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It's all scripted! Ebola outbreak and impossibly rapid vaccine response clearly scripted; U.S. govt. patented Ebola in 2010 and now owns all victims' blood
Tags: Ebola outbreak, vaccines, patents
(NaturalNews) On the very same day that vaccine maker GlaxoSmithKline is being fined $490 million by Chinese authorities for running an illegal bribery scheme across China [3], the media is announcing the "astonishing" launch of human trials for an Ebola vaccine.
Care to guess who will be manufacturing this vaccine once it is whitewashed and rubber-stamped as "approved?" GlaxoSmithKline, of course. The same company that also admitted to a massive criminal bribery network in the United States, where felony crimes were routinely committed to funnel money to over 40,000 physicians who pushed dangerous prescription drugs onto patients.
This is the company that is now -- today! -- injecting 60 "volunteers" with an experimental Ebola vaccine.
Spontaneous vaccine development a scientific impossibility
"Normally it would take years of human trials before a completely new vaccine was approved for use," reports the BBC. [1] "But such is the urgency of the Ebola outbreak in west Africa that this experimental vaccine is being fast tracked at an astonishing rate."
Yes, it's astonishing because it's impossible.
As any vaccine-related virologist already knows, the process of going from an in-the-wild infection of Ebola to a manufactured vaccine ready for human trials simply cannot be achieved in a matter of a few weeks or months. Apparently, we are all to believe that a spontaneous scientific miracle has now taken place -- a literal act of vaccine magic -- which has allowed the criminal vaccine industry to skip the tedious R&D phases and create a vaccine ready for human trials merely by waving a magic wand.
"The first of 60 healthy volunteers will be injected with the vaccine," says the BBC today, and vaccine pushers are of course lining up to proclaim the vaccine miracle which has spontaneously appeared before them like a burning bush:
Professor Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute in Oxford, who is leading the trial, said: "This is a remarkable example of how quickly a new vaccine can be progressed into the clinic, using international co-operation."
Near-proof that this was all scripted
The far more likely explanation, of course, is that all this was scripted in advance: the outbreak, the international cry for help, the skyrocketing of the stock price for Tekmira (which has received financial investments from Monsanto), the urgent call for a vaccine and now the spontaneous availability of human vaccine trials. It's all beautifully scripted from start to finish, better than a Shakespearean tragedy played out on the international stage.
The "heroes" of this theater have been pre-ordained to be drug companies and vaccines, and it is already written in the script that vaccines will be heralded as lifesaving miracles of modern science even if they infect people and cause widespread damage as has now happened to young girls in Colombia who are being hospitalized en masse after being injected with HPV vaccines. [2]
Incredibly, the official response from vaccine-pushing health authorities in Colombia is that all these girls who are suffering from paralysis are merely "imagining" their symptoms and suffering from "mass hysteria." Obviously, if vaccines are created by the gods of modern science -- the new cult of our delusional world -- then they must be perfect and infallible. Therefore, anyone who suffers side effects of such perfect vaccines must obviously be imagining things. Such is the delusional dogma of modern vaccine pushers.
This will be the exact same explanation leveled against anyone who suffers harmful effects from an Ebola vaccine, too. After all, the discovery of vaccine side effects simply isn't in the script being played out before us. Therefore, it cannot be allowed, and any person who actually suffers side effects will be immediately deemed to be mentally ill. (Yes, this is how insane and Orwellian the vaccine industry has become. All who do now bow down to the voodoo of dangerous vaccines are labeled mental patients and then treated with psychiatric drugs. The vaccine industry has quite literally become the Heaven's Gate Cult of modern medicine...)
The United States government now owns the patent on Ebola
This plot gets even more interesting when you realize that a patent on Ebola was awarded to the United States government just four years ago, in 2010.
That patent, number CA2741523A1, is available here.
Astonishingly, the patent claims U.S. government ownership over all variants of Ebola which share 70% or more of the protein sequences described in the patent: "[CLAIMS] ...a nucleotide sequence of at least 70%-99% identity to the SEQ ID..."
Furthermore, the patent also claims ownership over any and all Ebola viruses which are "weakened" or "killed," meaning the United States government is literally claiming ownership over all Ebola vaccines.
What this means, of course, is that the U.S. government can demand royalties on all Ebola vaccines.
Even more Orwellian is the fact that the U.S. government can use this patent to halt all other research for treatments or cures for Ebola.
Patent monopoly gives U.S. government legal right to block all non-vaccine Ebola treatments, cures or research
Do you remember the massive medical controversy over the BRCA1 gene tied to breast cancer in women? One corporation claimed patent ownership over the gene and then they used that patent to shut down all other research, testing or diagnosis of breast cancer related to that gene. To date, nearly 20% of the human genome has been claimed as "owned" by corporations, universities and even the government.
The controversy went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court which ultimately ruled that human genes cannot be patented. But the Supreme Court decision actually protected patents on gene sequences for viruses and other pathogens.
The truth of the matter is that anyone who owns the Ebola gene patent can legally use that patent to shut down all research on Ebola, including research for non-vaccine medical treatments and cures. This is how medical monopolies are reinforced: by monopolizing all the research and all the "cures."
Even more frightening, the "ownership" over Ebola extends to Ebola circulating in the bodies of Ebola victims. When Dr. Kent Brantly was relocated from Africa to the CDC's care in Atlanta, that entire scene was carried out under the quasi-legal justification that the U.S. government "owned" the Ebola circulating in Dr. Brantly's blood. Thus, one of the very first things that took place was the acquisition of his blood samples for archiving and R&D by the CDC and the U.S. Department of Defense.
(Only the gullible masses think that was about saving the life of a doctor. The real mission was to acquire the Ebola strain circulating in his body and use it for weaponization research, vaccine research and other R&D purposes.)
Anyone infected with Ebola now deemed to be carrying "government property" in the form of a patented virus
This brings us to the quarantine issue. As the whole world knows by now, the entire nation of Sierra Leone is now under a state of medical martial law, where Ebola victims are now being hunted down like fugitives in door-to-door manhunts. [4]
Simultaneously, the United States government is now operating under Obama's executive order #13674, signed on July 31, 2014, which allows the U.S. federal government to arrest and quarantine any person who shows symptoms of infectious disease. [5]
This executive order allows federal agents to forcibly arrest and quarantine anyone showing symptoms of:
...Severe acute respiratory syndromes, which are diseases that are associated with fever and signs and symptoms of pneumonia or other respiratory illness, are capable of being transmitted from person to person, and that either are causing, or have the potential to cause, a pandemic, or, upon infection, are highly likely to cause mortality or serious morbidity if not properly controlled.
Part of the legal argument for justifying such a quarantine in the case of Ebola goes like this: If you are carrying Ebola in your body, then you are in possession of U.S. government property!
The fact that the virus is replicating in your body is, legally speaking, a violation of patent law. Because you are providing a host environment for the replication of the virus, you technically are breaking federal laws that restrict the copying and distributed of patented properties, which in this case include the Ebola virus.
Thus, the government has every right to "relocate" you and prevent you from violating patent law by replicating, distributing or spreading THEIR intellectual property (i.e. the Ebola virus).
Lest you think this legal argument sounds insane, just remember that the legal system is full of lawyers who make far more insane arguments on a daily basis, including the argument that human genes could be patented in the first place. And medical officials also make insane, irrational arguments almost constantly, including the argument that all those girls in Colombia who are suffering convulsions and paralysis from the HPV vaccine are merely "imagining" their symptoms. Such explanations flatly defy any attachment to sane thinking.
Ultimately, the patent on the Ebola virus provides the legal justification for forced government quarantines -- and even medical research -- on Ebola victims.
"Ebola is a genetically modified organism"
What I've outlined in this story is just a small taste of the crime against humanity which is taking place right before our eyes. I am now convinced that this Ebola outbreak is very likely not an accident, and many scientists in Africa wholeheartedly agree that the outbreak is actually the deployment of a biological weapon.
"Ebola is a genetically modified organism (GMO)," declared Dr. Cyril Broderick, Professor of Plant Pathology, in a front-page story published in the Liberian Observer. [6]
He goes on to explain:
[Horowitz] confirmed the existence of an American Military-Medical-Industry that conducts biological weapons tests under the guise of administering vaccinations to control diseases and improve the health of "black Africans overseas."
SITES AROUND AFRICA, AND IN WEST AFRICA, HAVE OVER THE YEARS BEEN SET UP FOR TESTING EMERGING DISEASES, ESPECIALLY EBOLA
The World Health Organization (WHO) and several other UN Agencies have been implicated in selecting and enticing African countries to participate in the testing events, promoting vaccinations, but pursuing various testing regiments.
AFRICAN LEADERS AND AFRICAN COUNTRIES NEED TO TAKE THE LEAD IN DEFENDING BABIES, CHILDREN, AFRICAN WOMEN, AFRICAN MEN, AND THE ELDERLY. THESE CITIZENS DO NOT DESERVE TO BE USED AS GUINEA PIGS!
Africa must not relegate the Continent to become the locality for disposal and the deposition of hazardous chemicals, dangerous drugs, and chemical or biological agents of emerging diseases. There is urgent need for affirmative action in protecting the less affluent of poorer countries, especially African citizens, whose countries are not as scientifically and industrially endowed as the United States and most Western countries, sources of most viral or bacterial GMOs that are strategically designed as biological weapons. It is most disturbing that the U. S. Government has been operating a viral hemorrhagic fever bioterrorism research laboratory in Sierra Leone.
The world must be alarmed. All Africans, Americans, Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians, and people from every conclave on Earth should be astonished. African people, notably citizens more particularly of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are victimized and are dying every day.
Learn the truth at BioDefense.com
If you really want to learn the truth about all this, listen to the free Pandemic Preparedness audio course available right now at www.BioDefense.com
All MP3 files are freely downloadable, and new episodes are being posted every few days.
Also check out these 11 horrifying truths about Ebola that you're not supposed to know.
Nearly one million people have now visited www.BioDefense.com since its launch last week. Find out there what the mainstream media won't dare tell you. Your life may quite literally depend on it.
[1] http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29230157
[2] http://news.yahoo.com/mystery-illness-plague...
[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29274822
[4] https://www.naturalnews.com/046945_medical_ma...
[5] http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014...
[6] http://www.liberianobserver.com/security/ebo...
[7] http://www.google.com/patents/CA2741523A1
[8] https://www.naturalnews.com/036417_Glaxo_Merc...
[9] https://www.naturalnews.com/046259_ebola_outb...
[10] https://www.naturalnews.com/040400_gene_paten...
[11] https://www.naturalnews.com/028492_BRCA1_huma...
[12] http://www.thecommonsenseshow.com/2014/09/17...
More news on Ebola outbreak
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Ebola outbreak may already be uncontrollable; Monsanto invests in Ebola treatment drug company as pandemic spreads
Ebola outbreak hits Spain as pandemic goes transcontinental
CDC bombshell: Ebola spread to USA 'inevitable'
Ebola outbreak could devastate sectors of U.S. economy, warns Health Ranger
Ebola outbreak to continue for another 18 months, warn scientists
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Interview with "Exonerated Five" member Kevin Richardson, who fights for the wrongfully accused.
Dwayne Wade on Supporting His Son Going to Pride Parade: 'My Job as a Father'
In April, Wade’s then 11-year-old son Zion posted pictures of himself at Miami Pride, with his siblings and stepmother, actress Gabrielle Union.
Receive the latest entertainment-news updates in your inbox
Dahveon Morris, Gabrielle Union, Zion Wade, Dwyane Wade, and Zaire Wade attend the DWade All Star Bowling Classic Benefitting The Sandals Foundation And Wade's World Foundation at The Ballroom on February 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada.
Dwayne Wade said he publicly supports his 12-year-old son recently attending the Miami Beach Gay Pride parade because it's his job as a father.
“I don’t really talk about it much because it’s Zion’s story to tell,” the NBA star told Variety in a recent interview. “I think as a family, we should support each other. That’s our job. And my job as a father is to facilitate their lives and to support them and be behind them in whatever they want to do.”
Wade, who retired from the NBA in April, was with the Miami Heat in Canada for a game against the Toronto Raptors at the time, but cheered them on from afar.
“We support each other with Pride!” Wade wrote in an Instagram Story over a photo of Zion and Union at the parade.
Wade was met with an outpouring of support for his Instagram Story.
But the family also faced some backlash, which Wade said he was unprepared for.
Get More at NBC News
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YouTube, Instagram Influencer Indicted for Alleged Identity Theft, Credit Card Fraud
Christian Aaron allegedly used stolen cards for a Hawaiian spree
Published Jun 21, 2019 at 11:03 AM | Updated at 11:28 AM PDT on Jun 21, 2019
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/YouTube-Instagram-Influencer-Indicted-Fraud-511620611.html
Aaron faces seven felony counts and one misdemeanor charge, including for identity theft and grand larceny. (Published Friday, June 21, 2019)
A YouTube and Instagram influencer with hundreds of thousands of social media followers is facing identity theft and fraud charges after alegedly stealing a New York woman's identity to go on a Hawaiian excursion and shopping spree.
Christian Aaron, 19, of Hollywood, California, who has almost 185,000 Instagram followers and more than 42,000 YouTube subscribers, faces a long list of felony charges in a Long Island indictment.
Suffolk County prosecutors allege he stole a local woman's identity, ran up $19,000 in charges on credit cards taken out in the victim's name, and attempted to make another $31,000 in online charges.
Aaron faces seven felony counts and one misdemeanor charge, with a maximum of up to 7 years in prison if convicted of the top count against him.
Instagram Will Now Let Advertisers Put More ‘Influencer’ Ads in Your Feed
"As with all of the financial crimes our office investigates and prosecutes, this was an act of greed, but this defendant wasn’t just after money; he committed these crimes in part to keep up the online persona he has crafted for himself and to get likes on social media,” District Attorney Timothy Sini said in a statement.
According to Sini's office, Aaron allegedly used American Express cards belonging to a Suffolk County woman to buy plane tickets from New York to Hawaii and to reserve rooms at a Disney resort there.
While in Hawaii, prosecutors said, he went on a luxury shopping spree at stores like Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana. He also allegedly attempted another shopping spree at an online retailer, but the retailer rejected the orders before shipping.
Attorney information was not immediately available. Emails to the press contact on his Instagram page were not immediately returned.
Aaron's social media accounts show a young man living a luxurious life.
A May 25 post has him posing with a Lamborghini in front of a California mansion, while a YouTube video from the same date shows him touring midtown Manhattan.
His Instagram feed consists largely of modeling poses in global locations, while many of his YouTube videos show Aaron sampling makeup products and demonstrating their use.
Earlier this year, he appeared in an episode of the "Dr. Phil" show talking about the pressures social media puts on young people.
"I've called people peasants. I went through the whole rich phase," Aaron said during a heated confrontation on the show about social media stars and how they treat followers and admirers.
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Late Night Politics
Punchlines ripped from the headlines
Gov. Christie Talks RNC, Sings Springsteen on "Late Night"
“In case it wasn’t enough pressure with like 20 million people, you know, now we have Mitt Romney hanging for the speech."
By Debra Pangestu
Published Sep 5, 2012 at 5:07 AM | Updated at 11:02 AM EDT on Sep 5, 2012
Lloyd Bishop/NBC
Gov. Chris Christie made his second appearance on "Late Night," where he joked about his son leaving for college and belted out the Springsteen classic "Thunder Road."
Hot off the heels of his Republican National Convention keynote address, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made his second appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” Tuesday, where he discussed his keynote address, joked about his son leaving for college and belted out a Springsteen classic without missing a beat.
The 49-year-old kicked off the segment by telling Fallon about the unexpected backstage encounter he had with Mitt Romney as he was getting ready to deliver his prime-time address.
“He stopped and he said to me, ‘You’re going to be good tonight, right?’” Christie recalled. “And I said ‘Yeah, I’m going to be real good.’”
But despite Christie’s reassurance, Romney decided to stay put and watch Christie’s speech from backstage.
“In case it wasn’t enough pressure with like 20 million people, you know, now we have Mitt Romney hanging for the speech,” Christie joked.
Also up for discussion was Clint Eastwood’s much talked about speech. Christie said he didn’t know what the legendary actor had planned for that evening, but he knew the “Dirty Harry” star had gone “off the rails a little bit” when he made an off-color remark to an empty chair about Romney not being able to “do that to himself.”
The father of four also spoke about his eldest son leaving for college. Although Christie admitted to feeling a bit emotional about his son going away to Princeton, he joked that his son was likely feeling otherwise.
“Literally three-quarters of a mile from the center of campus is the governor’s mansion, and we don’t live there so it’s empty,” Christie said. “How many guys can give this line to a girl in college: ‘Hey, would you like to come back with me to the governor’s mansion?’”
Christie, who saw his 130th Bruce Springsteen concert in Philadelphia a few nights ago, gamely helped Fallon wrap up the segment by belting out the Springsteen hit “Thunder Road,” in tribute to their musical idol. Christie posted a video of the performance on his YouTube channel.
To see more of Gov. Christie’s interview, check out the clip below:
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Owens v. DEQ
STEVE OWENS and JILLANE BADAWI v. NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Petitioners’ Request for Contested Case Hearing (Sept. 25, 2015)
Notice of Petition and Order for Prehearing Statements (Oct. 16. 2015)
Motion by Out-of-State Attorney to Practice before the Office of Administrative Hearings (Oct. 20, 2015)
Order Permitting Out-of-State Counsel to Appear Pro Hac Vice (Oct. 28, 2015)
Petitioners’ Prehearing Statement (Nov. 2, 2015)
Respondent’s Prehearing Statement (Nov. 4, 2015)
Respondent’s Motion to Dismiss (Nov. 3, 2015)
Respondent’s Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss (Nov. 3, 2015)
Petitioners’ Memorandum in Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Nov. 19, 2015)
Order Denying Motion to Dismiss (Dec. 14, 2015)
Scheduling Order (Jan. 14, 2016)
Proposed Intervenor-Respondent Weyerhaeuser Company’s Motion to Intervene (Feb. 22, 2016)
Proposed Intervenor-Respondent Weyerhaeuser Company’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Intervene (Feb. 22, 2016)
Petitioners’ Memorandum in Opposition to Weyerhaeuser Company’s Motion to Intervene (Feb. 23, 2016)
Proposed Intervenor-Respondent Pasquotank County’s Motion to Intervene (Feb. 22, 2016)
Proposed Intervenor-Respondent Pasquotank County’s Prehearing Statement (Feb. 22, 2016)
Reply Brief in Support of Weyerhaeuser Company’s Motion to Intervene (Feb 25, 2016)
Order Granting Motion to Intervene by Weyerhaeuser (March 11, 2016)
Order Granting Motion to Intervene by Pasquotank County (March 11, 2016)
Petitioners’ Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgment (March 24, 2016)
Intervenor-Respondent Weyerhaeuser Company’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgment (March 24, 2016)
Respondent’s Motion for Summary Judgment (March 24, 2016)
Respondent’s Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgment (March 24, 2016)
Joint Motion for Amended Scheduling Order (March 29, 2016)
Request for Response to Respondent’s Motion for Summary Judgment (March 29, 2016)
Request for Response to Petitioners’ Motion for Summary Judgment (March 28, 2016)
Request for Response to Respondent-Intervenor’s Motion for Summary Judgment (March 28, 2016)
Pasquotank County’s Brief Regarding the Proper Interpretation of Session Law 2013-51 (April 1, 2016)
Amended Scheduling Order (April 6, 2016)
Petitioners’ Response to Weyerhaeuser Company’s Motion for Summary Judgment (April 7, 2016)
Respondent’s Response to Petitioners’ Motion for Summary Judgment (April 7, 2016)
Weyerhaeuser’s Response to Petitioners’ Motion for Summary Judgment (April 7, 2016)
Petitioners’ Response to Respondent’s Motion for Summary Judgment (April 11, 2016)
Murawski, John. “NC Coastal Residents Sue to Block Amazon Wind Farm.”News & Observer. The McClatchy Company, 1 Oct. 2015. Web.
“Civitas Backs Couple’s Wind Farm Challenge.” Coastal Review Online. North Carolina Coatal Federation, 2 Oct. 2015. Web.
“Residents Sue to Stop Amazon Wind Farm.” WRAL Techwire. Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., 2 Oct. 2015. Web.
Judge Rules Suit Against DEQ Will Proceed. Civitas Institute, 15 Dec. 2015. Web.
Murawski, John. “NC Judge Refuses to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Amazon Wind Farm.” News & Observer. The McClatchy Company, 15 Dec. 2015. Web.
Engstrom, Elliot M. “Fact-checking the N&O.” Civitas Review. Civitas Institute, 16 Dec. 2015. Web.
Murawski, John. “NC Court Hearing for Amazon Wind Farm Challenge Set for Wednesday.” News & Observer. The McClatchy Company. 12 Apr. 2016.
“NC Wind Farm Should Get OK.” Editorial. News & Observer. 17 Apr. 2016. Web.
Engstrom, Elliot M. “Fact-Checking the N&O Editorial Board.” Civitas Review. Civitas Institute, 18 Apr. 2016. Web.
Case Summary:
In this Perquimans County case, CLF alleges that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) acted contrary to statute when it notified Iberdrola Renewables that it is not subject to state permitting standards.
CLF filed suit against DEQ on behalf of a husband and wife couple, alleging that they were aggrieved by the agency’s determination that Iberdrola Renewables’ Amazon Wind Farm East was not subject to state permitting standards.
CLF Lead Counsel Elliot Engstrom is joined by Dr. David Schnare, General Counsel for the Energy & Environment Legal Institute (E&E). Dr. Schnare has been admitted pro hac vice to practice before the Office of Administrative Hearings in this case, and helped craft the arguments against dismissal.
The case will proceed to a contested case hearing in early 2016.
https://www.nccivitas.org/clf/clf-litigation-library/owens-v-deq/
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| 0.297168
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npower
http://www.npower.org/
Npower is a national nonprofit organization of 23 members providing IT training and services to nonprofits and young adults. Through programs and service, Npower aims to bring the IT community together to do social good.
Kisha Arthur-Fontenelle, Tykira Clinton
Opportunity@Work
http://www.opportunityatwork.org
Based at New America in Washington DC, Opportunity@Work is a civic enterprise whose mission is to re-wire the U.S. labor market to enable more Americans to achieve upward mobility in the job market and workplace, to facilitate actions by U.S. employers to develop the talent they collectively need to succeed and grow, and to scale up innovations that unlock more fully all people’s potential for higher-value, meaningful work as a source of economic opportunity and national competitive advantage.
Papia Debroy
RAISE Project
http://www.raiseproject.org
The RAISE project is designed to increase the status of professional women through enhanced Recognition of the Achievements of Women In Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. Current programs of The RAISE Project include an interactive website with a listing of available awards categorized by discipline, career level and eligibility by gender.
Sarah Chu
Redefining Women in Tech
http://redefiningwomenintech.com/about/
Empowering women to be equitably represented in tech fields, and have the resources they need to achieve their career goals.
Redefining Women in Tech connects individuals with the communities and resources they need to thrive in tech careers.
Lauren Jerome
ReigningIt
https:// www.reigningit.com
ReigningIt is building an inclusive, caring community of support for women in STEM. Our story-sharing platform celebrates the hard-fought successes that unrelenting determination brings. Together, we are closing the gender gap in STEM by building a strong, empowered network of mentorship and support system to reign our lives.
Saqi Mehta
Relay Graduate School of Education
http://www.relay.edu
Relay's mission is to teach teachers and school leaders to develop in all students the academic skills and strength of character needed to succeed in college and life.
Rewriting the Code is a 501(c)(3) created to develop a community of exceptional college women with a passion for technology to become the next generation of engineers and tech leaders.
Sue Harnett
RichTech Women In Technology Forum
http://www.richtech.com
The Rich Tech Women In Technology Forum is designed to provide networking, mentoring and educational opportunities for women involved at all levels of technology centric businesses or organizations. The mission of the forum is to be a catalyst in growing the interest of science, technology, math and engineering among today’s young women. The council organizes an inaugural Women ETC (Education, Technology, Careers) event that provides professional development, education, and collaboration amongst its participants.
The Forum is a part of RichTech which is a Richmond, VA based Technology Council that is a member-driven association of businesses and organizations working together to ensure the continued growth of central Virginia’s dynamic technology based economy.
Robby Demeria
Rutgers Center for Women and Work
http://smlr.rutgers.edu/content/center-women-work-cww
The Center for Women and Work is a leader in research, education, and programs that promote economic and social equity for women workers, their families, and their communities.
As part of its multi-faceted research and policy work, The School of Management and Labor Relations' Center for Women and Work (CWW):
Addresses women's advancement in the workplace
Conducts cutting-edge research on successful public and workplace policies
Provides technical assistance and programs to educators, industry, and governments
Engages issues that directly affect the living standards of New Jersey's and the nation's working families
Elaine Zundl
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More people being murdered than dying in wars or terrorist attacks
Jay Jackson/UN News
For all of the attention it gets, particularly from governments, terrorism is the least of the world's worries when it comes to death and destruction.
Terrorism is just a footnote, compared to the ravages of cancer and heart disease. Drink-driving alone causes more deaths each year than terrorism.
In stark contrast, according to a study, the details of which were released on Monday, murder kills far more people each year than armed conflict.
In fact five times as many people died as a result of homicidal violence in 2017, compared to all those killed in wars being waged across the world, including in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, various countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Some 464,000 people across the world were victims of homicidal violence in 2017.
According to the study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Central America is the most dangerous region to live, where the number of homicides – or unlawful killings - rises in some "hotspots", to 62.1 per 100,000 people
The safest locations are in Asia, Europe and Oceania (Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia), where murder rates are 2.3, 3.0 and 2.8 respectively – well below the 6.1 global average, the UN agency's Global Study on Homicide 2019 shows.
At 13.0, Africa's homicide rate was lower than the Americas (17.2), which had the highest percentage in 2017 since reliable data-gathering began in 1990, UNODC said, while also pointing to significant data gaps for some African countries.
Organized crime accounts for nearly one in five murders
One constant since the beginning of this century is the link between organized crime and violent deaths, according to the report.
Crime alone was responsible for 19 per cent of all homicides in 2017 and caused "many more deaths worldwide than armed conflict and terrorism combined", Yury Fedotov, UNODC Executive Director said Tuesday.
Like violent conflict, organized crime "destabilizes countries, undermines socioeconomic development and erodes the rule of law", according to UNODC, while Mr. Fedotov insisted that unless the international community takes decisive steps, "targets under Sustainable Development Goal 16 to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates by 2030 will not be met".
Young men at highest risk in all regions
From a gender angle, the UNODC report also finds that while girls and boys aged nine and under, are more or less equally represented in terms of victim numbers, in all other age groups, males make up more than 50 per cent of the toll, according to data from 41 countries.
In all regions, the likelihood of boys becoming victims of homicide increases with age, while those aged between 15 and 29 are at the highest risk of homicide globally.
In the Americas, for instance, the victim rate among 18 to 19-year-olds is estimated at 46 per 100,000 – far higher than for their peers in other regions, while firearms are also involved "far more often" in homicides in the Americas than elsewhere, the UN report maintains.
"High levels of violence are strongly associated with young males, both as perpetrators and victims," the report says, "So violence prevention programmes should focus on providing support to young men to prevent them from being lured into a subculture of… gangs (and) drug dealing."
Femicide 'too often ignored'
While women and girls account for a far smaller share of victims than men, they continue to bear "by far the greatest burden" of intimate partner and family-related homicide, the report finds, adding that more than nine in 10 suspects in homicide cases are men.
"Killings carried out by intimate partners are rarely spontaneous or random," Mr. Fedotov said, noting too that the phenomenon is often under-reported and "too often ignored".
In a bid to help Governments tackle homicide, the UNODC report identifies several drivers of the problem, in addition to organized crime. They include firearms, drugs and alcohol, inequality, unemployment, political instability and gender stereotyping.
'Targeted' anti-corruption policies needed
The study also underlines the importance of addressing corruption, strengthening the rule of law and investing in public services – particularly education; these are "critical" in reducing violent crime, it insists.
Highlighting the report's broad scope – which covers everything from lethal gang violence involving firearms to links with inequality and gender-related killings - Mr. Fedotov maintained that it "is possible" to tackle the threat from criminal networks with "targeted" policies.
These include community engagement and police patrols, as well as policing reform, whose aim is to strengthen trust in officers among the local population.
For those young men already caught up in criminal gangs, they need help "so that they can extricate themselves" through social work, rehabilitation programmes and awareness-raising about non-violent alternatives.
These efforts could be more effective if they took place in "certain countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia" and "even in countries with high national rates of homicide", the report insists.
"Killings are often concentrated in specific states, provinces and cities," it says. "Bringing down overall homicide rates depends ultimately on tackling lethal violence in these 'hotspots'".
Although the UNODC study shows that the number of homicides increased from almost 400,000 in 1992 to more than 460,000 in 2017, it explains that the actual global rate has declined (from 7.2 in 1992, to 6.1 in 2017) when measured against population growth.
(Photo credit: James Carmody | ABC).
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Motorist Gets More than a Dozen Years Behind Bars following Eighth DUI Conviction
We hear a lot about criminal recidivism, but a percentage of drunk drivers who have been caught and punished still can also have a difficult road ahead of them in terms of repeat offenses pertaining to DWI or drug DUI. As New Jersey drunken driving defense attorneys, I and my staff of experienced trial lawyers understand the difficulties faced by those who have one or more drunk driving convictions in their recent past.
Here in the Garden State, being a second- or third-time DWI or DUI offender does not garner much sympathy from the police or our courts. The same can be said for most other parts of the country. Take, for instance, the story of an out-of-state driver dubbed by the prosecution as the “Grim Reaper,” who was sentenced to 13 years in jail after being convicted of his eighth drunken driving offense.
Based on news reports, 43-year-old Timothy Morrow of Round Lake Beach, IL, was sentenced last May capping a quarter century of drunken driving arrests and convictions. According to court records, Morrow received his first DWI when he was only 17 years of age. Since that time, the local prosecutor in the drunk driving case against Morrow cited nine other incidents when the defendant was stopped for driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as two others involving boating under the influence (also known as BUI).
While four of the 12 DWI arrests ended with either a not-guilty verdict or having the charges dropped or reduced, the prosecution told the court that it defied logic that an motorist who had been arrested for drunk driving on 10 different occasions would continue to consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. According to the prosecutor, Ben Dillon, “It is clear this defendant just doesn’t get it and doesn’t care.”
This latest sentence of more than a dozen years in jail is not the first that Mr. Morrow has experienced; twice in the past he has spent time behind bars — once in 1995 for DUI, then again in 1996 for operating a motor vehicle while on a revoked driver’s license. At the time of the latest arrest, the man had only 10 days earlier been charged with public intoxication.
Convicted last October of his eight DWI — the jury found him not guilty of fleeing and eluding an officer, among others — the prosecution requested a 15-year jail sentence, referring to the defendant as an “absolute public safety risk.” In response, the defense asked the court for a reduced, six-year sentence with one of the reasons from the defendant being that he has a 12-year-old son who he wants to see grow up.
After stating that he was sorry and that he was abused as a child, the defendant admitted that he made a mistake. However, the judge was apparently unmoved saying prior to sentencing that the defendant has made “mistake after mistake after mistake, for 25 years. Though the history of drunk driving offenses may seem excessive in case, it is hardly unusual when one considers the millions of people who are arrested time and time again for drinking and driving in this country. When it comes to personal responsibility, it has to be said that it is often folly to think one can push back against the law over and over without some harsh kind of repercussion down the line.
‘Grim Reaper’ sentenced to 13 years for eighth DUI, ChicagoTribune.com, May 2, 2013
Posted in: DWI Stops, Non-resident DWI Arrests, Third or Subsequent Offense DWI and Uncategorized
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Connecticut sees increase in newborns exposed to opioids
Mackenzie Riggs The News-Times AP
NEW HAVEN — Jessica had been hooked on heroin for two years when she found out she was 4 1/2 months pregnant.
Shortly afterward, while in prison, she decided to start taking methadone to treat her addiction. She had been told if she quit cold turkey, she had a higher chance of miscarrying.
But she was also told her baby would go through withdrawal once he or she was born because of the exposure to methadone, which — like heroin — is an opioid.
Jessica, 21, worried about this for months, knowing firsthand how awful withdrawal can be. Finally, on April 9, she gave birth to her son, Nicholas.
She whispered to him over and over, "I'm sorry."
"I only did it to try to help you."
Jessica, who grew up in New Fairfield, was terrified what would happen to Nicholas. Babies withdrawing from opioids can have seizures, fevers, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, excessive sweating and high-pitched crying, among other symptoms.
Would Nicholas suffer as the opioids left his tiny body?
As the opioid epidemic surges in Connecticut, so has the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, a set of problems experienced by newborns exposed to opiate drugs in the womb.
The number is small, but has more than doubled in a decade, from 0.27 percent of all births in 2002 to 0.73 percent in 2011, according to a report by the state Department of Public Health.
Nationwide, nearly 22,000 babies were born with the syndrome in 2012, a five-fold increase since 2000, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Doctors and nurses statewide commonly use a version of the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System, a tool developed in the 1970s, to determine whether a drug-exposed baby needs treatment. The tool employs a list of questions about symptoms and a range of scores, which doctors tally to make a conclusion.
If the babies score high enough, medicines like morphine are commonly used to manage their withdrawal symptoms. Morphine depresses the symptoms but prolongs the time the baby needs to stay in the hospital after birth.
A new approach is being taken at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, which has campuses in New Haven and Bridgeport, allowing babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome to spend less time in the hospital and receive less medication.
The main idea is to bring parents into the treatment process.
"They are not included in the care; they are the care," said Dr. Matthew Grossman, who worked with a team at the hospital to reform the way they cared for babies with the syndrome.
"We tell the parents, 'You are the treatment and you need to be here as much as possible,' " Grossman said. "You have everything your baby needs."
The infants and their parents stay in their own rooms in the general ward, which is important because these babies need a low-stimulation environment. Parents are encouraged to swaddle, rock and feed their babies more often.
"If the baby is in a quiet environment, being fed by the mother frequently, comforting the baby, holding the baby, it seems to make a big difference in terms of reducing the hospitalization for the baby," said Dr. Robert Herzlinger, director of neonatology at the Bridgeport Hospital campus of Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital.
The hospital has decreased the average length of stay for babies with the syndrome from 28 days, as was typical from 2003 to 2007, to 7.4 days. Morphine use decreased from 98 to 24 percent, and the maximum dose administered was reduced by more than 50 percent, Grossman said.
For its innovative approach, the hospital was selected to receive the 2015 Pediatric Quality Award from the Children's Hospital Association, which represents 220 hospitals nationwide.
Other area hospitals use a combination of parent bonding and medications to treat babies exposed to opioids, which include heroin and prescription painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet.
Dr. Kristen Hougland, director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Danbury Hospital, called the bonding a "crucial" aspect of the treatment.
"One of the main things that we can do in the NICU for any family is to ensure that they have good bonding with their babies, and that they feel both bonded and comfortable with the infant when they take them home," Hougland said.
"Sometimes you're able to interact and help with that," she said. "Sometimes people aren't at the point where they are able to work on the issues."
Babies born with the syndrome stay in the hospital's NICU, which has individual rooms where parents can stay with them.
At Stamford Hospital, doctors use morphine and a drug called clonidine to treat babies with the syndrome.
Dr. Gerald Rakos, chairman of the hospital's pediatrics department, said hospital staff decided to add the second medication about two years ago. Since then, Rakos said, it has helped cut hospital stays almost in half.
He, too, stressed the importance of involving parents. "There's no question that we try to involve the parents as much as we can," he said.
Years afterward, he added, these children do seem to have higher rates of learning disabilities and behavioral issues.
"There is some biological basis for it, but a lot has to do with resources and child-rearing," he said.
What is important is the environment the babies go home to, Herzlinger added.
"They need to go home to a nurturing environment," he said. "If the mother is unable to provide or meet the physical and emotional needs of the baby, then that really could have an adverse effect."
After 24 hours of labor, Jessica gave birth to Nicholas, who weighed 7 pounds 7 ounces, at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital.
Five days later, sitting side by side on a bed, she and Nicholas's father, Mike, changed their son's diaper. They took turns holding their son, who has deep blue eyes and a full head of dark brown hair.
Nicholas slept most of the time, letting out a cry every now and then. Nicky, as they call him, had mild withdrawal symptoms and didn't have to take morphine. Mike and Jessica said they were happy with the care they received at the hospital.
For the parents, their son symbolizes a new chance at life — a chance to live their lives the way they had hoped before they became addicted to heroin.
Jessica and Mike took Percocet, a powerful prescription painkiller, before switching to less expensive heroin. They lived in abandoned buildings and the backseats of cars. They stole to pay for their drugs.
They both ended up in prison.
Jessica had been living in a treatment center in New Haven for the three months leading up to her birth. She and her son were discharged from the hospital on Thursday and will live at the center for another month while she finishes her rehabilitation.
Mike, 26, a certified machinist, hopes to find a job soon. He waits for Jessica and Nicholas to join him in Waterbury, where he lives with his parents.
"Our baby has given us a reason to do better in life," Mike said. "He's truly a gift from God."
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Keith Flint, Front Man of The Prodigy, Dies at 49
By Simon Veazey March 4, 2019
Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs in Incheon, South Korea, on Aug. 9, 2015. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Keith Flint, frontman of British techno band The Prodigy, known for his wild performances and his devil-horns mohawk, has died at the age of 49.
Police said that Flint was found at his home in Essex in southern England, on the morning of March 4, according to local reports, but said they were not treating the death as suspicious. A post on The Prodigy’s official social media account said he “took his own life.”
Anti-establishment band The Prodigy was spawned by the UK illegal rave scene in the 1990s, but as mainstream tastes changed, later found their way to the top of the charts with the singles “Firestarter” and “Breathe.”
“It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother and best friend Keith Flint,” said a statement from the Prodigy posted on their Twitter feed. “A true pioneer, innovator, and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.”
The group’s official Instagram account, however, suggested that Flint’s death may have been suicide.
A post, apparently written by fellow band member Liam Howlett, said, ” The news is true, I can’t believe I’m saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend.”
“I’m shell shocked, [expletive] angry, confused, and heartbroken ….. r.i.p brother Liam.”
Flint started out as a dancer in the group back in 1990, but progressed to vocalist, providing vocals.
Keith Flint of The Prodigy at The Kerrang Awards 2009 held at The Brewery on Aug. 3, 2009, in London. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Flint’s fluorescent green double-mohawk and aggressive dancing, together with his black contact lenses and eye makeup, helped to seer the image of the band into the contemporary music scene.
He was one of the founding members of the group.
According to the Telegraph, an Essex Police spokesman said, “We were called to concerns for the welfare of a man at an address in Brook Hill, North End, just after 8.10am on Monday.”
“We attended and, sadly, a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner,” the spokesman said.”
The Prodigy is scheduled to tour its latest album, starting next month.
Radio broadcaster Jo Whiley said in a tweet, “Oh this is sad news. The death of Keith Flint.
Oh this is sad news. The death of Keith Flint. Whenever our paths crossed he was an absolute sweetheart. Really lovely. Incredible iconic frontman with a soft centre. ????#RIPKeithFlint
— Jo Whiley (@jowhiley) March 4, 2019
“Whenever our paths crossed he was an absolute sweetheart. Really lovely. Incredible iconic frontman with a soft centre.”
Flint was a keen motorcyclist, with his own motorcycle team, Team Traction Control, which competes in the British Supersport Championship.
Keith Flint speak at the 2013 Superbikes FIM World Championship at Donington Park, England on May 26, 2013. (Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images)
The team won two Isle of Man TT races in 2015.
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N.Y. / Region|Candidate Is Said to Quit House Race in Queens
N.Y. / Region
Candidate Is Said to Quit House Race in Queens
By SARAH MASLIN NIR APRIL 19, 2012
The field for the Democratic nomination in the newly redrawn Sixth Congressional District in Queens just became a little narrower.
Jeffrey Gottlieb, a clerk for the city’s Board of Elections and a longtime, if understated, behind-the-scenes fixture in Queens Democratic political circles, has withdrawn from the race, according to a person involved in the campaign who had not been authorized to speak about it publicly. The move came days after Mr. Gottlieb filed the signatures he had collected with the city to get on the ballot (a minimum of 938 valid signatures were required).
The reason, the person said, was the personal strain caused by the public disclosure that Mr. Gottlieb, 70, had been charged decades ago with second-degree arson, a felony; he was accused of drenching his Queens apartment in gasoline and setting it on fire. Information about the charge, and Mr. Gottlieb’s arrest in 1971, as well as his subsequent treatment at a psychiatric hospital upstate, was reported on Saturday in The New York Post. (The charge was reduced, in a plea bargain, to fourth-degree criminal mischief, according to The Post.)
But Mr. Gottlieb’s run will be remembered for the furor it touched off: Rory I. Lancman, an Assembly member also running for the seat, lashed out in the news media almost as soon as Mr. Gottlieb, 70, a former schoolteacher, announced his candidacy.
Mr. Lancman, who is Jewish, said Mr. Gottlieb had been recruited to run against him by the Queens Democratic establishment and supporters of Assemblywoman Grace Meng, his main competitor and the party leadership’s choice for the House seat. It was intended, Mr. Lancman claimed, to divert Jewish votes from him; although he has strong ties in the Jewish population in the district, he said, Mr. Gottlieb’s identifiably Jewish name would draw votes.
Mr. Gottlieb’s candidacy was meant to “deceive and manipulate Jewish voters with a sham candidate that happens to have a Jewish surname,” Mr. Lancman said in an interview before he learned that Mr. Gottlieb might drop out of the race. Mr. Lancman added that he believed his attacks on Mr. Gottlieb had “demolished the Gottlieb candidacy.”
The combination of the disclosures about Mr. Gottlieb’s past and the tumultuous response to his candidacy had shaken his efforts, according to the person involved in his campaign. “He got himself into a bind,” the person said. Mr. Gottlieb could not be reached through a spokesperson for comment on Thursday.
Ms. Meng declined to comment on Mr. Gottlieb’s decision. Her spokesman, Michael Tobman, said, “Responding to the back and forth of what other candidates are doing is just not something we’re going do.”
A replacement for Mr. Gottlieb in the race will be chosen by a three-member panel he selected. Mr. Gottlieb has suggested Stephen Green, the person in the campaign said. Mr. Green is a lawyer who is a prominent member of the John F. Kennedy Regular Democratic Club, in which Mr. Gottlieb is also active. The primary election will be held on June 26.
After learning that Mr. Gottlieb might no longer be a candidate, Mr. Lancman said, “The other campaign was playing political musical chairs with their scam candidate.” His position, he said, would be no different if Mr. Green were to replace him, he said. “Same game, different face.”
The boundaries of the Sixth Congressional District, which includes much of northern and central Queens, came after a ruling by a panel of federal judges redrew the state’s Congressional map, eliminating two of New York’s House seats.
The area is socially and politically heterogeneous, which could mean a competitive general election race. Parts of the district contain portions of the area represented by Gary L. Ackerman, a Democrat, whose announcement in March that he would not seek a 16th term in the House left the area without an incumbent. Daniel J. Halloran, a Republican city councilman, has been nominated by his party to run for the seat.
Correction: April 19, 2012
An earlier version of this article misidentified Michael Tobman. He is the spokesman for Assemblywoman Grace Meng; he is not her campaign manager.
An article on Friday about the decision by Jeffrey Gottlieb, a clerk for the New York City Board of Elections, to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination for the newly redrawn Sixth Congressional District in Queens misidentified, in some editions, the political office currently held by Grace Meng, who is running for the seat. She is a state assemblywoman, not a city councilwoman.
A version of this article appears in print on April 20, 2012, on Page A20 of the New York edition with the headline: Candidate Is Said to Quit House Democratic Primary Race in Queens. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
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Angela Davis Talks About The Women's March And What Comes Next
By Matt Picht
Activist Angela Davis attended the Women's March in D.C., and she urged protesters to keep fighting for vulnerable people.
Angela Davis, an author and academic known for her radical social activism, attended the Women's March on Washington in D.C. on Saturday. She told the protesters, "Over the next months and years, we will be called to intensify our demands for social justice, to become more militant in our defense of vulnerable populations."
During a press conference a few days later, Davis said, "We have to figure out how to show up when it's not necessarily about me. We have to figure out how to do this organizing and these mobilizations. We have to figure out how to bring everyone together in defense of immigrants and in defense of Muslims."
Related Story Yes, The Women's March Had Real Goals — A Lot Of Them
Davis told young activists to "recognize that these moments will come." She continued, "And we take advantage of them, and we remember the promise of those moments. But we have to do the often unacknowledged work of organizing. And we also have to take care of ourselves in the process of doing this."
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Takes: Evelyn Lauder
By Erin Overbey
The field executives filed into a room set up like a stylized laboratory, so they could understand how Beautiful came to be. There was a distillation apparatus, with the cutest wiggles of glass condenser coils and rose-oil-filled flasks. Evelyn Lauder was putting on a white coat for the session, with the rest. A brunette with a lively manner and a radiant smile, she is the vice-president of Estée Lauder Inc., and has worked for the company since 1959. She told me that her mother-in-law is a famous “nose.” “She talks about seeing fragrance, tasting it,” Evelyn Lauder said. She had herself developed a nose briefly—twice, when she was expecting her two sons….> Only a few days after launching Beautiful in Dallas, Estée Lauder was back in New York launching a new men’s scent, called Tuscany, with a well-attended Italian dinner at La Colonna…. “I’m really into girls’ scents,” [Andy] Warhol told me, in his whispery voice, when speeches were over and the food was served. His face was like a woodland creature’s, under a stork’s nest of hair. He had not yet heard of Beautiful. “Beautiful?” he said. “Are you serious? That’s the name? I love it. Are they giving a party for it? When? I have about ten bottles of Poison, yes. I love it. And Coco. I have one bottle of that, but I want to get another bottle before I open it. Obsession, that’s great.” … Across the table, Evelyn Lauder was talking animatedly about how Beautiful got its name. “I was the one who fought,” she was saying. “I was the one who said, ‘Let’s do it!’ And that’s a true story. I really pushed. Leonard was in the bathtub, and I took the soap and wrote ‘Beautiful’ across the mirror in that big script, like the old Revlon script.” “How do I get a sample?” Andy Warhol asked. Evelyn Lauder produced from her evening purse the refillable quarter-ounce gold perfume spray. He fumbled with the cap, then sprayed some on one hand and behind one ear. “You can keep that,” she told him.
—Kennedy Fraser, “As Gorgeous As It Gets,” September 15, 1986
Erin Overbey, the archive editor of newyorker.com, has been an archivist at the magazine since 1995.
Dive into the world of literature with The New Yorker’s weekly fiction newsletter.
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The Financial Page
November 28, 2005 Issue
No Work and No Play
In the nineteen-fifties and sixties, it was a commonplace that Americans would soon devote their lives to leisure, not work. The number of hours the average American worked had fallen by almost twenty-five per cent between 1900 and 1950, and pundits saw no reason for the trend to stop. By the end of the twentieth century, the futurist Herman Kahn prophesied in 1967, Americans would enjoy thirteen weeks of vacation and a four-day work week. The challenge, it seemed, would be figuring out what to do with all our free time.
Kahn was wrong. Today, Americans work about as many hours each year as they did in 1970, and, instead of thirteen weeks of vacation, the average American now gets four (and that includes holidays). But there is a place that has got considerably closer to the leisure society of the futurists’ dreams—Western Europe. The French work twenty-eight per cent fewer hours per person than Americans, and the Germans put in twenty-five per cent fewer hours. Compared with Europeans, a higher percentage of American adults work, they work more hours per week, and they work more weeks per year.
One obvious result of this is that America is richer than Europe. In terms of productivity—that is, how much a worker produces in an hour—there’s little difference between the U.S., France, and Germany. But since more people work in America, and since they work so many more hours, Americans create more wealth. In effect, Americans trade their productivity for more money, while Europeans trade it for more leisure. Folk wisdom suggests that the reason for this difference is cultural, which, depending on your perspective, means either that Europeans are ambitionless café-dwellers or that Americans are Puritan grinds with no taste for the finer things in life. But, while culture undoubtedly matters, not that long ago it was the Europeans who worked harder; in 1970, for instance, the French worked ten per cent more hours than Americans.
So what changed? The Nobel Prize-winning economist Edward C. Prescott has pointed to sharp increases in Europe’s tax rates since 1970—higher taxes give workers less of an incentive to work extra hours. But taxes aren’t high enough to explain Europeans’ new taste for free time. A more plausible explanation was put forward recently by the economists Alberto Alesina, Edward Glaeser, and Bruce Sacerdote: European labor unions are far more powerful and European labor markets are far more tightly regulated than their American counterparts. In the seventies, Europe, like the U.S., was hit by high oil prices, high inflation, and slowing productivity. In response, labor unions fought for a reduced work week with no reduction in wages, and greater job protection. When it was hard to get wage increases, the unions pushed for more vacation time instead. Governments responded to political pressure by plumping for leisure, too; in France in the eighties, for instance, a succession of laws increased mandatory vacation time and limited employers’ ability to use overtime.
The difference in work habits between Europeans and Americans, in other words, isn’t a matter of European workers’ individually deciding they’d rather spend a few extra hours every week at the movies; it’s a case of collectively determined contracts and regulations. There is a good deal to be said for this approach—most Americans, after all, are happy that the forty-hour week is written into law—but it has its costs. Even if you want to work more, it’s hard to do so: try getting anything done in Paris during August. And reducing the amount of work employees do makes it more expensive to employ people, which contributes to Europe’s high unemployment rate.
The embrace of leisure affects the job situation in Europe in other ways, too. Because Americans spend more hours at the office than Europeans, they spend fewer hours on tasks in the home: things like cooking, cleaning, and child care. This is especially true of American women, who, according to a study by the economists Richard Freeman and Ronald Schettkat, spend ten fewer hours a week on household jobs than European women do. Instead of doing these jobs themselves, Americans pay other people to do them. For instance, Americans spend about the same percentage of their income stocking up on food at home as the French and the Germans do, but they spend roughly twice as much in restaurants as the French, and almost three times as much as the Germans. Not surprisingly, many more Americans than Europeans work in the restaurant business. The same is true of child care.
In the American model, then, you work more hours and use the money you make to pay for the things you can’t do because you’re working, and this creates a demand for service jobs that wouldn’t otherwise exist. In Europe, those jobs don’t exist in anything like the same numbers; employment in services in Europe is fifteen per cent below what it is in the U.S. Service jobs are precisely the jobs that young people and women (two categories of Europeans who are severely underemployed) find it easiest to get, the jobs that immigrants here thrive on but that are often not available to immigrants in France. There are many explanations for the estimated forty-per-cent unemployment rate in the banlieues that have been the site of recent riots, but part of the problem is that voluntary leisure for some Europeans has helped lead to involuntary leisure for others. The less work that gets done, the less work there is to do. Helping some people get off the labor treadmill can keep many people from ever getting on the treadmill at all.
This article appears in the print edition of the November 28, 2005, issue.
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Predators pay rare visit to Buffalo
PREDATORS (37-25-10) at SABRES (35-28-8)
TV -- FS-Tennessee (HD); MSG-Buffalo (HD)
Last 10 -- Nashville 6-2-2; Buffalo 6-3-1
Season series -- It's the only meeting of the season between the teams, who haven't seen each other since Buffalo won 1-0 at Nashville on Oct. 10, 2009.
Big story -- The eighth-place teams in their respective conferences get together for a rare meeting in a game each team desperately needs. Nashville moved into eighth place in the West with a 3-1 home win against Detroit on Saturday, a game that ended about an hour after the Sabres blasted Atlanta 8-2 at HSBC Arena.
Team Scope:
Predators -- With injuries taking a toll among the veterans, the Predators have been getting production from their kids as they battle for a playoff spot. On Saturday, rookies Blake Geoffrion and Jonathan Blum scored, with Blum getting the go-ahead goal on a third-period power play.
"Obviously, you hope for that," Nashville captain Shea Weber said of having the kids step up. "You never really know. It's good to see. We've got some great young players. We always draft well, and it's good to see them being so successful early in their career."
Sabres -- The offensively challenged Sabres had a breakout night against the Thrashers, blowing open a 3-2 game with five unanswered goals on the way to their biggest scoring outburst of the season.
"We've been playing some pretty good hockey for a little while, and this team doesn't get frustrated," said center Rob Niedermayer, who scored twice. "We went through some tough times, but I think you kind of needed that to grow as a team. You've just got to be playing good hockey at the right time."
Who's hot -- Nashville's Sergei Kostitsyn has 3 points in his last two games. Goalie Pekka Rinne allowed 10 goals while going 4-1-0 during the Preds' five-game homestand. … Thomas Vanek, Buffalo's top scorer, has 6 points in his last five games. Ryan Miller earned his 30th victory on Saturday, giving him 30 wins in six straight seasons.
Injury report -- Nashville forward Steve Sullivan will be out until April after undergoing groin surgery March 5. Marcel Goc (shoulder surgery), and Matthew Lombardi, Cal O'Reilly and Francis Bouillon (concussions are on IR. … Buffalo forward Jochen Hecht (upper body) is day-to-day. Forward Patrick Kaleta has been sidelined with a bone bruise to his left knee, while a knee injury has goalie Patrick Lalime out indefinitely.
Stat pack -- It's hard to be more even than these two teams. They've split 13 games (6 wins and 1 tie each) and have scored 34 goals apiece. … Buffalo is 20-10-4 since Jan. 1, and 8-3-2 since Terry Pegula completed his purchase of the team. … Miller stopped a penalty shot by Evander Kane on Saturday, making him 12-for-13 in his career.
Puck drop -- Detroit is the team the Predators (and their fans) love to beat -- but the quick turnaround means they don't have much time to enjoy Saturday's win.
"We've got to win again," captain Shea Weber said. "It's a huge win for us, a big rivalry game against Detroit. But we've got to move past it, and we've got a big game against Buffalo, who's fighting for their playoff lives, as well."
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Stars return to Vegas for the 2011 NHL Awards
NEW YORK – The stars of the National Hockey League will come together with celebrities from music, stage and screen for a celebration of hockey at the star-studded 2011 NHL® Awards on Wednesday, June 22, at the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. It will be the third straight year the NHL has feted the best hockey players in the world at The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. The 2011 NHL Awards will be broadcast by VERSUS in the United States and CBC in Canada.
Tickets to the 2011 NHL Awards go on sale to the public today, Thursday, March 31, at Noon PT / 3 p.m. ET, via Ticketmaster.com at nhl.com/awardstickets and at the Pearl Concert Theater Box Office. Tickets include access to the 2011 NHL Awards show and the official NHL Awards Party, a cocktail reception to be held immediately following the show. Guests must be 21 or older to attend the NHL Awards Party.
Individual honors to be presented at the 2011 NHL Awards include: Art Ross Trophy (top scorer for the regular season), Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey), Calder Memorial Trophy (outstanding rookie), Frank J. Selke Trophy (outstanding defensive forward), Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player to his team), Jack Adams Award (outstanding coach), James Norris Memorial Trophy (outstanding all-around defenseman), King Clancy Memorial Trophy presented by U.S. Army (leadership and humanitarian contribution to his community), Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct), Mark Messier Leadership Award Presented by Bridgestone (superior leader in hockey and a contributing member of society), Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (top goal-scorer for the regular season), the NHL Foundation Player Award (charitable and community work), Williams M. Jennings Trophy (goaltender(s) on team with fewest goals-against), the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award, and Vezina Trophy (outstanding goaltender).
The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, which is presented annually to the "most outstanding player" in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the National Hockey League Players' Association, will also be awarded.
With just eleven days remaining in the NHL regular season, the races for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Art Ross Trophies are coming down to the wire. In the race for the Rocket, Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks has vaulted into the lead with 46 goals. In his past eleven contests, Perry has scored 15 goals; a span that includes six multiple-goal games, four game-winning goals and two overtime goals. Right behind in second place with 44 goals is Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who is looking to repeat as the leading goal scorer in the NHL after sharing that honor in 2010 with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.
For the Art Ross Trophy, Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks leads the pack with 98 points, seven ahead of Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis with 91. Sedin is trying to keep the trophy in the family as his brother, Henrik, who currently sits tied for second place with 91 points, won the award in 2010. Perry, with 89 points, and Stamkos with 88 round out the top five competitors.
Nominees for each Award will be announced in the coming weeks, along with a full line up of celebrity guests, presenters and entertainment. For more information, visit www.nhl.com/awards.
Official 2011 NHL Awards travel packages, including reserved tickets, accommodations at The Palms Hotel, souvenir gifts and more, are available via Global Event Forum, the Official NHL Events Fan Package Partner, at nhl.com/fanpackages.
For a chance to join the party in Las Vegas, fans can also visit vegas.nhl.com to enter to win a trip for two to the 2011 NHL Awards, including round trip airfare for two, two night's hotel accommodations in Las Vegas and two tickets to the 2011 NHL Awards and official NHL Awards Party. Fans must be 21 or older to enter the contest. Visit vegas.nhl.com for complete contest rules.
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A Message From President Hallick
Members of the University Community,
It is with great sadness that we have learned that Pacific staff member Bevin McCarthy passed away on Monday, Aug. 13. Bevin had been on leave after just weeks ago being diagnosed with a rare but severe condition that ultimately claimed her life.
Bevin served as assistant director of the Center of Civic Engagement at Pacific, where she had worked since 2013. A Gettysburg College alumna with a master’s degree in integrated studies from Cambridge College, Bevin was passionate about connecting people through service.
Through her career, she created and taught service and learning courses, as well as middle and high school Spanish, in Massachusetts and Oregon.
At Pacific, she was part of the Social Justice Retreat planning committee and had served as interim director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
“She is a person who has brought so much joy and love to so many people,” said CCE Director Stephanie Stokamer. “It is amazing how many people I’ve heard say their connection with her was instant. Her ability to connect with people of all kinds for all different reasons and to give of herself in ways that brought joy and love and energy is unlike any other person. It is a uniquely Bevin quality.”
She was a tenacious advocate for social justice, an amazing educator, and absolutely devoted to her family, Stokamer added.
Just last year, Bevin received the university's 2017 Diversity & Justice Award, which recognizes a faculty or staff member whose work creates a diverse and sustainable community that inspires students to pursue justice in our world, and embraces a rich diversity of ideas, peoples, and cultures, with an emphasis on public service within the global community.
Bevin will be missed deeply by her husband, Nic; sons Felix, 5, and Jasper, 3; and a host of family and friends at Pacific and worldwide whose lives she touched. A GoFundMe account has been set up to support Bevin's family in all ways.
In light of this unexpected and tragic situation, it is important that we care for each other and ourselves during a time of grief such as this. In this time of sorrow, we remind Pacific faculty and staff that support is available through the Employee Assistance Program at Cascade Centers. Students also are invited to reach out to the Student Counseling Center or to University Chaplain Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie for assistance.
Information on a remembrance memorial for Bevin will be announced when details become available. In the meantime, all are invited to gather informally in Old College Hall at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 to remember Bevin. She will also be among those recognized at the university's next Alumni Remembrance Ceremony at Pacific, scheduled for Nov. 8.
Lesley M. Hallick, PhD
current undergraduate
current graduate
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Panopta
Infrastructure Monitoring as a Service
Monitoring Network
OnSight vCollector
Public Checks
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Why Panopta
Accuracy and Security
The Power of SaaS
MSPs & Resellers
Panopta and the Competition
Panopta’s Customers
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Company and Careers
We’re a group of technologists that’s extremely passionate about what we do: Providing the industry’s best monitoring service.
About Panopta
Panopta was founded in mid-2007 to offer a premium network and server monitoring service that would provide the tools needed to effectively manage service interruptions of the complex, multi-tiered web presences that are common today. The core team at Panopta has extensive technology development and technical operations experience, with over a decade of experience at some of the largest web hosting companies in the world.
We have designed and built complex web applications and content sites, experienced the problems that inevitably arise when running these systems, and put in place the processes necessary to respond to these problems. Having come up empty after a search for a monitoring system that would allow a globally distributed team of system administrators, technical support staff and network engineers to manage the day-to-day operations of both our own equipment and our customers’ infrastructure, we decided to build a new company focused on delivering this technology for our own use and those of similar teams around the world.
The resulting technology enables our customers to relax, trusting that our systems will continually check the availability of their websites. When problems do arise, they can count on timely alerts and superior tools for their teams to effectively collaborate to solve the problem. We have partnered with cutting-edge service providers to build and manage our global monitoring network and continue to expand our network to include more of the major data centers around the world.
Panopta covers on-premise environments. We monitor cloud infrastructure. Perhaps most importantly, with their comprehensive, 360-degree overview, our solutions are ideal for the tremendous number of companies with hybrid environments, negotiating the ongoing evolution towards cloud infrastructure.
The name Panopta is derived from the Greek Panoptes, which means “the all seeing”. It was used as an epithet for the giant Argus who was born with one hundred eyes and served as an excellent watchman for Hera. Unfortunately, he was bored to sleep by Hermes’ stories and then murdered. Unlike Argus of Greek mythology, Panopta is immune to boring stories (or websites)! See Wikipedia for the full story.
Panopta is looking for smart, dedicated people to join our team to join in the development and operations of the most advanced monitoring service around. We’re a group of technologists that is extremely passionate about what we do and enjoy working in a fast-paced, dynamic, and challenging environment.
Performance Index
Panopta vs. PRTG
Panopta vs. WhatsUp Gold
Panopta vs. Nagios XI Enterprise
© 2019 Panopta LLC. PANOPTA and the Panopta LOGO are trademarks of Panopta LLC. All other marks belong to their respective owners.
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Love Mississippi? Get more stories delivered right to your email.
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Love Mississippi?
Posted in Mississippi February 02, 2016 by Daniella DiRienzo
There’s No House In The World Like This One In Mississippi
Living in an airplane may seem like a concept only plausible for the rich and famous, but this unusual Mississippi home proves otherwise. Fashioned from an old Boeing 727, the airplane house is the creation of Benoit resident Jo Ann Ussery.
mexho.com
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that definitely holds true in Jo Ann's case. In the mid-1990s, the Benoit hairdresser was searching for a new mobile home since she lost her previous home in a fire. After searching with no luck, Jo Ann’s brother-in-law, an air traffic controller, suggested she purchase an old Boeing 727 and turn it into a home.
And that’s just what Jo Ann did. She paid $2,000 for the old aircraft, $4,000 to have it moved to her lakefront property, and $25,000 to have it renovated into her dream home. After six months of renovations, most of which were done by Jo Ann, the plane was completely transformed.
stdoa.ca
The unorthodox home is 12’ x 127’ and contains 1,300 sq. feet of living space, which includes three bedrooms, a living room, a fully-equipped kitchen (which even has a dish washer), and two bathrooms. The home also features some “luxuries,” including a Jacuzzi in the cockpit that overlooks the lake down below.
Although the airplane underwent extensive renovations, Joanne didn’t get rid of all the original features. The fold-down stairs were kept and are now opened with a standard garage door opener, while the four emergency exits, which are in the living room, can be opened to allow for a breeze.
Since the plane didn’t have wings when it was purchased, Jo Ann utilized the extra space and added a spacious patio and carport. And if it’s a view you’re looking for, Jo Ann thought of that, too. A huge deck, which overlooks Lake Whittington, can be accessed by a spiral staircase that was actually salvaged from a Boeing 747.
Aside from the unique factor, the home has many other advantages. For instance, it will never have to be re-roofed or repainted and termites won't ever be an issue.
This Benoit home has been featured in countless magazines and television shows, including the “Today Show” and “The David Letterman Show,” in addition to being named one of the “20 Most Bizarre Homes in the World.” Sadly, in May of 1999, the home was severely damaged while being relocated a distance of one mile.
What do you think of this home? If it were still around, would you live in it?
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The Results Are In... Here Are The Best Places To Live In Mississippi In 2018
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Mississippi In Your Inbox
Daniella DiRienzo
Even though she was born in New York, Daniella has lived in the south pretty much her entire life. The self-proclaimed southerner graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2011. Since graduation, she has worked as a freelance writer for several websites and opened a clothing consignment shop in her town of Picayune, MS.
Only In Mississippi
The Largest Discount Bookstore In Mississippi Has More Than 25,000 Books
The Mississippi Town In The Middle Of Nowhere That’s So Worth The Journey
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10 Horrifying Mississippi Murders That Will Never Be Forgotten
There’s No House In The World Like This Home On The Mississippi Coast
These 9 Terrifying Places In Mississippi Will Haunt Your Dreams Tonight
The Story Behind This One Haunted Mississippi House Will Give You Nightmares
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Here's Every Guest Coming to Ace Comic Con 2018
Benjamin Leatherman
Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is one of many special guests coming to Ace Comic Con in Glendale this weekend.
Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com
Benjamin Leatherman | January 11, 2018 | 6:00am
Die-hard Marvel Comics fans of the Valley have a busy weekend ahead. And it might just include the chance to hobnob with Captain America, Spider-Man, or other superheroes.
The highly anticipated Ace Comic Con takes over Gila River Arena in Glendale from Saturday, January 13, to Monday, January 15, and is set to feature a slew of actors and artists associated with Marvel Comics and its wealth of colorful characters.
Marvel Cinematic Universe stars Chris Evans and Tom Holland are scheduled to appear, as are a few dozen Marvel-related comics creators, including Stan Lee, Bob Layton, John Romita Jr., and Todd MacFarlane.
And organizers are anticipating a big turnout of people eager to interact with all these big names at the con.
Ace Comic Con co-founder Gareb Shamus told Phoenix New Times that organizers expect 20,000 people will flock to the three-day event.
“It’s going to be big,” Shamus says. “We wanted to bring in the biggest celebrities out there from the geek world.”
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And many of the celebs who are scheduled to visit Gila River Arena are making their first-ever public appearances in Arizona.
It’s also worth noting that Ace Comic Con events, which Shamus says will eventually take place in cities across the U.S., features a different setup from other geek extravaganzas. It’s happening in arenas instead of convention centers, and programming and panels will be livestreamed on JumboTrons and other screens throughout the venue.
“Anybody who'd want to watch what's going on, they'll be able to watch on the main stage we have set up,” Shamus says.
And then there’s the fact that each Ace Comic Con is “curated and themed” around a certain group of featured guests.
For instance, the first-ever Ace Comic Con, which took place last month in New York, was centered on the Justice League and DC Comics. Conversely, Arizona’s event will be all about Marvel Comics and its various projects (although many artists involved have worked for DC and other publishers over the years).
“In the case in Arizona, we have the cast of Spider-Man and Captain America coming. So we tailored a lot of the talent towards people that worked on those comic books or worked on those movies or TV shows,” Shamus says.
“If you're a fan of Spider-Man and if you're a fan of Captain America, you're going to see a lot of your favorite artists and writers who have worked on that. You're going to get to meet Stan Lee or Bob Layton or John Romita Jr. The list is pretty extensive of who we have in our lineup.”
And if you’re curious about who else will be appearing at Ace Comic Con in Glendale, we’ve put together a rundown of every single guest that will be in attendance.
Chris Evans, better known to MCU fans as Captain America.
BAKOUNINE/Shutterstock.com
Some of the biggest names at Ace Comic Con in Glendale will be the actors connected with both Marvel Studios' films and television series.
For those who aren’t connoisseurs of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans has starred as the big-screen version of Captain America since 2011, with appearances in films focusing on the famous character (there have been three so far) as well as the ongoing Avengers series. And, yes, he also played Johnny Storm (a.k.a. The Human Torch) in those two execrable Fantastic Four flicks that came out in the 2000s.
Last year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming was adored by both critics and fans alike. And one of the bigger reasons was Tom Holland's pitch-perfect portrayal of Peter Parker as a vulnerable and overeager teen learning how to be a real superhero. Expect to hear his take on the character (and maybe some behind-the-scenes tidbits) when Holland and his fellow Spider-Man: Homecoming castmates sit down for a Q&A panel at Ace Comic Con on Sunday evening.
Anthony Mackie had a stellar career long before he strapped on a winged jet-pack and became Sam "Falcon" Wilson in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He appeared in 8 Mile back in 2002 before providing memorable turns in such films as Million Dollar Baby, The Hurt Locker, The Adjustment Bureau, and even Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Actress Hayley Atwell, better known as Agent Peggy Carter to MCU fans.
Heroes & Villains/CC BY-SA 2.0/via Flickr
This British-born actress is known for her role in the MCU as Peggy, who's Cap’s love interest, co-founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., and a kickass special agent. Atwell also starred in one of the more memorable episodes of Black Mirror’s first season (“Be Right Back”), a number of period dramas, and the 2010 miniseries The Pillars of the Earth.
A good chunk of Karl Urban’s career has involved playing geek-friendly roles. He’s been Dr. McCoy in the last three Star Trek flicks and Éomer in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as characters in Pete's Dragon, Doom, Pathfinder, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Xena: Warrior Princess. He’s also one of several actors who has been in both a Marvel and DC film, as he appeared in the Judge Dredd reboot and as Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok.
Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Captain America’s frenemy Bucky Barnes (a.k.a. the Winter Soldier) isn’t the actor’s only high-profile role. He was Jeff Gillooly in last year’s I, Tonya (a performance that earned plenty of praise), Dr. Chris Beck in The Martian, Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl, and Joshua Brummel in Ricki and the Flash.
Laura Harrier at last year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0/via Flickr
Laura Harrier’s turn in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Peter Parker’s love interest, Liz, may have been the first time she starred in a big-budget blockbuster, but it wasn’t her only acting role. In 2013, Harrier played teenager Destiny Evans on the reboot of One Life to Live, followed by appearances in indie films 4th Man Out and The Last Five. Next year, you can catch her as Millie Montag in the television adaptation of Fahrenheit 451.
Jon Bernthal used to be known primarily for his role as Shane Walsh (R.I.P.) on The Walking Dead. Then he became Frank Castle on Netflix’s Daredevil and the critically lauded solo series focusing on The Punisher. Bernthal's acting abilities playing the famed Marvel character have gotten the most praise, and rightfully so.
Bernthal isn’t the only Punisher star that’s appearing at Ace Comic Con, as Ebon Moss-Bachrach will also be in attendance. For those who haven’t binged the Netflix serial yet, Moss-Bachrach plays Frank Castle’s tech guru/sidekick David “Micro” Lieberman, who (spoiler!) winds up getting ensnared in the same conspiracy as the show’s antihero.
Every superhero needs a sidekick, a role that Jacob Batalon served in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The newbie actor, who made his big screen debut in the film, portrayed Peter Parker’s classmate and fellow nerd Ned Leeds. He was one of the more memorable characters of the film, and we’re hoping he somehow makes a cameo appearance in Avengers: Infinity War later this year.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan.
Mike Kalasnik/CC BY-SA 2.0/via Flickr
Professional Wrestling:
Fans of pro wrestling can indulge their geekdom at Ace Comic Con, too, as the event will feature a number of famous names from both the WWE and its former competitor, the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.
WWE/WCW Legend
The Hulkster’s feats are the stuff of pro wrestling legend, brother. He conquered countless opponents in both the WWE and WCW with his famed 24-inch pythons, held the world title on 12 occasions, became the face of wrestling in the 1980s, and has been the spiritual leader of Hulkamania for decades.
WCW/WWE Legend
For 25 years, Sting was the heart and soul of WCW. He started out as a bleached blonde hero and fan favorite to millions before transforming into a vigilante-like character modeled after The Crow. Throughout his career, Sting had legendary matches with the likes of Ric Flair, Vader, and The Great Muta. He capped things off with a brief run in WWE in 2015, including wrestling Triple H at that year’s WrestleMania.
Jimmy Hart, manager to some of wrestling's greatest, in 2014.
Miguel Discart/CC BY-SA 2.0/via Flickr
Jimmy Hart
WWE/WCW Manager
Why was Jimmy Hart was known as “The Mouth of the South” during his time with WWE and WCW? Quite frankly, it’s because he never shut up. Hart was famous for constantly trash-talking the opponents of the wrestlers he managed (including Greg Valentine, Randy Savage, and the legendary Andy Kaufman) through his trademark megaphone. His motormouthed interviews were also pretty manic and hyperactive, to say the least.
Eric Bischoff
WCW Executive/WWE Personality
Eric Bischoff pretty much shaped wrestling history. When he ran World Championship Wrestling in the ‘90s, he led the company to the heights of success, kicking off the “Monday Night Wars” (where WCW’s Nitro went head-to-head with WWE's Raw is War) and nearly putting Vince McMahon out of business. He later went to work for his former competitor, playing fictionalized version of himself on Raw from 2002 to 2005.
Todd McFarlane in 2015.
Karen Borter/CC BY-ND 2.0/via Flickr
Creators and Authors:
As we mentioned, there will be tons of Marvel-related creators at Ace Comic Con, as well as numerous DC artists and scribes. This includes some of the biggest names in the comics industry, all of whom are included in the following rundown.
Writer/Artist/Publisher
After leaving a gig at Marvel in the early 1990s, where he famously worked on The Amazing Spider-Man, artist and geek impresario Todd McFarlane launched himself into the spotlight. He founded Image Comics, created his signature character Spawn, and became a mogul with his empire of comics, toys, and collectibles.
Bob Layton
Writer/Editor/Penciller/Inker
This renowned comic book creator contributed greatly to Iron Man’s mythos along with David Michelinie in the late '70s, co-writing the landmark "Demon in a Bottle" arc, creating such characters as Rhodey and Justin Hammer, and introducing the idea of specialty armors. On his own, Layton also had memorable stints on The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Power Man and Iron Fist, and Micronauts.
Unless you've been stuck in the Negative Zone for the last 40 years, you're well aware of Stan Lee’s massive contributions to the Marvel Comics canon and his influence on geekdom and pop-culture in general. During his stint with Marvel as a writer and editor, he co-created any number of legendary heroes and villains along with Steve Ditko and the late Jack Kirby, including the Fantastic Four, Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. He also helped popularize the notion of a “shared universe” in comics.
(Note: As of this writing, Lee is still scheduled to appear at Ace Comic Con this weekend, despite the recent controversy surrounding allegations of alleged sexual misconduct.)
Writer/Artist/Penciller/Inker
There’s a reason why John Cassaday’s oeuvre – including his efforts on Astonishing X-Men, Planetary, and Captain America – is highly regarded in the comics world. The longtime artist is renowned for his perfectionist nature and for painstakingly creating his work in pencil before inking and coloring it himself by hand.
If you’ve ever picked up the best-selling autobiographical graphic novel of Stan Lee’s life, Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir, you’ve witnessed the phenomenal artistry of illustrator Colleen Doran writ large. Ditto for anyone who’s read A Distant Soil, the long-running epic space opera comic series she created in 1983. Dorman’s also collaborated with some prominent writers during her lengthy career, including Neil Gaiman, Peter David, Warren Ellis, Alan Moore, Anne Rice, and J. Michael Straczynski.
Artist/Writer/Penciller/Inker
A passion for comics is strong Adam Kubert's family. His late father, Joe Kubert, was a DC legend, and his brother, Andy Kubert, had a long-running gig with Marvel. Adam's made a name for himself, too, with memorable stints creating the art for Larry Hama's time on Wolverine in the '90s, followed by runs on Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Action Comics, and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. Back in 2008, Wizard magazine even touted him as one of the "Hot 10 Writers and Artists" in the industry.
Comics Writer/Television Producer
Are you a fan of every DC-oriented show on The CW these days? Feel free to thank Marc Guggenheim during his appearance at Ace Comic Con, as he co-created Arrow along with Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg and thus helped kickstart the Arrowverse you know and love. He’s also got a background in comics writing, including penning issues of The Flash, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Young X-Men.
Writer/Penciller/Inker
This Utah-born artist has gigged for both Marvel and DC, as well as companies like Top Cow and Image Comics. Some of the many titles he’s worked on over the years include Deathstroke, Justice League, Superman, Green Lantern, Uncanny X-Men, and Venom.
Ryan Meinerding
Artist/Illustrator
Ryan Meinerding’s been creating the look of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from its very beginnings. He started out as an illustrator on both Iron Man and Iron Man 2 before becoming the visual development supervisor on Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers. Meinerding’s been the MCU’s head of visual development since Iron Man 3 and is likely helping put the finishing touches on the much-anticipated Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.
Afua Richardson has built an impressive resume as an artist over the last decade. Besiders her work on the critically acclaimed mini-series Genius, the self-taught artist has contrbuted her work to the Black Panther-focused World of Wakanda series, as well as X-Men 92, All Star Batman, Captain Marvel, Wildstorm, and the Attack on Titan comic. Back in 2014, Richardson created an illustrated adaptation of the Langston Hughes poem “Rivers” for NPR’s celebration of Black History Month.
Arist/Penciler/Inker/Writer
Marat Mychaels is known for his early work for Image Comics (including on the Extreme Studios Brigade series), as well as his gig drawing X-Force and several different Deadpool-related titles. He even illustrated a 2012 mashup of Winnie the Pooh with the “merc with the mouth.” Oh, bother.
Tone Rodriguez
Inker/Peniciller/Colorist/Writer
Publishers like Image, Top Cow, and Bongo Comics have all tapped Tone Rodriguez to contribute art to their comic books. Hollywood’s also utilized his work and this acting chops, too. In 2007, Rodriguez played a vengeful artist on Dexter and designed "The Dark Defender," a comic book-like alter ego of Dexter Morgan, for the episode.
John Romita Jr. in 2013.
Artist/Penciller
Comics geeks everywhere consider John Romita Jr. one of the best in the biz. And with good reason, considering his legendary stints as an artist on Punisher War Zone, Iron Man, Wolverine, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Daredevil. He’s worked with plenty of big names during his 35-plus years at Marvel, including Frank Miller, Bob Layton, Ann Nocenti, and Mark Millar.
Artist/Penciller/Inker/Writer
Mark Bagley has drawn for practically every major Marvel title over the last 34 years. No joke. That includes pencilingCaptain America, Iron Man, X-Men, and Fantastic Four, as well as creating covers for Spider-Man, Mighty Avengers, and Hulk. He’s also worked on such DC favorites as Justice League of America and Batman.
Jordan Gibson
Artist/Penciller/Inker/Colorist
The vibrant work of colorist Jordan Gibson can currently be seen in the pages of the Marvel title America, his current gig. He’s also lent his unique-looking linework to such comic books as Spider-Gwen, Where Is Jake Ellis?, and The Amazing World of Gumball.
DC and Marvel have both tapped illustrator Kenneth Rocafort to create epic-looking art work for titles ranging from Action Comics, Teen Titans and Superman to The Ultimates and Inhumans vs. X-Men. You can check out his astounding efforts for yourself on his daily online sketchbook, Mitografia.
Phil Ortiz
Artist/Animator/Penciller/Inker
If you grew up watching cartoons in the ‘80s, Phil Ortiz helped shape your childhood. For more than a decade, he was a character designer and animator on such programs as The Smurfs, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Muppet Babies, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Denver, the Last Dinosaur. Ortiz also worked on the first few seasons of The Simpsons and later drew for Bongo Comics, including titles like Radioactive Man, Krusty Comics, and Treehouse of Horror.
While fans of the MCU may or may not know the name Andy Park, they’re definitely familiar with his work. Over the last eight years, he served as a concept artist on every flick that Marvel Studios has released, from Captain America: The First Avenger to Doctor Strange. Last year, Park became a visual development supervisor, overseeing the look of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok.
Michael J. Zeck
Artist/Writer
This comics veteran has practically done it all since breaking into the biz in 1974, including writing, editing, lettering, and coloring. The bulk of his time over the past 44 years, however, has been spent pencilling and inking, primarily on Marvel titles like Captain America, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, The Punisher, and several Spider-Man one-offs and trade paperbacks.
Artist/Inker/Penciller
Danny Miki is primarily known as an inker and cover artist and has done both for such high-profile comics as Batman, The Darkness, Suicide Squad, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and X-Men. He's also penciled for Spawn, Total Eclipse, and Cynder, among others.
Mike S. Miller
Artist/Penciller/Inker
Gamers who are totally into Injustice: Gods Among Us and its hit sequel oughta check out the astounding art that Mike S. Miller created for a number of spinoffs and prequels inspired by both games. He’s also behind the art of a couple of adaptations of Game of Thrones short stories (“The Hedge Knight” and “The Sworn Sword”) and has an extensive history with such publishers as Marvel, DC, and Image Comics.
Greg Horn
Greg Horn has created a lot of covers, particularly for Marvel Comics. We’re talking hundreds of ‘em, and on titles ranging from The Amazing Spider-Man and Avengersall the way to Zombies Assemble. Horn’s work has also graced the cover of Wizard, the Official Xbox Magazine, and InQuest Gamer.
Penciler/Inker/Writer
Spawn never looked better than when he’s being rendered by artist Philip Tan, the artist who created covers and interior art on dozens of titles featuring the iconic comics character. In recent years, however, Tan has worked on Vampirella, The Hellblazer, Suicide Squad, Batman, and Harley Quinn.
Jay Fotos
Local artist Jay Fotos has illustrated 30 Days of Night, Spawn, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a few different Godzilla comics, and the best-selling Locke & Key. Along with Mark Kidwell, he's also the co-creators of the popular Vietnam War-themed zombie comic ‘68 (think Platoon meets Night of the Living Dead).
The valley fantasy author is back.
Libby Rich
Sam Sykes
Popular fantasy scribe Sam Sykes, who was born and raised in Arizona, prefers writing epics like Bring Down Heaven and Aeon’s Gate that are a bit bloodier than your average sword and sorcery-style tales and typically boast more of a darkly comic influence.
Chad Hardin’s latest projects include bringing the action-packed world of the Teen Titans to life and drawing several Harley Quinn comic books and graphic novels. Prior to that, he’s contributed to several Dark Horse and DC titles.
Koi Turnbull
At the age of 13, Koi Turnbull began transforming his lifelong love of comics into a profession, especially after being mentored by such artists as Randy Green and Rick Ketcham. And over the past 20 years, Turnbull’s laid down lines for titles like Detective Comics, The Flash, Batgirl, Fathom, and Wolverine.
Matt Hawkins spent his first 20 years in the comics world at Image, where he worked as a writer, editor, and executive. Over the past two decades, however, he’s run Top Cow Comics and created titles like Think Tank, Postal, and Aphrodite IX, as well as overseeing pretty much everything they’ve published.
Dishing out pop-punk riffs as the guitarist for Good Charlotte isn’t Billy Martin’s only claim to fame. He's created a variety of covers for Marvel and IDW titles (including one starring Grumpy Cat) and inked and pencilled a couple of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spinoffs.
Artist/Penciler/Inker
Livio Ramondelli's painterly renditions of Optimus Prime, Megatron, and other famed Cybertronians for the covers of IDW’s various Transformers series are a thing of beauty. Ditto for his work for such titles as Star Wars: Legacy, Dungeons & Dragons, 30 Days of Night, and Classic Battlestar Galactica.
Clinton T. Hobart
You can find Clinton T. Hobart’s fine art paintings of characters like Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Goofy, and Winnie the Pooh for sale at Disneyland. Some of his still life works have also been purchased by a few celebrities, like when Michael Rooker bought Hobart’s “A Portrait of Doritos” for his private collection.
James A. Owen
Arizona’s James A. Owen authored the best-selling Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series, which involve fictionalized versions of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and H.G. Wells traveling to fantasy world. And his ongoing MythWorld tales are a slice of urban pulp fantasy involving “ancient manuscripts, zen illusionists, opera, murder, magic, and the alternate history of the world.”
Arizona-born YA author Tom Leveen with his 2013 book, Sick.
Tom Leveen
Renowned YA scribe Tom Leveen is nothing if not prolific, having authored such teen-oriented novels as Zero, manicpixiedreamgirl, and Party, as well as a few horror novels, too, including Sick and Hellworld. He’s also written for the Spawn comic.
Ryan Kincaid
Penciler/Inker
Companies like Big Dog Ink, No Gravity Studios, and Zenescope Entertainment have all employed artist Ryan Kincaid to create covers and pinups of their buxom and bikini-clad characters. His portfolio isn’t only cheesecake material, however, as he’s also drawn sketch cards for Upper Deck and Rittenhouse Archives.
Ace Continuado
Besides having one of the coolest names ever, this artist has a work history that includes drawing for Dark Horse Comics (Shaper), Zenescope Entertainment (Red Agent, Snow White vs. Snow White), and 215Ink (Super Action Man).
Artist/Writer/Podcaster
Valley resident Ryan Cody is big into comics, to say the least. He created his own book, F.O.E., and has been employed as an artist and writer by Dark Horse, Dynamite Comics, and IDW. He also co-hosts The Illustrious Gentlemen podcast along with fellow comics creator Scott Godlewski, where they frequently discuss the ins and outs of the industry.
Writer/Editor/Artist
Brian Augustyn has been in the comics industry since the mid-'80s and has had lengthy runs on The Flash and Justice League. He’s also written for several dozen notable books over the last few decades, running the gamut from Ash to Zombie Tales.
Albert Morales
Artist/Writer/Penciler/Inker
Albert Morales has lent his artwork to Ultra Spider-Man and Captain America trading cards, created numerous prints, and published his own indie comic book, Super Impacto vs. The World.
Eric Schock
Remember that locally produced Smiths comic, Unite and Take Over that came out in 2011? Tucson’s Eric Schock was one of many Arizona artists who contributed to the anthology, which one of the highlights of his quirky resume. He also runs indie publishing company Evil Robo Productions and has worked for Upper Deck, Cryptozoic Entertainment, and Arcana Comics.
Ace Comic Con 2018 runs from Saturday, January 13, to Monday, January 15, at Gila River Arena in Glendale. Daily general admission is $45 to $55 and a three-day ticket is $95. Autographs and photo ops are purchased separately, and VIP packages are also available
Benjamin Leatherman is the clubs editor at Phoenix New Times. He covers local nightlife, music, culture, geekery, and fringe pursuits.
Facebook: Benjamin Leatherman
Twitter: @partycrasheraz
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Diaspora • Ethiopia • Oromia
OPride’s Oromo Person of the Year 2010
OPride.com is proud to announce its pick for Person of the Year 2010. Surprise, surprise: instead of one person, this year’s honorees are a duo. This is the first year OPride picked up this tradition. We are motivated to embark upon this road because we feel that by literally devouring their leaders, the Oromo, especially in the diaspora, are dangerously and fast becoming a society without unifying leaders.
The Oromo have not created strong modern media organizations at home. Digital technology has helped overcome this deficiency for many nations. However, the digital divide has clearly followed the Oromo into their new homes. Where there is access, there is a venomously prevalent misuse of it.
Paltalk typifies one such classic abuse of technology, a technology-based forum that could have corresponded with the Oromo oral tradition and provided a medium for healthy dialogue. Instead, Paltalk has become corrosive, degrading, dehumanizing, trivializing and divisive. Its tone and content are largely “un-Oromo” and negative, its role poisoning: no morals, no limits, no sense of shame and no respect.
The Oromo lament about lack of leadership. And yet leaders are routinely, sometimes with cause, but most of the times without, blamed, maligned, and dismissed wholesale, without due regard to their lofty sacrifices, best of intentions and performance, however meager. Rather than praising their positive accomplishments, we tend to dwell solely on their shortcomings. There are not, and there have never been, any faultless leaders. They are just like the rest of us, sinning and erring mortals. They are not angels. Great leaders do make mistakes; they just learn from them.
Another essential factor is that leadership does not take place in a vacuum but rather in an institutional setting. Pioneers create the institutions. For the Oromo, the pioneers are founders of timeless edifices such as Gadaa democracy, leaders of the resistance against Menelik’s army, the Bale movement, Macha and Tulama Association, Afran Qalloo Band, and above all the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). These are the giants on whose shoulders we all stand tall. Those of us now living in their footsteps are sojourners on the road they trail-blazed, products of those institutions made from ground up by those luminaries whom we either vilify day in and day out or never talk about at all.
Every institution has its period of instability and crisis, the crucible that is the true test of leadership. Crisis is a school, a sort of an examination where leaders are judged based on whether they enabled their organization to overcome the challenge and perhaps even chart a new course.
We looked far and wide for our Person of the Year. We could not see a religious leader who inspired the best in our humanity. Our political leaders are busy at self and mutual destruction. Our civic and media organizations, having been decimated for so long, are just beginning to heal and have not recovered enough to warrant recognition. We could not identify any military leader who gave the enemy a bloody nose. Our scholars have not stepped up to the plate with fresh ideas with which to plant the barren fields of our knowledge base with new seeds of enlightenment. No elders who imparted their wisdom on us all, or any young and upcoming leader at the head of a growing movement who helped us shed off our old habits and patterns of thinking.
Therefore, we were left with grassroots organizations, the strength of which is the hallmark of a strong society. We reviewed the outstandingly exemplary services of the Oromo-American Citizen Council (OACC) and the Oromo Artists Association (OAA). The former is promoting a dimension of the Oromo struggle that is terribly neglected: outreach to others.
OAA, despite its prominent role in the effort at re-unification, is still young. The fact that it kept its institutional integrity through the conflict of 2008 is commendable, reflecting the courage and tolerance of its members and leaders. It has set a powerful and positive precedent for our civil society to emulate in the future. OAA is doing a good job and we will be scrutinizing it in the years to come. We have to admit we were tempted to pick OAA. However, after thorough search, we settled on a community organization. The major challenge of our time is to transcend differences. Maintaining the integrity of an important and complex locally-rooted institution in a time of great difficulty presented itself as a major litmus test. Based on this reasoning, we finally chose the Oromo Community of Minnesota (OCM).
The organization has had many great leaders. But based on the factors outlined in the foregoing discussion, we could not take our eyes from two individuals. We tried to pick the better one from among the two. However, we noted that they functioned as a team. And to pick one meant neglecting the team spirit, which is the secret of their success. Neither is a pioneer. Nor are they perfect by any measure. Perfection is not what we were after; after all, who is? We chose imperfect leaders striving as hard as possible towards perfection, which is the case with all great leaders. They made their share of mistakes. However, they are exemplary in leading an important institution in trying times. Our choice also has a redeeming quality which is what a society such as ours faced with a multifaceted crisis needs. Redemption is one of the most enduring, transformative, and winning characteristics of humanity.
Our Persons of the Year are Amano Bullo Dube and Bula T. Atomsa, the dynamic duo of OCM. OAA can take solace in the fact that one of the honorees is one of its own. In the first part of the following piece, we describe the institution, OCM, and its ups and downs. We follow that with the trials and tribulations the duo went through to pull their beloved entity from looming danger.
OCM: From Humble Beginnings to Prominence
The Oromo Community of Minnesota (OCM) was formally established in 1985 as a non-profit organization to serve the growing Oromo immigrant population in the Twin Cities. The number of Oromo people in Minnesota is estimated to be close to 30,000. Participants at the founding meeting of OCM, which numbered in the hundreds, saw the organization’s formation as a landmark achievement. Many hoped for OCM to make the Oromo presence in Minnesota visible through outreach with other Minnesotans and Americans.
On this end, the organization officially secured a 501(b) status, making it eligible for funding and capacity development assistance from funding agencies. It also attempted, albeit haphazardly, to collaborate with similar organizations. However, until 1995 the organization did little more than maintain a single office room, courtesy of the Brian Coyle Community Center.
The Oromo population in the Twin Cities grew rapidly in the 1990s; the trend continued through the first decade of the new millennium. More diversity accompanied the rise in numbers. The immigrants of the 1970s and 1980s were largely more educated, unmarried, able-bodied adults, mostly men. In contrast, the new wave included extended families accompanied by young, school-aged children and the elderly, who needed help in finding jobs, schools, healthcare, translation and quality of life activities, as well as in adjusting to the profound cultural shock. The organization was ill-equipped and totally unprepared to meet the challenge. Moreover, the newly arrived immigrants wanted OCM to champion their concerns for reunion with family members and loved ones stranded in the various refugee camps in the neighboring countries. The plight of the Oromo in Oromia was becoming dire, and many extensively wondered if and how one could do something to ameliorate their pitiful situation. Neither the organization nor its leaders had any answers.
To fill the vacuum, members began to gravitate towards other organizations, away from the mother community organization. Two churches, the Lutheran Church and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, were founded. A mosque followed suit. Followers of the traditional naturalist Oromo religion, Waqefanna, also began to be assertive. The volume of church and mosque attendance expanded, dwarfing community sponsored events where everyone was welcome. Soccer teams abounded. Business ventures mushroomed. As the focus shifted to meeting economic and spiritual appetites, political fervor and occasions to share concerns for pan-Oromo issues gradually dwindled. This meant that despite the growing number, the Oromo could not unify its divergent voices to be heard. The community needed not only a single voice that harmonized the diverse tendencies but also a forum for collaboration across the political, religious, and social division.
As a reaction to these developments, calls for change, predicated on the fear of balkanization of the Oromo and the hope to transcend and bridge the political, faith, and social clubs through the medium of a unifying diaspora community organization, reverberated. The situation was ripe for reorganization. Members of the Oromo Center, led by the charismatic Gamada Urgessa, provided some of the needed services through a rented community center across from the Brian Coyle Community Center. They spearheaded an agitation for renewal, which gave rise to a new spirit of community activism. The Center attracted enthusiastic followers, thanks to a cadre of volunteers making generous contributions. The open fallout between the Board of Directors and the Executive Community of OCM, both of whose terms had long expired, provided the perfect opportunity for a bold grassroots-inspired initiative.
The latter involved convening a General Assembly to elect a new Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Accordingly, a meeting was held in 1995, which amended the bylaws and installed a new leadership. Members of the old Board of Directors and Executive Committee, who had been at odds with each other, filed a lawsuit alleging an illegal takeover. However, the court dismissed the case. The vanquished party did not go away quietly, going as far as establishing a rival outfit, the Oromo-American Community (OAC), by allying with other disgruntled individuals and disaffected groups (some elements affiliated with OAC later began to cooperate with the Diaspora Affairs Bureau of the Ethiopian Embassy and the entity lost whatever legitimacy it had). However, OCM remained the premier Oromo community organization.
From 1995 to 1998 the organization revived. Nevertheless, the feud between the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee resurfaced. Consequently, the bylaw was amended in 1998, merging the two organs into a new nine-member strong Board of Directors. In addition to its fiduciary governance function, the board also took on an executive role. The remedy worked and OCM registered a phenomenal growth, securing grants from the federal and state governments and private philanthropists. In 2000, the Board received the organization’s first grant and was able to hire an Executive Director (1998-2002 Amano, and from 2002 to present Alamayo Baisa). In addition, it employed full-time and part-time officers to assist in job search and counseling, refugee assistance, youth enrichment, health awareness and other programs for elders, youth, and women.
The organization took the next stage in its transformation into a genuine social service organization, purchasing its own building in Saint Paul in 2008, after years of fundraising through the contribution of members. The organization’s annual July 4th Picnic attracts thousands, a festive family get-together. Moreover, OCM vigorously advocated for the rights of the Oromo in Ethiopia, forming working relations with the media, members of the Minnesota delegation in Congress, and human rights organizations. The organization also hosted two successful human rights conferences in cooperation with the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture at the University of Minnesota. The groundbreaking report by the former in 2009, entitled “Human Rights in Ethiopia: Through the Eyes of the Oromo Diaspora,” can be seen as the fruit of this collaboration and relentless effort.
The success story did not last forever. By 2008 a series of political fissures within the broader Oromo movement came to the fore and brought the organization to the brink of collapse. The old camaraderie at the root of OCM’s phenomenal growth floundered. Several members of the Board of Directors resigned or simply walked away.
An Example of Servant Leadership in a Grassroots Context
The quality of leadership is a key ingredient that determines whether a grassroots organization thrives or atrophies. What makes the case of OCM unique is the fact that there is no financial reward for service. Leaders sacrifice precious time, energy, and resources inspired by the objectives of the organization. Their dedication is a result of an internal sense of obligation.
While Amano arrived in the Twin Cities in 1995, Bula came a bit later on. The two earned their bachelor’s degrees from an agricultural college in Ethiopia and also completed graduate degrees in the United States (Bula had earlier earned his first Masters from Belgium). While in Ethiopia, both amassed valuable experience working with subsistence farmers as agro-extension experts.
The duo grew up in the countryside, hence deeply indoctrinated with traditional Oromo social and moral values of tolerance, humility, truthfulness, generosity, and openness. While they grew up viewing their fathers as role models, their attachment to their mothers is noteworthy. While Amano came from a Muslim household, Bula was raised a Christian. Despite this fact, their influence transcends the religious gulf. Amano was born in Southern Oromia, whereas Bula hails from the West. This did not prevent the duo from interacting with, befriending, and winning the allegiance of Oromos from all walks of life. The two are the most constant and consistent face at every Oromo social event, whether private, family or communal. In addition to having a full-time job, going to school, and spending a considerable amount of time on community affairs, both have managed to create a harmonious and stable family life, and to boot their wives are very supportive of their enormous civic involvement.
The two have had a close personal relationship. However, the OLF split in August 2008 put their relationship to a severe test. Minnesota being the epicenter of the conflict, within weeks of the eruption of the conflict, colleagues in the OCM Board who had labored together for years found themselves at odds. To make matters worse, the rhetoric, if not the fact, of the division took on a social dimension.
Previously cordial relationships within the Board soured. Each side exaggerated its case and imagined the worst and galvanized its supporters to prevent the other side from taking over the organization, which in retrospect was the intention of neither side. Consequently, routine management functions such as hiring, firing, compensation, facility use, finance, and advocacy became sources of controversy. The situation deteriorated to the extent that board deliberations became topics of conversation at coffee shops and chat rooms, which was unheard of in the organization’s long history since the reorganization of 1998. Many feared that the prospect of another costly court battle or split loomed large.
The President, Amano, and the Treasurer, Bula, both highly skilled human service professionals with the longest tenure in the leadership of OCM, also feared the worst. The two worked together for a decade and a half, earning a reputation as OCM’s dynamic duo. During the first term of Bula’s Presidency from 2002 to 2004, Amano served as Executive Director. During Bula’s second term from 2004 to 2006, Amano was Secretary. In 2006, the table was reversed, Amano President, while Bula the Treasurer.
After a long period of contemplation, the two finally decided to talk in private in 2009, away from the prying eyes and ears of others, who could not see the big picture beyond partisan interests. The two shared an abiding love and commitment to the mission of OCM, which they agreed to deliberately give primacy in fulfilling. This first meant admitting their roles and failures in the conflict and acknowledging each other’s interests, fears, and concerns. They chose compromise and collaboration as opposed to competition and confrontation. The duo tried to reign in the hardliners from both sides and mobilized the silent majority, the centrists, to defuse the tension. Doing so required saying no to the knee-jerk impulse for win-lose solutions, which meant standing up to defend core values and professional ethics. When the Board failed to arrive at consensus or a clear majority vote, even after a lengthy and acrimonious deliberation, the two involved other stakeholders, reasonable and cool heads who had invested heavily in OCM and thus wanted what is best for the organization.
As a direct consequence of their leadership, OCM is alive and thriving today. In the true spirit of a win-win solution, the Board sidestepped more experienced applicants and hired two bright youngsters, who could bridge not only political, religious, and social schisms inherent in any society of any size, but also reach out to both the young and the elderly. Recently, the Board organized a retreat to devise strategy in which several opinion makers participated. Owing to the prevailing economic situation, many non-profit organizations are struggling to make ends meet. Thus far OCM has navigated the storm well. However, the economic malaise has radically changed the non-profit landscape; hence OCM could not continue to operate business as usual. The Board has crafted a new vision. According to the draft bylaws, it would be one of OCM’s missions “to assist Oromo and other refugees and immigrants in Minnesota through programs designed to provide social, educational, health and other culturally appropriate services.” This miraculous turnaround was impossible without the able leadership of OCM’s dynamic duo. It is a testimony to the power of trust, commitment, and professionalism.
An Analysis of the Duo’s Leadership Techniques
Amano and Bula correctly recognized the gravity of the situation and executed a skillful crisis management approach. Rather than engaging in confrontational tactics, the two leaders empowered, involved different stakeholders, provided direction, aligned followers, and built solid relationships. Convinced that they were not confronted with a zero-sum game, the two worked patiently to arrive at win-win solutions. Admittedly, this did not happen overnight. It took time, making mistakes and overcoming obstacles.
As President, Amano had the option to follow an autocratic style of leadership. He could have chosen from an array of options: competition, avoidance, confrontation, escalating the conflict, and taking disciplinary measures. Instead, he chose to follow a democratic and participatory model, a style that corresponded with the demands of the situation. The soft touch had its detractors, but he was able to find inner courage to persist and persevere. He retained his cool throughout (not always faultlessly). Shy in his demeanor and not the type who promotes himself, he simply did his job, and he did it very well.
Likewise, Bula, the Treasurer, followed the same trajectory with courage. Admittedly, he did stumble initially at the onset of the conflict and his pristine reputation took a beating. This was not particular to Bula; the conflict damaged the reputations of many in the Oromo movement from top to bottom from either camp. However, Bula was quick to collect and compose himself. Great leadership does not mean not making errors but rather learning from them. To take responsibility and learn from mistakes is the recipe for greatness.
The conflict gave rise to a wild and degenerate phenomenon of group caricaturing, stereotyping, denigration, and above all imputing all kinds of bad motives to the other side. The two leaders however tried to remain above the fray, and though not always successfully, try they did. Even if the two were on opposite sides of the split, they maintained a certain degree of open-mindedness. Despite their differences, Bula and Amano kept their communication going. They were able to use their Emotional Intelligence to prevent the impact of corrosive emotional outbursts exhibited by other board members. Because the two engaged in independent thinking, they did not fully succumb to the pressure arising from their respective groups. Both were able to gradually transcend their self and group interests to serve a community that needed their leadership in a time of crisis, which makes them a prototype of servant leadership.
Amano and Bula had the requisite skills and attributes necessary to lead the organization in a time of crisis. Given their humility and dedication, the two can also be seen as what Jim Collins calls Level 5 Leaders. Their ability to manage the crisis is a result of having access to all the bases of power—referent, expertise, legitimacy, reward, and coerciveness, which they wielded to great effect. The two are experts in both community leadership and the delivery of human services. In addition, being opinion makers in the wider social arena of the Oromo society, they both responsibly exercised formal authority in OCM, in their respective human service agencies, and in the Oromo movement at large. Oromos flock to them for advice on employment, education, health, housing, and access to services. Since OCM is also an employer, they have had the power to hire and fire.
Last but not least, fairness requires us to raise one issue without which this story would be incomplete. This pertains to the contribution of many others to make OCM’s success a reality. Since the reorganization of 1998, OCM has had six leaders: Dr. Seyfu Shukarey (Board President), Dr. Niguse Busa (Chaiman of Executive Committee, even if he abruptly quit in the middle of his term), Juhara Mohammad (an iron lady), Dr. Nuro Dadafo, Bula, and Amano. OPride acknowledges and salutes their unique contributions, the contributions of other members of the board who suffered with them. Most notably the other longest serving member of the board, Tashite Wako, who is equally praiseworthy, and the dedicated staff, the likes of Alamayo Baisa and Ali Tahiro, a great communicator who had served as bridge, glue and cement to hold the community together in a crucial moment of crisis.
While congratulating the dynamic duo for their exemplary leadership, OPride salutes the many unsung civic heroes abroad and at home who continue to inspire us to give back to the community we love, making our lives meaningful and worth living.
In addition, based on the online survey, OPride has named Hacalu Hundessa (Abush Zalaqa as a close forerunner), Hashim Adam (Toltu Tufa, runner-up), Jalil Abdela, and Ireechaa 2010, as best artist, most promising young leader, most persistent citizen journalist and most memorable event, respectively. The Oromo-American Citizen Council was highly commended for kicking off the reconciliation agenda. Aliye Geleto of the Australian Oromo Community had the most votes for best community leader.
The survey also revealed that the reunification of OLF is the most hoped for accomplishment for 2011. While the mediating team of OLF elders did a great job at mending the differences, Bayan Asoba, Masfin Abdi, Lencho Bati, and Ibsa Nagawo are most instrumental in pushing their respective factions to move the reunification agenda forward with the overwhelming support of grassroots activists. They all deserve our gratitude and we wish them success.
Congratulations to all!!
Happy Holidays from OPride and its staff!
diaspora Ethiopia oromia oromo Oromo Diaspora oromo person
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Remembering artist Admasu Birhanu Magarsa
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Sally-Ann Spence
Founder, Minibeast Mayhem
spence.sallyann@gmail.com
Sally-Ann Spence is a science educator and the founder of Minibeast Mayhem, a specialist entomological teaching company for schools. She is a fellow of both the Royal Entomological Society and the Linnean Society, and a council member of the British Entomological and Natural History Society. Sally-Ann was the principal organiser of EntoSci16, the world's first entomological conference aimed at key stage 4, sixth formers and college students held at Harper Adams University. An active researcher specialising in land management, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, she is a cofounder of the Dung Beetle UK Mapping Project hosted by the Museum. Sally-Ann mentors many young people and has set up a network of fellow scientists to support them. Splitting her time between outreach events, the many collections at the Museum, teaching in schools, lecturing in universities, radio and media work, and her own farm-based training centre, Sally-Ann is also an author and consultant for many educational publications.
Want to view more of the Museum's honorary associates?
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Home / Articles - Crossing the Line / Crossing the Line: Eric Rohmer, 1920 – 2010
Crossing the Line: Eric Rohmer, 1920 – 2010
By Joe Leydon on January 11, 2010
Eric Rohmer, the great French moviemaker, was a sly but sympathetic observer of human folly, forever attentive to the ways intelligent and articulate people tend to over-analyze everything, even their own emotions, and very often wind up talking themselves out of opportunities for happiness. He was at the vanguard of the French New Wave during the late 1950s, alongside François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and other impassioned young critics who gradually evolved from writing about movies to making their own. But as Dave Kehr notes in his eloquent New York Times tribute: “In opposition both to the intensely personal, confessional tone of much of the work of Truffaut and the politically provocative films of Godard, Mr. Rohmer remained true to a restrained, rationalist aesthetic, close to the principles of the 18th-century thinkers whose words he frequently cited in his movies. And yet Mr. Rohmer’s work was warmed by an undercurrent of romanticism and erotic yearning, made perhaps all the more affecting for never quite breaking through the surface of his elegant, orderly films.”
You can divine Rohmer’s influence in films by such diverse directors as Whit Stillman, Steven Soderbergh, Andrew Bujalski and, especially, Richard Linklater (whose Before Sunrise is, arguably, the best Eric Rohmer movie that Rohmer himself didn’t actually make). Better still, you can go back straight to the source by renting or purchasing such Rohmer masterworks as My Night at Maud’s, Claire’s Knee, Chloe in the Afternoon, Pauline at the Beach and Summer.
Posted courtesy of Joe Leydon’s MovingPictureBlog.
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Crossing the Line: Andrzej Wajda, Pioneer of the Personal and Political in Polish Cinema (1926—2016)
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Non-Stop Beach Party
Pirates of Penzance |
January 23 — February 25
Toss your worries overboard and join playful pirates, dewy-eyed damsels, bumbling bobbies and one very stuffy modern Major-General on stage. Bring your friends and family to experience the biggest beach party of the year–complete with guitars, beach balls, banjos and a tiki bar! Find your inner pirate as Chicago theater rebels The Hypocrites bring this brilliantly zany adaptation of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic musical to LA for the first time, and you won’t want to miss out on the fun!
View Seatmap
“A wild, fun interactive time.”
-LA Times
The Pasadena Playhouse
The Hypocrites
By Gilbert & Sullivan
Adapted & Directed by Sean Graney
Co-Adapted by Kevin O’Donnell
Music Direction by Andra Velis Simon
Extended Through Feb 25
NON – Members: $25+
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Experience the Playhouse like never before – we will be scuttling the stage backward, flipping the seats sideways, and adding a tiki bar for scallywags to partake.
About the Promenade:
Please note that tickets in ROW P, SEATS 1 – 160, are all GENERAL ADMISSION located in the promenade. The Promenade experience requires audiences to be mobile throughout the production, with no assigned seating. Sit in a ball pit, hang on a bench, take a seat on the deck, or even visit the tiki bar at any moment during the show.
Mario Aivazian (Pirate / US Pirate King & Freddy)
Mario is thrilled to be spending the winter in Sunny Pasadena, far away from Old Chicago. Mario was most recently seen in Pirates of Penzance at NYU Skirball Center, Olney Theatre Center, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Some Chicago performance credits include: A Year With Frog and Toad (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Strawdog Theatre); and Cox and Box (Rose Freeman’s Lesbian Lounge). He’d also like to acknowledge the undying support of his mother, his family, and Kelsey. Please sit in the promenade, thank you for coming!
Eduardo Xavier Curley-Carrillo (Pirate)
Eduardo is beyond wonderment debuting at the Pasadena Playhouse! Most recently, he’s been shooting a short lm (“Un Ratito Mas”), workshop- ping a new musical (Start Me Up at The House Theatre), and understudying (Fade at Victory Gardens). Regional theatre includes: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (Children’s Theater of Madison); Three Sisters, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Cyrano de Bergerac (American Players Theater); Wit, Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado (The Hypocrites); A Life of Galileo (Remy Bumppo); Bel Canto and La Cenerentola (Lyric Opera of Chicago); and Pinkolandia (reading at Milwaukee Rep). TV: “Great Performances: Bel Canto,” and “Hotter Things.”
Matt Kahler (Major General)
Matt is a Chicago-based actor and composer. He has traveled with The Hypocrites’ Gilbert & Sullivan Repertory to the Skirball Center, American Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Olney Theatre Center and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Matt has arranged music for H.M.S Pinafore and Lost Highway, and has composed scores for Twelfth Night, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Romeo & Juliet. He recently co-adapted The Yeoman of the Guard for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he also served as Associate Music Director. Chicago acting credits include: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf Garage, The Hypocrites, and Strange Tree (The Three Faces of Dr Crippen – Best Overall Play, 2014 New York International Fringe Festival) Television: “Chicago PD.”
Amanda Raquel Martinez (Daughter)
Amanda is ecstatic to make her Pasadena Playhouse debut! Regional credits include: Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes, Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado (NYU Skirball and Olney Theatre Center); Kitty Hawk (Adrienne Arsht Center); Big Lake, Big City (Lookingglass Theatre Company), As You Like It and Love, Loss, and What I Wore (First Folio Theatre), For the Love Of (Pride Films and Plays), Even Longer And Farther Away (The New Colony), El Stories: The Holiday Train (Waltzing Mechanics), and Generation Sex (Teatro Luna). Love to her stellar cast, Zachary clan, Lissette, Autumn, Ellie and the rest of her tribe.
Tina Muñoz Pandya (Daughter)
Tina is so excited to join The Hypocrites once again in Pirates of Penzance after raucous runs at the Skirball Center in NYC and in repertory with The Mikado at Olney Theatre Center. Chicago credits include: The Rembrandt (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz (The House Theatre of Chicago); The Tall Girls (Shattered Globe Theatre); and Octagon (Jackalope Theatre). Touring credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar, and A Tale of Two Cities (National Players). Tina is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and the School at Steppenwolf.
Dana Omar (Ruth/Mabel)
Dana is thrilled to make her Pasadena Playhouse debut in Pirates of Penzance. Recent credits include: Pirates of Penzance (NYU Skirball Center); Gilbert & Sullivan Unplugged (54 Below); Kitty Hawk (Adrienne Arsht Center, in collaboration with The House); The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (People’s Light Theatre); One Hundred Dresses (Chicago Children’s Theatre); The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance in Rep (Olney Theatre Center and American Repertory Theatre); H.M.S. Pinafore (American Repertory Theatre and Actors Theatre of Louisville), All Our Tragic, All Our Tragic (Remount), and Cabaret with The Hypocrites and was recently on NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” Thanks to friends, family and bubs for the support.
Doug Pawlik (Freddy)
Doug is elated to make his West Coast debut at Pasadena Playhouse! A multi-instrumentalist and ensemble member of The Hypocrites, he has toured regionally with their Gilbert & Sullivan adaptations to Actors Theatre of Louisville, and American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. Chicago credits: Million Dollar Quartet and Route 66 (Paramount Theatre); Crazy for You (Drury Lane Theatre); I Love Lucy Live on Stage (Broadway Playhouse). Over the past 4 years he has toured the Midwest as bassist with the band, Cowboy Jukebox. Thank you for my world, Leah and Perry!
Shawn Pfautsch (Pirate King / US Major General)
Shawn has been with The Hypocrites Gilbert & Sullivan project since its beginning in 2010, traveling with the group to: American Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Olney Theatre Center and the Skirball Center in New York City. Other regional credits include: Hamlet, Henri IV, The Seagull (Michigan Shakespeare Festival); Death & Harry Houdini and The Sparrow (Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami). Chicago credits include: Death & Harry Houdini, Cyrano, Thieves Like Us (The House Theatre); Theatrical Essays (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); A Year With Frog and Toad, and Frederick (Chicago Children’s Theatre).
Leslie Ann Sheppard (Daughter / US Ruth & Mabel)
Leslie is jazzed to debut in Pirates of Penzance at Pasadena Playhouse! Regional: The Legend of Georgia McBride, Eclipsed (Northlight Theatre); As You Like It (First Folio Theatre); Cinderella (The Hypocrites); Mr. Burns: A Post-electric Play (Theater Wit); The Hundred Dresses (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Tree, Lost Boys of Sudan (Victory Gardens); Harriet Jacobs (Steppenwolf); House with No Walls (TimeLine); Fall of the House (Theatre Squared); Othello’s Furies (Chicago Fringe Festival); and Gershwin’s Magic Key (Kennedy Center). TV credits: “Chicago Fire” and “Mob Doctor.” She is represented by Gray Talent Group. Thanks to God, Fam, and Friends!
Lauren Vogel (Pirate)
Lauren is making her Pasadena Playhouse debut. She is an American actress, comedy writer, and multi-instrumentalist, most recently seen performing at Feinstein’s/54 Below in NYC. Regional credits: American Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Olney Theatre Center. Lauren is ensemble member with The Hypocrites and has appeared in All Our Tragic (Equity Jeff Award), Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, Johanna Faustus, among others. Other Chicago credits include: A Red Orchid Theatre, Steppenwolf Garage, Trap Door Theatre. Lauren is currently starring as Woods in “Chicago H.R.” a comedy web series produced by The Second City training center. Online: www.laurenvogel.org
Artistic Director Sean Graney created The Hypocrites in 1997. The Hypocrites specializes in mounting bold productions that challenge preconceptions and redefining the role of the audience, having produced over sixty mainstage productions, a dozen festival pieces, and has secured thirty-one Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson awards, six Equity Joseph Jefferson awards and two After Dark Awards. The company’s work has appeared at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Olney Theater Center. Steppenwolf Garage, Goodman Theatre, and Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art.
Sean Graney (Director)
Sean would like to thank you for spending your time and money on live theater. He is the Artistic Director of The Hypocrites and has directed over 100 pieces of theater. He was a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard. He’s a Creative Capital Awardee, and has received the Helen Coburn and Tim Meier Award. His directing work has been seen at American Repertory Theater, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Rep, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Court Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Steppenwolf for Young Audiences, Chicago Children’s Theatre and at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Have a great day.
Katie Spelman (Choreographer)
Katie is a New York-based choreographer, whose credits with The Hypocrites include Adding Machine, American Idiot, Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and Into the Woods. Other Chicago credits include: Lookingglass, Court Theatre, Timeline, Sideshow, The New Colony, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Northwestern University, and The Inconvenience. East coast credits include: Goodspeed, EST, Cherry Lane and Asolo Repertory. Broadway associate: Once, American Psycho, and Amelie; Off-Broadway associate: NYTW, The Vineyard, and The Public. Katie was also the Associate Director of Close to You in London (Chocolate Factory, West End), and is a proud graduate of Northwestern University.
Andra Velis Simon (Music Director)
Andra is thrilled to make her Pasadena Playhouse debut. Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, A.R.T. in Cambridge, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Rep, Skirball Center at NYU, and Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. Chicago: The Goodman Theatre, Theater Wit, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, Porchlight Music Theatre, and many others. Andra is the Resident Music Director for Firebrand Theatre in Chicago, where she recently music directed their hit production of LIZZIE. Andra is also a faculty member at Columbia College Chicago, where she has taught musical theatre performance courses since 2008.
Tom Burch (Scenic Designer)
Pasadena Playhouse debut. Pirates has previously dropped anchor at the Skirball Center (NYC), Berkeley Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Olney Theatre Center, American Repertory Theatre, and the origi- nal production for The Hypocrites in Chicago. Other Chicago credits include: The Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, and Northlight, Court, among others. Regional credits include: Arizona Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Milwaukee Rep, and the off-Broadway run of Mistakes Were Made (Barrow Street Theatre, NYC). Other shows for The Hypocrites have included Frankenstein, The Hairy Ape, NoExit, Woyzeck, All Our Tragic, Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, and the upcoming Aristophanesathon. Online: www.tomburch.com
Alison Siple (Costume Designer)
Recent projects include: You Got Older (Steppenwolf Theatre); In The Next Room (Timeline Theatre Company); Angels in America, Airness and The 39 Steps (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Earthquakes in London, Motortown (Steep Theatre); The Yeomen of the Guard (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Our Town (Almeida Theatre, Kansas City Repertory, Huntington, Broad Stage, Barrow Street Theatre, The Hypocrites); All Our Tragic, Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, (The Hypocrites). She is a graduate of Northwestern University, a community member of The Hypocrites, an artistic associate with Lookingglass and an associate compa- ny member of Steep Theatre. Online: alisonsiple.com
Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer)
Heather is a Chicago-based lighting designer. Chicago theatres include: the Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Steep Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, About Face Theatre, and countless storefronts all over the city. Regional credits include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Studio Theatre, American Repertory Theater, Kansas City Rep, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Huntington Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Alley Theatre, Berkeley Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. International credits include: the Almeida in London and the Singapore Repertory Theatre. Heather was a recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Grant and the 3Arts Award. Heather serves as the head of lighting design at Columbia College Chicago, and received her MFA at the Theatre School at DePaul.
Kevin O’Donnell (Sound Designer)
Kevin is excited to make his Pasadena Playhouse debut with The Hypocrites’ Pirates of Penzance, a show he has worked on from the very first production, in various capacities. Regional credits include A.C.T., A.R.T., The Seattle Rep, The Southern Rep, The Arscht Center, Actors Theater of Louisville, The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival; Chicago credits include Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, The House, Lookingglass, and The Court, amongst others. As a musician he has recorded and toured extensively with Andrew Bird, Kelly Hogan, Jimbo Mathus and others.
Maria DeFabo Akin (Properties Designer)
Maria is excited that The Hypocrites’ production of Pirates of Penzance is being shared with another group of people. Maria is currently the Props and Scenic Art Director at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Before that she was the props designer at Lookingglass Theatre for several years while working on Hypocrites’ productions. Some of her other favorite people that she has made props for are Steep Theatre, The Hypocrites, Chicago Opera Theater, and many other Chicago Storefront Theaters. Maria is a proud member of S.P.A.M., the Society of Prop Artisans and Masters, not the canned meat product.
Miranda Anderson (Production Stage Manager)
Miranda is excited to be at Pasadena Playhouse with Pirates of Penzance. Regional credits include touring as Stage Manager with the Hypocrites’ Gilbert & Sullivan shows to Olney Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville and American Repertory Theatre in Boston. In Chicago, she has recently worked with TimeLine Theatre on In The Next Room or the vibrator play. Other favorite credits with the Hypocrites include the 2014 production and 2015 remount of All Our Tragic. Miranda is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.
Nikki Hyde (Assistant Stage Manager)
Nikki is a theatre and opera stage manager. Recent credits include: Magic Fruit (Cornerstone Theater Company); The Pearl Fishers (LA Opera); The Pride (The Wallis); Party People (Public Theater); Fidelio (Cincinnati Opera); Madama Butterfly (San Diego Opera); and Lost Girls (MCC Theater). She has also worked for Center Theatre Group, Houston Grand Opera, New York Musical Festival, Merola Opera Program, New Dramatists, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera San Antonio and Los Angeles Philharmonic. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California and an ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater Company.
Select a date in the calendar below or call our box office at 626 356 7529 to purchase tickets.
Bring the fleet and save at least 10% when you have a group of 10 or more. Call 626 921 1161 or email groupsales@pasadenaplayhouse.org
Rush Tickets
A limited number of rush tickets for all season shows are available exclusively through our ticketing partner, TodayTix.
Learn More or Download The App
Party Every Night
Party with the pirates and keep the beach party boat afloat! Trejo’s On Stage Tiki bar is open for an extra hour after every performance from Thu – Sun, excluding matinees.
Thu – Sun after every performance (excluding matinees)
Tiki Tuesday
On Tuesdays, ticket holders are invited to come early and explore The Loft transformed into a Tiki Lounge. There will be beach balls, tropical music and complimentary Pirate-style rum drinks, generously donated by Stark Spirits.
Dates: Jan 30, Feb 6, Feb 13, Feb 20
Starts at 6:30pm
Thank you to our media partner:
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IDC: Windows Phones to Overtake iPhone iOS by 2015
By Keir Thomas
The Windows operating system for smartphones is expected to gain market share in the next few years thanks to Nokia, eventually leapfrogging the iOS system used on Apple's iPhone. But Google Android will remain atop the field.
That's according to International Data Corporation's latest Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report.
IDC predicts Android will have 43.8 percent of the market in 2015, followed by Windows Phone at 20.3 percent. Apple's iOS will trail at 16.9 percent. The future projections would be a significant improvement for Windows Phone, which will account for just 3.8 percent of the market by the end of this year, according to IDC's figures.
[ Further reading: Our best Windows 10 tricks, tips and tweaks ]
At the end of this year, Android is projected to have the most market share at 38.9 percent, IDC says, followed by Nokia's Symbian at 20.6 percent, and then iOS at 18.2 percent. However, Nokia has declared Symbian dead and its current market position relates largely to Nokia's traditionally dominant position in global markets, particularly those outside the U.S. IDC noted in its Thursday report that Nokia has committed to support Symbian devices until 2016.
Last year, Nokia declared an audacious switch to Windows Phone for its mobile devices. This is what fuels IDC's predictions, although IDC hopes Nokia's take-up of Microsoft's mobile OS will be trouble-free. Bearing in mind Nokia is far from healthy these days, with sales forecast updates putting its stock price into free-fall, this is far from assured. The Mango update of Windows Phone 7, due at the end of this year, is also fuelling IDC's predictions.
IDC expects nearly 1 billion smartphones to ship in 2015, more than double the 472 million projected to ship this year. It says expanding markets as well as falling handset prices and cheaper data plans will fuel the growth. IDC also says feature phones, which dominate the handset market right now and are built around features such as music playback, will decline in number.
If true, IDC's estimates for 2015 represent a mirror of the early personal computer market in the mid-1980s when Apple pioneered technological standards and gained significant market share but then lost ground to the clone market of PCs running the identical, easily-licensed operating system. The difference here is that Google Android takes the role of MS-DOS and in IDC's projections Microsoft is largely relying on a single hardware vendor -- Nokia -- for an upward surge in its fortunes.
Success in the mobile arena would be new for Microsoft, which despite investing millions of dollars in mobile since the 1990s, has never seen the kind of return on its investment it's found elsewhere. While the smartphone market has been growing, Microsoft's market share has been plummeting.
An issue not taken into account by IDC is Google's legal troubles relating to Android software patents, which could stunt its growth and even make manufacturers less likely to use it on their handsets.
Apple might also diversify its iPhone range, which could significantly increase the iOS market share. After launching the iPod, Apple split the product line into Touch, Shuffle and Nano models, and could easily do so with the iPhone. There have been many rumors suggesting Apple might launch an iPhone Nano, for example, which as well as being smaller than the iPhone, could also be targeted at a more budget conscious audience that simply can't afford the premium-priced existing models.
Full Disclosure: IDC is a sibling company to PCWorld, both of which subsidiaries of International Data Group (IDG).
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UK Says Google Needs Further Privacy Improvements
By Jeremy Kirk
Google was praised on Tuesday by the U.K.'s data protection watchdog for strengthening its privacy policies but the agency said the company still needs to improve.
Google has been under scrutiny by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) since the company admitted in May 2010 to collecting payload data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks it was indexing as part of its Street View imagery program.
The ICO said in November 2010 that Google broke the law with the data collection, which in some cases recorded entire e-mails, passwords and URLs. The ICO declined to impose a fine and instead demanded that Google submit to an audit of its privacy polices.
[ Further reading: The best antivirus for Windows PCs ]
The audit took place last month, the ICO said in a statement. "The audit found that Google has taken action in all of the agreed improvement areas," the agency said. "The ICO has now asked the company to go further to enhance privacy, including ensuring that users are given more information about the privacy aspects of Google products."
Google is training its engineers now on advanced data protection and overall is paying more attention to privacy issues when products are designed, the ICO said.
But Google should also ensure that its products have a so-called "privacy story," used to educate users about products' privacy features. While Google has implemented a "privacy design document" for products, those documents should be checked for accuracy. Also, the core training for engineers should include specific design principles that come from the privacy design document, the ICO said.
A Google spokeswoman contacted in London said the company had no direct comment on the ICO's findings.
Google ignited a firestorm when it said it mistakenly collected traffic passing on unencrypted Wi-Fi routers, including fragments of data transmitted by those routers. The purpose of the data collection, which occurred as its Street View imagery vehicles were cruising streets in many countries, was to improve a geolocation database for location-based mobile applications.
Google, which immediately stopped the data collection, faced investigations in many countries including Germany, the U.S., Spain, South Korea, France and Italy.
Send news tips and comments to jeremy_kirk@idg.com
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What the papers are saying across the Continent.
Follow @POLITICOEurope
Catalan regional president Quim Torra and ousted leader Carles Puigdemont | Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images
Trouble in Catalonia, again
Also on Europe’s front pages: Google’s ‘monster fine’ and Boris Johnson’s last stand.
By Gabriela Galindo
7/19/18, 9:02 AM CET
Spanish papers focused on renewed tensions in Catalonia, after the region’s current and former leaders, Quim Torra and Carles Puigdemont, blocked the regional parliament in protest at the latter’s treatment. El Mundo said Puigdemont — who is currently in exile in Germany and facing extradition — was “refusing to be replaced,” while both El Pais and El Mundo said separatism was “dividing the Catalan parliament.”
Most papers led with Cliff Richard’s court victory against the BBC in a privacy case, with the Guardian and the Sun concerned the decision could stifle press freedom. Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s resignation speech, in which he attacked PM Theresa May’s Brexit plan, also made several front pages. The i led with the headline “Boris twists the knife,” and said his speech set him up as a “Tory leader-in-waiting.” The Daily Telegraph picked up on Johnson’s comments that it was “not too late to save Brexit.” The Times reported that Theresa May was planning a national tour to “woo grassroots Tories” into backing her Brexit plan.
The European Commission’s €4.3-billion antitrust fine against tech giant Google dominated German and Belgian front pages. Flemish outlet De Tijd splashed with a photo of Margrethe Vestager, Europe’s competition chief, noting she had once again gone after Google. The paper carried a quote from Vestager, who said “technology serves us, and not the other way around.” De Morgen and French-language L’Écho reported that after the “monster fine,” Google was “fighting for its profit model.” Germany’s Der Tagesspiegel, Die Welt and Süddeutsche Zeitung all focused on the “record” fine. The Frankfurter Allgemeine reported on the deportation of a Tunisian national, noting that Interior Minister Horst Seehofer had defended the decision on “law and order” grounds.
Libération focused on Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have faced protests and calls for them to step down. The paper’s front page called out the violent clashes between police and protesters and featured a blood-stained picture of the “autocratic” couple. Le Monde picked up on a parliamentary report published on Wednesday which raised concerns over tax “transparency” in the economy ministry. Le Figaro wrote that U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic “zig-zags” were “stirring up trouble.”
Gabriela Galindo
Competition/antitrust
French politics
German politics
Spanish politics
EU fines Qualcomm €242M for attempting to force rival out of the market
Chipmaker ‘prevented competition and innovation,’ antitrust chief Vestager says.
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THURSDAY in Broadcast History .. March 7th
Alexander Graham Bell “rang” up a patent for his invention, the telephone. It was an invention, incidentally, that almost bankrupted his company in the beginning. Now, his invention makes possible the success of a whole genre of broadcasting, talk radio.
In 1910, “Canada’s Big Band King” Mart Kenney was born in Tweed Ont.
He was playing saxophone with The CJOR Radio Orchestra in Vancouver in 1928. His “Western Gentlemen” orchestra, formed in 1931, debuted on radio from Vancouver’s Alexandra Ballroom in 1934. His Rocky Mountain Melody Time was heard on CRCV/CBR Vancouver 1934-37; Sweet and Low CRCV 1935; relocated to Toronto 1940 and picked up by the NBC Blue Network. Moved back to Mission BC 1969 and organized In the Mood CBC-TV 1971; named to Order of Canada 1980. He died in Mission February 8, 2005 at age 95.
In 1917, a record containing “Livery Stable Blues” and “Original Dixieland One-Step” by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was released on Victor records in the U-S. The disc was to become the first big-selling jazz record.
In 1927, actor James Broderick was born in Charleston New Hampshire. He was the father of actor Matthew Broderick. Alhough he already had an extensive film-and -TV resume before it, James is best remembered as the father Doug on the ABC series Family in the late 70’s. Two years after the series ended he succumbed to cancer Nov 1, 1982 at the age of 55.
In 1933, CBS radio debuted its first daytime radio serial, “Marie the Little French Princess”, which had a run of 2.5 years on the air.
In 1939, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians recorded a tune that became their theme song, Auld Lang Syne, for Decca Records. It is still sung every Dec. 31st to welcome in the New Year.
In 1944, radio writing legend Norman Corwin hosted a program titled, “Columbia Presents Corwin,” in its series debut on CBS radio.
In 1953, Guy Mitchell was at No.1 on the British singles chart with ‘She Wears Red Feathers’. The song detailed a bizarre story of an English banker’s love for a hula-hula girl.
In 1954, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “Make Love to Me” by Jo Stafford.
In 1955, “Peter Pan”, with Mary Martin and Cyril Richard, was presented as a live TV special on NBC’s Producer’s Showcase. The same two stars would perform it again in 1956 and 1960.
Also in 1955, comedienne Phyllis Diller, at age 37, made her debut at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, leading to a stage, club and television career that spanned more than three decades … and as many facelifts.
In 1956, “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins entered the R-and-B chart, the first time a country artist had achieved that crossover.
Also in 1956, Lonnie Donegan‘s hit song, Rock Island Line, was doing well on the pop music charts in Britain.
Donegan, born in Glasgow, was responsible for ushering in the new music craze called “skiffle”. He had one other major hit on North American pop charts. In 1961, Donegan’s Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor (On the Bedpost Over Night) made it to the top five. It had been a top-10 hit in 1924 for Ernest Hare and Billy Jones.
In 1956, pop singer Kay Starr was hospitalized with arm, leg and neck injuries suffered when her car ran a stop sign and was hit in a Southern California intersection.
In 1957, the Tune Weavers recorded what would be their only charted hit, “Happy Happy Birthday Baby” at a studio in Boston.
In 1960, radio station KARI 550 signed on the air from Blaine, Washington with a Christian spoken-word format.
In 1962, the “Beatles” made their broadcasting debut on BBC radio in England, in a performance taped earlier in Manchester.
In 1963, Jack Anglin of the country duo “Johnnie and Jack” died in a car accident at age 46, while enroute to a memorial service for singer Patsy Cline. Johnnie and Jack had such country hits in the 1950s as “Poison Love” and “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight.”
In 1966, Capitol Records released Brian Wilson‘s first solo single, “Caroline, No,” recorded five weeks earlier during the Beach Boys’ so-called “Pet Sounds” sessions.
Also in 1966, with Phil Spector as producer, Tina Turner recorded her vocal track for “River Deep-Mountain High” with 21 studio musicians and 21 background singers. Although the label credited Ike & Tina Turner, Spector paid Ike $20,000 to stay away from the session.
In 1967, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone” by The Supremes.
Also in 1967, Sandra Dee was granted a divorce from Bobby Darin.
Still in 1967, The Beatles recorded “Lovely Rita.”
In 1968, Elvis Presley recorded “A Little Less Conversation” at Western Recorders in Hollywood. Although it became a #1 pop single in Canada it got no higher than #50 in the US.
In 1969, The Who‘s “Pinball Wizard” was released in Britain. It was the first public airing of a selection from the rock opera “Tommy,” which would be performed in its entirety later in the year.
Also in 1969, the hit single “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe was certified as a Gold Record, less than a month after its release.
In 1970, Simon and Garfunkel‘s album ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ started a ten week run at No.1 on the Billboard chart. The duo had split-up by the time of release.
In 1973, at 3 pm, Vancouver’s CKWX 1130 dropped its adult contemporary music and became a country music station. The talk shows between 8:30 am and 3 pm weekdays would continue for another 2 years.
Also in 1973, “Duelling Banjos” by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel on the Warner Bros. label was certified Gold.
In 1975, Montreal-born comedian/actor Ben Blue, who was a regular on TV’s Accidental Family & The Frank Sinatra Show, frequently appeared on Ed Sullivan’s ‘Toast of the Town’ and hosted NBC’s Colgate Comedy Hour, died at age 73.
Also in 1975, the final first-run episode of “The Odd Couple“starring Tony Randall & Jack Klugman aired on ABC. The series with a new cast, was revived by CBS in 2015.
In 1976, Elton John became the first rock star since the Beatles to have a wax figure of himself put on display at Madame Tussaud’s in London.
In 1980, Kenny Rogers‘ #1 country crossover single “Coward Of The County” was certified to be a Gold Record.
In 1981, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbit. Before recording on his own, the singer wrote songs for Elvis Presley, Ronnie Milsap, Tom Jones and Dr. Hook.
In 1983, actor Robert Bray, who played Ranger Corey Stuart in TV’s early Lassie series, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 65.
Also in 1983, the Nashville Network, the cable T-V country music service, went on the air in the US. It later evolved into Spike TV, and now the Paramount Network.
Again in 1983, Willie Nelson received a lifetime achievement award at the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame dinner in New York. Stevie Wonder was inducted as the newest member, while singers Margaret Whiting and Rosemary Clooney were named co-recipients of the Hitmaker Award.
In 1985, the song We Are the World, from the album of the same name, was played on the radio for the first time. Forty-five of pop music’s top stars had gathered together to combine their talents to record the music of Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, while Quincy Jones did the producing. The proceeds of the multimillion-selling recording went to aid African famine victims.
Also in 1985, Randy Travis made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
In 1986, the final episode of “Different Strokes” aired in the US on ABC-TV.
In 1993, singer/actor Earl Wrightson died of heart failure at age 77. The operatically-trained baritone guested in bigtime radio, then had his own weekly TV quarter-hour (The At Home Show) for 4 years on ABC TV, followed by regular appearances on CBS’s Robert Q. Lewis Show & NBC’s Bell Telephone Hour.
Also in 1993, former child star Todd Bridges of TV’s Diff’rent Strokes was arrested for stabbing a tenant, but prosecutors declined to press charges after Bridges claimed he acted in self defense.
In 1994, the U-S Supreme Court ruled that copyright owners cannot bar parodies of their songs. The case involved rap group 2 Live Crew’s bawdy version of Roy Orbison‘s 1964 hit “Oh, Pretty Woman,” which was released on the 1989 album, “As Clean As They Wanna Be.”
Also on this date in 1994, the former wife of Axl Rose filed a lawsuit against him in Los Angeles citing a range of charges, including assault, sexual battery and false imprisonment. Erin Everly, the daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers, claimed that Rose had once beaten her unconscious when she refused to sign divorce papers.
In 1996, 20th Century Fox sued an Australian brewery for distributing Duff Beer, the brand favored by cartoon character Homer Simpson.
In 1997, Darlene Love was awarded 250-thousand dollars in back royalties for hit 60’s recordings she made (as a member of The Crystals) for Phil Spector.
In 1999, fresh from capturing two Grammys, Quebec-born Celine Dion dominated the 28th annual Juno Awards in Hamilton, taking home 5 trophies.
In 2000, country music’s Frank ‘Pee Wee’ King suffered a fatal heart attack in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 86 years old.
Also in 2000, country singer Doug Stone was injured when his ultra-light aircraft crashed near Nashville. His guitarist, Rusty Van Sickle, rushed him to hospital.
In 2001, the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts announced that “Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland had been chosen as their “song of the century.”
Also in 2001, Pearl Jam set a record for the most simultaneous chart debuts from a single band in a single week on the Billboard album chart. The group had 7 of its American bootleg albums hit the chart. The previous record holder: Pearl Jam, when 5 of its European bootlegs made the album chart their first week out.
In 2004, actor Paul Winfield died of complications from diabetes & a heart attack at age 64. He had significant roles in early TV’s Julia, and later the recurring role of Sam in Touched by an Angel. He won an Emmy for a guest spot in Picket Fences, and was featured in the mini-series King, Backstage at the White House, Scarlett, Queen, and Roots: Next Generation. One of his last assignments was as narrator on the A & E series City Confidential.
In 2005, Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard opened their 39-show joint tour at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.
In 2006, CFML BCIT Radio started its testing on FM 107.9 from its campus in Burnaby. The station, with 12 watts of power, would be known as “Evolution 1079.”
Also in 2006, Rod Stewart was ordered to pay $3 million to Harrah’s in Las Vegas after alleged health problems kept him from fulfilling a commitment to perform in December 2000.
Still in 2006, Van Morrison was named an honorary citizen of Nashville in a ceremony held during the singer-songwriter’s concert at the famed Ryman Auditorium.
In 2009, singer/actor Jimmy Boyd (I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Tell Me A Story, Bachelor Father) succumbed to cancer at age 70.
Still in 2009, rapper Coolio was arrested after inspectors at Los Angeles Airport allegedly found him in possession of drugs and a crack pipe. The 45-year-old, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, was later released on $10,000 bail.
In 2010, at the 82nd annual Academy Awards show hosted by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, “The Hurt Locker” was named Best Picture, while Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock took the lead actor Oscars.
in 2011, Phil Collins announced his retirement from the music business, which he said had left him with poor hearing, pain in his back and nerve damage to his hands after 40 years crouched over a drum set. Instead Collins said he intended to concentrate on raising his two sons.
In 2012, a class action lawsuit filing revealed that Sony would pay $7.95 million to Cheap Trick, the Allman Brothers Band and others, to end a five-year dispute over digital music revenue. Most of the settlement went to artists who had a minimum of 28,500 downloads from Apple’s iTunes store.
In 2013, CBC Radio personality Max Ferguson, best known for his long-running programs Rawhide and The Max Ferguson Show, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 89. In more than 50 years at the CBC, Ferguson became a celebrated satirist and award-winning broadcaster and writer.
Also in 2013, British traditional jazzman Kenny Ball, who sold a million copies of his 1961 instrumental hit “”Midnight in Moscow,” died of pneumonia at age 82.
Still in 2013, country singer Claude King, best remembered for his 1962 hit “Wolverton Mountain,” died at his Shreveport home at age 90.
In 2014, former CBS correspondent Bill McGlaughlin, who headed bureaus in Germany and Lebanon in the late 1960’s and ’70’s, suffered cardiac arrest and died at age 76. His TV news career spanned 27 years, nearly all of it with CBS News; he left for two years in late 1979 to report for NBC News as its U.N. correspondent.
In 2015, a longtime Dallas-Fort Worth country radio personality Terry Dorsey died suddenly just months into his retirement at age 66. He had spent 33-years of his 46-year broadcasting career on the North Texas airwaves.
Also in 2015, Jimmy Sacca, who as the original lead singer of the vocal quartet The Hilltoppers scored 29 hit singles in the 1950’s, died at age 85.
In 2016, AC/DC announced the postponement of the North American leg of their Rock or Bust World Tour because singer Brian Johnson had been told by doctors to stop touring immediately or risk total hearing loss.
In 2018, Gary Burden, the Grammy-winning artist who designed iconic album covers for musicians like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the Doors and My Morning Jacket, died at the age of 84.
TV weatherman/personality Willard Scott is 85.
Actor Daniel J. Travanti (Hill St. Blues, Missing Persons, Boss) is 79.
Bassist Chris White of The Zombies is 76.
Singer Peter Wolf of The J. Geils Band is 73.
Keyboardist Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum is 73.
Actor Richard Lawson (Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, Dynasty, All My Children) is 72.
Guitarist Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers is 67.
Actor Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Malcolm In The Middle) is 63.
Actress/voicist Donna Murphy (Hack, Passion) is 60.
Actor Nick Searcy (Justified, Rodney, Seven Days) is 60.
Actress Mary Beth Evans (Days of Our Lives, The Bay) is 58.
Singer/songwriter Taylor Dayne is 57.
Actor Bill Brochtrup (Major Crimes, NYPD Blue) is 56.
Comedian/actor Wanda Sykes (Black-ish, Alpha House, New Adventures of Old Christine, Curb Your Enthusiasm) is 55.
Opera singer Denyce Graves is 55.
Singer/actress Taylor Dayne (Rude Awakening) is 54.
Actor Jonathan Del Arco (Major Crimes, The Closer) is 53.
Actress Joy Tanner (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Life With Derek, Cold Squad, Nancy Drew) is 53.
Drummer Randy Guss of Toad the Wet Sprocket is 52.
Actor Peter Sarsgaard (The Looming Tower, The Slap, The Killing) is 48.
Quebec-born actress Maxim Roy (19-2, ReGenesis) is 47.
Actor/producer Jay Duplass (Transparent, The Mindy Project, Animals) is 46.
Actress Jennifer Hammon (General Hospital) is 46.
Singer Sebastien Izambard of Il Divo is 46.
Actor Tobias Menzies (Outlander, Games of Thrones, Rome) is 45.
Actor Darryl Stephens (DTLA, Noah’s Arc) is 45.
Actress Jolie Jenkins (Shasta McNasty, Alexa & Katie) is 45.
Singer Hugo Ferreira of Tantric is 45.
Actress Jenna Fischer (The Office, You Me & the Apocalypse, Splitting Up Together) is 45.
Actor Larry Bagby (The Young & the Restless, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is 45.
Actor T.J. Thyne (Bones) is 44.
Actress Audrey Marie Anderson (The Unit) is 44.
Actress Chrystee Pharris (Passions) is 43.
Ontario-born actor Mark Taylor (Flashpoint, Student Bodies) is 42.
Edmonton-born actress Stephanie Anne Mills (Trucktown, Seed, Total Drama) is 40.
Actress Laura Prepon (Orange is The New Black, Are You There Chelsea?, That 70’s Show) is 39.
Actor Aarón Díaz (Quantico) is 37.
Actress Raquel Alessi (Standoff) is 36.
Actor Brandon T. Jackson (Mr. Robinson, Deadbeat) is 35.
Toronto-born actor Daniel Samonas (Wizards of Waverly Place) is 29.
Toronto-born actor Justin Kelly (Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Latest Buzz, Open Heart, Between) is 27.
Actress Haley Lu Richardson (Recovery Road, Ravenswood) is 24.
Actress Giselle Eisenberg (Life in Pieces) is 22.
If – Perry Como
My Heart Cries for You – Guy Mitchell
Be My Love – Mario Lanza
There’s Been a Change in Me – Eddy Arnold
The Theme from “A Summer Place” – Percy Faith
He’ll Have to Go – Jim Reeves
Wild One – Bobby Rydell
Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone
Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Baby, Baby Don’t Cry – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
To Make Love Sweeter for You – Jerry Lee Lewis
(Love Is) Thicker Than Water – Andy Gibb
Sometimes When We Touch – Dan Hill
Emotion – Samantha Sang
Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – Waylon & Willie
Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Jacob’s Ladder – Huey Lewis & The News
You Got It All – The Jets
Mornin’ Ride – Lee Greenwood
One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
Sittin’ Up in My Room – Brandy
Nobody Knows – The Tony Rich Project
Wild Angels – Martina McBride
Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
Rich Girl – Gwen Stefani featuring Eve
Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
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Take a Walk Series
All > Science / Nature > NATURE > Nature Informational with Hands-On Activities > Take a Walk Series >
Ever feel like when you take a nature walk, you can't identify anything? Even though it wouldn't be feasible to memorize a whole field guide, you can prepare for viewing many of the most common plants, animals and insects you'll encounter! Take a Walk Books each focus on a different group of plants, animals, or a habitat, introducing the reader to "the basics" of each group to help them come away from nature with more "I saw that!" than "what was that?" They are are divided into "Get Ready," "Get Set," and "Go!" sections. "Get Ready" introduces readers to the topic and gets them excited about it. "Get Set" takes the opportunity to give readers more detail on a few of the things they might see on their walk. In "Butterflies and Dragonflies," this section gets into the anatomy of butterflies and dragonflies, the differences between butterflies and moths and dragonflies and damselflies, life cycles of the two, butterfly migrations and butterflies with special characteristics. Then, you're ready to launch in the "Go!" section. These pages beg to be taken along on your walk and include room for field notes, suggestions for locating wildlife, identification aids, space for observation or identification notes and more. Along the way, the margins are full of interesting facts, contributions from children about nature, and activity suggestions. Exciting and fun to visually "wander through'" the books are full-color and vibrantly illustrated with photos, diagrams, and illustrations. All set? Now let's go!
Take a Walk With Butterflies and Dragonflies Item #: 004471
Take a Winter Nature Walk Item #: 043812
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>What's in a Name? The Rebranding of the Nusra Front
(The Hill)
What's in a Name? The Rebranding of the Nusra Front
Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front fighters enter the back of a pick-up truck in Arsal, Lebanon, December 1, 2015
Photo by Stringer/Reuters
by Brian Michael Jenkins
When Abu Mohammad al-Julani, commander of the al Qaeda franchise in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front, announced last month that his group was severing its affiliation with al Qaeda, he said Jabhat al-Nusra — which means the “Support Front for the People of al-Sham,” a geographic term for the region of greater Syria or the Levant — would henceforth be known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or the “Front for the Conquest of al-Sham.” A statement by al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri confirmed the split, saying it was amicable and had been approved by al Qaeda leadership.
What does it mean? Less than meets the eye, but, like any desert mirage, it tells us something about the local atmosphere.
The newly minted Jabhat Fateh al-Sham is just one of many formations, fronts and coalitions that comprise the forces arrayed against Syria's government. Others include the Free Syrian Army, the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, Soldiers of al-Aqsa, Knights of Justice Brigade, the Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant, the Supporters of the Religion Front and the infamous Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The names and composition of these groupings shift like the dunes in a desert sandstorm.
The names and composition of these groupings shift like the dunes in a desert sandstorm. Their continuously changing order of battle reflects the changing fortunes of war, ideological divisions — mainly between the more secular and more Islamist elements of the rebellion — and the efforts of external powers to unify and strengthen the insurgency while isolating its jihadist extremists. The names provide clues to their beliefs but it is more complicated as the Islamists themselves represent degrees of commitment to a holy war against all infidels and the ultimate imposition of a fundamentalist Islamic State.
Ambitious leaders and ideological agendas turn quarrels into bloody confrontations in which rebels kill rebels, but survival and success also require a degree of pragmatism. Syria's rebels have fought each other, but at times also cooperate against Syrian government forces.
Counterterrorism analysts see the current departure of the Nusra Front from al Qaeda's constellation as merely a rebranding that will allow the Nusra Front to create a broader Syrian coalition of radical Salafist-oriented rebels (and possibly some secular rebel formations) in which the Nusra Front is the most powerful group. One possible obstacle to this rebel coalition was the Nusra Front's link to al Qaeda, which other groups fear would make them targets of U.S. and Russian bombing and interfere with the funding they receive from Gulf nations. These risks became more urgent as the United States and Russia appeared to be cooperating more closely in going after the jihadist components of the Syrian rebellion.
Breaking with al Qaeda could also make it easier for the Nusra Front's external supporters to continue their funding. Qatar reportedly had suggested months ago that the Nusra Front break with al Qaeda in order to join the peace negotiations. The rebellion's supporters in the Gulf and Turkey will welcome the move. And their continued support will keep the insurgency going against the Iranian-backed Bashar Assad regime — for them, the real target.
The United States has been cautious in its attacks on the Nusra Front compared to those on ISIS. Shortly after the United States began bombing ISIS in 2014, it extended its campaign to Syria, where a cell of seasoned al Qaeda veterans from Afghanistan called the Khorasan Group had set up shop in Syria under the Nusra Front's protection, supposedly to launch terrorist attacks against the West.
Whether the Khorasan Group was a component of the Nusra Front or a separate mission from al Qaeda was not clear, but it caused great alarm. At the time, U.S. intelligence officials said that the group posed a threat to the United States equal to that of ISIS. But a number of Western analysts remain skeptical that the Khorasan Group has ever posed a significant terrorist threat.
The Nusra Front has previously indicated that it does not intend to be a launching pad for terrorist attacks on the West, but instead would focus on the Syrian struggle, an approach that also has been endorsed by al Qaeda leader Zawahiri. The objective is local progress.
Whether the Nusra Front believes it will avoid being targeted by American bombing itself is not clear — thus far, U.S. officials have dismissed the name change, saying it will not alter current policy. But to the extent that the rebel formations coalesce, any attacks on them will be more difficult and risk weakening the pressure on Assad to step down. The Nusra Front's maneuver will buy no respite from the Russians as they have never had any qualms about hitting any of the rebel formations, jihadist or secular.
This is more speculative, but the Nusra Front also might want to at least superficially distance itself from al Qaeda to facilitate receiving foreign fighters fleeing ISIS as it is gradually being ground down. There is true hostility between the leadership of the Nusra Front and ISIS, although the two organizations have in the past cooperated in some areas, but loyalties among the lower-level commanders and rank and file have been more fluid. A name change could lessen the humiliation involved in a loyalty switch.
At the same time, not all of those in the Nusra Front may be pleased with anything that looks like a softening of its hard jihadist line, which is why Zawahiri's endorsement was needed. The Nusra Front does not want to lose its own firebrands to ISIS.
It will be interesting to watch whether the United States promptly designates the newest incarnation of the Nusra Front as a terrorist organization.
It will be interesting to watch whether the United States promptly designates the newest incarnation of the Nusra Front as a terrorist organization. No one should be fooled into believing this is anything more than a tactical ploy, but as such, the pretext could have some utility in facilitating a solution that allows the United States an off-ramp from the Syrian conflict.
The United States still harbors hopes of a grand bargain that will end the Syrian conflict, but putting Syria back together again is a long way off. An interim solution could be a local accommodation that reduces the violence and leaves in place some sort of Sunni entity governed by a rebel coalition. Could that include the Nusra Front, which is now certainly one of the most powerful of the non-ISIS formations? It would be easier to do so if it were not an overt al Qaeda branch.
Critics have already expressed fears that the Obama administration will be taken in by the Nusra Front's deception and naively (or wittingly) use the political ruse as an excuse to stop bombing the Nusra Front. They want to ensure that the new name brings no reprieve in the campaign to destroy all jihadists.
Foreign diplomats trying to advance their own national interests on this shifting political terrain find principles and strategy replaced by Byzantine maneuvers and endless arabesques. For America's partners in the region, this may be more familiar territory.
For Americans, whose political rhetoric expresses itself in immutable terms — black-and-white contests of good versus evil — and whose military doctrine demands clear, achievable objectives, this is treacherous ground. But if American politicians and policymakers are going to see homeland security as directly dependent on some level of continued U.S. military engagement in the Middle East, North Africa and Afghanistan where sectarian and tribal politics still prevail, the United States is going to have to better understand and appreciate the local political and military realities.
Jenkins is a senior adviser to the president of the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and director of the National Transportation Security Center at the Mineta Transportation Institute.
This commentary originally appeared on The Hill on August 8, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Brian Michael Jenkins
@BrianMJenkins
Senior Adviser to the RAND President
Terrorist Organizations
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Is the Surge in Terrorist Attacks Coincidence or Coordinated Campaign?
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Terrorism Shouldn't Affect Travel Plans
Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis, Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Previous Blog PostDomestic Warning Signs of Mass ShootingsNext Blog PostDo Economic Ties Limit the Prospect of Conflict?
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The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.
First Edition of Gertrude Stein's The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas; Signed by Her
Stein, Gertrude.
New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1933.
First edition of Gertrude Stein’s most famous work; one of the richest biographies ever written. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated from photographs. Signed by the author on the verso of the half-title page, “Gertrude Stein March 14/ 34.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light toning to the spine. Signed first editions are uncommon.
Largely to amuse herself, Gertrude Stein wrote The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas in 1932...using as a sounding board her companion Miss Toklas, who had been with her for twenty-five years. It has been said that the writing takes on very much Miss Toklas' conversational style, and while this is true the style is still a variant of Miss Stein's conversation style. ...She usually insisted that writing is an entirely different thing from talking, and it is part of the miracle of this little scheme of objectification that she could by way of imitating Miss Toklas put in writing something of her own beautiful conversation. So that, aside from making a real present of her past, she created a figure of herself, established an identity a twin, a Doppelganger.... The book is full of the most lucid and shapely anecdotes, told in a purer and more closely fitting prose... than even Gide or Hemingway have ever commanded" (Donald Sutherland). It was listed by Modern Library as one of the greatest English-language nonfiction books of the 20th century.
First edition of Gertrude Stein’s most famous work; one of the richest biographies ever written. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated from photographs. Inscribed by Gertrude Stein on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with some wear and tear. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Signed first editions are uncommon.
First Edition of Gertrude Stein's How to Write; Inscribed by her
How to Write.
Paris: Plain Edition, 1931.
First edition of Stein’s experimental work on the craft of writing. Small octavo, original half cloth and boards, paper spine label. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Arthur from Gertrude Stein.” In very good condition.
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Home / Featured
Newport Leaders, Grimes Support Increase in Minimum Wage
Newport's mayor and city manager want to consider a formal stance on the minimum wage issue, they said Monday.
If they vow to support an increase in the federal $7.25 minimum wage, they would be in the company of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who's running for the US Senate seat held by Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
"The minimum wage has been a topic lately and I don't think that's something the federal government needs to be involved in," said City Manager Tom Fromme. "I think we ought to take a stance on the minimum wage. I think it's something we all need to make a voice of, and have a livable wage for people so it's probably something we'll bring up in a caucus meeting in January."
Mayor Jerry Peluso concurred.
"I think we do need to take a position on minimum wage," Peluso said. "I don't know how people survive making $7.25 an hour. A lot of those people have children. I guess, everyone can't have a college degree and if they did, where would everybody work? I think we need to take a position on that."
Grimes called for an increase in the federal minimum wage on Wednesday.
"Nearly one in four Kentucky workers would benefit from raising the minimum wage, but Mitch McConnell has turned his back on Kentucky's working families by trying to do away with this legislation," Grimes said on Facebook. "Kentuckians deserve wages that are consistent with our values."
Grimes joined US Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeanne Shaheen, and Heidi Heitkamp, and US Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, Sean Patrick Maloney, and Kyrsten Sinema, as well as Congressional candidate Sean Eldridge in signing their names at a website, Increase The Minimum Wage.
Democrats in the US House and Senate are calling for an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.
According to The Atlantic, the issue of raising the minimum wage is gaining traction at the local government level:
Already, state and municipal governments are at the leading edge of efforts to raise the minimum wage, adopting local minimums significantly above the federal requirements. Last month, voters in SeaTac, Washington – a town notable for its major airport, filled with minimum-wage workers at newsstands and fast-food joints – narrowly approved a huge hike in their minimum wage to $15. And in a more modest move, but one that will affect far more workers, the District of Columbia City Council recently backed an $11.50 minimum wage.Nineteen states have set their minimum wages above the federal level. California, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey are set to do the same over the next year or two.
But what should these local minimum wages look like?
According to a study cited in the article, the appropriate minimum wage in the Cincinnati metro area, which would include Northern Kentucky, is somewhere between $11.30 and $15.
Jobs have grown in Newport in recent years. Fromme said the city added 600 new jobs in 2013 and expects to announce more early in 2014, including one deal that will bring in another 175 jobs.
"We're working on a whole lot more announcements about new employers moving into the city and moving forward," Fromme said. "Newport is where everying is happening. Peple want to be here. I think Newport is a leader in Northern Kentucky and throughout the state."
Photo: A Newport City Commission meeting/RCN file
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Books make a big difference
Working with children means that you work with the significant adults in their lives. I’ve often found — both personally and professionally — that parents are flummoxed by the huge number of messages about raising children; all too often parenting becomes fraught with guilt.
Let’s talk about poetry with Lee Bennett Hopkins
In honor of National Poetry Month I contacted one of the most prolific and versatile poets and anthologist whose books I’ve long used and admired.
Because They Marched: Our interview with writer Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman was raised by parents who were involved with books and authors, so perhaps it is not surprising that he was attracted to writing. It is fortunate for readers of all ages that he was ultimately drawn to it as a full-time career.
The end of a month
I read a statement on a publisher’s blog that resonated with me: “Black History is American History.” (The publisher is Lee & Low, a press known for publishing diverse books.)
Awards season – with a few surprises
The Newbery and Caldecott (and other Youth Media Awards) were announced yesterday in Chicago at the midwinter conference of the American Library Association.
Our Interview with Writer Elizabeth Rusch
At a recent conference, I had the chance to meet Elizabeth Rusch, the author of several of “Scientists in the Field” series (a consistently excellent series) — and discovered that I knew many of her other books. They range from picture books to narrative nonfiction with lots in between. I was intrigued and wanted to ask her more questions than time allowed.
"A book is like a garden, carried in the pocket." — Chinese Proverb
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This Is The Most Important Episode Of The Sopranos
Story from TV Shows
20 Years After The Sopranos Premiere, Its Most Controversial Episode Feels More Urgent Than Ever
Photo: HBO/Getty Images.
I was a latecomer to The Sopranos, David Chase’s seminal HBO show largely credited with launching the “Golden Age” of prestige television. The story of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his Family (both literal and figurative) has become so ubiquitous to our culture that it feels both banal and daunting to first-time viewers. (Tip: HBO is offering the pilot for free in honor of the show’s 20th anniversary – it premiered January 10, 1999 – so it’s a good time to get started.)
But there’s another reason I hesitated. On a superficial level, The Sopranos presented itself as a show that prizes hardcore masculinity above all else. Our now-longstanding cultural obsession with male anti-heroes — from Breaking Bad’s Walter White, to Mad Men’s Don Draper, to Game of Thrones’ Jaime Lannister — can be traced back to the first time we see Tony walking down his driveway to pick up his newspaper in his signature undershirt and bathrobe combo. It’s the show fratty men use to explain great TV on bad dates.
The irony is that to consider The Sopranos a show by men, for men and about men is to miss its most compelling elements. Its genius lies in its sly ability to trick its viewers into watching a series that, under its tough guy guise, is really a careful consideration of inherited trauma, mental illness, toxic masculinity, and motherhood. Women are an intrinsic part of this story — from Tony’s fearsome wife Carmela (Edie Falco) to the looming shadow of his mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), even several seasons after her death.
The Sopranos Could Get The Prequel Treatment
Our Favorite HBO Shows Of All Time
HBO Answers Violence Questions
For the men of this show, women exist in five distinct categories: wives, who are to be respected and protected, and in turn are expected to (excessively) feed the family, raise the children, and quietly absorb the cutting emotional blows dealt to them; mistresses/girlfriends, usually independent and business-oriented, who get their own romantic date nights and financial perks, but should also never overstep; mothers, often deified, which makes their betrayals even harder to bear; daughters, whose purity is to be preserved, and intellectual pursuits encouraged; and finally, the so-called “whores,” the ones who are there purely for sexual satisfaction, and who should consider themselves “lucky” to have that going for them.
Those last two categories — the most strictly opposed — intersect in an explosive way in “University,” an episode that, for a woman viewer watching for the first time in 2018, delivered a gut punch. This sixth episode in the third season sparked immediate controversy when it aired in 2001 for its depiction of the brutal, senseless murder of a woman — one of the most violent scenes ever depicted in a show already notorious for going there. HBO reportedly faced angry viewers cancelling subscriptions, as women fans in particular objected to the constant gratuitous nudity, as well as the sheer scale of the violence depicted on screen. (Things have to be pretty extreme for the New York Post to run a recap headlined: “Did Sopranos Go Too Far?”) At what point does showing the violence perpetrated on a women outweigh the good done by the messaging? What are the limits of decency, and can we ever root for someone who crosses that line?
But it’s that very question that “University,” and The Sopranos as a whole, tries to answer.
It’s an entirely self-contained episode, in that it doesn’t really advance any of the plots unfurling during that particular season (ie. Uncle Junior’s stomach cancer; Tony’s passionate affair with Gloria; the tragic tale of Jackie Jr.). Instead, it delves deep into the core character traits and themes at the heart of the show: privilege, misogyny, and our own complicity in the violence lurking within these characters we’ve grown to love. It’s an episode that now serves as a prescient warning for the times we live in now – the times we’ve actually been living in all along.
“University” spotlights the lives of two women: Tony’s daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), in her first year at Columbia University, and Tracee (Ariel Kiley), a stripper who works at the Bada-Bing club, used as a front for the characters’ mob activities.
At roughly the same age, the two young women are on opposite ends of the Sopranos privilege spectrum. Meadow has every advantage: near limitless funds, the support of a loving family who lives less than an hour away in suburban New Jersey, and the freedom to choose her own future. Her sexuality is her own to control — “University” notably depicts her deciding to lose her virginity, having sex for the first time ever with college boyfriend Noah (Patrick Tully). But all these advantages have made her callous towards those who can’t cope in a similar situation. Meadow’s dismissal of her roommate, Caitlin (Ari Graynor), a girl from a small town who’s having real trouble adjusting to the pressures and stresses of college in New York City, mirrors the way her father treats Tracee when she tries to approach him for help after finding out she’s pregnant with his associate Ralphie Cifaretto’s (Joe Pantoliano) baby.
Already juggling the care of one small child, not to mention repressed trauma from her own upbringing, Tracee has no options. Her future is bleak, and her body's for sale out of necessity — even her braces, which she shows off with the enthusiasm of a young woman who has little to be proud of, are an investment by her boss, Silvio (Steven Van Zandt), who wants to ensure she rakes in more cash in the future. And since nothing in Sopranos Land is free, Tracee pays off her debt by working overtime in the VIP room, passed from man to man like a rag doll. What little solace she gets comes from Ralphie, a violent lowlife, and this season’s primary antagonist.
But despite their differences, both of these women face emotional manipulation and trauma at the hands of the men around them. Meadow, who so badly wants to believe that Noah is different from her gangster dad, ultimately realizes that he’s similarly unfeeling when he turns on a distraught Caitlin after pretending to want to help her. And Tracee, desperate for affection, is brutalized by Silvio (a character who’s portrayed as a more measured influence on Tony, and who’s genuinely sympathetic most of the time), humiliated by Ralphie, and ignored by Tony.
Episode director Alan Coulter further emphasizes the link between these two women – and also, to an extent, Caitlin — with a series of smooth transitions: when Tracee asserts herself and opens a door to leave, the scene cuts to Meadow entering a room. When Tracee is forced into a threesome by Ralphie, she leans down to perform oral sex on a cop, a moment that cuts to a distraught Caitlin raising her head up as she sobs. The use of The Kinks’ “Living On A Thin Line,” throughout the episode serves as another reminder of the precariousness of each woman’s situation.
Meadow ends the episode feeling fragile and lost, having placed her trust in the wrong man. Noah, who had seemed so supportive of both her, and even poor Caitlin, turns hostile after a setback at school. He coldly breaks up with Meadow, leaving her to run home to pick up the pieces. But at least she has a place to go. Tracee isn’t so lucky. In her one attempt at taking control of her own fate, she tries to challenge Ralphie , asking him what he’s got planned for her now that’s pregnant. His cruel dismissal is chilling, and for Tracee, it’s one slight too many. Their altercation ends with an enraged Ralphie bashing her face beyond recognition, murdering her in cold blood in the parking lot behind the Bing.
It’s the ultimate manifestation of the Margaret Atwood quote that routinely makes the rounds on Twitter: “Men are afraid women will laugh at them, women are afraid men will kill them.” Her death is nearly unbearable to watch. But what truly makes this horrific episode emblematic of the series is the overall indifference with which Tony and the men around him regard women’s suffering, be it Meadow’s heartbreak, or Tracee’s agonizing death. We’ve come to know these men, root for them even — though the show never sugarcoats the violence inherent in their chosen path. We’ve laughed at Silvio’s lame Godfather impersonation, mocked Ralph’s constant goofy Gladiator obsession, and felt Tony’s softer side as a family man who really does loves his wife and kids. But what Chase is saying with “University” is that these aren’t men we can trust, no matter how endearing they can be. And knowing that, can we still watch them?
As viewers, their actions are a betrayal that echoes the one felt by so many women during the reckoning of the last year. As we’ve learned time and time again, Bad Men come in all shapes and sizes: they can be criminals and sociopaths, arrogant, mansplaining college film buffs, or high-profile celebrities.
In October 2017, amid the burgeoning #MeToo movement, Kiley — now a yoga instructor — opened up about playing Tracee in a post on her personal blog. She was proud of her character’s shocking impact on Sopranos fans, she wrote. Her experience on the show, though overwhelmingly positive, revealed something back then that women are still coming to terms with today: “It showed what I already knew about my worth as a young attractive woman in the eyes of many men. I was an object to be used and thrown away.”
Revisiting The Sopranos Most Controversial Episode Ever
Entertainment • TV Shows
Photo: Hbo/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.
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March 4, 2017 / 2:33 PM / 2 years ago
Tight deadline for talks after nationalist surge in Northern Ireland
Ian Graham
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Northern Irish leaders prepared on Saturday for three weeks of challenging talks to save their devolved government after a snap election that could have dramatic implications for the politics and constitutional status of the British province.
Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill and Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams speak to media outside the Sinn Fein offices on Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland March 4, 2017. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
The pro-British Democratic Unionist Party narrowly remained the largest party after the closest-ever election for the provincial assembly. But surging Irish nationalists Sinn Fein came within one seat of their rivals to deny unionist politicians a majority for the first time since Ireland was partitioned in 1921.
Major policy differences between the sides risk paralyzing government, dividing communities and creating an unwelcome distraction for Prime Minister Theresa May as she prepares to launch Britain’s formal divorce proceedings from the European Union later this month.
Northern Ireland is the poorest region of the United Kingdom and potentially the one most economically exposed to Brexit, as its frontier with the Republic of Ireland is the UK’s only land border with the EU.
“The election yesterday was in many, many ways a watershed election. Clearly the notion of a permanent or a perpetual unionist majority has been demolished,” Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams told reporters in Belfast.
“We need to reflect on that and so do the leaders of unionism and so does everyone on this island,” he added, standing in front of a mural of Bobby Sands, a member of the militant Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died in a hunger strike in prison in 1981.
The two largest parties have three weeks to form a new power-sharing government to avoid a return to direct rule from London for the first time since 2007. Sinn Fein said it would make contact with the other parties on Sunday.
GENERATIONAL SHIFT
With relations at their lowest point in a decade and Sinn Fein insisting among its conditions that DUP leader Arlene Foster step aside before it will re-enter government, few analysts think an agreement can be reached in that time.
An acrimonious campaign also added to the friction. Foster antagonized nationalists with her outright rejection of some of Sinn Fein’s demands, saying: “If you feed a crocodile, it will keep coming back looking for more.”
Michelle O’Neill, the 40-year-old new leader of Sinn Fein whose elevation represented a generational shift within the former political wing of the IRA, benefited most from the highest turnout in two decades.
“Foster angered nationalists and made sure they went out to vote but Michelle O’Neill is also a much more acceptable nationalist face than previously,” said Gary Thompson, a 57-year-old voter, as he went for a jog near parliament buildings.
Pensioner Tom Smyth, a DUP supporter, said Foster had to stand up to Sinn Fein but in doing so probably helped mobilize her rivals’ vote.
“This is terrible,” he said. “There will be no living with them (Sinn Fein) now. All my life there has been a Unionist political majority. I feel a bit exposed now and wonder what the future holds.”
Nationalist candidates, traditionally backed by Catholics, narrowed the gap overall with unionists, who tend to be favored by Protestants, to just one seat. Smaller, non-sectarian parties captured the remaining 12 percent of the vote.
IRISH UNIFICATION
Northern Ireland is still marginally a mainly Protestant province but demographics suggest Catholics could become the majority within a generation. The shift in the election will embolden Sinn Fein in its ultimate goal of leaving the United Kingdom and uniting the island of Ireland.
The party has increased calls for a referendum on the issue since Northern Ireland, like Scotland, voted to remain in the EU while the United Kingdom’s two other countries, England and Wales, chose to leave in last year’s Brexit vote.
Sinn Fein’s Mairtin O’Muilleoir, the province’s outgoing finance minister, described Brexit as “the gift that keeps on giving” for those that want a united Ireland.
“The massive shift towards nationalism in this election completely changes the landscape and most certainly brings the constitutional question to the foreground,” said Peter Shirlow, Director of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool.
Britain’s Northern Ireland Minister James Brokenshire urged the parties to engage intensively in the short time available. Ireland’s foreign minister said both governments stood ready to provide whatever support was needed.
Former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble, a key player in the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement that ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed, said the British government should find a way to give the parties more time.
Senior unionist politician Jeffrey Donaldson told BBC Radio:
“If we can’t do it in three weeks it could be a prolonged period of direct rule.
“In those circumstances, with Brexit coming down the road, we won’t have our own administration to speak for us and offer the best prospect of delivering the kind of outcome we need.”
Writing by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan
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July 14, 2017 / 11:47 AM / 2 years ago
Russian-American lobbyist met with Trump Jr., Russian lawyer: NBC News
Mark Hosenball
(Reuters) - A lobbyist who was once a Soviet counter-intelligence officer participated last year in a meeting with senior aides to U.S. President Donald Trump, including his eldest son, and a Russian lawyer, NBC News reported on Friday, adding to allegations of possible connections between Moscow and the November election.
FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump Jr. speaks at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio U.S. July 19, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File photo
NBC News, which did not identify the Russian-American lobbyist, said some U.S. officials suspected him of still having ties to Russian intelligence, something he denied to the network.
The Associated Press said the lobbyist, whom it identified as Rinat Akhmetshin, confirmed that he had attended the June 2016 meeting in New York’s Trump Tower.
A source familiar with the participants of the meeting confirmed to Reuters that Akhmetshin was in the room.
The meeting appears to be the most tangible evidence of a connection between Trump’s election campaign and Russia, a subject that has prompted investigations by congressional committees and a federal special counsel.
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former campaign adviser Paul Manafort were also at the meeting, which the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., agreed to attend because he believed he could get damaging information about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr. did not mention Akhmetshin’s presence when he released a series of emails about the meeting earlier this week.
“DEEPLY DISTURBING”
Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, said the report about Akhmetshin “if accurate, adds another deeply disturbing fact about this secret meeting.”
Akhmetshin was not available for comment on Friday. There was no answer at the door of his house in Washington.
The White House had no immediate comment about the NBC News report of a Russian-American lobbyist at the meeting.
Kushner’s spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Manafort’s spokesman Jason Maloni said Manafort had no comment on the meeting.
A former Trump campaign adviser, Michael Caputo, told reporters after he testified to the House Intelligence Committee in closed session on Friday that he had no contact with Russians and never heard of anyone in the campaign “talking with Russians.”
Accusations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Moscow meddled in the election and colluded with the Trump campaign have dominated the Republican president’s first months in office. Russia denies the allegations, and Trump says there was no collusion.
The agencies said earlier this year that Russia sought to help Trump win the election by hacking private emails from Democratic Party officials and disseminating false information online.
To help the White House deal with Russia-related investigations, Trump is hiring veteran Washington lawyer Ty Cobb, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. Cobb’s role is separate from Trump’s outside legal team, led by New York lawyer Marc Kasowitz.
Akhmetshin has been accused in federal and state courts in the United States of engaging in hacking conspiracies, although the allegations were later withdrawn, according to court records.
In 2015, lawyers for the Russian mining company International Mineral Resources claimed in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia that Akhmetshin helped organize the hack, theft and dissemination of private documents.
That case was dropped. The same company filed a lawsuit against Akhmetshin in the New York Supreme Court but withdrew it last year.
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley described Akhmetshin in a letter to the Justice Department in March as “a former member of the Russian military intelligence services (GRU)” who was working to overturn the 2012 “Magnitsky Act” of Congress, which blacklists Russians for human rights abuses.
The Kremlin has often complained about the act.
Congressional records show that Akhmetshin lobbied Congress last year for the Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation, a Washington-based advocacy group that says it is working to lift laws that prevent U.S. residents from adopting Russian children. Those laws were put in place by Moscow in response to the Magnitsky Act.
Trump told Reuters on Wednesday that he did not know about his son’s meeting last year until recently. But in a conversation with reporters later that day, Trump said: “In fact, maybe (the meeting) was mentioned at some point,” adding that he was not told it was about Clinton.
Trump Jr.’s lawyer, Alan Futerfas, said he had talked with a person who came to the meeting between Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and Trump aides.
“He told me specifically he was not working for the Russian government, and in fact laughed when I asked him that question,” Futerfas told NBC News. It was not immediately clear if the person he referred to was Akhmetshin.
The lawyer said Trump Jr. knew nothing about the man’s background at the time of the meeting.
The Russian lawyer in the meeting, Veselnitskaya, has said she was not working for Russian authorities, but she told The Wall Street Journal in an interview on Friday that she was meeting with Russian authorities regularly.
She said she shared information about a U.S.-born fund manager who lobbied for passage of the Magnitsky Act with the Russian prosecutor general’s office, including with Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika, a top official appointed by the Kremlin, the Journal said.
Additional reporting by Eric Walsh, Julia Ainsley, Jonathan Landay, Fatima Bhojani and Andy Sullivan in Washington and Ned Parker and Karen Freifeld in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell and Eric Beech; Editing by Grant McCool and Leslie Adler
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Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom Comes to reVolver Podcasts as an Original Series
An original series available on reVolver Podcasts, where exonerees will share never-before-heard aspects of their experiences with injustice, incarceration, and ultimately, survival.
New York (June 18, 2016) – Every year, thousands of Americans are wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. Through DNA testing, more than 341 innocent people in the United States have been exonerated, and Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom will tell their individual stories. As part of an original series available on reVolver Podcasts, these exonerees will share never-before-heard aspects of their experiences with injustice, incarceration, and ultimately, survival.
Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom will deliver episodes based on actual case files of The Innocence Project. The Innocence Project is a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. The organization was founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. To celebrate the launch of the podcast, Flom has pledged to donate up to $1 million to the Innocence Project. From September through December 2016, he will donate $1 per consumer download.
Jason Flom, an American music industry executive and CEO of Lava Records, is a Founding Board Member of The Innocence Project. “These stories are real life tragedies and each one teaches us a lesson. Our criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform and we have hundreds of examples to prove that point. My hope is that when people download and listen to Wrongful Conviction they will be inspired to join me in this fight,” said Flom.
“We are honored to host Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom exclusively on reVolver Podcasts,” said Stephen Hobbs, Chief Digital Officer, reVolver Podcasts. “This is an incredible show, and a reminder that we must be ever vigilant of the justice system, to ensure we are truly protecting the innocent.”
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law will provide research and data for each episode of Wrongful Conviction. The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute whose research and advocacy on issues surrounding mass incarceration is universally respected. Listeners can follow Jason Flom on Instagram and Twitter @itsjasonflom.
Inquiries regarding sales or marketing partnerships can be directed to reVolver Podcasts at Stephen@revolverpodcasts.com. For questions about content or to find out how to become a content provider and host, email content@revolverpodcasts.com. To listen to the podcasts on iTunes, visit https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/revolver-podcasts/id1086192367.
reVOLVERPodcasts.com is the online destination for the very best in multicultural, on-demand audio and is the home of “El Show de Piolín” podcast. Listeners can discover, connect and engage with the most popular multicultural podcasts. reVOLVER Podcasts reaches a highly engaged audience across mobile, desktop and connected devices. For more information about the company, visit www.revolverpodcasts.com.
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Capital Gate Named Best Commercial High-rise Development at International Property Awards 2015
The iconic Capital Gate tower has been honoured with the Best Commercial High-rise Development in the Arab Region at the International Property Awards 2015. The tower, which acts as the centrepiece of the renowned ADNEC development, was selected from almost 500 entries in the architecture category from 75 countries. Judging was carried out through a meticulous process involving a panel of over 70 experts focusing on design, innovation, and originality.
Part of the ADNEC development, with the Capital Gate in the background
The Capital Gate tower, which holds the record for the furthest leaning man-made building in the world, was honoured for its innovative architecture and sustainable and eco-friendly design. At an incline of 18 degrees, the Capital Gate leans four times more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. The tower stands as a testament to the level of development and progress achieved by the UAE capital.
The Capital Gate is distinguished by a dramatic steel and glass facade with a striking organic form. With a cantilevered tea lounge and open air pool deck, the tower provides a unique presence on the skyline of Abu Dhabi and creates a memorable identity to the exhibition centre. A sculptural stainless steel ‘splash’ flows down the front and at low-level forms the hotel entrance canopy, flowing over the existing grandstand and acting as a solar shading device for both the building and the grandstand seating.
The Capital Gate’s dramatic ‘splash facade’
At over 160m tall, the building stands 35 storeys high and offers over 16,000 sqm of high-quality office space, as well as Abu Dhabi’s first Hyatt hotel, ‘The Hyatt@Capital Centre’.
Open to residential and commercial properties and professionals from around the world, the International Property Awards acknowledge the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. The International Property Awards mark the largest and most prestigious property competition in the world.
A shot of the Capital Gate’s unique interior and ‘skylight’
The venue attracted 1.6 million people across 327 events in 2014 and has won over 75 awards since first opening in 2011. Some of these distinctions include the Sustainability Award at the AEO Excellence Awards, Venue of the Year for ExCeL London at the AEO Excellence Awards, Exhibition Venue of the Year at Event Awards, Middle East’s Leading Exhibition & Convention Centre at World Travel Awards, Best Middle East Exhibition for IDEX at Middle East Events Awards, Best Meetings & Conference Centre in the Middle East for Al Ain Convention Centre at Business Destinations Travel Awards, and Best Commercial High Rise Development – Capital Gate at Arabian Property Awards.
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2016, through mid-June, shows 56 startups received $427.5 million; and that 20 acquisitions have happened thus far totaling $4.53 bn (from the 11 reporting amounts involved).
What's Happening in Robotics? Five Trends to Watch
Frank Tobe | The Robot Report
07/26/16, 07:29 AM | Industrial Robotics, Factory Automation | Analysis and Trends, business, Business Development
Reprinted with permission from The Robot Report:
Industrial robots used to be dumb, somewhat inflexible, and mostly blind - but also fast, precise and very efficient. As the cost of components, sensors and vision systems has been dropping, vision-enabled robots are becoming more prevalent and capable, and the industry is dramatically changing.
Those changes can be seen in recent trends in China, investments in and acquisitions of robotic companies, by an analysis of recent startup companies, new and widening application areas for robot use, and technological developments.
Ongoing transitions
For the past 50+ years industrial robots have picked the low-hanging fruit of manufacturing by handling the dull, dirty and dangerous tasks. But today, as consumers want more personalized products, and want them faster, and as costs have dropped and executives have pushed for greater productivity through automation, mobile and vision-enabled robots are emerging and being deployed in many new application areas, particularly for SMEs and in logistics, but also in government, agriculture, surveying, construction and healthcare.
An analysis of 752 of The Robot Report's global database of robotics-related startup companies shows that 25% of the startups were focused on industrial robotics and 75% address new areas of robotics such as: unmanned aerial, land and underwater devices for filming, marketing, delivery, surveillance, security, surveying, and for the military, science and oil and gas industries (25%); robotics for the agriculture industry (6%); mobile robots as platforms for various uses (7%); personal service bots (3%); professional service bots (7%); medical, surgical and rehabilitation robots (7%); consumer products such as for home cleaning, security, remote presence and entertainment (9%); educational and the hobby market (5%); etc. Support businesses such as AI and software, engineering and design, component manufacturing, 3D printing, vision systems and integrators make up the remainder. More than half of the startups are predominently software based and indicative of the new metric that the hardware component represent less that 1/3 of the overall cost of the product.
The industrial robotics sector, whose revenues have represented 75% of the industry's overall sales (as reported by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR)) for the past few years, is forecast by various sources including the IFR to have double-digit compounded annual growth for the remainder of this decade. However, when one studies the figures for the biggest five user-countries, all except China are projecting CAGRs of 6% to 9% while China is expected to exceed 25%. Service robots are also expecting double-digit growth with over 80% of those new companies located in Europe and North America. This explosive growth in service robotics, plus the steady growth in industrial robotics, is suggesting that the next 5-10 years will all be double-digit years for the industry as a whole.
Certainly we've all seen some of the reports about this growth and how it will transform work. For example, Oxford Martin School researchers estimate that robotics and artificial intelligence are on track to take over 40% of the US workforce within 15-20 years either as a computer program that will be able to do what many of us do today, or it will be a machine or robot that replicates the physical process of work that we do.
With the hope of staying within the world of facts rather than forecasts, I suggest the following five trends as representing drivers propelling forward movement in the robotics industry:
Trend 1: China's Appetites
China's economy has and continues to transition through all the economic stages of industrialization, urbanization and consumption-driven growth. This movement is both politically stimulated and self-propelling. In the realm of robotics, there are many factors driving growth: a desire to export cars requiring a level of quality that can only be provided by utilizing proven robotic automation methods; multi 5-year governmental incentive plans fostering a home-grown robotics industry; rising wages changing the metrics of human-robot deployment; and general availability of capable factory workers.
Thus China is eating up the market both as a buyer and an emerging seller. However, for Chinese companies to fully capture the robotic market within China they will have to shore up missing components that are hard to make and improve quality and precision overall. Components such as end-of-arm tools, speed reducers and harmonic drives will need to be manufactured locally instead of being imported. Many retired Japanese engineers are "consulting" to help speed up the process. Chinese venture firms are helping by acquiring international companies, investing in Chinese companies that are attempting to perfect these components, and investing in global companies and reorienting them toward sales and manufacturing in China. One good result: as the industry moves in-country, there will be less blatent thievery, copying and reverse engineering as there has been in the past.
China's government has encouraged this in-country market by providing loans and other incentives to companies and to local governments to get them to provide real estate and tax incentives. An industry plan drafted by several ministries, for 2016 to 2020, aims to have 100,000 industrial robots produced annually by domestic companies, with annual sales of 30 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) a year. Meanwhile, more than 40 new robot industrial parks have been built or are under construction according to the CRIA, adding that local governments established ~80 policies to support the sector.
There have been many reports about the misuse of those funds and the falsification of progress reports. The most recent is the 2015 statistics from the IFR showing that even though China did well, the rate of growth has diminished and projections have been halved. See Industrial robot sales for 2015 set new record in spite of troubles in China. Nevertheless, internalization is ongoing and progressively gaining traction. The bid for half the shares of German robot maker Kuka by a Chinese venture firm is an example. Foxconn's deployment of over 45,000 Foxbots (Foxconn's inhouse brand of robots) in addition to robots from other manufacturers is another.
Trend 2: Collaborative Robots
Much has been said about the fast-growing market for collaborative robots. The most current are articles describing car companies replacing old-style industrial robots with a combination of humans and co-bots assisting humans to gain needed flexibility. The websites of Universal Robots (UR) and Rethink Robotics both contain numerous video use-cases in a variety of application areas. Bottom line: this is a viable and growing segment of the robotics industry started by UR but with competition coming from Kuka, ABB and others.
The major benefits of these new co-bots are their flexibility, safety, ability to be rapidly deployed, and ease of training. Improvements on each of these benefits will keep pressure on pricing as can be seen by the new low-cost Franka robots and the forthcoming rebranded Roberta robot. Also, at AUTOMATICA, held in Munich this June, every robot manufacturer was touting their safe collaborative robots even when, by any stretch of the imagination, they didn't really have one.
Turning co-bots into a commodity may not be good for profits but it is good for businesses, particularly those wanting to take their first step into using robots.
Trend 3: Robotics as a Service (RaaS)
In a recent research project on robotics in the agriculture industry, a very cost-sensitive industry, many companies are offering services utilizing robots - instead of selling the robots and having the farmer operate them. Thinning, weeding, spraying, aerial imaging and analytics are examples of the services being offered.
This concept of offering services instead of the products used in providing the services is and has been a way to introduce untested products into the marketplace but many enterprising startups are finding economies of scale benefit the service provider. Using drones to capture sensor and camera data and then developing software to analyze that data and translate it into actionable plans has crossed industry boundaries and is being offered not only to ag companies but to oil and gas companies, and NGOs and governments wishing to monitor hard-to-get-to areas. Security companies are beginning to offer RaaS to supplement, augment and replace interior security, etc.
There is also a blurring of the line between real robots that perform tasks in physical space and software bots that perform a virtual robot-like service. As a consequence, many companies and service providers are going beyond offering SDKs (software development kits for the making of apps) to opening up their APIs (application protocol interface) so that these new bots can increase their scope and effectiveness and make it easier for their users. Apple just announced that they are opening up their APIs and Amazon has been encouraging developers to take advantage of their Echo and Alexa conversational voice recognition systems. This is helping many new startups offer RaaS using customized Alexa-enabled Echo-like devices. An example is the Belgium startup Zora Robotics which is using Amazon's Echo/Alexa system - and software of their own - in various robots to provide services into the health and eldercare marketplace.
Trend 4: Logistics and materials handling
Better and lower cost vision systems, particularly low-cost 3D vision, navigation and mobility are enabling a variety of existing and startup companies to offer enhanced material handling methods for factories, warehouses and distribution centers. During the financial crisis, capital expenditures for logistics were put off because existing systems seemed to be able to handle the load. But all that changed as we came back from the crisis and consumers wanted their products faster and warehouses couldn't keep up without massive investments in new tech, new methods and, in many cases, new vendors. Further, these new technologies had to accommodate existing facilities and systems; few companies are building new warehouses; they are instead, changing their methods and systems.
Upstarts like Amazon/Kiva, and startups like MiR, Clearpath, Aethon, and Fetch are joining established companies like Swisslog, Grenzebach, FMC and many others as they attempt to bring new tech to help speed up the picking process and the movement of picked items to the packing/shipping stations.
Trend 5: Investments in robotics
The Robot Report reported that in 2015 investment activity, 55 startups received funding totaling $1.32 bn; that 32 acquisitions occured totaling $2.27 bn (for those reporting amounts); and that there was one IPO. 2016, through mid-June, shows 56 startups received $427.5 million; and that 20 acquisitions have happened thus far totaling $4.53 bn (from the 11 reporting amounts involved). If the $3.5 bn Uber funding from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund isn't objected to, and the bid for 49% of Kuka for $2.5 billion is accepted, the figures are much higher.
Of particular interest are the investments in Western robotic technology by Chinese investors: the bid by Midea to buy 49% of Kuka, KraussMaffei by ChemChina; Paslin by Wanfeng and Gimatic by Agic Capital. China is definitely on an acquisitions spree.
China is also stimulating in-country growth. For example, Tsinghua Holdings, a state-owned fund founded in 2003 by Tsinghua University, kicked off two projects announced at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin. One focuses on helping startups and the other on commercializing scientific findings. The fund will set up 1,000 business incubators in China by 2021 and another 50 in nations including the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. The size of a parent fund will exceed $3 billion.
“Our goal is to cultivate 500 startups that are valued at more than $15 million within the next five years. China is still lagging in terms of indigenous and core technologies, and there needs to be some companies to act as pioneers and push ahead with innovation.”
Additional information regarding funding, investments and China can be found here.
More Industrial Robotics Articles | Stories | News
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Sorry Angel
Vincent Lacoste as Arthur Prigent
Pierre Deladonchamps as Jacques Tondelli
Denis Podalydès as Mathieu
Rio Vega as Fabrice
Adèle Wismes as Nadine
Thomas Gonzales as Marco
Clément Métayer as Pierre
Christophe Honoré
Rémy Chevrin
Chantal Hymans
| Peter Sobczynski
The specter of AIDS looms through “Sorry Angel,” the new drama from French filmmaker Christophe Honore, but to dismiss it merely as just another drama about the disease would do it a disservice. Instead, it is merely one component in this often engrossing drama about the relationship that develops between two men who come together when both are at very different points in their respective lives. Both sprawling and intimate, it tells a story dealing with life, love, friendship, mortality and, yes, AIDS, in a manner that is relentlessly and deliberately unsentimental in tone but which nevertheless proves to be quite affecting.
The film takes place in 1993, a period of time in the history of AIDS landing between the shock and horror of its initial discovery and devastation and the medical, technological and social advances that would go on to reshape how the illness and its victims would be perceived to the world. For Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps), a reasonably successful Paris-based author in his late 30s, the disease is just another fact of life to deal with, in his case by sharing his apartment with Marco (Thomas Gonzalez), an ex-lover with a far more advanced case than his and alternating between tenderly caring for him and responding in an unnecessarily harsh manner when Marco tries to make what he thinks is his final goodbye to Jacques' young son, Louis (Tristan Farge). For Arthur (Vincent Lacoste), a college student from Breton who is still wrestling with his own sexual identity (he has a sort-of girlfriend yet sneaks off to have sex with strange men) it is another aspect of the life experience that he hopes to gain by one day moving to Paris himself.
While in Rennes to check out a play based on one of his works, Jacques slips into a movie theater showing “The Piano” and meets Arthur. There is an undeniable chemistry between the two but after their first rendezvous, the two seem to come away with different attitudes—Jacques comes across as more removed from the proceedings, more interested in educating the younger man about art and literature than in anything else while Arthur is more driven by his youthful excitement at the freedom that Jacques’s life represents to him. As the relationship between the two develops, albeit in unexpected ways, other characters turn up in their lives as well, ranging from Jacques’s gay neighbor, Mathieu (Denis Podalydes), to the hitchhiker that he picks up on the road—with the sort-of girlfriend in the car with him—for a brief tryst. It all builds slowly and carefully to a series of events that someone like Jacques may look upon as just another fact of life when seen from the outside but which proves to have a much deeper impact when it happens to him.
Honore is a filmmaker whose works have veered between relatively realistic narratives like “Ma Mere” (2004) and “The Beautiful Person” (2008) and more fanciful projects like the musicals Love Songs” (2007) and “Beloved” (2011) and the odd comedy fantasy “Sophie’s Misfortunes” (2016). In the past, I have preferred his more offbeat films but “Sorry Angel” is arguably the best of his more straightforward works and is certainly his most consistent project since “Love Songs.” He clearly knows the usual tropes and cliches of LGBTQ cinema and deftly avoids them in any number of intriguing ways—the manner in which he contrives to inform Arthur that Jacques is HIV-positive is especially inspired.
On paper, the story may sound like a mawkish melodrama but it proves to be a good deal more clever and resourceful. And when it does get to the more dramatic beats, Honore handles them in a way that avoids the overt jerking of tears while still allowing the emotions to come forth in a direct and affecting manner. He also does a marvelously effective job of evoking the specific era in which the story is set, not just in the easy aspects like decor (including clunky CD players and answering machines) and music (with judiciously selected cues ranging from “Pump Up the Volume” to the Cowboy Junkies’s rendition of “I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry”) but in the attitudes the characters had regarding themselves and their situations at that particular point in time. He also gets fine performances from the entire cast, especially the central ones from Deladonchamps and Lacoste, both of whom are fantastic here.
Because it is a relatively high-profile French film dealing with LGBTQ issues, “Sorry Angel” will no doubt find itself being compared to such previous works as “Savage Nights” (1992), “Blue is the Warmest Color” (2013) and “BPM (Beats Per Minute)” (2017). While it shares certain thematic elements with each of those films, this is a film that has both a narrative and an approach that transcends the expected cliches in order to give viewers a more ambitious experience. When it does work, which it does most of the time, it does so with a power and emotional truth that cannot be denied.
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Review of Flawed by Cecelia Ahern
This review was first published in The Irish Independent.
A new book by Cecelia Ahern always creates a stir. She has sold over 4.9 million books worldwide and with two movies based on her work, plus a television series to her name, she is one of Ireland's most prolific writers.
She has now added a YA (young adult) novel to her vast repertoire. Flawed is set in a dystopian future where being perfect is the ultimate goal, and it's aimed firmly at teenagers, although her loyal adult readers may also 'cross over'.
The main character, Celestine North, sees herself as perfect. She comes from a law-abiding family: her mother is a "model in high demand", her father is the head of a television station, News 24. Ruled over by the 'Guild', in this society those who lie, cheat or steal must wear an armband emblazoned with a red letter F, and their skin or tongue (in the case of lying) must be branded with the same letter. So far, so The Scarlett Letter meets Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours. At the opening of the book, Bosco Craven, head of the Guild and father of Celestine's boyfriend, Art, is celebrating Earth Day with Celestine and her family. Another family, the Tinders, are late for dinner and as the group sits down without them, sirens rent the air.
On the street outside, the mother of the Tinder family and Celestine's piano teacher, Angelina Tinder, is dragged away by 'Whistleblowers' in front of her friends and neighbours, deemed flawed by the Guild.
Celestine is "a girl of definitions, of logic, of black and white". Shocked by Angelina's arrest for an assisted suicide ("theft from society"), she understands that rules must be enforced; however, a day later, she boards a bus with flawed citizens and her logical and compassionate actions towards an elderly Flawed man land her in a lock up, awaiting trial as a Flawed herself, flipping her perfect life forever.
The jump from old, perfect Celestine to new, questioning Celestine is too sudden. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games (one of the most interesting heroines in YA dystopia) is a fearless, feisty hunter even before the Games commence, but Celestine's character isn't given time to bed in before she starts questioning her world's order. Luckily, this new, sceptical Celestine is worth knowing.
The perfect girl who challenges the status quo is a common theme in YA fiction and Ahern manages to breathe life into an intriguing and original teen character. Yes, Celestine and her love of structure and logic can be irritating and pedantic, but she is real, and her fear, pain and growing sense of outrage leap off the page. Add a love triangle with two handsome yet different boys to the mix - Art, and bad boy Carrick, who Celestine meets in the lock-up - some smart, thoughtful dialogue, and a powerful, heart-stopping torture scene in the Branding Chamber, and the reader will overlook any vagueness or lack of clarity in the world building.
Ahern is to be commended for trying something new. It would have been easy for her to stick to what she's best known for, contemporary novels for adults with a touch of magical realism. Flawed is a fast-paced, brave and compelling teen novel written with passion and heart that will fascinate her loyal fans and bring new readers into the fold. With movie rights already optioned by Warner Brothers, and a second Flawed book in the pipeline, Ahern's star shows no sign of burning out.
Tagged: Cecelia Ahern, Flawed
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Getting Published, Rewriting and Editing, This Writer's Life
Behind The Memory Box - Q and A with Sarah Webb
I did this Q and A recently for a UK website, I hope you like it. 1. Tell us about your new book The Memory Box.
My latest novel, ‘The Memory Box’ is the story of an Irish woman, Pandora Schuster who on the eve of her thirtieth birthday discovers that she may have her mum’s heredity cancer gene, Breast Cancer Gene 1. This sends her into a complete tail spin, and makes her question her life and also the future of her nine-year-old daughter, Iris. Pandora is a single mum and she has never told Olivier, her ex-boyfriend that he has a daughter. So she travels to Paris to find him, with disastrous consequences.
2. Why did you decide to take the book over to Paris?
Pandora is passionate about clothes and it made sense for her to study fashion in Paris. Plus it’s one of my favourite cities in the world.
3. Did you spend any time there to write about your surroundings?
Yes, I spent four months in Paris during college, working in McDonald’s, so that was helpful. I’ve been back a few times since then, most recently for my 40th birthday.
4. Do you have a memory box in your life?
No, but I do have a large chest full of my children’s school books, drawings, craft, photographs. I’m very much a hoarder.
5. Why was a memory box such a good device for story telling for this book?
The Memory Box was a way of unfolding Pandora’s past life for the reader without using an excessive amount of flashbacks. The letters Pandora writes to her daughter, Iris and puts in the box give the reader glimpses of Pandora’s life in Paris and her deep love for Olivier.
And then the box is accidentally discovered. I won’t say any more in case you'd like to read it.
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6. You have recently published another book in the Amy Green series, so what can you tell us about this?
Yes, Wedding Belles has just been published. It’s the 6th book in the Ask Amy Green series, about a 13 year old Irish girl and her 17 year old crazy aunt, Clover who works as an agony aunt for a teen magazine. Together they are planning Amy’s mum’s second marriage in this book, but things start to go horribly wrong …
7. How much do you have to look into Pandora’s hereditary illness for the book?
I took the research very seriously. I read cancer memoirs, including Emma Hannigan’s excellent ‘Talk to the Headscarf’. I read blogs and forums about cancer and most especially Breast Cancer Gene 1, the gene that Pandora may have (she’s waiting for the test results during the book). I also spoke to a breast cancer specialist, an amazing woman consultant surgeon called Sarah Rastell, who very kindly read my manuscript for accuracy.
I also tried to ‘feel’ how Pandora would feel while waiting for her test results – anxious, scared, alone, but yet determined to fight. Emotional truth is also vital and a character’s reactions must be honest and believable.
8. Tell us about your inspiration behind the story.
I’m not sure where the story came from to be honest. I’d read about the breast cancer gene and it just fitted this story. The characters grew and developed as I wrote the book and some of their passions are also my passions – art, family, Paris.
9. What is your writing process?
I plan a little to start with, then I think about the characters and their motivation obsessively. I do some early research at this stage also – but I often don’t know what I need to know, so I don’t spend too long on this at the early stages of writing. Once I’m happy that I know my characters well I start to write, leaving gaps where I need to do some more detailed research – I add that in later. I write several drafts – between 5 and 8 – and learn a lot more about my plot and characters during this stage of writing.
10. What is next for you?
I’m currently working on the first book in a new children’s series for age 9+ and I’m also writing a new book for adults. Both will be published in 2015, all being well.
Tagged: Getting Published, McDonald's, Paris, The Memory Box, writing
The Memory Box Research and the BRCA1 Gene
My Latest Book
My latest novel, ‘The Memory Box’ (published in the UK in September) is the story of an Irish woman, Pandora Schuster who on the eve of her thirtieth birthday discovers that she may have her mum’s heredity cancer gene, Breast Cancer Gene 1. As you can imagine, this sends her into a complete tail spin, and makes her question her life and also the future of her nine-year-old daughter, Iris. Pandora is a single mum and she has never told Iris’s French father that he has a daughter. So she travels to Paris to find him, with disastrous consequences.
As a writer I like to tackle big subjects that mean something, situations or life experiences that interest me as a person and that I hope readers will connect with too. Popular fiction (or ‘chick lit’) is often dismissed as ‘fluffy romance’ but as its loyal readers know, it’s far from it. I greatly enjoy reading books by authors such as Jojo Moyes and Sinead Moriarty, writers who also tackle life’s big questions and dilemmas.
When writing about topics such as adoption, infertility or in the case of ‘The Memory Box’ a hereditary cancer gene, it’s vital to get the facts right. You are writing about issues that affect real people, people with first hand knowledge. And if the general reader spots an inaccuracy, the ‘reality’ of the whole book is called into question. Details matter. Writers need to do their research.
I have published sixteen novels for both adults and children and I have dealt with many different issues and themes – from being a single mum, to depression, divorce, abandoned children and the loss of a parent. Before I start a book, I immerse myself in the world of my chosen subject.
For ‘The Memory Box’ I read cancer memoirs, including Emma Hannigan’s excellent ‘Talk to the Headscarf’ (see below). I read blogs and forums about cancer and most especially Breast Cancer Gene 1, the gene that Pandora may or may not have (she’s waiting for the test results during the book). I also spoke in depth to a breast cancer specialist, an amazing woman consultant surgeon called Sarah Rastell (Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital in the UK), who very kindly read an early draft of my manuscript for accuracy.
I’m very lucky, over the years book research has taken me to some extraordinary places. I’ve watched ballet in Budapest and interviewed ballerinas (Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze); I’ve fed the elephants in Dublin Zoo (The Shoestring Club); and most recently I’ve camped on a small island to research the setting for my new children’s series, The Wishing Girls. In March I’m travelling to China to read at a book festival and to visit the place where one of my new characters, Soon Yi, is originally from. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to do it!
Information on Breast Cancer Gene 1
Breast Cancer Gene 1 - or BRCA1 for short - is a human caretaker gene that produces a protein that repairs DNA. If this gene mutates or is damaged, DNA is not repaired properly and this can increase risk for cancers.
Woman who have this gene have an 85% chance of developing breast cancer and a 50% chance of ovarian cancer.
If you are interested in finding out more about the gene, Emma Hannigan’s memoir of her experience, ‘Talk to the Headscarf’ is highly recommended.
For more information see www.cancer.ie or www.arccancersupport.ie
Writer and Cancer Survivor, Emma Hannigan
Emma Hannigan
Writer and mum of two, Emma Hannigan found out that she had the BRCA1 gene in 2005. She says ‘Several members of my family had been through breast and ovarian cancer, so we were approached by the genetic testing centre.’
Emma went on to have both breasts and her ovaries removed as a preventative step. She explains that it wasn’t a difficult decision. ‘I saw the surgery as my way out of a big hole! The genetic diagnosis was my warning. I knew I could get cancer, but I viewed the surgery as my get out of jail card. It was the answer to my conundrum. I felt like a ticking time bomb. The surgery defused my bomb!’
Talking about cancer and the BRCA1 gene is important she feels. ‘The more people know the better,’ she says. ‘Knowledge is power. The most scary thing about this gene or cancer is the unknown. It's also vital that people don't feel as if they're alone. Nobody wants to be isolated or feel as if they're on a solo journey. The gene is relatively rare - but only because people don't know about it. As more people find out about it and get tested, the numbers are growing. But - to avoid any scare tactics, only 3 to 5% of cancers are genetic.’ Emma advises anyone who is concerned about the incidences of cancer in their family to contact their GP.
Emma's new book ‘Perfect Wives’ is out now.
(This article first appeared in Woman’s Way)
Tagged: Angelina Jolie, BRCA1 Gene, Cancer Gene, The Memory Box
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Week Ending 8/16/13: Cole v. Jersey City Medical Center
Alan Schorrs Employment Case of The Week ending August 16, 2013
Cole v. Jersey City Medical Center, --- A.3d ----, 2013 WL 4081057 (August 14, 2013)
Moore ex rel. Moore v. Woman to Woman Obstetrics & Gynecology, L.L.C., 2013 WL 4080947 (App. Div. August 14, 2013) (unpublished)
This past Wednesday, the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously held that the public policy favoring arbitration has its limits, while, on the same day, an Appellate panel ordered arbitration despite finding that the agreement was cohesive and unconscionable. The Supreme Court case, Cole v. Jersey City Medical Center, involved a defendant that willingly litigated a case in Superior Court for 21 months, without any objection, and then moved to compel arbitration three days before the scheduled trial date.
Karen Cole was a certified nurse anesthetist who had a contract with Liberty Anesthesia Associates, which had a contract with Jersey City Medical Center. The hospital claimed to have discovered discrepancies in Ms. Coles accounting of certain medications and revoked her privileges. As a result, Ms. Coles employment was terminated with Liberty. Ms Cole sued the hospital, and the hospital then impleaded Liberty as a third-party defendant. The litigation went on thereafter for 21 months. The plaintiff settled with the hospital but not the employer.
The employer filed for summary judgment and succeeded in knocking out two of the four remaining counts. Then, three days before the scheduled trial, the employer filed a motion to compel arbitration. Judge Toskos of Bergen County granted the motion, reasoning that the employer failed to assert its right to arbitrate because the hospital, which had not signed the arbitration agreement was the primary defendant in the action. Cole appealed, and the Appellate Division reversed finding that the employer was equitably estopped from compelling arbitration. The Supreme Court granted Certification and affirmed, but on slightly different grounds.
The Supreme Court chose not to even address the Appellate Divisions analysis regarding estoppel, and chose instead to focus upon whether the defendant had waived its defense by failing to preserve it. In doing so, the Supreme Court announced a seven factor test for courts to determine whether a party has waived its right to enforce an arbitration agreement. The seven factors are (1) delay in making arbitration request; (2) filing of any motions, particularly dispositive motions, and their outcomes; (3) whether delay in seeking arbitration was part of the party's litigation strategy; (4) extent of discovery conducted; (5) whether the party raised the arbitration issue in its pleadings, particularly as affirmative defense, or provided other notification of its intent to seek arbitration; (6) proximity of date on which party sought arbitration to date of trial; and (7) the resulting prejudice suffered by the other party, if any. In addition, the Supreme Court directed that a court will consider an agreement to arbitrate waived, however, if arbitration is simply asserted in the answer and no other measures are taken to preserve the affirmative defense.
While acknowledging the strong public policy in favor of arbitration, in applying this test to the employers motion, the Court concluded that Liberty engaged in litigation conduct that was inconsistent with its right to arbitrate the dispute with its former employee and affirmed.
On the same day, released simultaneously with the Cole decision, the Appellate Division, in the unpublished decision, Moore ex rel. Moore v. Woman to Woman Obstetrics & Gynecology, L.L.C., enforced an arbitration agreement in a medical malpractice dispute even though the Court concluded that the agreement was cohesive and unconscionable and that the plaintiff totally lacked bargaining power. Although this is not an employment case, the Courts treatment is instructive. Once again, the Court cited the public policy favoring arbitration, but here, the Court held that the policy is so strong that it trumps equal bargaining position and fairness in contracting.
Although this was the second written decision by the Appellate Division, neither opinion actually explained why Monica and Kevin Moore sued on behalf of their daughter. Reading between the lines, it appears that Monica, who was 44, was in a high-risk pregnancy, and something happened to the child, Koval Moore, that will require extensive and expensive medical treatment. The Court, in addition to compelling Monica to arbitrate, also held that, by signing the agreement to arbitrate, Monica had also bound her in utero child to arbitrate.
But the news was not all good for the defendant. The Court held that Monicas agreement to arbitrate did not bind her husband to arbitrate. So the parties will now have two proceedings - an arbitration for the wife and child, and a trial for the father.
This writer remains concerned that, in so zealously pushing parties to arbitrate under the theory that arbitration eases the pressure on the courts, the courts have created much more work and have instead damaged judicial efficiency. If arbitration is so great, why are the courts at every level flooded with lawsuits and appeal after appeal by parties desperate to avoid it? Arbitration between parties who knowingly and voluntarily agree to it can be a very good thing. But forcing arbitration upon parties who never had a fair chance to reject it does not provide fair resolution of disputes and increases, rather than decreases, the number of legal disputes that courts are called upon to resolve.
Cole v. Jersey City Medical Center
Plaintiffs Counsel: Jonathan I. Nirenberg and Gerald Jay Resnick, Resnick Law Group.
Defendants Counsel: Dominick J. Bratti and Annemarie T. Greenan, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer.
Amicus Counsel: Jonathan Romberg, Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice.
Trial Judge - Menelaos W. Toskos, J.S.C.
Appellate Judges: Fuentes, Ashrafi and Nugent.
Supreme Court Justices and Judges: Chief Justice Rabner and Justices Lavecchia, Hoens and Patterson and Judges Rodr즵ez (t/a) and Cuff (t/a).
Moore ex rel. Moore v. Woman to Woman Obstetrics & Gynecology, L.L.C.:
Plaintiffs Counsel: Marc C. Johnson, Weiss & Paarz.
Defendants Counsel: Joel I. Fishbein, Spector, Gadon & Rosen, P.C., and Janet L. Poletto, Hardin, Kundla, McKeon & Poletto, P.A.
Appellate Judges: Fuentes, Grall and Hayden.
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Homesick for Russia - 80 years later
Published time: 6 Sep, 2007 02:49 Edited time: 6 Sep, 2007 06:49
A 95-year-old Russian woman is celebrating her birthday in North Africa. Anastasia Shirinskaya lives in Bizerte in Tunisia, where she's known as a living legend.
She emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1924, but after more than 80 years abroad she is still pining for Russia.
Anastasia Shirinskaya became an Algebra teacher. And she is still one of the best loved people in Bizerte, a port on the Mediterranean coast in Tunisia.
Everybody from here has heard of her, from the Mayor of Paris, who grew up in this town, to the local market traders.
“She taught us in the lycée and told us stories about Russia with such love. She's like a living legend for us,” Said Hosh Saussey, local resident, explains.
But for her, Tunisia has never felt like home.
“People think that this is my house. But I will disappoint you all, this is not my house. I have been paying for it every month since 1938. I have not got a house here, I have not got a car, and I have not got any money in the bank,” says Anastasia Shirinskaya
She still writes using the old Russian alphabet, which was abolished after the revolution in 1918.
Her house is full of Russian books, icons and photographs.
Every New Year she raises a glass in the hope that in the coming year she will make it back to Russia.
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Salmon v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 30/07/04)
Forster v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 30/07/04)
Holland v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 29/07/04)
Redmond v Allianz New Zealand Ltd (DC, 29/07/04)
Puru v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 28/07/04)
Cone v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 28/07/04)
Verma v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 28/07/04)
Robinson v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 28/07/04)
Accident Compensation Corporation v White (HC, 28/07/04)
Pitts v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 23/07/04)
Stretch v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 20/07/04)
Lowe v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 20/07/04)
La Belle v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 19/07/04)
Grace v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 16/07/04)
McNally v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 15/07/04)
Reidy v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 14/07/04)
Woolley v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 14/07/04)
Bryant v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 14/07/04)
Rieper v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 12/07/04)
Pine v Accident Comepnsation Corporation (DC, 12/07/04)
Snowling v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 09/07/04)
Barclay v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 09/07/04)
Accident Compensation Corporation v Stampa (DC, 09/07/04)
Francis v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 09/07/04)
Kennedy v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 08/07/04)
Moncrieff v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 08/07/04)
Accident Compensation Corporation v Geerders (DC, 08/07/04)
Young v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 08/07/04)
Clifford v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 08/07/04)
Grimmett v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 07/07/04)
Accident Compensation Corporation v Hawea (HC, 06/07/04)
J A v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 05/07/04)
Guy v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 05/07/04)
Bruce v Accident Compensation Corporation (DC, 02/07/04)
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Rezzonico Chandeliers
Home > Heritage
A MURANO GLASSMAKERS STORY SINCE 1397
The history of Murano and of the Seguso family are inextricably joined.
Generations of master glassmakers have dedicated their life to bringing into reality the art of Murano Glass.
The Seguso family is one of the oldest on the island of Murano. Dedicated to the art of Venetian Glass since 1397, they have established themselves as top experts in the creation of artistic masterpieces and custom designed furnishings. The Master glassmakers at Seguso have created their artwork for royal families and entrepreneurial dynasties all over the world.
In 1605, the Seguso family name was recorded in the “Libro d’Oro” of Murano, the tome in which all notable glassmaking families were registered and elevated to the rank of nobility. In 1792, the Republic of Venice minted a commemorative coin with the Seguso family name: it was the famous “Osella”, a medal-coin that was created and gifted personally by the Doge to important figures in the life of the Republic.
Gianni Seguso is nowadays the custodian of a six-generation-long tradition of Master Glassmakers who have preserved the secrets of the thousand-year old art of the Island. Born in 1951 in Murano, he showed great talent in glass craftsmanship from a very early age; with incessant passion he renewed mankind’s challenge of fire every day, learning from the island’s top artists and receiving the title of Master glassmaker at just 18 years of age.
Today he is still active in the field, especially in the creation of the finest and most highly valued “Rezzonico-style” chandeliers in the world.
Every day, within century-old walls of the Seguso Gianni furnace, the ancient ritual is renewed by the Master glassmakers who take on their old, yet always fearsome opponent: fire. They tame it with refined techniques and experience, they harness its power to create new masterpieces.
The mouth of the oven, reaching a temperature of 1200 °C, opens its fiery maw like a dragon, facing the Master surrounded by his team. And so it repeats itself, the magic enchantment that gives birth to masterpieces that men all over the world desire for themselves, as a token of human victory over adversity.
Collaborations with world-class designers and artists have given life to artwork on display in major museums and private galleries. Master glassmaker Gianni Seguso brings his passion and enthusiasm to every project, blending new design styles and studying new techniques and novel solutions for never-before-seen masterpieces.
The many international awards won by this Master have only heightened his continuous push towards experimenting with glass and learning new creative processes.
Looking for something unique?
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Mail: contact@seguso.it
Ph: +39.041 739005 Fax: +39.041 5274441
Add: F. Serenella 3, 30141 MURANO (VE)
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All our creations are guaranteed by the official "Vetro Artistico® Murano" Trademark of Origin established by the Italian law, numbered 032.
Seguso Gianni invests in sustainable energy and in environmental quality.
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SHELBY ANNOUNCES DEFENSE FUNDING FOR ANNISTON
Conference Committee Approves FY 05 Defense Appropriations Bill
U. S. Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced Conference Committee approval of funding for Anniston area projects included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2005. The conference report will now go to the full Senate and full House for a vote.
Sen. Shelby said, "I am very pleased that the conference committee approved funding for these important Anniston defense-related programs. They are critical to the stability of our nation's military infrastructure and readiness. Today's approval demonstrates our commitment to national security."
M113 FOV UPGRADE PROGRAM
Senator Shelby said, "I am pleased the conference committee approved $10.5 million for M113 Carrier modifications. This tracked vehicle continues to be one of the workhorses of the U.S. Army. Even as the Army transforms, this program is a priority for me and for my constituents. The work will be completed in the Anniston area."
M1 ABRAMS TANK
Senator Shelby said, "Our bill includes a total of $292 million for MIA2 SEP Abrams Upgrade and $117 million for M1 Abrams Tank Mods. The M1 Abrams tank has been and continues to be the most lethal ground combat system in existence anywhere. It is the backbone of our heavy forces and has been at the core of the work done at the Anniston Army Depot for many years. This funding represents our commitment to recapitalization and modernization of our legacy forces."
HYDRA 70 ROCKETS
Senator Shelby said, "This bill approves $121 million for procurement of Hydra 70 Rockets. This weapon gives Army aviators a critical strike capability, and is produced in the Anniston area."
Senator Shelby said, "This bill approves $1.53 billion for procurement of the Stryker family of vehicles. Anniston Army Depot plays a significant role in this program, and Stryker production in Anniston continues to gain momentum. This program is a critical part of the Army's Transformation effort, and I am pleased that Anniston is helping to lead the Army into the future."
MISSILE RECYCLING CENTER - ANNISTON MUNITIONS CENTER
Senator Shelby said, "Our bill includes $2.1 million to implement the AMRDEC-developed Missile Recycling Capabilities (MRC) technology modules to complete the organic ANMC MRC. This bill also includes $1.4 million for the development of Army MRC technology modules for the 6.3 series (MLRS) of tactical missiles.
M113A2/A3 ARMORING INITIATIVE
Senator Shelby said, “I am pleased the conference committee has included $100 million for the Armoring Initiative as part of the $25 billion in supplemental funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. This funding is for the Army to procure armor to improve M113 protection in the Iraq theater.”
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You are here: Press Releases Fluffy, but no less dangerous...
Fluffy, but no less dangerous...
A new, juvenile predatory dinosaur from Bavaria
Most of us grew up with an image of dinosaurs that was dominated by the “Jurassic Park” movies or documentaries such as “walking with dinosaurs” – dinosaurs were large, though active, reptiles with scaly skin, their outer appearance resembling overgrown lizards or crocodiles. Finds of feathered, bird-like predatory dinosaurs from China in the past ten years have somewhat challenged this view, but the large predators, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, or Megalosaurus, are still usually depicted as dragon-like reptilian monsters.
A find from the Late Jurassic (c. 150 million years ago) of southern Germany is about to change this. A German-American team led by Munich palaeontologist Oliver Rauhut of the Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie and the Ludwig Maximilians University report that this specimen represents a juvenile megalosaurid in the online edition of the scientific journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”. The most remarkable aspect of the find: the animal, which was found in the limestones of northern Bavaria, which are famous for their exceptionally preserved fossils, preserves remains of a filamentous plumage, indicating that the whole body was covered with feathers. “Under ultraviolet light, remains of the skin and feathers show up as luminous patches around the skeleton”, explains Helmut Tischlinger, one of the authors of the study, who also carried out the UV photography. The scientists baptized the new animal Sciurumimus albersdoerferi. The genus name refers to the scientific name of the tree squirrels, Sciurus, and means “squirrel-mimic” – referring to the especially bushy tail of the animal. The species name honours the private collector who made the specimen available for scientific study.
“All of the feathered predatory dinosaurs known so far represent close relatives of birds”, according to Rauhut: “Sciurumimus is much more basal within the dinosaur family tree and thus indicates that all predatory dinosaurs had feathers.” And that’s not all: It has already been known for a while that the flying reptiles, which are close relatives of the dinosaurs, also had a hair-like body cover, which is very similar to the filamentous feathers in the new find. Thus, it seems very probable that all dinosaurs had feathers, and our image of the gigantic reptiles has to be revised.
However, Sciurumimus is not only remarkable for its feathers. The skeleton, which represents the most complete predatory dinosaur ever found in Europe, furthermore is of a very young animal, probably a recently hatched baby. Fossils of young juveniles are rare, and thus this find allows a rare glimpse at a young predatory dinosaur. Apart from other, already known juvenile features, such as large eyes, the new find also confirmed other, so far theoretical hypotheses. “It has been suggested for some time that the lifestyle of predatory dinosaurs changed considerably during their growth”, according to Rauhut: “Sciurumimus shows a remarkable difference to adult megalosaurs in the dentition, which clearly indicates that it had a different diet.” Adult megalosaurs reached more than six metres in length and often weighed more than a ton. They were active predators, which probably also hunted other large dinosaurs. The juvenile specimen of Sciurumimus, which was only about 70 cm in length, probably hunted insects and other small and elusive prey, as evidenced by the slender, pointed teeth in the tip of the jaws. However, the small size of the specimen does not necessarily indicate that Sciurumimus was a small animal as adult. “From other finds we know that dinosaurs grew very fast”, says Rauhut: “An adult Sciurmumimus might have reached six metres or more. The find might show that large predatory dinosaurs might have been fluffy, but they were surely not less dangerous for that.” The study was financed by the Volkswagen Foundation and the American Museum of Natural History.
Rauhut, O. W. M., Foth, C., Tischlinger, H. & Norell, M. A. (2012). Exceptionally preserved juvenile megalosauroid theropod dinosaur with filamentous integument from the Late Jurassic of Germany. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published online; doi/10.1073/pnas.1203238109.
Dr. Oliver Rauhut
Tel: 089 2180 6645 / 0163 741 7552
Dipl.-Biol. Christian Foth
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Far From Over captures comeback in Belmont feature
NEW YORK (AP) Far From Over returned from a lengthy layoff to win the $80,000 allowance feature Friday at Belmont Park.
The ridgling (a horse with an undescended testicle) improved to 3 for 3 with a 1 1/4-length victory over Mills.
Far From Over became a Triple Crown contender for trainer Todd Pletcher when he overcame a stumble to win the Withers Stakes on Feb. 7, 2015. He had been sidelined since then with a hairline fracture of the left hind leg.
He captured the comeback with a rail rally after It's All Relevant faded after setting a blazing pace.
John Velazquez was aboard as the 4/5 favorite ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.40.
Far From Over paid $3.70, $3.20 and $2.20.
Mills returned $4.10 and $2.60. Three Alarm Fire paid $3.20 to show.
More Horse Racing
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IoT in healthcare at serious cyber attack risk
By : Rachel V. Thomas
Last Updated: Sun, Apr 07, 2019 17:49 hrs
New Delhi: While the healthcare industry is rapidly adopting new-age technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve access and outcomes especially in the rural areas, companies must ensure that the technology acts with responsibility and transparency, say experts.
In recent years, India has seen IoT adoption in education, governance and financial services. The technology has also enabled doctors see and interact with patients in remote telemedicine centres - with the case history and medical data automatically transmitted to the doctor for analysis.
"India has an acute shortage of doctors which impacts both the quality and reach of healthcare services in rural and urban centres," John Samuel, Managing Director (health and public service) at Accenture, told IANS.
"A digital platform powered by advanced digital technologies can enable continuous remote patient monitoring and reporting, allowing hospitals to extend care to more people, and reduce the burden on healthcare infrastructure," Samuel added.
According to the "IoT India Congress 2018", the Indian IoT market is expected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2016 to $9 billion by 2020 across sectors such as telecom, health, vehicles and homes, among others.
It is emerging as the next big thing to become a $300 billion global industry by 2020 and India is all set to capture at least 20 per cent market share in the next five years, says a Nasscom report.
However, lack of basic security awareness among staff as well as state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions has made the healthcare industry a favourite target for hackers.
A 2016 report from cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard found that healthcare is the fifth highest in ransomware counts among all industries, and more than 77 per cent of the entire healthcare industry has been infected with malware since August 2015.
Among them was the notorious WannaCry ransomware attack in 2016 which affected over 300,000 machines across 150,000 countries, including the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
"Despite suffering from ransomware attacks, organisations remain unprepared for the next round of large-scale attacks," Yariv Fishman, Head of Product Management (Cloud Security and IoT) at Check Point Software Technologies, told IANS in an email interaction.
Fishman pointed out that it is not mandatory for medical device manufacturers to include cybersecurity capabilities as part of their offerings.
Once integrated into a hospital, medical devices are fully utilised to meet patient care requirements.
As a result, even if a software patch that may prevent a potential cyber-attack is available, it usually takes lot of time for implementation.
Other reasons include old or unpatched operating systems and flat networks in which, guests, patients, doctors and connected medical devices, all share the same network.
To ensure security, medical device designers (particularly those with IoT components) should have a 360 degree view of the various parts of the network, said Fishman.
"They also need to segment parts of the network in order to contain malware attacks and mitigate the potential risk of one part of the network attacking other parts and integrate threat prevention solutions," he noted.
(Rachel V. Thomas can be contacted at rachel.t@ians.in)
Cities Price (10g)
Gold Rate in Chennai Rs. 33320.00 (1.15%)
Gold Rate in Mumbai Rs. 33900.00 (0%)
Gold Rate in Delhi Rs. 34050.00 (1.04%)
Gold Rate in Kolkata Rs. 34300.00 (0.91%)
Gold Rate in Kerala Rs. 32400.00 (0.78%)
Gold Rate in Bangalore Rs. 32450.00 (0.15%)
Gold Rate in Hyderabad Rs. 33320.00 (1.15%)
Cities Price (1 kg)
Silver Rate in Chennai Rs. 40600.00 (0.74%)
Silver Rate in Mumbai Rs. 40600.00 (0.74%)
Silver Rate in Delhi Rs. 40600.00 (0.74%)
Silver Rate in Kolkata Rs. 40600.00 (0.74%)
Silver Rate in Kerala Rs. 40600.00 (0.74%)
talking point on sify finance
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Draft 2014: Ranking the Quarterbacks
Will Forbes | February 7th 2014, 4:22 pm
Back in the fall, when football season was just getting started, I predicted that this year’s quarterback draft class would be as good or better than the impressive 2012 class.
First things first: Let’s go back and look at the successes from that 2012 group, widely considered the best quarterback draft class since that of John Elway, Dan Marino, and class of 1983. The first round carried the load with stars Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III going with the first two picks, to the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Redskins respectively. Current Miami Dolphins starter Ryan Tannehill was taken with the eighth pick. The notable quarterbacks taken outside the first round were Russell Wilson, who won the Super Bowl in only his second season, and Nick Foles of the Philadelphia Eagles, who led Philly to the playoffs.
Through their first two seasons in the NFL, the 2012 crop of quarterbacks has been very impressive. But I hold strong that this year’s group is going to impress as well.
1. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
Manziel is a flat-out stud. Since bursting onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2012, a season in which he became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Johnny Football has evolved into one of the biggest celebrities college football has ever seen. That offseason, Manziel’s every move was monitored and scrutinized by sports media everywhere. He didn’t miss a beat, his numbers improving as he matured as a passer. This season, Manziel’s growth as a player was evident. He spent less time scrambling around and more time in the pocket, and he was better for it. His throwing numbers improved and his rushing was as spectacular as ever. In my opinion, Manziel is the top QB in this draft for the simple reason that he is able to take over the game better than anyone else in the class. With the read-option offense gaining popularity, a team in need of a quarterback would be able to mold an offense around him, and there’s no telling what kind of numbers he could put up.
Projected draft position: Number 1 overall to the Houston Texans
2. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
Bridgewater is an interesting player. During the season he was widely considered to be the top quarterback in this draft by a long shot, but his stock has declined from “Number 1 overall pick” to “top 10 pick.” Bridgewater has great accuracy, terrific mobility, and he throws a good ball. His biggest downside is his deep ball arm strength. Honestly though, I love Bridgewater, and he is going to impress a lot of team executives during the interview process because he is a smart guy.
Projected draft position: Number 3 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Blake Bortles, Central Florida
I’m not sure how to feel about Bortles. He is a physical monster. At 6’4” and 229 pounds, he is the prototype NFL QB, something neither Bridgewater nor Manziel can claim. Coming into the season Bortles was a relative unknown, but after leading his UCF Knights squad to an 11-1 record, an American Athletic Conference championship, and a victory over Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl, he is widely considered one of the top quarterback prospects coming into the draft. Bortles has some obvious flaws. His footwork is a little sloppy, his accuracy needs to be polished a little bit, and he needs to work on throwing a more consistent spiral, but that’s about all that is wrong with his skill set. He has a rocket arm, a quick release, and he is a powerful runner. He could have the most upside of any quarterback in this draft.
Projected Draft Position: Number 4 overall to the Cleveland Browns or Number 7 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Zach Mettenberger, LSU
Beyond Manziel, Bridgewater, and Bortles is where this class gets interesting. There’s disagreement as to who the next off the board will be, and I think it should be Mettenberger. He is coming off an ACL tear and isn’t in the same tier as the top three, but he definitely has the ability to start in the NFL, even if it isn’t right away. The best fit for Mettenberger, a guy who has all the physical tools but still needs to put it together, is a team like the Saints or the Broncos. They already have established starting quarterbacks, but both of them, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, are finishing up their careers. The opportunity for Mettenberger to sit behind one of the best quarterbacks in the game for a few years before getting the opportunity to start would be invaluable and would make him much better once he gets an opportunity to start.
Projected Draft Position: Number 27 overall to the New Orleans Saints
5. Stephen Morris, Miami and Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech
Morris and Thomas are two of the most intriguing prospects in the draft and should be viewed about equally in the eyes of scouts. Physically, they’re probably the two best quarterbacks eligible. First Thomas. He is a monster. He’s tall, he’s fast, he’s strong, and he has a cannon for an arm. The two main flaws with Thomas are that he hasn’t put up great numbers in college and he isn’t very accurate as a passer. The first issue is out of his control at this point, but the second issue can be fixed. He would be smart to not throw at the combine and rather let scouts focus on his physical talents, and then throw at his school’s pro day. This strategy has been successful for similar quarterbacks in the past, and if Thomas executes it, he could wow some scouts and his draft status would skyrocket. With Morris, it’s as simple as this: He needs to improve his accuracy and prove that he can win consistently. He’s the anti AJ McCarron. What McCarron lacks in talent, he makes up for in wins (he’s won two national championships). Morris has all the talent. He has a great arm, he’s fast, and he has good footwork. But during his time at Miami, he’s been nothing better than average. If Morris impresses at the combine and at his pro day, he could end up as a second- or third-round pick, but there will still be questions about his numbers in college.
Projected draft positions: Second to third round
This is a very intriguing class. On top of the QBs I already mentioned, Alabama’s AJ McCarron, Fresno State’s Derek Carr, Georgia’s Aaron Murray, San Jose State’s David Fales, and Clemson’s Tajh Boyd could all be picked early too. Projections can only go so far though, and we’ll just have to wait and watch before we can really compare 2012’s class and this one.
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Select Company Type Amity Treaty Companies Branch Office International Headquarters (IHQ) Limited Partnership Ordinary Registered Partnership Regional Office Representative Office Thailand Private Limited Company Thailand Public Limited Company
Particulars Company Formation Auditing Requirements Registration Fees and Costs Taxation Miscellaneous
Thailand is a newly industrialized country, regarded today as the largest growing economic market. It serves as a gateway to Southeast Asia and the Greater Mekong sub-region, where newly emerging markets offer great potential for business. With an export-dependent economy, with exports accounting for more than two-thirds of its gross domestic product (GDP) Thailand has enjoyed steady growth, not the least of which is due to its abundance of natural resources. Its skilled workforce provides foreign investments a comparative advantage in the world economy, further boosting the development of the nation and its people, at the advantage of the investor.
On the domestic level, Thailand has a dynamic, adaptable infrastructure. This, coupled with its modernised transportation facilities, and upgraded technology services ensure optimum business and living conditions. The nation has also taken great strides in implementing liberalized investment policy, with a focus on stimulating free trade by foreign investors.
The government of Thailand is constantly working toward promoting foreign investment by way of incentives which provide a friendly business environment. These, together, encourage investors to dip their feet in the Thai economy, before spreading more regionally, particularly in the areas of research and large-scale investment. These foreign investments do well to promote innovation of skills and technology both in the region, and globally.
Continue reading more on Company Formation in the Thailand, read different forms of legal entities investors can incorporate, understand audit requirements, minimum capital requirement, shareholder liability, minimum directors requirement, residency laws and other information by selecting the options under the Menu.
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Home About Issues Resources Legislation (Members Only) Contact
HomeAboutIssuesResourcesLegislation (Members Only)Contact
Mark Nebergall
Mark Nebergall advises clients on all aspects of tax policy with respect to software transactions at state, federal and international levels. He also works with McDermott’s tax controversy team handling tax litigation where he brings his former experience as a litigator for the US Department of Justice, Tax Division. Mark combines tax policy and tax litigation skills to help solve client tax problems holistically.
Mark has served as President of the Software Finance and Tax Executives Council, a trade association providing software industry focused public policy advocacy in the areas of tax, finance and accounting. Previously, he was Vice President for Tax and Finance Policy for the Software Publishers Association (now the Software and Information Industry Association) and Special Trial Counsel for the Tax Division of the US Department of Justice. Mark has participated with the National Tax Association's Communications and Electronic Commerce Tax Project and has served as an advisor to the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce. Mark is co-author of “Sales and Use of Taxation of Cloud Computing,” a Tax Management Portfolio by the Bureau of National Affairs.
Successfully negotiated a cloud computing amendment to the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law (passed by voice vote)
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ISAs are tax-exempt savings accounts available to individuals. At Stewarts, we advise individuals on tax efficient investments in the Berkhamsted area. Some information about ISAs is given below.
Successive governments, concerned at the relatively low level of savings in the UK economy have over the years introduced various means by which individuals can save through a tax-free environment.
What is an ISA?
ISAs are tax-exempt savings accounts available to individuals aged 18 or over who are resident and ordinarily resident in the UK. ISAs are only available to individual investors and cannot be held jointly.
ISAs are guaranteed to run for ten years although there is no minimum period for which the accounts must be held.
Investment limits
The overall annual savings limit is £20,000.
Investment choices
Investors are allowed to invest in a cash ISA, an investment ISA, an Innovative Finance ISA, or a combination of the three subject to not exceeding the overall annual investment limit.
Investors are able to transfer their investments from a stocks and shares ISA to a cash ISA (or vice versa).
ISAs are allowed to invest in cash (including bank and building society accounts and designated National Savings), stocks and shares (including unit and investment trusts and government securities with at least five years to run) and life assurance.
A wide range of securities including certain retail bonds with less than five years before maturity, Core Capital Deferred Shares issued by building societies, listed bonds issued by Co-operative Societies and Community Benefit Societies and SME securities that are admitted to trading on a recognised stock exchange are eligible to be held in an ISA, Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund (CTF).
The Innovative Finance ISA can be used for loans arranged via a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform. Peer-to-peer lending is a small but rapidly growing alternative source of finance for individuals and businesses. The Innovative Finance ISA may also invest in debt securities offered via crowdfunding platforms.
Withdraw and replace monies
ISA savers may be able to withdraw and replace money from their cash ISA without it counting towards their annual ISA subscription limit for that year where they hold a 'Flexible ISA'.
Additional ISA allowance for spouses on death
An additional ISA allowance is available for spouses or civil partners when an ISA saver dies. The additional ISA allowance is equal to the value of a deceased person’s accounts at the time of their death and is in addition to the normal ISA subscription limit. There are time limits within which the additional allowance has to be used. In certain circumstances an individual can transfer to their own ISA non-cash assets such as stocks and shares previously held by their spouse.
In most cases, it is envisaged that the additional allowance will be used to subscribe to an ISA offered by the same financial institution that provided the deceased person’s ISA. As the rules allow the transfer of stocks and shares directly into the new ISA, in many cases the effect will be that the investments are left intact and the spouse becomes the new owner of the deceased person’s ISA.
The tax advantaged treatment of ISAs continues whilst an individual’s estate is in administration.
The income from ISA investments is exempt from income tax.
Any capital gains made on investments held in an ISA are exempt from capital gains tax.
Uses of an ISA
Many people use an ISA in the first instance, to save for a rainy day. Since they were first introduced people have used them to save for retirement, to complement their pension plans or to save for future repayment of their mortgage to give just a few examples. We have known young people, wary of commitment to long-term saving start an ISA and when more certain of the future use it as a lump sum to start another financial plan.
Help to Buy ISA
The Help to Buy ISA, which provides a tax-free savings account for first time buyers wishing to save for a home.
The scheme will provide a government bonus to each person who has saved into a Help to Buy ISA at the point they use their savings to purchase their first home. For every £200 a first time buyer saves, the government will provide a £50 bonus up to a maximum bonus of £3,000 on £12,000 of savings.
Help to Buy ISAs are subject to eligibility rules and limits:
An individual is only eligible for one account throughout the lifetime of the scheme and it is only available to first time buyers.
Interest received on the account will be tax-free.
Savings are limited to a monthly maximum of £200 with an opportunity to deposit an additional £1,000 when the account is first opened.
The government will provide a 25% bonus on the total amount saved including interest, capped at a maximum of £3,000 which is tax-free.
The bonus will be paid when the first home is purchased.
The bonus can only be put towards a first home located in the UK with a purchase value of £450,000 or less in London and £250,000 or less in the rest of the UK.
The government bonus can be claimed at any time, subject to a minimum bonus amount of £400.
The accounts are limited to one per person rather than one per home so those buying together can both receive a bonus.
The government has confirmed that Help to Buy ISA accounts will be available until 30 November 2019, when this type of account will be withdrawn for new savers. Those individuals that already have an account can keep saving until 30 November 2029, when accounts will close to additional contributions. An individual must claim their bonus by 1 December 2030.
A Lifetime ISA is available for adults under the age of 40. Individuals are able to contribute up to £4,000 per year and receive a 25% bonus on the contributions from the government. Funds, including the government bonus, can be used to buy a first home at any time from 12 months after opening the account, and can be withdrawn from age 60 completely tax-free.
Further details of the Lifetime ISA are as follows:
Any savings an individual puts into the account before their 50th birthday will receive an added 25% bonus from the government.
There is no maximum monthly contribution and up to £4,000 a year can be saved into a Lifetime ISA.
The detailed rules are based on those for the Help to Buy ISA, in that the withdrawal must be for the purchase of a property for the first-time buyer to live in as their only residence and not buy-to-let. There are differences, however. In particular, the bonuses within the Lifetime ISA can be used to fund the initial deposit on the home whereas the Help to Buy bonus can only fund the completion of the purchase.
The savings and bonus can be used towards a deposit on a first home worth up to £450,000 across the country.
Accounts are limited to one per person rather than one per home, so two first-time buyers can both receive a bonus when buying together.
An individual that has a Help to Buy ISA may transfer those savings into a Lifetime ISA, or continue saving into both. However, only the bonus from one account can be used to buy a house.
Where the funds are withdrawn at any time before the account holder is aged 60 they will lose the government bonus (and any interest or growth on this) and will also have to pay a 25% charge.
After the account holder’s 60th birthday they will be able to take all the savings tax-free.
Junior Individual Savings Account (Junior ISA)
Junior ISAs are available for UK resident children under the age of 18 who do not have a CTF account. Junior ISAs are tax advantaged and have many features in common with ISAs. They can be cash or stocks and shares based products. The annual subscription limit for Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund accounts is £4,368 for 2019/20 (£4,260 for 2018/19).
A transfer of savings from a CTF to a Junior ISA is permitted at the request of the registered contact for the CTF.
If you live in the Berkhamsted area please contact us at Stewarts if you would like any further information on Individual Savings Accounts.
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Steph supports Goyder women4 months ago
Steph supports Goyder women
Claire Harris
Community connection: Rural psychologist and Goyder SACWA branch president Steph Schmidt says social support networks are vital for health and wellbeing.
A fierce passion for rural health and a recognition of the importance of support networks has inspired Clare psychologist Steph Schmidt to launch a new Country Women's Association branch for the Goyder region.
What's important now?
This is the motto by which rural psychologist and Goyder South Australian Country Women's Association president Steph Schmidt lives her life.
"I've got it on a bracelet that I wear basically every day. It just reminds me to check in and think right, what's important in my life right now?" she said.
What's important to Steph at the moment is the wellbeing of rural women, as well as the general prosperity of towns throughout the Goyder region she calls home.
"It's a bit of a hidden gem here, we're between the Clare and Barossa valleys, which both attract a lot of publicity and tourists," she said.
"Goyder is an agricultural area, but there are also a lot of beautiful quaint shops and small businesses that most people don't know about."
Steph and husband Simon, along with their two children Ted, 4, and Angus, 1, are Worlds End residents, where they run a substantial farming enterprise across three properties.
But country blood has not always run in Steph's veins. In quite a stark contrast to her present way of life, she grew up in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect, which she claims was "five minutes from everywhere".
Steph was first drawn to the country when she met Simon at university.
"I was initially enrolled in international studies when I met Simon, about 13 years ago," she said.
"He was a farmer and I knew that international studies wouldn't fit too well with farming, so I changed to psychology, which I absolutely love."
Psychology was something Steph had always been interested in, and a career she knew would be better suited to living in the country.
People were becoming more isolated, and not getting out and about as much. - STEPH SCHMIDT
For five years, Steph split her time between Robertstown, where her and Simon initially lived, and Adelaide, and moved to Worlds End after completing her Masters in 2012.
Today, she works at Country and Outback Health in Clare.
Fitting her future journey, Steph's university Honours research project was in men's rural mental health, looking at the role of social support in the community.
"I think knowing the importance of social support was part of my motivation to get the SACWA branch going," she said.
Living in the country, Steph has been able to see first-hand how women are holding communities together.
"It's the women who are looking after the kids, or keeping the business side going on the farm, or looking after the husbands – we ourselves need the release somewhere," she said.
The release, Steph decided, was going to be in the form of a new SACWA branch for the Goyder region.
"Last year, conversations with friends about the CWA popped up at various times and I thought it could be a good idea," she said.
Steph believed the ongoing drought was making communities increasingly detached, and something needed to be done.
"People were becoming more isolated, and not getting out and about as much," she said.
A television segment was the final trigger that helped Steph realise a new branch could make a difference.
It's not supposed to be an obligation or a chore, it's a place for fun, friendship and support. - STEPH SCHMIDT
"We were watching the 7:30 Report one night and there was a segment on drought, where they showed an interstate CWA branch creating care packs and voucher packs to help those in need," she said.
"Initially, the branch could be a place for women to get together, socialise and make new friendships, and then later there is potential to give back in a meaningful way to the community."
The inaugural Goyder branch meeting was held on February 22, and Steph said it was a huge success.
"There was a really wide range of people there, lots of women from different backgrounds," she said.
Steph emphasised that the meetings are intended to be a healthy support, not just a place to get together and "have a whinge about things".
"Whether we're learning something new, or learning some new self-care, I think there are a lot of the things we consider old-school that the CWA used to do, like knitting and handicraft, which are actually really valuable skills," she said.
"In mental health we talk about mindfulness, all about being here in this moment now, and all those skills are really good for doing that."
Steph encouraged anyone thinking of joining the new branch to come along and try it out.
"It's not supposed to be an obligation or a chore, not another committee meeting, it's a place for fun, friendship and support," she said.
Aside from CWA involvements, Steph is an active member of a number of local community groups and initiatives to empower rural women.
"Last year I got to attend the National Rural Women's Coalition in Canberra, which was all about networking, women's leadership and resilience. That certainly gave me some good ideas for the new branch," she said.
Steph is also a local organiser for 'Women Together Learning', and is on the conference committee for the 2020 Thriving Women's Conference.
Other community involvements, including Burra daycare and drought community reference groups, all combine to make Steph a busy woman, yet she is aware of the importance of taking time for herself.
"I enjoy yoga, crochet and getting out on the farm with the boys, or watching them play, just really making an effort to have some healthy ways to spend downtime," she said.
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VMware Cloud on AWS Goes Global
Let’s Chat About Public Cloud Security
New to Microsoft Power BI: Multi-source Tailored Insights
South African companies will soon be able to leverage multi-cloud and hybrid cloud infrastructure through the VMware’s updated cloud management tools for the Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud.
The VMware Cloud on AWS platform has been extended to Europe, in UK and Germany, and has seen increasing demand from global organisations and multi-national enterprises in the configuration hybrid cloud services fit for global expansion.
By making VMware Cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS) available in Europe, the company is also bringing the service closer to other regions, for example, South Africa.
The hybrid cloud model with VMware and VMware Cloud on AWS is a key component of the technology and business transformation in organisations. It enables customers to work seamlessly with hybrid clouds and multiple clouds, and manage them from a single interface, which will enhance analytics and user behaviour.
The system allows businesses to easily move workloads between its private cloud and the public cloud, providing agility for production services and disaster recovery. The flexibility of multi-cloud environments means that businesses can easily mitigate security risks.
Companies can develop any type of application to the cloud and any device through VMware Cloud, and keep a consistent infrastructure across cloud environments.
VMware and AWS also enable system integrator and system outsourcer (SISO) partners, managed service providers, and solutions providers to grow their cloud business and help their customers realise the full benefits of hybrid cloud.
Although AWS does not have datacentre presence and cloud infrastructure in South Africa, the AWS cloud service can be accessed via partner programs, such as the VMware Cloud Provider Programme, according to Ian Jansen van Rensburg, senior systems engineering manager at VMware Sub-Saharan Africa.
Organisations can leverage the power of AWS cloud with VMware in the country as long as they are legally allowed to expand data access beyond the country’s boundaries.
Customers need to support both new and existing applications following their digital transformation process, which is ultimately driving massive cloud adoption locally, and the use of multi-cloud and hybrid solutions.
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Chocolate and Novels: For What Ails You in February
Caroline Vandreil’s monthly column reviewing a recent read.
Megan Roth
My go-to for when I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed is to eat copious amounts of chocolate and read mystery novels. It really doesn’t help with the stress – the chocolate gives only a momentary feelings of delight before dropping to my waist and thighs, and reading novels takes away from time needed to get stuff done. But, at least for a short, pleasant period of time, I can disappear into a world of 1930’s murder and mayhem, in novels by J.J. Murphy.
I enjoy historical fiction. I think it’s because my librarian brain wants to look things up and check out facts for accuracy. I learned all sorts of interesting things about people who were the “talk of the town” of New York in “Murder Your Darlings.” Actor Douglas Fairbanks makes guest appearance, but the focus of the novel is on the members of the Algonquin Round Table, particularly Dorothy Parker and her good friend, Robert Benchley. The Algonquin Round Table was literally a round table in the centre of the dining room of the Algonquin Hotel, which is still in business today, where artists, and magazine and newspaper writers and editors would meet for lunch. The author takes some liberties with timelines, but otherwise the story is fairly accurate historically.
The story starts with Dorothy Parker arriving for lunch, only to discover a dead body under the table. One of the early suspects is Billy (William) Faulkner, who has come to New York to find his writing voice and to meet Dorothy Parker. Parker takes him under her wing, hiding him from the police, mobsters, and the murderer. Hijinks ensue as Parker changes Faulkner’s name to protect him, then dashes about the city with Benchley in tow, following clues to determine who really did commit the crime.
At times, the novel plays out like a comic movie. Both Parker and Benchley, both well known for their pithy, often sardonic, witticisms in real life, are written as true to form. Murphy occasionally includes jokes and one-liners that Parker and Benchley are known to have said (although in slightly different contexts). Scenes with the police detective, O’Rannigan, and some of his underlings are reminiscent of the Keystone Cops silent films. The atmosphere, dialogue, and action all have the feel of a 1930’s short film, something that both Benchley and Parker wrote for and/or worked in later in their lives.
In both “Murder Your Darlings” and “You Might As Well Die,” Murphy writes Parker as a woman in love with her best friend, Benchley. There is no historical evidence to support there being a romantic relationship between the two, despite their close working relationship, but it does work to create additional tension between the characters.
Initially I thought the title was a throw-away, simply pulled from a couple of quotations about authors needing to kill their ”inspired” and “exceptionally fine writing” so that it not see the light of day. Further reflection shows me that the title is actually quite fitting, especially as it pertains to the murderer.
All in all, “Murder Your Darlings” by J.J. Murphy had me going to Google enough for me to feel that I wasn’t completely wasting my time reading. It was actually enjoyable enough for me to find the next book in the series, “You Might As Well Die” and rapidly consume it as well. Murphy portrays Parker as an audacious heroine, and writes enough action to keep the plot moving, especially towards the end.
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I Took a Break from Building My Toothpick Diorama to Go See the Weirdest Movie of the Year
The screenwriter of Blair Witch just watched his first movie in 18 months, so of course he wrote about the experience for Talkhouse.
By Simon Barrett | February 19, 2018
Simon Barrett‘s screenwriting and producing credits include The Guest, You’re Next, A Horrible Way to Die, Dead Birds and portions of the anthology films V/H/S, V/H/S/2 and The ABCs of Death. His next film, Blair Witch, opens in theaters on September 16. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
Doug Burke
film commentary
Hello readers! It is time to once again take my hand and venture back into the local cinemporium for another round of everyone’s favorite delight: movies! Now, you may recall the last movie I reviewed for you: Nine Lives, a film that has aged phenomenally. “But Simon,” I can hear you wrathfully howl, “That review came out on August 5, 2016! Why haven’t you reviewed any films since then?” Well, the truth, dear readers, is that I have not seen a film since then. There were a couple that struck my interest, but none of them looked truly special, and besides, I’ve been creating an autobiographical diorama out of toothpicks.
However, a few weeks back I saw that fellow friend of cinema Phil Blankenship had posted a trailer on Twitter that caught my eye. If you don’t follow Phil on social media, you should, if for only one reason: he is the most adventurous moviegoer I know. Phil is the kind of guy who will drive out to Irvine to see some unknown movie that’s playing only one screening simply because it’s playing only one screening. Ever look at a multiplex’s various listings and at the bottom there’s some film you’ve never heard of? Well, Phil’s heard of it, and likely has strong feelings about it.
As such, I took note when Phil posted the trailer for Surfer: Teen Confronts Fear, as it’s called in all marketing materials. It’s been a while since I enjoyed a fine night out at the movies, I mused, and I do quite like surfing, and fear. So off I drove to the Laemmle Music Hall 3!
Surfer (the onscreen title) is a film written, directed and produced by Doug Burke, a 54-year-old USC science professor who also stars in the film alongside his mortally embarrassed teenage son, Sage Burke, who plays the lead character of Surfer. Opening narration informs us that Surfer had a bad surfing accident and is now scared to surf, so he just fishes all day to be near the ocean. One day while fishing, he sees a man drowning, causing Surfer to cut his fishing line, run out into the water, run back to shore, then run back out into the water and save the man.
The man Surfer rescued turns out to be his father, Jack. Surfer is confused because he was under the impression that his father died “in a war.” Jack confirms that this is accurate, he is dead, and tells Surfer to feel his hand, shouting that it feels like “hard jelly.” He explains that he asked God to help him return to the mortal realm to give his son advice, and yells, “God made me out of squid and electricity.” That matter resolved, Jack gives his son advice in a lengthy oceanside monologue featuring a 12-minute continuous shot, during which Jack proclaims, “There’s always a whale crying somewhere in the ocean,” and at one point screams, “I am living in an iron maiden of pain, boy!” This causes Surfer to shrug uncomfortably and look at the ground, as if vaguely worried that some of his friends from school might walk by and see him. Anyway, the gist of the whole speech is that Surfer needs to confront his fear.
To move things forward, Jack forces Surfer to look at a dead whale, then tells him to go to an address and ask the man there, Banks, for money to go surfing. Once at this location, Surfer finds that it is a secret military hospital where, in a shocking twist, his father is a patient, alive but brain damaged. Banks, a military doctor, tells Surfer that Jack was an elite, government-trained assassin who, on his last mission, swam through shark-infested waters in order to attach a bomb to a boat. However, Jack was caught in the explosion and has been semi-comatose ever since. After a scene of hypnotically repetitive dialogue, Banks gives Surfer money to go surfing and Surfer goes surfing.
Narratively, this is the end of the film; however, we see Surfer surf, go surfing again, then surf some more. Roughly about half of Surfer’s 96 minute runtime is comprised of home movie and vacation footage of Surfer surfing. Sage Burke, to his credit, seems to be quite good at surfing, which is I suppose why his father decided to make a film about that. You will have time to contemplate this extensively.
At the screening I attended, Doug Burke was present for a Q&A, although his son was not. Doug cheerfully noted that Sage “won’t get anywhere near this theater,” and said that his now 16-year-old son told him, “I just can’t handle that right now.” Reportedly 11 years in the making, Surfer was conceived as a silent film, then transformed into something more like a narrative when Doug Burke decided to rekindle his longtime love of method acting.
Other key information delivered at the Q&A was that Doug Burke’s original cut of the film was 6½ hours long, at which time he asked the movie’s editor to help him shorten it, and the score was composed by Doug watching the final edit and humming along to it, then recording his humming and giving it to a composer. We all had many more questions. At one point in the film, Jack tells Surfer that Surfer was saved by the spirit of a sea lion, which is is never referenced again, causing me to genuinely think I imagined it. I asked about this, and Doug Burke’s reply was helpfully recorded for posterity by Jason Eisener in the video below:
I have mixed feelings about Surfer. On one hand, it is a fine film about surfing and receiving poetic life advice from the ghost of a semi-comatose covert assassin who has been temporarily resurrected as squid meat. On the other, it has no talking cat in it. But ultimately, it is a film that is worth your time and attention. Surfer concludes its one-week Academy-qualifying run (Doug Burke’s words, not mine) at the Music Hall 3 in Beverly Hills this Thursday, February 22, then a later theatrical run in Newport Beach is scheduled. After that, who can say, so I recommend you run, don’t walk (or surf!) to see Surfer: Teen Confronts Fear. 18.5 out of 27 stars.
Talkhouse Weekend Playlist: Going East with Khruangbin
The Hot Dads of Are We Not Cats
Blair Witch’s Screenwriter Says Nine Lives is the Most Important Film of the Year
Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Philip) Talks Adam Wingard’s The Guest
I Watched Paddington 2 Without Psychedelics (But It Was Still Brilliant)
I Got Stoned and Watched Valerian in 4DX and It Was … Yaaassssssssssssssssss!
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Sweet autumn clematis has an odious side
This vine makes really wonderful, sweet odors…but I am afraid that the plant itself is a bit odious.
Sweet autumn clematis has an odious side This vine makes really wonderful, sweet odors…but I am afraid that the plant itself is a bit odious. Check out this story on tallahassee.com: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2018/08/30/sweet-autumn-clematis-has-odious-side/1146670002/
John Nelson, Guest columnist Published 6:26 p.m. ET Aug. 30, 2018
Sweet autumn clematis is a perennial vine.(Photo: Herrick Brown)
Bottom: "Thisby, the flowers of odious savours sweet,— "
Quince: “Odours, odours.”
Bottom: “—odours savours sweet…”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 3, Scene 1
It’s one of the funniest situations in any of Shakespeare’s comedies, and surely had his audience rolling. Several goofballs intend to act out the parts of “Pyramus and Thisby” during the wedding celebration of the Duke of Athens and his newly betrothed. Hippolyta.
John Nelson (Photo: Special to the Democrat)
The actors had their heart in it, but alas, needed some coaching with the lines and speech. This week’s Mystery Plant, Sweet autumn clematis, Clematis terniflora, makes really wonderful, sweet odors…but I am afraid that the plant itself is a bit odious.
It’s a perennial vine, vigorous, and ultimately with woody stems. Handsome foliage is produced: the leaves come two at a time at each node of the stem, and each leaf is divided into a number of dark green, toothy leaflets.
These leaflets have the curious ability of wrapping themselves around other plants’ parts, much like tendrils would. It’s a good way to access the top of surrounding vegetation, including small trees. The plants grow like crazy starting in late spring, and blooming begins late in the summer.
Now, at least in central South Carolina, blooming seems to be at its full maximum. Clouds of conspicuous, white flowers are produced in masses atop a bank of tangled vinery, to the point that some of the supporting vegetation may start to sag under the weight. Each individual flower is made up of four elongated sepals, forming an X. There will be a good many white stamens in the center, and as well, a number of separate white, skinny pistils.
Most people will agree that when this plant is in bloom, there is not much else like it. The scent of the flowers is marvelously sweet, a delicate sort of cotton-candy mask that seems heaviest on a warm afternoon, well into the evening, the desire of many a fat bumblebee and hawkmoth.
Following blooming, each one of those pistil will elongate, containing a single seed, and eventually becoming fuzzy and feathery. (Botanists would call the fruit an achene…one that is specialized for floating a bit through the air.)
By the time frost comes around, the accumulated achenes look like soft, downy fur on the vines. I’ve been getting a good many local requests for identification of this plant, and most everybody seems to be thrilled to have it in their yard, due to the wonderful fragrance.
But that word “odious” comes up. This species is native to eastern Asia, and I fear that its intentional importation into the USA long ago was a mistake. It has become widespread east of the Mississippi, and is likely to keep spreading.
It has a potential for being a real pest, just like many other non-natives. In fact, most of the people I’ve heard from about this plant admit that they don’t know how it got into their yards: it just sort of showed up…and probably won’t ever leave.
John Nelson is the curator of the A. C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina, in the Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia SC 29208. As a public service, the Herbarium offers free plant identifications. For more information, visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-777-8196, or email nelson@sc.edu.
Read or Share this story: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2018/08/30/sweet-autumn-clematis-has-odious-side/1146670002/
Prof finds art springs from the heart behind bars
Ostriches, blabbermouths lose cases | Judge Smith
Check out the stars in July's of Active Living
Dogs have their day in the Aloft hotel lobby
Wakulla Institute works the waterfront issues
Sun-loving perennial groundcovers take the heat
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Tennessee ranked angriest, most hateful state in nation
It also made it to the list of the country's top 10 most sinful states overall.
Tennessee ranked angriest, most hateful state in nation It also made it to the list of the country's top 10 most sinful states overall. Check out this story on Tennessean.com: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/02/21/tennessee-hate-groups-most-angry-state/360742002/
Natalie Allison, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee Published 5:17 p.m. CT Feb. 21, 2018 | Updated 12:36 p.m. CT Feb. 22, 2018
New studies show that chronic anger could cause deadly health problems. Buzz60
Tennessee is the angriest, most hateful state in the nation, according to rankings from Wallethub.(Photo: Getty Images)
After compiling a variety of data sources, WalletHub has released its list of the most sinful states in America — and Tennessee made it to the top 10.
The financial help website says the Volunteer State is the sixth most sinful state overall, but is ranked No. 1 in "anger and hatred" in a breakdown of specific sins.
More: SPLC: Neo-Nazi, KKK chapters among new hate groups in Tennessee
More: Why white nationalists are descending on Tennessee's state parks
In addition to anger and hatred, the study ranked states for jealousy, excesses and vice, greed, lust, vanity and laziness.
Tennessee was ranked third worst for excesses and vice and was in the nation's top 20 ranking for almost all of the other sin categories examined.
Source: WalletHub
The study listed Florida as the nation's overall most sinful state, followed by California, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan, Arkansas and Louisiana.
To Tennessee's south, Alabama came in 11th overall.
In studying the costs associated with specific sins — or habits — in each state, WalletHub used a total of 38 indicators to rank the states.
White nationalist groups march in Shelbyville chanting 'closed borders' Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Natalie Allison/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Those indicators included crime, health, education and real estate statistics, among other data that came from government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; private companies like PornHub and TransUnion; and nonprofits like the Southern Poverty Law Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation and others.
For example, to determine the angriest and most hateful states, WalletHub looked at, per capita, violent crimes, sex offenders, hate groups and hate crime incidents, in addition to the number of mass shootings and elder abuse complaints.
WalletHub's results were released the same day as the Southern Poverty Law Center's annual Year In Hate report, which listed 37 active hate groups in Tennessee, including neo-Nazi, KKK, racist skinhead, white nationalist, black nationalist and other extremist groups.
White nationalists in Shelbyville, Tennessee, for a 'White Lives Matter' rally on Oct. 28, 2017. The Southern Poverty Law Center says there are 37 active hate groups in the Volunteer State. (Photo: Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean)
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.
Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/02/21/tennessee-hate-groups-most-angry-state/360742002/
Report: ASD failing students, needs change to succeed
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Roger Federer describes how it feels like to be invincible
What does Roger Federer feel when he dominates the game and plays at his best level? Over the years the world No. 2 knew how this feeling was like. From 2005 to 2006, Federer won 56 consecutive matches on hard courts. 'Usually you are at your absolute best at the end of the tournament, because now the sensation of the ball, of the court, of the speed, of the crowd, of the surroundings, everything is so crystal clear, that's when you can play your best tennis', he said.
'And then obviously you have to get in the lead and you have to feel like now there is nothing that's gonna stop me anymore, that feeling kicks in and it feels like everything is in and slow mo coming towards me and you feel like for the opponent everything is going super fast so that's when I feel at times invincible, it's very rare but it has happened in the past and it's a beautiful thing to have as a tennis player or as an athlete.' ALSO READ: Roger Federer: A 37-year-old should not be favorite for the US Open
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Marian Ernestine (Jeffries) Smith
August 7, 1936 ~ May 7, 2019 (age 82)
Life’s Reflection
Marian Ernestine Smith ,82, passed away on May 7, 2018 at Life Care Center in Grandview, Missouri. She was born on August 7, 1936 in Bells, Tennessee to Joseph and Alice Jeffries.
Marian grew up in Bells, Tennessee. She graduated from Carver Highschool in Brownsville, Tennessee in 1954. After high school she:
Attended college at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee where she received a Bachelor degree in Elementary Education.
Began work as a teacher for Stowe where she worked for 5 years. She also worked at Quindaro Elementary School for 29 years. She retired in 1995 after 34 years.
She attended Bluff Creek Baptist.
Marian married Eltea Smith in 1963 in Kansas City, Kansas. They were happily married for 47 years. Marian was a member of Allen Chapel. She enjoyed fishing, playing the piano and playing bridge.
Marian was preceded in death by her spouse Eltea Smith of Kansas City, Kansas; her parents, Joseph and Alice Jeffries; brothers, James Louis Jeffries; Joseph Jeffries, Jr. and Russel Jeffries.
Marian is survived by her stepson, Glenn Smith (Olivia) of Grandview, Missouri; her sisters, Ann Hightower of Grandview, Missouri; Alice Moore of Brownsville, Tennessee and Albert Jeffries of Brownsville, Tennessee (Lillian); her step grandchildren, Brad Smith; Darren Smith and Kim Carson; her great grandchildren and her nieces and nephews and other relatives.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Allen Chapel at 3421 N 29 Street Kansas City, Kansas 66104.
Image: Susie B / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Postnatal Zika Infection Causes Brain Damage in Infant Macaques
The findings highlight the need for long-term monitoring of children exposed to the virus, say scientists.
Jim Daley
KALYANVARMA, WIKIMEDIA
The devastating developmental damage that Zika infection can cause when children are infected in the womb is abundantly clear. But a big question has remained: what about babies infected shortly after birth? To gain some insight, researchers infected infant rhesus macaques with Zika virus after they were born, and observed that monkeys have abnormal brain development and display atypical behavior at six months of age. The research is published today (April 4) in Science Translational Medicine.
The study “is the first of its kind to really show how pathogenic Zika can be in infants, even when infants are postnatally infected,” says Dan Barouch, a virologist at Harvard Medical School who was not part of the study. “There’s certainly correlative clinical data that would make us think that similar problems could very well occur in humans as well.”
Zika infection during pregnancy is associated with congenital birth defects in about 10 percent of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2016, three births per 1,000 in 15 US states and territories had a birth defect that was “possibly associated” with Zika infection, according to a CDC report issued January 25. But until now, postnatal Zika infection was not widely considered to be a threat to development.
See “Parts of U.S. Saw an Increase in Zika-Linked Birth Defects in 2016”
“Other viral infections that occur postnatally have been associated with no real overt abnormalities early on, and then learning disabilities [appear] or other things that present in the school-age child,” says study coauthor Ann Chahroudi, a pediatrician at Emory University. She and her colleagues thought the same could be true for Zika.
They infected six infant macaques with Zika five weeks after birth, and monitored the monkeys’ brain development and behavior, as well as that of two healthy controls, for a year. In the infected monkeys, the virus invaded the peripheral and central nervous systems, causing inflammation and cell death. Six months after exposure, the researchers analyzed the macaques’ brain development with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. They saw structural differences in the infected monkeys’ hippocampi as well as in the functional connectivity between the hippocampus and amygdala. These structures, part of the brain’s limbic system, are involved in processing fear and other emotional responses.
MRI images of infant monkey brains at 6 months of age. Infants previously infected with Zika virus exhibited larger ventricles (cavities that contain cerebrospinal fluid) in the corpus callosum and hippocampus (yellow arrows) compared to healthy controls.M MAVIGNER ET AL.
The scientists then measured the macaques’ behavioral responses to a stress test. The Zika-infected animals “behaved in a species-atypical manner,” says Chahroudi. They were making abnormal vocalizations and failed to show the fear responses expected in macaques at that age. The abnormal responses indicate “that the processing in the limbic system isn’t happening correctly,” she explains.
See “Zika Virus Persists in the Nervous System and Elsewhere”
The study “really highlights the need to develop interventions,” says Koen Van Rompay, an infectious disease scientist at the University of California, Davis. If Chahroudi’s findings are confirmed in human studies, “perhaps we should consider immunizing infants,” he says. So far, there are no Zika vaccines approved for use. If a baby does become infected, antiviral drugs that can block Zika—particularly in the brain—will be critical, and “the earlier you can intervene, the better,” he adds.
“We can’t really know whether a Zika vaccine should be given . . . until we see the clinical performance of these vaccines,” says Barouch. Once an immunization is available, men and women should be vaccinated before pregnancy to protect from congenital Zika infection, he says, “but whether that will protect against postnatal infection, I think time will tell,” he says. Infants infected in utero or after they’re born should be monitored at critical times in their development long-term, he adds.
As a pediatrician, Chahroudi says, if she saw a case of postnatal Zika infection in one of her patients, she would recommend monitoring and cognitive testing. She admits she can’t say what the long-term outcomes could be for infected macaques—let alone human infants—based on results after one year. But the study provides important evidence that the postnatal Zika virus infection may have developmental outcomes “that are apparent long after the virus has cleared from the blood,” she says.
M. Mavigner et al., “Postnatal Zika virus infection is associated with persistent abnormalities in brain structure, function, and behavior in infant macaques,” Sci Transl Med,
doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aao6975, 2018.
rhesus macaque
Opinion: Test Brain-Reviving Technology in Infants First
Zika’s Persistence in Infants
Infant Monkeys Died in Accidental Poisoning at UC Davis Lab
Zika Grabs Neural Stem Cell Protein to Cause Damage
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More Speculation Over Glenn Beck's Future at Fox
Is he preparing to leave the network?
Caitlin Dickson
This article is from the archive of our partner .
Earlier this month, David Carr's New York Times article about Glenn Beck's possible departure from his home at Fox sparked speculation. Today, rumors that Joel Cheatwood, Fox News' Senior Vice President for development and Glenn Beck's Fox liaison, will be leaving the network for Beck's personal production company, Mercury Radio Arts, has fueled even further curiosity. Deadline Hollywood reports that Cheatwood's contract will expire next month and a renewal is unlikely, as "Cheatwood had reportedly been marginalized for more than a year."
Mediaites's Colby Hall, for one, takes the talk of Cheatwood's transfer as a sign that Glenn Beck has big plans for the future, plans that don't include Fox News. "By bringing on a senior television executive with Cheatwood’s track record, Beck seems to be telling to the television world (and perhaps his current employer) that his vision for his future in broadcasting is not entirely reliant on Fox News," Hall suggests.
In response to Beck's purported plotting, Business Insider's Glynnis MacNicol posts a photo showing posters of both Beck and Sean Hannity posing next to a giant "#1" in the lobby News Corps headquarters, sent in by a reader. "Doesn't look like he's on his way out does it?" quips MacNicol. Still, she admits, "Needless to say both Fox and Beck would likely be fine without each other...That said, it's also hard to imagine Beck and Fox tossing away such a mutually profitable relationship. Instead, probably better to prepare for another nine months of public 'negotiations' such as what we've been seeing over the last few weeks."
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
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Two employees in the Utilities Department — one a supervisor and the other a lower-ranking employee — resigned after city leaders voted to recommend their termination earlier this year. Their identities have not been released, but they are the subject of a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing.
When the city started taking a closer look at the delinquent bills and determined the multimillion-dollar deficit, wrongdoing was suspected and reported to the District Attorney’s Office and the State Auditor’s Office.
“This administration would not tolerate misuse of taxpayer dollars,” Broomfield said. “We are going to do everything to make sure people are brought to justice, because it isn’t fair for people who work hard and pay their bills regularly to allow those who decided to beat the system to get away with it. That’s not going to happen here.”
The Sun Herald filed a records request to take a look at the customer accounts with outstanding debt, but the city is still in the process of collecting the information.
Hiding the deficit
City Clerk Stephanie Coleman said the former employees in question had been manipulating Utilities Department records in such a way that is was almost impossible to know what was going on.
“They knew how to maneuver codes so we wouldn’t know what was happening,” she said. “Once I started looking at the numbers, things just didn’t make sense to me. The revenue was way too low for me and I started questioning things and it was just a ripple effect.”
Related: Records show Moss Point benefit fund paid for trips, liquor, spas
After the investigation began, Broomfield and Coleman said, the city determined the subjects of the investigation had allegedly been accepting the minimal cash payments and then voiding out the receipts they’d give to the customer. As a result, there was no record of the transaction unless the customer kept their copy of the receipt.
In other instances, officials said, certain employees would allow customers with delinquent accounts at one address to open up an account at a new address without settling their outstanding debt.
“We had people in that department who knew how to manipulate the financial system so that people, such as me and the mayor, wouldn’t know what was going on,” Coleman said. “These people knew how to code things in such a way where you couldn’t find the discrepancy. If I don’t look at these accounts every day, I’m not going to see it.”
The city expects to see the prosecution of former employees and possibly others.
“There is not a statute of limitation, so once this investigation is concluded, they (investigators) will go after the people who have violated the trust and broken the law,” Broomfield said. “There is a possibility of retribution and jail time.”
Suspicions arise
Broomfield suspected wrongdoing when he started noticing a pattern by which some of the same residents repeatedly made it onto a list of customers with outstanding debt for their monthly utility service.
“I had people who owed the city $10,000 water bills when I got here and $5,000 water bills and $2,000 water bills and that was done with the blessing of the last administration,” he said. “You should never allow people to dig that kind of hole because they will never get out of it.
“The people who suffer are the citizens who pay their bills regularly and depend on our services and we can’s provide those services if we can’t pay for them.”
So far, Coleman said, the city has determined 13 percent of the residents had not been paying their water bills and 7 percent more had been stealing the services through illegal direct hookups to the system.
Those figures could rise as the investigation continues.
City survives off revenue
What people don’t realize, Coleman said, is the city “survives primarily off the utility revenue” and when customers don’t pay up, the city is unable to pay to improve services or to do such things as offer incentives for businesses to set up shop there.
In addition, the city has been unable to make equipment upgrades or buy needed new vehicles, because they don’t have the money.
The city has taken action against a couple of residents for unpaid bills or illegal hookups, but only a couple people so far have been cited and fined for such action. Broomfield expects that to change after the internal investigation is completed.
The city has implemented changes to improve the utility services as well, including an upgrade to electronic water meters that show exactly the amount of the service the customer is using.
Debt collector calling
To collect the millions in debt owed the Utilities Department, the city is signing a contract with American Civil Services, a company that collects unpaid debt.
“We don’t have the revenue in house to hire any additional people to go after these people for unpaid debt,” Coleman said. “That’s why we are working with the collection agency. They will go after these unpaid fines. That is what they do.”
In addition, the rules and regulations in the Utilities Department are being upgraded, something that hasn’t been done in 21 years, Broomfield said.
Customers who don’t pay will start feeling the effects of the way things operate in the Utilities Department. If customers don’t pay up, they won’t have the services.
“You’ve got to fix what is broken,” Broomfield said. “Sometimes, I wake up early in the morning thinking of the neglect the city has been subjected to. In the past, people have really taken advantage of the city of Moss Point.
“People don’t understand. When you don’t pay your bills or when you have illegal usage, all that stuff is stealing and you are stealing from yourself because once we start looking at the budget, we find we don’t have the equipment to keep the grounds mowed. We can’t employ certain staff. You steal from the community and you really make the day-to-day hard for us. And it’s all because they didn’t do what they vowed to do when they signed up here.”
Margaret Baker: 228-896-0538, @Margar45
Moss Point officials have discovered that more than $3.4 million of utility bills have not been collected over the last several years. John Fitzhugh jcfitzhugh@sunherald.com File
Moss Point City Clerk Stephanie Coleman holds a list of delinquent accounts with the city’s utility department as she talks Monday, Nov. 21, 2016 about the $3.4 million of uncollected bills there. John Fitzhugh jcfitzhugh@sunherald.com
Moss Point Mayor Billy Broomfield talks Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, about the $3.4 million of uncollected bills at the city’s utility department. John Fitzhugh jcfitzhugh@sunherald.com
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MORE JACKSON COUNTY
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Two now arrested in Gautier gas station killing
Why city employees are suing a Coast mayor: Millennial bias, a God sign, Confederate flag
On the Coast, Hancock County likely to take brunt of Tropical Storm Barry
Partially-decomposed body found off Dolphin Drive in Gautier, police say
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IRS doesn’t tell 1 million taxpayers that illegal immigrants stole their Social Security numbers – Washington Times:
“The IRS has discovered more than 1 million Americans whose Social Security numbers were stolen by illegal immigrants, but officials never bothered to tell the taxpayers themselves, the agency’s inspector general said in a withering new report released Tuesday. Investigators first alerted the IRS to the problem five years ago, but it’s still not fixed, the inspector general said, and a pilot program meant to test a solution was canceled — and fell woefully short anyway. As a result, most taxpayers don’t learn that their identities have been stolen and their Social Security files may be screwed up.
‘Taxpayers identified as victims of employment-related identity theft are not notified,’ the inspector general said. The report alarmed lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who were shocked that the IRS had gone for so long without fixing the issue. ‘It is stunning that the IRS has chosen to aid and abet identity thieves for so long instead of protecting the innocent victims of the theft,’ said Sen. Daniel Coats, Indiana Republican.”
Oh yes, let’s be sure to mention that a Republican was “shocked”. As if that’s a relevant point.
*Yawn* Move along, nothing to see here. It’s just the little people who are affected.
Carrying the Light
Exercises in Unreality: The Decline in Teaching Western Civilization | Intercollegiate Studies Institute: Educating for Liberty:
“Now, it should seem a matter of course to say that if you do not know who Michael Faraday and William Harvey are you have no business setting yourself up as a judge of a course in the history of science. It is fascinating that that same ignorance does not prevent people from judging, with loud effusions of righteousness, a course in the development of Western civilization. The reason is not that they believe our course is wrongly taught. They believe it is wrong to teach it at all.
They would not say anything comparable about a course in the development of Chinese civilization or Indian civilization. Far from it; they would hail such a thing as the next Great Leap Forward in the history of our school, despite the plain fact that they would know even less about Chinese dynasties than they know about the Tudors and Stuarts, and that, forget being acquainted with Latin and Greek, most could probably not even name the holy language of ancient India, Sanskrit. That is because they conceive of education almost wholly in terms of their own current political aims. Their horizons end in the backyard. It is not heaven over their heads, open and vast, but a political drop ceiling, the same everywhere, pocked with ephemeral headlines and reductive polls. Had they been present at the raising of Lazarus from the dead, their first question would be whether he was a Pharisee or a Sadducee….
If students are encouraged to think persistently enough, they may think themselves right into a personal relationship with Truth Himself.”
An excellent and worth-while article for anyone interested in education. Highly recommended.
Dispatch from the Future
Filed under: Technology — jasony @ 11:59 am
The world’s first network of fully self-driving taxis is up and running – Recode: NuTonomy, a self-driving company that spun out of MIT and is based in Singapore and Cambridge, Mass., has just launched the first-ever public test of a commercial fleet of fully self-driving cars.
Oh THERE’s My Surprised Face
Surprise! Obamacare critics were right | Washington Examiner: “In an editorial, Investor’s Business Daily declared: ‘Obamacare is failing exactly the way critics said it would.’ The outlet explained that Aetna had already lost $200 million thanks to Obamacare, but had expected to break even in 2016. That didn’t happen, so the company will no longer expand into five additional states and is rethinking whether it will stay in the 15 states it already offers Obamacare plans.
Aetna is just the latest insurance company to deal a blow to Obamacare supporters and those who were forced to purchase plans through the exchanges. UnitedHealth Group announced in April it would leave most Obamacare exchanges, after expecting to lose $650 million from the exchanges this year.”
Previously vocal supporters could not be reached for comment.
I’m reminded again of the quote I saw online: “Even if it bankrupts America, we have the moral obligation to provide everyone with health insurance”. Not they didn’t say health care. So yeah, if you were in favor of this (or just unquestioningly supported politicians who were), when everyone was shouting that this would happen and you closed your ears and chanted liberal slogans. Yeah— you bear some of the moral blame yourself. And you wonder why people think liberalism is a rotting corpse? “Reality-Based Community” indeed.
Coffee and Education
Filed under: Education — jasony @ 12:02 pm
We just discovered a wonderful place in Colorado Springs called “The Principal’s Office”. It’s a coffee shop/restaurant/cocktail bar that is, quite literally, an old principal’s office in a 100 year old school. Limestone and brick walls, wide board wooden floors worn down soft, artisanal ingredients assembled by tattoo-bedecked hipsters. But the thing is, the whole place is super non-pretentious and fun, with amazing coffee.
Erin and I got to talking to the Tyler the manager and got a 90 minute education in really good coffee. The economics, growth, roasting, and techniques of making a stellar cup of coffee. Tyler is passionate about coffee. Not just drinking and brewing it, but roasting, sourcing, and caring for the entire global ecosystem of coffee. Did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world? Next to oil, coffee has the biggest presence in the global financial markets. And yet something like 2/3rds of coffee growers live in poverty. He’s passionate about not only educating consumers about the difference between a truly great, top-1% cup of coffee, but about educating everyone about how much good can be done in the world through making the economics of coffee better for everyone.
For instance, the soil used to grow coffee can also be used to grow cocaine. And if a farmer in a third world country can make 3 times the money for an illegal cocaine crop, why not grow it? But if he is educated in how to grow really great coffee beans and make much more for it, then not only do we increase the supply of good coffee in the world (for which he gets paid a higher price), but we organically decrease the commensurate amount of cocaine on the streets. And because of supply and demand, that cocaine is now more expensive to boot.
Tyler shared his passion with us, answering question after question about what he loves about coffee, why he’s devoted his life to this pursuit, the bigger picture issues surrounding the industry, and how he’d like to have an impact from the bean all the way to the coffee cup. At the end of the conversation he handed us what was probably a $20 bag of freshly roasted top-1%-in-the-world beans as a gift. Really looking forward to brewing some.
Tyler is on a mission, not just to brew the top 1% of coffee in the world, but to change the world. It’s amazing and inspiring what you can learn if you just ask passionate people a ton of questions and then let them take you on a journey.
Life Savers on the Moon
Filed under: Space — jasony @ 5:42 pm
Some of the most incredible experiences come completely out of the blue. Today was such a day.
I’m a space nerd. I love space: NASA, the space program, space history, flying things, science, Mars, you name the space tech and I’m probably in love with it. So when we discovered a space museum in Colorado Springs, I knew we’d have to make a visit.
The Space Foundation Discovery Center is located on the western side of Colorado Springs in the shadow of Pike’s Peak. It features artifacts and displays covering the history and technology of space flight. A lot of it was already familiar to me, but some of it was new and unique. The museum is geared more toward kids (as most of these places are), so for the first hour or so the adults were outnumbered by the children by 10:1, with elementary age students sprinting around the place and now, shall we say, getting the full educational opportunities out of it. But once the school busses departed, Erin and I were left more or less on our own with maybe 20 people in the whole place. We went into the incredible “Science Sphere” room where four synchronized projectors throw a near-3D image of the Earth onto a 6′ diameter white opaque sphere. The illusion it creates is that of a perfect globe floating in the middle of the room with moving video representing weather patterns, airplane flights, tectonic plates, ocean currents, or anything else that the clever software can display. There’s a similar (albeit smaller) one at the Denver Children’s Museum. It’s stunning. I want one. This giant ball-of-Earth dominating the darkened room is overwhelming.
So Erin and I sat down and listened to the presenter, a 70ish year old man named Lou. Lou did a great job of sharing his love for space, showing off the incredible Earth projection (and Mars/Venus/Sun/Etc) and, since there were only five people in the room at the time, he let us get him talking about his background and experience.
Jackpot.
Because, you see, Lou no only loves space, he’s lived it, spending over fifty years working at NASA on various projects. When he casually mentioned being involved in the Apollo program, I knew I had to corner him for an impromptu interview. I think he saw how eager I was to hear his stories. At this point I usually ask my victim if I can buy them lunch and just ask them questions. People are always very open to sharing their stories, and I love hearing them, but unfortunately another tour group was coming in so even though I got to ask him a couple of questions I figured I’d never get the full interview I really wanted.
So you can imagine my joy when, a little while later and in another part of the museum, I felt a presence at my elbow and turned to find Lou standing there with big smile. He’d sought us out! He asked if we had a few minutes. What followed was nearly 90 minutes of absolutely incredible stories from the golden age of space exploration, from a man who, quite literally, was right there at the very edge of the envelope.
Lou worked on the Apollo program. Not just that, he worked on the LEM lunar landers. And as if that wasn’t enough to punch your Cool Card forever, Lou was responsible for everything that went in the Apollo LEM landers before flight. For every mission. He worked directly with the astronauts to make sure they had the gear they needed, stowed in the place they needed, and that each piece of gear met the payload and safety requirements of each mission. Need a shovel? Talk to Lou. Don’t know where Day 3’s dinner is stowed? Lou does. Can’t figure out where to stash the backup roll of toilet paper? That’s Lou’s job. So when a couple of astronauts bemoaned the fact that they didn’t have any Life Savers candy, Lou was on it. But it turns out that, even post Apollo 1, the Command Module and Lunar Module were both still flying with 100% oxygen. This is so the partial atmospheric pressure could be kept down to a modest 4.7psi instead of the sea level 14psi. Walls could be thinner (not as much pressure to hold in) and materials lighter, using less fuel on takeoff and allowing more payload. But, as Apollo 1 tragically showed us, sending a spacecraft to the moon on 100% oxygen ran the risk of fire or explosion, so any source of ignition had to be very carefully eliminated.
Have you ever gone into a darkened room and chewed on a Life Saver? When you bite down on a Life Saver it is just possible to cause a tiny little spark (for a magnified version of this, go look into a mirror in a dark room and chomp on a wint-o-green life saver. Sparks!). In your bathroom at home, this is entertaining. In the 100% oxygen atmosphere of a spacecraft on the surface of the moon, a single spark could result in a very bad day. On the moon, even these innocuous little rings of sugar can kill you. The engineers were so afraid of blowing up the LEM that they had the nutrition people absolutely forbid lifesavers to the astronauts.
Lou to the rescue.
Because, see, Lou wasn’t just supplying some anonymous mission with some sugary goodness. No, the guys who wanted a little candy break and who came to Lou to see if they could get one, were none other than Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. And when the First Men on the Moon ask you for life savers, well, you tend to ignore what the room full of egghead engineers and nutritionists say.
So Lou went and bought a pack of Life Savers, snuck into the LEM after the astronauts’ personal gear had been stowed (but before the LEM was loaded onto the Saturn V), cut into the plastic storage bags, and stashed a roll of life savers where they wouldn’t be found until the LEM was on the surface. Thanks to Lou, Neil and Buzz were able to have a little snack when they were, you know,… on the moon.
The only thing Lou asked in return? He made Neil and Buzz make the most solemn promise that, whatever happened, whatever distraction or emergency or moon maiden they might come across when they were on their history making mission, would they please promise Lou that they wouldn’t chew the darn things? He just couldn’t stand the idea that he might be responsible for blowing them up while they were out there.
Neil and Buzz said yes, the flight launched, and since Apollo 11 returned to Earth safely eight days later (minus one roll of Life Savers), we can know for a fact that they kept their word.
Lou and me standing in front of a model of the LEM, which he helped design. If you’ve ever seen “From the Earth to the Moon’s” episode called “Spider”, Lou was one of those guys who worked on the LEM. Today I talked to a hero I never knew I had.
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On The House | Charterhouse
In a hidden corner of Clerkenwell stands one of its historical gems: the ancient Charterhouse. Stephen Porter recounts its storied past...
Plague pit, monastery, Tudor mansion and school: The Charterhouse has had many incarnations over its long life. So where did it all begin? The Black Death swept across Europe in the late 1340s, leaving devastation in its wake. When it reached London in 1348, the death toll was so great that the churchyards were rapidly filled. More space for burials was urgently needed. Enter Sir Walter de Manny, one of Edward III's military commanders, who acquired land in Clerkenwell as a graveyard and plague pit. In 1349 he built a chapel on the site. After some delays, he founded the Charterhouse, a Carthusian priory, here in 1371 and the chapel became the priory church. The Charterhouse was home to a prior, 24 Carthusian monks and a number of lay brothers. De Manny died just a year after the Charterhouse opened and was buried in the chapel. When his grave was discovered and opened in 1947, his coffin contained a skeleton and a bulla of Pope Clement VI, confirming that these were indeed his remains. The reformation brought harsh times upon the Charterhouse. The Carthusians opposed Henry VIII's measures to make himself supreme head of the English church. So in 1535 the prior, John Houghton, was convicted of treason and executed. His body was dismembered and one of his arms fixed above the gateway to the Charterhouse. Six more members of the house were executed, and nine others died in Newgate gaol.
After the priory was closed in 1538, a family of musicians from Venice, the Bassanos, were briefly housed in some of the former monks' cells. In 1545 Sir Edward North bought the Charterhouse and built a Tudor mansion there. He demolished many of the priory buildings, including the church, but retained the chapter-house as his chapel, the gateway and the service buildings, which survive in the prosaically named Wash-house Court. Queen Elizabeth I came directly to the Charterhouse when she arrived in London after succeeding her sister Mary in 1558, and held court in its great chamber before her Coronation. Her cousin Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, acquired the buildings from North's son, but the Catholic Howard was held there under house arrest on suspicion of plotting with Mary Queen of Scots to depose Elizabeth. Howard would later be executed for treason. The buildings passed to his eldest son, Philip, but reverted to the crown when he was sent to the Tower of London. The Howard family regained possession in 1601, when the Queen granted the property to Philip's brother, Lord Thomas Howard. When James succeeded Elizabeth in 1603 he followed her example and held court in the Charterhouse on his arrival from Scotland.
James conferred the earldom of Suffolk on Thomas in 1603, as well as confirming his ownership of the Charterhouse. The Earl and his wife Catherine were busy constructing an expensive mansion at Audley End, Essex and carrying out extensive work at Charlton Park in Wiltshire. This brought financial problems, so in 1611 the Charterhouse was sold to Thomas Sutton, reputedly the wealthiest commoner of his generation. Already an elderly man, Sutton died before his plans to establish an almshouse and school within the buildings were completed. Cannily named after the King in order to secure his support, the 'Hospital of King James founded in Charterhouse' was by far the largest philanthropic endowment made between the Reformation in the 1530s and the establishment of Guy's Hospital in the 1720s. The almshouse was for 80 elderly men, known as Brothers, and the school developed into one of the country's leading educational establishments. Among the distinguished Brothers were the musician Tobias Hume, the book collector John Bagford, the author Elkanah Settle, and Stephen Gray, whose pioneering experiments with electricity here led to him being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The school's alumni included Roger Williams, founder of the US state Rhode Island, the literary partnership of Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, John Wesley and William Makepeace Thackeray.
In 1872 the school moved to Godalming, Surrey. Its part of the site was sold to the Merchant Taylors' Company and then in 1932 to St Bartholomew's Hospital, which adapted the complex for its medical college. The almshouse remained, as a 'place of leafy seclusion', and its buildings were sensitively restored after a fire during an air raid in 1941. They are now home to 45 Brothers and consist of the remains of the priory, the Tudor mansion and the almshouse buildings dating from between 1614 and 2000. The discovery earlier this year of skeletons in the Black Death burial ground is a reminder of the medieval origins, and the many subsequent lives, of this fascinating corner of Clerkenwell. Stephen Porter is Hon. Archivist, Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse. His book, Charterhouse – The Official Guide (£5; Amberley Books) is available for sale at the Charterhouse.
www.thecharterhouse.org.
The Clerkenwell Post Presents The Design Guide
From its restaurants and shops to the history and rich cultural heritage, Clerkenwell has got a lot to offer. But if there’s one thing we keep coming back to, it’s design - EC1 is a world-class...
Mushy Peas The Quality Chop House way
Check out the recipe
Hix Reports | September
Clerkenwell Post columnist Mark Hix puts together a kitchen that really works.
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Diversity & equality in business
Britain's trade deficit widens to new record
Ashley Seager
Tue 13 Jan 2009 07.45 EST First published on Tue 13 Jan 2009 07.45 EST
Britain's goods trade deficit with the rest of the world widened to a record level in November, in a sign that the sharp falls in the pound have so far failed to boost exports as hoped.
The Office for National Statistics said the trade gap grew to £8.3bn in November from October's downwardly revised £7.63bn, the biggest deficit since records began in 1697 and nearly £1bn worse than economists had expected.
The goods trade shortfall with countries outside the European Unionalso hit a record, widening to £5.3bn from £4.4bn, again bigger than expected.
Total goods exported slumped 6% in November, reflecting the general weakness of the world economy, but imports only fell 2%. The drop in exports was particularly sharp for non-EU countries, especially the United States, which has plunged into a deep recession with the worst job losses since the second world war.
The Bank of England had been hoping that the weaker pound would support British exports during the global downturn and rebalance the economy away from its dependence on domestic consumption. But there is little evidence of this.
"The pound is now about 30% below its peak. But with global trade flows subdued, this is unlikely to make much difference, at least in the near term," said Paul Dales, economist at Capital Economics.
"Overall, with the external sector so weak, policy makers will need to do much more to stimulate domestic activity. We continue to think that UK interest rates will be cut to virtually zero."
The ONS said export prices had not fallen, in spite of the weakening pound. Statisticians said this may be because British firms were trying to rebuild their margins or because some had faced rising costs for raw materials this year. The widening of the goods trade deficit would have been even worse but for a narrowing in the oil deficit due to falling oil prices, today oil was trading as low as $36 a barrel, down from the record high of $148 hit in the summer.
The surplus in services trade was broadly steady at £3.9bn in November, meaning the total trade deficit widened to £4.5bn, although that was not a record.
Separate data showed that, by contrast, the US total trade deficit narrowed to its smallest in five years. It came in at $40.4bn in November, down from $57bn the month before. Economists warned, though, that the shrinkage was due to collapsing domestic demand and imports rather than any particular strength in exports.
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WikiLeaks: Jack Straw denies pressure from Libya led to Megrahi release
Former Labour justice secretary speaks out after Guardian reveals secret US embassy cables show London's deep fears that Tripoli would take 'harsh and immediate' action against UK interests
David Leigh and Paul Owen
Wed 8 Dec 2010 05.01 EST First published on Wed 8 Dec 2010 05.01 EST
A television picture showing Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie bomber, meeting with the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, after Megrahi's release last year. Photograph: AP/Jamahiriya Broadcasting
The British government's deep fears that Libya would take "harsh and immediate" action against UK interests if the convicted Lockerbie bomber died in a Scottish prison are revealed in secret US embassy cables that show London's full support for the early release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.
Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, made explicit and "thuggish" threats to halt all trade deals with Britain and harass embassy staff if Megrahi remained in jail, the cables show. At the same time "a parade of treats" was offered by Libya to the Scottish devolved administration if it agreed to let him go, though the cable says they were turned down.
Britain at the time was "in an awkward position" and "between a rock and a hard place". The London charge d'affaires, Richard LeBaron, wrote in a cable to Washington in October 2008. "The Libyans have told HMG [Her Majesty's Government] flat out that there will be 'enormous repercussions' for the UK-Libya bilateral relationship if Megrahi's early release is not handled properly."
This intelligence, the cable said, was confided to the US embassy by two British officials: Ben Lyons, in charge of north Africa for Downing Street, and Rob Dixon, his counterpart at the Foreign Office.
But Jack Straw, the former Labour justice secretary, denied that pressure from Libya had played any part in the decision to allow Megrahi to return to his home country. "Both Alex Salmond [the Scottish first minister] and the British government have said until they're blue in the face what is true is that this was a decision which was made by the Scottish government and by nobody else and they did it on the basis of their law and their practice so far as the release of people who have serious medical conditions on compassionate grounds," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He said he felt that the cables did not "really add anything to what was already known".
"It was a matter of record that Libya wanted al-Megrahi released," Straw said. "It is also a matter of record that I signed up to a prisoner transfer agreement in 2007 in respect of general prisoner transfers with Libya, but that the agreement was never the vehicle for al-Megrahi's release. Indeed, he was refused transfer under the PTA and he instead was released under long-standing Scots law on compassionate grounds."
Straw, justice secretary at the time, insisted he had "nothing directly to do, or I think whatever to do with the release" and only heard about it while he was on holiday in Italy. "This was a decision that was made by the Scottish government and nobody else, they did it on the basis of their law and their practice so far as the release of people with serious medical conditions on compassionate grounds," he said.
Asked why nobody in the British government said to Scotland that there was so much at stake regarding Libya that Megrahi ought to be released, Straw said: "Life isn't like that ... It's on the record that of course the Scottish executive along with everybody else in Scotland is fully aware of Britain's commercial interests in Libya. I talked about that in correspondence and in conversations with Alex Salmond and that too was all put on the record in September and October of last year."
He added: "What we had to keep saying to the Americans and to the Libyans was that this was a decision for an antonymous Scottish executive and that what was true was that the British government would have and could have absolutely nothing to with the judgment to be made by the Scottish justice minister. To the disadvantage of conspiracy theorists, that has the merit of being true."
Salmond told the BBC: "Frankly I don't believe anybody seriously believes that the Scottish government acted in anything other than the precepts of Scots justice. And incidentally this information – as opposed to what it suggests perhaps about other people – vindicates and bears out that position."
Asked if it now seemed right to have released Megrahi – who was said to have only three months to live but is still alive 16 months later – Salmond said: "I'm sorry, that's not the law. The law of Scotland is that a reasonable estimate is provided by senior medical officers and then acted upon by ministers, under the advice of the parole board, the prison service and a range of other interests. That's what was done."
Of today's Guardian revelations, Salmond said: "At the time you'll remember the UK government gave the impression that the either had no opinion on the release of Mr Megrahi or had no other factors concerned. I would have thought that the most interesting thing about this information is it shows that the UK government at the time – that's the then-Labour government – were extremely keen to have Mr Megrahi released. Now, I've said this all along."
Of his own government he said: "We weren't interested in threats. We weren't interested in blandishments. We were only interested in applying Scots justice. And that's what we did."
Last night Salmond's spokesman said that the leaks were "diplomatic tittle-tattle", but "vindicated" the Scottish government's position.
He said: "We were clearly the only ones playing with a straight bat and interested in applying the precepts of Scottish justice, which we continue to do and continue to uphold.
"The cables confirm what we always said – that our only interest was taking a justice decision based on Scots law without fear or favour, which was exactly what was done, and that our public position was identical to our private one.
"They also show that the former UK government were playing false on the issue, with a different public position from their private one – which must be deeply embarrassing for the Labour party in Scotland – and that the US government was fully aware of the pressure being applied to the UK government."
Details of the Megrahi manoeuvring come in the latest batch of leaked US dispatches, which also detail:
• Deep distrust of Gaddafi among other African leaders; Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, for example, feared a Libyan attack on his aircraft.
• Gaddafi's many eccentricities, including phobias about flying over water and staying above ground floor level.
• Saudi calls for an Arab-led force, backed by US air and sea power, to fight Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Megrahi cables may do much to explain why he was released in August 2009, supposedly because he was on the brink of death from prostate cancer. The decision incurred American wrath. More than a year on, Megrahi is still alive, having been feted when he was escorted back to Tripoli by Gaddafi's son.
Public congressional hearings in September were told by a US prostate specialist that the official reason for the compassionate release – that Megrahi was within three months of death – was "ridiculous".
Anger with the British persists in some American circles, and UK ministers, Labour and Tory, have attempted to distance London from the release, insisting it was purely a Scottish decision.
In January 2009, six months before Megrahi's release, the US ambassador to Libya, Gene Cretz, confirmed that "dire" reprisals had been threatened against the UK, and said the British were braced to take "dramatic" steps for self-protection.
The Libyans "convinced UK embassy officers that the consequences if Megrahi were to die in prison … would be harsh, immediate and not easily remedied … Specific threats have included the immediate cessation of all UK commercial activity in Libya, a diminishment or severing of political ties, and demonstrations against official UK facilities.
"[Libyan] officials also implied, but did not directly state, that the welfare of UK diplomats and citizens in Libya would be at risk."
The British ambassador in Tripoli, Vincent Fean, "expressed relief" when Megrahi was released, the US reported.
"He noted that a refusal of Megrahi's request could have had disastrous implications for British interests in Libya. 'They could have cut us off at the knees,' Fean bluntly said."
Cretz cabled that "the regime remains essentially thuggish in its approach". He warned the US itself should keep quiet: "If the [US government] publicly opposes al-Megrahi's release or is perceived to be complicit in a decision to keep al-Megrahi in prison, [America's Libyan diplomatic] post judges that US interests could face similar consequences."
In the light of the repeated, politically unacceptable demands for Megrahi's release from Gaddafi, the illness at first seemed providential for Britain.
The cables reveal how Salmond was edged into taking the political heat for releasing Megrahi, who had been diagnosed with cancer in September 2008. The message US diplomats received from Straw was that although Megrahi might survive up to five years, Labour's rivals in Scotland – Salmond and his Scottish National party – were nonetheless inclined to release him.
A cable said: "Megrahi could have as long as five years to live but the average life expectancy of someone of his age with his condition is 18 months to two years. Doctors are not sure where he is on the time scale. The Libyans have not yet made a formal application for compassionate release … but HMG believes that the Scottish may be inclined to grant the request, when it comes, based on conversations between … Alex Salmond and UK justice secretary Jack Straw. Although the general practice is to grant compassionate release within three months of end of life, this is not codified in the law, so the release, if granted, could occur sooner."
The American diplomats were worried "Salmond and the SNP will look for opportunities to exploit the Megrahi case for their own advantage". But when the Scottish justice minister finally announced a "compassionate release" to a storm of protest the following August, the US ambassador said the Scots had got out of their depth.
"The Scottish government severely underestimated both US government and UK public reaction to its decision … Alex Salmond has privately indicated that he was 'shocked'."
Salmond had told the US consul in Edinburgh on 21 August that "he and his government had played straight with both the US and the UK government, but implied the UK had not … He said the Libyan government had offered the Scottish government a parade of treats, 'all of which were turned down'."
Three days later Robin Naysmith, who served as the SNP's representative in Washington, said Salmond was shocked by the US outcry. "Naysmith underscored that Scotland received 'nothing' for releasing Megrahi, while the UK government has gotten everything – a chance to stick it to Salmond's SNP and good relations with Libya."
SNP "comments were designed to blame the UK government for putting the Scots in a position to have to make a decision", according to civil servant Rob Dixon, talking to the Americans.
Washington's ambassador to London, Louis Susman, observed unsympathetically: "It is clear that the Scottish government underestimated the blowback it would receive in response to Megrahi's release and is now trying to paint itself as the victim."
US officials were suspicious, going so far as privately to accuse the wealthy Gulf state of Qatar of bribing the Scots by dangling the possibility of Middle East loans.
In October 2009 the US ambassador in Doha confronted Khalid al-Attiyah, a Qatari minister who had lobbied SNP politicians at the time.
The US had "strong objections" to what had happened, he said. "The ambassador raised strong US government concerns about Qatar's role in the release … Al-Attiyah explained the Arab League had asked Qatar, in its capacity as the current chair … to seek Megrahi's release on humanitarian grounds; second, Megrahi had sent a personal letter to [the Qatar ruler] pleading for humanitarian intervention.
"On the basis of these two factors … he was dispatched to Scotland to meet the minister of justice there.
"Ambassador pressed the issue of whether Qatar had offered any financial or trade incentives to induce al-Megrahi's release. Al-Attiyah strongly dismissed such speculation, saying: 'That is ridiculous. It was not necessary to offer money. It was all done within Scottish law. We offered no money, investment, or payment of any kind.'"
The other object of US suspicion was Tony Blair's 2007 visit to Libya as British prime minister. The trip was linked to oil and gas. The US embassy in Tripoli noted on 23 August 2009: "Rumours that Blair made linkages between Megrahi's release and trade deals have been longstanding among embassy contacts … The UK ambassador in Tripoli categorically denied the claims."
In February this year UK diplomats told the US they were fretting about the prospect of an eventual hero's funeral for Megrahi. The new Foreign Office north Africa director, Philippa Saunders, "explained that fear over how Tripoli will handle Megrahi's eventual funeral remains a major concern".
She added: "The UK embassy is currently engaged in an effort to identify all possible UK 'levers of influence' with Tripoli. Unfortunately 'there aren't too many', although she mentioned Tony Blair and a private doctor who had a personal relationship with the Gaddafi family.
"There will be maybe a 48-hour window if we're lucky between Megrahi's eventual death and a funeral."
The US embassy cables
Abdelbaset al-Megrahi
Lockerbie plane bombing
WikiLeaks cables: US 'lobbied Russia on behalf of Visa and MasterCard'
US diplomats intervened to try to amend draft law so that it would not 'disadvantage' US credit card firms, cable says
WikiLeaks: the day cyber warfare broke out - as it happened
The day after Wikileaks' Julian Assange was refused bail the 'hacktivist' group Operation Payback began to flex their muscles, attacking websites including MasterCard and Visa. Our live blog recorded the day's events as they transpired
Operation Payback cripples MasterCard site in revenge for WikiLeaks ban
Hackers attack credit card company and Swedish prosecution authority as 'censorship' row escalates
MasterCard site partially frozen by hackers in WikiLeaks 'revenge'
'Operation: Payback' hacks into MasterCard site over payment network's decision to cease taking donations to WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks: Who are the hackers behind Operation Payback?
WikiLeaks cables: Lockerbie bomber freed after Gaddafi's 'thuggish' threats
WikiLeaks cables: Jihad? Sorry, I don't want to miss Desperate Housewives
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The coup that wasn't
Scott Ritter was the former US marine captain tasked with finding Saddam Hussein's weapons. Now, in this first detailed account, he reveals how the CIA plotted to use a UN weapons inspection to overthrow the Iraqi regime - and how fiasco turned to tragedy when it failed
Tue 27 Sep 2005 20.25 EDT First published on Tue 27 Sep 2005 20.25 EDT
'This is big, Scott," Moshe Ponkovsky said. "We don't share this with anyone." Israel's military intelligence was already assisting us at Unscom (the United Nations Special Commission, which ran the UN's weapons inspections programme in Iraq) by scrutinising the "take" from the American U-2 spy-plane flights over Iraq. It had proved an unorthodox but fruitful relationship for Unscom: the Israeli analysts had proved far superior to the CIA's. But what I was now proposing to the Israelis was a dramatic expansion of this intelligence-sharing.
I was asking Lieutenant Colonel Ponkovsky and his colleagues to accept tapes from a secret Unscom-British communications eavesdropping operation that we were planning in Baghdad itself. The Israelis would process the data (ie, break any codes or ciphers the Iraqis might be using, and translate), and analyse them to determine if there was anything useful for Unscom's mandate of disarming Iraq.
It was an ambitious, and possibly dangerous, project, but I had the backing of Unscom's senior executives - its chairman, the Swedish diplomat Rolf Ekéus, his American deputy, state department official Charles Duelfer, and Russian arms control expert Nikita Smidovich. By the end of January 1996, the scheme was falling into place: Ponkovsky told me that his boss, director of military intelligence General Ya'alon, had given authorisation. Just one part of the jigsaw puzzle was missing: with Britain providing the intercept team, and Israel doing the analysis, that just left the Americans.
Earlier that month, Duelfer had handed me a paper from the CIA containing a series of questions about Unscom's communications intercept plan. Until then, the CIA had been disdainful of Unscom as a tool for intelligence-gathering, but now they were getting interested. Not that I knew it at the time, but the hidden agenda was regime change.
Steve Richter, the head of the CIA's Near East Division, had decided that the CIA would extend a helping hand - as long as they could exploit Unscom's work to further its plans for a coup against Saddam Hussein. This newfound enthusiasm for Unscom was only confirmed when the CIA saw how weapons inspectors were increasingly gaining access to some of the most sensitive sites in Iraq, including bases belonging to the Special Republican Guard - Saddam's personal bodyguard.
The CIA coup plan went like this: if Unscom inspections could somehow be used to trigger a crisis, that would create a pretext for a US military attack against the Special Republican Guard, then Saddam's personal security force could be decapitated. This would clear the way for the plotters, led by Mohammad Abdullah al-Shawani, a former commander of Iraqi Special Forces who had defected to Amman in Jordan and been recruited by the CIA, to make their move.
But I had no idea of the CIA's ulterior motives for offering assistance when, on February 4 1996, I greeted the British eavesdropping team as they arrived at Washington's Dulles Airport to receive training and equipment from the CIA. The five intercept operators, led by Gary, a short, fit man in his early 30s, would become known as the "Special Collection Element" (SCE). The Brits proved to be fast learners, and I was back in northern Virginia by mid-February, checking up on the preparation of the SCE team before escorting them to Bahrain and on to Baghdad.
The Iraqis, meanwhile, were well aware of the potential intelligence value of the access gained by the weapons inspectors. The Iraqi secret service, the Mukhabarat, already maintained a unit dedicated to Unscom. The Mukhabarat's priority was to get sanctions lifted - Iraq's number one national security priority. Its director had been told by Saddam Hussein himself that Iraq had disarmed, and no longer had any interest in developing any WMD capability. But sanctions could not be lifted until Unscom inspectors reached that conclusion for themselves.
So the Mukhabarat's objective was not to obstruct our work; quite the reverse, they had an interest in getting the Iraqi experts who were our counterparts to cooperate. Their problem was that these officials were petrified of the Special Security Organisation, run by Saddam's son Qusay Hussein. If their cooperation with Unscom was seen as compromising the regime's security, the consequences for the individuals involved would have been brutal.
Because they regarded such locations as Special Republican Guard units as off-limits, the Special Security Organisation demanded early warning of any inspection effort targeting presidential security. As a consequence, the Mukhabarat redoubled its efforts to penetrate Unscom - with outstanding success. First, electronic surveillance of our computers in Baghdad, Bahrain and New York was established. Then, with French technical assistance provided via the French economic liaison in Baghdad - whether by rogue element, or with official permission is still unknown - the Mukhabarat broke Unscom's encryption system, so they could listen in on all "secure" phone calls between Baghdad and New York. With their advance knowledge of Unscom's plans, the Iraqis were able to pre-empt inspections at will.
By June 1996, a new inspection, Unscom 150, was getting under way. The aim was to shed light on the Iraqi mechanism of concealment - specifically the role of the Special Security Organisation. The paramilitary wing of the CIA was taking an extraordinary interest in Unscom 150. A man I knew as Moe Dobbs, a former American weapons inspector who was in fact a senior officer in the CIA's covert operations Special Activities Staff (SAS), had assigned three men to provide logistics and communications support for the team. In retrospect this was suspicious, but at the time I was just grateful to get the help we so badly needed.
Smidovich and I put together an inspection plan, which had us "squeezing" Special Republican Guard facilities in the Baghdad area. With Israeli help, I had found the location of every Special Republican Guard unit around the capital. Strangely, Dobbs and the SAS objected to one of these targets - a barracks belonging to the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Brigade. "There's nothing there," Dobbs said. "We've checked it out." We dropped it from our list.
While we were busy planning our inspection, the CIA's Iraq Operations Group had dispatched a special team of agents to its Amman Station to coordinate coup planning with the Iraqi National Accord (INA), a group of Iraqi expatriates led by a former Ba'athist official, Iyad Alawi, whom Richter had brought together with al-Shawani.
The White House was under political pressure to be seen to be doing something about Iraq. When the CIA said they had a plan - the "Silver Bullet" coup - to get rid of Saddam Hussein, the White House approved it. Of course, there was a political dimension: the upcoming presidential elections in November 1996. Tony Lake, the national security adviser to President Clinton, was sensitive to any possibility of an "October Surprise" and, in private discussions with CIA director John Deutch (denied by both Deutch and Lake, but acknowledged by many CIA insiders), ordered that the coup be wrapped up by early summer.
The only problem was that this coup, supposedly planned in great secrecy, was well known to the Iraqi government. Many of the defectors being used by the CIA were actually Mukhabarat double agents. Then, through a series of tragic mistakes, the Mukhabarat took control of one of the CIA's secure satellite communications units used by the INA to communicate with the plotters in Baghdad. So the Mukhabarat learned every detail of the plan - including the fact that the CIA was linking the timing of the coup with the Unscom inspection in early June.
Checkpoint stand-off
When the Unscom 150 team arrived in Baghdad on June 10 1996 under the watchful, if somewhat hostile, stares of our Iraqi minders, Rolf Ekéus and the rest of Unscom were completely unaware of the CIA's ulterior motive. On the very first day, one team was prevented from inspecting a Special Republican Guard barracks in Abu Ghraib. The following day, another group set out for the headquarters of 1st Brigade, SRG. The Iraqis were having none of that either, and Unscom 150 found itself in a stand-off with automatic-rifle-wielding SRG troopers. The Security Council reacted to Baghdad's non-cooperation by passing a new resolution, 1060, which "deplored" the denial of access and demanded full cooperation. Two days later, the inspectors were still parked in the sun.
The decision to send Ekéus to Iraq was, on the surface, curious. Clearly, had the US still wanted to bomb Iraq, they would have pushed harder for a finding of "material breach". The truth was that this sudden U-turn - renewed American support for diplomacy - was driven by the fact that the CIA coup plot was collapsing around them.
While Unscom 150 was parked out front of the Special Republican Guard facilities, the CIA station in Amman was desperately trying to contact the ringleaders of the coup in Baghdad. But their entire network was silent. It was as if they had disappeared off the face of the earth. In reality, Saddam's intelligence service had so thoroughly infiltrated the plot that there wasn't a single CIA-controlled asset left in Iraq who had not been arrested by the Mukhabarat.
For the Iraqi leadership there was a clear case for terminating all contact with Unscom, but the Mukhabarat's Unscom cell had convinced Tariq Aziz and others, including Saddam, that Unscom was being used and was not a witting player in the coup attempt. The Iraqis knew economic sanctions could not be lifted without a favourable report on compliance from Unscom; Ekéus promised to work hard to this end, but needed help. On June 22, Ekéus and Tariq Aziz signed what became known as the "Agreement for the Modalities of Sensitive Site Inspections", which governed how Unscom would go about inspecting sites belonging to Republican Guard, Special Republican Guard, Special Security Organisation, Mukhabarat and other security institutions. Ekéus had done his job - averting a war, while keeping weapons inspections on track.
The ramifications of the collapsed coup had yet to sink in. Any remaining hopes within the CIA were quashed when, on June 26, the Agency's Amman station allegedly received a transmission from one of their secure satellite phones. On the line was the Mukhabarat, who told astonished CIA agents that the game was up. Within days the CIA team in Amman vanished. The US had witnessed a covert action fiasco of a kind not seen since the Bay of Pigs in 1961. Saddam's security services had rounded up more than 800 suspected plotters, most of whom were tortured and executed.
All traces of the CIA's involvement in a coup plot against Saddam were eliminated. It was the last time I, or anyone in Unscom, saw Moe Dobbs and his colleagues.
Meanwhile, I was anxious for an opportunity to put the new agreement to the test. On June 24, I got it - in the form of a CIA-provided photograph that showed a gathering of vehicles outside a Special Republican Guard site on the southern tip of Saddam International Airport, which I labelled "Site 1a". SCE intercepts of Iraqi minder communications showed that, at the time the U-2 photograph was taken, the Iraqis wanted to know where every inspector was -arousing our suspicion of ongoing concealment activity. This made "1a" an ideal candidate for testing the "sensitive site modalities".
Less than a month later, we formed up outside the Baghdad Monitoring and Verification Centre. At the initial Special Republican Guard checkpoint just on the edge of Saddam International Airport, the two convoys - Iraqi and Unscom - linked up and proceeded down the road. We passed through the next two Special Republican Guard checkpoints without problems. But then, as we closed in on Site 1a, we came to a new checkpoint, and these guards weren't playing around. Taking up positions in a horseshoe pattern, they aimed loaded rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers at our convoy.
Suddenly, a vehicle arrived in front of us, on the other side of the checkpoint. Two officers stepped out, took a quick look at the situation, and barked some orders. The gate was opened and we moved on. To our left was the southern edge of Saddam International Airport, and to our right a lush game park with several different species of gazelle and antelope - Saddam's personal stock for his kitchen. Finally, we reached the compounds of Site 1a.
As soon as the inspection began, I understood why the Iraqis were so nervous about our presence here. The eastern compound was, as we thought, affiliated with the Special Republican Guard. But it wasn't just any SRG unit - it was Saddam's personal bodyguard, the Radwaniyah Platoon, 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion.
This unit was equipped with shiny silver Mercedes sedans, parked in a line under a covered lot. Two of the cars had tarpaulins over them, which, when pulled back, showed the effects of an earlier ambush. One had been riddled with machine-gun bullets, shattering the bullet-proof windows and penetrating the armoured doors. The occupants of the second car had gone through an even more terrifying experience: it had obviously been struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Otherwise, it was a standard military barracks, but a search of files turned up something that caught my attention: an emergency administrative notice, declaring that the 3rd Battalion (Special Forces), Special Republican Guard, was "liquidated", and all its members were placed on administrative leave pending further notice. The 3rd Battalion had been the unit singled out by Dobbs and the CIA as being off-limits for inspection during Unscom 150. I now realised what this meant: "Stay away, those are our guys." Reading of their fate, I felt sick to my stomach.
Cover blown
On my way home through London, I again took advantage of a layover at Heathrow to pay a visit to the Defence Intelligence Staff, which had provided Gary and his colleagues for Unscom's Special Collection Element in Baghdad. I was unshaven and dressed in jeans, with the desert dust of Iraq still in the crevices of my hiking boots. I looked very rough, but this was just a social visit, a chance to get a quick bite to eat with friends. Or so I thought.
The door to the director's office opened, and the director himself walked out, a tall man with a broad smile and firm handshake. "Please join us, will you? We have something we want you to read and comment on."
Inside the folder I was handed was a lengthy report, classified top secret, and containing several US codewords I was familiar with. The subject line read: "UN COMMUNICATIONS INTERCEPT OPERATION UP AND RUNNING IN BAGHDAD." I glanced down at the list of addressees. This document had been sent around the world, to every embassy and military headquarters the US maintained. This was more than just giving people a heads-up about our SCE operation. This was blowing its cover to smithereens.
"The Yanks seemed to have sent it everywhere except Tariq Aziz's own office," remarked a Ministry of Defence official.
Very few people in London knew about the operation. And now all the details, including the real names of the personnel involved, had been broadcast around the world. "We would like your opinion on this matter," said the director.
I didn't hesitate. "Clearly we have to take the best interests of the SCE team itself first. This report represents a compromise of their security, which is unacceptable. From an Unscom point of view, we must cease the SCE operation immediately."
Whether done on purpose or accident, the American publication of the sensitive details of a covert British intelligence operation, operating under Unscom cover, was an incomprehensible act. The US had killed the SCE, so now we had nothing specific to go on. We needed high-quality intelligence, without which weapons inspections were going nowhere. I had tried my best to develop sources of information, but had been sabotaged by the CIA.
The failed June 1996 coup attempt had largely been determined by domestic American political considerations. Like President George HW Bush before him, Clinton and his political handlers were sensitive to public perception in a presidential election year. This shaped both the coup's mission (get Saddam) and its timing (early summer, before the Republicans had nailed down their candidate). Not only was the 1996 plot chiefly a "wag the dog" scenario, but once again, any chance of Iraq disarming under UN supervision had been cynically undermined by the larger US objective of regime change
Bodyguards and bullet holes
Grim evidence of botched coup plan
Assassination attempts
Ritter discovered that the barracks there belonged to the Radwaniyah Platoon - Saddam's personal bodyguard, equipped with a fleet of silver Mercedes sedans. Two of these cars were badly damaged by machine-gun fire and rocket attack - evidence of a recent assassination attempt on senior regime officials.
The mystery of the 3rd Battalion
This U-2 photograph, provided by the CIA, was taken on June 11 1996, just as Ritter's Unscom 150 weapons inspection was getting under way. While searching the barracks here, Ritter found files declaring that the 3rd Battalion (Special Forces) of the Special Republican Guard had been liquidated and its members placed on "administrative leave". Ritter recalled that the 3rd Battalion had earlier been placed "off limits" by the CIA. "I now realised what this meant: 'Stay away, those are our guys'."
The means of disposal
The sensitivity of Site 1a led to prolonged stand-offs between weapons inspectors and Iraqi soldiers. Intelligence gathered from Unscom's covert listening post in Baghdad suggested that the vehicles may have been used to move material and documents they did not wish inspectors to find.
· This is an edited extract from Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of America's Intelligence Conspiracy, by Scott Ritter, with foreword by Seymour Hersh, published by IB Tauris
Original writing
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https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Among-centenarian-s-gifts-body-goes-to-medicine-8090087.php
Among centenarian's gifts, body goes to medicine
By ANN BALDELLI
The Day of New London
Published 10:00 am EST, Sunday, December 7, 2014
NORTH STONINGTON, Conn. (AP) â€" Being 100-plus years old and having all your faculties is atypical, and Anna Coit knew that.
So the centenarian decided she would leave her body for research.
But like everything else Coit did, she studied the subject first and learned that if researchers at the Yale School of Medicine were to get her body, which is what she wanted, she would have to die in Connecticut.
That is why Coit, who died at age 106 on Oct. 15, spent the final year of her life at Apple Rehab in Mystic, rather than at a Westerly convalescent center where she had spent time after a prior surgery.
An editor, author, environmentalist, historian, poet, farmer and teacher, among a long list of other accomplishments, Coit was generous right up to the end of her life, and after.
Her body did go to Yale. And about 25 acres of the Christmas tree farm on Denison Hill Road that she and her late husband, Harlan "Pete" Coit, started in 1956, will go to the Avalonia Land Conservancy, of which she was a founder.
According to Coit's will, which was recently filed with the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Probate District, some of her favorite causes, like the Westerly Monthly Meeting of Friends (she was a Quaker) and the North Stonington Historical Society (she was a founder, historian, former president and trustee), will get $1,000 each.
The historical society also will receive "the Luther Palmer Weathervane, made in 1829 and which prior to the 1938 hurricane was attached to the belfry of the First Baptist Church at Pendleton Hill, North Stonington," according to the will dated Feb. 17, 2012, and with a codicil dated Oct. 21, 2013.
Co-executor and friend Frank Eppinger said Coit's last will and testament is a genuine reflection of the much-loved Coit, a Vassar College graduate and the first woman writer at Time magazine.
"She was very detailed in her wishes," he said. "Anna was an editor, and when she did something, she did it right."
The will shows Coit's dedication to things she considered important.
"To the very end, she was faithful to those things that she believed in, and they were all good causes," Eppinger said.
A longtime friend is gifted $2,000 "for the purchase of a hearing aid," and another devoted friend gets Coit's diamond engagement ring.
Coit's cousin, Margaret McDonald Murtha of Dummerston Center, Vermont, also a co-executor, said friends and community were always integral to Coit's life.
While Coit left the circa-1829 weather vane to the historical society, she also gifted $1,000 to the First Baptist Church at Pendleton Hill to replicate it.
"I request, but do not require, this gift be used to have a reproduction of the Luther Palmer Weathervane (which could be made by Jeff Pearson) to be placed on the belfry of the church," states the will.
She also asked that any personal property, photographs, books or papers pertaining to her family's Pauchunganuc Farm on Pendleton Hill Road be returned to the farm for safekeeping. The 19th-century farm complex sits on land in the Palmer family since 1711, and ownership is shared by a large number of relatives. Coit left the bulk of her estate to a relative and asked that some of the funds be used to maintain Pauchunganuc Farm.
She also left most of her Denison Hill Road tree farm, where Coit grew spruces and firs right up to the time of her death, to Avalonia Land Conservancy. Eppinger said Coit's home and a 2-acre lot at the Denison Hill Road property will be sold, but the balance of the farmland will be given to the conservancy as open space.
"We are just so pleased to get it," said Pat Turner, another Coit friend and active member of Avalonia.
Even a year ago, when Coit was at Apple Rehab, Turner said the farm was operating and regular customers got their Christmas trees there.
"Many of us don't know where we will get our trees now," Turner said. "We not only miss Anna, we will miss the tree farm if it doesn't continue."
Michele Fitzpatrick, the Avalonia president, said Coit was a founder and longtime and valuable member of the conservancy, making the tree farm donation "more emotional."
Coit prided herself on being an environmentalist long before others even coined the phrase, and another property that she owned, described in the will as a "17Â 1/2-acre woodlot," will be sold with a deed restriction limiting construction to just one house, and "prohibiting the further subdivision of said parcel."
Murtha, whose mother was Anna Coit's first cousin, said giving was always part of Coit's nature.
"She was just such an inspiration and so cause-oriented and concerned, and heritage and history were so important to her," she said.
Friendships were important, too.
"She took joy in people of all ages, and it's a tribute, the lives she touched and the number of people who visited her," Murtha said. "Anna had this gift of making each one feel that he or she was the gift of her life. And she had a marvelous sense of humor."
The evening before she died, friends gathered with Coit at Apple Rehab and chatted over glasses of sherry.
"She was lucid and telling stories right up until the day before she passed," Eppinger said.
"Anna always said she had the mind of an 18- or 20-year-old locked in a 100-year-old body."
Murtha said those full faculties are what prompted Coit to arrange for Yale to get her body.
"You have to be within the state you die in, and she wanted to go to Yale," Murtha said. "That's one reason she ended up in the nursing home in Connecticut."
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We Are Prepared To Meet With You
The Experience And Care You Need For Personal Injury & Family Law Matters
Evaluate the defendants in a personal injury claim after a crash
On behalf of Todd & Dossett, P.C. posted in car accidents on Thursday, August 24, 2017.
There aren't ever any preventable reasons for a car crash that should be considered acceptable. In our previous blog post, we discussed how driving while drowsy is very dangerous. All drivers must try to keep themselves and others on the roadway safe.
Continue reading Evaluate the defendants in a personal injury claim after a crash...
Tags: Car Accidents
What should I know about drowsy driving?
Getting as much rest as you can before heading out on a long drive is something that should be routine for all drivers. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work that way. Drowsy drivers pose a risk to everyone on the road, so it is imperative that all drivers avoid this dangerous behavior.
Continue reading What should I know about drowsy driving?...
Make each divorce decision based on clarity
On behalf of Todd & Dossett, P.C. posted in divorce on Friday, August 11, 2017.
In our previous two blog posts, we've discussed matters related to child custody. While this is likely the thorniest component that you must deal with when in the midst of a divorce, it certainly isn't the only issue you have to address.
Continue reading Make each divorce decision based on clarity...
Toddler custody plans require careful planning
On behalf of Todd & Dossett, P.C. posted in child custody on Friday, August 4, 2017.
Each age group for a child comes with specific concerns and considerations. This is especially true for parents who are dealing with child custody issues. For parents who have toddlers, there are some very important things to think about when you are trying to make a child custody agreement.
Continue reading Toddler custody plans require careful planning...
Carefully consider property and debts during divorce
Wedding planners share insights into marital health
Help to reduce the prevalence of sibling rivalry after divorce
Detail what happened in your shopping injury claim
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8 Things I'm Watching for in the Democratic Debates
Hillary Clinton Wins Colorado in Election 2016
Hillary Clinton gained 9 electoral votes from her win in Colorado in the 2016 presidential election.
Melanie Mignucci
Hillary has won Colorado and its 9 electoral votes with 48.5% of the vote. Hillary’s lead the night before the election was anywhere from 1 to 5 points, with a projected 76% chance to win.
Republicans took a 7,000 vote lead over Democrats as early voting ended Monday, signaling enthusiasm but not necessarily loyalty to the republican nominee. Coloradoans are also historically more open to third-party voters and are less likely to be decided wholly for one mainstream candidate over the other, making Hillary’s victory, in a race dominated by not-unviable 3rd party candidates, all the more remarkable.
Reverberations were felt down the ballot as well. Incumbent Republican House Member Mike Coffman not only repudiated Trump’s campaign, but used it to contrast his own leftward pivot on illegal immigration, as his campaign against Democratic Senator Morgan Carroll became one of the most competitive in the nation.
The state’s 9 electoral votes bring Hillary up to 190 votes to Trump's 171, with the majority of swing states left to watch. All eyes are on Michigan and Wisconsin, which may on their own determine the next president of the United States.
Related: 15 States to Watch Closely on Election Day
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Spending Bill Would Resolve a Pressing NASA Concern
JOHN SCHWARTZ
The provision would allow NASA to buy seats on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft until 2016, thereby granting the agency continued access to the International Space Station.
A little-noticed provision of a stopgap spending bill passed by the House on Wednesday could resolve one of the most pressing issues for the United States space program.
The $630 billion measure, which is known as a continuing resolution, will put off major spending and energy decisions into next year if it is passed by the Senate. It keeps government agencies functioning at current funding levels, and includes additional appropriations for the Pentagon, hurricane relief, veterans health care and other projects.
Among the provisions is one that allows the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to buy seats on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft until 2016. Without it, NASA would have been unable to buy passage aboard the Soyuz after the current Congressional permission to do so expires in 2011.
The Soyuz seats are critical to the space program because NASA plans to wind down the space shuttle program in 2010. The next generation of spacecraft will not be ready until 2015, at the earliest, under current plans. In order to continue reaching the International Space Station during the gap between the end of the old program and the beginning of the new, NASA plans to fly with the Russian space program.
A 2000 law — the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act — prohibits the government from making payments to Russia related to the International Space Station because of Russia’s sale of nuclear materials to Iran. Congress had passed a waiver to the law that allowed NASA to purchase Soyuz seats, but that waiver will expire in 2011. Since Soyuz spacecraft take a full three years to build, NASA needed quick action on a new waiver or risk losing access to the station three years from now when the old waiver expires.
Efforts to secure the new waiver, however, all but stalled after Russia invaded Georgia this year — an act that increased tensions between Russia and the United States. “The leadership hadn’t paid much attention to the issue,” said John Logsdon, an expert on space policy at the National Air and Space Museum.
A letter to Democratic leaders in Congress this week from Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, urged them to pass the waiver and retain access to the station. “Unless we act immediately,” he wrote, “the U.S. will abandon its role in supporting, and benefiting from, missions to this amazing facility.”
That letter removed the legislative roadblock, said Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, a Democrat. “I think Obama changed the game,” he said, because it focused the attention of Congressional leadership on the urgency of the issue. “Everybody knew it was the right thing to do,” Mr. Nelson said. “That doesn’t mean everybody likes it, but they knew it was the right thing to do.”
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Close to God's Heart
Written by Kathryn Matthews Huey
Sunday, January 4
Second Sunday after Christmas
Focus Theme
Weekly Prayer
Gracious God, You have redeemed us through Jesus Christ, the first-born of all creation, whose birth we celebrate as the child of Bethlehem. Bless us with every spiritual blessing, that we may live as your adopted children and witness to your glory with unending praise and thanksgiving. Amen.
Focus Scripture
John 1: [1-9] 10-18
[In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.] He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
(John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
All Readings For This Sunday
Jeremiah 31:7-14 or Sirach 24:1-12
Psalm 147:12-20 or Wisdom 10:15-21
John 1:[1-9], 10-18
1. In what ways do you feel the fullness of God's blessings in your life this day?
2. Do you see other people as "bearers of divine mystery"?
3. What good news are you waiting to hear, or waiting to see fulfilled?
4. What word does your congregation bring to life?
5. What difference has the light shining on your life made in the life of the world?
Reflection by Kate Matthews Huey
We've just come through a long season of celebration, of parties in our homes and offices, in gathering places out in a world festively adorned with twinkling lights and illuminated Santas and, underneath, its own sound track of much-loved music: this has been a time for many families and friends to gather for fun and warmth and good cheer. Not that there's anything wrong with that…but by now the thought of one more celebration might finding us looking instead for a little peace and quiet. And yet here we are, "celebrating the feast" of the Epiphany, a word we rarely use anymore, unless we're talking about a sudden realization or insight that we've had, usually about ourselves, that is, and not so much about anything spiritual. And we find ourselves in a world that seems even more troubled than usual, with so much tragedy, so much unrest, so much violence and fear, and, it seems, so little that we can do about it all. So we may be too worn out, too overwhelmed to contemplate, let alone celebrate, the immense majesty and profound joy of John's prologue to his Gospel.
Perhaps we understand the religious meaning of "epiphany" only as a way to talk about three wise men coming to see the baby Jesus. Why would we highlight this text from John, then, instead of the much more accessible, more "human" story of those travelers from afar (with one more Christmas carol all of their own)? However, there is a whole season of Epiphany, and many ways to speak about Jesus being made known, or shown, in the world. John's elegant poem, or hymn, is one of those epiphany ("manifestation") texts that shows us who Jesus is. What better place to start another year of our lives than where John begins his story of Jesus, at the beginning of it all?
Unlike the other three Gospel writers, John begins his story long before human history begins, at the very dawn of creation. In this "overture" to his Gospel, he lays out the very themes he will develop later on. The transcendent beauty and lofty theology in John's Prologue may seem too immense, too high-flown, for us to comprehend, but that is, after all, the point of this text: that the transcendent, beyond-words God took on flesh, came to us, found us, sought us out, took on our own existence, with its pains, its sorrows, its vulnerability and its joys. Stephen Bauman says it especially well: "God," he writes, "is embedded with us in the human predicament." In fact, scholars love to say that the Word "pitched a tent" in our midst, a down-to-earth image for such a hard-to-grasp concept. In any case, Fred Craddock eloquently sums up "the bottom line" of what John is saying here about God and that human predicament: "Whatever else John 1:14 means, it does state without question the depth, the intensity, and the pursuit of God's love for the world." What difference would it make if we thought of ourselves, the whole world, as "pursued" by God's love?
Jesus Christ shows us who God is, and we have received from his fullness, "grace upon grace." This phrase sets a tone for this new year, as it lays a foundation for a theology of abundance, an almost-daring thing to speak of in times like ours of growing economic hardship for many. However, a theology of abundance is a beginning-of-all-things perspective that focuses on God, while our economic dislocation says much more about us and the way we've managed the abundance God has blessed us with. As people of faith, we take a long view, back to "the beginning," when God showered us with an overflowing abundance of grace and a good and beautiful creation. Watch how often such generosity appears in Eugene Peterson's translation of this passage: "generous inside and out, true from start to finish….We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift. We got the basics from Moses, and then this exuberant giving and receiving" (The Message). Gift after gift after gift! Or, as Charles Cousar puts it, "To behold God is to be a recipient of wave after wave of the divine generosity (grace) and to experience God's faithfulness to the ancient promises (truth)."
Yes, as another year begins, we're still struggling on our way out of deep economic troubles, and the gap between the rich and poor grows wider as more wealth moves upward to a small percentage of the population, and too many of us are still out of work or underemployed or feeling insecure in our jobs. It may be secular heresy to see abundance, to see fullness even in a time like this. However, if we can claim that there is more than enough of everything our spirits need most--forgiveness and reconciliation, grace, life, truth, joy, generosity, healing, justice--perhaps we can also believe that there is more than enough of what our bodies need to live on: food, water, land, clothing, and shelter. Beverly Gaventa reminds us that we're not the only ones blessed by the light of God, for "all people, whether they believe it or not, live in a world illuminated by the light just as they live in a world created by the Word." Gaventa then challenges us to live our lives "discovering the divine benevolence and reliability." Might this even be a first step on the path to world peace, if we truly believe there is not just more than enough light for all, but more than enough of everything we need, if we just learn to share?
A phrase in this passage, "close to the Father's heart," tries to describe the relationship between the first and second Persons of the Trinity. However, the translation in the NRSV might be improved, according to The New Proclamation Commentary on the Gospels: "'with God' (v.1) is really 'towards God,' and 'close to the Father's heart' (v. 18) is really 'into the bosom/embrace of the Father,' both expressing a vibrant and active exchange." Barbara Brown Taylor reflects beautifully on the word "'bosom,' an image that evokes the maternal as well as the paternal body of God. While no one has seen God, Jesus apparently knows where to lay his head….this Son knows how to listen to the heartbeat of his Father."
John speaks of "the Word" that was present at creation, a mighty God, above our imaginings or description, and yet this Word came into the world as a baby, small and vulnerable and sweet. It's hard to relate to a transcendent God, but we can relate to a baby, a mother, and, strangely enough, the shepherds who came to give homage (even though most of us have never been shepherds). The Word, then, isn't an intellectualized, conceptual God but an enfleshed, living, breathing God who shared our sorrows and joys, our suffering and struggles and hope. As Stephen Bauman puts it, "There is no darkness, even unto death, in which God is not intimately acquainted and engaged, present and powerful, loving and true." Perhaps this paradox explains why singing Christmas carols helps us in our humble attempts to express the inexpressible--we cannot put into words the incredible mystery of God-made-flesh, and yet we have known it in our bones. We have felt God with us even when we could never explain how that could be.
Such knowledge, however, is not just "head" knowledge but an embodied experience that moves us to encounter one another, and God's creation, differently. Jesus was not a drastic reversal or turn on God's part, away from God's original plan. John Dominic Crossan writes, "The Logos, or Word, means God's inaugural vision for the world at the dawn of creation. It is not as if God came up with a new idea or a new program at the time of Christ. The divine vision of freedom and justice, of nonviolence and peace, and of an earth in which all have a fair and equitable share was there from creation itself." Perhaps this perspective, of God's grand vision from the very beginning of more than enough for all, prepares us to address the problems of scarcity and injustice that seem to hold sway over our hearts and minds during these difficult economic times. (Indeed, even if our economy continues its slow improvement, there is the larger issue of economic justice around the world.)
Richard Burridge finds lovely meaning in this reading as it "affirms the world's goodness and the Word's involvement in creation" and "inspires the great Christian involvement in both the arts and the sciences." He observes that "[s]cientific inquiry is possible if the world is not some malicious fantasy but the result of a creator's love--to study the laws of physics is to search out the mind of God," and "rather than trying to escape the material body, our humanity can be explored in sculpture and paint, poetry and prose, dance and drama, music and song--because 'in him was life' (1:4)." Burridge's words remind me of a quote from Albert Einstein: "I want to know God's thoughts--the rest are mere details." Other writers focus on a greater appreciation for human nature itself; Dianne Bergant says, "It was good enough for God to embrace, and so we should highly revere it." Even more, she writes, we should "look with new eyes at those others with whom we share that same human nature, all those whom we might have considered 'most unlikely' bearers of divine mystery."
In her sermon, "Waiting in the Dark," Barbara Brown Taylor reflects on what it feels like to wait for some all-important thing, as John the Baptist did: before Jesus arrived, "John's life was one long Advent, a waiting in the dark for the light, a waiting without knowing for the one thing that would change everything." Many of us are waiting for a messenger who will tell us that the tide has turned, that the day of vindication and hope has arrived, that God is still with us. Some of us have secretly, privately, in the deepest places of our hearts, given up hope. Or, worse, we may assume that it's all up to us, or that we can somehow make everything right, all by our own efforts, without a God who has chosen to be right here, right in the midst of everything that we face. As we wait, Taylor writes, we can live in hope and trust: "We may be short on details," she writes, "but we are not short on hope or wonder at this mystery whose good hands we are in."
Our text does more than remind us of what God did, long ago; rather, it proclaims that God is active in the world today, in this setting of history. We might feel tired and relieved that Christmas is over, but it would be better to feel energized and renewed by the good news of the gift of Jesus Christ every day, not just on one morning, or season, each year. After all, Richard Swanson observes, "Christmas takes a while to celebrate. The Incarnation takes a long time to think about." Barbara Brown Taylor develops the theme of bringing a word to life, a word that each one of us "has a gift for bringing to life," whether that word is compassion, justice, generosity, patience, or love. "Until someone acts upon these words," she observes, "they remain abstract concepts--very good ideas that few people have ever seen. The moment someone acts on them, the words become flesh. They live among us, so we can see their glory." Taylor makes the same observation about congregations, who "embody words as well."
God's grace has brought us light, has brought us truth, has brought us home. According to Dianne Bergant, our readings today suggest that we ask God, "Where do you live?" Would it be obvious to the surrounding community that God lives in the midst of your congregation? Mary Lin Hudson's pastoral reflection on this text considers the way the Word is embodied in the life that we share together, "in the extraordinary care that opens a home to a broken body in need. The Word is embodied in the extravagant feeding of people who can no longer cook warm meals for themselves. The Word becomes flesh when it embraces with love the stranger who has come home." How is the Word embodied in your midst? We might wonder today how our churches would be transformed if all of our members thought of themselves as witnesses who testify to the Light, as John did. And then we might dream of how the world around us would be transformed as well.
For further reflection
Anne Lamott, 21st century
"The thing about light is that it really isn't yours; it's what you gather and shine back. And it gets more power from reflectiveness; if you sit still and take it in, it fills your cup, and then you can give it off yourself."
Mother Teresa, 20th century
"Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness."
Helen Keller, 20th century
"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light."
Madeleine L'Engle, 20th century
"There is in God, some say, a deep but dazzling darkness."
Augustine of Hippo, 5th century
"You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
About Weekly Seeds
Weekly Seeds is a source for Bible study based on the readings of the "Lectionary," a plan for weekly Bible readings in public worship used in Protestant, Anglican and Roman Catholic churches throughout the world. When we pray with and study the Bible using the Lectionary, we are praying and studying with millions of others.
You're welcome to reprint this resource and use in your congregation's Bible-study groups.
Weekly Seeds is a service of Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ. Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version, © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Revised Common Lectionary is © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.
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The Beer is Here!
For 60 years, hops, a basic ingredient in beer, were the main industry in the Agassiz Area of British Columbia. At the height of the business, 300 acres of a total holding of 450 acres were planted with hops. The first hop yards, planted in 1892, belonged to the B.C. Hop Company.
Hops were harvested from August to early October every year and during that time Agassiz prospered. With the arrival of a thousand pickers, the town's normal population swelled to 15 hundred and business flourished.
Many town merchants increased their sales by setting up small stalls beside the hop yards to serve the pickers. Reliable men with teams of horses were hired to plow and cultivate the hop fields. In the early days pickers came exclusively from First Nation families but later the work force included locals and Chinese immigrants who had come to Canada to work on the CPR line. Many plants were destroyed by downy mildew around 1935 and as it began to spread, pesticides were used but the sprays proved to be expensive and ineffective. Still, from 1939 to 1945 the hop industry boomed in Agassiz. The Famous Fraser River flood of 1948 annihilated the hop fields, the industry rapidly declined and in 1952 the hop yards moved to the Creston Valley. The fertile soil that had for 60 years nourished a bounty of hops, was planted with corn and hay as dairy farms began to prosper in the Agassiz area.
This October, Harrison Hot Springs will present the first of what we hope will be an annual event, The Harrison Beer Fest. Get your tickets early and join us on October 26th and 27th for what already promises to be this years hottest hop happening!! http://www.harrisonbeerfest.com/
Posted on Sep 24, 2012 by Tourism Harrison
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Agios Ioannis Kynourias
Agios Petros Kynourias
Helleniko
Isaris
Karytaina
Krya Vrysi
Roino
Zatouna
Greece, Peloponnese, Arcadia
Arcadia - Online Booking
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Description of Arcadia
The region of Arcadia occupies much of the central mountainous Peloponnese. The name of Arkadia has been equivalent to the wild beauty of the deep forests of the area where Pan used to play with nymphs. Nowadays, the mountainous villages of Vytina and Dimitsana are popular among outdoor-loving Greeks and increasingly, like-minded tourists with traditional hotels and guesthouses. It also has an unspoilt coastline facing the Argolic Gulf with pretty towns like Astros and Leonidio with lovely restaurants.
Geography of Arcadia
Arcadia is a region situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese and its neighbouring regions are Argolida to the northeast, Corinthia and Achaia to the north, Ilia and Messinia to the west and Laconia to the south. The region spans an area of 4.419 sq. km. and a total population of 86.820 inhabitants. The capital city of the region is Tripoli. The highest mountains are Mainalo, Taygetos and Parnonas.
History of Arcadia
Arcadia has shared its past with the neighbour city of Sparta, although Arcadians broke their League and allied with the city-states of Thives and later Arcadia became a part of the Achaean League. Arkadia was occupied by Romans and then became part of the Byzantine Empire, until 1460. In the 15th century, Arcadia fell under the Ottoman Turks and after nearly 400 years of occupation, Arcadia was one of the centres of the Greek War of Independence with victorious battles like the one in Tripoli. After joining the newly-created Greek state, Arcadia saw economic growth but later in the 20th century suffered from emigration abroad, as a result of the economic decline after the Second World War.
Sightseeing in Arcadia
On the mountain of Mainalo at an altitude 1981 meters, there is the Ski Centre of Ostrakina where visitors can enjoy nature and skiing within trees. Mainalo Ski Centre has three ski lifts, ski runs and a guest lounge. The central part of Arcadia is the heart of the region is the area with some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Peloponnese, with a tangle of medieval villages and lush vegetation beneath the slopes of the Menalon Mountain. Dimitsana, Vytina, Karytena are only some of the popular winter resorts of the region, well-known for the outdoor activities in nature.
Useful Phone Numbers in Arcadia
Police: +30 2710 230548
Hospital: +30 2710 238542-4
Bus Services: +30 2710 224314
Railway: +30 2710 241696
Ski Center of Mainalon: +30 27960 22211
Catalogue of companies for Arcadia
Map for Arcadia
Agios Ioannis Kynourias is a mountainous village located about 23 km far from Tripoli and is built at an altitude of 750 m on the North Slope of Mount Sarantapsychos. Besides its natural beauty, and the refreshing mountain climate, the village of Agios Ioannis is only half an hour far from the beach...
Agios Petros Kynourias is a traditional village, built on the slopes of Mount Parnonas at an altitude of 950m. It is the ideal place for those who love peace, fresh air and mountain getaways. It offers good food in restaurants and taverns and accommodation in beautiful hotels and hostels.
Ano Doliana is a beautiful mountain village built on the northern slopes of Mount Parnonas at an altitude of 1,050 m with a square with plane trees, cafes, taverns and restaurants near the church of Saint George. The village of Ano Doliana offers magnificent views over the plains of Tripoli. It has hotels...
Astros is the main summer resort in Arcadia. Its name meaning star derives from the particular shape of the peninsula where is located and looks like a star. Astros lies under the shadow of a medieval castle that overlooks the sea and the waterfront is ideal for summer walks enjoying the sea breeze....
The village of Dara is perched on the slopes of three small hills in Mantinea, shortly after the village of Levidi and offers a unique view of the green namesake valley that is crossed by the rivers of Tragos and Mylaontas. The area offers hotels for accommodation and restaurants.
Davies is actually the name of two villages that are closely located to each other, Ano Davia and Kato Davia. Davies villages are just 12 km far from Tripoli located in beautiful surroundings as the river Melissonas runs through the village and helps to sustain the lush vegetation. The famous landmark...
Dimitsana is a delightful medieval village built amphitheatrically on two hills at the beginning of the Lousios Gorge, 11km north of Stemnitsa. Dimitsana played a significant role in Greece’s struggle for self-determination in 1821 and the school was an important spawning ground for the ideas leading...
Helleniko is located between the villages of Stemnitsa and Karitena at an altitude of 700 meters. It is an ideal destination for weekend visitors and nature lovers as it is surrounded by mountains, historic sites and offers an impressive view to Mount Lykaion, Lousios Gorge and the cluster of villages...
In Arcadia, the traditional settlement Isaris will surely captivate your senses.
Karitena is a splendid medieval village of the mountainous part of Arcadia. The Frankish castle of Karitena perched atop a massive rock became a key stronghold for the Greek forces during the War of Independence in 1821. Nowadays, in Karytaina you can find hotels, hostels, rooms for comfortable accommodation...
After a magical ride through the woods, there is the village of Kastanitsa, built between two hills. The position of the village offers a panoramic breathtaking view which can only be compared to this of the castle of Kastanitsa. Kastanitsa offers good food in restaurants and taverns and accommodation...
Kato Vervena is a small settlement near the village of Astros, the famous cosmopolitan resort of Peloponnese. It has sandy beach, several cafes and bars and taverns and restaurants with good food. For your stay you can choose among hotels or studios in the area.
Krya Vrysi is a picturesque village with stone built houses and public buildings that are excellent examples of the local architecture. The famous landmark of the village is the church of Saint John which was built in just 40 days as this was the condition put by pasha, the local Turkish governor, to...
The historical village of Lagadia is located in the centre of the Peloponnese, at an altitude of 800 meters. The picturesque village has impressive stone built houses with extraordinary view built amphitheatrically on a cliff, surrounded by walnut trees and water streams. The area has been developed...
Leonidio, 76km south of Argos, has a dramatic setting at the mouth of the Badron Gorge beside Dafnonas River and surrounded by towering red rocks. Leonidio has traditional local architecture and peaceful rural surroundings. Just 5km far from Leonidio there is the port of Plaka. Leonidio has hotels for...
Levidi is a beautiful town, built on the outskirts of Mount Mainalo next to a pine forest at an altitude of 850 m. Levidi has a rich history and folklore tradition and has also been participating in the national liberation struggle in 1821 and one of the first historic battles of the revolution, where...
Piana is a village located on the slopes of Mount Mainalo at an altitude of 1150 meters. Piana became well known during the Greek War of Independence in 1821 as here were organized the first military forces that reinforced the Battle of Valtetsi and occupied the city of Tripoli. The area offers hotels...
Poulithra is close to the seaside village of Leonidio surrounded by a wonderful natural environment. The pebbly beach and the picturesque port with views to the sea and the surrounding area is the perfect place for summer getaways and holidays. Poulithra has hotels for accommodation, restaurants and...
Roino is a small picturesque village of Arcadia built at an altitude of 1200 m with natural and peaceful beauty. The village has abundant water, lush vegetation and beautiful views to the plateau of Davia. The area offers hotels for accommodation, restaurants and taverns.
Stemnitsa is a striking and beautiful village of stone houses and Byzantine churches. It is just 15 km far from the village of Karitena and makes a good base for nature lovers and moments of peace and relaxation. Stemnitsa offers accommodation in hotels and guesthouses and has many restaurants too. During...
Tripoli is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia. It is a beautiful modern city that has retained its traditional character and despite the peaceful surroundings the recent history of the city has been rather violent. The Battle of Tripolitsa in 1821 was the first and the most decisive victories of...
Valtessiniko, located at an altitude of 1,150 m is one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages of the area of Gortynia in Arcadia. It is located northwest to the village of Vitina and is one of the most visited villages. Choose to stay in one of the beautiful inns, hotels, rooms and try the local...
Vitina is a famous mountain holiday resort built on the slopes on Mount Mainalo gathering numerous visitors. Vytina is surrounded by fir forests and beautiful natural landscapes and is blessed with a rare climate which is considered to be therapeutic for both body and soul. The village has stone built...
Xiropigado is a picturesque fishing village on the shores of Kynouria on the outskirts of Mount Parnonas. The clean beach from one side and the wooded area on the other, create a magical landscape. The area has been developed to stay in hotels, guesthouses and good food at taverns and restaurants.
Zatouna is a beautiful traditional village built at an altitude of 1500 meters with stone built houses and peaceful atmosphere. The famous village of Dimitsana is in very short distance from Zatouna where you can find many taverns and restaurants. Zatouna has hotels and rooms for your accommodation.
Suggestions for Arcadia
Arcadia Hotel
The Arcadia Hotel offers the visitor luxury comfort within minimalistic design as well as high standard services and traditional Greek cuisine.
Pelasgos
Welcome to the historic and beautiful Karytaina just before entering the village you will find the hotel Pelasgos. This is a beautiful stone building hotel which...
Isaraiiko Spiti
Isari, and its breathtaking view, is one of the most picturesque regions of Arcadia. At a glance, you can see the plain of Messiniako, Megalopolis and Taygetos impressive...
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Rand held back by political uncertainty, says IMF
Political uncertainty is probably depressing the value of South Africa rand, according to the head of the International Monetary Fund's Africa department.
South Africa's fiscal and monetary policy has been "as good as it gets," Abebe Selassie said in an interview in Washington. "It's more on the structural side that attention is needed. It's more about getting confidence in the private sector to invest."
While most polls are predicting a comfortable win for the ruling ANC under President Cyril Ramaphosa's leadership in the May 8 general election, he faces difficulties introducing reforms to stimulate the economy, consolidate spending and reduce corruption. Ramaphosa's rise to power to replace Jacob Zuma after a scandal-ridden tenure of almost nine years initially boosted confidence in the rand, but the currency has slumped back to the levels seen before the change in leadership.
"The rand is of course among the most freely floating currencies in the emerging-market universe, subject to the ebbs and flows of sentiment," Selassie said. "Our view is that there's nothing awry with the calibration of macro policies."
The rand weakened sharply last year as rising interest rates in the US put pressure on emerging markets including Argentina, Turkey and South Africa. The currency has gained about 3 percent against the dollar so far this year.
The IMF this week downgraded its forecast for global growth to the slowest pace since the financial crisis. The fund cut its outlook for South Africa to 1.2% growth this year, down from 1.4% projected in January.
The fund projects sub-Saharan Africa's economy will grow 3.5% this year, accelerating to 3.7% next year. Growth in the region is being held back by the relatively slow expansion in major economies including South Africa, Nigeria and Angola, Selassie said.
"What we see is continued recovery, but it is a two-track recovery amid uncertainty," Selassie said.
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Punishment for Space Losses
President Dmitry Medvedev raised the prospect of criminal prosecution for space mishaps on Saturday following a series of failed launches that have embarrassed Russia.
Earlier this month, a probe designed to bring back soil samples from the Martian moon Phobos got stuck in Earth's orbit, leaving Russia's first interplanetary mission in years with almost no chance of success.
The probe failure came less than three months after a cargo ship carrying food and fuel to the International Space Station burned up in the atmosphere shortly after launch.
"Recent failures are a strong blow to our competitiveness. It does not mean that something fatal has happened, it means that we need to carry out a detailed review and punish those guilty," Medvedev told reporters in televised comments.
"I am not suggesting putting them up against the wall like under Josef Vissarionovich [Stalin], but seriously punish either financially or, if the fault is obvious, it could be a disciplinary or even criminal punishment," he said.
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Most Russians Want McDonald's Closed, Poll Says
Sixty-two percent of respondents support the closure of all McDonald's in Russia.
Liberal Democrat Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky's call to close all McDonald's restaurants in Russia received a lot of media attention, and a recent poll shows that most Russians would be glad to see the back of the fast food chain.
Sixty-two percent of respondents support the closure of all McDonald's in Russia, according to a survey conducted by SuperJob's Research Center in the week that followed the company's announcement that it was shutting its three restaurants in Crimea.
Younger Russians were more likely to defend the Big Mac purveyor, with 33 percent of those aged below 24 saying they wouldn't like to see the golden arches disappear from their towns.
SuperJob said that respondents' explanations for their choices were often rooted in patriotism, with many saying that U.S. fast-food franchises should be replaced by cafes serving domestic cuisine. Those against shuttering the restaurants, which first opened to a massive fanfare in Russia in 1990, cited a lack of good cheap alternatives.
McDonald's April 3 announcement about its Crimean suspension spurred headlines that ran the gamut from Zhirinovsky's comments to reports that Burger King would open restaurants on the former Ukrainian peninsula.
Burger King Worldwide later denied reports that it plans to expand into Crimea.
The poll was conducted from April 4 to 10 among 1,600 respondents in 249 cities and towns across Russia. No margin of error was given.
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05:41 Shurooq
Lianne Gutcher
Book review: Britain’s code-breaking women overlooked
Marie Hicks' Programmed Inequality documents Britain's failure to capitalise on its post second world lead in the computer technology industry.
Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost its Edge in Computing.
During the Second World War, thousands of women worked as skilled computer operators at Bletchley Park, the UK government’s code-breaking site, with their efforts undoubtedly helping to win the conflict.
By the end of the war, Britain was leading the world in cutting-edge computer technology and the government determined to capitalise on that advantage and reinvent the nation as a technological superpower as its empire waned.
The story of Britain’s failure to achieve this goal is told by Marie Hicks through a gender lens in her book Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost its Edge in Computing, published in January.
Hicks traces the role of women in computing in the UK from the 1940s to the 1980s. During those years, women were marginalised within the industry as computing moved from being considered low-paid, unskilled and therefore “women’s work” to higher paid, skilled “men’s work”.
This categorisation was created and perpetuated by the UK’s largest employer, the civil service, which wanted to preserve the societal status quo (men as the main breadwinners, women as homemakers) and power in the hands of an elite few (white, middle-aged men) even at the expense of economic progress.
This policy, however, backfired as computing became more important, and the UK found itself suffering from a skills shortage because of the exclusion of women. The eventual result was the eclipse of the UK’s computer industry by the US.
This is not a light read. The writing is rather academic in style but it becomes more manageable as the book progresses with the best sections, documenting the personal experiences of the few women who made it in computing in the 1960s, coming midway.
The history behind the book is important because of the lessons it holds for today’s tech economies, warns Hicks.
It is well documented that the industry’s quota of women to men is far lower; women comprise about a third of the workforce in Silicon Valley for example.
It is not enough to influence the individual career choices of workers, to attempt to entice girls, women and minorities into the field, says Hicks. The structural issues of dominance and control that created institutionalised discrimination in the first place must also be addressed.
q&a clear gender bias pattern
Lianne Gutcher expands on Marie Hicks’ Programmed Inequality:
Did any of the women pioneers in computing make it to the top?
Yes, but very few and most of them left the public sector to advance their careers. One was Stephanie “Steve” Shirley. After leaving her government post, she founded a software services company. Cleverly, she tapped into the pool of skilled women who were “discarded” from the workforce. By allowing her employees to work from home, something other employers did not permit, her company reaped the benefits of these women’s experience. However, even Ms Shirley was forced to make concessions to the masculine working environment. She adopted the nickname “Steve” when she realised that using her real name shut her out of opportunities.
Is that “Steve” on the book’s cover?
No. That’s Cathy Gillespie. She started her operating career at the UK government’s Post Office computing centre, after quitting secretarial college because of the dead-end nature of the work. She had to swear she wouldn’t have children in the near future to clinch the job.
What happened after that?
After two years, Ms Gillespie moved to IBM, which is where this publicity shot was taken in 1970. As the author writes, the way the photo is staged, “Gillespie sits in a seeming passive role … in a way similar to a secretary at a keyboard”. By contrast, photos of men show them “striding around with a sense of gravitas that seemed to heighten their importance”.
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Women’s group holds convention
July 4, 2019 The National Faith
THE Christian Revival Crusade (CRC) church women’s groups around the country have converged at the Bethel Centre in Waigani, Port Moresby, for a five-day convention which started on Monday.
CRC national women’s coordinator pastor Rhoda Hegame told The National that more than 1,000 women from the 22 provinces were attending the convention.
The theme of the convention is ‘The time is now: 2 Corinthians 6:2”
As part of their official opening programme, the women participated in a march from June Valley to Waigani on Monday to declare the suburb, the provinces and the country for Jesus.
“We wanted to declare that the Lord Jesus is the Lord over the suburb and the people of the 22 provinces and the country,” she said.
Hegame said it was a biannual convention and the last one was held in 2016 in Lae, Morobe.
The keynote speaker is pastor Barry Silverback.
Pastor tells parishioners to serve only one master
Clergyman commends move by department
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Home Old_Posts Framing the population debate in Africa: Part Three
Framing the population debate in Africa: Part Three
WHAT has so far come out of Part One and Two is that the West, led by the US, has been spearheading attempts to control the growth of populations in the so-called Least Developed Countries(LDCs) in Africa, Asia and Latin America since the 1940s.
Because huge populations in all former colonies are perceived by the West as a direct threat to its interests at many levels.
According to the National Security Study Memorandum (NSSM200) authored by Henry Kissinger in 1974 and ever since a key factor in US foreign policy, large populations in LDCs are prone to “civil disturbances affecting the smooth flow of materials”!
Such disturbances would be less likely to occur “under conditions of slow or zero population growth”.
To note here is that the ‘materials’ referred to in the memorandum are in fact abundant natural resources belonging to LDCs, but which are defined intriguingly as US national interests!
Put briefly, concern about rates of population growth is all centred around continued access to natural resources of the LDCs by the West!
Accordingly, what appears like care by the West over over-population growth in LDCs is indeed part of a low intensity war over access to resources of the Third World!
In order to curb the rapid rise of population growth in LDCs the NSSM200 proposes the sponsoring of population reduction programmes in LDCs with birth control measures at the centre of every programme!
Kissinger continues, “mandatory programmes may be needed and we should be considering these possibilities now … allocation of food resources should take account of what steps a country is taking in population control… In these sensitive relations, however, it is important in style as well as substance to avoid the appearance of coercion”.
In plain language, refusal to implement birth control measures means no US-AID coming!
One of the measures recommended by the NSSM200 is to persuade, convince and if necessary, compel leaders of the LDCs to support and promote birth control policies and programmes in their countries or else face sanctions in one form or other.
Another measure is for the US to assist financially in setting up and supporting organisations and or institutions which promote birth control policies in LDCs.
In this context higher institutions of learning and research such as the University of Zimbabwe are deliberately earmarked to receive funds from these seemingly good Samaritans!
The assumption is that such prestigious institutions will, in turn, set-up departments in which programmes designed to promote reduction of rates of population growth in Africa are hosted. Similarly ministries of health right across Africa are also earmarked for donations so that they play a frontline role in the implementation of birth control measures proposed by the West!
All this is done under the guise of humanitarianism and goodwill of the West.
In such a context it is no wonder our own intellectuals and researchers become beholden to Western donors, more so when they are also earmarked for scholarships and or research funds and staff development fellowships!
The aim is to create a critical mass of seemingly ‘organic intellectuals’ whose role is to propagate and legitimise population policies and programmes designed by outsiders.
This is just one of the many examples of how our own thinkers and scholars are tamed and rendered impotent to initiate anything original and designed for the good of Africa — they become more concerned about pleasing those who fund them rather than those to whom they will always belong and whose destiny they are bound to share!
The result is a paradoxical one — our African scholars carrying out research projects designed by outsiders, research projects whose findings and or conclusions have already been pre determined by those who donate both population policies and funding to Africa for strategic and geo-political reasons stated above.
Those who believe in population control in Africa and the so-called LDCs and have deep pockets to back up their convictions are — Ted Turner, Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, David Rockefeller III etc — all billionaires who often donate population control funds through their foundations but often prefer to do so through the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
The less visible they are the better for them, often masquerading as unknown benefactors!
Of interest to Africa is that while the desire by the West to curb the rate of population growth in former colonies remains undiminished up to the present, in some Western countries themselves, the priorities are different, for instance, Germany!
The country has about 80 million people and is often considered the most densely populated and the most powerful locomotive of European Union economy!
Every year Germany spends US$265 billion on family subsidies because between the year 2000 and 2013 its birth rate dropped by 11 percent compared to the rises in the UK (4,3percent), France (3,6 percent), Spain (12,8 percent), and Ireland (8,9 percent).
Right now Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is throwing money at families and encouraging them to have more babies for the sake of stopping the drop in population growth which is regarded as a threat to the German economy!
The observation is that the labour force is graying and more workers are needed!
In Russia, for instance, President Putin is struggling to raise the plummeting birth rate among Russians.
In 2011 he announced plans to invest US$53 billion to help raise reproduction rates in Russia by 2015.
With a population of only 142 million people and a size of 6,5 million square miles, Russia is the largest country under the sun, possessing all sorts of minerals coveted by the EU!
Accordingly he needs more people to protect Russian national interests!
And it is also obvious to him that the meteoric rise of China’s economy is partly attributable to its large population of 1,3 billion people!
In light of the above we need to ask ourselves key questions: Why should those in Europe favour population growth while Africa is coerced to reduce its population numbers which barely go beyond the one billion mark, more so with over 11 million square miles of surface area possessing all sorts of minerals and natural resources that we can think of!
Coming nearer home, the population figures in Southern African Development Community (SADC) are as follows: Zimbabwe, 13 million people, Zambia, 15 million people, Mozambique 23 million people, Malawi 16,8 million people and South Africa 52 million people.
These figures speak for themselves!
Zimbabwe has one of the lowest population growth rates in SADC (about 1,1 percent) and it would be the height of folly to look at these figures without taking into account the effects of ESAP, European economic sanctions during the last 14 years and the HIV and AIDS pandemic!
The US$42 billion often cited as the loss inflicted on Zimbabwe by European sanctions is nothing, when compared to the loss in human capital during the same period.
It is important to consider what Tobaiwa Mudede is saying about Zimbabwe’s population figures and the use of contraceptives in light of the scenario outlined above!
Just going by the population figures alone, it is obvious that Zimbabwe is dangerously under-populated especially taking into account the size of the country and the huge and rich natural resources lying under and above its soils which need to be protected from fortune hunters from the West.
History tells us that when white settlers came into Southern Africa the key argument they constructed to justify the vast looting of African land and resources is that they found the land empty and uninhabited.
A population size that is large enough to act as a deterrent to such predatory human species is a must or else we will be run over as the war over resources escalates as the economic needs of the West also escalate. It is not a secret that Iraq was attacked by the West because of its rich natural resources and relatively small population.
The same West has been itching to attack Iran militarily in order to control its vast, but untapped crude oil reserves but its huge population of 77,7 million people has so far persuaded the same bloodthirsty West to think otherwise!
Telltale signs of such a resource war are already visible in Libya, Central African Republic and Mali.
According to recent revelations by Thabo Mbeki, Zimbabwe itself was scheduled for a second military assault from the same culprit which invaded us in 1890-Britain.
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Home / Opinion / THE SATURDAY INTERVIEW
THE SATURDAY INTERVIEW
Statesman News Service | June 24, 2013 12:52 pm
‘Being called bechari was a turning point’
Arunima Sinha is the first woman amputee in the world to have scaled Mount Everest. She hails from Ambedkar Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, and difficulties and controversies have been part of her life. But she has learnt to take the good along with the bad. The one-time volleyball player, who will be celebrating her 26th birthday on 19 June, is guided by her own maxim ~ “agar sapne sakaar karne hain to zakhmo ko kured kar rakho” (if you want to realise your dreams, you must keep your wounds fresh). She spoke to ARCHANA SRIVASTAVA on her stupendous feat and the high and lows of her life. Excerpts:
What was the first thought that struck you once you were at the summit of Mount Everest? How long did you stay there?
I reached the summit on Tuesday, 21 May, 2013 at 10.55 am and stayed on top for about 20 minutes. The moment I reached the summit, I thought of God, my country, my family, the people who gave me blood while I was recuperating in the hospital after being thrown out of a running train, and the innumerable disabled or ill-advantaged children who have a desire to achieve the insurmountable but are unable to do so owing lack of funds and other difficulties.
Could you recount the incident that left you incapacitated for life?
It was the intervening night of 11-12 April 2011. I was on my way to Delhi for an interview for a position with the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force). I was travelling by Padmavat Express and was thrown out of the running train by some miscreants when I resisted while they were trying to snatch my chain. I fell on the tracks and my left leg had to be amputated below the knee, while the right one has a rod in it.
Life must have appeared tough at that point of time, given that you had aspirations of becoming a renowned volleyball player?
The four months that I spent in King George&’s Medical College in Lucknow and AIIMS in Delhi were horrifying; I could see my career as a player crumble before me. The word bechari was the one most commonly used by all for me. However, it was this very word that brought about a certain determination in me; I wanted to prove to all and sundry that I would not be an object of their pity.
At the same time, the controversy surrounding my being a national level player was doing the rounds. All this provided me with the strength to break out.
Why the desire to scale Mount Everest. How did you train yourself for it?
As I said, I wanted to prove many things to myself and to others as well. Maine socha life ka sabse tough kaam karna hai (I thought I had to do the toughest job in life).
Climbing Mount Everest is a very tough task, and the odds against you rise manifold when you have a prosthetic left leg and a rod in the right one. I began training on 3 March, 2012 at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. I later went under the wings of Bachendri Pal (the first woman to scale Mt Everest). Unke under training karne par to murda bhi uth kar khada ho jayega (Her training can infuse life in dead bodies). The financial aspect was taken care of by Tata Steel, as climbing Mount Everest requires about Rs 35-40 lakh.
During the trek, were there moments when you thought you should give up?
Yes, there were quite a few such moments. Reaching the summit took 52 days, during which my prosthetic leg came off twice. When I was on the Hillary strip, close to the summit, the oxygen supply waned. Everybody said I should begin to descend; however, I was adamant. People from the agency I was climbing with contacted Bachendri Pal, and requested her to ask me to begin descending. Pal, however, asked them to arrange for oxygen, and said I would succeed if I had oxygen supply. Luckily, there was a foreigner who had decided to discontinue his ascent. I took his oxygen cylinder, and the rest is history.
You have been felicitated by many organisations. A California-based director has shown interest in making a movie based on your life; a road is likely to be named after you in your home district and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has honoured your achievement with a cheque of Rs 25 lakh. What now?
I have plans to open an academy in Unnao for disadvantaged and economically weak children. There are many more Arunimas waiting for their achievements to be recognised. I assure you that if things go according to plan, children of the academy will be seen in international level games by 2020. Remember, I was a player, I am a player and will always remain a player.
We await consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav after ICJ verdict: India
PCC accuses BJP of making false promise on delimitation in J&K
Include all sections of Afghan society in peace process, India tells major powers
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Roberto Mancini determined to rekindle Italy’s love affair with football
Italy and Inter Milan footballers Antonio Candreva (R) and Roberto Gagliardini (Photo: AFP)
Roberto Mancini takes charge of his first competitive game as Italy coach in Friday’s Nations League opener against Poland in Bologna with the tough task of rekindling the nation’s love affair with their national side, decimated after the low of their World Cup fiasco.
The former Inter Milan and Manchester City boss was appointed in May after the four-time winners’ shock failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
Mancini’s job will be to rebuild a new and vibrant side going into the European Championship in two years’ time and heading towards the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Nations League — in which Italy will also be up against European champions Portugal in Group 3 — will have an impact on seeding for Euro 2020.
And the 53-year-old has insisted that a key to his strategy was to bring in new blood after the departure of several veterans, including iconic goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, in the wake of Italy’s World Cup play-off defeat to Sweden last November.
Buffon’s exit has opened the way for 19-year-old AC Milan ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. “We’re a great group, very young,” said Donnarumma at the team’s Coverciano training centre near Florence.
“We’re determined to bring Italian football back where it deserves to be. It’s our duty.” Italy have plummeted to an all-time low of 21st in the FIFA rankings.
They were eliminated in the group stage at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, although they fared better at the European Championship, reaching the final in 2012 and the quarter-finals in 2016.
But Mancini said he wanted to “try something different” and focus on youth, with four uncapped players including Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo, who is 19 and has yet to start in a Serie A game.
Italy’s under-21 side reached the semi-finals of the 2017 UEFA Under-21 Championship, while the under-20s finished third at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017.
And Mancini called on the coaches of Serie A squads to give younger players more playing time to build on this potential.
“There have never been fewer Italians playing the game,” said Mancini. “Our use of Italians has never been so low, so we have to try something different. That’s why I’ve called up certain players,” he said.
“We’re trying to send a strong message from Coverciano. We’re convinced that those who play well at youth level can do so even at a higher level.
“At this historic moment there are not many Italian players playing on a consistent basis. Because of this, we have included many young players to increase the number of players so we can get to know them better.” One of Mancini’s first decisions on being appointed last May was also to recall controversial striker Mario Balotelli, for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.
The Nice striker scored in his first game — a 2-1 friendly win over Saudi Arabia — but Mancini’s next two friendlies were a 3-1 defeat to World Cup winners France and 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.
As well as 28-year-old Balotelli, Italy’s strike options also include Lazio forward Ciro Immobile, 28, Fiorentina’s Federico Chiesa, 20, and Juventus’s Federico Bernardeschi, 24.
Veteran Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, 34, returns to the squad for the first time since Italy’s World Cup play-off defeat.
Poland, unlike Italy, were at the World Cup but were eliminated in the group stage, and have attacking quality in Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski and Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik.
After Poland, Italy play Portugal — competing without superstar Cristiano Ronaldo — in Lisbon on September 10.
Tags: Italy Football, Italy vs Portugal, Mario Balotelli, Roberto Mancini, Serie A
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5. Getting close to the Austrian Crown Jewels
If there is one museum you need to definitely visit, then the Imperial Treasury should be at the top of your list. The Imperial Treasury is where the Austrian Crown Jewels are kept. It costs €12 for a ticket (not exactly cheap), but it's worth the money.
I spent just over an hour in the Treasury, and could have easily spent more. My favourite bits were the crowns belonging to the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire as well as numerous weapons from throughout the history of the country. One display that garnered a lot of interest allegedly houses the Holy Lance (that was used to prod Jesus while he was being crucified) and a fragment of the One True Cross.
The Imperial Treasury was definitely a highlight of my visit, and one I would absolutely recommend. For me, it ranks somewhere between the Scottish Crown Jewels in Edinburgh and the ones held in the Tower of London.
4. Admiring the architecture of the city
The architecture is where Vienna comes into its own, and in all honesty, might be aesthetically one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Many of the buildings date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and their uniform height and almost uniform colour makes the city feel as one, rather than a patchwork of places awkwardly rolled into a single city (London, I'm looking at you!).
That's not to say there aren't any surprises. After all there is the Hundertwasserhaus, an apartment building constructed in the expressionist style by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It's very in your face, and totally distinct from the uniform buildings around it. It's a multicoloured, multi-textured building covered in plants.
But walking through areas like the Museumsquartier and looking at buildings such as the State Opera House, the Natural History Museum and the Kunsthistorisches Museum make you realise just how special this city is. That's not to say the amazing architecture is restricted to one area of the city. There is something hauntingly beautiful about Prater - the famous amusement park, or the Karlskirche an 18th century Baroque style church., or the entry below...
3. Walking the grounds of Schonbrunn Palace
The 18th century Schonbrunn Palace is about as continental European as a building gets. and was once the primary residence for many of the country's Habsburg rulers (one of the more infamous European royal dynasties).
The palace itself has over 1,000 rooms, but that's just part of its size, the gardens extending around its perimeter are even larger. I walked into the ticket office, and guided tours ranged from roughly €10-€25 but I decided that I'd tour a tour of just the grounds myself, having got palace fatigue.
The Neptune fountain provides for great panoramic views of the palace as a whole but it's the hill behind the Neptune fountain that is worth visiting. It contains a structure dating from 1775 known as the Gloriette, symbolising the glory of the Habsburg ruling house. The Gloriette was significantly damaged during the Second World War, but has been rebuilt perfectly. The view from the top of the hill is great, overlooking the entire city, but you can climb higher still.
The structure houses a cafe, and for a small fee of less than €5 you can climb to the top of the Gloriette. I decided to do just that and it's worth the money. The view overlooks the hill, fountain, palace, and most impressively, in the distance, the city. You can make out the spire of St Stephens Cathedral, and it's one of the places I would definitely recommend you visit. This would be the Viennese equivalent of Bunkers in Barcelona or Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
2. Eating dessert at Cafe Central
I've often mentioned that I feel like I sometimes need a holiday from my holidays. I have an inability to switch off, and my brain tends to go into autopilot, dragging my tired body around for miles, even though I don't always enjoy it. In Vienna my moment of serenity came in Cafe Central.
The cafe was built in 1876 and since opening has seen many famous people walk through its doors including Freud, Stalin and Hitler. It's very beautiful on the outside and very friendly and welcoming on the inside.
I waited a couple of minutes to be seated, and ordered a chocolate cake with ice cream. I don't have a particularly sweet tooth, but this was so good. Best of all, it was very reasonably priced. However, more than just the food, and the architecture, is the sense of history. The interior, although moved and renovated, has retained its feel from when it opened, and you could easily imagine the people I've listed above, sitting at a table, drinking coffee, making plans for world domination. If I ever went back to Vienna - it would literally be for Cafe Central.
1. Views from St. Stephen's Cathedral
I'm always conflicted when I see beautifully constructed religious buildings (of any religion). I'm pretty sure some of that money could have been used to practice what most religions preach and fed someone needy. Yet, there there's a mosque constructed in Istanbul from a then rare blue stone, a Sikh Gurdwara covered in gold (and don't get me started on the money spent in the UK), a Hindu Temple in London that transported a shedload of stone and marble from India - and pretty much every cathedral in a capital city in Europe.
For all the questions around whether or not the money could be better used, these cathedrals are pretty damn spectacular. I have my favourites - St Paul's, Notre Dame, Sagrada Familia, St Peter's, the cathedral at Rio are just a handful - but this is right up there with the very best.
Rising over 400ft, the part Romanesque, part Gothic cathedral is almost a thousand years old, and is jaw droppingly beautiful. The first thing that catches your attention is the scale of the building, it is genuinely large - and then you begin to notice the detail, the colourful roof, the carvings and you begin to appreciate it on another level.
You can visit either the south or the north towers. Despite the south tower being twice as tall, almost every online review pointed to the north tower as being the preferred option. Firstly the south tower is considered a pretty taxing climb, and secondly you only see views from inside of a room looking out four relatively small windows. The north tower, on the other hand, uses a lift to get you to the top, and you have a 360 outdoor view. At €5.50, it's slightly more expensive than the south tower, but definitely worth paying a little extra (remember to bring cash, as it's no cards).
The view from the top is incredible. You are right next to the multi-coloured tiled roof which features almost a quarter of a million glazed tiles. On the other side you have a great view looking across a city that has an almost uniform height when it comes to its architecture, giving almost unblocked views across Vienna.
If you're in Vienna - be sure to make sure you visit cathedral!
And that's pretty much it.
There's a lot more to the city - so many palaces you could lose count, museums that are as good as any in Europe and the food is generally very good and reasonably priced. There aren't many Sikhs in Vienna so be ready for a lot of stares. The country is going through a bit of a right-wing revival (as are many other places), so there were times I felt uncomfortable but never unsafe.
It's a city I would definitely recommend - in terms of beauty, you won't visit many places more beautiful than Vienna.
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Skip Navigation LinksBusinesses > Communities > Excelsior Springs > Hall of Waters
Hall of Waters
201 E Broadway St Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
Excelsior Springs' rich history began in the late 1800's with the discovery of "healing" mineral water that flowed from the ground or could be tapped with deep wells.
The first written documentation of the water reported that in 1880, a local farmer named Travis Mellion turned to the water for his daughter who was afflicted with scrofula, a result of an infection in the lymph nodes, known as lymphadenitis. It can be caused by tuberculosis or non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. Mellion bathed his daughter in the water and she was healed. Word of the healing spread and eventually, A.W. Wyman, owner of the spring, had samples of the water analyzed in St. Louis. The water was declared to have curative results.
Over time, more and more wells were discovered and in the end, more than forty-six wells and springs were located within a half-mile radius of the original well, Siloam Spring. Thus began the marketing years of Excelsior Springs. Word spread around the world and for the next eighty-plus years, Excelsior Springs would have thousand come to the city to partake of the healing waters in an assortment of ways from bathing to drinking. The town became recognized by its fancy pagodas denoting the location of the wells. Hotels sprung up, as did businesses, healing clinics, churches, boarding houses, restaurants, hotels and more.
The Hall of Waters was built in 1936-1937 as a bottling facility and distribution point for the healing, medicinal mineral waters of Excelsior Springs. This beautiful, one-of-a-kind, Art Deco building held the world's longest water bar, an indoor swimming pool, a Polio pool, the water department, a spa for men and a separate spa for women.
At the time of construction, there was both a men's and women's bath department each handled as many as 300 people at any one time. There is a competition-size swimming pool that was filled with salt water and a polio-pool located on lower levels, along with the bottling works. Pipes were designed especially for each type of mineral water and a system to bring them all to the site was developed.
At its height, the Hall of Waters was the most completely outfitted health resort in the state and possibly the region. Waters of the ten main springs were piped into the longest mineral water bar in the world, which is still open to the public today. Known as the Hall of Springs, the solarium was the first section of the Hall to be opened in 1937. Five varieties of mineral water were bottled here and shipped all over the world.
Today, the Hall of Waters houses city offices and the Hall of Waters Visitor Center and Cultural Museum. A self-guided walking tour is available.
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Cheap Australian University For International Students
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a professor of Asian studies at the University of Western Australia, said his son was treated well in North Korea. It was a.
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An Australian student Alek Sigley, 29, who was detained in North Korea, holds a flight ticket as he departs from Beijing to.
Alek Sigley, who had been detained in North Korea, arrives at Beijing international airport. Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters North.
SYDNEY (Reuters) – An Australian student who was detained in North Korea was freed. He was also a regular contributor to.
I’m very good," Sigley said at Beijing’s international airport. Asked how he felt, he responded: "Great." He went to the Australian embassy and. was intimately involved in the case of University of.
SEOUL — Alek Sigley, an Australian student who disappeared in North Korea, has been released from custody and allowed to.
International student stories Success stories and testimonials from VU’s international students. VU in your country Meet us at events in your country and find detailed information for students from India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Find an international agent Want good advice about studying at Victoria University in Australia.
Cheap College and University in Australia [2016] for International Students in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. Are you an International Student with limited budget looking to study in Australia in 2016?
Read also:University of Manitoba, Tuition Fees, Cost of Living and Admission Requirements Now let’s look at a list of low tuition universities in Australia for international students who don’t have much money to pay for tuition fees. Please note that these amounts are in US dollars and NOT Australian dollars.
11 Most Affordable U.S. Colleges for International Students. Posted by Emma Flick on February 14, 2018 in Study Abroad. Education at American universities is often very expensive. This is especially true for international students studying in the United States, since they aren’t usually eligible to receive federal student aid from the U.S. government.
In 2015, ABC’s Four Corners aired a disturbing report, entitled “Degrees of Deception”, which claimed that cheating was.
“That was the sector working together to find ways to improve the visibility and transparency requirements to Australian.
Rival education powerhouses such as Britain, Australia. students contributed $13 billion to the US economy last year, a figure that includes tuition fees and living expenses, according to NAFSA:.
Yet Australia today is experiencing social pushback against foreign students. Jacob urged university leaders to stand up to social resistance to international students on their campuses, calling on.
Jan 28, 2019 · The Australian Government and Australian Universities provide a large number of scholarships for international students wanting to study in Australia. scholars4dev.com lists the top Australia Scholarships for study at Australian Universities for international students. Australian Government Scholarships ». Australia Awards Scholarships
Tuition fees for international students in Australia start at around $20,000 (Australian dollars) per year of study. The average fee is over $30,000. Australian universities charge tuition fees based on the number of units you take. The annual fee for a course is the cost of 2 semesters of full-time study (8 units).
Research into living costs and tuition fees reveals the cheapest place to study at a world-leading university. Should public funds from the tax-payer or private contributions from students and their.
Welcome to studyinaustralia.gov.au. This is the official Australian Government website for international students. Search for courses, institutions and scholarships, read about studying and living in Australia, watch stories from other students, and learn about Australian education.
Below you will find a list of the 50 best-rated, most affordable colleges for international students. Methodology. The list was calculated by first looking up the US News and World Report list of the schools in the United States with the highest percentages of international students and then calculating each school’s adjusted average tuition.
July 6 (UPI) –An Australian student detained for more than a week before. that he gathered while traveling to every.
Alek Sigley, the Australian student who went missing in North. Leonid pointed out that “an international student studying.
Jobs You Can Get With Early Childhood Education Degree The early childhood and primary school sector should have its own minister, its own programme, its own education officers, The start date is early. job with it even though they have a lot of challenging games,” Leglue said. “I kept emphasizing. One of the best things about summer jobs is that they can help people
Teaching In California With An Out Of State Credential She said that racing is really a small part of what NICA does, that at its heart their main goal is to help get kids and. California also employs the most RNs in the nation, with over 250,000 nurses working in the state. In fact, over 70,000 RNs work in just the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
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University Of California School Of Veterinary Medicine DVM, Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine 2009 Shelter Medicine Residency, Oregon Humane Society 2013 MPH, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 2013 Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine, 2014 Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, 2017. [email protected] 24 reviews of UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center San Diego "Just
Jun 01, 2013 · International students Tuition Fee for Business Programs starts at $15,960 AUD Per Year. Australian National University. It is the fast growing cheapest university of Australia where a student can take any subject like literature, finance, Management, Science, Arts or any other subject.
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Jan. 31, 2019 / 8:36 PM
Bryce Dallas Howard honored as Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
Daniel Uria
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard kisses her pudding pot trophy at a press conference after being honored as the Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2019 Woman of the Year at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on Thursday. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard (C) receives a kiss from Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals members Grace Ramsey (L) and David Lynch in a parade honoring Howard as the Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2019 Woman of the Year. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard (C) rides with Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals members Grace Ramsey (L) and David Lynch in a parade honoring Howard as the Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2019 Woman of the Year. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard (C) dances with Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals members after a parade honoring Howard as the Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2019 Woman of the Year. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Harvard theater troupe Hasty Pudding honored actress Bryce Dallas Howard as its Woman of the Year Thursday.
The 37-year-old Jurassic World star, who is also a director and producer, was paraded through Harvard Square and roasted by costumed performers of the historic troupe before being presented with a golden pudding pot.
"For some of the smartest people on the planet, you're totally bananas," Howard said. "This is a blast. I'll never forget this as long as I live. And please, accept my children to Harvard."
Members of the troupe joked about Howard's past work as an actress in the Twilight and Terminator film franchises and her father, Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard.
At the end of the roast Howard said she was humbled to receive designation as the troupe's Woman of the Year.
"It's a real boost to your ego," she said. "I was like, 'I don't know if this is healthy!' Obviously, it's so much fun."
Howard added she was initially unsure if she was worthy of the award due to many "examples of individuals and women in particular really taking a stand and being courageous and reaching out to one another."
"That being said, it will be very meaningful to me," she continued. "And I hope that from here, it will inspire me to do more. So hopefully I will be worthy of this hilarious award in future years."
The Hasty Pudding troupe also unveiled its first performance since ending its policy of casting only men. This year's event featured six men and six women.
"It's about time," Howard said of the performance.
UPI Archives: Paul Rudd receives Hasty Pudding Man of the Year honor UPI Archives: Mila Kunis honored as Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
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Did the Grammys Just Subtweet Kanye West—Using a Taylor Swift Subtweet?
Why Do So Many People Hate the Grammys?
Kia Makarechi
The Beygency
Rihanna Pokes the Beyhive, Gets Stung After Implying She Felt Snubbed by the Grammys
The Lion King (and Beyoncé) Takes Hollywood by Storm
Paul Chi
Grammy Predictions 2017: Praying for the Best, Preparing for the Chainsmokers
It’s a battle royale between Adele and Beyoncé—and, sigh, a certain millennial duo.
DJ Louie XIV
From left to right: From A.P. Images; From Rex/Shutterstock; By Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.
It’s 2017. Fear, uncertainty, and confusion reign. Perhaps more than ever, we could all use a hearty chuckle. Luckily, Sunday brings a great joke to lift your spirits: the Grammys!
At this point, the Grammys’ ineptitude is as established an institution as, say, the Grammys themselves. It’s worth noting that, due to the awards’ perceived irrelevance and racial bias, three of this year’s most-nominated artists aren’t bothering to attend. Another past winner withdrew himself from consideration altogether.
Ironically enough, these artists opted out in a year in which the Grammys, for once, didn’t get things so wrong. I mean, let’s not truffle-ize the Spam here: they’re still the Grammys. The Recording Academy nominated Lukas Graham's auricular, moldy Wonder Bread “7 Years” in two of the top categories (Song of the Year and Record of the Year). But voters got it less wrong than they usually do.
The banner showdown this year is between two of this generation’s biggest pop stars, Adele and Beyoncé, who face off for three of the four top honors. One is the most broadly accessible entertainer of our day; the other, perhaps the most revered. One released 2016’s biggest-selling album; the other, its most critically decorated. One is white; the other is black.
In a fraught political and cultural landscape where award shows are under frequent fire for favoring white artists, this year’s competition feels especially loaded. So, let’s break down everyone’s chances.
What’s this one, again? ROY honors the performance of a song.
Who won last year? Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ the Time pastiche, “Uptown Funk.”
Who’s nominated this year? “Hello” by Adele, “Formation” by Beyoncé, “7 Years” by Lukas Graham, “Work” by Rihanna feat. Drake, and “Stressed Out” by 21 Pilots.
What should win? I hate to be reductive, but “7 Years” is, quite objectively, one of the most horrendous songs to ever scale the Hot 100. It also lacks the cultural heft of the other nominees here. So that’s out. “Stressed Out,” at first blush, is very, “ugh, Linkin Park was irritating enough the first time around.” But while it captured some timely post-collegiate ennui, it would be hard to argue that it defined the year in music.
The leaves us with “Formation,” “Work,” and “Hello,” all of which are deserving. But I would hand this one to “Work,” both Rihanna’s most improbable and most scintillating hit. With its gossamer dance-hall beat, “Work” hinges completely on Rih’s creamy vocal dexterity. The way her slippery patois melts the titular word all over the chorus is the song’s beguiling ace card. Is she slurring in ecstasy, vulnerability, lethargy, or all three? “Work,” like its performer, is meticulously crafted apathy, effortlessly conveying impenetrable cool while slyly beckoning us to peer beyond at the big, wounded heart that lies beneath.
What will win? This award will almost certainly go to “Hello.” For four years, people wondered if Adele would duplicate the success of 21’s titanic (and Grammy-winning) singles, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.” While it didn’t exactly expand her palette, “Hello” answered with aplomb. It was the year’s biggest-selling single, helped fuel 25 to the largest first-week album sales in history, and ruled the Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks. Adele is the Meryl Streep of the Grammys, plain and simple.
What’s this one, again? This award goes to the best artist who made a first significant impact this year.
Who won last year? Meghan Trainor.
Who’s nominated this year? Kelsea Ballerini, The Chainsmokers, Chance the Rapper. Maren Morris, and Anderson .Paak.
Who should take the gold? Not only was Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book one of the finest albums of 2016, but it’s already made Grammy history. Chance effectively lobbied for the album’s eligibility even though it was exclusively given away as a free digital download, a first in the Grammys’ 59-year run. Moreover, it’s an exuberant work, a glorious tightrope walk between gospel and mainstream hip-hop that’s always honest and never preachy. That it launched Chance into the pop stratosphere without selling a single copy makes him the obvious choice here.
Who will take the gold? Ballerini and Morris are both charming country newcomers but seem a little too unrecognizable for the Academy’s mainstream tastes. The same goes for .Paak, one of hip-hop’s breakout stars who has yet to make a mark outside his base. This leaves Chance and the Chainsmokers. When it comes to the Chainsmokers, I don’t know her, but they did have two smash hits in 2016 and may be rewarded here. However, while the Grammys almost always favor innocuous white artists over paradigm-shifting black ones, Chance’s infectious positivity, religious tilt, and the Academy’s desire to be on the right side of a charged political environment give him the edge.
What’s this one, again? SOY honors the writing of a song.
Who won last year? Ed Sheeran’s John Mayer pastiche, “Thinking Out Loud.”
Who’s nominated this year? “Formation” by Beyoncé, “Hello” by Adele, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” by Mike Posner, “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber, and “7 Years” by Lukas Graham.
What should win the gold? “Formation” is a mission statement for Lemonade, a call to arms for the oppressed, and a club-eviscerating trap banger of epic proportions. That it functions equally well on each of these of terms while giving Beyoncé—20 years into her illustrious career—her signature hit makes “Formation” the clear winner here. It was the song we needed to hear most in 2016.
What will win the gold? “Formation” is also highly controversial, a stance the Academy almost never strikes. Barring a concerted youth initiative to lavish Bieber in absentia (I wouldn’t count on it), “Hello,” should scoop this up as well. Some might say the Grammys and Adele need to get a room. And they have—the Staples Center, on February 12.
What’s this one again? Album of the Year, believe it or not, aspires to award the best album of the year.
Who won last year? Relative unknown Taylor Swift for her little-heard 1989.
Who’s nominated this year? 25 by Adele, Lemonade by Beyoncé, Purpose by Justin Bieber, Views by Drake, and A Sailor’s Guide To Earth by Sturgill Simpson.
Who should win the gold? When I mentioned earlier that the Grammys got it mostly right this year, I was referring mainly to this category. Four of these nominees were among the most important popular musical releases of the last 12 months. Sturgill Simpson is also there. That said, do I even need to delineate why Lemonade deserves this? O.K., fine:
It’s the greatest singular work by the greatest singular pop star of the century. With her accompanying short film, a work that both enhanced the source material and stood completely on its own, Beyoncé again revolutionized the album format. The past year was rife with tension—political, racial, gender-related, and pretty much every other brand you can possibly imagine. Lemonade plunged into all of them, hat-first. It walked a delicate balance between fearlessness and grace, the personal and the political, and never faltered. The album spans nearly every genre of popular music—hip-hop, R&B, reggae, rock, trap, country, soul, funk—while remaining utterly cohesive and essentially Beyoncé. She kept the whole, goddamned thing—a massive project involving hundreds of people—a secret for two years!
Finally: Beyoncé has never won Album of the Year. We, as a people, need to fix this.
Who will win the gold? This is a real, honest-to-God nail-biter. First, the no-chancers. Purpose is technically a mediocre album with great singles, and Bieber is still too divisive for the Academy. Views, while a commercial juggernaut, is widely considered Drake’s worst album. This is a race between Adele, Beyoncé and, as a dark horse, Sturgill Simpson. I’ll get to Sturgill momentarily.
Yes, the Grammys loves Adele, but she has won before for a significantly better album. There’s no question that Beyoncé deserves this award, at least based on any grounds on which the Grammys claims to operate. In fact, if Lemonade doesn’t win, there are, definitely, forces at work here other than an honest assessment of talent, cultural impact, and critical success.
Finally, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Adele, whom I know personally (in my mind), wants Beyoncé to take this one because she is a good person with good taste who loves Beyoncé as much as the rest of us. However, Adele and Beyoncé could conceivably split the pop vote, allowing Sturgill to pull a Beck—a classic, highly suspect, Rock-ist Grammy move—and snatch this thing out from under the ladies’ noses.
I’m choosing positivity as a life path, so it’s with utmost trepidation that I say Beyoncé will, finally, get her due here. I’m in formation. Here’s hoping!
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About us News 2016 news releases Kingman advisory
Media advisory: Westar, NextEra Energy Resources to break ground on Kingman Wind Energy Center.
Governor joins celebration as Kansas wind energy expands.
Topeka, Kan., July 6, 2016 – Join us July 12, as Westar Energy and NextEra Energy Resources, along with Gov. Sam Brownback, celebrate breaking ground for the Kingman Wind Energy Center. The project will generate enough energy for about 50,000 Kansas homes.
The ground breaking will be at 10 a.m. July 12 at the Kingman Substation Laydown Yard, 4515 SW 120th Ave., Cunningham, KS 67035. In addition to the governor, representatives of NextEra, Westar, Midwest Energy and Kingman County will speak. Attendees will get a chance to see the construction site, including a 150-foot wind turbine blade.
Westar Energy will purchase electricity produced from the 200 megawatt wind farm, which NextEra Energy Resources will develop and operate. Westar is providing some of the energy produced at Kingman to its wholesale partners Midwest Energy and the cities of McPherson, Chanute, Iola, Fredonia and Sabetha through energy management service agreements.
The project will create construction and operational jobs and provide millions of dollars in payments to landowners and to Kingman County, which will help boost the local economy, and support schools and other essential services.
The Kingman wind project is scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2016 and will bring Westar’s commitment to renewable energy to about 1700 MW, which is enough to provide about a third of its retail customers’ electricity.
Westar Energy Inc.
Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) is Kansas' largest electric utility. For more than a century, we have provided Kansans the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes. Every day our team of professionals takes on projects to generate and deliver electricity, protect the environment and provide excellent service to our nearly 700,000 customers. Westar has 7,200 MW of electric generation capacity fueled by coal, uranium, natural gas, wind, sun and landfill gas. We are also a leader in electric transmission in Kansas. Our innovative customer service programs include mobile-enabled customer care, expanding use of smart meters and paving the way for electric vehicle adoption. Our employees live, volunteer and work in the communities we serve. For more information about Westar Energy, visit us on the Internet at http://www.WestarEnergy.com. Westar Energy is on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/yourwestar and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/WestarEnergy.
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated entities, "NextEra Energy Resources"), is a clean energy leader and is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the U.S., with approximately 18,260 megawatts of generating capacity, which includes megawatts associated with noncontrolling interests related to NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP), primarily in 25 states and Canada as of April 2016. NextEra Energy Resources, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. The business operates clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
Westar Energy Media Contact:
Gina Penzig
Media Relations Manager
Gina.Penzig@westarenergy.com
Media line: 888-613-0003
NextEra Energy Resources Media Contact:
Bryan Garner
Communication Manager
media.relations@fpl.com
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Politics US News
Share on Facebook742 Tweet Email Print
Watch: Lindsey Graham Reveals the Last Words John McCain Said to Him
By Randy DeSoto
Published August 28, 2018 at 11:44am
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., longtime friend of the late Sen. John McCain, said among the Arizonan’s last words to him were, “I have not been cheated.”
McCain died Saturday at his home near Sedona, Arizona at the age of 81 after a year-long battle with brain cancer.
“He had a romantic view of our nation until his last breath,” Graham said on NBC’s “Today” show. “Literally almost the last thing he said to me was, ‘I love you. I have not been cheated.'”
“He was not cheated,” Graham added.
“This man was the conscience of the Senate… Literally almost the last thing he said to me was ‘I love you. I have not been cheated.’” @LindseyGrahamSC on McCain pic.twitter.com/4PaqgaH0Pv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 28, 2018
In a farewell message from McCain read by close friend and former presidential campaign manager Rick Davis, the Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war said he felt like he had lived ten lives.
“I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it,” McCain said. “I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for 10 satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else’s.”
“Today” show co-host Craig Melvin asked Graham to discuss the contentious relationship between McCain and President Donald Trump.
Graham said that was all over now, and the president had gotten to the right place in terms of honoring McCain’s service to the country.
Do you believe Trump is adequately honoring McCain’s service to the nation?
5% (18 Votes)
“John Kelly, (the White House) chief of staff has been terrific,” Graham said. “The president told Gen. Kelly whatever they need, they get,” referring to the McCain family.
He added that Trump was “not the only person to have a tense relationship with John McCain.”
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie questioned Graham about the split between the South Carolinian and his mentor and friend in terms of the support they have offered to Trump.
“I don’t have the luxury of pretending like Donald Trump’s not president,” Graham said. “I do want to help him, I want to be a bridge where I can.”
“Sen. McCain never got mad at you about that?” Guthrie asked Graham.
RELATED: Trump Says He Had No Knowledge of ‘Well-Meaning’ Attempts To Cover USS McCain
“Oh, no,” he replied. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I’d have done it anyway. I’m too much like him.”
“The bottom line is, John has shown that it’s not about you,” Graham added. “Country first means that, even if it’s inconvenient for you and it makes you uncomfortable, you do it anyway. Country first hurts, but it’s the right way to go.”
Trump received criticism in the media for failing to mention McCain’s service to the country in a tweet offering condolences to his family on Saturday.
However, on Monday, the White House issued a statement from the president, which read in part, “Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Sen. John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment.”
Trump offered similar sentiments at a dinner for evangelical leaders at the White House on Monday night.
"We very much appreciate everything Senator McCain has done for our country," President Trump giving his first comments on the passing of McCain during the White House dinner with evangelical leaders. pic.twitter.com/w79QOjIy0Y
— Circa (@Circa) August 28, 2018
McCain reportedly did not want Trump to attend his funeral.
Trump said that Vice President Mike Pence will speak at a ceremony Friday at the U.S. Capitol honoring McCain.
The commander in chief added that White House chief of staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and national security adviser John Bolton have been asked to represent the administration at services for McCain.
Randy DeSoto
Randy DeSoto has written more than 1,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
@RandyDeSoto
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.
Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Graduated dean's list from West Point
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Politics, Entertainment, Faith
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Tags: Donald Trump, John McCain, Lindsey Graham
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MSP says impairment not a factor in fiery crash that killed child, store president
Updated: 3:22 PM EDT Mar 13, 2019
Barry Simms
RECONSTRUCTING THE ACCIDENT AND GOING OVER THE TRACTOR TRAILER TRYING TO FIND WHAT CAUSED THE WRECK. ANDREW KLEIN WAS DESCRIBED AS A MAN WHO CARED ABOUT PEOPLE AND TRIPP JOHNSON A YOUNG MAN WITH A ZEST FOR LIFE. AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST RING FACTORY ROAD AND ROUTE 24 IN BEL AIR A SMALL TRIBUTE TO REMEMBER 65-YEAR-OLD ANDREW KLEIN THE PRESIDENT OF KLEIN’S SHOP RITE AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TRIPP JOHNSON, A SECOND GRADER AT WILLIAM PACA OLD POST ROAD ELEMENTARY. BOTH WERE PASSENGERS IN SEPARATE CARS. THEY DIED AFTER A SHOPRITE TRACTOR TRAILER PLOWED INTO STOPPED TRAFFIC. MONDAY’S FIERY CRASH ALSO INCLUDED 11 OTHER VEHICLES. >> HE HUGGED OFTEN. HE LAUGHED. MOST OF ALL, HE MADE OUR DAYS BRIGHTER. BARRY PRINCIPAL TAMMY BOSLER : SAYS TRIPP JOHNSON WAS WELL LIKED AND HAD A ZEST FOR LIFE . COUNSELORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE WORKING WITH GRIEVING STUDENTS AND STAFF. >> WE DID SPEND A LOT OF TIME YESTERDAY WITH OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS. WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE THINGS THAT THEY REMEMBERED ABOUT HIM. BARRY: CEO OF THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY MARY HASTLER TELLS US ANDY KLEIN WAS A UNIQUE PERSON. HE IS BEING REMEMBERED AS A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY, A UNIQUE PERSON WHO CARED ABOUT ALL KINDS OF ISSUES AND TOOK ACTION TO FIX PROBLEMS, INCLUDING IN BALTIMORE WHERE HIS , FAMILY OPENED THIS SHOP RITE -- SHOPRITE STORE IN 2014, ENDING A FOOD DESERT IN THE HOWARD PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. MARYLAND STATE POLICE SAY THEIR INVESTIGATION WILL TAKE SOME TIME. >> ACCORDING TO OUR PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION, IT DOES NOT SEM IMPAIRMENT WAS A FACTOR IN THIS CRASH. IT’S AN UNFORTUNATE CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS AND A TRAGEDY. BARRY: THE BOY’S MOTHER IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL IN SERIOUS CONDITION. THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. POLICE SAY THEY ARE TRYING TO DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND NOT RU
Maryland State Police are still investigating a fiery crash that killed the president of a grocery store company and a 7-year-old boy. WBAL-TV 11 News is learning more about both victims: Andrew Klein, 65, was someone who understood that basic needs were critical for people, and Tripp Johnson, 7, had a zest for life.The beginning of a small tribute at the intersection of West Ring Factory Road and Route 24 in Bel Air. It honors the accident victims who died: Klein, the president of Klein's ShopRite and Tripp, a second-grader at William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary. Both were passengers in separate cars when a ShopRite tractor-trailer plowed into stopped traffic. Monday's crash also included 11 other vehicles. "Tripp hugged often. He laughed. Most of all, he made our days brighter," said Tammy Bolsey, principal of William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary. Bosley said Tripp was well liked and had a zest for life. Counselors and psychologists are working with grieving students and staff. "We did spend a lot of time with the younger students, where they had an opportunity to talk about all the ways they remember Tripp and celebrate the things they remembered about him most," said Bosler. Klein is being remembered as a unique person, a Harford County philanthropist engaged in all kinds of issues and communities. Those included Baltimore, where his family opened this ShopRite store in 2014, ending a food desert in the Howard Park neighborhood. "It's a huge loss for us and I don't know at this point what the ramifications will be long-term," said Mary Hastler, CEO of the Harford County Public Library. "He really did touch so many lives and people. I don't think people really understood what he did to change where they lived or where they worked or the library -- or the schools. He was just everywhere."State police said finding the exact cause of the accident will take some time."According to our preliminary investigation, it does not seem that impairment was a factor in this crash," Maryland State Police spokesman Ron Snyder said. "It's an unfortunate confluence of events that ended in tragedy."The boy's mother, Meagan Fullylove, remains in a hospital in serious condition. The truck driver was not injured. Police say they are trying to do a thorough investigation and not rush to any conclusions about the accident.Information on Klein's funeral arrangements can be found here. And information on a fund for the Johnson family can be found here.
BEL AIR, Md. —
Maryland State Police are still investigating a fiery crash that killed the president of a grocery store company and a 7-year-old boy.
WBAL-TV 11 News is learning more about both victims: Andrew Klein, 65, was someone who understood that basic needs were critical for people, and Tripp Johnson, 7, had a zest for life.
Klein's ShopRite Markets president, boy killed in 12-vehicle crash
The beginning of a small tribute at the intersection of West Ring Factory Road and Route 24 in Bel Air. It honors the accident victims who died: Klein, the president of Klein's ShopRite and Tripp, a second-grader at William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary. Both were passengers in separate cars when a ShopRite tractor-trailer plowed into stopped traffic. Monday's crash also included 11 other vehicles.
"Tripp hugged often. He laughed. Most of all, he made our days brighter," said Tammy Bolsey, principal of William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary.
Bosley said Tripp was well liked and had a zest for life. Counselors and psychologists are working with grieving students and staff.
"We did spend a lot of time with the younger students, where they had an opportunity to talk about all the ways they remember Tripp and celebrate the things they remembered about him most," said Bosler.
Klein is being remembered as a unique person, a Harford County philanthropist engaged in all kinds of issues and communities. Those included Baltimore, where his family opened this ShopRite store in 2014, ending a food desert in the Howard Park neighborhood.
"It's a huge loss for us and I don't know at this point what the ramifications will be long-term," said Mary Hastler, CEO of the Harford County Public Library. "He really did touch so many lives and people. I don't think people really understood what he did to change where they lived or where they worked or the library -- or the schools. He was just everywhere."
State police said finding the exact cause of the accident will take some time.
"According to our preliminary investigation, it does not seem that impairment was a factor in this crash," Maryland State Police spokesman Ron Snyder said. "It's an unfortunate confluence of events that ended in tragedy."
The boy's mother, Meagan Fullylove, remains in a hospital in serious condition. The truck driver was not injured. Police say they are trying to do a thorough investigation and not rush to any conclusions about the accident.
Information on Klein's funeral arrangements can be found here. And information on a fund for the Johnson family can be found here.
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That's an interesting idea. (attributive)
That idea is interesting. (predicative)
Tell me something interesting. (postpositive)
The good, the bad, and the ugly. (substantive)
Prefixes (in English)
Suffixes (frequentative)
Word types
Adverbs (flat)
Determiners
Expletives
Intensifier
Interrogatives
Portmanteaux
Prepositions (in English)
Pronouns (case · person)
Auxiliaries and contractions
Mood (conditional · imperative · subjunctive)
Aspect (continuous · habitual · perfect)
Verb usage
Clauses (in English)
Copula
Do-support
Periphrasis
Zero-marking
Variant usage
African-American Vernacular English
American and British English grammatical differences
Double negatives
Grammar disputes
In linguistics, an adjective (abbreviated adj) is word whose main syntactic role is to modify a noun or noun phrase. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun.
Adjectives are one of the English parts of speech, although they were historically classed together with the nouns.[1] Certain words that were traditionally considered to be adjectives, including the, this, my, etc., are today usually classed separately, as determiners.
2 Types of use
4 Adverbs
5 Determiners
6 Adjective phrases
7 Other modifiers of nouns
9 Comparison (degrees)
10 Restrictiveness
11 Agreement
See also: Part of speech § History, and Noun § History
Adjective comes from Latin (nōmen) adjectīvum "additional (noun)",[2] a calque of Ancient Greek: ἐπίθετον (ὄνομα), romanized: epítheton (ónoma), lit. 'additional (noun)'.[3][4] In the grammatical tradition of Latin and Greek, because adjectives were inflected for gender, number, and case like nouns (a process called declension), they were considered a subtype of noun. The words that are today typically called nouns were then called substantive nouns (nōmen substantīvum).[5] The terms noun substantive and noun adjective were formerly used in English, but the terms are now obsolete.[1]
Types of use[edit]
A given occurrence of an adjective can generally be classified into one of three kinds of use:
Attributive adjectives are part of the noun phrase headed by the noun they modify; for example, happy is an attributive adjective in "happy people". In some languages, attributive adjectives precede their nouns; in others, they follow their nouns; and in yet others, it depends on the adjective, or on the exact relationship of the adjective to the noun. In English, attributive adjectives usually precede their nouns in simple phrases, but often follow their nouns when the adjective is modified or qualified by a phrase acting as an adverb. For example: "I saw three happy kids", and "I saw three kids happy enough to jump up and down with glee." See also Postpositive adjective.
Predicative adjectives are linked via a copula or other linking mechanism to the noun or pronoun they modify; for example, happy is a predicate adjective in "they are happy" and in "that made me happy." (See also: Predicative expression, Subject complement.)
Nominal adjectives act almost as nouns. One way this can happen is if a noun is elided and an attributive adjective is left behind. In the sentence, "I read two books to them; he preferred the sad book, but she preferred the happy", happy is a nominal adjective, short for "happy one" or "happy book". Another way this can happen is in phrases like "out with the old, in with the new", where "the old" means, "that which is old" or "all that is old", and similarly with "the new". In such cases, the adjective functions may function as a mass noun (as in the preceding example). In English, it may also function as a plural count noun denoting a collective group, as in "The meek shall inherit the Earth", where "the meek" means "those who are meek" or "all who are meek".
Distribution[edit]
Adjectives feature as a part of speech (word class) in most languages. In some languages, the words that serve the semantic function of adjectives are categorized together with some other class, such as nouns or verbs. In the phrase "a Ford car", "Ford" is unquestionably a noun, but its function is adjectival: to modify "car". In some languages adjectives can function as nouns: "uno rojo", "a red (one)" (Spanish). As for "confusion" with verbs, rather than an adjective meaning "big", a language might have a verb that means "to be big", and could then use an attributive verb construction analogous to "big-being house" to express what English expresses as "big house". Such an analysis is possible for the grammar of Standard Chinese, for example.
Different languages do not always use adjectives in exactly the same situations. For example, where English uses to be hungry (hungry being an adjective), Dutch, French, and Spanish use honger hebben, avoir faim, and tener hambre respectively (literally "to have hunger", the words for "hunger" being nouns). Similarly, where Hebrew uses the adjective זקוק zaqūq (roughly "in need of"), English uses the verb "to need".
In languages which have adjectives as a word class, they are usually an open class; that is, it is relatively common for new adjectives to be formed via such processes as derivation. However, Bantu languages are well known for having only a small closed class of adjectives, and new adjectives are not easily derived. Similarly, native Japanese adjectives (i-adjectives) are considered a closed class (as are native verbs), although nouns (an open class) may be used in the genitive to convey some adjectival meanings, and there is also the separate open class of adjectival nouns (na-adjectives).
Adverbs[edit]
Many languages, including English, distinguish between adjectives, which qualify nouns and pronouns, and adverbs, which mainly modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Not all languages have exactly this distinction and many languages, including English, have words that can function as both. For example, in English, fast is an adjective in "a fast car" (where it qualifies the noun car), but an adverb in "he drove fast" (where it modifies the verb drove).
In Dutch and German, adjectives and adverbs are usually identical in form and many grammarians do not make the distinction, but patterns of inflection can suggest a difference:
Eine kluge neue Idee.
A clever new idea.
Eine klug ausgereifte Idee.
A cleverly developed idea.
A German word like klug ("clever(ly)") takes endings when used as an attributive adjective, but not when used adverbially. (It also takes no endings when used as a predicative adjective: er ist klug, "he is clever".) Whether these are distinct parts of speech or distinct usages of the same part of speech is a question of analysis. It can be noted that while German linguistic terminology distinguishes adverbiale from adjektivische Formen, German refers to both as Eigenschaftswörter ("property words").
Determiners[edit]
Main article: Determiner
Linguists today distinguish determiners from adjectives, considering them to be two separate parts of speech (or lexical categories), but formerly determiners were considered to be adjectives in some of their uses. In English dictionaries, which typically still do not treat determiners as their own part of speech, determiners are often recognizable by being listed both as adjectives and as pronouns. Determiners are words that are neither nouns nor pronouns, yet reference a thing already in context. Determiners generally do this by indicating definiteness (as in a vs. the), quantity (as in one vs. some vs. many), or another such property.
Adjective phrases[edit]
Main article: Adjective phrase
An adjective acts as the head of an adjective phrase or adjectival phrase (AP). In the simplest case, an adjective phrase consists solely of the adjective; more complex adjective phrases may contain one or more adverbs modifying the adjective ("very strong"), or one or more complements (such as "worth several dollars", "full of toys", or "eager to please"). In English, attributive adjective phrases that include complements typically follow the noun that they qualify ("an evildoer devoid of redeeming qualities").
Other modifiers of nouns[edit]
In many languages, including English, it is possible for nouns to modify other nouns. Unlike adjectives, nouns acting as modifiers (called attributive nouns or noun adjuncts) usually are not predicative; a beautiful park is beautiful, but a car park is not "car". The modifier often indicates origin ("Virginia reel"), purpose ("work clothes"), semantic patient ("man eater") or semantic subject ("child actor"); however, it may generally indicate almost any semantic relationship. It is also common for adjectives to be derived from nouns, as in boyish, birdlike, behavioral (behavioural), famous, manly, angelic, and so on.
Many languages have special verbal forms called participles that can act as noun modifiers (alone or as the head of a phrase). Sometimes participles develop into pure adjectives. Examples of this in English include relieved (the past participle of the verb relieve, used as an adjective in sentences such as "I am so relieved to see you"), spoken (as in "the spoken word"), and going (the present participle of the verb go, used as an adjective in such phrases as "the going rate").
Other constructs that often modify nouns include prepositional phrases (as in "a rebel without a cause"), relative clauses (as in "the man who wasn't there"), and infinitive phrases (as in "a cake to die for"). Some nouns can also take complements such as content clauses (as in "the idea that I would do that"), but these are not commonly considered modifiers. For more information about possible modifiers and dependents of nouns, see Components of noun phrases.
Order[edit]
In many languages, attributive adjectives usually occur in a specific order. In general, the adjective order in English can be summarised as: opinion, size, age or shape, colour, origin, material, purpose. This sequence (with age preceding shape) is sometimes referred to by the mnemonic OSASCOMP.[6][7][8] Other language authorities, like the Cambridge Dictionary, alternatively state that shape precedes rather than follows age.[6][9][10]
Determiners and postdeterminers – articles, numerals and other limiters (e.g. three blind mice)
Observation/opinion – limiter adjectives (e.g. a real hero, a perfect idiot) and adjectives subject to subjective measure (e.g. beautiful, interesting), or with a value (e.g. good, bad, costly)
Size – adjectives denoting physical size (e.g. tiny, big, extensive)
Age – adjectives denoting age (e.g., young, old, new, ancient, six-year-old)
Shape – adjectives describing more detailed physical attributes than overall size (e.g. round, sharp, swollen)
Colour – adjectives denoting colour (e.g. white, black, pale)
Origin – denominal adjectives denoting source (e.g. French, volcanic, extraterrestrial)
Material – denominal adjectives denoting what something is made of (e.g., woollen, metallic, wooden)
Qualifier/purpose – final limiter, which sometimes forms part of the (compound) noun (e.g., rocking chair, hunting cabin, passenger car, book cover)
This means that in English, adjectives pertaining to size precede adjectives pertaining to age ("little old", not "old little"), which in turn generally precede adjectives pertaining to color ("old white", not "white old"). So, one would say "One (quantity) nice (opinion) little (size) old (age) round (shape) [or round old] white (color) brick (material) house." When several adjectives of the same type are used together, they are ordered from general to specific, like "lovely intelligent person" or "old medieval castle".[6]
This order may be more rigid in some languages than others; in some, like Spanish, it may only be a default (unmarked) word order, with other orders being permissible. Other languages, such as Tagalog, follow their adjectival orders as rigidly as English.
The normal adjectival order of English may be overridden in certain circumstances, especially when one adjective is being fronted. In addition, the usual order of adjectives in English would result in the phrase "the bad big wolf" (opinion before size), but instead the usual phrase is "the big bad wolf", perhaps because the ablaut reduplication rule that high vowels precede low vowels overrides the normal order of adjectives.
Owing partially to borrowings from French, English has some adjectives that follow the noun as postmodifiers, called postpositive adjectives, as in time immemorial and attorney general. Adjectives may even change meaning depending on whether they precede or follow, as in proper: They live in a proper town (a real town, not a village) vs. They live in the town proper (in the town itself, not in the suburbs). All adjectives can follow nouns in certain constructions, such as tell me something new.
Comparison (degrees)[edit]
Main articles: Comparison (grammar) and Comparative
In many languages, some adjectives are comparable and the measure of comparison is called degree. For example, a person may be "polite", but another person may be "more polite", and a third person may be the "most polite" of the three. The word "more" here modifies the adjective "polite" to indicate a comparison is being made, and "most" modifies the adjective to indicate an absolute comparison (a superlative).
Among languages that allow adjectives to be compared, different means are used to indicate comparison. Some languages do not distinguish between comparative and superlative forms.
In English, many adjectives can take the suffixes "-er" and "-est" (sometimes requiring additional letters before the suffix; see forms for far below) to indicate the comparative and superlative forms, respectively:
"great", "greater", "greatest"
"deep, "deeper", "deepest"
Some adjectives are irregular in this sense:
"good", "better", "best"
"bad", "worse", "worst"
"many", "more", "most" (sometimes regarded as an adverb or determiner)
"little", "less", "least"
Some adjectives can have both regular and irregular variations:
"old", "older", "oldest"
"far", "farther", "farthest"
"old", "elder", "eldest"
"far", "further", "furthest"
Another way to convey comparison is by incorporating the words "more" and "most". There is no simple rule to decide which means is correct for any given adjective, however. The general tendency is for simpler adjectives, and those from Anglo-Saxon to take the suffixes, while longer adjectives and those from French, Latin, Greek do not—but sometimes sound of the word is the deciding factor.
Many adjectives do not naturally lend themselves to comparison. For example, some English speakers would argue that it does not make sense to say that one thing is "more ultimate" than another, or that something is "most ultimate", since the word "ultimate" is already absolute in its semantics. Such adjectives are called non-comparable or absolute. Nevertheless, native speakers will frequently play with the raised forms of adjectives of this sort. Although "pregnant" is logically non-comparable (either one is pregnant or not), one may hear a sentence like "She looks more and more pregnant each day". Likewise "extinct" and "equal" appear to be non-comparable, but one might say that a language about which nothing is known is "more extinct" than a well-documented language with surviving literature but no speakers, while George Orwell wrote "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". These cases may be viewed as evidence that the base forms of these adjectives are not as absolute in their semantics as is usually thought.
Comparative and superlative forms are also occasionally used for other purposes than comparison. In English comparatives can be used to suggest that a statement is only tentative or tendential: one might say "John is more the shy-and-retiring type," where the comparative "more" is not really comparing him with other people or with other impressions of him, but rather, could be substituting for "on the whole". In Italian, superlatives are frequently used to put strong emphasis on an adjective: Bellissimo means "most beautiful", but is in fact more commonly heard in the sense "extremely beautiful".
Restrictiveness[edit]
Main article: Restrictiveness
Attributive adjectives, and other noun modifiers, may be used either restrictively (helping to identify the noun's referent, hence "restricting" its reference) or non-restrictively (helping to describe an already-identified noun). For example:
"He was a lazy sort, who would avoid a difficult task and fill his working hours with easy ones."
"difficult" is restrictive – it tells us which tasks he avoids, distinguishing these from the easy ones: "Only those tasks that are difficult".
"She had the job of sorting out the mess left by her predecessor, and she performed this difficult task with great acumen."
"difficult" is non-restrictive – we already know which task it was, but the adjective describes it more fully: "The aforementioned task, which (by the way) is difficult"
In some languages, such as Spanish, restrictiveness is consistently marked; for example, in Spanish la tarea difícil means "the difficult task" in the sense of "the task that is difficult" (restrictive), whereas la difícil tarea means "the difficult task" in the sense of "the task, which is difficult" (non-restrictive). In English, restrictiveness is not marked on adjectives, but is marked on relative clauses (the difference between "the man who recognized me was there" and "the man, who recognized me, was there" being one of restrictiveness).
Agreement[edit]
In some languages, adjectives alter their form to reflect the gender, case and number of the noun that they describe. This is called agreement or concord. Usually it takes the form of inflections at the end of the word, as in Latin:
puella bona (good girl, feminine singular nominative)
puellam bonam (good girl, feminine singular accusative/object case)
puer bonus (good boy, masculine singular nominative)
pueri boni (good boys, masculine plural nominative)
In Celtic languages, however, initial consonant lenition marks the adjective with a feminine singular noun, as in Irish:
buachaill maith (good boy, masculine)
girseach mhaith (good girl, feminine)
Often, distinction is made here between attributive and predicative usage. In English, adjectives never agree, and in French, they always agree. In German, they agree only when they are used attributively, and in Hungarian, they agree only when they are used predicatively:
The good (Ø) boys. The boys are good (Ø).
Les bons garçons. Les garçons sont bons.
Die braven Jungen. Die Jungen sind brav (Ø).
A jó (Ø) fiúk. A fiúk jók.
Attributive verb
Flat adverb
List of eponymous adjectives in English
List of English collateral adjectives
Noun adjunct
Postpositive adjective
Proper adjective
^ a b Trask, R.L. (2013). Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics. Taylor & Francis. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-134-88420-9.
^ adjectivus. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
^ ἐπίθετος. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
^ Mastronarde, Donald J. Introduction to Attic Greek. University of California Press, 2013. p. 60.
^ McMenomy, Bruce A. Syntactical Mechanics: A New Approach to English, Latin, and Greek. University of Oklahoma Press, 2014. p. 8.
^ a b c Order of adjectives, British Council.
^ R.M.W. Dixon, "Where Have all the Adjectives Gone?" Studies in Language 1, no. 1 (1977): 19–80.
^ Dowling, Tim (13 September 2016). "Order force: the old grammar rule we all obey without realising". The Guardian. The Guardian.
^ Adjectives: order (from English Grammar Today), in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary online
^ R. Declerck, A Comprehensive Descriptive Grammar of English (1991), p. 350: "When there are several descriptive adjectives, they normally occur in the following order: characteristic — size — shape — age — colour — [...]"
Dixon, R.M.W. (1977). "Where have all the adjectives gone?". Studies in Language. 1: 19–80. doi:10.1075/sl.1.1.04dix.
Dixon, R.M.W.; R. E. Asher (Editor) (1993). The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (1st ed.). Pergamon Press Inc. pp. 29–35. ISBN 0-08-035943-4. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
Dixon, R.M.W. (1999). Adjectives. In K. Brown & T. Miller (Eds.), Concise encyclopedia of grammatical categories (pp. 1–8). Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISBN 0-08-043164-X.
Warren, Beatrice. (1984). Classifying adjectives. Gothenburg studies in English (No. 56). Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis. ISBN 91-7346-133-4.
Wierzbicka, Anna (1986). "What's in a noun? (or: How do nouns differ in meaning from adjectives?)". Studies in Language. 10 (2): 353–389. doi:10.1075/sl.10.2.05wie.
Look up predicative adjective in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Look up adjective in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Adjectives in English
Lexical categories and their features
Abstract / Concrete
Adjectival
Animate / Inanimate
Attributive
Common / Proper
Countable / Mass / Collective
Initial-stress-derived
Strong / Weak
Verbal / Deverbal
Finite / Non-finite
Converb
Gerundive
Participle (adjectival · adverbial)
Supine
Verbal noun
Ambitransitive
Andative/Venitive
Anticausative
Autocausative
Captative
Catenative
Copular
Defective
Denominal
Deponent
Ditransitive
Ergative
Frequentative
Inchoative
Monotransitive
Performative
Phrasal
Predicative
Preterite-present
Reflexive
Separable
Transitive
Unaccusative
Unergative
Nominalized
Postpositive
Pronominal
Disjunctive
Formal/Informal
Gender-neutral
Gender-specific
Inclusive/Exclusive
Resumptive
Preposition/postposition
Inflected
Casally modulated
Quantifier
Measure word
Complementizer
Coverb
Expletive
Interjection (verbal)
Pro-sentence
Pro-verb
Procedure word
Prop-word
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Celebrations submission
Houston County News
Our 7 Rivers
Winona, MN (55987)
Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..
Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Winona neighbors: Recently published obituaries
Read through the obituaries published in Winona Daily News
David C. Golden
David C. Golden, 75, of Winona died Thursday, June 6, 2019, at St. Anne Extended Healthcare in Winona.
He was born July 9, 1943, to Alfred and Matilda (Hoffman) Golden in Virginia, Minn. David grew up one of four children on the iron range. He graduated from Virginia High School and started driving truck. Over the years he worked for many different organizations all across the U.S. He married Ann Lilla May 29, 1982, in Winona. They had two wonderful daughters, Kelli and Nicole. The family would take turns joining David on his cross-country hauls. David loved his Golden Girls and would spend every second with them he could. Saturday mornings were for watching Golden Girls with his Golden Girls. As they grew up and started families of their own, David loved his new role of Grandpa. Ann and David were able to give their children the gift of being their daycare. The grandkids also loved this intimate time with them. David also loved the other side of his family, his dogs and cats. He always had a pet and loved them like family.
David is survived by his loving wife, Ann; children, Kelli Golden, Nicole Golden; and grandchildren, Payton Halverson, Nicholas Colón, Annabelle Colón. He is preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Lester Earsley; and siblings, Georgeanne Stone, Alfred Golden, June Prout.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Winona Area Humane Society.
Wade Elwood Davick
Wade Elwood Davick, 83, of Winona died Thursday, June 6, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Hospital-St. Mary’s Campus, Rochester, Minn.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday, June 14, at Central Lutheran Church, Winona, with the Reverend Brad Davick and Reverend Michael Short officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Hoff Celebration of Life Center-Goodview and one hour prior to the service Friday at church.
Please share a memory of Wade, sign his online guestbook and view his video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com.
William Herman Glowczewski
William (Billy Glow) Herman Glowczewski, 82, of Winona passed away surrounded by family, Monday, June 3, 2019, at the Roger Metz Manor.
He was born Sept. 15, 1936, in Winona, to Herman and Genevive (Paskiewicz) Glowczewski. He was an only child. Bill was named after the famous baseball player Billy Herman. He graduated from Cotter high School in 1954. Bill married Susan (Rivers) Glowczewski at the Holy Trinity Church in Rollingstone, Nov. 15, 1958. They had two sons, Tim and John.
In Bill’s younger days, he was a very good rotation pool player. Bill was also an excellent ball player and coach. He played baseball in the Pee Wee, Midgets and Legion baseball. He played with the Cotter and Rollingstone team in the Hiawatha League. He then turned to fast pitch softball. Bill’s team played and won the AA State Softball Championship in 1970, on the Sunshine Bar team and then again in 1975 on the Big “O” team. He also loved to bowl. Bill was a member of the Winona Bowling Hall of Fame, along with his wife, Sue, and sons, Tim and John. The Glowczewski’s were the first entire family to be in the Winona Bowling Hall of Fame. Bill was the Steamboat Days Parade Grand Marshal in 2011. Bill also loved to deer hunt with pride in 51 years of deer hunting. Bill was also a fine golfer. He had a hole in one in 1984 and won many tournaments. He was a member of the Cathedral of Sacred Heart, Winona Athletic Club (he served on the board), Eagles Club, Elks Club, Polish Museum, Westfield Golf Club and The WSU Warriors Club. Bill worked at the Winona Knitting Mills, as a shipping manager and then for a short time at Schuler Chocolates. Bill and Sue bought the Lakeview Drive Inn in 1977 and sold it to their sons in 1993. His sons still operate it today.
Bill is survived by his two sons and their families, Tim and Kathy Glowczewski, their children, Hannah Glowczewski and Haley Glowczewski (fiancé, Paul Bergaus), John and Jenny Glowczewski and their children, Michael Glowczewski and Allyson Glowczewski (significant other, Chad Schultz and daughter, Avery Schultz). Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Susan; and his parents, Herman and Genevive; father and mother-in-law, Al and Veronica Rivers.
The family would like to thank Winona Health, Roger Metz Manor and the Winona Hospice for excellent care. They treated him like family. Please direct any memorials to any one of those organizations.
A celebration of life will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 7, at the Winona Athletic Club. Food, beer and pop will be served throughout the celebration. Please share a fun story about Bill with family and friends. He would have loved it!
Christina Kowalski
Christina Kowalski, 47, of Winona passed away Sunday, June 2, 2019, at her home. She was born March 21, 1972, in Cologne, Germany, to Robert and Helen Kowalski. After living there for a year, the family moved to Boston, Mass. and eventually made their home in Winona. Christina graduated from Cotter High School. She worked for the Winona ORC and delivered the Winona Post. She was a member of the YMCA and enjoyed swimming. Christina traveled many places and enjoyed each trip equally.
She is survived by her mother, Helen; grandmother, Nina; sister, Teresa Hershey and her husband, Ted, and their two children, Jackson and Julia.
Christina is preceded in death by her father, Robert; aunt, Irene; maternal grandmother and both grandfathers.
Funeral services for Christina will be 2 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Hoff Celebration of Life Center, Goodview with visitation 1 to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Processional from Hoff to St. Mary’s Cemetery at 4 p.m.
Communion Service will be at 6 p.m. at Watkins Manor, 175 E. Wabasha St.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Winona ORC, YMCA, or Cotter HIgh School. Please leave a memory of Christina and view her video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com. Hoff Celebration of Life Center, Goodview, is assisting the family with arrangements.
John "Jack" H. Scherer
BUFFALO CITY — John “Jack” H. Scherer, 90, of Buffalo City passed away Tuesday, May 29, 2019, at St. Anne of Winona.
He was born Feb. 2, 1929, in Winona, the son of Herbert and Rosella “Rosie” (Bichels) Scherer. Jack graduated from Cotter High School and was a graduate of Winona State University. Jack was united in marriage to Geraldine “Gerry” Kukowski Oct. 7, 1950, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Winona. Jack was a police chief with Winona for many years.
Jack was an avid fisherman and enjoyed their move to the cottage. Jack and Gerry built their retirement home in 1986, in Buffalo City. After Jack’s retirement, he and Gerry continued their love of fishing, travel tours and visits to the casinos.
Jack is survived by his son, Timmy (Kikko) Scherer; grandson, James J. Scherer; granddaughter, Maya (Nick) Lang; great-grandson, Elwood; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Gerry; son, Tommy J. Scherer; and daughter, Terry J. Scherer.
A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, June 10, at Talbot Family Funeral Home, Alma Chapel, with a visitation to begin at 4 p.m. Private burial will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Winona, at a later date.
Please share your memories and condolences online at www.talbotfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, member donations may be made in Jack’s name to St. Jude and the Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in Winona.
Jack wanted to thank the staff of the Winona Health ICU and also the wonderful staff at St. Anne’s, for caring for him in his final days.
Mary B. Kauphusman
Mary B. Kauphusman, 89, of Winona passed away peacefully Sunday, June 2, 2019, at Winona Health, surrounded by her family.
She was born Sept. 23, 1929, in Winona, to Vincent and Mary (Lappier) Millmann, and was a graduate of Winona Senior High School. She was united in marriage with James E. Kauphusman Sept. 3, 1955, in Winona and he preceded her in death Dec. 18, 2004.
Mary was a member of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka and will be remembered for her love of playing bingo, trips to the casino and as a great conversationalist. Her family was always her number one priority and she was the glue that held them all together. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, who will be deeply missed by all those who loved her.
Mary is lovingly survived by her children, James (Linda) Kauphusman, Kathy (Matt) Wendell, Lynn (Kevin) O’Brien and Steve (Peggy Walters) Kauphusman; grandchildren, Casey (Mandy) Kauphusman, Kristen Kauphusman, Kylie Wendell, Jake Wendell, Abby Wendell, Cate O’Brien, Maddie O’Brien, Erin O’Brien, Molly (Scott) Stroh and Jeff (Melissa) Walters; great-grandchildren, Gabe, Liam, Cooper, William and Calin; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, including her extended family at Brookdale Senior Living in Winona.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; and a brother, Vincent Millmann.
Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. Friday, June 7, at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3 p.m. The Very Reverend Patrick Arens will officiate. Mary will be laid to rest in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Online condolences or memories may be left for Mary’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com. Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Donna Anderson
ST. CLOUD, Minn./WINONA — Donna Ann (Kindt) Anderson, 88, of St. Cloud formerly of Winona, died Friday, May 31, 2019, in St. Cloud.
Donna was born Sept. 6, 1930, in Winona, to Harold and Beatrice (Clark) Kindt. She graduated from Winona Sr. High School in 1948 where she was active in band and choir. Donna earned a Bachelor’s Degree in education from Winona State University in 1951. She married Vayden Shyrl Anderson Dec. 19, 1951. Donna and Vayden were both elementary teachers in Lewiston from 1952 to 1953.
Donna was a homemaker until her children, John and Lynn, were in junior high school, and she then worked as a substitute teacher for Winona Public Schools. Donna worked in a local jewelry store, which she enjoyed until she and her husband, Vayden, retired in 1988.
Donna was an active participant in her Homeowners Association and frequently served as their President where she had a talent for bringing people together. Donna was a member of Central Lutheran Church and active in the quilters and altar guild. She was an accomplished seamstress and particularly loved making quilts.
Donna was devoted to her family and fondly nicknamed “Bobo” by family and friends. In 2015 she moved to St. Cloud.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Vayden.
Donna is survived by her brother, Ronald Kindt of La Crescent; son, John Anderson and his fiancé, Rita Taylor of St. Cloud; daughter, Lynn Benjamin and her husband, Greg of Denver, Colo.; five grandchildren, Stephanie Carr and her husband, Dustin, Meghan McBroom and her husband, Zach, Matthew Larson and his wife, Gabby, Jenna Rubis and her husband, Matthew, and Samuel Larson; six great-grandchildren, Grant McBroom, Zach Larson, Olivia Rubis, Nolan Carr, Lennon Rubis and Gracie Larson; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, June 7, at Central Lutheran Church, Winona, with the Reverend Michael Short officiating. A luncheon will be served in Grace Hall of the church following interment at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Memorials are preferred to Central Lutheran Church, Winona.
Online condolences or memories may be left for Donna’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.
Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home of Winona is assisting the family with arrangements.
Catherine Kreidermacher
ROLLINGSTONE—Catherine J. Kreidermacher, 91, of Rollingstone died Thursday, May 30, 2019, at Sugar Loaf Senior Living. She was born Nov. 27, 1927, in Rollingstone, to William and Mary (Hoffman) Stockhausen. She graduated from Holy Trinity School. On June 5, 1948, she married Conrad “Connie” Kreidermacher at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. She was an active member of the ladies’ circle at Immaculate Conception Church on Oak Ridge. Kate worked alongside Connie on their family farm. She enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, and baking. Kate’s greatest joy was her family and the time spent with them.
She is survived by her six children, Patrick (Barbara) of Altura, Sue (Jack) Halvorson of Burnsville, Minn., David (Mary Sue) of Utica, Kathy (David) Thesing of Coon Rapids, Gail (Mark) Burt of Utica and Mark (Cindy) of Eagan; son-in-law, Ken Lafky; 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, two sisters, Mary Stoos and Dorothy Reitz; brother-in-law, Jim Kreidermacher; and many nieces and nephews.
Kate is preceded in death by her husband, Connie; parents; three daughters, Mary Kay Kreidermacher, Lynn Lafky, and Karen Kreidermacher; one grandson, Eric Halvorson; one sister, and five brothers.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Rollingstone with the Rev. Chinnappa Pothireddy officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of Mass. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Oak Ridge. Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Please leave a memory of Kate and view her video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com.
Debra Johnson
GOODVIEW/ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — Debra J. Johnson, 66, of Goodview and Englewood, passed away at her home Sunday, June 2, 2019.
Deb was born Feb. 22, 1953, to Lester and Alvina (Anfinson) Olson in Lanesboro, Minn. She graduated from Winona Senior High School. On April 5, 1975, she married Dennis Johnson at Central Lutheran Church, Winona. She was employed as an employment counselor with the State of Minnesota for over 30 years.
Deb is survived by her husband, Dennis, Goodview; three sons, Derek (Rebecca) Johnson, St. Paul, Minn., Darin Johnson, Winona, Dalen (Laura) Johnson, Millville, Minn.; three grandchildren, Xavier, Delila, and Nino; four siblings, Allen (Nancy) Olson, Cindy Luther, twin-Deverett (Patti) Olson, and Carl (Sue) Nelson; and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at Fawcett Junker Funeral Home, Winona. Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m. and interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery, Winona at a later date.
Memorials can be directed to American Breast Cancer Foundation. This cause was important to Deb because it impacted numerous family members.
Services entrusted to Fawcett Junker Funeral Home and Crematory, Winona, and Fountain City, Wis. Words of sympathy and remembrance can be given at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com.
Harry J. Mrozek Jr.
LA CRESCENT, Minn. — Harry J. Mrozek Jr., 89, of La Crescent passed away at home Thursday, May 23, 2019.
Harry was born in Fountain City, Wis., to Harry J. Mrozek and Salomea “Sally” Mrozek (nee Scharmach). Harry married Anne E. Mrozek (nee Knott), from England, April 26, 1954, in Banbury, England, while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Harry is survived by his son, Michael (Patricia Sampson) of Ashburn, Va.; and two daughters, Sandra Roy (Scott) of Indianapolis and Dr. Jane Mrozek of La Crescent. He is also survived by his sisters, Ann (Phillip) Eder, Louise (Don) Merchlewitz, Rosealie (Eugene) Bork and Marion Sobotta (Victor Gibbons); and a great-aunt, Fern Jick.
Harry retired from the U.S. Army and also served with the USAF. He was awarded the Bronze Star (two awards), Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (two battle stars), Vietnam Civic Action 1st Class Medal, RVN Campaign Medal W/Device (1960) and the RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Award, during two tours in Vietnam.
Until his retirement, Harry worked for several trucking companies and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, after retiring from the U.S. Army in 1971.
Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Anne, March 30, 2019; and a son, Adrian John Mrozek. Two sisters preceded him in death, Sandra (Dave) Schmidtknecht and Romelle (John) Larson; a brother-in-law, Victor Gibbons; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Joseph and Jean Knott, and their daughter, Susan.
Special family friends we want to acknowledge are Ruth and Jacob Muehlenkamp, Lori Falada, Sue Liebsch, Nancy Danou, and Jenny Schulte.
Harry was a loving husband, father and brother, who taught his children to care for others, serve our country and advocate for animal well-being.
In closure, the family of Harry Mrozek want to extend a sincere thank you to his primary provider, Dr. Duane Undeland and the staff and nursing staff at the La Crescent Clinic, for the excellent care they provided him. Also, the family wants to extend this thank you to Dr. Chris Hofland and the nurses in the Urology Department at the Gundersen Clinic. Another Gundersen team that most recently joined the efforts to help Harry is the Hospice team, to whom we are eternally grateful for helping Dad pass away peacefully at his home.
The La Crescent First Responders and the La Crescent Police Department have been another group of professionals who assisted Harry and Anne, when they needed help and we want to let you know how much the Mrozek family appreciates your assistance and the time you took to help our parents.
The family is having a private burial with military honors June 6.
Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.
Irene S. Ebertowski
Irene S. Ebertowski, 90, of Winona died Saturday, May 25, 2019, at Sauer Health Care.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Online condolences and a complete obituary are available at www.watkowski-mulyck.com. Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Virginia Ann Scherbring
ROLLINGSTONE — Virginia Ann (Kronebusch) Scherbring, 93, of Rollingstone died Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at St. Anne Extended Healthcare. Hoff Celebration of Life Center, Goodview, is assisting the family.
Wilbert "Bill" J. Ipsen
WINONA/LA CROSSE, Wis. — Wilbert “Bill” J. Ipsen, 101, of Winona and formerly of La Crosse, passed away Sunday, May 26, 2019, at Sugar Loaf Senior Living.
He was born March 21, 1918, in La Crosse, to the late William and Lillian (Plunkett) Ipsen. He graduated from La Crosse Central High School in 1937 and served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Bill was a World War II U.S. Army combat veteran (1941-1945), serving three years in the Southwest Pacific theater, on the island of New Guinea and in the Dutch East Indies.
On Nov. 23, 1946, he married Lillian Jean Cobb of Johnstown, N.Y. Bill owned and operated Bill’s Shoe Service in downtown La Crosse for 30 years. Well known in the La Crosse business and professional community, he was elected and served 25 years on the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors, where he was vice chairman for several years. At an age when others might have retired, Bill worked another eight years as a security guard at the former Gateway Foods distribution facility near his North Side home. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Disabled American Veterans (DAV). He was proud to serve his country and his community.
Bill is survived by his wife of 72 years, Jean, of Winona; three sons, John (Jane Petersen) of Madison, Wis., James (Debra) of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., Joseph (Susan) of Orfordville, Wis.; two daughters, Jeanine (Clifford) Black of Winona and Kathleen (Scott) Zierath of Decorah, Iowa; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his twin brother, William; brother, Henry; and sisters, Catherine Vingers, Geraldine Fazio and Virginia Mach.
The family wishes to thank Bill’s physicians at Winona Health, Gundersen Health and the River Valley V.A. Clinic in La Crosse, as well as the staff and volunteers at Sugar Loaf Senior Living, Elder Network of Winona County and Winona Health Hospice.
Services entrusted to Fawcett Junker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Winona, where a service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Gundersen Foundation, Elder Network or Winona Health Hospice. Words of sympathy and remembrance can be given at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com.
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'Murder is the charge': York Mayor Charlie Robertson accused in 1969 murder
Mayor won't give up the reins of government despite the charge from a 1969 death.
'Murder is the charge': York Mayor Charlie Robertson accused in 1969 murder Mayor won't give up the reins of government despite the charge from a 1969 death. Check out this story on ydr.com: https://www.ydr.com/story/archives/2017/08/24/murder-charge-york-mayor-charlie-robertson-accused-1969-murder/597955001/
STAFF REPORT, York Daily Record Published 1:25 p.m. ET Aug. 24, 2017 | Updated 4:41 p.m. ET Dec. 19, 2017
Charles Robertson was a community personality who became a figure of controversy when he was arrested in 2001. Wochit
York, Pa. Mayor Charlie Robertson announced Wednesday May 16, 2001 that he will be arrested Thursday for his alleged involvement in a 1969 murder of a black woman while he was a York city police officer. Robertson won the Democratic nomination for Mayor on Tuesday. (AP/York Daily Record, Bil Bowden) ORG XMIT: PAYOK101(Photo: BIL BOWDEN, Associated Press)
Editor's note: This story was originally published on May 17, 2001. Charlie Robertson died Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017.
One day after he gave his post-primary victory speech to chants of "four more years," York Mayor Charlie Robertson said he would turn himself in today in connection with the 1969 murder of Lillie Belle Allen.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll be volunteering myself to the district attorney's office to be arrested," the mayor said at a hastily called news conference Wednesday after noon.
He paused for a few moments, unable to speak.
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He continued, "I am being advised by the district attorney's office that as your mayor, I will be handcuffed."
Sixteen and a half hours earlier, Robertson was celebrating his Democratic primary victory over city Councilman Ray Crenshaw, a hard-earned win that came amid rumors that the mayor might be implicated in Allen's death.
On Wednesday, the 67-year-old, two-term mayor stood at a podium on the steps of City Hall, tears in his eyes.
"Murder is the charge. Murder is the charge," Robertson said, his voice cracking with emotion as he punctuated the word "murder." "I'm standing here in disbelief as to the charge, which they must prove. And to this, I maintain my innocence."
The news conference capped a strange day in York. Rumors that the mayor would be arrested Wednesday circulated freely. Newspaper reporters and television crews staked out City Hall, surrounding the building and watching every exit. Inside, reporters camped out in the hallway outside the mayor's office as he met with his lawyers.
Lillie Belle Allen was shot and killed July 21, 1969 in York. (Photo: Submitted)
For two weeks, it has been rumored that Robertson would be arrested in connection with Allen's July 21, 1969, murder, ever since affidavits charging the other five men accused of killing Allen referred to an "unidentified police officer" who incited a crowd of white street gang members to violence and then provided them with ammunition.
The affidavits said the unidentified police officer yelled "white power" at a Farquhar Park rally of white street gangs. Robertson has said he was the police officer who yelled white power, but denied the other allegations.
Reporters followed Robertson and his lawyers, famed criminal defense attorney William Costopoulos and local lawyer Richard Oare, all day as they shuttled between City Hall and the York County Courthouse.
Robertson's crazy day started as he strolled out of his house. The three election signs in front of his home in the 800 block of West Princess Street had disappeared.
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He said he was just going to work Wednesday as he climbed into his white car parked in front of the Manor Baptist Church.
He drove a short distance to Norma's Steak Shop on the corner of King and South West streets, where he ordered ham, eggs, toast, homefries and coffee. Norma's is a favorite spot of the mayor's and the chatter there didn't focus on the results in the primary.
"We don't bother him with the issues," said Bonnie Herman, who has owned the restaurant with her husband, John.
Herman said she has known the mayor for about 30 years both as a policeman and a sports coach in the York City School District. Even if Robertson would have lost the election, he still would be a friend, she said.
Robertson paid his bill, left a $1 tip and headed out the door.
"Boy, I feel bad for him," someone said as reporters trailed him out the door.
Robertson drove to City Hall, entered through a side door and disappeared into his office.
York, Pa., mayor Charlie Robertson announced Wednesday that he will be arrested Thursday for his alleged involvement in a 1969 murder of a black woman while he was a York city police officer. Robertson won the Democratic nomination for mayor on Tuesday. At right is police commissioner Herbert Grofscik. AP/York Daily Record, Bil Bowden (Photo: Archives)
Oare showed up about 10 a.m. to meet with the mayor. He emerged about 25 minutes later, saying he was going to the York County District Attorney's Office to discuss the investigation. He said he couldn't comment on whether the mayor was going to turn himself in to authorities.
The mayor's lawyers met with prosecutor Bill Graff and left the courthouse without commenting on the meeting. Graff didn't comment either.
Just before 11 a.m. Robertson headed upstairs, saying that he had a meeting. But he came back down the side stairs a few minutes later and went back into his office. A short time later, Oare returned. This time he was with Costopolous.
Shortly after noon, the mayor darted out of the front door. He hopped in his car and drove home. He declined to speak to reporters.
The mayor, who has never been one to shy away from the public eye, avoided making eye contact with reporters Wednesday when he returned to his office after lunch.
Eyes firmly fixed on City Hall's beige floor, Robertson answered how he was doing with only one word: "Good." Without another word he unlocked the door to his office and slipped back behind closed doors.
After hours of suspense, the mayor hastily organized a news conference at 2:30 p.m., calling it on 10 minutes' notice.
At the news conference, Robertson and Oare declined to comment on specifics of the case or negotiations with prosecutors that secured the mayor's surrender to authorities.
Oare would not confirm whether bail had been arranged, although Robertson said he expected to be released on his own recognizance.
The fact that he'd be handcuffed - like the criminals he used to arrest when he was a police officer - seemed to upset the mayor the most.
"To stand before the public in handcuffs is unnecessary as your mayor for the last 7 1/2 years," Robertson said.
Sonja Gilmore, the widow of York Police Officer Henry C. Schaad, who also was killed during the riots, said she had heard about the mayor turning himself in.
"I think that's good because he was evading a lot of questions before," she said.
York County Assistant District Attorney Tom Kelley declined to comment on the specific case, but said, in general, any person taken into custody and transported by either the state police or York County detectives must wear handcuffs.
"When that is an issue, we explain (the law) to the lawyers," Kelley said.
There are no exceptions, he said, no matter who's being charged.
Throughout the past two weeks, as rumors of his imminent arrest circulated, Robertson said he would not resign. He repeated his pledge to remain in office Wednesday.
Asked if he will remain in office, Robertson said, "Absolutely. . . . I will be the mayor until the day I leave office. I will not relinquish the mayor's office at all."
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He declined to comment on whether he thought his pending arrest was a political move, manufactured by the district attorney's office. Robertson's loyalists have questioned the timing of the inquiry so close to his primary.
But at least the speculation can end, some people said. "Now the mayor can go beyond this abusive and secretive grand jury and move forward in an open process and prove his innocence," said Charlie Bacas, one of his closest advisers.
In 2001, then York mayor Charlie Robertson was charged in the 1969 murder of Lillie Belle Allen. In the following footage, Robertson proclaims his innocence at a press conference after the charges were filed. Robertson was eventually acquitted of the murder charge. Footage courtesy Associated Press. Associated Press/York Daily Record
Some suspicion seems to stem from Kelley's days on the York City Council in the late 1990s, when he sometimes disagreed with the administration's policy. But Kelley's supporters said it seems ridiculous that Kelley would want to punish Robertson because he and the mayor shared different ideas on government policy a few years back.
Despite the charges, Robertson said he will marshal forward in his quest for a third term in office. But whether the campaign can survive until November, with its candidate charged for murder, is a major question.
His campaign chairman, Tom Wolf, said it won't be easy. "An arrest certainly isn't helpful in pushing the mayor's campaign forward," Wolf said.
If Robertson does drop out, the state Democratic party has the authority to select a new candidate, said Eugene DePasquale, chairman of the York County Democratic party. Most likely, the state would let the county party decide, he said. Crenshaw, he said, would be a "credible selection," although the party would consider other people, too.
Officials in City Hall were mum Wednesday. York Treasurer Don Murphy said only that the mayor should not resign. When asked about the mayor's impeding arrest, Eric Menzer, the mayor's top aide, said, "None of your business."
They've been quick to say that the city can function, even though its leader has been consumed by speculation of his involvement in Allen's murder.
York Controller John Brenner, a frequent Robertson critic, doubts that. "I don't see how he can spend his time defending himself, even with the help of his attorneys, and effectively run this city and run a campaign," he said.
Robertson previously had told his city managers that he'd appoint his business administrator, Michael O'Rourke, as temporary mayor should he be charged in the murder. But Robertson went back on those plans Wednesday, saying he'd remain in office.
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O'Rourke confirmed this. "As far as I know, there is no order making me acting mayor," he said.
To try to quell the commotion, Robertson and his lawyers have decided to meet with media every week, beginning May 24. The hope is that the media will leave him alone as he tries to conduct business.
"At all other public gatherings attended by the mayor, he respectfully requests" that the media not ask him about legal matters, a news release states.
Daily Record staff writers Mike Argento, Rick Lee, Sharon Smith and Teresa Ann Boeckel contributed to this report.
Read or Share this story: https://www.ydr.com/story/archives/2017/08/24/murder-charge-york-mayor-charlie-robertson-accused-1969-murder/597955001/
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Trade is an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty and increases economic opportunity. The World Bank Group helps its client countries improve their access to developed country markets and enhance their participation in the world economy.
Trade Home
Trade is an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty and increases economic opportunity. Over one billion people have moved out of poverty because of economic growth underpinned by open trade since 1990. The World Bank Group supports an open, rules-based, predictable, international trading system.
Open trade brings important, often overlooked benefits to lower-income households by offering consumers more affordable goods and services. For the extreme poor, trade can help reduce the prices of food. For women, trade can create jobs and increase incentives for girls to stay in school.
Developing countries often struggle with indirect factors that hinder their access to global markets, such as anti-competitive business practices, regulatory environments that are unfavorable to business growth and investment, or limited infrastructure capacity. Even a country with liberal and transparent trade policy suffers if its markets are not connected, and many of the world’s poorest people live in places that are landlocked, remote or otherwise ill-served by international trade links. The World Bank Group helps its client countries improve their access to developed country markets and enhance their participation in the world economy by overcoming these obstacles.
Despite the benefits trade can bring to economies, not everyone is experiencing the benefits of globalization. Trade, with the productivity gains and technological advances that accompany it, can result in job losses in certain regions and industries. We are working to advance policies that help all countries benefit from the opportunities that come with trade and technological change. These include short-term responses such as training programs and job search assistance, but also long-term solutions that build more resilient economies. Strong safety nets, access to education that prepares students for the jobs of the future, and policies that help workers become more mobile are all critical to these solutions.
The world needs to strengthen the global trading system to promote greater inclusiveness and help developing countries address trade-related constraints to growth. The system of global trade rules that has nurtured unprecedented economic growth across multiple generations faces tensions. These tensions should not prevent us from looking at the unique untapped benefits further trade reform can bring to the global economy.
Last Updated 3/13/19
The WBG is supportive of an open, rules-based, predictable multilateral trading system, and among its objectives are to help countries participate in and enjoy the benefits of such a system. Key strategies for reaching these goals are supporting trade agreements, emphasizing trade and competitiveness at the core of national development strategies, and promoting trade-related reforms through effective Aid for Trade programs.
The WBG helps governments design and implement policies to maximize their trade competitiveness in both goods and services. The main pillars of the World Bank Group’s work in trade are:
Trade Policy and Integration: Analysis and policy advice to help countries eliminate unneeded non-tariff measures, or NTMs | Modernizing services regulations and trade | Addressing the poverty and labor impacts of trade policies and shocks | Supporting global and regional integration, including free trade agreement negotiations and World Trade Organization accession and participation.
Trade Performance: Help for governments in designing and implement policies to maximize their trade competitiveness in both goods and services. | Assistance to create comprehensive policy frameworks that shape individual firms’ capacities and incentives to import and export | Help for governments to reap the gains from openness to trade and to manage both adjustment costs and external shocks.
Trade Facilitation and Logistics: Strengthening trade corridors, supply chains, and trade logistics | Modernizing border management | Enhancing connectivity between firms, markets, and consumers.
To fund much of this work, the World Bank Group has three main, trade-related trust funds totaling $91 million. These include the Umbrella Facility for Trade, the Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP) and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) trust fund.
The WBG provides rigorous analysis of key issues in global trade as well as country-focused engagements in over 100 countries around the world. These focus on helping client countries identify reforms to promote competition, exports, and private sector development, as well as on trade facilitation, logistics, and border management to help lower trade costs.
Analysis and data for key issues in global trade: The World Bank provides up to date data and analysis of the latest issues in global trade including:
Trade tensions: the impact of heightened trade tensions between China and the US on global trade and supply chains, with a focus on developing countries.
Trade and poverty: Analytical work program on distributional impacts of trade, with a focus on: (i) Welfare effects of tariff and non-tariff measures changes; (ii) Mechanisms through which trade can affect local poverty rates and labor market dynamics; (iii) Implications of rise in automation on welfare and the jobs destruction in developing countries (and jobs reshoring to high-income economies).
Logistics and connectivity: The biennial Logistics Performance Index (LPI) measures the logistics "friendliness" of 160 countries based on a worldwide survey of freight forwarders and express carriers.
Policy and reform support: Trade Policy and Performance: Analysis and policy advice to help countries compete globally.
Example: The Government of Ethiopia has embarked upon a path of political and economic transformation. The dominance of state-owned logistics operator results in lack of competition and undermines the potential for trade to boost growth and poverty reduction. The WBG is supporting a significant reform agenda targeting the logistics sector as part of a combined macro-fiscal growth agenda on trade, investment, competition and the business environment.
Trade Facilitation and Logistics: Strengthening trade corridors, supply chains, and trade logistics | Modernizing border management | Enhancing connectivity between firms, markets, and consumers. Lending and Technical Assistance:
Bureaucracy/paperwork, port and custom handling, and transport infrastructure bottlenecks continue to be a major barrier to trade in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa. A one-day reduction in inland travel times leads to a 7 percent increase in exports in Africa. A one-day reduction in delay at border increases trade by one percent. But improving trade facilitation requires cooperation and capacity, including improvements to trade-related infrastructure and technical assistance for customs. The WBG is a major provider of trade facilitation assistance, with a current portfolio over $7 billion, across more than 70 countries.
Example: Over the past three years the World Bank has been assisting countries in the Great Lakes region through a novel $140 million project to improve the trading environment for small scale traders, most of whom are women. When the project started, cross-border traders regularly had to pay bribes and suffer harassment, including sexual abuse. Through improvements to infrastructure, streamlining the border clearance processes, training of officials and traders, and better security (such as lighting and cameras), we have seen up to a 37 percentage point reduction in incidents of harassment for traders in eastern DR Congo over a three year period. Over the same period, border crossings increased substantially, from 20,000 per day in 2015 to between 40,000 and 50,000 per day in 2018.
Example: The World Bank is assisting Nepal and India to facilitate efficient goods trade by reducing key trade-related infrastructure constraints. Both countries can increase cross-border trade by alleviating soft barriers to trade, including those related to policy, procedures, and systems for international trade transiting between the two countries. One of the early successes of the project was the development of the Nepal Trade Information Portal, was launched in 2016, a one-stop window for information relating to import into, export from, and transit through Nepal. The two governments recently opened a new trade corridor to the port of Vishakhapatnam. The new corridor Is much more efficient with port clearance time less than half that in Kolkata.
Regional integration: The World Bank supports global and regional integration, including free trade agreement negotiations and World Trade Organization accession and participation.
Example: The World Bank is supporting the African Union to assist the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which has the potential to boost intra-regional trade and significantly reduce poverty. We are assessing the effects of tariff reductions on government revenues and quantifying the impact on trade, growth and poverty, including women and youth.
Example: A series of studies on the Belt and Road Initiative shed light on the ambitious effort to improve regional cooperation and connectivity on a trans-continental scale. The studies are designed to help policymakers assess the effects of the BRI and to identify policies that will help maximize the benefits and mitigate the risks.
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Fireworks lead to numerous 911 calls in Plainfield
by: Lupe Marquez
Posted: Jan 24, 2019 / 07:33 AM EST / Updated: Jan 24, 2019 / 07:59 PM EST
Plainfield police responded to multiple calls of possible “gunshots” and “explosions” in the area of Lester Drive on Wednesday night. Those disturbances turned out to be fireworks which lead to the arrest of three people.
Plainfield Police say the disturbance caused an influx of calls from the 911 line and regular line calls.
Callers reported hearing the loud sounds also near Gendron Road, Barber Hill Road and Sterling Hill Road in Moosup, Green Hollow Road in Plainfield and North Chestnut Street in Wauregan.
Due to high volume of occurrences, callers were able to describe a vehicle leaving the area after the “explosions” had gone off.
Police found a vehicle nearby that fit the description in the area of Wauregan. At that point, this area is where the most recent calls had come from.
The vehicle was parked at the Gulf gas station at the intersection of Route 205 and Route 12.
The occupants of the vehicle were found to be in possession of high powered, projectile fireworks which are considered to be explosives. Police located about 43 grams of marijuana individually packaged for sale along with additional packaging material and scales. The occupants admitted to driving around random areas of Plainfield, Moosup and Wauregan setting off fireworks.
19-year-old Jacob Rampulla of Marie Street, Plainfield was charged with Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell, Breach of Peace and Use and Possession of Fireworks. The passenger and driver of the vehicle, 20-year-old Jamie Brodeur of Dayville and a juvenile were also arrested and charged with Breach of Peace.
More Windham Stories
Plainfield woman arrested for possession of 1,200 bags of pre-packaged fentanyl
by Vanessa Wojtusiak / Jul 18, 2019
POMFRET, Conn. (WTNH) -- A 40-year-old woman was arrested for Possession of Narcotics and Possession of Narcotics with Intent to Sell.
Kristy Carpenter of Plainfield was a passenger in a rental car that was stopped for a motor vehicle violation by Connecticut State Police - Troop D Quality of Life Task Force on Thursday, July 17.
Family of man killed by police in Willimantic wants answers
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (WTNH)--The family of a man shot and killed by police in Willimantic is looking for answers.
The parents of 39-year-old Kyron Sands spoke for the first time Tuesday evening.
Police searching for double robbery suspect
(WTNH)--State police are looking for a robbery suspect that held up two convenience stores early Tuesday morning.
Police said he held up two Xtra Marts; one in Thompson at around 12:30 a.m. and one in Killingly about a half hour later.
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Deloitte reveals compelling statistics for capital efficiency in new MENA white paper
4 June, 2014 - In the post-downturn economy businesses are looking to deliver more for less, but while most companies place great emphasis on driving efficiency out of their business process and built assets, they tend to avoid the more challenging aspects of people and culture. A new white paper released by Deloitte Middle East, titled ‘Capital Efficiencies: Assessing the optimal solution to your Capex Program’, provides compelling insight and statistics on how employee performance and operational efficiency can make a measurable difference to costs.
“In today’s climate companies recognize the need to become more agile, flexible, resilient and responsive to change, and also recognize the competitive advantages that can arise from working smarter,” said Ben Hughes, director, Infrastructure and Capital Projects at Deloitte Corporate Finance Limited. “However, while most focus on their business processes and built assets when looking to drive efficiency, they are ignoring their most critical asset and cost item: i.e. their people.”
According to the white paper, staff costs generally equate to approximately 80% of corporate expenditure, while process costs equate to 12% and property to 8%, making it clear that the greatest investment impact is to be gained in creating environments that benefit the organization’s people.
Recent research suggests that there are clear links between motivation and productivity, absenteeism due to illness, involvement in the organization and employee satisfaction. Although there are no reliable industry standards as yet to assess productivity and its link to the workplace, some researchers have opted for the measurement of occupier satisfaction within the working environment – the theory being that a more motivated and engaged employee will be more productive and committed.
One of the more reliable indicators of people performance in the workplace relates to productive working hours. An approach that has been developed by Deloitte quantified the average number of productive working days for an employee (excluding holidays, sick leave, training/administration) alongside the real cost to the organization for each productive day (including salary, insurance, car allowance, housing allowance, gratuity payments and other on-costs such as training and office overheads). In this instance, the number of productive days was determined to be 160 per annum and the real cost of each day was AED 3,620 or about $985. Hence a 1% increase in productivity would represent 1.6 additional days per annum with a ‘value’ attributed to that 1% increase of AED 5,790 or around $1,576. When extrapolated across an organization of say 500 people, the metrics become quite compelling – an additional 800 days of work with a value of AED 2.9M or $780,000 for a given year. Although this will obviously vary from organization to organization, the statistics remain compelling.
People performance cannot be considered in isolation, however, and in terms of operational efficiency it is inextricably linked to the measurement of the cost of property, which is arguably more straightforward to calculate. Here, the design of a new building or spatial arrangement that promotes operational efficiency often manifests in savings. This could be in the form of readily accessible light fittings, standardization across the building, use of energy efficient equipment and consumables, or more rudimentary measures such as passive ventilation which reduces maintenance annually. Indeed, simple measures such as the physical location of photocopying stations or stationery stores can often result in improved efficiency from an operational viewpoint.
The Deloitte white paper gives the example of an organization that occupies around 6,250 sqm of leased office space, at a cost of AED 1,500 or circa $400 per sqm per annum, and whose annual rental bill would equate to AED 9.37M or $2.5M. Assuming that, as a result of capital efficiencies being applied to this workspace, there is an area reduction of 25% through improved spatial planning and business process mapping, it could theoretically translate to a reduced annual rental bill of AED 4.34M or $1.9M.
“Worth noting is that while there are clearly tangible savings that can be derived through the application of capital efficiencies in the workplace, these are still likely to be less than a 1% increase in staff productivity and efficiency across the organization,” said Hughes. “Ironically, a 3% increase in productivity would virtually wipe out the entire rental cost of the built asset. All of this, though, provides a compelling argument for any business to undertake a capital efficiencies review, not just of an organization’s expenditure program but also its operational composition and efficiency.”
To read the full report, visit the following link http://bit.ly/1iOaAkw
Nadine El Hassan
Middle East Public Relations
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)
Tel: +961 (0) 1 748444
Fax: +961 (0) 1 748999
Click here for the Arabic version
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a more detailed description of DTTL and its member firms.
Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte’s more than 200,000 professionals are committed to becoming the standard of excellence.
About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and is the first Arab professional services firm established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence since 1926.
Deloitte is among the region’s leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through 26 offices in 15 countries with more than 3,000 partners, directors and staff. It is a Tier 1 Tax advisor in the GCC region since 2010 (according to the International Tax Review World Tax Rankings). It has received numerous awards in the last few years which include Best Employer in the Middle East, best consulting firm, and the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
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Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. Please see About Deloitte to learn more about our global network of member firms.
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Category Composure
Lack of Emotional Management Was Costly for Pique
August 18, 2015 yscsportsmentaledge Leave a comment
Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao matched up on Monday for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup (a competition between the winning teams of La Liga and the Copa del Rey). Going into the game, Barcelona had to score four goals to catch up to Athletic in aggregate and earn the championship title. Barcelona began the second half up 1-0, but that momentum was short-lived. Barcelona defender Gerard Pique was sent off hardly ten minutes into the second half on a straight red card, earned for foul and abusive language toward a linesman. Pique was reacting to what could be argued as a missed offside call, which could have led to a goal against his team. Although the play led to a corner kick, and not a goal, Pique demonstrated a noticeable lack of emotional composure that ultimately cost him the remaining minutes of the Super Cup game, as well as the opportunity to play in the first La Liga game this upcoming weekend. Barcelona ended the match in a 1-1 draw, which awarded Athletic the championship title.
Many things are out of your control in soccer, or any other sport. However, your recovery from mistakes, your attitude, and your reaction to adversity are within your control. In this instance, Pique could not control the referee’s decision, but he could control his reaction to what he considered a poor call. Managing your emotions during the height of competition is much easier said than done. But, it is a skill you can develop with deliberate training. One strategy is to manage your focus. Keep your attention on what you can control. In order to do this, use refocusing cues like “let it go” or “get organized for the next play” to help you think about what you need to do next, rather than something you cannot change (like the referee’s decision). This will take some getting used to, because your initial emotional reaction might be strong, but if you consistently practice this strategy in training, it will become easier to use and more effective over time. Another strategy you can add to this to help you manage your emotions is to take a centering breath. This is another way to help you shift your focus away from what you can’t control. After using a refocusing cue, try taking a centering breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose, bringing the air down into your stomach. Slowly release the breath out of your mouth and try to release any tension you feel as you exhale. Keep in mind that this will only be effective at certain points in a game, like at a stoppage in play. Work on these skills consistently to enhance your emotional management and be prepared to handle the highs and lows of competition.
http://www.espnfc.us/barcelona/story/2569454/gerard-pique-defended-after-red-card-against-athletic-bilbao
The Mentality of Penalty Kicks for Goalkeepers: Bingham and Rimando Come Up Big
May 7, 2015 yscsportsmentaledge Leave a comment
Two different MLS goalkeepers faced the daunting task of saving a second-half penalty kick this week, and with two saves, both played a big part in helping their teams preserve shutouts. David Bingham of the San Jose Earthquakes was the first to be tested in Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Dynamo. Four minutes after the Earthquakes took the lead in the second half, Houston was awarded a penalty. Giles Barnes sent a low hard shot to Bingham’s left corner, but the goalkeeper dove and made the save. In his postgame interview, Bingham noted that he stuck to the same strategy he has used throughout his career: standing still and staring straight at the shooter. “I’m just focusing on him. [Barnes is] a great player. He probably finishes his PK’s nine times out of 10, but it was my job to get that one save,” Bingham said. “During the build up to the kick, I was looking right at him. For me, that’s something I like to do. I like to look at them and just stand still instead of bouncing around.” A day later, Real Salt Lake’s Nick Rimando saved the 24th penalty kick of his professional career to preserve a tie against the LA Galaxy. With the game tied at zero in the 90th minute, the Galaxy earned a penalty and a chance to claim all three points. However, Rimando was up to the task, saving a well-hit shot by Juninho. After the game, Rimando was asked about his first thought when the referee blew the whistle. “Save it,” Rimando said. “Try to save it. Try to stall a little bit. Try to ask the referee what’s going on. Try to figure out what the foul was about and then just focus on the ball. I was lucky to guess the right way.”
There is no denying that luck can play a part in moments like these. However, it is also true that, for any penalty kick, both the shooter and the goalkeeper must overcome the challenge of staying mentally composed under pressure. For goalkeepers, it’s important to recognize, as Bingham noted following his save against Houston, that it is your job to save this one shot. It doesn’t matter how many penalties the opposing player has scored in the past, or how difficult it is for a goalkeeper to save a penalty kick in general. Your job involves focusing on doing everything you can to save this one. From a mental standpoint, saving a penalty comes down to having a well-rehearsed routine that helps you stay confident, focused, and composed in the present moment so that you can make the shooter’s job as difficult as possible. When you’re practicing penalty kicks outside of a game environment, whether in training or on your own, work on developing a routine that you’ll use on a consistent basis. Taking a deep centering breath (drawing air slowly into the stomach, holding it for a second or two, and releasing slowly) can help you calm some of the nerves or tension you may be feeling. The use of self-talk (e.g., “This shot’s not getting past me”) or a short focusing cue (e.g., “Calm and solid”) might be good strategies for helping you consistently build the confidence and focus necessary to perform at your best in this moment. As both Bingham and Rimando demonstrate, gamesmanship is also a strategy some goalkeepers use in this situation, in an effort to win the mental game played between a shooter and keeper. Within the rules of the game and limits of sportsmanship, taking your time walking over to the line or staring directly at the shooter could make him or her hesitate for a second, and that might be all you need. Above all, recognize that, as a goalkeeper, you will not save every single penalty. But developing a routine, like Bingham’s or Rimando’s, that you use consistently to help you face the shot with confidence, focus, and composure will give you the best chances to come up big.
http://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/2015/05/breaking-down-binghams-penalty-kick-save-against-dynamo
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/05/07/real-salt-lake-react-nick-rimandos-latest-heroics-la-galaxy-draw-guys-incred
Ramos’s Moment of Madness Costs Orlando
As a club, Orlando City SC had plenty to be frustrated about on Saturday, after a 3-0 loss to the Columbus Crew. While Columbus performed well in front of its home crowd, Orlando’s struggles were mostly due to its own mistakes, including a first-half red card issued to young right back Rafael Ramos. The 20-year-old performed extremely well in the club’s first six games this season, but was far from his best on Saturday. Ramos’s poor clearance was mostly to blame for the Crew’s first goal in the 32nd minute. On the other end of the field, two minutes later, he lost possession of the ball after being knocked off balance by Columbus defender Waylon Francis. When the assistant referee failed to call a foul, Ramos jumped up and lunged feet-first into Francis’s legs. While referee Ricardo Salazar initially pulled out a yellow card for the foul, Ramos ignored him out of frustration, and ran down the sideline back toward his own goal. Salazar finally caught up to him and instead held up a red card. For Orlando head coach Adrian Heath, Ramos’s inability to manage his emotions was a turning point in the game. “Rafa’s had a lot of really good publicity in the last week, but then tonight he has cost us dearly,” Heath said after the game. “Just because you don’t get a decision doesn’t mean you can go and recklessly tackle somebody…He has got a lesson to be learned here and we will have a look at it on Monday and sit down with him and have a chat about it. We have spoken to him in the past, but today it has been costly for his teammates.”
This incident demonstrates how easily a player’s emotions, if they are not managed effectively, can influence his or her own performance, and cost a team the game. Like any sport, soccer can be emotional. There are times when you may feel incredibly excited, perhaps after scoring a goal, and there are also times when you may feel angry or embarrassed, possibly after making a mistake. These and other emotions (e.g., pride, nervousness, disappointment, etc.) are not inherently good or bad. Instead, they can either be effective or ineffective, depending on how they impact your performance. Players are often told that they need to control their emotions, as though feelings like frustration, anger, or happiness can be turned “on” or “off” whenever they wish. Instead, it’s important to see these emotions as part of the game. In these moments, it’s not about controlling your emotions, but instead, about managing them. Emotional management starts with your awareness. Knowing, like Ramos for example, that you become frustrated after a mistake or after a referee’s call doesn’t go your way, think about how it influences your performance. Next, develop a plan for how you’d like to respond when you become emotional during a game. Many players manage their emotions by using them to their advantage, or channeling them into something effective. In other words, if you are angry after a referee fails to call a penalty when you were tripped up in the box, consider using that anger to motivate you to work harder and earn another opportunity. A centering breath can also help you create some space between the emotion you are feeling during a game and your behavioral response. Drawing air deeply into your stomach, holding it for a second or two, and then releasing slowly can help you relieve tension and can also provide you a moment to refocus and then choose to respond in an effective way, rather than to react with no thought. As a young player, Ramos now has the opportunity to learn from his mistake, and develop strategies for managing his emotions so that they no longer cost his team valuable points.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/04/18/adrian-heath-critical-rafael-ramos-after-costly-red-card-leads-loss-columbus
Spieth Becomes Second-Youngest Masters Champion Through Poise and Killer Instinct
On Sunday evening in Augusta, Georgia, Jordan Spieth put the final touch on an outstanding four-day performance to win the 2015 Masters Tournament. In doing so, he became the first golfer since 1976 to lead a Masters from start to finish. He tied the tournament scoring record of 18-under par, set by Tiger Woods in 1997. He set records for the lowest score after 36 holes and 54 holes, and for most birdies (28). Most impressively, at 21 years old, Spieth became the second youngest Masters champion in history. After going into the final round last year tied for the lead before losing to Bubba Watson by three strokes, Spieth was determined to see this year’s tournament through to the end. “It was something I watched slip away last year, and I had a chip on my shoulder,” he said on Sunday. This mentality helped Spieth remain composed under pressure throughout this year’s Masters. On Sunday’s par-five 13th hole, with a five-stroke lead, Spieth had the opportunity to play it safe by laying the ball up in front of a body of water, rather than hit a more difficult shot towards the hole. Instead, he chose the more difficult shot from 200 yards away, and landed it flawlessly onto the green, 14 feet from the pin. “He’s fiery…he’s got that killer instinct,” said Spieth’s caddie, Michael Greller. According to three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson, who finished tied for second, Spieth’s poise under pressure sets him apart from his competitors in a unique way: “…He has that ability to focus and see things clear when the pressure is on and perform at his best when the pressure is on.”
The poise and killer instinct Spieth showed over the weekend was especially impressive given his inexperience compared to many of the veterans he was competing against. Under these circumstances, it would have been easy for many young athletes to play it safe, rather than continuing to push themselves and take chances. However, having a killer instinct as an athlete means that that you choose to compete with assertiveness, rather than a fear of failure, and it requires the ability to maintain a high level of focus while you perform. Staying focused during competition allows you to consider all of your options in any given moment, and recognize when the time is appropriate to take risks, and it also helps you execute when you decide to take those risks. All of this starts with the habits you build during training. While it may be easier to allow your focus or concentration to drop off when you train, because there is less pressure to perform well, using refocusing cues or other strategies to maintain your focus when training will increase your ability to do the same during competition.
When it comes to competition, athletes who stay poised under pressure are able to stay focused on the process, rather than any future outcome. This means knowing exactly what you need to do to have success and staying in the present moment so that you can perform to the best of your abilities. Despite wanting to stay in the present moment throughout a performance, there will be times when your mind strays to the future and starts thinking about what it will feel like to win, or how important it is to not make a mistake or to avoid falling apart. When this happens – when you notice that your thoughts are carrying you toward the future, or keeping you in the past after a mistake – the use of a refocusing cue (e.g., “Stay present”, “Here and now”, or “In the moment”) can help redirect your mind to what you need to do to perform well. Having won his first major at such a young age, Spieth seems to have a long successful career ahead of him, and his poise and killer instinct under pressure will go a long way in helping him continue to perform at his best on golf’s biggest stages.
http://espn.go.com/golf/masters15/story/_/id/12676053/jordan-spieth-21-ties-masters-scoring-record-first-major-championship
Keane Recovers from Early Mistakes to Score Late in MLS Cup
December 9, 2014 yscsportsmentaledge Leave a comment
For the third time in four seasons, on Sunday afternoon the LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup, beating the New England Revolution 2-1 in extra time at the StubHub Center. The game was surprisingly sloppy throughout, as neither team put forth its best performance, and the Galaxy had to rely on a goal in the 111th minute from MLS regular season MVP Robbie Keane to claim the title. The Irish international recorded 19 goals and 14 assists during the regular season to earn league MVP honors. However, he was far from his best in Sunday’s game, and failed to convert on several early opportunities. In his postgame interview, Keane was asked about several of the chances he had missed early in the game. “I’ve been playing for 15 years…you miss chances and you score chances…I don’t worry about missing chances,” Keane said. “For me, I always tell young strikers that as long as you’re getting into the right areas, and you keep getting in there, you’ll score goals…I knew if I got another chance, I would put it away.” This belief paid off, and after Keane scored the winner with 9 minutes remaining in extra time, commentator Taylor Twellman said, “It doesn’t matter when you’ve had the kind of game that Robbie Keane has had…all it takes is one.”
Despite a slow start, Keane ultimately showed why he is LA’s captain and the league MVP, partly through his ability to cope with mistakes. As a player, it is important to recognize that mistakes will happen and accept them as moments to cope with and overcome throughout a game. Before competing, rather than dwelling on mistakes that will happen, focus your energy on how you will respond to those mistakes. Failing to let go of a mistake can often cause effort and focus to drop off, because you disengage from the game by remaining preoccupied with the past. Dwelling on a mistake that has just happened only pulls your focus away from the present moment. Instead, work to keep your mind in the ‘here and now’, and focus on the parts of your game that you can control. Keane notes the importance of strikers putting themselves “in the right areas.” This awareness of effective movement and positioning, along with effort, communication, and a positive attitude, are great examples of the “controllables” that you can focus on immediately after making a mistake. The use of refocusing cues can also help you let go of mistakes and keep your focus in the present. Imagine, as a striker, that you’ve missed an easy tap-in in front of goal. You may feel frustrated, disappointed in yourself, and embarrassed at your inability to capitalize. Using a refocusing cue (i.e., “Let it go” or “Flush it”) can help you turn your attention back to where it needs to be, and focus on what you can control. Twellman’s comment following the winning goal on Sunday – “all it takes is one” – is a powerful message for young players watching Keane manage an “off-day” and ultimately deliver for the Galaxy when it mattered most.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/03/la-galaxy-forward-robbie-keane-2014-volkswagen-mls-most-valuable-player
http://www.mlssoccer.com/mlscup/2014/news/article/2014/12/07/mls-cup-2014-post-game-press-conference-be-streamed-live-mlssoccercom
After Impressive Start to Season, Berahino “Soaks In” Pressure
After scoring only five goals in 32 games last year with West Bromwich Albion, Saido Berahino is currently enjoying an impressive start to this season with the club, and is starting to see the rewards. In West Brom’s first 11 matches, the 21-year-old striker has already scored seven times, and has added another three goals for the England Under-21 national team this year. As a result, he was recently called up to the country’s senior national team to make his debut in its upcoming qualifiers for the European championships. After moving to England as a 10-year old seeking asylum from his home country of Burundi, Berahino has played for nearly all of England’s youth national teams during his young career. In response to his most recent achievement and any possibility of increased pressure, Berahino exhibited some of the same composure he has shown in his finishing ability this season, including three goals from the penalty spot. “I don’t feel under pressure,” he said. “People put it on me but I just soak it in. I try to enjoy it. I am definitely mentally strong after what I have been through in life – I am a stronger person and a stronger character – nothing can be harder than that.”
It is no secret that players can perceive increased pressure as they move up in their competitive careers. Many players falsely assume that composure is only a natural ability – that some players are born able to cope with pressure, while others are not. While it may be the case that some are less influenced by pressure, there are strategies any player can use to cope with perceived pressure under different circumstances. Berahino’s response demonstrates several of these tools. First, one of the most effective means of coping with pressure involves reframing it as a challenge. Embrace whatever situation is in front of you and enjoy the opportunity to test yourself. Recognize that you have prepared well for the moment you are facing, and “soak in” any pressure as fuel to drive your performance. Whether you are preparing for a championship match, thinking about an upcoming tryout, or walking up to take a penalty kick, find some enjoyment in the moment. Viewing these situations as opportunities for yourself can help you manage any nerves or anxiety you may be feeling. Second, Berahino also demonstrates the value of identifying your past experiences as an individual, and recognizing that there have been times in the past when you have overcome challenges in the face of expectations or perceived pressure. Use these experiences as proof for yourself that you have what it takes to confront whatever is in front of you. Furthermore, consider how the opportunity ahead of you can provide a valuable learning experience for you as a player and a person, and focus on the process of that experience, rather than the outcome. Finally, acknowledge the individual strengths or qualities you have built up as a result of overcoming these challenges, and rely on those strengths to take advantage of the upcoming opportunity. Berahino’s continued ability to cope with pressure will go a long way in helping him earn further opportunities with England’s national team, and will help his club as it attempts to build on a solid start to the season.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/18804/9561575/west-brom8217s-saido-berahino-has-earned-his-england-call-up-but-will-need-to-keep-improving-to-fulfil-his-potential
Most Recent Matchup in Djokovic-Murray Rivalry Becomes a Battle of Emotions
September 4, 2014 yscsportsmentaledge Leave a comment
Wednesday’s U.S. Open quarterfinal match between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray produced a fierce battle of fitness, mentality, and emotions. Top-ranked Djokovic ultimately won the match over his close friend and rival, after four sets and a riveting three and a half hours. At times, both players enjoyed some strong play and also suffered through mistakes and periods of frustration. However, across the entire match, the world’s No. 1 seed seemed better able to manage these ups and downs. “I get the feeling that if I get to stay with him and work, and not get too loose and too frustrated with points, and not allow him to get into a big lead, I feel like there is a point where I have that edge physically,” said Djokovic. “That’s what I try to always focus on and it paid off tonight.” In Thursday’s matchup, this seemed to be a noticeable difference between the two players, as Murray – known to be a temperamental player – struggled to manage his emotions and maintain his composure after mistakes. Between points throughout the match, Murray became visibly frustrated with his performance and self-critical, often hanging his head after a shot was mishit. At one point, after hitting the ball into the net, he swung his racket furiously, hit himself in the leg, and screamed. During another break, he was overheard talking angrily to himself out loud, even calling himself an “idiot” and describing his play as “terrible.”
As an athlete, it is important to find effective ways of managing your emotions and maintaining composure throughout competition. Rather than thinking of them as good or bad, emotions should be effective, rather than ineffective. While some players may feel that they can handle frustration, it can still become a distraction and take your focus away from what you can control and what you need to do in the present moment. Your self-talk during these times is extremely important. It is okay to hold yourself to high standards as an athlete, and you may even feel frustrated or disappointed after a mistake. However, instead of allowing words like “terrible” or “idiot” to enter your dialogue, exchange these comments for more effective ones (i.e., “Move on” or “Next point.”). As a general rule, if you wouldn’t say something to a teammate after he or she made the same mistake, chances are that you should not say it to yourself. During competition, when things seem to be going wrong and you feel that mistakes are becoming more frequent, try using a centering breath during a stoppage in play (i.e., inhaling deeply into your stomach, and slowly letting the air out) to regain composure. As Novak Djokovic prepares for his eighth straight semifinal in the U.S. Open, he recognizes the importance of this part of his mental game against Murray: “We both go through a lot of emotions, times when you play well…you’re positive,” he said. “Sometimes you’re a little bit negative about how you’re doing, about how you’re feeling…It’s important to handle this emotion.”
http://espn.go.com/tennis/usopen14/story/_/id/11463458/us-open-drained-novak-djokovic-outlasts-andy-murray
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/sports/tennis/novak-djokovic-defeats-andy-murray-to-reach-us-open-semifinals.html?_r=0
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/tennis/29058590
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