Six-Day War", in Bar-On, Mordechai (ed.), Never-Ending Conflict: Israeli Military History. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-98158-4. Parker, Richard B. (1996). The Six-day War: A Retrospective. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1383-6. Parker, Richard B. (August 1997). "USAF in the Sinai in the 1967 War: Fact or Fiction". Journal of Palestine Studies. XXVII (1): 67–75. Phythian, Mark (2001). The Politics of British Arms Sales Since 1964. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-5907-0 Podeh, Elie (Winter 2004). "The Lie That Won't Die: Collusion, 1967". Middle East Quarterly 11 (1). Pimlott, John. (1983). Middle East Conflicts: From 1945 to the Present. Orbis. ISBN 0-85613-547-X. Pollack, Kenneth (2004). Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness, 1948–1991. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-8783-6 Pollack, Kenneth (2005). Air Power in the Six-Day War. The Journal of Strategic Studies. 28(3), 471-503. Prior, Michael (1999). Zionism and the State of Israel: A Moral Inquiry. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-20462-3 Quandt, William B. (2005). Peace Process: American Diplomacy and the Arab-Israeli Conflict Since 1967. Brookings Institution Press and the University of California Press; 3 edition. ISBN 0-520-24631-4 Quigley, John B. (2005). Case for Palestine: An International Law Perspective. Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-3539-5 Quigley, John B. (1990). Palestine and Israel: A Challenge to Justice. Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-1023-6 Rabil, Robert G. (2003). Embattled Neighbors: Syria, Israel, and Lebanon. Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 1-58826-149-2 Rabin, Yitzhak (1996). The Rabin Memoirs. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20766-1. Rauschning, Dietrich; Wiesbrock, Katja & Lailach, Martin (eds.) (1997). Key Resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly 1946-1996. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-59704-8. Rikhye, Indar Jit (1980). The Sinai Blunder. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-3136-1 Robarge, David S. (2007). Getting It Right: CIA Analysis of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Center for the Study of Intelligence, Vol. 49 No. 1 Rubenberg, Cheryl A. (1989). Israel and the American National Interest. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-06074-1 Sachar, Howard M. (1976, 2007) A History of Israel from the Rise of Zionism to Our Time. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-48564-5; ISBN 0-375-71132-5. Sadeh, Eligar (1997). Militarization and State Power in the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Case Study of Israel, 1948–1982. Universal Publishers. ISBN 0-9658564-6-1 Sandler, Deborah; Aldy, Emad & Al-Khoshman Mahmoud A. (1993). Protecting the Gulf of Aqaba. – A regional environmental challenge. Environmental Law Institute. 0911937463. Seale, Patrick (1988). Asad: The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06976-5 Segev, Samuel (1967). A Red Sheet: the Six Day War. Segev, Tom (2005). Israel in 1967. Keter. Segev, Tom (2007). 1967: Israel, the War, and the Year that Transformed the Middle East Metropolitan Books. ISBN 978-0-8050-7057-6 Sela, Avraham (1997). The Decline of the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Middle East Politics and the Quest for Regional Order. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-3537-7 Shafqat, Saeed (2004). Islamic world and South Asia: Rise of Islamism and Terror, Causes and Consequences?. In Kaniz F.Yusuf (Ed.) Unipolar World & The Muslim States. Islamabad: Pakistan Forum, pp 217–246. Shemesh, Moshe (2008). Arab Politics, Palestinian Nationalism and the Six Day War. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 1-84519-188-9. Shlaim, Avi (2000, 2001). The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04816-0 Shlaim, Avi (2007) Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace Vintage Books ISBN 978-1-4000-7828-8 Smith, Hedrick (1967-06-14). "As the Shock Wears Off; Arab World, Appraising Its Defeat, is Split as it Gropes for Strategy" (PDF subscription required). The New York Times. p. 16. Retrieved 2006-06-28. Smith, Hedrick (1967-09-15). "Envoys Say Nasser Now Concedes U.S. Didn't Help Israel". The New York Times. pp. Page 1, Col. 5, Page 3, Col. 1. Stein, Janice Gross. (1991). The Arab-Israeli War of 1967: Inadvertent War Through Miscalculated Escalation, in Avoiding War: Problems of Crisis Management, Alexander L. George, ed. Boulder: Westview Press. Stephens, Robert H. (1971). Nasser: A Political Biography. London: Allen Lane/The Penguin Press. ISBN 0-7139-0181-0 Stone, David (2004). Wars of the Cold War. Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-342-9 Tolan, Sandy (June 4, 2007). "Rethinking Israel's David-and-Goliath past". Salon.com. Retrieved 2010-04-29. Tucker, Spencer (2004). Tanks: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-57607-995-3 United Nations (967, 5 June). 1347 Security Council MEETING : 5 June 1967. Provisional agenda (S/PV.1347/Rev.1). On a subpage of the website of The United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine (UNISPAL). van Creveld, Martin (2004). Defending Israel: A Controversial Plan Toward Peace. Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0-312-32866-4 Youngs, Tim. (2001). Developments in the Middle East Peace Process 1991–2000 London: International Affairs and Defence Section, House of Commons Library. ISSN 1368-8456. Finkelstein, Norman (2003), Image and reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict, Verso, Barzilai, Gad (1996). Wars, Internal Conflicts, and Political Order: A Jewish Democracy in the Middle East. New York University Press. ISBN 0-7914-2943 Cristol, A Jay (2002). Liberty Incident: The 1967 Israeli Attack on the U.S. Navy Spy Ship. Brassey's. ISBN 1-57488-536-7 Gat, Moshe (2003). Britain and the Conflict in the Middle East, 1964–1967: The Coming of the Six-Day War. Praeger/Greenwood. ISBN 0-275-97514-2 Hammel, Eric (October 2002). "Sinai air strike: June 5, 1967". Military Heritage 4 (2): 68–73. Hopwood, Derek (1991). Egypt: Politics and Society. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-09432-1 Hussein of Jordan (1969). My "War" with Israel. London: Peter Owen. ISBN 0-7206-0310-2 Katz, Samuel M. (1991) Israel's Air Force; The Power Series. Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, Osceola, WI. Makiya, Kanan (1998). Republic of Fear: The Politics of Modern Iraq. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21439-0 Morris, Benny (1997). Israel's Border Wars, 1949–1956. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-829262-7 Rezun, Miron (1990). Iran and Afghanistan. In A. Kapur (Ed.). Diplomatic Ideas and Practices of Asian States (pp. 9–25). Brill Academic Publishers. ISBN 90-04-09289-7 Smith, Grant (2006). Deadly Dogma. Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy. ISBN 0-9764437-4-0 The Photograph: A Search for June 1967. Retrieved 17 July 2010. The three soldiers – background to that photograph Six Day War Personal recollections & Timeline Video Clip: Sandhurst military historian analysing how King Hussein became involved in the Six Day War. Video Clip: Analysis of Israel's Sinai Campaign in 1967 by Sandhurst military historian. Video Clip: Military analysis of the attack on Jerusalem and the Jordanian defence. Six-Day War Encyclopaedia of the Orient All State Department documents related to the crisis UN Resolution 242. Retrieved 17 July 2010. The status of Jerusalem, UNITED NATIONS, New York, 1997 (Prepared for, and under the guidance of, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People). Retrieved July 17, 2010. Status of Jerusalem: Legal Aspects. Retrieved 17 July 2010. Legal Aspects The Six Day War – June 1967 and Its Aftermath – Professor Gerald Adler General Uzi Narkiss – A historic radio interview with General Uzi Narkiss taken on June 7 – one day after the Six-Day War, describing the battle for Jerusalem Liberation of the Temple Mount and Western Wall by Israel Defense Forces – Historic Live Broadcast on Voice of Israel Radio, June 7, 1967. Retrieved 17 July 2010. How The USSR Planned To Destroy Israel in 1967 by Isabella Ginor. Published by Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal Volume 7, Number 3 (September 2003) Position of Arab forces May 1967. Retrieved 17 July 2010. Israeli wars and conflicts Arab–Israeli War (1948–49) Reprisal operations (1951–56) Suez Crisis (1956) Six-Day War (1967) War of Attrition (1967–70) Yom Kippur War (1973) Operation Litani (1978) First Lebanon War (1982–85) South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) First Intifada (1987–93) Second Intifada (2000–05) Second Lebanon War (2006) Gaza War (2008–09) Operation Pillar of Defense (2012) Israel–Gaza conflict (2014) Primary countries and authorities All-Palestine Hamas Gaza Abu Nidal Organization al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab League Arab Liberation Front Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine Guardians of the Cedars Jaish al-Islam Kataeb al-Mourabitoun Palestinian Islamic Jihad Palestine Liberation Front Palestine Liberation Organization Palestinian Popular Struggle Front Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command Popular Resistance Committees as-Sa'iqa Inactive or Arab Higher Committee Arab Liberation Army Holy War Army Irgun (Etzel) Japanese Red Army Palmach Revolutionary Cells South Lebanon Army Former states Mandatory Palestine United Arab Republic Abd al-Hakim Amer Faisal I Levi Eshkol Yitzhak Shamir Chaim Weizmann King Abdullah I of Jordan King Abdullah II of Jordan King Hussein of Jordan Émile Lahoud Fouad Siniora Mona Juul Johan Jørgen Holst Terje Rød-Larsen George Habash Haj Amin al-Husseini Khaled Mashal Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi Ahmad Shukeiri King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia King Fahd of Saudi Arabia King Faisal of Saudi Arabia Folke Bernadotte Hafez al-Assad Shukri al-Quwatli Salah Jadid Richard Crossman Ramadan Shalah Cyrus Vance Armed engagements 1920 Battle of Tel Hai 1936–39 Arab revolt 1944 Operation ATLAS 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine 1948–49 Arab–Israeli War 1950s Palestinian Fedayeen attacks / Reprisal operations 1956 Suez Crisis 1966 Operation Shredder 1967 Six-Day War 1967–70 War of Attrition 1968 Battle of Karameh Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon 1968 Operation Gift 1970s–1980 1973 Yom Kippur War Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon: 1972 Operation Isotope / Lod Airport massacre / Munich Olympics massacre 1972–79 Operation Wrath of God 1973 Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 1974 Ma'alot massacre 1975 Savoy Operation 1976 Operation Entebbe 1978 Coastal Road massacre / Operation Litani 1980 Misgav Am hostage crisis 1981 Operation Opera 1982 Lebanon War 1982–2000 South Lebanon conflict 1984 Bus 300 affair 1985 Operation Wooden Leg 1987–93 First Intifada 1988 Mothers' Bus rescue / Tunis raid 1992 Operation Bramble Bush 1993–2008 Palestinian suicide attacks 1993 Operation Accountability 1996 Operation Grapes of Wrath 2000–05 Al-Aqsa Intifada (Second Intifada) 2000–06 Shebaa Farms conflict 2001–present Rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel 2003 Ain es Saheb airstrike 2006 Operation Bringing Home the Goods / Operation Summer Rains / Operation Autumn Clouds / Lebanon War 2006–present Gaza–Israel conflict 2007–08 Operation Hot Winter 2008–09 Gaza War 2007 Operation Orchard 2007–present Lebanese rocket attacks 2010 Adaisseh skirmish / Palestinian militancy campaign Gaza–Israel conflict 2011 Southern Israel cross-border attacks 2012 Operation Returning Echo / Operation Pillar of Defense 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict Diplomacy and peace proposals 1914 Damascus Protocol 1915 McMahon–Hussein Correspondence 1916 Sykes–Picot Agreement 1917 Balfour Declaration 1918 Declaration to the Seven / Anglo-French Declaration 1919 Faisal–Weizmann Agreement 1920 San Remo conference 1922 Churchill White Paper 1937 Peel Commission 1939 White Paper 1947 UN Partition Plan 1948 American trusteeship proposal 1948 UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 194 1949 Armistice agreements / Lausanne Conference 1950 Tripartite Declaration 1964 Palestinian National Covenant 1967 Khartoum Resolution / UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 242 1973 UNSC Resolution 338 / UNSC Resolution 339 1974 Israel–Syria disengagement agreement / UNSC Resolution 350 1978 UNSC Resolution 425 / Camp David Accords 1979 UNSC Resolution 446 / Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty / UNSC Resolution 452 1980 UNSC Resolution 478 1983 Israel–Lebanon agreement 1991 Madrid Conference 1993 Oslo Accords 1994 Gaza–Jericho Agreement / Israel–Jordan peace treaty 1995 Beilin-Abu Mazen agreement 1998 Wye River Memorandum 2000 Camp David Summit / Clinton Parameters 2001 Taba Summit 2002 Beirut Summit and peace initiative / Road map 2003 Geneva Initiative 2004 UNSC Resolution 1559 / UNSC Resolution 1566 2005 UNSC Resolution 1583 / Sharm el-Sheikh Summit / Israeli disengagement from Gaza / Agreement on Movement and Access 2006 UNSC Resolution 1701 2007 Annapolis Conference 2010 Direct Israeli–Palestinian negotiations 2013 Israeli–Palestinian peace talks ANZUS SEATO Dekemvriana Operation Unthinkable Potsdam Conference Gouzenko Affair Operation Masterdom Operation Beleaguer Operation Blacklist Forty Iran crisis of 1946 Corfu Channel incident Turkish Straits crisis Restatement of Policy on Germany First Indochina War Truman Doctrine Asian Relations Conference Western betrayal Chinese Civil War (Second round) Malayan Emergency Bamboo Curtain 1953 Iranian coup d'état Uprising of 1953 in East Germany 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état Partition of Vietnam First Taiwan Strait Crisis Geneva Summit (1955) Poznań 1956 protests Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Sputnik crisis Second Taiwan Strait Crisis Kitchen Debate Bandung Conference Bricker Amendment Iraqi July Revolution "We will bury you" 1960 U-2 incident Bay of Pigs Invasion 1960 Turkish coup d'état Soviet–Albanian split Portuguese Colonial War (Angolan War of Independence Guinea-Bissau War of Independence Mozambican War of Independence) Sarawak Communist Insurgency Iraqi Ramadan Revolution 1963 Syrian coup d'état 1964 Brazilian coup d'état United States occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965–66) South African Border War Transition to the New Order Domino theory ASEAN Declaration Laotian Civil War Argentine Revolution Korean DMZ Conflict Greek military junta of 1967–74 USS Pueblo incident Malaysia Communist Insurgency War Invasion of Czechoslovakia Iraqi Ba'athist Revolution Goulash Communism Sino-Soviet border conflict Communist insurgency in the Philippines Corrective Move Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1970 Syrian Corrective Revolution Cambodian Civil War Ping-pong diplomacy Corrective Revolution (Egypt) Four Power Agreement on Berlin 1972 Nixon visit to China 1973 Chilean coup d'état Carnation Revolution Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Angolan Civil War Mozambican Civil War Ogaden War Ethiopian Civil War Lebanese Civil War Sino-Albanian split Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War Iranian Revolution Operation Condor Dirty War Bangladesh Liberation War Korean Air Lines Flight 902 Soviet war in Afghanistan 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics boycotts 1986 Black Sea incident 1988 Black Sea bumping incident Soviet reaction Central American crisis Able Archer 83 Invasion of Grenada People Power Revolution Nagorno-Karabakh War Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 Mongolian Revolution of 1990 Breakup of Yugoslavia Dissolution of the Soviet Union Sino-Indian border dispute Eisenhower Doctrine Hallstein Doctrine Kennedy Doctrine Ostpolitik Johnson Doctrine Nixon Doctrine Ulbricht Doctrine Carter Doctrine Sovereignty of Puerto Rico during the Cold War Neoclassical economics Reaganomics Supply-side economics Thatcherism Castroism Eurocommunism Guevarism Hoxhaism Liberal democracy Izvestia Crusade for Freedom Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Voice of Russia Nuclear arms race Brinkmanship NATO–Russia relations Soviet espionage in U.S. Russian espionage in U.S. Soviet Union–United States relations US–Soviet summits List of conflicts Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from August 2014 Historical controversies New York City, United States, American Civil War, Hawaii, Western United States Israel, West Bank, Egypt, Syria, Gaza Strip Jerusalem, West Bank, Hebrew language, Tel Aviv, Syria Israel, Egypt, Gaza Strip, United Kingdom, Jerusalem	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line254
__label__wiki	0.697479	0.697479	Global Lemkin Seminar Africa Programs U.S. Program Educational Policies Program Online Education Initiative The Auschwitz Institute is changing its name! Click here to read more. Day of International Criminal Justice The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) recognizes Tuesday, July 17, 2018 as the annual Day of International Criminal Justice. This year’s observance marks the 20th anniversary of the international community’s adoption of the Rome Statute, which entered into force in July of 2002. The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a permanent body. Located in The Hague in The Netherlands, the ICC is dedicated to ending impunity in grave criminal matters and holds a mandate to investigate and try individuals charged with genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. At the moment, the ICC is currently housing 11 investigations, with a total number of 26 cases before the Court. asp.icc-cpi.int 123 states from across the globe are currently party to the Rome Statute, with El Salvador most recently joining in March of 2016. The ICC employs more than 800 individuals from approximated 100 countries and operates in 6 official languages, with French and English serving as working languages. Today, July 17, 2018, is also the activation date for the ICC’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. The crime of aggression is defined as “the planning, preparation, initiation or execution, by a person in a position effectively to exercise control over or to direct the political or military action of a State, of an act of aggression which, by its character, gravity and scale, constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations.” More information on can be found here. The decision to active the crime of aggression was made during the Assembly of State Parties’ 16th meeting, held in December of 2017 in New York. In addition to activating the Court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, the Assembly also amended the Rome Statue to add crimes related to “employing microbial, biological or toxin weapons; employing weapons that injure by fragments undetectable by X-rays; and employing laser weapons” to the body’s purview. On this Day of International Criminal Justice, the Auschwitz Institute reiterates its support for the efforts of the ICC and other bodies of international justice working to end impunity and increase measures for accountability in cases where international law is violated. AIPR welcomes the addition of the crime of aggression to the ICC’s jurisdiction as an additional tool in the fight against global violence and risk factors that enable genocide and other mass atrocities. Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation Tweets by GenPrev Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities 2 West 45th Street, Suite 1602 info@auschwitzinstitute.org Website by mobileMarkup Multilingual support by WPML Privacy Policy and Terms of Use	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line255
__label__cc	0.594133	0.405867	"Wrong views of the doctrine of Jihad are dinned into their ears and inculcated into their hearts" "This callousness and this immorality make many a Muslim appear no better than the beasts of the jungle. A Jain or a Buddhist is afraid of and avoids killing even a mosquito or a flea, but, alas! there are many among us Muslims who, while they kill an innocent man or commit wanton murder, are not afraid of the powerful God, who rates human life higher than that of all the animals. What is this callousness and cruelty and want of sympathy due to? It is due to this - that from their very childhood, stories and anecdotes and wrong views of the doctrine of Jihad are dinned into their ears and inculcated into their hearts, the result being that gradually they become morally dead and cease to feel the heinousness of their hateful actions; nay, rather, the man who murders another man unawares and thus brings ruin to the murdered man's family thinks that he has done a meritorious deed; or rather, that he has made the most of an opportunity to win favour with his community. As no lectures or sermons are delivered in our country to stop such evils - and if there are any such lectures they have an element of hypocrisy in them - the common people think approvingly of such misdeeds.”- Jesus in India, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Jesus in India (Jesus in India is an English version of Masih Hindustan Mein, an Urdu treatise written by the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad [1835 - 1908].) I have written this book, so that, by adducing proofs from established facts, from conclusive historical evidence of proved value and from ancient documents of non-Muslims, I might remove the serious misconceptions which are current among Muslims and among most Christian sects regarding the earlier and the later life of Jesus (on whom be peace) - misconceptions, the dangerous implications of which have not only injured and destroyed the conception of Divine Unity, but the unwholesome and poisonous influence of which has for long been noticed in the morals of the Muslims of this country. Spiritual maladies, i.e., want of good morals, evil thoughts, callousness, want of sympathy, are spreading among most Islamic sects, being the result of beliefs in unfounded stories and anecdotes of this kind. Human sympathy, pity and love of justice, humility and humble-mindedness - all good qualities - are disappearing day by day, as if they will soon bid a last farewell to this community. This callousness and this immorality make many a Muslim appear no better than the beasts of the jungle. A Jain or a Buddhist is afraid of and avoids killing even a mosquito or a flea, but, alas! there are many among us Muslims who, while they kill an innocent man or commit wanton murder, are not afraid of the powerful God, who rates human life higher than that of all the animals. What is this callousness and cruelty and want of sympathy due to? It is due to this - that from their very childhood, stories and anecdotes and wrong views of the doctrine of Jihad are dinned into their ears and inculcated into their hearts, the result being that gradually they become morally dead and cease to feel the heinousness of their hateful actions; nay, rather, the man who murders another man unawares and thus brings ruin to the murdered man's family thinks that he has done a meritorious deed; or rather, that he has made the most of an opportunity to win favour with his community. As no lectures or sermons are delivered in our country to stop such evils - and if there are any such lectures they have an element of hypocrisy in them - the common people think approvingly of such misdeeds. Accordingly, taking pity upon my own people, I have compiled several books in Urdu, Persian and Arabic, in which I have stated that the popular view of Jihad prevalent among Muslims, that is, the expectation of a bloody Imam, full of spite and hostility for other people, is a texture of false beliefs inculcated by shortsighted Ulema; otherwise, Islam does not allow the use of the sword for the Faith; except in the case of defensive wars, or in the case of wars waged to punish a tyrant or to uphold freedom.” Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Shri Mataji: “They talked of love but revenge became the hidden mainstream of their religions" http://adishakti.org/al-qiyamah/surah_20-21.htm Shri Mataji: "No one can talk to them. As soon as one wants to talk one can be killed.” http://adishakti.org/al-qiyamah/surah_20-21_Part_1.htm Shri Mataji: “Anyone can commit any sins in the name of religion.” Shri Mataji: “Some are money-oriented, some are power-oriented, some are violent and some are absolutely false.” Shri Mataji: “I said, it's all wrong. That's not the way it is going to work out. Resurrection is going to work out this way that at this time, all these souls will take their birth.” Iblis: "I will cause them all to deviate.” Militia groups are accused of trying to brainwash the young Somalis 'made to view executions' By Mary Harper Hundreds of people in Somalia have been forced to watch Islamist militants executing two people accused of spying. People in Merca said al-Shabaab militia patrolled the town with loudspeakers, demanding they attend the executions. The militants also ordered schools to close for the day as they were keen for children to watch the two men being shot dead by a firing squad. Most of those at the execution, on a patch of open ground, are reported to have been women and children. It is becoming something of a pattern for al-Shabaab to encourage young people to engage in violence. It recently organised a quiz for young men in the southern town of Kismayo. The prizes included AK-47 assault rifles, hand grenades and anti-tank mines. The aim, said al-Shabaab, was to stop young men from wasting time, and to focus on important things like defending their territory and their religion. At the prize-giving ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of people, the militants urged parents to teach their children to handle weapons at an early age. Somali children's rights groups say al-Shabaab is intent on brainwashing the young to believe in violent Islamism. In this way, it can ensure it has a steady supply of recruits, ready to fight for its aim of establishing extreme Islamist rule, not only in Somalia but far beyond its borders. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8324955.stm The attacks came in quick succession as people headed to work Twin Baghdad blasts kill scores At least 132 people have been killed and 520 injured in two car bomb attacks in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say. The blasts hit the ministry of justice and a provincial government office near the heavily fortified Green Zone. They came in quick succession at 1030 (0730 GMT) as people headed to work during the morning rush hour. This is the deadliest attack in Iraq since August 2007 and comes three months after the US handed security control of cities to local forces. DEADLIEST ATTACKS SINCE 2003 Aug 2007: More than 500 killed in attacks on villages near Sinjar Jul 2007: 150 killed in truck bombing in Tuz Khurmato Apr 2007: 191 killed in car bombings in Baghdad Mar 2007: 152 killed in truck bombing in Tal Afar Feb 2007: 135 killed in truck bombing in Baghdad Nov 2006: 202 killed in multiple blasts in Baghdad Mar 2004: 171 killed in bombings in Baghdad and Karbala http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8324546.stm Men carry bodies of victims to ambulances at the scene of a car-bomb explosion in Peshawar, located in Pakistan's restive North West Frontier Province October 28, 2009. Car bomb kills 87 in Pakistan as Clinton visits By Zeeshan Haider and Andrew Quinn ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - A car bomb ripped through a crowded market killing 87 people in Pakistan's city of Peshawar on Wednesday, just hours after Washington's top diplomat arrived pledging a fresh start in sometimes strained relations. Wednesday's bomb, the latest urban attack since the army launched a major assault on rural Taliban strongholds two weeks ago, was the deadliest since 2007 when around 140 died at a procession to welcome home former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated just weeks later... Sahib Gul, a doctor at Peshawar's main hospital, said the dead from Wednesday's bomb included many children and women. "The car was parked outside a market frequented mostly by women," city official Azam Khan told Reuters. "Several buildings and a mosque have been badly damaged while a fire has engulfed buildings," witness Aqueel-ur-Rehman told Reuters from the scene. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/ Each one of them hides from the ultimate test of its validity and truth Self-Deception and the Problem with Religious Belief Formation According to Hindu scriptures even thousands of years of rituals ... High caste Banyan forced into arranged marriage with lowly peepal The Great Cover Up [of reincarnation] - Emperor Justinian Peter de Rosa, Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the Papacy 765 problems with 'god' of Genesis solved by Jesus Gospels in Conflict: John and Thomas Why Christianity Must Change or Die - Review Why Christianity Must Change Or Die: A Bishop Speaks Jesus: The false vengeful God demands such needless sacrifice Jesus enjoins Judas"to seek [after the] spirit within you.” The Christ is the liberator and restorer of woman Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit Religious progressives How I Lost Faith: How the end of religion can be the beginning of God "God gave humans the truth, and the devil came and he said ...” Great barbarian empire of patriarchy that men have created will decay Thou shalt not kid yourself Cardinal's Law The Papacy: The Seldom Told History Pope apologizes for residential-school abuse Sectarian religion implies a closed society 'Doomsday' man baptises Kenya PM Irish church knew abuse 'endemic' Critical Forum for the Investigation of the Kalachakra Tantra Talmud and Torah, Bible and New Testament, Koran and Hadith ... Brazilian evangelical leader charged with fraud "Wrong views of the doctrine of Jihad are dinned into their ears" THE APOCALYPSE OF THE SPIRIT-PARACLETE The fulfillment of eschatological instruction promised by Jesus “The original meaning of the word ‘apocalypse’, derived from the Greek apokalypsis, is in fact not the cataclysmic end of the world, but an ‘unveiling’, or ‘revelation’, a means whereby one gains insight into the present.” (Kovacs, 2013, 2) An apocalypse (Greek: apokalypsis meaning “an uncovering”) is in religious contexts knowledge or revelation, a disclosure of something hidden, “a vision of heavenly secrets that can make sense of earthly realities.” (Ehrman 2014, 59) Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923-2011) was Christian by birth, Hindu by marriage, and Paraclete by duty. Total number of recorded talks 3058: Public Programs 1178, Pujas 651, and other (private conversations) 1249 “The Paraclete will come (15:26; 16:7, 8, 13) as Jesus has come into the world (5:43; 16:28; 18:37)... The Paraclete will take the things of Christ (the things that are mine, ek tou emou) and declare them (16:14-15). Bishop Fison describes the humility of the Spirit, 'The true Holy Spirit of God does not advertise Herself: She effaces Herself and advertises Jesus.' ... It is by the outgoing activity of the Spirit that the divine life communicates itself in and to the creation. The Spirit is God-in-relations. The Paraclete is the divine self-expression which will be and abide with you, and be in you (14:16-17). The Spirit's work is described in terms of utterance: teach you, didasko (14:26), remind you, hypomimnesko (14:26), testify, martyro (15:26), prove wrong, elencho (16:8), guide into truth, hodego (16:13), speak, laleo (16:13, twice), declare, anangello (16:13, 14, 15). The johannine terms describe verbal actions which intend a response in others who will receive (lambano), see (theoreo), or know (ginosko) the Spirit. Such speech-terms link the Spirit with the divine Word. The Spirit's initiatives imply God's personal engagement with humanity. The Spirit comes to be with others; the teaching Spirit implies a community of learners; forgetful persons need a prompter to remind them; one testifies expecting heed to be paid; one speaks and declares in order to be heard. The articulate Spirit is the correlative of the listening, Spirit-informed community. The final Paraclete passage closes with a threefold repetition of the verb she will declare (anangello), 16:13-15. The Spirit will declare the things that are to come (v.13), and she will declare what is Christ's (vv. 14, 15). The things of Christ are a message that must be heralded... The intention of the Spirit of truth is the restoration of an alienated, deceived humanity... The teaching role of the Paraclete tends to be remembered as a major emphasis of the Farewell Discourses, yet only 14:26 says She will teach you all things. (Teaching is, however, implied when 16:13-15 says that the Spirit will guide you into all truth, and will speak and declare.) Franz Mussner remarks that the word used in 14:26, didaskein, "means literally 'teach, instruct,' but in John it nearly always means to reveal.” (Stevick 2011, 292-7) The Holy Spirit as feminine: Early Christian testimonies and their interpretation, Johannes van Oort, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Department of Church History and Church Polity, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa “The teaching of the Paraclete, as the continuation of Jesus' teaching, must also be understood as the fulfillment of the promise of eschatological divine instruction.” Stephen E. Witmer, Divine instruction in Early Christianity “Jesus therefore predicts that God will later send a human being to Earth to take up the role defined by John .i.e. to be a prophet who hears God's words and repeats his message to man.” M. Bucaille, The Bible, the Qur'n, and Science “And when Jesus foreannounced another Comforter, He must have intended a Person as distinct and helpful as He had been.” F. B. Meyer, Love to the Utmost “The Paraclete has a twofold function: to communicate Christ to believers and, to put the world on trial.” Robert Kysar, John The Meverick Gospel “But She—the Spirit, the Paraclete...—will teach you everything.” Danny Mahar, Aramaic Made EZ) “Grammatical nonsense but evidence of the theological desire to defeminize the Divine.” Lucy Reid, She Changes Everything “The functions of the Paraclete spelled out in verses 13-15... are all acts of open and bold speaking in the highest degree.” David Fleer, Preaching John's Gospel “The reaction of the world to the Paraclete will be much the same as the world's reaction was to Jesus.” Berard L. Marthaler, The Creed: The Apostolic Faith in Contemporary Theology Bultmann calls the “coming of the Redeemer an 'eschatological event,' 'the turning-point of the ages.” G. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament “The Paraclete equated with the Holy Spirit, is the only mediator of the word of the exalted Christ.” Benny Thettayil, In Spirit and Truth “The divine Paraclete, and no lessor agency, must show the world how wrong it was about him who was in the right.” Daniel B. Stevick , Jesus and His Own: A Commentary on John 13-17 Stephen Smalley asserts that “The Spirit-Paraclete ... in John's Gospel is understood as personal, indeed, as a person.” Marianne Thompson, The God of the Gospel of John “The Messiah will come and the great age of salvation will dawn (for the pious).” Eric Eve, The Jewish context of Jesus' Miracles “The remembrance is to relive and re-enact the Christ event, to bring about new eschatological decision in time and space.” Daniel Rathnakara Sadananda, The Johannine Exegesis of God “The Spirit acts in such an international situation as the revealer of 'judgment' on the powers that rule the world.” Michael Welker, God the Spirit The Paraclete's “Appearance means that sin, righteousness, and judgment will be revealed.” Georg Strecker, Theology of the New Testament “While the Spirit-Paraclete is the true broker, the brokers they rely on are impostors.” T. G. Brown, Spirit in the writings of John “The pneumatological activity ... of the Paraclete ... may most helpfully be considered in terms of the salvific working of the hidden Spirit.” Michael Welker, The work of the Spirit “The pneuma is the peculiar power by which the word becomes the words of eternal life.” Robert Kysar, Voyages with John “The gift of peace, therefore, is intimately associated with the gift of the Spirit-Paraclete.” Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John “This utopian hope, even when modestly expressed, links Jesus and the prophets to a much wider history of human longing.” Harvey Cox, The Future of Faith “Because of the presence of the Paraclete in the life of the believer, the blessings of the end-times—the eschaton—are already present.” Robert Kysar, John “They are going, by the Holy Spirit's power, to be part of the greatest miracle of all, bringing men to salvation.” R. Picirilli, The Randall House Bible Commentary “The Kingdom of God stands as a comprehensive term for all that the messianic salvation included... is something to be sought here and now (Mt. 6:33) and to be received as children receive a gift (Mk. 10:15 = Lk. 18:16-17).” Lessons for Living Found in Views of the Last Judgment By PETER STEINFELS JAN. 20, 2007 “The image of the God who judges in wrath has caused a great deal of spiritual damage," Professor Moltmann will be telling his listeners. But he is not satisfied with the alternative that makes eternal destiny simply a matter of the individual's own choice of whether to reject God. In that case, Professor Moltmann says, the Last Judgment becomes no more than the ultimate endorsement of our free will." God really has nothing much to do with it beyond implementing the human outcome; in short, "we are the lords, and God is our servant," he says. The alternative, in Professor Moltmann's view, is to put Jesus Christ at the center of this final drama. "It is high time to Christianize our traditional images and perceptions of God's Final Judgment," he says. Any Last Judgment with Christ at the center must answer the cries of human victims for justice, without simply meting out vengeance on the perpetrators of injustice, Professor Moltmann suggests. A Christian eschatological vision would involve not the retributive justice of human courts but "God's creative justice," which can heal and restore the victims and transform the perpetrators. The goal of a final judgment, in this interpretation, is not reward and punishment but victory over all that is godless, which he calls "a great Day of Reconciliation." Professor Moltmann argues for the universal preservation and salvation not only of humans, as individuals and as members of groups, but also of all living creatures. It has been "a fatal mistake of Christian tradition in doctrine and spirituality," he argues, to emphasize the "end of the old age" rather than "the new world of God," the beginning of the "life of the world to come." This resurrected life will be bodily and worldly, and its expectation, he says, should teach people to "give ourselves wholeheartedly to this life here and surrender in love" to its “beauties and pains.” New York Times, Lessons for Living Found in Views of the Last Judgment “But today is the day I declare that I am the one who has to save the humanity. I declare I am the one who is Adishakti, who is the Mother of all the Mothers, who is the Primordial Mother, the Shakti, the desire of God, who has incarnated on this Earth to give its meaning to itself; to this creation, to human beings and I am sure through My Love and patience and My powers I am going to achieve it. I was the one who was born again and again. But now in my complete form and complete powers I have come on this Earth not only for salvation of human beings, not only for their emancipation, but for granting them the Kingdom of Heaven, the joy, the bliss that your Father wants to bestow upon you.” THE MOTHER: Messiah-Paraclete-Ruh London, UK—December 2, 1979 “I am the one about which Christ has talked... I am the Holy Spirit who has incarnated on this Earth for your realization.” New York, USA—September 30, 1981 “But to communicate with the people, to communicate with the Spirit—to understand the Kundalini, the vibrations, and their different decodings and all that—the Holy Spirit had to come; with Her mouth, and with Her voice, and with Her intelligence that is intelligible to you; with the knowledge, and everything. Otherwise it is not possible to communicate and that's why if somebody has to come you have to just recognize. Recognition is the best way of understanding the powers that are given to you... So somebody has to be there to give you the complete picture. You get Realization, you get vibrations (Ruach, Pneuma, Prana), but then what? What about the complete? And for that the Holy Ghost has to take a form. All right?” THE MOTHER: Messiah-Paraclete-Ruh-Devi Sydney, Australia—April 7, 1981 "Without the Spirit, the Son is the way, and the truth and the life, but without actualization.... Without the mission of the Spirit no one can grasp the hem of the Son's garment, we never receive the eternal life extended to us, the sending of the Son is a dispatch into a void, a messenger who never arrives, a light illumination nothing, a road to nowhere, and the resurrection is a non-event.... Without the mission of the Son the Spirit is a hand deprived of somehting to grasp, lacking a mystery to be present to, devoid of a mystery to make real in history and in our hearts, doivested of a ministry to empower, bereft of children to transform into daughters and sons, wanting in offspring to gather into unity in the church and in human communiaction.” McDonnell (2003) 228-9 Guest: “Hello Mother.” Shri Mataji: “Yes.” Guest: “I wanted to know, is the Cool Breeze (Pneuma) that you have spoken about, you feel on the hands the Cool Wind of the Holy Spirit, as spoken about in the Bible?” Shri Mataji: “Yes. Yes, yes, same thing, same thing. You have done the good job now, I must say.” Interviewer: “Is it the Holy Spirit?” Shri Mataji: “Yes, of course, is the Holy Spirit.” Guest: “Aha... I am feeling it now on my hand through the [not clear]” Shri Mataji: “It’s good.” Interviewer: “Did you want to say anything more than that?” Guest: “No, I just... That’s all I wanted to know because I...” Shri Mataji: “Because you are thoughtless now. Enjoy yourself.” Guest: “Thank you.” Talkback Radio 2UE, Sydney, Australia—March 31, 1981 (The guest experienced the Cool Breeze [Pneuma/Prana/Chi] of the Spirit through the baptism [second birth by Spirit/Kundalini awakening]” given by the Comforter Shri Mataji over the radio. ) Second Guest: “I just want to ask Mother about a quotation from the Bible.” Interviewer: “Yes, what’s that?” Guest: “It says, ‘But the comfort of the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in My name would teach you all things.’ I would like to ask Her about that.” Interviewer: “Could you just repeat the quotation again?” Guest: “But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things.” Interviewer: “And that’s from where?” Guest: “John chapter 14, verse 26.” Shri Mataji: “I think you should take your realization and then you will know the answer to it. Because, logically if it points out to one person, then you have to reach the conclusion, isn’t it? That’s a logical way of looking at things. But I am not going to say anything or claim anything. It is better you people find out yourself.” Interviewer: “Does that answer your question?” Guest: “Is the, is the Comforter on the Earth at the present time? Has the Comforter incarnated? Mataji should be able to tell us this because She said that through these vibrations on Her hands, She ...” Shri Mataji: “Yes, She is very much here and She’s talking to you now. Can you believe that?” Guest: “Well, I feel something cool [Pneuma/Prana/Chi] on my hand. Is that some indication of the ...?” Shri Mataji: “Yes, very much so. So that’s the proof of the thing. You’ve already started feeling it in your hands.” Guest: “Can I?” Shri Mataji: “Ask the question, ‘Mother, are you the Comforter?’” Guest: “Mother, are you the Comforter?” Shri Mataji: “Ask it thrice.” Shri Mataji: “Again.” Shri Mataji: “Now, what do you get?” Guest: “Oh, I feel this kind of cool tingling [Pneuma/Prana/Chi] passing all through my body.” Shri Mataji: “That’s the answer now.” (Another guest also experienced the Cool Breeze [Pneuma/Prana/Chi] of the Spirit through the baptism [second birth by Spirit/Kundalini awakening]” given by the Comforter Shri Mataji over the radio. ) Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923-2011): Christian by birth, Hindu by marriage and Paraclete by duty. “The Paraclete and the disciples (vv. 25-26): The theme of departure (cf. vv. 1-6; vv. 18-24) returns. There are two "times" in the experience of the disciples: the now as Jesus speaks to them (v. 25) and the future time when the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in the name of Jesus, will be with them (v. 26). The Paraclete will replace Jesus' physical presence, teaching them all things and recalling for them everything he has said (v. 26). As Jesus is the Sent One of the Father (cf. 4:34; 5:23; 24, 30, 37; 6:38-40; 7:16; 8:16, 18, 26; 12:44-49), so is the Paraclete sent by the Father. The mission and purpose of the former Paraclete, Jesus (cf. 14:13-14), who speaks and teaches "his own" will continue into the mission and purpose of the "other Paraclete" (cf. v. 16) who teaches and brings back the memory of all that Jesus has said. The time of Jesus is intimately linked with the time after Jesus, and the accepted meaning of a departure has been undermined. The inability of the disciples to understand the words and deeds of Jesus will be overcome as they "remember" what he had said (cf. 2:22) and what had been written of him and done to him (cf. 12:16). The "remembering" will be the fruit of the presence of the Paraclete with the disciples in the in-between-time. In v. 16 Jesus focused on the inability of the world to know the Paraclete, but in v. 26 the gift of the Paraclete to "his own" is developed. As Jesus was with the disciples (v. 25), so will the Paraclete be with the disciples in the midst of hostility and rejection (v. 16). As the story has insisted that Jesus' teaching has revealed God to his disciples, so will the Paraclete recall and continue Jesus' revelation of God to the disciples (v. 26).” (Harrington 1998, 412) “This is the transformation that has worked, of which Christ has talked, Mohammed Sahib has talked, everybody has talked about this particular time when people will get transformed.” Chistmas Puja, Ganapatipule, India—25 December 1997 “The Resurrection of Christ has to now be collective Resurrection. This is what is Mahayoga. Has to be the collective Resurrection.” Easter Puja, London, UK—11 April 1982 “Today, Sahaja Yaga has reached the state of Mahayoga, which is en-masse evolution manifested through it. It is this day’s Yuga Dharma. It is the way the Last Judgment is taking place. Announce it to all the seekers of truth, to all the nations of the world, so that nobody misses the blessings of the divine to achieve their meaning, their absolute, their Spirit.” MAHA AVATAR, ISSUE 1, JUL-SEP 1980 “The main thing that one has to understand is that the time has come for you to get all that is promised in the scriptures, not only in the Bible but all all the scriptures of the world. The time has come today that you have to become a Christian, a Brahmin, a Pir, through your Kundalini awakening only. There is no other way. And that your Last Judgment is also now.” “You see, the Holy Ghost is the Mother. When they say about the Holy Ghost, She is the Mother... Now, the principle of Mother is in every, every scripture — has to be there. Now, the Mother's character is that She is the one who is the Womb, She is the one who is the Mother Earth, and She is the one who nourishes you. She nourishes us. You know that. And this Feminine thing in every human being resides as this Kundalini.” Radio Interview, Santa Cruz, USA—1 October 1983 “But there is a Primordial Mother which was accepted by all the religions; even the Jews had it... In India, this is called as Adi Shakti. In every religion they had this Mother who was the Primordial Mother.” TV Interview, Los Angeles, USA—11 October 1993 The Paraclete Shri Mataji (1923-2011) Total number of Recorded Talks 3058, Public Programs 1178, Pujas 651, and other (private conversations) 1249 “What are they awaiting but for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? Its Signs have already come. What good will their Reminder be to them when it does arrive?” (Qur'n, 47:18) “As the above verse indicates, God has revealed some of Doomsday's signs in the Qur'n. In Surat az-Zukhruf 43:61, God informs us that 'He [Jesus] is a Sign of the Hour. Have no doubt about it...' Thus we can say, based particularly on Islamic sources but also on the Old Testament and the New Testament, that we are living in the End Times.” Harun Yahya Good News (An Naba) of Resurrection (Al-Qiyamah): Videos 3474, Audios 1945, Transcripts 3262 and Events 2413 “Concerning what are they disputing? Concerning the Great News. [5889] About which they cannot agree. Verily, they shall soon (come to) know! Verily, verily they shall soon (come to) know!” surah 78:1-5 An Naba (The Great News) 5889. Great News: usually understood to mean the News or Message of the Resurrection. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'n Amana Corporation, 1989 [Moderator]: “Any other questions?” [Audience]: “Pardon me for asking this question, but, earlier you talked about the Resurrection and you mentioned about the scriptures, where like in the Hindus scriptures they talk about the Kalki Avatar who will come for the Resurrection, and for the Christians, I know they talk about the return of Christ and all the religions talk about this Resurrection and the belief in the coming of the Messiah. So I just want to know since you say you are going to give the resurrection to us, what is your station?” Shri Mataji: “In Russia?” [Audience]: “And are you the promised Messiah? Shri Mataji, are you?” Shri Mataji: “I see now I am not going to tell you anything about myself, to be very frank. Because see Christ said He was the Son of God, and they crucified Him. I don't want to get crucified. You have to find out. When you become the Spirit you will know what I am. I don't want to say anything about myself.” Toronto, Canada—October 5, 1993 “Jesus then goes on the offensive against the scribes and Pharisees, pronouncing seven woes against them (Matt. 23:1-36). The final woe identifiers them with all those in Israel's history who have murdered and opposed the prophets. From Abel to Zechariah, all the blood of the righteous will come on them as they typologically fulfill this pattern in the murder of Jesus (23:29-36). They are the wicked tenants who think to kill the son and take his inheritance (21:38). They are seed of the serpent, a brood of vipers (23:33). Their house (the temple?) is desolate, and they will not see Jesus again until they bless him as he comes in the name of the Lord (23:37-39). Somehow, through the judgments Jesus announces against them, salvation will apparently come even for the people of Israel. As Olmstead puts it, Matthew "dares to hope for the day when many of Israel's sons and daughters will embrace Israel's Messiah (23:39), and in that hope engages in a continued mission in her.”” Hamilton 2010, 377 “It is the Mother who can awaken the Kundalini, and that the Kundalini is your own Mother. She is the Holy Ghost within you, the Adi Shakti, and She Herself achieves your transformation. By any talk, by any rationality, by anything, it cannot be done.” “She is your pure Mother. She is the Mother who is individually with you. Forget your concepts, and forget your identifications. Please try to understand She is your Mother, waiting for ages to give you your real birth. She is the Holy Ghost within you. She has to give you your realization, and She's just waiting and waiting to do it.” Sydney, Australia—Mar 22 1981 “The Kundalini is your own mother; your individual mother. And She has tape-recorded all your past and your aspirations. Everything! And She rises because She wants to give you your second birth. But She is your individual mother. You don't share Her with anybody else. Yours is a different, somebody else's is different because the tape-recording is different. We say She is the reflection of the Adi Shakti who is called as Holy Ghost in the Bible.” Press Conference July 08 1999—London, UK “The Great Goddess is both wholly transcendent and fully immanent: beyond space and time, she is yet embodied within all existent beings; without form as pure, infinite consciousness (cit) ... She is the universal, cosmic energy known as Sakti, and the psychophysical, guiding force designated as the Kundalini (Serpent Power) resident within each individual. She is eternal, without origin or birth, yet she is born in this world in age after age, to support those who seek her assistance. Precisely to provide comfort and guidance to her devotees, she presents herself in the Devi Gita to reveal the truths leading both to worldly happiness and to the supreme spiritual goals: dwelling in her Jeweled Island and mergence into her own perfect being.” (Brown, 1998, 2) Mar 21, 1923—Feb 23, 2011 Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was Christian by birth, Hindu by marriage, and Paraclete by duty. "The Paraclete represents direct, intimate divine intervention, supporting and teaching believers and challenging the world, as Jesus did. " (D. Stevick Jesus and His Own, 2011, 290) “Now what is the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost is the Primordial Mother. But people never talked about Mother. They talked of the Father and the Son. Imagine, a father and a son and no mother. It is absurd. Have you seen any father and a son without a mother? Such an absurd situation comes in that people accepted because it's all mental. Somebody tells you, "No, it's a mystery, there's no Mother," and people accepted it. But there has to be a Mother and this is the time of Aquarius what we call in Sanskrit as Kumbha, meaning the Aquarius which is the Kundalini, where She nourishes, where She cures you, She redeems you, She guides you, counsels you, and this is the time of the Mother. We had the time of the Father, then of the Son, and now this is the time of the Mother where She has to nourish you, where She has to take you to your ultimate goal that is the Spirit. The consciousness itself, the way we have been moving in other directions, have been like people think that if a woman starts fighting for her life and then she is asserting the femininity. She is not. What I'm saying is not meant for women or men. It is meant for every one of us, that we have to become like a mother. Like a Divine Mother, like a person who can nourish people, who can give them love, affection, attention, perseverance, fore-bearing. This is only possible for a Mother to do it and that motherhood should be awakened in every human being.” Public Program Day 1, Boston, United States—Oct. 11, 1983 “The reaction of the world to the Paraclete will be much the same as the world's reaction was to Jesus. The world does not know or accept the Paraclete, much as it remained ignorant of Jesus' true identity and rejected him.(5:43; 12:48)... The Paraclete will not teach novel truths or a new revelation but will witness to the full meaning of Jesus' mission and revelation.” B. L. Marthaler 2006, 276 “I was amazed myself when I was born to see such ignorant people quarreling over something which they do not know at all—nothing of that kind. They are so ignorant. They do not know there is Power of God working. They cannot feel it and what are they doing? Whether they are church people, or temple people, or all these scientists, when they talk about God they are at a level from where they cannot talk. But they are not even conscious that they are that level. This is why we have to know that despite all efforts to destroy our scriptures this Knowledge that you have to become something else— that you are to be reborn—this Knowledge they could not destroy. They have tried to maneuver it for their own advantage. They have tried to use it for their own building up because they had to have big, big buildings, they must have big, big money projects, and sometimes they also must have some business. How can you do all these things in the name of God? Just think of it. And they are doing all these mad things and they call it God? And the seeker gets absolutely shocked and surprised that he also gets into the whole whirlpool. He just cannot get out of it because he is a seeker. He says, "Let me go and see for myself what it is. Let me burn my finger here and there and find out for myself." Now I say again, like all these people have said—"You have to be born again!" They have said it to prepare you all for this Time [of the promised Paraclete sent in the name of Jesus Christ to explain and commence the Resurrection]. It's My fortune that I have to do it. It has to happen. If they had said all these things either they were all false and wrong. So I am here to prove it—not that they were wrong in any way but they were the only people who were enlightened. They had an eyesight to see much deeper than what you can see. So within us lies that Power and that Power is anxious to give you your second birth. That Power lies as shown, lies in the triangular bone of sacrum and you can see with your naked eyes the rising of this Power. It has nothing to do with what nationality you have come from, what sort of clothes you are wearing, what sort of hair dress you have—it has nothing to do with this but it has to do something with your inner being. And while in your inner being there are certain problems which you have created out of your ignorance, and this Power being your Mother—your sweet loving Mother who has been born again and again with you—knows your problems and She knows how to correct it.” London, U.K. — May 12, 1980 “That word, "another"—"He shall give you another Comforter"—is in itself sufficient to prove the Divinity and Personality of the Holy Ghost. If a man promises to send another as his substitute, we naturally expect to see a man like himself, occupying his place, and doing his work. And when Jesus foreannounced another Comforter, He must have intended a Person as distinct and helpful as He had been. A breath, an afflatus, an impersonal influence could not have stood in the same category as Himself.’ (Meyer 2008, 42) “This is the Last Judgment of your quality. This is the Last Judgment. And one must know that the Last Judgment is not going to come with a big weighing machine. How are we going to know? Through Kundalini awakening, the Judgment has to take place. And you are judged and judged and judged. But this Judgment is so beautiful, that you are not damned with anything, you are not completely imprisoned. But you are given a chance to improve, to reform, to be perfect, and to enjoy the Beauty that is promised, the Beauty that is described, the Beauty that we are, the Beauty that is Truth, that is Bliss, that’s Heaven.” Why are We Here and What is Our Purpose Public Program, Hampstead, U.K. — June 6, 1980 Mar 21, 1923—Feb 23, 2011: Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was Christian by birth, Hindu by marriage, and Paraclete by duty. "The Paraclete represents direct, intimate divine intervention, supporting and teaching believers and challenging the world, as Jesus did." (D. Stevick, Jesus and His Own, 2011, 290) “They denied Him, defied Him. Now when He's dead, then we think, "It is Christ." Now I have come. He has talked about Me. If you read Bible, you'll find He's talked about Me very clearly there. And I have to do My job and I have come. You are going to say that it was Christ, who has to do it. If Christ could do it, why did He say that, "I'm going to send you a Comforter?" He talked of [the] future, didn't He? Why did He say such a thing? We should find out why did He say that, "I will send you the Holy Ghost and the Comforter and the Redeemer and a Counselor?" Why did He say that? Why not look forward to that? Because we are today after Christ. People don't want to see this point; they want to depend on Christ because He's in their pocket, they can use Him the way they like. When He has talked, He has said, "Why not see the point?" If this is what Christ is, then it is such a bad thing because people say, "Christ was no good." They say, "What has Christ given us?" Christian nations, what have they done, what have they achieved? It's a bad name to Him if you do not see [the] completion of His work. I'm here to complete His work... And the Day of Judgment is today: this is the Day of Judgment; that's why you are confused. This is the Day of Judgment, where you will be judged. And how are you going to be judged? Through your Kundalini. Your Kundalini is going to be awakened and you'll be judged where you are. That's what it is. "And those who will be calling Me, 'Christ, Christ' I will not look at them." That's what it is. By calling Him "Christ, Christ" you do not become Christians. You have to get your Realization, your Baptism in the actual sense. It has to be an actualization. I'm telling you that if you miss the point, you have missed it forever and ever. Be careful on that point! It's very important. Don't run after things which have no meaning to your consciousness. Try to raise yourself up to this point and understand that the Time has come for you to transform. This is the Time of your Judgment and you have to get to it in a very big way... Widen yourself. And that's how—though you may think that you are very unassuming, simple people—you are the ones who are going to be. Not those who are successful: they are blinded by their success. Not those who are rich: they are not going to enter into the Kingdom of God. Not those who have a big name — No! It's you! You are going to enter into the Kingdom of God. “I believe Easter Sunday 2019 would be worthy of the Devi's explanation of Consciousness.” Disclaimer: Our material may be copied, printed and distributed by referring to this site. This site also contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the education and research provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance freedom of inquiry for a better understanding of religious, spiritual and inter-faith issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than “fair use” you must request permission from the copyright owner. New Age Children Miracle Photo Meeting His Messengers Mayan End Age 12-21-2012 Our Conscious Earth Adi Shakti's Descent Witnessing Holy Spirit's Miracles Jesus' Resurrection Gospel of Thomas His Human Adversary Kitab Al Munir His Light Within His Universe Within His Beings Within Subtle System Lectures To Earth Shri Mataji Self-Realization Drumbeat Of Death Declaration of the Paraclete The Paraclete opens the Kingdom of God Cool Breeze of the Resurrection - BBC 1985 The Supreme Source Of Love 1985 The Vision Part One The Vision Part Two The Vision Part Three The Vision Part Four	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line258
__label__wiki	0.578944	0.578944	Ministry of Water Resources finds Brahmaputra Expressway project for NE feasible Published : Jun 12, 2017, 7:07 pm IST Updated : Jun 12, 2017, 8:10 pm IST The project, which is estimated to cost about Rs 64,564 cr to the Centre, will be constructed with dredged materials from the river. The Union Minister for Road Transport Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari (Photo: PTI) Guwahati: In what may be one of the largest infrastructure projects of the Northeast, the water resource ministry has found ambitious Brahmaputra Express Highways project technically feasible. The project foresees plan of constructing highways on both the banks of Brahmaputra thereby mitigating the impact of flood and erosion. The project, which is estimated to cost about Rs 64,564 crore to the central government, will be constructed with dredged materials from the river. The preliminary survey conducted by the water resources ministry stated that it would help in integrated stabilization of both the banks and reclamation of eroded areas for sustainable solution of flood and erosion besides developing the waterways for navigation from Sadiya to Dhubri in Assam. The Union Minister for Road Transport Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari had floated the idea of Brahmaputra Express Highways for which an MoU has already been signed between the Central and Assam governments in March 2017. It is significant that Brahmaputra is the world’s fourth largest river. Out of its total about 2,900 km trans-boundary length from Tibet up to the Bay of Bengal, 981 km is through India of which 268 km is in the sub-Himalayan terrains of Arunachal Pradesh and 650 km in the plains of Assam. The expressway crest will be 2.5 m higher than the highest flood level of Brahmaputra. The crest will maintain reach-wise flood gradients of the Brahmaputra, which annually carries the loads of 650 million tons of sediment, ever since it underwent morphological changes after the 1950’s earthquake. The water resource ministry conducted initial survey of the project through Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). Tags: brahmaputra express highways, water resource ministry, nitin gadkari, differential global positioning system Location: India, Assam, Guwahati (Gauhati)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line268
__label__wiki	0.879881	0.879881	Planetarium Production Shows PSC News PSC in Press Lunar Probe Experiences Lunar Eclipse On 15 April 2014, a total eclipse of the Moon was visible in most of the Western Hemisphere, including the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, east Australia, and New Zealand. Coming Celestial Showpiece: Meteor Shower Meteor showers are among the most favorite and most exciting astronomical phenomena. They occur when Earth passes through a stream of space debris, called meteoroids, tiny dust particles shed by comets or minor planets, which penetrate our atmosphere, at enormous speeds, and glow as meteors or shooting stars. Strong meteor showers are known as meteor storms or outbursts. Moon Meets Mars in the Evening Sky On the evening of 14 April 2014, the Moon, almost full, will shine close to Mars, the Red Planet. When two or more celestial objects appear close together in the sky, they are said to be in conjunction. Lunar conjunctions, featuring the Moon and a bright planet or a bright star, are among the most beautiful heavenly sights that can viewed with the unaided eye. A Ringed Minor Planet Astronomers using telescopes in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, have discovered a ring system around a minor planet known as Chariklo. Before the discovery of the rings of Chariklo, the four giant Jovian planets were the only known ringed members of the solar system. This discovery is really surprising, as it has been thought that small solar system objects cannot retain ring systems. It is speculated that the presence of small unseen moons around Chariklo may help preserve these rings. Rosetta Spacecraft Glimpses Its Target Comet The comet-bound Rosetta spacecraft, of the European Space Agency (ESA), has relayed the first images of its ultimate target, Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, also known as 67P. Rosetta is scheduled to arrive at Comet 67P, in August 2014. It will orbit 67P, for 17 months, to conduct the most detailed study of a comet ever. It has been in a long space hibernation interval, which lasted 957 days, ending on 20 January 2014, when the project’s scientists reactivated its onboard computers Three Astronauts Launch to the International Space Station On 25 March 2014, a Soyuz spacecraft launched toward the International Space Station (ISS), from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying onboard three astronauts, the Expedition 39 crew. The space trio consists of Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov (commander) and flight engineers Oleg Artemyev (Latvia) and Steve Swanson (United States). The ISS is the largest spacecraft ever flown into space. It orbits Earth at an altitude of about 350 km Spacecraft Completes Mapping the Surface of Mercury The US space agency, NASA, has released the first complete map of Mercury, the innermost and smallest planet. NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mercury since March 2011, has ultimately imaged the entire surface of the planet. The map has been produced from thousands of MESSENGER’s images. An Extragalactic Wonder: The Sculptor Galaxy The Sculptor Galaxy, also known as NGC 253, is a beautiful nearby spiral galaxy, visible in the southern constellation Sculptor. Interestingly, it is very rich in cosmic dust, an important ingredient for star formation. It is undergoing a “burst” of star formation, showing unusually high rates of star birth. Galaxies which form stars vigorously are called starburst galaxies. Saturn’s Dynamic Ring There are four ringed planets in the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Saturn’s rings, however, are the largest and most magnificent, as the other planetary rings are faint and smaller in size. The Saturnian rings consist of icy particles, ranging in size from as tiny as dust grains to as large as boulders. The ring particles orbit Saturn, as very tiny moons. The rings also contain numerous smaller ringlets. Cosmic Rock Buzzes Earth! On 18 February 2014, a small asteroid (up to 270 meters across), known as 2000 EM26, flew by Earth, passing about 3 million km, or nine times the average Earth-Moon distance, from our planet. \| \| \| \| \| 2 \| \| 3 \| \| 4 \| \| 5 \| \| 6 \| \| 7 \| \| 8 \| \| 9 \| \| 10 \| \| \| \| \|	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line276
__label__cc	0.567416	0.432584	AstraZeneca to Invest US$630 Mil. in Korean Bio-Health Industry HOME News National For Cooperation in New Drug Development By Choi Moon-hee Derek Seaborn (first from left), vice president of AstraZeneca, and Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yoon-mo (center) take a commemorative photo after signing a letter of intent (LOI) at the AstraZeneca biologics production base in Sodertalje, Sweden. Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will invest 740 billion won (US$630 million) in the Korean bio-health industry for the next five years from 2020 to 2024. Based in Sweden and the United Kingdom, AstraZeneca is the world's 11th largest pharmaceutical company with sales reaching US$22.1 billion in 2018. AstraZeneca announced its plans to participate in the Korean government's innovation strategy for the bio-health industry at the Korea-Sweden Business Summit held in Stockholm, Sweden on June 14. AstraZeneca chairman Leif Johansson said, "We will invest in Korea’s bio-health industry for the next five years, which will include investment in tangible and intangible assets, new drug development research cooperation, training of research and development experts, and improvement of healthcare accessibility." "South Korea has excellent assets, including world-class researchers, in the field of bio-health, and has high growth potential," he added. AstraZeneca signed a letter of intent with KOTRA and the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization on June 15 at its new biologics production base in Sodertalje, Sweden. The three-party LOI conclusion included cooperation in open innovation and new drug development, provision of mentoring for biotech ventures and startups, exploration of next-generation medical technologies such as AI and IoT, and cooperation for entry into the global market.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line277
__label__wiki	0.841802	0.841802	Caliber Public Schools Caliber Serves All Families Teacher Residency Program Caliber's Team Terence Johnson, CEO Terence comes to Caliber with more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of education. He began his career as a teacher, athletic director, and Principal in Colorado Public Schools, before moving to Houston where he led the turnaround of schools in underserved communities. Terence then moved on to the KIPP Foundation leadership team, where after serving 12 years as Senior Director of Leadership, Terence joined KIPP Memphis as Chief Schools Officer, and eventually returned to Houston as Head of Schools for KIPP Houston. Terence says that he is “very excited about the opportunity to work with the Caliber team, parents and students to continue making Caliber Schools a place that exemplifies excellence and continues to prepare our learners for their next steps.” Markus Mullarkey, COO Markus Mullarkey comes to Caliber after a long and successful career in the private sector. He spent over 15 years in marketing and leadership roles at successful blue-chip companies such as Proctor & Gamble, the Boston Consulting Group, and CNET Networks. And he founded and grew his own mobile entertainment start-up for 8 years before joining Caliber. Markus has a passion for K-12 education, having consulted to EdTech companies in the sector and having served as a fundraising board member at his daughter’s school. He also has a lifelong connection to the East Bay. He grew up and went to school in Richmond and Albany and now lives with his wife and two daughters only a few miles from Caliber:Beta Academy. Markus graduated from Harvard College and went on to complete an MBA and a post-graduate Finance Fellowship from Harvard Business School. Ric Zappa, CAO Ric Zappa has been an educator for over 30 years, teaching in elementary, middle, high school,and community college. Under his leadership, KIPP Summit Academy received the Title 1 Academic Achievement, California Distinguished School, and the National Blue Ribbon Awards. Ric is considered a national leader and expert in Restorative Practices and Social-Emotional Learning. Ashlee Gutierrez, Upper School Leader at Caliber Beta Academy Ashlee Gutierrez comes to Caliber Schools after several years of serving students across the East Bay. With experience in parochial, public, and now charter schools, Ashlee has a well-rounded skill set in K-8 education. Most recently, Ashlee was an administrator in Oakland Unified where her school experienced the highest percentage of growth in reading in the entire middle school network. Ashlee earned her degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Race, Class, and Gender from UC Davis. She is an alum of Teach For America and New Leaders for New Schools. She is currently studying school design and reform with RELAY Graduate School of Education. Ashlee is overjoyed to be working with Caliber as the School Leader for Caliber Beta Academy. Rachael Weingarten, Lower School Leader at Caliber ChangeMakers Academy Mrs. Weingarten is absolutely thrilled about being the founding school Leader at Caliber ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Elementary Education and completed her masters in Urban Education and leadership from the University of Southern California. Rachael began her teaching career in Tucson, Arizona, where she taught 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade. She then taught 3rd and 4th grade in Detroit. She was the founding second and third grade teacher at KIPP Empower Academy (KEA) in Los Angeles, CA. After teaching she transitioned into being Dean of Instruction and Culture at KEA. Rachael is a lifelong educator and is committed to her students, families, and the community of Vallejo. Andy Grossman, Lower School Leader at Caliber Beta Academy After spending the past three years as a teacher, coach and Assistant Principal at Caliber Beta Academy, Andy Grossman is excited about the opportunity to move into the role of School Leader in the 2018-2019 school year. Andy graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001 and began his teaching career in Oakland Unified School District that same year. Andy completed his Masters in Teaching at John F. Kennedy University in 2006 and received his School Leadership Credential from Cal State East Bay in 2014. Prior to joining the Caliber Team, Andy spent 11 years in San Leandro Unified School District where he won the Cynthia Copp Award for Innovative Teaching and worked on initiatives to bring Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to district schools. Andy brings a passion for student learning, an enthusiasm for building strong relationships, and a commitment to rigorous academics to campus every day, as well as a strong sense of gratitude that he gets to be a part of this community of “fire breathing, book reading, Caliber Dragons!” Asha Canady, 6-8 School Leader at Caliber ChangeMakers Academy Asha is a Northern California native and was fortunate to return to the area after completing a Masters Degree at the University of Michigan in Education, Leadership and Policy. Asha has had a diverse career in education, including being a high school English teacher, a Fulbright Scholar in Athens, Greece and the founding 6th grade ELA teacher at Caliber ChangeMakers Academy. Asha is thrilled to continue partnering with families in Vallejo as the 6th-8th grade school leader. Asha is a proud resident of Vallejo and enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and learning something new. Sarah Strom, Head of Talent Sarah joins Caliber with 15 years of experience in education. She began her career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher with the District of Columbia Public Schools. After teaching she became a teacher coach, coaching MS ELA teachers in Washington, D.C. She began working with charter schools as the Director of the Capital Teaching Residency at KIPP DC where over five years she worked with schools to train over 400 new teachers. At KIPP DC Sarah also worked as an Elementary School Assistant Principal. She recently moved to the Bay Area with her husband and young daughter, Mari. She is involved with everything related to recruiting and hiring, as well as taking part in organizational strategy, teacher sustainability, professional development, and all things communication. Sarah got her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, her teaching degree from American University in Washington, D.C. and recently received her MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In her free time, she enjoys almost every kind of work-out, hiking, spending time with friends and family, and cooking or being inspired to cook by watching cooking shows. Chayla Gibson, Head of HR & Founding Team Member Chayla has been with Caliber Schools as a founding team member since its inception in 2013. She serves as the Head of HR. She has over 15 years experience with various start up companies in the capacity of office management, marketing, HR, operations, and DEI. Born & raised in the Bay Area, she is excited to assist in building new schools and providing families in her own community choice regarding their children's education. She is the Founder of Shift, a Bay Area non-profit offering support services to women going through times of serious transition. Chayla has a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Business from the University of Phoenix. Angelina Molina, Head of Teaching & Learning Angelina Molina joins the Caliber team after several years serving underserved youth across the United States. A North Bay Area native, Angelina graduated from the University of California, Berkeley before completing her Master of Arts degree in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University. She began her career in education serving youth in East Oakland at New Highland Academy before stepping into the classroom as an Elementary Teacher in Oklahoma City. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, where she improved district benchmark scores by over 50% in 3 months, before moving on to pilot a Summer Institute program as a School Operations Director. Angelina has served in various capacities in education throughout the years, some of which include: Grade Level Lead Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Policy Analyst for the Oakland City Council President. Most recently Angelina was the Upper School Intervention Services Coordinator for Making Waves Academy in Richmond; where she designed a gold-standard core-day intervention services program that reduced the need for academic intervention by over 75% in the first year. Angelina is absolutely thrilled to join the Caliber team, and is excited to continue to serve School Leaders, faculty, staff, students, and families, as the Head of Teaching and Learning for Caliber Schools. Gwen Agustin, Head of Special Education and Student Services Gwen has worked in public education for over 20 years. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Child Adolescent Development. She holds a M.S. in Psychology and PPS credentials in school psychology and school counseling. Gwen also has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership as well as a clear administrative credential. She began her career as a preschool teacher and then worked for several years as a school psychologist. She then went into administration in special education. She has worked in charter and public schools throughout the bay area and has supported students from preschool through high school. Gwen has also taught courses in psychology, behavior intervention and classroom management, and systems consultation to undergraduate and graduate students working towards careers in education. Gwen’s educational philosophy is based on an inclusive and social justice framework. She is passionate about student equity and believes that all children can achieve given the right supports and services. Gwen is thrilled to be part of the Caliber team Sally Chapin, Operations & Facilities Sally joined Caliber Schools in 2016 after working in both education and tech. She taught high school science with Teach For America in Charlotte, North Carolina before moving back to the Bay Area in 2012. She worked for Uber Technologies in Operations and Marketing and left to help bring operational efficiency to the education world. She is passionate about helping students and teachers reach their fullest potential by helping to remove a lot of the obstacles that public schools face. She has her BA in economics from Bucknell University and her MAT from University of North Carolina. Cormac Harkins, Data, Research & Analytics Lead Cormac is returning to Bay Area after spending a year back at his home in Boston where he earned a M.Ed in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. Prior to graduate school, he worked in San Francisco at Breakthrough Collaborative as Manager of Research and Evaluation where he supported the internal evaluation process for Breakthrough’s students and teaching fellows across the country. Before moving to Bay Area, Cormac worked (and lived) at the Match Charter High School in Boston where he tutored students, coordinated the after-school program, and helped coach the basketball team. He graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Anthropology. Kenya Williams, Charter Operations Lead Kenya is a Bay Area Native and has worked in education for over 20 years, after graduating from Howard University. Her education careers has included taking high school students on an annual East Coast College Tour and transcribing for hearing impaired students. She worked as the Director of Operations at Richmond College Prep and most recently joined the SSO Team after working at the ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo as Operations Lead. Jenny Hinojosa, Talent Associate Jenny joined Caliber Schools after almost 3 years of working with KIPP Bay Area schools as the Operations Associate. She earned her degree in Sociology and minor in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC Berkeley. She was born and raised in South Los Angeles, but has been in the Bay Area for 7 years. While working as a literacy tutor in an elementary school while in college, her passion for closing the education gap in communities of color like her own became even more important. She has worked as an AVID tutor for a middle school and facilitated math and writing groups for students who needed extra support in those subject. Transitioning to her operational role meant she would not be working with students directly, but she still managed to build meaningful relationships with them. Every year she would take a group of them on a tour to her alma in order to encourage them and show them that going to a college or university of their choice was possible no matter their current circumstance. She is very excited to be serving the students and surrounding communities at Caliber! Estefania Garcia, SSO Administrative Assistant Estefania was born in Ecuador and raised in Oakland. She earned her degree in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley in 2017. After graduating college, she worked at Kaiser Permanente's Human Resources Department for their Benefits and Enrollments team. While doing this work, she was also able to learn a lot about Human Resources and how to better assist employees regarding both benefit and leave concerns. However, she found that she was not living her passion, which has always been to work in a place where she could give back to a community like her own. While in college she volunteered at her elementary school as well as at a Head Start located in Oakland and found that she could do meaningful work outside of the classroom. Through these volunteer experiences, she realized that there was a lot of work to do be done for the families in our community; this is where a passion to aid in this work began. During her last years of UC Berkeley, she expanded this mission by volunteering at a non-profit Immigration center located in Berkeley. She is thrilled to have found her way back to serving communities that mirror the one she grew up in as the SSO Administrative Assistant at Caliber Schools.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0054.json.gz/line278

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