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Culture 18:39, 28-Nov-2017
Not in ‘knead’: The flavorful life of an autistic baker
Have you ever watched the 1988 comedy-drama Rain Man?
In the film, Dustin Hoffman plays the role of Raymond, an autistic man with a seemingly strange temperament who has difficulty communicating with others. However, he is gifted with a keen sensitivity to numbers. Although Raymond has difficulty communicating in words, he quietly cherishes his brother (played by Tom Cruise), tugging on the heartstrings of the audience.
Film poster. Source: Internet
In the film, Raymond's speech impediment leads him to pronounce his name as “Rain Man," a term that would later be adopted by the general public to refer to people with autism. And China is no stranger to the word.
Unlike what many people think, people with autism can manage having a job and are capable of taking care of themselves, just like any other person.
Chen Meng in the bakery. /By CGTN
Chen Meng was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. Now, at the age of 25, he is a baker at the Kangnazhou Rainman Bakery, an organization helping autistic people with vocational training.
Chen has many traits that separate him from others, ones that play to his advantage and others that seemingly hinder him.
He prefers to ride his scooter alone for five kilometers to work.
By CGTN
He also becomes peculiarly anxious and agitated when facing unexpected situations.
At the same time, he is meticulous and extra careful when executing plans, which gives him a big edge as a baker.
When at work, Chen has only one concern – to make the best cookies possible.
“I only want to make delicious cookies and make my guests happy," said Chen.
When not kneading and rolling pastries, Chen also plays the trumpet and hones his oil painting skills.
Chen is one of the lucky ones. It is not uncommon for autistic people to fail to secure a job due to a variety of reasons, which include misconceptions and social prejudice towards them.
Few people know or accept that autistic people can rely on themselves and can fit in a society that respects and nurtures their talent, as well as recognizing that they have a voice.
For example, his love of music led Chen and his friends to organize a small orchestra in their spare time, with members playing various instruments including the guitar, Chinese zither and cello.
According to a study from Blue Papers titled "Needs of Parents with Autistic Children in China," there are about 1.25 million autistic people aged 18 to 35 in China. Most of them are looking for vocational training and employment support, but 93 percent of their parents believe that such services are out of reach.
Fortunately, more and more social organizations have started to take the welfare of autistic people into account. In August this year, a viral post on Chinese social media, which was commonly known as “one yuan for one painting,” presented over 30 pieces of paintings produced by people who had autism, cerebral palsy or Down's syndrome. The inner world they expressed on canvases touched many people and raised the public’s awareness of their conditions.
The page of social warefare activity “one yuan for one painting”. Source: Tencent
The bakery and other social welfare initiatives are just the beginning. Hope remains that with support from society, autistic people in China can be like Raymond in the film – finding themselves fully integrated in society and treated on equal footing with others.
The story is one in "The 1.3 Billion" series exploring the diverse lives that make up China.
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Poor Peter Selman at Deutsche Bank
Poor Peter Selman. Deutsche Bank's head of equities, who only joined the German bank in December 2017, is said to be leaving again as Deutsche prepares to make significant cuts to his unit. DB insiders tell us Selman hasn't been seen at work for at least a week.
Neither Deutsche nor Selman immediately responded to a request to comment on the situation. The Wall Street Journal says an alternative role for Selman had been discussed in Deutsche's proposed bad bank, but that he plans to leave all the same.
The sorry end to Selman's DB career carries warnings for other bankers offered big jobs at banks in need of heavy restructuring. After graduating from Cambridge University in 1994, Selman devoted most of his career to Goldman Sachs, where he was co-head of equities trading. He 'retired' from Goldman in September 2016 and spent the next 15 months sitting out of the market - until he was recruited by former Deutsche CEO John Cryan to take over Deutsche's ailing equities business.
Cryan, however, left Deutsche long before Selman even arrived and the new equities boss was therefore on the back foot from the start. Deutsche's equities business was already in decline and although Selman said he wanted to revive it, money for doing so seemed to be limited. - Selman said at the start of 2018 that he planned to focus on hiring graduates at DB, presumably as a way of saving money.
Instead of presiding over growth in Deutsche's equities business, Selman ushered in a further revenue contraction of 12% last year. In the circumstances, this probably wasn't too bad. - Deutsche's new CEO Christian Sewing decided in May 2018 that he wanted to cut around 25% of equities sales and trading staff, leaving Selman scrambling to hold the business together. As Deutsche prepared its bonus round for 2018, there were rumours that Selman personally intervened to persuade DB to boost the equities bonus pool. Even so, Deutsche's U.S. equities staff in particular complained of big bonus cuts, and Selman has spent much of this year watching his best staff walk out the door.
In a pep talk to his U.S. staff in March, Selman told them not to dwell on colleagues' exits, but to focus on the opportunities. It wasn't true that the U.S. equities business was losing money hand-over-foot, said Selman (The WSJ had recently reported that the unit made a $750m loss in 2018). DB was hiring, he added and there was nothing wrong with the bank's equities business.
It now appears that this was wishful thinking. Deutsche is expected to announce further big cuts to its equities business when it announces its second quarter results this July. In the meantime, insiders at the bank say there are rumours that whole businesses are being shopped to rivals and that everyone wants to leave but no one is hiring. "It's going to be cheaper to hire us from the beach," says one.
With Selman seemingly gone, the new man to know at Deutsche Bank equities seems to be James Davies, a former credit structurer who has become a fixer for Sewing. Davies moved to New York in November 2018. Bloomberg says he will have a larger role in future.
There's some question now over what happens to his big hires like Greg Sutton, who only joined from Citi to lead U.S. cash execution in March 2019. There's also some question over the future for the 35 interns currently working on Deutsche's U.S. equities trading floor and the graduate hires about to arrive, although insiders said the graduate program is continuing as before.
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United Arab Emirates US Consular Information Sheet
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven independent emirates, each with its own ruler.
The federal government is a constitutional re Read More Show Less
ublic, headed by a president and council of ministers.
Islamic ideals and beliefs provide the conservative foundation of the country's customs, laws and practices. The UAE is a modern, developed country, and tourist facilities are widely available. Read the Department of State Background Notes on the United Arab Emirates for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport is required. For stays of less than 60 days, U.S. citizens holding valid passports may obtain visitor visas at the port of entry for no fee. For a longer stay, a traveler must obtain a visa before arrival in the UAE. In addition, an AIDS test is required for work or residence permits; testing must be performed after arrival. A U.S. AIDS test is not accepted. For further information, travelers can contact the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 243-2400.
Visit the web site of the UAE's Ministry of Information regarding tourism, business, and residence in the UAE at http://www.uaeinteract.org.
Unlike other countries in the region that accept U.S. military ID cards as valid travel documents, the UAE requires U.S. military personnel to present a valid passport for entry/exit.
UAE authorities will confiscate any weapons, weapon parts, ammunition, body armor, handcuffs, and/or other military/police equipment transported to or through a civilian airport.
Americans have been arrested and jailed for transporting such weapons and equipment without the express written authorization of the UAE government, even though airline and U.S. authorities allowed shipment on a US-originating flight.
U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries that are not members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), who depart the UAE via land are required to pay a departure fee. This fee is 20 UAE dirhams and is payable only in the local UAE dirham currency.
Visit the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates web site at http://uae-embassy.org for the most current visa information.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Americans in the United Arab Emirates should exercise a high level of security awareness. The Department of State remains concerned about the possibility of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all required travel, and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with caution. In addition, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar objects, and to report the presence of the objects to local authorities.
U.S. Government personnel overseas have been advised to take the same precautions. In addition, U.S. Government facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services from time to time as necessary to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy.
Taking photographs of potentially-sensitive UAE military and civilian sites, or foreign diplomatic missions, including the U.S. Embassy, may result in arrest, detention and/or prosecution by local authorities.
In addition, engaging in mapping activities, especially mapping which includes the use of GPS equipment, without coordination with UAE authorities, may have the same consequences.
On several occasions in the past three years, small groups of expatriate recreational boaters were detained by the Iranian Coast Guard for alleged violation of Iranian territorial waters while fishing near the island of Abu Musa, approximately 20 miles from Dubai.
The UAE and Iran have had a long-standing dispute concerning jurisdiction of Abu Musa.
Fishing or sailing in these waters may result in seizure of vessels and detention of passengers and crew in Iran.
Obtaining consular assistance in Iran is difficult and can only be done through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which acts as a Protecting Power, providing limited U.S. consular services.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves overseas, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME: Crime generally is not a problem for travelers in the UAE. However, the U.S. Embassy advises U.S. citizens to take normal precautions against theft, such as not leaving a wallet, purse, or credit card unattended. Although vehicle break-ins in the UAE are rare, U.S. citizens are encouraged to ensure that unattended vehicles are locked and that valuables are not left out in plain sight.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Basic modern medical care and medicines are available in the principal cities of the UAE, but not necessarily in outlying areas.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the United Arab Emirates is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
The police emergency number and ambulance number is 999. Mobile phones are widely used throughout the UAE, so passers-by usually request emergency police and medical services quickly. Response time by emergency services is adequate. However, medical personnel emphasize transport of the injured to the hospital rather than treatment on site. Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death in the UAE because drivers often drive at high speeds. Unsafe driving practices are common, especially on inter-city highways. On highways, unmarked speed bumps and drifting sand create additional hazards.
Country-wide traffic laws impose stringent penalties for certain violations, particularly driving under the influence of alcohol.
In the UAE, there is zero tolerance for driving after consumption of alcohol.
Penalties may include hefty jail sentences and fines over $6,000 and, for Muslims (even those holding U.S. citizenship), lashings. Persons involved in an accident in which another party is injured automatically go to jail, until the injured person is released from the hospital. Should a person die in a traffic accident, the driver of the other vehicle is liable for payment of compensation for the death (known as "dhiyya"), usually the equivalent of 55,000 U.S. dollars. Even relatively minor accidents may result in lengthy proceedings, during which both drivers may be prohibited from leaving the country.
In order to drive, UAE residents must obtain a UAE driver's license. Foreign driver's licenses are not recognized. However, a non-resident visitor to the UAE can drive if he/she obtains a valid international driver's license issued by the motor vehicle authority of the country whose passport the traveler holds. The UAE recognizes driver's licenses issued by other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states only if the bearer is driving a vehicle registered to the same GCC state. Under no circumstances should anyone drive without a valid license.
You may also visit the web site of the UAE’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.uaeinteract.org.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of the United Arab Emirates’ Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of the United Arab Emirates' air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The UAE government does not recognize dual nationality.
Children of UAE fathers automatically acquire UAE citizenship at birth and must enter the UAE on UAE passports. UAE authorities have confiscated U.S. passports of UAE/U.S. dual nationals in the past. This act does not constitute loss of U.S. citizenship, but should be reported to the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai. In addition to being subject to all UAE laws, U.S. citizens who also hold UAE citizenship may also be subject to other laws that impose special obligations on citizens of the UAE.
For additional information, please refer to our Dual Nationality flyer.
U.S. citizens have at times become involved in disputes of a commercial nature that have prompted local firms or courts to take possession of the U.S. citizen's passport. Travel bans may also be enforced against U.S. citizens involved in financial disputes with a local sponsor or firm. Such travel bans, which are rigidly enforced, effectively prevent the individual from leaving the UAE for any reason until the dispute is resolved. Although it is customary for a local sponsor to hold an employee's passport, it is illegal to do so under UAE law. Most contractual/labor disputes can be avoided by clearly establishing all terms and conditions of employment or sponsorship in the labor contract at the beginning of any employment. Should a dispute arise, the UAE Ministry of Labor has established a special department to review and arbitrate labor claims. A list of local attorneys capable of representing Americans in such matters is available from the Consular and Commercial sections of the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai.
Codes of behavior and dress in the UAE reflect the country's Islamic traditions and are more conservative than those of the United States. Visitors to the UAE should be respectful of this conservative heritage, especially in the Emirate of Sharjah where rules of decency and public conduct are strictly enforced. Female travelers should keep in mind the cultural differences among the many people who coexist in the UAE and should be cognizant that unwitting actions may invite unwanted attention to them. Isolated incidents of verbal and physical harassment of Western women have occurred. Victims of harassment are encouraged to report such incidents to the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai.
American citizens intending to reside and work in the UAE may have to present personal documents authenticated by the Department of State's Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. before traveling to the UAE. This can be a complex process involving local, state and federal offices and requiring several weeks to complete.
For procedural information, the Office of Authentications may be contacted by telephone from within the United States at 800-688-9889 or 202-647-5002, by fax at 202-663-3636, or by e-mail at aoprgsmauth@state.gov.
In order to meet UAE government requirements for school registrations and residency sponsorship for family members, Americans intending to bring their families to reside with them in the UAE will need to have their marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, or custody/adoption decrees, if appropriate, authenticated by the Department of State in Washington, DC.
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General cannot authenticate U.S. local- and state-issued personal, academic or professional documents; they will only be able to authenticate the final authentication document from the Department of State.
Additional information on authentication of documents can be found at http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth/.
In terms of employment, a recent change to UAE labor law requires local sponsors to have employees' diplomas, academic and/or occupational/professional certificates validated through a “Degree Verification” process established in the UAE.
Prospective employees will be required to submit photocopies of such documents for verification to a firm under contract to the Ministry of Labor.
In addition, persons in the education and health professions reportedly have to meet two requirements for validation of their educational credentials at this time – the formal “chain” authentication of academic/professional credentials in the U.S. and the “Degree Verification” process in the UAE.
Different UAE Ministries have different requirements in this regard.
Determining these requirements with one’s prospective employer is strongly recommended before arrival in the UAE.
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating UAE laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the UAE are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.
Legislation enacted in January 1996 imposes the death sentence for convicted drug traffickers. Since January 2006, possession of even trace amounts of illegal drugs has resulted in sentences of four years imprisonment for foreign citizens transiting the UAE. American citizens transiting and entering the UAE’s airports and in possession of illegal drugs have been discovered, arrested and prosecuted by UAE authorities.
As mentioned, in such cases the minimum penalty is four years imprisonment.
Some drugs normally taken under a doctor's supervision in the United States, and even some over-the-counter U.S. drugs and medications, are classified as narcotics in the UAE and are illegal to possess.
A doctor's prescription should be carried along with any medication that is brought into the country.
A person may be subject to arrest and prosecution if possession of prescribed medicines (especially those containing codeine and similar narcotic-like ingredients) comes to the attention of local authorities.
The U.S. Embassy’s web site includes an unofficial list of such medicines, obtained from the UAE Ministry of Health.
Most medications available in the U.S. are also available by doctors’ prescription through hospitals and pharmacies in the UAE.
In addition, the UAE's tough anti-narcotics program also includes poppy seeds, widely used in other cultures, including the U.S., for culinary purposes, on its list of controlled substances. The importation and possession of poppy seeds in any and all forms is strictly prohibited. Persons found to possess even very small quantities of controlled substances listed by the UAE are subject to prosecution by the authorities and may be given lengthy prison terms of up to 15 years. Travelers with questions regarding the items on the list of controlled substances should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai. If suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, individuals may be required to submit to blood and/or urine tests and may be subject to prosecution.
Crimes of fraud, including passing bad checks and non-payment of bills (including hotel bills), are regarded seriously in the UAE and can result in imprisonment and/or fines. Bail generally is not available to non-residents of the UAE who are arrested for crimes involving fraud.
Drinking or possession of alcohol without a Ministry of Interior liquor permit is illegal and could result in arrest and/or fines and imprisonment. Alcohol is served at bars in most major hotels but is intended for guests of the hotel. Persons who are not guests of the hotel, and who consume alcohol in the restaurants and bars, technically are required to have their own personal liquor licenses. Liquor licenses are issued only to non-Muslim persons who possess UAE residency permits. Drinking and driving is considered a serious offense. Penalties generally are assessed according to religious law.
While individuals are free to worship as they choose, and facilities are available for that purpose, religious proselytizing is not permitted in the UAE.
Persons violating this law, even unknowingly, may be imprisoned or deported.
If arrested, U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General for assistance. The U.S. Consul will provide information on the local judicial system and a list of local attorneys. In Dubai, the U.S. Consul can also arrange for U.S. citizen detainees to meet with an ombudsman from the Human Rights Department of the Dubai police headquarters, if the detainee believes he or she is not being treated fairly.
REGISTRATION/EMBASSY AND CONSULATE LOCATION:
Americans living or traveling in the United Arab Emirates are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the United Arab Emirates. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi is located at Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, P.O. Box 4009. The telephone number is (971) (2) 414-2200, and the Consular Section fax number is (971) (2) 414-2241. The email address for American Citizens Services inquiries, including passport questions, is abudhabiacs@state.gov. The after-hours telephone number is (971) (2) 414-2500. The Embassy Internet web site is http://uae.usembassy.gov.
The U.S. Consulate General in Dubai is located on the 21st floor of the Dubai World Trade Center, P.O. Box 9343. The telephone number is (971) (4) 311-6000 (for after-hours emergencies, contact the Embassy at (971)(2) 414-2200 for the Dubai Duty Officer, and the Consular Section fax number is (971) (4) 311-6213. The email address for American Citizens Services inquiries, including passport questions, is dubaiwarden@state.gov. The web site for the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai is http://dubai.usconsulate.gov.
The workweek for both the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai is Sunday through Thursday.
This replaces the Country Specific Information for the UAE dated July 06, 2007, to update the sections on Traffic Safety and Road Conditions and Criminal Penalties.
Tourism authorities in Dubai have a new take on desert camping
Tourism United Arab Emirates - 4 months ago
By Shatha Yaish
Hatta, United Arab Emirates, March 8, 2019 (AFP) - Just over 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Dubai's skyscrapers, Mohammed al-Kaabi strolls through the tranquil desert with his friends as the sun sets. Kaabi, 27, hails from a long line of Emiratis, a people with a centuries-old bedouin history tied inextricably to the local desert. Today, he is among a fast-growing group drawn to a new wave of a tradition of desert camping but with all the trappings of comfort, style and modernity. With "glamping", short for "glamorous camping", Dubai aims to expand on its renown for luxurious city living and its tradition of camping.
Betting on tourism at a time of low oil prices, Dubai is now offering stays in chic desert trailers, in plush mountainside lodgings and beach camps, as it seeks to put its own mark on the glamping trend that has swept world tourism destinations. "This place is far from the cities and the high-rises," said Kaabi, sporting the traditional full-length white Emirati robe worn by men. "Camping is very popular in the UAE, but when you want to bring the family it becomes more complicated," he added, at a campsite in Hatta, near the Omani border. "But here, safety and comfort are provided for."
- A room with... a bed -
Camping is still a beloved way of life for many Emiratis, who take their equipment and head for the desert from the fall months onwards, when the scorching summer heat has faded. Tourists and expat residents also increasingly opt to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Dubai welcomed a record 15.9 million visitors in 2018, many of whom were drawn to its mega malls, luxurious hotels and pristine beaches. It hopes to push the figure up to 20 million visitors annually by next year, when it hosts the six-month global trade fair, Expo 2020. The mountainous eastern Hatta desert has lots to offer "glampers" with a taste for adventure but also for their home comforts. Near the Hatta dam, campers have a choice between a trailer, caravan or five-star lodge fully equipped with TVs and power points for charging a smartphone.
Seated outside a trailer, Jamil Fahmy, a Dubai resident from Saudi Arabia, said glamping was the perfect way to escape the city without compromising on hygiene. "It's fun, with the fire and hanging with friends and all that, but I personally prefer to sleep in a room with a bed and a private bathroom, and that's what we get here," he told AFP. "It's great to be an adventurer and explore and cook fireside, and that's what we did. "But when the time came, we retreated into the beautiful room and slept on a bed."
- 'Five-star camping' -
Rooms with modern amenities, including bathrooms and beds, start from 400 dirhams (about $110, 100 euros) per night at the Hatta site, which opened in October. The Hatta camping project, part of Dubai's plan to use tourism to diversify revenues, is also home to a 350-metre zip wire. Last year, Dubai faced a downturn in the real-estate market due to a supply glut, while oil prices also dropped, affecting the UAE as a whole. Several glamping sites, some on the beach, have popped up across the UAE in recent years, with options to participate in yoga classes, star gazing or kayaking.
For Jay, a 37-year-old Briton, glamping offers a new experience after a decade in the UAE. "We're fairly outdoorsy, we came here kayaking before, we did the big zip line," he told AFP, referring to the Hatta zip wire. But, he added with a laugh that with the usual no-frills style of camping "you haven't got a shower or all the facilities" so glamping is a welcome step-up. "You get the outdoors and all of that, and nature, and you can barbeque -- but you can also have a shower and get clean! "It's not five-star hoteling, but five-star camping."
Two travellers return to Japan from UAE with Dengue Fever
Disease Dengue Fever United Arab Emirates - 5 months ago
From: Taiichiro Kobayashi <tkobayashi@cick.jp> [edited]
Two women who returned to Japan from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were diagnosed with dengue fever (DF). They could be the 1st reported cases of DF infected in the UAE. They live in Japan and travelled together to the UAE from 29 Dec 2018 to 4 Jan 2019. During their stay in the UAE, they mostly stayed in Dubai and were bitten by mosquitoes several times.
They came to Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital on 16 Jan 2019. A 32-year-old woman and a 29-year-old woman complained of high fever for 6 and 4 days, respectively. One revealed an erythematous rash on her trunk, face and extremities, and their tourniquet test results were positive. Their blood examinations revealed leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia and mild liver dysfunction.
Although the UAE is not known as an endemic country of DF, we suspected the women of having DF because of their history, physical examination and laboratory test results. We performed a rapid diagnostic test of DF (SD BIOLINE Dengue DUO), and their results of non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen were positive. Furthermore, dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3) genotype III genome was detected from both of their sera with real-time RT-PCR and following viral genome sequence analysis at the Laboratory of Arboviruses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Japan.
These 2 cases may be a signal of the emergence of DF in the UAE, where urbanization progresses and many travellers and immigrants from DF-endemic countries are being accepted.
Taiichiro Kobayashi
Department of Infectious Diseases
Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome
<tkobayashi@cick.jp>
Yuya Atsuta, Masaru Tanaka, Kazuaki Fukushima, Keishiro Yajima and Akifumi Imamura
Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital Tokyo, Japan
Takahiro Maeki, Shigeru Tajima, Satoshi Taniguchi, Masayuki Saijo and Chang-Kweng Lim
Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases Tokyo, Japan
[ProMED thanks the colleagues from Japan for sharing this important update on imported dengue fever cases, which were serotyped as DENV-3, from the UAE into Japan.
The worldwide distribution of dengue is expanding, in part due to globalized traffic and trade. _Aedes albopictus_ is a competent vector for dengue viruses (DENV) and is now established in numerous regions of the world. Travellers with viraemia arriving in any country from dengue-affected areas of the world can become proponents of local outbreaks. The above report also highlights the importance of considering dengue in differential diagnosis of fever with suggestive blood picture even in cases presenting in nonendemic areas. - ProMED Mod.UBA]
Japan: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/156>
United Arab Emirates: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/132]
Emirates airline landing in New York quarantined as 19 get ill on board
Disease Respiratory Disease United Arab Emirates - 11 months ago
Date: Wed 5 Sep 2018
Source: BBC [edited]
<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45425412>
A total of 19 people have been taken ill after an Emirates airline plane landed in New York, officials say. The plane was quarantined at JFK airport as those on board were checked by health officials. As many as 10 were taken to hospital but others refused treatment.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that initially about 100 people including some crew had complained of illness. Flight 203 from Dubai landed at 09:10 (13.10 GMT) with 521 passengers.
Emergency vehicles were seen on the runway as it landed. Soon afterwards, Emirates airline tweeted that the sick passengers were being attended to and those who were unaffected would be allowed to leave the plane.
The CDC said in a statement that is was "aware of an Emirates flight from Dubai that arrived this morning at JFK".
"Approximately 100 passengers, including some crew on the flight, complained of illness including cough and some with fever.
"CDC public health officers are working with... officials to evaluate passengers including taking temperatures and making arrangements for transport to local hospitals those that need care."
Later Eric Phillips, spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, confirmed that all the passengers were off the plane and the sick people had been taken to hospital.
He said that some of the passengers had originally come from the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, which was currently experiencing a flu outbreak, and that the passengers' symptoms were "pointing to the flu".
Case of MERS reported in Abu Dhabi
Disease SARS United Arab Emirates - 1 year ago
Date: Mon 28 May 2018
Source: EMPRES-I (Global Animal Disease Information System) [edited]
<http://empres-i.fao.org/empres-i/2/obd?idOutbreak=236947&rss=t>
According to an EMPRESS report issued today [Mon 28 May 2018], there was a human case of MERS-CoV infection confirmed by PCR testing in Gayathi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This report was based on an OIE report.
No further information was provided.
[The most recent confirmed human MERS-CoV infection in the UAE was reported in December 2017 and involved an Omani camel herder who was identified as an asymptomatic infection. This was detected as part of border screening of camels on entry to the UAE following the detection of positive MERS-CoV infection in the camels (see MERS-CoV (01): Malaysia (ex KSA), Saudi Arabia, UAE (ex Oman) http://promedmail.org/post/20180102.5532148).
I was unable to find more information on the case mentioned in the EMPRES report above, from either the HAAD (Health Authority of Abu Dhabi) website, or the OIE or EMPRES websites. Questions that come to mind include: demographics (age, sex); clinical picture (was this based on clinical illness in the human or was this part of screening after identification of MERS-CoV infected camels entering the UAE (where screening is typically done); possible high risk exposures (either contact with camels, contact with other known cases, contact with the health sector before onset of illness, or history of travel to other geographic areas where MERS-CoV circulation is known).
More information from knowledgeable sources would be greatly appreciated.
The HealthMap/ProMED map of the UAE can be found at:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/132> - ProMED Mod.MPP]
Report on 51 tourists who contracted Legionaires associated with travel to Dubai over past 12 months
Disease Legionnaires Disease United Arab Emirates - 2 years ago
Date: Thu 21 Sep 2017
Source: Eurosurveillance Edition 2017, 22(38) [edited]
<http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=22880>
ref: Dabrera G, Brandsema P, Lofdahl M, et al. Increase in legionnaires' disease cases associated with travel to Dubai among travellers from the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands, October 2016 to end August 2017. Euro Surveill. 2017; 22(38): pii=30618.
Between 1 Oct 2016 and 31 Aug 2017, 51 legionnaires' disease (LD) cases from the United Kingdom (UK), Sweden, and the Netherlands were identified with associated travel to Dubai. Cases did not all stay in the same accommodation, indicating that no single accommodation could be the source for all these infections. While local investigations continue into other potential sources, clinicians should remain alert to the possibility of LD among travellers returning from Dubai with respiratory illness.
In December 2016, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported an increase in legionnaires' disease (LD) cases associated with travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) [1] based on cases reported to ELDSNet (European legionnaires' disease surveillance network), an ECDC-operated surveillance system among European Union (EU) countries, Iceland, and Norway [2] for laboratory-confirmed, travel-associated LD (TALD) cases who stayed in commercial accommodation site(s) (such as hotels) during the 2-10-day incubation period.
As this increase in Dubai-associated TALD cases continues, we describe cases reported with symptom onset between 1 Oct 2016 and 31 Aug 2017 among residents from the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands (the 3 countries that were initially reporting the largest numbers of cases). We describe the ongoing situation as at 18 Sep 2017 to provide further insight into the observed increase and create awareness among physicians and travellers returning with compatible symptoms to consider legionella as a differential diagnosis [1].
[The full Eurosurveillance article can be accessed at the source URL above. - ProMED Mod.ML]
[Dubai is one of the 7 emirates and the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai>). Dubai has become a popular tourist destination. It is said to be the 4th most visited city in world, with over 15 million visitors in 2016, after London, Paris, and Bangkok (<https://www.khaleejtimes.com/listicles/dubai-worlds-fourth-most-popular-destination-in-2016>).
Overnight visitors in Dubai spent almost USD 11 billion in 2014
(<http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/tourism/overnight-visitors-in-dubai-spend-dh40-billion-in-one-year-1.1532506>).
Dubai can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/3442>.
In 2009, ProMED-mail first reported legionnaires' disease in 3 travellers to Dubai, one of whom from the UK died (Legionellosis, fatal, hotel - United Arab Emirates: (Dubai) http://promedmail.org/post/20090205.0509). In December 2016, ProMED-mail reported an increase in the number of cases of legionnaires' disease in 2016, compared with previous years, in European travelers returning from Dubai, with 26 cases having their onset of illness since 1 Oct 2016 (Legionellosis - EU: EU travellers, ex United Arab Emirates (Dubai) susp http://promedmail.org/post/20161230.4733569). In June 2017, ProMED-mail reported that an additional 34 cases among European travelers to Dubai, with the most recent case becoming ill in May 2017, suggesting an ongoing exposure risk (Legionellosis - Europe (03): ex United Arab Emirates (Dubai) http://promedmail.org/post/20170602.5079438).
According to the Eurosurveillance report above on 51 legionnaires' disease cases with symptom onset between 1 Oct 2016 and 31 Aug 2017, from the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands associated with travel to Dubai, of 43 cases staying in commercial accommodation only 15 stayed in sites where there were 2 or more cases, whereas 27 stayed in sites where there were no other cases. In addition, 3 of the 51 cases were associated with a foreign-travel related cluster in other countries.
Of the 51 cases of legionnaires' disease, 50 were infected by organisms speciated as _Legionella pneumophila_. However, the serogroup was known for only 16 cases: 13 of the 16 were serogroup 1, 2 were serogroup 13 and 1 was serogroup 2-14. Sequence-based typing (ST) was available for only 9 cases: 6 cases were ST616, and 3 cases were ST1327. ST616 was only observed in cases associated with travel to Dubai and ST1327 was associated with travel to Dubai for all but one case. Furthermore, 11 cases spent their entire incubation period in Dubai. These findings supported the assertion that at least some of these infections occurred within Dubai. However, the cases for whom sequence-based typing was available were all linked to different accommodations sites.
No increase in pneumonia notifications occurred locally in Dubai between October and December 2016, which suggested an environmental _Legionella_ source in Dubai that might have been frequented more often by foreign travelers than by local residents. Another explanation was that the local Dubai population is predominantly young, with only 8.7 percent in the 50 years or older age group in 2016, and therefore potentially at lower risk for legionnaires' disease than foreign travelers. Also, the investigators noted that the increase in cases of legionnaires' disease among European travelers to Dubai could not be fully explained by an increase in the number of European travelers to Dubai, but so far no environmental sources have been identified in Dubai. - ProMED Mod.ML]
Paraguay - US Consular Information Sheet
Paraguay is a constitutional democracy with a developing economy.
Tourist facilities are adequate in the capital city of Asuncion, but they vary greatly Read More Show Less
n quality and prices.
Travelers outside Asuncion should consider seeking travel agency assistance, as satisfactory or adequate tourist facilities are very limited in other major cities and almost nonexistent in remote areas.
Read the Department of State Background Notes on Paraguay for additional information.
A passport and visa are required.
U.S. citizens traveling to Paraguay must submit completed visa applications in person or by secure messenger to the Paraguayan Embassy or one of the consulates and pay a fee.
Paraguay issues visas for one-entry or multiple entries up to the validity of the U.S. passport.
Applicants under 18 years of age traveling alone must appear with both of their parents or a legal guardian.
In case of a guardian, an original and one copy of proof of legal guardianship are required.
A document of authorization from parents/guardian will be accepted only if it is notarized and certified by the county clerk.
Travelers entering or departing Paraguay with regular U.S. passports will be fingerprinted.
Some airlines include the Paraguayan airport departure tax in the price of the airline ticket.
It is recommended that you check with the airline in order to determine whether or not the departure tax has been included.
If the tax is not included in the airline ticket then payment would be required upon departure in either U.S. or local currency (no credit cards or checks accepted). Visit the Embassy of Paraguay web site at http://www.embaparusa.gov.py for the most current visa information.
As stated in the Department of State's latest Worldwide Caution, U.S. citizens overseas may be targeted by extremist groups and should maintain a high level of vigilance.
The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any specific terrorist threat to Americans in Paraguay.
Individuals and organizations providing financial support to extremist groups operate in Ciudad del Este and along the tri-border area between Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.
Small armed groups have also been reported to be operating in the San Pedro and Concepcion Departments.
Drug trafficking remains a serious concern in the Department of Amambay.
Because of concerns about the lack of security in border areas, the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion requires U.S. Government personnel and their family members to provide advance notice and a travel itinerary when traveling to Ciudad del Este or Pedro Juan Caballero.
As a general precaution, the Embassy also counsels its employees traveling outside the capital to provide an itinerary including dates, contact names, and telephone numbers where the employee may be reached.
Since January 2007, there have been numerous kidnapping incidents mainly in the Alto Parana department.
Targets have been members of the Paraguayan business community or their family members.
It is believed that the individuals responsible for the kidnappings are financially motivated and have pre-selected their targets based on the victims’ wealth.
U.S. citizens should avoid large gatherings or any other event where crowds have congregated to demonstrate or protest.
Such activities have resulted in intermittent road closures including major routes traveled by tourists and residents.
While generally nonviolent, demonstrations and/or roadblocks have turned violent in the past.
Areas where such closures and barricades exist should be avoided.
U.S. citizens who encounter demonstrations and/or roadblocks should not attempt to continue the planned travel or to confront those at the roadblock.
Instead, they should avoid areas where individuals are demonstrating and in case of roadblock, wait for the road to reopen or return to the origin of their trip.
Uniformed police often conduct roving checks of vehicles and passengers.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at http://travel.state.gov where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.
Crime has increased in recent years with criminals often targeting those thought to be wealthy.
Although most crime is nonviolent, there has been an increase in the use of weapons and there have been incidents where extreme violence has been used.
U.S. citizens have on occasion been the victims of assaults, kidnappings, robberies, and rapes.
Local authorities frequently lack the training and resources to solve these cases.
Under these circumstances, U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Paraguay should be aware of their surroundings and security at all times.
They should take common sense precautions including refraining from displaying expensive-looking cameras and jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items.
Resistance to armed assailants has often aggravated the situation and therefore is not advised.
Armed robbery, carjackings, car theft, and home invasions are a problem in both urban and rural areas.
Street crime, including pick pocketing and mugging, is prevalent in cities.
The number of pick pocketing incidents and armed assaults is also increasing on public buses and in the downtown area of Asunción.
As many incidents on public buses involve individuals snatching valuables, passengers should not wear expensive-looking jewelry or display other flashy items.
There have been incidents of pilferage from checked baggage at both airports and bus terminals.
Travelers have found it prudent to hide valuables on their person or in carry-on luggage.
Unauthorized ticket vendors also reportedly operate at the Asuncion bus terminal, badgering travelers into buying tickets for substandard or non-existent services.
Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law.
More information on this serious problem is available at http://www.cybercrime.gov/18usc2320.htm
Below are the local equivalent phone numbers to the “911” emergency line in Paraguay.
In Asuncion, the following phone numbers exist for roadside/ambulance assistance:
Emergency Services, including police and ambulances:
Fire Department, including rescue of accident victims: 131, 132.
Adequate medical facilities, prescription and over-the-counter medicine, supplies, and services are available only in Asuncion.
Elsewhere, these are limited and may not exist.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to Paraguay or foreign residents of the country.
The information below concerning Paraguay is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
U.S. citizens have been injured and killed in traffic accidents.
Only minimal standards must be met to obtain a Paraguayan driver's license, and driver education prior to licensing is not common.
Drivers throughout Paraguay routinely ignore traffic regulations.
No vehicle insurance is required, and many Paraguayans drive without any insurance coverage.
Persons who drive in Paraguay should be prepared to drive defensively and with their own insurance in both urban and rural areas.
Public transportation is readily available for urban and inter-city travel.
Buses vary in maintenance conditions and may not meet U.S. safety standards.
Armed robberies and pick pocketing occur on buses in cities and rural areas, sometimes with the apparent collusion of the bus driver.
Taxis are available and may be called using telephone numbers listed in the newspapers.
No passenger train service exists.
Bicycle travel may not be safe due to traffic and other road hazards.
Most urban streets consist of cobblestones over dirt.
Some roads in Asuncion and other large cities are paved.
However, these roads frequently develop potholes that often remain unrepaired.
Nearly all rural roads are unpaved, and during rainy periods and the rainy season (November-March/April), they may be impassable.
Road signs indicating hazards, such as sharp curves or major intersections, are lacking in many areas.
Driving or traveling at night is not advisable outside Asuncion because pedestrians, animals, or vehicles without proper lights are often on the roads.
In addition, assaults and other crimes against motorists traveling at night have occurred.
Extra precautions should be exercised along infrequently traveled portions of the rural roads.
Intercity highway maintenance is not equal to U.S. standards.
The privately maintained toll road between Caaguazu and Ciudad del Este and the routes between Asuncion and Encarnacion and Asuncion and Pedro Juan Caballero are in good condition.
Most other intercity routes are in good to fair condition, with brief stretches in poor condition.
The Trans-Chaco route is in fair condition except for the portion between Mariscal Estigarribia and the Bolivian border, which is unpaved and at times impassable.
The Touring and Automobile Club provides some roadside assistance to its members.
The Club may be contacted in Asuncion by visiting its offices at 25 de Mayo near Brazil, First Floor, or telephoning 210-550, 210-551, 210-552, 210-553, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon, except for Paraguayan holidays.
The Touring Club also has offices in Ciudad del Este (tel. 061-512-340), Coronel Oviedo (tel. 0521-203-350), Encarnación (tel. 071-202-203), San Ignacio Misiones (tel. 082-232-080), Caaguazu Campo 9 ( tel. 0528-222-211), Santani (tel. 043-20-314), Pozo Colorado (cell phone. 0981-939-611, Villa Florida (tel. 083-240-205) and Ybyyau (tel. 039-210-206).
Towing services are scarce outside urban areas.
Twenty-four-hour tow truck services from Asuncion may be contacted by telephoning (021) 224-366, (021) 208-400, (cellular service provider) Tigo by dialing *822 or 0971-951-930.
For an extra fee, these companies may provide service outside Asuncion, but they typically demand immediate payment and may not accept credit cards.
Visit the website of Paraguay’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.senatur.gov.py and http://www.mopc.gov.py/
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Paraguay’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Paraguay’s air carrier operations.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs%5Finitiatives/oversight/iasa/
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Paraguay’s customs authority may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Paraguay of items such as firearms, medications, toys resembling weapons, or protected species.
It is advisable to contact the Paraguayan Embassy in Washington, D.C., or one of Paraguay's consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.
Paraguay does not recognize dual Paraguayan nationality for American citizens.
Under Article 150 of the Paraguayan Constitution, naturalized Paraguayans lose their nationality by virtue of a court ruling based on unjustified absence from the Republic for more than three years, or by voluntary adoption of another nationality.
Persons violating Paraguay’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Paraguay are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
For information, see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans residing or traveling in Paraguay are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Paraguay.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 1776 Mariscal Lopez Avenue, Asuncion; telephone (011-595-21) 213-715, fax (011-595-21) 213-728; Internet: http://paraguay.usembassy.gov, email: paraguayconsular@state.gov.
The Consular Section is open for U.S. citizen services, including registration, Monday through Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., except for U.S. and Paraguayan holidays; telephone (011-595-21) 213-715, fax (011-595-21) 228-603.
Floodwaters in Paraguay force thousands to evacuate homes
Natural Disaster Paraguay - 2 months ago
By Hugo OLAZAR
Nanawa, Paraguay, May 28, 2019 (AFP) - Like 70,000 people living close to the broken banks of the Paraguay River, where the water level has risen seven meters (23 feet) in some places, Graciela Acosta has had to pack up her belongings and evacuate. Piled up on a canoe are the 39-year-old housewife's bed, wardrobe, bedside table and her dog Pirulin.
Acosta is getting ready to cross the border into Argentina with her daughter to seek refuge in a reception center in the neighboring town of Clorinda. "I've had enough! It's the third time that I've had to move everything because of the floods," said Acosta. "I pray to God that it ends. Every time. it costs a lot of money." However, there's no chance of Acosta leaving her home in Nanawa, a town of just 6,000 people that borders Argentina to the west and faces the capital Asuncion to the east across the Paraguay River, for good. "As soon as the water level drops, I'll go home," she said.
- 'Greater impact' -
In Nanawa, only around 500 people were able to avoid evacuation, due to living in homes with upper floors above the flood levels. They're used to this as the Paraguay River, one of the largest in the Americas, breaks its banks and causes havoc in the poorest Nanawa neighborhoods built on the flood plain. The river's brown waters rise almost to the height of street signs: in some areas, there is up to one or two meters of water covering roads.
Paraguayans have seen worse, though, back in 1983, according to the assistant director of the country's meteorology and hydrology service, Nelson Perez. "It's not the Paraguay River's worst flood, but the impact is greater because more people live close to the river," said Perez. "These are the worst floods I've seen," said Ruben Acosta, 55, who peddles his moving services by canoe. It's a far cry from January and February, when the river's level was so low that navigating it became difficult. "It rained a lot in March, three times more than usual, and it also rained a lot in April and May," said Perez, who pointed to deforestation as an added problem.
- 'It's like being in Venice' -
Wading through water up to his chest, Rigoberto Nunez leaves a cemetery carrying a chandelier, a vase, some crucifixes and family portraits, all plucked from the family vault. "I prefer to take them away to be safe," says the 47-year-old traveling salesman. The town is without electricity or police and inhabitants are afraid of looters. Nunez is heading to a reception center provided by Argentine authorities in a Clorinda slum where he's already stashed his furniture. Enrique Cardozo's workshop has already been ravaged by the floods. "I've lost my sofa, the cupboard, I had nowhere to put them," said the 51-year-old father of four.
The family has moved into the first floor of their house, which is just 15 meters from the river. "It rained non-stop for a week. One day, the water rose one meter. It was impressive, we couldn't save everything," said Cardozo. "There's nowhere you can put your feet on the ground. It's like being in Venice, we move about by Gondola!"
On the other side of the river, Asuncion has not been spared as several areas have also had to be evacuated. In the Sajonia residential zone, inhabitants and shopkeepers have seen their sidewalks lined with sandbags, to keep back the floodwaters. According to Perez, though, the problems -- and waters -- will soon subside. The water level rose only slightly on Monday, and will continue to do so for a few more days before it drains away during the first half of June, he said.
70,000 families displaced in Paraguay flooding
Asuncion, May 27, 2019 (AFP) - Heavy flooding in Paraguay has displaced 70,000 families and is threatening to further inundate the capital Asuncion in the coming weeks, the country's weather bureau said. Water levels on the Paraguay River are rising at a rate of 4-5 centimetres (1.5-2 inches) every day and is only 46 cm (18 in) below a "disaster" level, according to official data from the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).
Crossing that threshold would "have a very strong impact" because of the number of Asuncion residents who have moved into the city's floodplain, said DMH deputy director Nelson Perez on Sunday. The city's water service infrastructure was clogged with garbage which was exacerbating the floods, Perez added.
Unusually heavy downpours over May, including two days which together exceeded Asuncion's average monthly rainfall, have exacerbated the flooding, said DMH meteorologist Eduardo Mingo. Some 40,000 people in Asuncion have already been affected by the floods, official data reported. A further 10,000 people have been displaced in the southern town of Pilar on the Argentinian border. The government has mobilized armed forces to help displaced residents relocate to shelters, but hundreds of families have opted to stay behind in their inundated homes.
Flooding in Paraguay's capital due to heavy rain
Climate Changes Paraguay - 3 months ago
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2019 03:06:45 +0200
Asuncion, April 4, 2019 (AFP) - More than 20,000 families across Paraguay have been affected by severe flooding from two weeks of heavy rain that caused the country's main river to burst its banks, a senior official said Wednesday as an emergency was declared in the capital. National Emergency Minister Joaquin Roa made the announcement as forecasters said the precipitation would continue for the rest of the week. The Paraguay River, which runs some 1,000 kilometres north to south and splits the country in two, is expected to continue overflowing.
A 90-day emergency was declared in Asuncion on Wednesday due to the flooding. Hardest-hit are some 5,000 families living in the Banado Sur working-class neighbourhood on the city outskirts. The people affected by flooding "need sheet metal roofing, wood, and all types of help," a municipal official told AFP. The Paraguay River flows past Asuncion and eventually merges into the Parana River in Argentina. "We did not expect it to swell so quickly," said Pablo Ramirez, a resident of Banado Sur, a neighbourhood in the capital, dismayed after returning to his home after he left it one month ago due to flooding.
Ramirez, who relies on crutches to get around following a car accident, said that he will not leave home this time. The flooding "will go by quickly," he said optimistically. Pedro Velasco, the leading neighbourhood Catholic priest, said that one week ago they warned emergency officials that the river was about to overflow and asked for trucks to deliver aid and help evacuate people. "They didn't move until Monday, but by then it was already too late and they couldn't come in" because of the flooding, Velasco said. Roa said that his office will deliver 400,000 of food in the next days in coordination with the Paraguayan military.
Concern as cases of Hantaviral infection reported in Paraguay
Disease Hantavirus Paraguay - 5 months ago
Source: Hoy [in Spanish trans. Mod.TY, edited]
<https://www.hoy.com.py/nacionales/a-tres-casos-de-hantavirus-se-suman-dos-sospechosos-y-ordenan-rastrillaje-en-capiata>
Patients who present with febrile symptoms and who reside in the area where the 1st positive case was reported positive request tests for hantavirus [infection]. Until now there are 5 cases, 3 were positive in initial laboratory tests and 2 are suspect cases that will be tested outside [the country] because the Central Laboratory does not do confirmatory tests.
The febrile cases of residents in Capiata [Central department], the area where the 1st cases of hantavirus occurred, are adding up and now Health Surveillance has reported 2 more suspected cases, all children between 2 and 7 years old living in the same city; community intervention continues in search of possible cases.
The 1st cases confirmed in a private laboratory remain hospitalized in intensive care and the others who have improved are now receiving ambulatory treatment, stated Dr Sandra Irala of Health Surveillance.
"The clinical picture of hantavirus [infection] is that of a patient with a temperature above 38 deg C [100.4 deg F] and respiratory difficulty is another characteristic in the endemic area such as that of Chaco. In the non-endemic area [hantavirus infection] is suspected if the patient presents with fever and other possible causes are eliminated," the doctor indicated in a press conference.
The rodents that transmit the hantavirus do not inhabit urban areas and the way in which the disease [virus] is acquired is through contact with excreta and other secretions such as saliva and urine of these [infected] rodents.
Irala pointed out that the cases that are initially positive should have a cross-section of studies for final confirmation, so the samples were sent to Argentina, where there is a reference laboratory for the detection of this type of virus.
The person acquires the virus by inhaling air contaminated with the virus that is transported through dust particles, which is why it is recommended before cleaning, especially of storage buildings, to open doors and windows to ventilate the environment and moisten the soil to before proceeding with the sweeping.
The possibility of acquiring a hantavirus [infection] is if you have a history of having visited the Chaco area or if you were in a country that registers outbreaks of hantavirus, such as southern Argentina.
The disease has a 30% mortality rate and in Paraguay every year about 20 cases are registered, all in the Chaco region.
Alerting symptoms
The symptoms of hantavirus [infection] are similar to other infectious diseases and include fever, headache, and gastrointestinal problems and, according to the development and the seriousness of the case, the patient may present with respiratory manifestations.
Before the appearance of any of these or other symptoms [the Ministry of Health] urges the public to go to the nearest health service to make the appropriate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Under no circumstances should self-medication be used as this could aggravate the picture and obstruct the actual diagnosis of the disease.
[The active surveillance efforts in the neighborhood of the initial case has detected more patients now with a total 3 confirmed and 2 suspected. The tests used in the private laboratory to determine that 3 cases as confirmed are not indicated, nor if samples of these 3 cases were sent to the reference laboratory in Argentina for confirmation.
Most of the previous cases of hantavirus infection in Paraguay have been diagnosed in Boqueron department in the north western part of the country. This is the 1st report of hantavirus infections in the Central department of Paraguay. The possible hantavirus involved in this suspected case is not stated. A 2011 report indicated that Leguna Negra hantavirus was responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases in Presidente Hayes department. In addition to Laguna Negra virus (rodent host _Calomys laucha_), other hantaviruses that can cause HPS and are found in Paraguay (and their rodent hosts) include Juquitiba (_Akodon cursor_), Ape Aime-Itapua (_Akodon montensis_), Araucaria (_A. montensis_, _Oligoryzomys nigripes_), Jabora and Jabora-like (_A. montensis_), Alto Paraguay (_Holochilus chararius_), and Lechiguanas (_Oligoryzomys nigripes_). - ProMED Mod.TY]
[Maps of Paraguay:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/paraguay_pol98.jpg> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/13176>]
Authorities declare that Paraguay is now 'Malaria Free'
Disease Malaria Paraguay - 1 year ago
Source: WHO, Malaria [edited]
<http://www.who.int/malaria/media/paraguay-certification-qa/en/>
- What were the key elements to Paraguay's malaria elimination success that helped the country reach zero indigenous cases of the disease?
Paraguay is the 1st country in the Americas since Cuba in 1973 to be certified malaria-free, representing a significant public health achievement not only for Paraguay but for the Americas as a whole. Achieving elimination in Paraguay required substantial levels of political commitment and leadership, as well as sustained investments in its national malaria programme over a period spanning more than 50 years. Notable aspects of its approach include:
Rapid and targeted response
With free universal health services in Paraguay and a strong malaria surveillance system, malaria cases were detected early, investigated promptly, and classified correctly.
Dedicated elimination strategy
After reporting its last case of malaria in 2011, Paraguay launched a 5-year plan to consolidate the gains, prevent re-establishment of transmission, and prepare for elimination certification. Activities centred on strengthening epidemiological surveillance, robust case management, and a public information campaign on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of malaria to promote behaviour change among populations in at-risk areas.
During 2015 and 2016, as part of a broader health reform, malaria surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment activities were integrated within Paraguay's general health services, with the aim of expanding health coverage to at-risk populations and preventing re-establishment.
Strengthening surveillance skills
A 3-year initiative to hone the skills of front-line health workers in the country's 18 health regions was launched in 2016 to keep the malaria surveillance system sustainable over the long term. Supported by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the project addresses disease prevention, identification of suspected cases, accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment to respond to the on-going threat of malaria importation from endemic countries in the region and Africa.
- How has Paraguay managed to stay malaria-free since 2012? What are the systems in place that made this possible and how long will the country keep those systems operational?
As part of the WHO elimination certification process, countries must demonstrate that they have the capacity to prevent the re-establishment of malaria transmission. The availability of free universal health services in Paraguay and a strong malaria surveillance system ensure imported cases of malaria are detected and responded to in a timely manner to prevent local transmission.
The inclusion of the national malaria programme within the National Malaria Eradication Service (SENEPA, in the Spanish acronym), the institution within the ministry of health responsible for the control of vector-borne diseases, helps guarantee the programme's future existence.
Further, congressional legislation provides predictable and long-term financing for the national malaria programme: by law, 1.5 percent of annual income from Paraguay's social security programme is allocated to SENEPA. Together, these elements ensure that efforts to prevent the re-establishment of malaria transmission can be sustained in the decades to come.
- What are the benefits of malaria elimination for Paraguay?
Eliminating malaria in Paraguay means that no one will fall ill or die from local transmission of the disease, bringing about tangible health benefits at the individual and community levels, as well as broader socio-economic outcomes.
- What role did national leadership, political will, civil society and international partners play in Paraguay's success?
Eliminating malaria is a collective effort, requiring the sustained engagement of many partners at the national, regional and global levels. However, achieving elimination is a country-driven process. For elimination efforts to succeed, government stewardship is essential, together with the engagement and participation of affected communities.
- Does Paraguay coordinate cross-border surveillance activities to prevent importation of malaria cases and do they provide antimalarial treatment to visitors and migrants?
Paraguay provides free treatment to all citizens, visitors, and migrants, regardless of their nationality or residency status. The national malaria programme has identified 3 populations at greatest risk: the military, Brazilian students attending universities in Paraguay, and Paraguayans travelling to Africa. Targeted interventions include strengthening passive detection systems, promotion of health education, and providing prophylaxis to travellers heading to and returning from malaria-endemic regions in Africa.
To step up cross-border collaboration, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) funded a project focused on strengthening entomological surveillance and control of vector-borne diseases in the 'triple border' area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. A key outcome of the project, which ran from 2010 to 2012, was the development of an _Anopheles_ mosquito range map, a tool that shows the geographic distribution of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
- What are the lessons learned from Paraguay's experience that can be applied in other countries looking to eliminate malaria?
Paraguay provides universal free health services to all, one of the critical elements that helps drive a country towards malaria elimination. Sustained political commitment and robust financial support are further keys to success. Continued surveillance of suspected cases, targeted community engagement and education, as well as strengthening skills of front-line health workers, are recommended strategies that WHO encourages countries to adopt as part of their national malaria elimination programmes.
- Is Paraguay replicating its elimination strategy with other infectious and mosquito-borne diseases?
Paraguay has an integrated approach to entomological surveillance activities, taking into account several vector-borne diseases including dengue, leishmaniasis, and Zika virus. Integration of malaria surveillance into the general health system had been a challenging task in Paraguay, but the lessons and experiences learned from other vector-borne diseases have contributed to the smooth integration and transition of the malaria programme. At the same time, the approach used to eliminate malaria is now being applied to eliminate Chagas disease and schistosomiasis.
[ProMED congratulates Paraguay for this important public health achievement. It is important to demonstrate that malaria eradication is possible, and the achievement could be an inspiration for the countries in southeast Asia experiencing a decline in artemisinin susceptibility. - ProMED Mod.EP]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Paraguay:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/9>]
Cyprus US Consular Information Sheet
Since 1974, Cyprus, a Mediterranean island nation, has been divided de facto into a government-controlled area comprising the southern two-thirds of the island, and a northern third (t Read More Show Less
e self-declared “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"), administered by Turkish Cypriots. The United States does not recognize the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” nor does any country other than Turkey. Facilities for tourism in Cyprus are highly developed. Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Cyprus for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport is required for travel to Cyprus. A visa is not required for a stay of up to 90 days. For longer stays, a visa or residence permit is required. U.S. citizens should be mindful that the Government of Cyprus does not recognize the residence permits issued by Turkish Cypriot authorities for the portions of the island under Turkish Cypriot administration. The Government of Cyprus does not issue residency permits to individuals who live in the areas outside government control.
On occasion, Americans who resided in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots for more than 90 days without a Republic of Cyprus residence permit have been detained by officials at Larnaca airport and denied entry into the government-controlled area. They also may be subject to prosecution.
The U.S. Embassy encourages travelers to read the “Special Circumstances” section of this fact sheet for important additional information about entry requirements into the Turkish Cypriot-administered areas.
For further information on entry requirements for Cyprus, travelers can contact the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus at 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008-4082, tel. (202) 462-5772, or the Cypriot Consulate in New York at 13 East 40th St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016, tel. (212) 686-6016/17. Visit the Embassy of Cyprus’ web site at http://www.cyprusembassy.net for the most current visa information.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to enter the U.N. buffer zone at any place other than a designated crossing point. This area is mined and militarized.
Never photograph military installations or anything that could be perceived as being of security interest (especially in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots). Pay particular attention to areas marked with “no photography” signs. Police on both sides strictly enforce these restrictions.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME: The crime rate in Cyprus is low. Visitors in urban areas should take the normal precautions they would take in any large city. Americans frequenting bars should avoid so-called “cabarets,” which sometimes employ women brought to Cyprus for sexual exploitation. These establishments can also present foreign patrons with grossly inflated bar tabs, threatening those customers who refuse to pay.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you in finding appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and explaining how funds can be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of a crime in Cyprus is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in the Republic of Cyprus is 199 or 112.
Emergency assistance is available in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots by calling 155.
Also see our information on Victims of Crime.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical care is available at both government hospitals and private clinics. Emergency rooms offer adequate care to stabilize patients, most of whom are then transferred to private hospitals. Many of the private-sector doctors have been trained in the United Kingdom or the United States. While fees are generally lower than those in the United States, medical supplies are often more expensive. Paramedics do not staff ambulances. The standard of medical care in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots is improving but still falls below that found in the government-controlled area. The World Health Organization considers Cyprus to be one of the healthiest areas of the Mediterranean. Water supplies are potable, and the refuse collection/sewage disposal system is adequate. Communicable diseases such as typhoid are rare. Respiratory ailments and allergies are sometimes exacerbated by the dry and dusty climate.
Some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of Cyprus.
Legislation mandates that aliens known to have certain communicable diseases and HIV be denied entry into the country.
American citizens who think they may be included in this restriction are encouraged to check with the Embassy of Cyprus at http://www.cyprusembassy.net before they travel.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Cyprus is provided for general reference only, and it may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
In recent years, Cyprus ranked among the top three countries in Europe, on a per capita basis, in traffic fatalities. Speeding, tailgating, overtaking, and the running of caution lights are commonplace and major causes of accidents. Emergency assistance is available in the Republic of Cyprus by calling 112 or 199.
There are few public buses and no rail lines. Taxis are widely available. Traffic moves on the left side of the road, British style, and modern motorways link the major cities. Secondary roads, especially in mountainous areas, tend to be narrow and winding, and they are not as well maintained as major highways. Traffic laws, signs and speed limits are consistent with the standards used throughout Europe. Traffic circles (roundabouts) are often utilized at major intersections.
The use of seat belts (in front seats) and child car seats is required. Motorcyclists are required to wear helmets and the use of cellular phones while driving is prohibited unless used with some form of hands-free kit. Liability insurance is mandatory.
Road safety conditions in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots are similar to conditions in the south, except that the road network is less developed. Insurance purchased in the government-controlled area is not valid in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, but insurance for that area may be purchased near the U.N. "buffer zone" checkpoints.
Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. For specific information concerning driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance in Cyprus, contact the Cyprus Tourism Organization at 13 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, tel. (212) 683-5280, email: gocyprus@aol.com, web site: http://www.visitcyprus.com/wps/portal.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Cyprus, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Cyprus’ Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Since 1974, the Republic of Cyprus has designated Larnaca and Paphos international airports, and the seaports of Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos, as the only legal points of entry into and exit from Cyprus. These ports are all in the government-controlled southern part of the island. Entry or exit via any other air or seaport is considered an illegal act by the Republic of Cyprus. Formerly, visitors choosing to arrive at non-designated airports and seaports in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots were not allowed to cross the U.N.-patrolled “buffer zone” to the government-controlled area in the south. Since 2004, when the Republic of Cyprus implemented new EU-related crossing regulations, Americans (and citizens of other non-EU countries not requiring visas) have been able to cross regardless of their port of entry into Cyprus.
Most American visitors to Cyprus are able to cross the “buffer zone” without hindrance, although on occasion difficulties are encountered at both the government and Turkish Cypriot checkpoints. Cypriot officials at the “buffer zone” checkpoints or at airports and seaports in the government-controlled area may detain and prosecute Americans who have been present for more than 90 days in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots if they do not possess a residency permit issued by the Government of Cyprus.
For visits of less than 90 days, American citizens may enter the Turkish Cypriot-administered area by displaying a valid U.S. passport.
Stays for 90 days or longer require a “temporary residency visa” issued by Turkish Cypriot authorities.
Turkish Cypriot authorities have deported foreigners who violate this law.
Turkish Cypriot authorities emphasize that the requirement to obtain a temporary residency visa within 90 days of arriving in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area cannot be avoided by periodically visiting the southern part of the island controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.
Policy and procedures regarding travel across the “buffer zone” are subject to change. More information on current procedures may be obtained at the U.N. “buffer zone” Ledra Palace checkpoint in Nicosia.
In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated strict identification procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission for the child's travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian, if not present. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry and departure. Although Cyprus is party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the Convention cannot be used effectively to recover a child abducted to the area administered by Turkish Cypriots.
Cyprus customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Cyprus of items such as firearms. There are no restrictions on contemporary religious materials and medication for personal use; however, Cyprus does restrict the export of Byzantine era ecclesiastical material.
It is advisable to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Washington, DC for specific information regarding customs requirements or visit http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/customs/ced.nsf/DMLindex_en/DMLindex_en?OpenDocument.
In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products are illegal and bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. Cyprus restricts the export of Byzantine period ecclesiastical material and all archaeological material, including ancient coins. The U.S. Customs Service may impose corresponding import restrictions in accordance with the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. Also see our Customs Information.
In addition to being subject to all Cypriot laws affecting American citizens, individuals who also possess Cypriot nationality may be subject to laws that impose special obligations on citizens of Cyprus. For example, American citizens whom the Republic of Cyprus considers to be Cypriot citizens may be subject to compulsory military service and other aspects of Cypriot law while in Cyprus. American citizen males between the ages of 16 and 26 years who reside in the United States and whose parents or grandfather were Greek Cypriots or have Greek Cypriot names are advised to obtain a written confirmation that they reside permanently outside of Cyprus from the Cypriot Embassy in Washington, D.C. before they travel to Cyprus.
After their arrival in Cyprus, the young men should present their foreign residency confirmation statement to the Cypriot National Guard Registration office to obtain an exit permit. Those who believe they may be affected should inquire at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus regarding their status. American citizens whom the Turkish Cypriot authorities consider to be "citizens" may also be subject to compulsory military service in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The U.S. Embassy is unable to exempt dual nationals from such service.
For additional information, please see our dual nationality flyer.
American Citizens who buy or lease property, particularly in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, may find their ownership challenged by people displaced as a result of the 1974 conflict. Prospective property buyers should always seek legal advice before buying. On October 20, 2006, the government of the Republic of Cyprus passed Article 303A of the Criminal Code which makes it a felony to buy, rent or sell property in Cyprus without the consent of the registered owner. Cypriot courts have used the law to prosecute people involved in the sale or purchase of property in the area administered by the Turkish Cypriots. The government of Cyprus has also attempted to enforce Cypriot legal judgments in property matters in other EU countries. Cypriot customs authorities routinely detain anyone arriving in Cyprus or crossing the buffer zone found to be in possession of documents relating to property purchases in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots.
In June 2006 the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" amended the laws governing its "Immovable Property Commission" to enable the Commission to accept claims for compensation or restitution from Greek Cypriots for property in the north.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not recognize the legitimacy of the "Immovable Property Commission."
Some Greek Cypriots who have filed claims with the Commission have been subjected to intensive governmental and public pressure to withdraw their claims.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, American citizens are subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Cypriot laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Cyprus are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Cyprus are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration web site
in order to obtain updated information on travel and security within Cyprus. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia, tel. 357-22-39-3939; fax 357-22-39-3344; e-mail consularnicosia@state.gov; web site http://cyprus.usembassy.gov/
The U.S. Government also maintains an office in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The office is located at 6 Serif Arzik Street, Koskluciftlik, Nicosia.
The telephone number when calling from the United States or the Republic of Cyprus is 0090-392-227-3930. When calling within the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, please dial 227-3930.
This replaces the Country Specific Information dated June 27, 2008
to update sections on Entry and Exit Requirements, Information for Victims of Crime,
Special Circumstances, and Registration/Embassy Location.
Passengers stranded as Cypriot airline goes bust
Transport Cyprus - 9 months ago
Larnaca, Cyprus, Oct 18, 2018 (AFP) - Cypriot low-cost carrier Cobalt Air announced it was cancelling all flights from Thursday after just two years in operation, leaving passengers stranded and scrambling to get their money back. The airline warned customers its offices would no longer be staffed and urged them to seek refunds through their travel agent or credit card company. In a brief announcement issued on its website without prior warning late on Wednesday, the airline said it was cancelling all flights from 23:50 pm (2050 GMT) "due to indefinite suspension of Cobalt's operations". "As a result, future flights or services provided by Cobalt will be cancelled and will no longer operate," it added without elaborating on the reasons.
The airline advised passengers who have tickets not to go to the Mediterranean holiday island's main airport at Larnaca on Thursday or attempt to contact its offices "as no Cobalt flights will operate and no Cobalt staff will be present". "For refunds, please contact your credit card provider or travel agent," its statement said. "We sincerely apologise once again and would like to thank our very loyal customers for their support over the last two years of Cobalt operations." Cobalt, the largest Cypriot airline since the collapse of the state-owned flag carrier, ceased operations after reports that it had failed to reach a deal with a potential European investor. It is not yet clear how many passengers have been affected by the sudden shutdown. But the Cypriot transport ministry said passengers expecting to fly with Cobalt on Thursday should secure one-way tickets in economy class from another airline and keep their receipt to be reimbursed.
Nine flights had been scheduled to arrive and nine to depart from Larnaca airport on Thursday. Transport Minister Vasiliki Anastasiadou said that any stranded passengers in Cyprus would be helped. Reportedly, the company has only 15 million euros in its accounts, which it needed to pay its 200 staff. There was speculation that the budget airline was facing cash flow problems after two of its aircraft were grounded for two days. Although Cobalt refused to comment on the rumours, sources within the company reportedly attributed the liquidity problems to difficulties faced by Chinese investors in exporting capital due to Chinese government restrictions. The airline's largest shareholder is AJ Cyprus, with 49 per cent of the shares. AJ Cyprus is owned by China's AVIC Joy Air. Cobalt stepped in to replace bankrupt state-owned Cyprus Airways, which shut down in January 2015. Cobalt started flight operations in 2016 and acquired six aircraft -- two Airbus 319s and four Airbus 320s -- flying to 23 destinations.
Cyprus sets new record in tourist arrivals
Tourism Cyprus - 1 year ago
Nicosia, July 17, 2018 (AFP) - More than 1.6 million tourists visited Cyprus in the six months to June, the largest number ever for the first half of the year, the island's statistics office said Tuesday. Tourist arrivals in January-June rose 12.4 percent to 1.64 million from 1.46 million in the same period last year, according to the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). "This also outnumbers the total of arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the first six months of the year," it said.
An influx of tourists from main market Britain and an upswing from Sweden helped Cyprus mark another record as arrivals in June broke the 500,000 barrier, Cystat said. "June 2018 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during the specific month," it said. Arrivals reached 511,073 in June, an increase of 8.2 percent from last year's 472,450. The statistical department noted however a 5.1 percent drop in the number of Russian tourists, as well as a 15.1 percent decrease in arrivals from Israel and a 11.3 percent decline from Germany. Year-on-year tourist arrivals from number one market the United Kingdom rose by 9.9 percent in June to 164,477 while there was a 20.2 percent increase in tourists from Sweden.
Sweden has now become the island's third largest tourist market, with Russia still holding second place. Industry officials argue that arrivals from Russia are down due to fluctuations of the ruble and the renewed popularity of Turkey -- a destination made more attractive by a weak Turkish lira. The tourism boom has helped Cyprus return to growth following a 10-billion-euro bailout in March 2013 to rescue its crumbling economy and insolvent banks. Income from tourism now accounts for about 15 percent of the eastern Mediterranean island's gross domestic product and is credited with underpinning a quick recovery. A record 3.65 million tourists took holidays in Cyprus last year, spending an unprecedented 2.6 billion euros.
British tourist killed in Cyprus hit-and-run
Accident Cyprus - 1 year ago
Nicosia, June 24, 2018 (AFP) - A British tourist was killed in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday near the Cypriot resort city of Paphos, police said. The 39-year-old man was found dead at the scene after police responded to reports of an incident in the south-western coastal resort of Peyia at around 2:30 am (1130 GMT on Saturday). The car was later found by police after being dumped in the sea. Police arrested a man and woman in connection to the man's death.
A Paphos court on Sunday extended their detention for eight days on suspicion of pre-meditated murder. Police said a 32-year-old British man also hit by the car was being treated at hospital, describing his condition as "out of danger". According to local media reports, the two suspects and the tourists were involved in an argument at a pub in Peyia earlier in the evening. Neither the identity of the dead tourist nor the two suspects have been released.
Cyprus smashes tourist income record in 2017
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2018 15:30:54 +0100
Nicosia, March 5, 2018 (AFP) - Cyprus saw its best ever receipts from tourism in 2017, official data showed on Monday, in a record year for the eastern Mediterranean holiday island considered a regional safe haven. Tourism income last year reached 2.63 billion euros ($3.23 billion) beating the 2.36 billion record set in 2016, an 11.7 percent increase, according to the Cyprus statistical service. The surge in tourist spending coincides with another record year in arrivals, with more than 3.65 million people visiting the island last year -- 14.6 percent up from the 3.18 million visitors in 2016.
The expenditure per person, per day for the period January to December 2017 recorded a decrease of 2.6 percent (from 78.07 euros to 76.07). In December the Lebanese were the biggest spenders on an average 147.88 euros per day and the most frugal were the Norwegians on 25.81 euros per day. The island has benefited from a surge in arrivals from its largest markets Britain and Russia as well as a revival in those coming from Germany, Sweden and Israel.
Cyprus is seen as a safe haven for tourists, with other traditionally popular destinations in the eastern Mediterranean having been hit by political upheaval and security fears. The surge has helped Cyprus return to growth following a 10-billion-euro package to rescue its crumbling economy and insolvent banks in March 2013. Income from tourism accounts for about 12 percent of the eurozone member's gross domestic product and is credited with ensuring a relatively quick recovery.
Authorities in Cyprus say 2017 already record year for tourist arrivals
Tourism Cyprus - 2 years ago
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2017 13:08:25 +0100
Nicosia, Nov 17, 2017 (AFP) - Cyprus has smashed its record for annual tourist arrivals with two months to spare, with the total reaching 3.4 million at the end of October, official figures showed on Friday. The eastern Mediterranean island has benefited from its reputation as a regional safe haven as unrest has hit the tourism sectors of its traditional competitors Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey. Arrivals in the first 10 months already comfortably exceeded the record 3.18 million registered in the whole of 2016.
Cyprus has benefited from a boom in visitors from its largest market, Britain -- up nearly eight percent for January-October -- along with a revival in those coming from Germany (up 60 percent), second largest market Russia (up 5.2 percent) and Israel (up 80.8 percent). The surge has helped Cyprus return to growth following a 10-billion-euro bailout to rescue its crumbling economy and insolvent banks in March 2013. Income from tourism accounts for about 12% of the country's gross domestic product and is credited with underpinning a quick recovery.
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Afghanistan X Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Christmas I. Cocos Is. Gaza Strip Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan X Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen
Tajikistan - US Consular Information Sheet
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Tajikistan remains the poorest of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia.
It is a nominally constitutional, democratic, and secular republic, dominated b Read More Show Less
President Emomali Rahmon who has been in power since 1992.
Tourist facilities are undeveloped and many goods and services usually available in other countries are unavailable.
Read the Department of State Background Notes on Tajikistan for additional information.
A valid passport and visa are required to enter and exit Tajikistan, as well as for registration at hotels.
The visa should be valid for the entire period of stay in country, through departure, and travelers should ideally request visas which allow for changing travel dates.
Failure to produce a valid visa will require the traveler to leave the country immediately.
Travelers planning to arrive in Tajikistan from countries that have Tajik embassies or consulates must obtain Tajik visas abroad prior to their travel.
Tajikistan is represented by embassies and consulates in the following countries:
United States of America, United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, China, Afghanistan (Kabul, Mazori Sharif), Iran, Pakistan, India, Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates (Dubai).
Travelers arriving in Tajikistan from countries in which there are no Tajik embassies or consulates must have Tajik visa support, in the form of a letter from the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirming that a visa may be issued, in order to receive a Tajik visa at the Dushanbe International Airport upon arrival.
Travelers need to have two passport-size photos and a passport valid for at least six months longer than the duration of the planned stay in Tajikistan.
Visas issued at the Dushanbe airport are normally valid for only 45 days.
This “upon arrival” visa service does not apply to any other Tajik airports or land borders.
Travelers staying in Tajikistan three days or longer must, within three days of arrival in Tajikistan, obtain registration stamps at the MFA or the Department of Visas and Registration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (OVIR), depending on whether the purpose of the visit to Tajikistan is for official or personal travel.
Immigration authorities may deny the departure of travelers who failed to register their visas until after they have paid a fine and obtained the registration stamps at the MFA or OVIR.
In order to receive visa support, an organization inviting a traveler to Tajikistan must submit a request to the MFA at least two weeks in advance of the planned travel date to Tajikistan.
Persons planning to arrive in Tajikistan at the invitation of a private Tajik resident (e.g., a friend or relative in Tajikistan) need to obtain a notification letter from OVIR.
According to OVIR, it may take up to 45 days to obtain the notification letter.
The MFA will issue Tajik visa support on the basis of the OVIR notification letter.
The inviting party will send a copy of visa support to the traveler.
The original MFA visa support will be sent to the Consular bureau at Dushanbe airport.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, persons traveling at the invitation of Tajik organizations or travel agencies, who are applying for visas at Tajik embassies or consulates abroad, will be able to obtain single-entry Tajik visas valid for 45 days upon direct submission of their visa request to the Tajik embassy or consulate (without a visa support letter).
With the issuance of visa support, travelers applying for visas at Tajik embassies or consulates abroad will be able to obtain multiple-entry visas valid for a maximum of three months.
Travelers who would like their visas extended need to apply for extension in advance through the MFA (official travelers) or OVIR (tourist or commercial travelers).
Entry into the Gorno-Badakhshan region, both from inside and outside of Tajikistan, requires special authorization in advance in addition to a valid Tajik visa.
Travelers can obtain this authorization at Tajik embassies and consulates abroad, or by applying to the MFA or OVIR once in Tajikistan.
Tajik authorities advise that sponsoring organizations in Tajikistan submit requests for travel authorization for the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region at least two weeks in advance of the planned travel.
The Tajik MFA or OVIR will list the names of the settlements and cities in Gorno-Badakhshan which the traveler plans on visiting in the travel authorization stamp.
The Gorno-Badakhshan travel authorization is not written on a Tajik visa sticker; it is a separate note put in a passport.
The government of Tajikistan requires visitors who remain in country for more than 90 days to present a medical certificate showing that they are HIV-free, or to submit to an HIV test in Tajikistan.
HIV is a growing health threat in Tajikistan.
Visit the Embassy of Tajikistan web site at http://www.tjus.org for the most current visa information.
Note: Departure options from Tajikistan may be limited in an emergency.
U.S. citizens, their family members, and their dependents can maximize departure options by obtaining extended visas for travel to countries with reliable connections to Tajikistan, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.
Other destinations, notably Turkey, offer several flights a week and do not require American citizens to obtain visas in advance.
Please note, however, that in emergency situations, flights may be suspended.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.
Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), al-Qaida, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement remain active in Central Asia, as do anti-Western, anti-Semitic extremist organizations such as Hizb’ut-Tahrir.
These groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and may attempt to target U.S. Government or private interests in the region, including in Tajikistan.
Terrorist attacks involving the use of suicide bombers have previously taken place in neighboring Uzbekistan.
Taliban resurgence and successful operations in Afghanistan, including attacks in the north, could also affect the security situation in southern Tajikistan.
Minor explosions have occasionally occurred in Dushanbe in the last two years.
These explosions usually happen at night.
In June 2007, an individual threw a grenade at the Supreme Court building.
Witnesses and unofficial reports indicate that three guards were killed, although no official reports confirmed this.
In November 2007, a small explosive killed an individual outside the Kokhi Vahhdat conference center in the center of Dushanbe.
In both cases, no individual or organization claimed responsibility and authorities continue to investigate.
Also in November 2007, a small improvised explosive device destroyed the official car belonging to the Commander of the President’s National Guard.
Incursions along the Afghan border have resulted in shootings and kidnappings; however, most are believed to be related to narcotics trafficking.
None of these incidents have indicated the targeting of Americans or Westerners.
Criminal groups and terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets.
Because of increased security at official U.S. facilities, terrorists are seeking softer civilian targets such as residential areas, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, hotels, outdoor recreation events, and other venues.
The limited number of facilities catering to Westerners presents a heightened risk.
American travelers should also avoid demonstrations and large crowds.
Demonstrations and mobs are rare in Tajikistan following the 1992-1997 civil war, and police reaction to such behavior is unpredictable.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs' web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
The current crime rating for Dushanbe is high.
The primary concern is the inability of Tajikistan’s law enforcement entities to provide adequate and immediate assistance.
Lack of manpower, low salaries, and inadequate training all contribute to a lack of professionalism.
Tajikistan’s struggling economy and high unemployment have resulted in incidents of street crime, including pick pocketings, muggings and armed robberies.
Alcohol-related incidents such as bar fights and drunk driving are common.
Criminals are not deterred by the risk of confrontation and tend to operate in groups of two or more to decrease their chances of arrest.
When crimes do occur, they can be violent in nature.
Additionally, the lack of a free media, and the infrequent public outreach between the government and the public through the media, does not provide the average citizen current and accurate information to make informed decisions about safety.
Government statistics are typically inaccurate because many crimes are not reported to law enforcement organizations.
Often police refuse to open minor or routine cases that seem too difficult to resolve.
In 2007, the Ministry of Interior reported a number of arrests related to organized crime, although overall reported crimes saw a slight decrease.
The Ministry also reported a slight increase in firearm and drug-related offenses compared to previous years.
Crimes of opportunity can occur against anyone, and the Embassy reminds visitors to be careful and cautious in their own personal security, whether within the city limits of Dushanbe or in the more remote areas of the country.
Americans should be aware that danger increases after dark, and they are advised to use caution when traveling alone or on foot after dark.
The U.S. Embassy encourages visitors to travel in pairs and to notify colleagues of their whereabouts when not working, especially during evening hours.
Travelers are also encouraged to carry a copy of their passport (separate from their wallets) to speed up issuance of a new passport in case of theft.
Transactions involving such products are illegal under local law.
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Tajikistan is: 01 - Fire, 02 - Police, 03 - Ambulance
The quality of Tajikistan’s medical infrastructure is significantly below Western standards, with severe shortages of basic medical supplies, including disposable needles, anesthetics, and antibiotics.
Many trained medical personnel left the country during and following the civil war.
Elderly travelers and those with pre-existing health problems may be at particular risk due to inadequate medical facilities.
Significant disease outbreaks are possible due to population shifts and a decline in some immunization coverage among the general population.
There have been outbreaks of typhoid in the Dushanbe area and in the south, and the risk of contracting malaria, cholera, and water-borne illnesses is high.
Throughout Central Asia, rates of infection of various forms of hepatitis and tuberculosis (including drug-resistant strains) are on the rise.
Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Tajikistan.
For further information, please consult the CDC’s Travel Notice on tuberculosis at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-TB.aspx.
It is advised to drink only bottled or thoroughly boiled water while in Tajikistan.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Tajikistan.
However, the government of Tajikistan does require visitors who remain in country for more than 90 days to present a medical certificate showing that they are HIV-free, or to submit to an HIV test in Tajikistan.
The information below concerning Tajikistan is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Travel to, from, and within Tajikistan is difficult and unreliable.
Neighboring countries may unilaterally close borders and some borders are poorly delineated.
Armed police or military checkpoints can make road travel outside of Dushanbe more difficult.
Crossing the Tajik-Uzbek border, in particular, has been known to present difficulties for drivers operating vehicles with non-Tajik government-issued plates.
Road travel should be undertaken only in daylight hours and on routes known to the traveler or a reliable escort.
Those traveling to Gorno-Badakhshan by car should do so only during daylight hours.
The roads traverse mountainous terrain along the Afghan border that is difficult to navigate, even in daylight hours.
Public transportation vehicles in the city are often overcrowded and not always safe.
If you are driving, be vigilant because pedestrians often tend to cross the street at inappropriate places or walk along the highway without paying attention to vehicular traffic.
Bus services between major cities have been severely disrupted by border closures and should not be relied upon.
The State Traffic Inspectorate (GAI, or in Tajiki, BDA), which has checkpoints in many cities and at regular intervals along all highways outside the city, frequently stops vehicles for inspection of the vehicle and the driver’s documents.
During the winter months, the potential dangers when traveling outside of Dushanbe in the mountainous areas of the country are heightened.
Every year, accidents and casualties occur on Tajikistan’s mountain roads and passes, often when drivers ignore warnings not to travel over a closed mountain pass.
Avalanches are a common occurrence in Tajikistan’s mountains during the winter months.
The tunnel bypassing the Anzob Pass is still not complete and travel via this construction project is not advised in any season.
Please exercise caution and limit winter travel to Tajikistan’s mountain regions.
In certain parts of the country, including in the Vakhsh and Rasht valleys and along the Afghan-Tajik border, land mines and cluster munitions form an additional hazard.
If an area has land mine warning signs, or is marked off with red and white plastic tape, heed the warning and do not venture off the road.
In all cases, do not pick up or handle anything that looks like unexploded munitions.
Emergency phone numbers in Tajikistan:
police – 02, ambulance – 03, state traffic control (GAI) duty officer – 235-45-45.
As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Tajikistan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the Government of Tajikistan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s internet website at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Tajikistan has a cash-only economy.
International banking services are limited, but ATM machines have been installed in several locations.
Cash is dispensed in both U.S. and local currency.
Few establishments in the country accept credit cards and none accepts traveler's checks.
Tajikistan's national currency is the Somoni, which is convertible.
Tajik customs authorities may subject all items that are imported into or exported from Tajikistan to a high level of scrutiny.
The Government of Tajikistan may enforce strict customs regulations against those who import and export goods.
The export of antiques and cultural valuables requires special permission.
There are also currency restrictions.
Travelers must fill out a Customs Declaration Form upon arrival in Tajikistan, have it stamped by Tajik customs officials at the port of entry and retain the form until departure to demonstrate that the travelers are not leaving Tajikistan with more money than they brought into the country.
Please contact the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan in the United States, 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20037; telephone (202) 223-6090, fax:
(202) 223-6091, e-mail: tajikistan@verizon.net, web site: http://www.tjus.org for specific information about customs requirements.
The Republic of Tajikistan does not recognize dual citizenship with most countries, including the United States (one exception is with Russia, where dual citizenship is regulated by a special interstate agreement).
Dual nationals who attempt to leave Tajikistan on U.S. passports without valid Tajik visas in them are likely to have problems with immigration authorities upon departing Tajikistan.
Travelers to Tajikistan are subject to frequent document inspections by local police.
U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to carry copies of their U.S. passports, Tajik visas, and visa registration at all times (including while traveling within Tajikistan) so that, if questioned by local officials, proof of identity,
U.S. citizenship, and valid visa status in Tajikistan are readily available.
Always check your visa and registration validity dates so that these documents can be renewed if necessary before they expire.
Taking photographs of anything that could be perceived as being of military or security interest, including many government buildings, may result in problems with the authorities.
In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and certain bilateral agreements, local authorities must grant a U.S. consular officer access to any U.S. citizen who is arrested.
U.S. citizens who are arrested or detained should ask to contact the U.S. Embassy immediately.
Tajikistan is an earthquake-prone country.
General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/.
Persons violating Tajik laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Tajikistan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Americans living or traveling in Tajikistan are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Tajikistan.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 109A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Main Phone: 992-37-229-2000, Consular Direct Line: 992-37-229-23-00, consular e-mail dushanbeconsular@state.gov, embassy fax:
992-37-229-20-50, Duty Officer: 992-90-770-10-32, web site: http://dushanbe.usembassy.gov
This replaces the Country Specific Information for Tajikistan dated February 14, 2008, to update the sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Crime, Aviation Safety Oversight and Registration/Embassy Location.
Tajikistan fears for tourism after attack on bike touriststaji
Tourism Tajikistan - 12 months ago
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2018 06:19:37 +0200
By Akbar Borisov, with Christopher Rickleton in Almaty
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Aug 6, 2018 (AFP) - En route to mountainous Tajikistan's "roof of the world" lies a hastily-erected memorial to four bike tourists killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group late last month. Roses and tulips lie scattered at the tribute -- featuring a plaque inscribed in English -- in the foreground of a scrubby mountain landscape. "We express sincere condolences on behalf of all Tajik people and Tajikistan to the families and relatives of the died tourists in our country tragically and cruelly," the plaque reads.
It was here, approximately 100 kilometres south of Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe, that American tourists Lauren Geoghegan and Jay Austin, Dutch citizen Rene Wokke and Swiss citizen Markus Hummel were fatally wounded in an attack initially reported as a hit-and-run road accident. The attack comes as a deep blow to Tajikistan, which has been trying to promote the authoritarian country as a tourism hotspot, simplifying visa bureaucracy and even declaring 2018 "the year of tourism."
Police said the gang that attacked the group of seven tourists, injuring two others, had also stabbed their victims, while a video released via IS' official media channel indicated the attackers were inspired by the Islamist group. "It was a tragedy," 32-year-old account manager and biking enthusiast Pau Ros told AFP ahead of a seven-day cycle over Tajikistan's legendary Pamir Highway with girlfriend Mariona Miranda. "This happens around the world now. But we are not going to change our lives because that is what these bad people would want," said Ros, who is a native of Barcelona.
- IS-linked? -
Authorities have played down video evidence that appears to show five men -- four of whom they say were killed resisting arrest -- swearing an oath of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. On Friday Tajikistan's state prosecutor said the clip had been released "with the aim of deflecting suspicions from another terrorist organisation -- the Islamic Renaissance Party", a former opposition party banned by the government in 2015.
The IRPT has refuted links to the attack, as has Iran, a country that Tajikistan has poor ties with and says provided training to a 33-year-old man called Hussein Abdusamadov, who was detained for allegedly leading the attack on the cyclists. In a brief interview with AFP, the mother of Abdusamadov, who was shown sporting a black eye in his police photo, could not say if he had traveled to Iran but said he spoke Arabic and had worked in Russia, a migration destination for hundreds of thousands of Tajiks. "We do not know when he came back to (Tajikistan). The police just came to our door and told us he had committed a crime," Gulchekhra Shodmonova told AFP.
Analysts have pointed to a number of reasons to doubt the official narrative linking IRPT and Iran to the attack -- chiefly a downturn in Tajikistan's relations with Iran, an intensified crackdown on the opposition since 2015 and the IS video evidence. Mahmudjon Faizrahmon, a spokesman-in-exile for the party that has always described itself as peaceful opposition force said on Thursday that police brought his 62-year-old mother for questioning after he denied links between the party and the attack on Twitter. In addition to Abdusamadov, Tajikistan's prosecutor says 10 people have been detained under suspicion of financing the crime and failing to supply information to police before the attack took place.
- 'Simply Cycling' -
At the US embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, a simple bicycle donated by a local student provides a fitting flourish to a display honouring 29-year-old Geoghegan and Austin, whose blog Simplycycling.org was popular among other bike-the-world cyclists. The pair whose photo stood on a table at the heart of the display described themselves as enthusiasts who fell in love with cycling in adulthood but were not above "hitching a ride when a stretch of road is dangerous or just awful." It is uncertain how the attack from which only one tourist, a Frenchman, emerged unscathed, will affect one of the few sources of economic optimism in the poorest country to gain independence from the Soviet Union. Tajikistan announced plans to create a "tourist police" earlier this week, but provided few details. One representative of a Bed and Breakfast in Dushanbe told AFP that a Polish tourist who had planned on cycling the highway had flown home.
Armed attackers killed 4 tourists in Tajikistan
Disturbances Tajikistan - 12 months ago
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 30, 2018 (AFP) - Four foreign tourists were killed in Tajikistan on Sunday by armed attackers in what was originally reported as a hit-and-run road accident, the interior minister said Monday. "(The suspects) had knives and firearms," minister Ramazon Hamro Rahimzoda said of the attack that left tourists from the United States, Switzerland and the Netherlands dead and two others injured.
Four tourists die in Tajikistan hit-and-run incident
Accident Tajikistan - 12 months ago
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 29, 2018 (AFP) - Four tourists were killed and another three injured on a bike tour in southern Tajikistan on Sunday when a car hit them before fleeing the scene, authorities said. The seven cyclists included two Americans, two Dutch nationals and three other foreigners, the interior ministry told AFP without specifying the nationalities of those who died. However, the US embassy in Tajikistan said two of the fatalities were US citizens.
The hit-and-run accident took place in the district of Danghara, 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of the capital Dushanbe. "Three foreigners were killed at the scene and another died in hospital," the interior ministry said, adding that three other tourists had also received medical treatment.
Authorities in the Central Asian nation announced later Sunday one arrest and the deaths of two other suspects during a special operation launched to find those responsible for the deadly hit-and-run incident. "One person has been arrested, two others resisted arrest and have been killed," the interior ministry said, without giving further details about the suspects. Tajikistan is the poorest of the ex-Soviet republics and has been ruled by the iron hand of President Emomali Rakhmon since 1992.
Report on Measles epidemic in Tajikistan since April 2017
Disease Measles Tajikistan - 2 years ago
Date: Tue 7 Nov 2017
Source: UN OCHA, ReliefWeb, Int Fed of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) report [edited]
<https://reliefweb.int/report/tajikistan/tajikistan-measles-outbreak-dref-operation-n-mdrtj025-final-report>
Measles outbreak DREF [Disaster Relief Emergency Fund] Operation MDRTJ025 Final Report
A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
The measles epidemic in Tajikistan started in April 2017 in Rudaki district, and gradually spread to the capital city of Dushanbe and the surrounding districts, as well as Khatlon oblast. In mid-April 2017, 263 registered cases of measles were reported, out of which 157 were laboratory confirmed. By 1 May 2017, the number of notified and investigated cases rose from 263 to 345, with 246 patients (71 per cent) hospitalised. There were 2 child deaths registered over the course of the epidemic -- one in Khatlon oblast and one in the Districts of Republican Subordination).
The group most affected by the epidemic were children between 1 and 9 years of age. This also corresponded to the cohort born after the last national measles and rubella (MR) immunisation campaign conducted in 2009. Normally, the immunisation centre of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP) carries out immunisation on an annual basis for approx. 97 per cent of this cohort. The remaining 3 per cent -- including migrants, Roma and displaced people -- however, tends to remain non-immunised.
In response to the outbreak, the MoHSP decided to conduct a nationwide MR vaccination campaign targeting children aged 1-9 years, 15-26 May 2017, with the support of the Measles and Rubella Outbreak Response Initiative (MRI) Fund. The government of Tajikistan issued a decree on National Additional Immunisation Days in the country on 28 Apr 2017. The MoHSP issued an internal order on immunisation accordingly.
[The complete IFRC report is available at
<http://adore.ifrc.org/Download.aspx?FileId=175547>
Maps of Tajikistan can be seen at
<http://geology.com/world/tajikistan-satellite-image.shtml> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/141>. - ProMED Mod.LK]
Avalanches kill at least 7 in Tajikistan
Natural Disaster Tajikistan - 2 years ago
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 09:06:48 +0100
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Jan 30, 2017 (AFP) - Authorities in Tajikistan said Monday that at least seven people were killed in a series of avalanches that hit the mountainous Central Asian country over the weekend. Avalanches killed at least five people on a highway linking the capital Dushanbe with Khujand, Tajikistan's second largest city, the emergency services committee said.
Two more died in avalanches in the remote Pamir region in the country's east, the committee said. Authorities said a rescue operation was ongoing and the casualty toll could continue to rise. A spokesperson for the committee told AFP around 800 people had been evacuated Sunday following the avalanches. Mountainous and poverty-struck Tajikistan is prone to natural disasters including avalanches, landslides and earthquakes. In February 2015, a single avalanche claimed six lives in the east of the country.
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The Cinematographer's Process (Part 1): Breaking Down the Script
Most people know what the cinematographer does on a set. However, have you ever wondered what exactly cinematographers do during the pre-production process? What about what they do once the production has wrapped? Over the course of the next few months, No Film School will put out a series of articles that describe in detail the various steps that a cinematographer and his team must complete in order to take a project from a script to a finely tuned finished product. Today's post: taking a script and breaking it down for technical, subtextual, and character concerns.
Earlier this month I was hired to DP a short science fiction film called Pater (latin for "father"). Since the film provides a number of unique cinematographic and special effects challenges (especially considering the minuscule budget,) it seemed prudent to write about the process from start to finish. Hopefully we'll be able to demystify the many facets of cinematography pre and post production, and by the end, have a distinct and in-depth definition of the cinematographer's process.
So what is Pater about? In short, it's the story of two extraterrestrial beings, the Progenitor, who is wise and stoic, yet rapidly aging, and Janus, who is toeing the line between childhood and adulthood. Together they are searching desperately for an advanced civilization that has not engineered its own demise.
Planet after planet, and disappointment after disappointment, the pair are now locked onto a signal coming from a mysterious tan planet. They land, and search the desolate city from which the signal is coming, only to have their worst fears realized. They were too late. With the Progenitor's health failing rapidly, the pair receive a transmission from one final planet, and they know that it is their last hope.
Script Breakdowns? For Cinematographers?
Script breakdowns are a fact of life for UPMs, various folks in the art department, actors looking for character arcs and beats etc. However, script breakdowns aren't often considered part of the traditional cinematography pre-production process. They should be.
Shane Hurlbut once said something along the lines of, "If you make every choice as a cinematographer based on the emotions of your characters, you will hit a home run every single time. Everything about cinematography is emotion." Hurlbut is 100% correct in this statement, but achieving cinematographic emotion isn't as simple as pointing the camera in the direction of a great performance. It takes an intimate knowledge of the characters and the overall subtext of the film. The only way to achieve this, of course, comes from spending a little bit of quality alone time with the script.
This is where the script breakdown comes into play. It doesn't have to be anything like a traditional script breakdown, where you mull through scenes and categorize every little detail. No, your cinematographic breakdowns can be anything you want -- a word document, notes in a script margin, a pile of sticky notes -- literally anything, as long as it can be filed into a production notebook for future reference. I do, however, recommend keeping your script breakdown as organized as possible so that it is accessible to other members of the visual team.
With all of that said, let's finally get into the process of how to break down a script as a cinematographer. However, before getting into the nitty gritty of how to determine the emotionality of your script, let's talk about the very first thing that you should do upon reading a script.
The Technical Breakdown
The technical breakdown is just what it sounds like. It's a process in which you scan the script for technical issues and viability based on the budget of the film. Scan through the script, line by line, and look for instances of actions or entire scenes that may be difficult to achieve in a technical sense. Do you have extended scenes that need to be shot on location, or at night? Do you have extensive practical or digital effects shots? Do you need to rig a camera to the side of a blimp (for some reason?) Whatever it is, if it's going to be technically challenging for the electric, grip, camera, or any other department, write it down and point it out.
Getting these various concerns into the minds of the appropriate people as soon as possible is an absolutely crucial step. As the DP, you are expected to be prepared, and to help the production prepare, for the various technical challenges that a film faces. And the earlier that you start looking for and pointing out said technical challenges to the production team, the better off the production is going to be. Additionally, you'll want to make sure the technical problems and solutions that you come across are ones with which you are familiar. If not, it's time to start doing some research.
The script of Pater has numerous technical challenges beyond the daunting task that we've laid at the feet of our art department. First and foremost, digital effects and compositing will play a large role in the post-production of the film. Because I'm relatively inexperienced with digital VFX (it's important to know your weaknesses,) my technical breakdown of the script includes notes on shots that will definitely require extensive green screen work, or for plates to be shot in post. Through meeting with the VFX supervisor and discussing how to achieve our effects shots this early in the process, we are setting ourselves up for success.
This leads us to the next, and arguably the most important step of the cinematographer's process: analyzing the script for subtext.
Subtext Analysis
Finding the subtext of a script is a very personal process, and no two people will do it the same way. Personally, I use what I call the "Three Pass" method, in which I read through the script three separate times, taking a different approach each time. The first pass is about working in broad strokes. I read through the script from cover to cover without making any notes until the end, at which point I jot down the overarching subtextual themes that are prevalent throughout the script.
In the second pass, I go through and find individual instances (certain lines, actions, etc) that support the original analysis from the first pass. This pass is essential because it forces you to find important subtextual moments in the script, moments which you will certainly want to highlight through your cinematographic choices later on in the process. The third and final pass is sort of a clean-up pass, in which I try to find other, more concealed subtextual content that might not be essential to the plot. Of course, whatever you find throughout the process of searching the script should be discussed with the director so as to avoid conflicts of interpretation.
The subtext of Pater is twofold. First and foremost, Pater is a cautionary tale for humans. As we see the desolation of a similarly advanced civilization, and with the knowledge that countless other advanced civilizations have destroyed themselves, we humans should be asking ourselves if our planet will meet the same fate, and more importantly, if there's anything we can do to stop it.
Secondly, Pater is a film about parent/child relationships, and the responsibilities that parents have to teach their children how to survive in their absence. However, this subtextual thread takes on additional weight as these two characters might just be the last two living beings in the entirety of the universe. Add to that the fact that the Progenitor is on the verge of death, and you have a situation in which the stakes for the teaching/learning aspect of the pair's relationship couldn't possibly be higher.
Character Breakdowns
In Shane Hurlbut's statement about how to achieve cinematographic emotion, he said that the choices you make with your camera and lighting need to be based on the emotions of the characters. In order to do this, it is essential to have an immaculate understanding of what each character is feeling and thinking at any given moment in the script.
Again, the process for determining this is a personal one. You can go through the script, line by line, and jot down notes about each character as you go. Every time that character speaks or completes an action, you should be asking yourself what their motivation is, what they're trying to accomplish, and what emotional state they're in. Using as much detail as you can will ensure that your understanding of the script's emotionality is as high as it can be.
In addition to picking apart the script line by line, you should also be considering the character's arcs as a whole. Where does this character start in the script? More importantly, where do they end up, and what was the series of events that got them there? Having a clear understanding of your character arcs as a whole will help tremendously in the process of helping to tell that story in a way that is visual and meaningful.
Cinematographers are responsible for conveying emotion and meaning through the images that they create. This might be one of the most challenging, yet artful tasks known to man, as it takes a tremendous understanding of emotion and technical precision in order to be able to accomplish it properly. Through analyzing the script for technical concerns, subtextual themes, and character emotion, you are setting up yourself, and the work that you produce, to be successful.
If you found this article helpful, or just enjoyed it, please consider helping us make Pater. It's a film with tremendous potential, and we can't wait to share it with the world. Head on over to our Kickstarter page and share it with your peeps. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all of the latest updates.
What do you guys think? Should cinematographers break down the script in this much detail? What are your individual processes for cinematography script breakdowns? Let us know in the comments, and keep your eyes out for the next installments of the series about how to create successful camera and lighting strategies for your film!
Header Photo Courtesy of HowToFilmSchool
Pater: A Sci-Fi Thriller -- Kickstarter
Pater -- Facebook
Pater -- Twitter
preproduction
cinematographer'sprocess
scriptbreakdown
The Cinematographer's Process (Part 2): Defining Your Camera Strategy
How a Professional Cinematographer Breaks Down a Script
Always Ask Yourself These 12 Questions Before Lighting Any Scene
I don't mind our photo being used as the featured image for this article, but we would really appreciate a credit for it.
This is the original article this photo was taken from: http://howtofilmschool.com/script-breakdown/
October 15, 2013 at 10:33AM, Edited September 4, 11:21AM
Iggy138
Hey Iggy, I completely spaced on that one. I apologize. It's all fixed now. Also, your site is awesome!
Thanks! Love your article, BTW.
I'm working on a similar cinematography article for our website.
I'm shooting a very low budget horror short this weekend, and this info looks like it'll be great to take into consideration when I meet with the director & producer. good stuff
Christian Davis
I'm getting kind of tired of NoFilmSchool rehashing other articles and linking to them, or just putting up their own Kickstarters all of the time. Gonna start cutting back on the page if this continues as the trend.
October 15, 2013 at 12:45PM, Edited September 4, 11:21AM
you won't be missed pal, so long
This article is ENTIRELY original, guy. The HowToFilmSchool piece that I linked to has nothing to do with cinematography, and I linked to it for the purpose of crediting them for the header image. As for my briefly pitching a Kickstarter after 1700 words of quality educational material, deal with it.
October 15, 2013 at 1:46PM, Edited September 4, 11:21AM
Thanks for a great post, Robert. Don't worry about "zac," he won't be missed if he "start cutting back."
How is it that I had the entirely opposite reaction to this guy? I loved this article and I can't wait for more of them. As a novice cinematographer I have to say that I found this extremely helpful. I'm interested in seeing how involved in pre production other DP's are since I've been worried that I'm going overboard.
Thanks guys for this article.
Ryan, I understand you posting about your kickstarter and your journey as you are the founder and this is your site, and you've come a great long way. But you have to admit that there have been a huge number of authors posting their own Kickstarters, and it feels to me that they are using the site as a platform for themselves. But I wasn't specifically talking about THIS article when I mentioned that a lot of articles are rehashed of ones they link to. But that is a fact.
Orevoi x
Kraig
FEED ME THIS AMAZING INFORMATION
Good article, seriously.
Quick question: Isn't this also / predominantly the director's field? I mean, granted, lighting should be the DOPs job, but whilst directing I'd never think of letting framing, decision on lenses etc. be taken out of my hands all to quickly. Of course I am collaborative with my camera guys, have to be because there are these other folks who need attention, called actors, and of course prop department, costumes, make-up etc., but I've also met so and so much directors who really leave their DOPs scott-free on breaking down scenes. I think this is an ill premise for the director to not want to have a first say on these issues. It's a DOPs field, sure, don't get me wrong, but my experience as AD all too often was: "Nuh, let's let the DOP do the breakdown. He's good at that." Anyone here made the same experience and thought that was weird?
MattN.
Yeah, the DoP isn't an actor, and surely can't understand a lot of the subtext properly by himself. Discussion please?
Wohow, Tyler! Think I almost definitely hit a nerve there I didn't want to hit. I also think there is a bit of room between what I said and stating that DoPs are morons (duh!), what the MattN. in your head said. Frankly, DoPs are - socially and artisticly - probably the most reliable persons on set, as far as my experience went.I was trying to be critical about some (with capital letters) directors not taking what happens to be also their responsibility. After all I think a director's imprint on a movie should be seen in every aspect, including visuals. Anybody: Is it that easy to get me wrong at this?
October 16, 2013 at 4:07AM, Edited September 4, 11:21AM
Well I think that you're asking a couple of different questions here. Firstly, it is never the DP's job to formally break down the script. That job belongs to the UPM or assistant UPM, or maybe the 1st AD on smaller shoots.
In regards to the director making all of the lighting, framing, and lens choices, I agree that it should be a collaboration between the director and DP, and that the director has final say on creative decisions. I also realize that the DP's purpose is to help the director bring their vision to the screen, but I've always felt that the best directors are the ones who focus the bulk of their efforts not into micromanaging creative decisions on set, but into eliciting the best performances from their actors. If the director and DP have done adequate visual preproduction together, the DP should know exactly what the director wants and should be able to make the correct on-set decisions without the director looking over their shoulder.
That idea of working with all of the creative departments in preproduction, so as to get everyone on the same page creatively, is one that all directors should heed. Waiting to make creative decisions like costuming, production design, and makeup until you're on the set is a recipe for an incoherent and sloppy film.
This also depends on the director's background. If you have a Barry Sonnenfeld, you're going to have to live with him pulling double duty as a DP as well. Someone with an acting or writing experience, however, will likely defer to the DP a lot more on lighting, cameras, lenses and so on.
I take it, you got the impression of me thinking the director's work was a thing happening in the last minute. As I figure and have experienced with good directors I worked with, they go on location weeks before shooting and nail the look of a scene with the DoP. Yet, planning beforehand is crucial to working with every department, not just camera. You also don't decide on MakeUp, Costumes, Props etc. on set, you're having conversations with every department in the production office and a good production also has at least one or two table reads with all the important cast. Preparation pervades all the work done on set. I was just saying that the director should take all his responsibilities on the final product and that is not only on set but in pre-production, too. And Ron Howard once said: "On film you a lot of times are working with people who are much more intelligent than you are. So listen to them." Creative input by a DoP who has deep insight into the story an plot is a most valuable thing. But who here argued that?
Depends. Ridley Scott got amazing performances for the first Alien by getting actors who can act and micromanaging them very little, instead staying behind the camera for the most part. He is basically the DP in that film.
mikko löppönen
The more detail a DP can put int breakdowns the better, so I'd suggest that this article does tap into what's needed in prep. The DP needs to understand and master the subtext in a script because that impacts the emotion captured through lenses and lighting, its a must. To say anything other is simply not understanding the role of a DP and limiting their infinite magic. Good job Robert.
shaun wilson
It's fun reading about process. Thanks!
Micah Van Hove
director, producer, dp
Hey fellas, a little change in the flow of conversation here: It's cool to hear that y'all are working on a feature in Denver. Having a background in film school in New York, I'm looking to find a different city to move to in the future. Looking for a more eco-friendly place than NY. I'd love to know a little more about the state of the industry in Denver. What other types of jobs do you have? How many features are shooting in or around Denver throughout the year? Any other information you can share would be totally appreciated!
Hey Jake, thanks for the question!
Unfortunately, Denver is not the place to be if you really want to work on features. There is a growing film industry, and there were several independent features shot here over the summer, but in terms of being able to make a consistent living with narrative film work, Denver isn't the place to be. The tax incentives just aren't there, and major productions tend to avoid Colorado because they can find cheaper places to shoot.
With all of that said, Denver is a thriving cultural center for all kinds of arts, and I absolutely love it here. There is plentiful production work if you're willing to work in corporate video or reality TV. And it's getting better in terms of narrative production, but we're not there yet. I'd say Atlanta is the place to be right now if you want to avoid New York and Los Angeles. Maybe Austin or Seattle otherwise. Or maybe even Vancouver.
Thanks for treating the position of cinematographer with a lot of respect, it's been declining of late IMO. Regarding the question of director vs DP control or choice of visual elements, as a DP I believe it's absolutely imperative you bring everything to the table - blocking, composition, lenses, lighting - and then be ready to kill your babies. Every director is different and so is every actor. But the last thing you want to do is stand there saying "I don't know... what do you think?" As the visual author of a piece (or at least the one responsible for executing it) there should be very few moments when you don't have an idea for the next shot or scene.
The article's remarks on finding subtext and character are especially telling - so important to know what is in the character's head at a given moment, and what the lesson/comment being made is, in a larger metaphorical sense. Not every piece will have such subtleties but as a DP you can try to put them in visually and elevate the project as a whole.
Best of luck with 'Pater' and thanks for a very informative site.
I do not agree on "understanding the subtext and conveying emotion through cinematography".
Subtext, Emotion and Characterization are the job of a Director. If cinematographer derives everything from script then his visualization and director's visualization will differ, which will result into conflict with each other.
Cinematographer's job is simply to understand script, the space, time/era of story and discuss the visual design of the film with the director. Choose the camera and accessories and light up the shots such that they convey the "mood" and the "feel" of the scene and not emotion. Operate the camera on set and in the post. color correct the visuals with director and colorist.
November 2, 2013 at 3:00PM, Edited September 4, 11:21AM
that's it!!!
While understanding of the script and filmmaking process is important for every head of the department, same goes with cinematographer.
) that contains lycopene, one of the most powerful antioxidants that can fight
against cell damage. Now click the "Draw" button located in the small icons
at the top. That means that you do not own the beats and you need to buy exclusive rights if you
want to own.
June 2, 2014 at 12:14AM, Edited September 4, 11:56AM
make a beat
Well, I am against this practice. Who is cinematographer to decide the visual design of the film? It is for the director to decide. I can't agree with these people who say, "Leave lighting, shot division, composition, colors and everything visual to the cinematographer and direct actors". Directing actors is not just director's goal in cinema. Then why is he in cinema ? He can direct actors in a drama also ! When I think of my movie, I want it to be made like how I envisioned it in my mind. I will make the shot division, compose frames, decide the mood of lighting, and how it should be cut and colored in post. That's how I want it. I need a cinematographer only for technical execution of things.
August 6, 2016 at 8:52AM
Ekachith Vaish
Short Film Maker
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Speakers &
Bolkhovitinova
Isella
Jaffart
Markusic
Muranovic
Pustovyi
Scarlott
Stelmakh-Drescher
Zabiyaka
Karl Baker
President and Founder of Summit Space Corporation
Karl Baker leads technical finance diligence for multi-billion-dollar commercial space projects. As a commercial satellite expert he works directly for the world’s largest investment banks on the world’s largest commercial space programs.
In the past Karl led technical teams that successfully resolved many of the industry's most difficult spacecraft anomalies. He also established a successful record leading teams providing technical expert support for major space related litigation/arbitration cases.
Karl helped develop and built, as program manager, many early commercial satellite deployable radiators. He has three energy conversion related patents and was NASA Inventor of the year in 1992.
Anastasiya Bolkhovitinova
Legal Director in DLA Piper's Kyiv office
Anastasiya has over 15 years' experience advising on a variety of legal matters, including significant industry experience in the aerospace, technology, IT, telecommunications and defense sectors. She has advised clients such as Taqnia, Globalstar, Singapore Technologies, Ring, Dialog Semiconductor, FireEye on various corporate, regulatory, employment and other matters.
Anastasiya graduated from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and obtained an MA (Law) degree with honors. She also holds a PhD in law.
She acted as a Co-Chair of the Aerospace & Technology Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine in 2016 and has authored a number of publications related to aerospace and defense in Ukraine.
Jeff Campbell
Director, Contracts, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc.
Jeff Campbell has over 30 years of contracts experience starting at E-Systems and for the past 28 years at Orbital Sciences Corporation/Orbital ATK/Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.
Jeff has been working in Ukraine with Yuzhnoye, Yuzhmash, SSAU and STCU for the past 15 years on Antares Launch Vehicle program. Negotiated and managed launch service and other contracts with NASA, USAF, Brazil, Taiwan, Kingdom of Spain, Japan and Italy.
Arthur M. Dula
Space Lawyer, Patent Attorney, Chairman and Founder of the private spaceflight company, Excalibur Almaz
Art Dula's law practice focuses on aerospace and intellectual property law, technology licensing, business start-up and development, patents, contracts, corporations, securities, copyrights and trademarks. Patent Attorney, Law Office of Art Dula, is licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Texas State and Federal Courts.
Since 1980, Art has co-founded several aerospace companies. The most significant of them, Excalibur Almaz Limited, owns several Almaz Space System space capsules and space stations.
Art is a literary executor for the major science fiction writer, Robert A. Heinlein. He also serves as Trustee of the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust.
Holding a BS (chemistry/mathematics) and a Juris Doctor (civil law), Art is also an Academician of International Academy of Astronautics, a Fellow in British Interplanetary Society, and an Associate Fellow in American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
In recognition of Art Dula’s significant contribution to space industry development one of the minor planets is named "44455 Artdula".
Shea Ferring
VP of Mission Assurance and Mission Management
Shea has more than 25 years of experience in design, integration, test, and leadership of space systems. Shea is an expert in Launch Vehicle design, qualification, integration, test and flight and holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Arizona State University. Shea’s career is full of examples of mission success and mentoring his future replacement, consistently allowing him to go onto the next adventure. Throughout his career, Shea has held numerous engineering and leadership positions at multiple companies working on over 50 missions and vehicles such as ASUSat1, Iridium, Atlas V, SBIRS Low, Delta IV, Mars Exploration Rovers, SIRTF, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Antares, HTV, Patriot Target Vehicle, Taurus IIE/RD0124, Iridium NEXT, Dnepr, DSCOVR, Falcon 9, Skybox (PSLV/Vega/Minotaur), ORS-5 and OmegA to list a few.
Shea’s leadership, multi-discipline engineering expertise and passion allow him to deliver impactful strategic guidance and mentoring to the Firefly team, including strategy, planning, vehicle engineering and test rigor, proposal leadership, business development, mission management, and operations.
John Isella
Business Development Director Firefly Aerospace
The person who knows both sides: current Director of International Business Development, Firefly Aerospace and prior business development representative for the Yuzhnoye Design Office in the United States. Authored NASA certification plans and requirements. Was the one among the NASA experts who made audit for Space X.
Laurent Jaffart
Vice President - Head of Constellations and Future Solutions, Sales & Marketing - Space Systems, Airbus Defence and Space
Laurent is currently working in the Sales and Marketing organization of Airbus Defence and Space taking care of constellations and future solutions with a focus on Space Systems. Laurent leads a trans-national team based in France, Germany and in the UK. The aim of his organization is to bring constellation solutions and innovation on the market, including financing and business model innovation or product innovation.
Since 2015 and while becoming Vice President Head of Constellations and Future Solutions in the sales and marketing organization, he led the OneWeb bid for a constellation of 900 telecommunication satellites and the creation of the Joint Venture - Airbus OneWeb Satellites - to design and manufacture constellation satellites amongst other opportunities and most recently was appointed as Airbus Board Member for EarthNow a new venture delivering true real-time video of the Earth that is persistent through a large constellation and enhanced by machine intelligence.
Laurent Jaffart holds a Masters in National Resources Strategy from the National Defense University (2013), two Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the former ESC Reims (Reims Management School - France) and Dublin City University (2002) and a Bachelor of Sciences (Hons) in European Business and Technology from the University of Brighton in the UK (2000).
Tom Markusic
CEO Firefly Aerospace
Prior to co-founding Firefly, Tom served in a variety of technical and leadership roles in new-space companies: Vice President of Propulsion at Virgin Galactic, Senior Systems Engineer at Blue Origin, Director of the Texas Test Site and Principal Propulsion Engineer at SpaceX. Prior to his new-space work, Tom was a civil servant at NASA and the USAF, where he worked as research scientist and propulsion engineer. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University.
Lana Muranovic
Senior Associate with the law firm of BakerHostetler
Lana Muranovic counsels U.S. and foreign companies regarding a wide scope of international trade matters. She has extensive experience related to U.S. import and export controls, sanctions, and anti-bribery laws and regulations, and she regularly represents clients before various U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, State, Defense and Treasury, as well as before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS). In her practice, Lana has assisted clients across a myriad of industries with compliance, export jurisdiction and classification issues, licensing determinations, regulatory disclosures, the design and implementation of export and import compliance programs, and enforcement actions. Lana’s depth of knowledge, experience, and practical approach make her an effective advocate for clients seeking to navigate complex regulatory issues in an effective manner.
Yaroslav Pustovyi
Former astronaut with the National Space Agency of Ukraine
Dr. Yaroslav “Yarko" Pustovyi was trained by NASA and served as a Backup Payload Specialist for the STS-87 Space Shuttle Columbia mission in 1997. Since 2003, Yarko is actively involved in the commercial spaceflight industry through a variety of entrepreneurial, consulting, educational and other endeavors, including X-Prize entrant Canadian Arrow, Canadian Space Commerce Association, Nova Scotia based spaceport project Maritime Launch Services as well as Canadian space transportation developer SpaceHorizon.
Luca Rossettini
CEO and Founder of D-Orbit
Luca Rossettini is an expert at the Space Advisory Group of the European Commission, Board member of AIPAS (space SME industrial association) and Board member of Confindustria Florence.
In 2008, Rossettini co-founded Imaging and Research Technology Association, where he held the position of President until 2011.
He is an aerospace engineer with a Ph.D. in advanced space propulsion, awarded with honors by Politecnico di Milano. He holds a master in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability and a Certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship from Santa Clara University, California.
Kerry Scarlott
Partner with the law firm of BakerHostetler
Kerry Scarlott partner with the law firm of BakerHostetler, based in Washington, D.C., where he leads the firm’s International Trade practice group.
Kerry represents clients in foreign trade-related matters before a variety of U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, State, Defense and Treasury. His expertise spans the full panoply of U.S. export control and sanction laws and regulations, national security requirements related to foreign investment in the U.S., and U.S. and global anti-corruption regimes. Kerry has particularly deep experience representing both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations involved in space related activities.
Manny Shar
Head of Analytics at Bryce Space & Technology
Manny Shar leads consulting engagements for government and commercial clients. He has worked across the board on innovative projects from early stage investment to commercial model development in the satellite communications sector, having previously managed a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of assets and supporting cross-functional strategic business development activities.
Manny is actively involved with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), a non-governmental organization that supports the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. Manny also advises numerous space start-ups, providing strategic business and technical advice. He holds a master’s degree in space studies from the International Space University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Kent, Canterbury, England.
Olga Stelmakh-Drescher
Director of Business Development and International Affairs at the International Institute of Space Commerce
Dr. Olga Stelmakh-Drescher is the Member of the Global Council on Space Technologies of the World Economic Forum. She has an extensive background in space matters, having worked in the space sector for more than 15 years, including seven years of governmental and parliamentarian engagement. Academically, an alumna of Paris-11 Institute of Space and Telecommunication Law and International Space University, Dr. Stelmakh-Drescher holds a Doctorate in International Law specializing in Space Security, two Master of Laws (LLM) degrees, and two Master in Business Administration degrees. In 2013, she was honored with the IAF Emerging Space Leaders recognition award, in 2015 - with Secure World Foundation award and in 2017 - with Space Generation Leadership award.
Dr. Stelmakh-Drescher is a frequent speaker at many international space fora (US, Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific) and publishes extensively on space-related topics.
Yuriy Zabiyaka
Head of Legal @ Noosphere
With a practice spanning more than 15 years in the sphere of corporate law, Yuriy now concentrates on space industry and space law in particular. However Yuriy’s passions stem from his entrepreneurial endeavors to change current Ukrainian regulation of the space industry. Being impressed by NewSpace movement he has learned the best experience in the sphere and developed several propositions to be implemented in the existing legislation.
Lynn Zoenen
Global Affairs Manager at ispace, inc
Lynn Zoenen is in charge of Government Affairs in ispace, engaging with governments and other institutional stakeholders in the EU and other countries to discuss space policy and construct policies and a legal framework that promote the development of space resource activities and lunar exploration.
Before joining ispace Europe, Lynn contributed as an economic advisor to the strategic orientation of the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
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Merson predicts Newcastle v Wolves
Date: 6th December 2018 at 2:30pm
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has predicted that Newcastle will have to settle for a point when they welcome Wolves to St. James’ Park on Sunday.
The Magpies are coming into this Premier League clash on the back of a good away point in a 1-1 draw with Everton, while Wolves will be full of confidence after a famous 2-1 win over Chelsea at Molineux.
Merson has predicted that the points will be shared in a 2-2 draw on Sunday, and said that one thing he expects from the game is goals with both sides set to attack.
In his predictions for Sky Sports, he said: “This is a hard game to call. Newcastle were slaughtered at home by West Ham but then they go to Everton, who were very unlucky against Liverpool, and get a draw.
“It’s the same for Wolves. They could not win a game for toffee but then they go and get a great result after being a goal down to beat Chelsea. It’s so hard to predict and that’s why everybody loves the Premier League.
“I think this will be a very entertaining game. Newcastle must come out and try to win and Wolves play like that anyway, so I think there will be goals.”
A draw is the safe prediction here, with most people likely to believe the points will be shared at St. James’ Park on Sunday. Newcastle bounced back from a loss to West Ham with a good performance at Goodison Park on Wednesday, while Wolves launched a much more spectacular comeback with their win over Chelsea at Molineux. Considering the Magpies’ home advantage and solid defence, alongside Wolves’ top-quality midfield and all-action style, this looks like it could end up being an exciting clash, as predicted by Merson. However, Newcastle have been known to sit back this season, while Wolves’ struggles in front of goal are well-documented. Should those two traits emerge on Sunday then it may end up being a cagey, low-scoring encounter. It all depends on how the opposing managers decide to set up on the day, and we will just have to wait and see what they decide.
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Posts Tagged Michael Hanna
Michael Hanna in a Play with Heart
On December 23, 2017 / News
In Park Square Theatre’s production of DOT, Michael Hanna plays Adam, partner of Richard Beaird’s character, Donnie Shealy. This puts him squarely into the Shealy family dynamics as he accompanies Donnie to matriarch Dot’s home for their Christmas gathering. Not only must Adam and Donnie navigate their own relationship but also face Dot’s decline into Alzheimer’s disease.
Recently, Michael answered questions posed to him about being in DOT and a bit about himself, too:
1. What were your personal ideas as to how you’d approach your character in Dot before rehearsals, and how did they evolve in the rehearsal process?
I think there’s a beautiful fluidity to Adam; he’s very adaptable. He seems to roll with the punches, which is essential in the Shealy family. As rehearsal continued, I started to realize how interwoven he is into the family dynamic. And while he might not have the same amount of history as the siblings and Dot have, because of his love for Donnie, he has a tremendous amount at stake.
2. Often I will seek an interview with cast of plays before the rehearsal process begins. Some do not like to be interviewed until rehearsals have begun, but others do not mind. Your response was that interviewing for a show before rehearsals usually “hasn’t been terribly fruitful.” But in my experience as an interviewer, that actually has not been the case. How did your opinion from the actor’s side form as a result of what you’ve experienced throughout your career?
I think the reason I say that is because, for me, the way a character jumps off the page when you first read a play is only 25% of the equation of playing the character. I imagine the cast as the colors on a palette: if any of those colors are changed, while the shape of what you’re creating may remain the same, the hue of it will be drastically different. It’s when I get into the room and realize the other actors who I’ll be playing with that I realize how to approach the play. Some of my original instincts get thrown out or recycled into something new. For me, the Adam I’m playing is hopefully one that is based very much off of what Ricardo as Donnie is bringing to the table and informed by every other interaction.
L to R: Michael Hanna (Adam), Ricardo Beaird (Donnie), Maxwell Collyard (Fidel) and Yvette Garnier (Shelly)
(Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma)
3. Why do you want to play Adam?
He’s smart, expressive and charmingly flawed. It’s fun to play characters that can be both kind and cruel in a single page.
4. What will be the biggest challenge for you in this role?
This play has a huge heart! Playwright Colman Domingo has tapped into that quality of messy love that I think most families create. Finding ways to access the love of this play, of this character, while also realizing that this family rarely holds back with each other, is one of the bigger challenges. If the underlying love doesn’t come across, even when Adam might want to strangle one of the other characters, I think I’d be missing the mark. It’s a fine line to walk, though a fun one!
5. If you were not already in DOT, why would you choose to see it?
Because its about familial love, which I never get tired of exploring.
Because it talks about Alzheimer’s, a disease that is attached to an unhealthy stigma. We need to discuss this disease and all of the people it affects, both directly and indirectly.
Michael Hanna as Romeo, and Christian Bardin as Juliet
6. As an usher for student matinees, I’ve seen you play Romeo in Park Square’s Romeo & Juliet over and over again, but a real highlight is watching the actors then come out to talk to the students. What would you say to someone who wants to pursue acting as a career?
The beautiful thing about being an actor is that it pulls from your entire life. I don’t think it’s healthy to get too myopic about being a performer. Go out and develop other interests. Study how the world works with as little judgement as possible. Your regular and creative life will thank you.
Tickets and more information for DOT here
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Trump proposes ways to improve care for kidney disease and increase transplants
President Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order aimed at improving medical care for people with kidney disease.
President Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order aimed at improving medical care for people with kidney disease. The order calls on federal agencies to educate and treat people with early forms of kidney disease, to make kidney transplants easier to obtain, and to shift the financial incentives for clinics and physicians away from the current system, which relies heavily on dialysis. "The result will be more and faster transplants for those in need," Trump said. HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar II noted in a briefing Wednesday morning, "For 50 years, we have had basically a stagnant system of how we treat people with chronic kidney disease." Azar has made kidney disease a priority because his father was on dialysis for several years and eventually required a kidney transplant. The president's goal aims to lower costs by encouraging in-home dialysis and organ donation. Statistics show that some 37 million adults have chronic kidney disease. Tonya Saffer, the vice president for health policy at the National Kidney Foundation, praised the president's focus on kidney care. "We are very optimistic and excited that there is great attention at the presidential level," she said. "It's really been 4 decades since anybody has paid attention to this space in a very meaningful way."
New York Times (07/10/19) Abelson, Reed; Thomas, Katie
Article URL
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/health/trump-kidney-disease-transpla…
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Home Columns A Beginner’s Guide to Iced Earth
A Beginner’s Guide to Iced Earth
Forming in 1985, but not releasing their first album until 1990, Iced Earth is a Power / Thrash Metal band from Florida who have made a number of concept albums over the years, as well as albums based on history. Guitarist Jon Schaffer has been the only constant member in the band, which, amongst other things, has had five vocalists. Despite this, they have maintained a consistent sound which is a testament to the vision and leadership of Schaffer, and they continue to be a significant force in the world of Metal.
Like most bands of their era, Schaffer has stated that he is influenced by 70s bands like AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, however, his biggest influence in terms of metal is Iron Maiden, especially Steve Harris, who clearly is the driving force behind Maiden in the same way Schaffer is the undisputed leader of Iced Earth. His other big influence in terms of songwriting and creating atmosphere is Pink Floyd. Like most guitarists who started in the early to mid 80s, memories of Ace Frehley in KISS were also an inspiration.
The Albums:
Classics (the albums even a casual fan owns)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
Introducing a Jon Schaffer-penned storyline and part of a trilogy that was to be completed 10 years later, this album saw Iced Earth get heavier and more focused. Considered the high mark of their output with vocalist Matt Barlow, this album is absolutely the starting point for getting into Iced Earth.
The Glorious Burden (2004)
This was the first album Iced Earth recorded with Tim “Ripper” Owens. At the time, Matt Barlow was drifting away from the band. He did initially record vocals but they were not up to par. His backing vocals are still on the album and he has two writing credits. In time, Priest reunited with Rob Halford and Ripper joined Iced Earth. This album was a marked departure for the band in the sense that, instead of sci-fi themes, the band explored conflict through history. The centrepiece of the album was a second disc containing three songs that together told the story of the Battle of Gettysbury. Schaffer being an enthusiast of Civl War history, his passion for the subject resulted in an astonishing suite of music that lifted the band to a new level. Elsewhere songs about 9/11, the Red Baron and Attila the Hun were also high quality, making this a must-purchase disc.
Dystopia (2011)
The arrival of Stu Block on vocals after a second stint from Matt Barlow was made easier by the fact their first album together is so good. Some of the songs follow the theme of Something Wicked, and others simply explore the idea that its dystopian themes are not as far removed from reality as we may hope. As well as the usual batch of great heavy songs, the album included a ballad called ‘Anthem,’ which calls out in solidarity with disadvantaged and forgotten members of society.
Next Steps (One step below, but these albums still shine in the catalogue)
Horror Show (2001)
It seems Schaffer works best when he has a theme to warm to, and here the theme was classic horror movies. It’s a straight up Power Metal album that touches on classic characters like Dracula, Frankenstein and Jack the Ripper. It also includes an Iron Maiden cover, ‘Transylvania,’ an instrumental from the first Iron Maiden album. For some, this is the best Iced Earth album of all time, perhaps because it’s lighter on the Thrash elements, which is obviously good or bad depending on your tastes.
Controversial (The one fans disagree on)
Plagues of Babylon (2014)
This is the second album with Stu Block, and again half this album is based on the Something Wicked concept. This album continues in the same vein as Dystopia before it. While it is certainly not as good as Incorruptible (the one after), it was well received at the time, but for some fans has not weathered as well, with online ranking lists often pushing it closer to the bottom. However, it’s still a fine album and well worth checking out.
Buy this last (Not all bands have a ‘bad’ album, but this is the worst of them)
Tribute to the Gods (2002)
Covers albums can be a bit hit and miss, and Iced Earth certainly have the chops to churn out these songs that are nearly all from the 1970s. However, what kills this album ultimately is not the covers, which are competent and very much straight up perfect copies of the songs in question, as much as the fact that, out of 11 songs, only three artists are represented once. In other words, if this is a tribute to the band’s influences, it doesn’t have enough breadth and the overall impression is that they didn’t like enough bands to come up with 11 different bands to cover. When a noticeably heavier band pays tribute to their less heavy influences, you hope for a result like Metallica’s cover of ‘Breadfan,’ where the original song is beefed up and played with more energy. Here, you just get songs covered verbatim, and really nothing to hold the concept together.
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Overdrive Editor
ICED EARTH Release ‘Enter The Realm’ On Vinyl For The First Time
BLOODY TIMES Release New Album ‘On A Mission’ featuring Ross The Boss and Iced Earth Members
INTO ETERNITY new album ‘The Sirens’ on October 26
Overdrive Oz Issue #44: Metal United Down Under Edition Part 7
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Iced Earth To Return To Europe For Summer Festivals
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Polygamy, Poor Medical Hygiene Latest Trends in Islamized UK
By "Jimmy Bradshaw" 2008-02-05T04:00
British political scandals involving wives invariably revolve around politicians cheating but the latest controversy goes way beyond a middle-aged MP having an affair with his secretary.
New guidelines on income support welfare benefits from the U.K's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have de facto recognized polygamy.
The guidelines state: "Where there is a valid polygamous marriage the claimant and one spouse will be paid the couple rate ... The amount payable for each additional spouse is presently £33.65."
Each additional spouse? In those three words, the British state adapts itself to a practice which, while by no means limited to Islam, either historically or contemporarily, is widely associated with countries where sharia or Islamic influenced law operate.
The families who benefit from the British state's indulgence of an illegal practice are not, the reports say, creating their multi-wife units in the UK but are 'importing' their spouses from abroad. Nonetheless, many will wonder why it is so difficult for British authorities to simply state - "Sorry, in this country, you can only have one wife" and how bureaucrats in London managed to pen a phrase such as "valid polygamous marriage" without stopping to wonder what sort of precedent they were setting?
"UK legally recognises Islamic harems" declares Arabianbusiness.com putting its own twist on the story which London's Daily Telegraph (like the conservative Daily Mail instead chose to use as a predictable scare story about the millions it may cost the taxpayer in welfare benefits.)
The papers cite government sources as admitting, there are now probably around 1,000 polygamous families in the UK and so the Tory press do the maths and get their benefits scare story but the real scare here is how, yet again, the British state is making exceptions for religious practices and how unwilling the authorities are to challenge reactionary practices within immigrant communities.
Because, headline-grabbing as polygamy is, it is by no means the most offensive import into British multiculturalism.
The Sunday Times reports on one particular horrific case of abuse and exploitation of a teenage girl from Pakistan, taking the story from a new report by the Centre for Social Cohesion entitled 'Crimes of the Community.'
The report looks at forced marriages and the issue of so-called 'honor killings' and concludes that Britain is no longer suffering from first generation immigrants failing to update and modify their behavior warning that the problems are now "indigenous and self-perpetuating" and carried out by third and fourth-generation immigrants.
Tackling such crimes inside tightly-knit Muslim communities in the U.K will be a complex task for the police and one that would be helped by the clear and unequivocal opposition to barbaric behavior from community leaders. The message should be clear -- when it comes to abuse, to rape, to kidnapping and to murder there are no exceptions to our laws and religion and culture offer no get-out clause. That shouldn't really need to be said but the problem is that throughout the U.K exceptions are made for religion and Muslims are constantly demanding exceptions be made for them.
The Telegraph reports on the latest case:
"Muslim medical students are refusing to obey hygiene rules brought in to stop the spread of deadly superbugs, because they say it is against their religion.
Women training in several hospitals in England have raised objections to removing their arm coverings in theatre and to rolling up their sleeves when washing their hands, because it is regarded as immodest in Islam."
Thankfully, the response of the medical professionals quoted by the paper shows rather more backbone than that of the validators of polygamy.
Dr. Mark Enright, professor of microbiology at Imperial College London, said: "To wash your hands properly, and reduce the risks of MRSA and C.difficile, you have to be able to wash the whole area around the wrist.
"I don't think it would be right to make an exemption for people on any grounds. The policy of bare below the elbows has to be applied universally."
No exemptions and universality -- two concepts that if even just spoken of a little more would go a long way to changing the mood among those who are afraid of creeping communalism and worry about the willingness of the authorities to give ground to Islam and other religions.
The Mo-toons debate appeared to have brought this debate to a head but it clearly didn't. The domination of the argument by, on the one side, left-wing multiculturalists who remain reluctant to offend an 'oppressed minority' and will accommodate and make exceptions, and the other side, the right-wing conspiracy theory, known as 'Eurabia', which claims that Europe has been 'invaded' as part of a Muslim plot to impose Sharia law and force non-Muslim Europeans into a servile state of dhimmitude, has done little to lead public opinion towards a sane response.
There has however been a critique in the U.K of the kind of multicultural politics which stresses differences over universalism, which involves diluting secularism to appease religious zealots and which practices a cultural relativism that justifies or at least minimizes sexism, racism and homophobia and apologia for terrorism. It is an argument that, in a British context, needs to come from the center-left, needs to be clearly separated from those on the right who enjoy to whip up hysteria about the welfare state and immigration and also those on the left whose cravenness gives credibility to the hackneyed cry about 'political correctness'.
In the latter years of Tony Blair's administration there was a momentum building on the center-left behind a pro-universalist position but it remains to be seen whether Gordon Brown's government is capable of carrying that forward and making it clear that neither polygamy nor putting patients at risk on the basis of 'modesty' , let alone 'honor killings' will be acceptable in Britain.
"Jimmy Bradshaw" is the pseudonym of a popular British Social Democrat.
https://pjmedia.com/blog/polygamy_and_poor_medical_hygi/
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Could Indiana Become a Blue State?
By Ari J. Kaufman 2007-09-29T05:00
When explaining why I relocated from Los Angeles to Indianapolis roughly 18 months ago, I'd be lying if I did not admit that a major factor was the socio-political outlooks of the two locales. However, my capricious choice to live in the Hoosier State's largest city, in a trendy apartment building in downtown's theatre district, left me with neighbors very similar to those I left in Southern California. And this was the heartland?
About a year and a half later, the 2006 midterm elections saw three "red" congressional seats go blue in Indiana, despite President Bush making a late visit to one of the hotly-contested districts in the southern part of the state.
And though the three Democrats were clearly of the moderate, "Blue Dog" style, thus having little say in Madame Pelosi's House, folks in my building rejoiced when the results were tallied, as did the newspapers, the local networks, and of course, the ubiquitous "social justice" rag. This was not the Indiana I had anticipated.
The state is now basically split congressionally, with my small municipal area controlled by a far left member of the Black Congressional Caucus. Meanwhile, the local reform synagogue I originally attended is run by a cantankerous rabbi who fears Evangelical Zionists more than radical Islamists, lauds the Union for Reform Judaism's regressive policies at every turn, and invited ACLU members, Eleanor Clift and writers from the socialist newspaper, The Forward, to recap the midterms over last holiday season. This needed further investigation, it seemed.
After driving around the smaller towns in the state, attending an Israel Bonds dinner, and interacting with folks who have military backgrounds (in a city that has the American Legion's National Office and more acreage and war memorials than any city except for the District of Columbia), I was assured that outside of the half-dozen Indiana cities of more than six figure populations, we're still a right-leaning place.
"Indiana's electoral votes haven't gone to a Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and there is no reason to think they will in 2008," Indiana Republican Party Executive Director Kevin Ober told me.
"We will have a strong Republican nominee running against either a polarizing or inexperienced nominee from the Democrats. Hoosier voters will be put off by the extreme rhetoric of the Democrats, and Indiana will remain firmly in the Republican column."
Conversations with these Hoosier voters during my travels --beginning just 15 or so miles outside of the capital city-- back Ober's statement up. But will it stand come Election Day? Will those "salt of the earth" types who own businesses and restaurants or who work the thousands of farms and coal mines vote for Barack Obama or Hillary? Or will those who work at the dozens of military Armories or the 207 VFW Posts in a state of just over six million residents step out en masse and keep the Hoosier State red?
"I would say that's a near-certainty. The state hasn't voted for a Democratic president since 1964--and before that, the state had voted for the GOP candidate all the way back to 1936," says Alan Dowd, Senior Fellow at the Indianapolis-based Sagamore Institute for Policy Research.
The consensus even among the seemingly growing left (made up of collegians, lawyers, doctors, and artisans) is that Indiana will remain a GOP stronghold due to the three Gs: Guns, God and Gays. Indeed many of my co-workers tell me their families, due to military ties, the church, or their opposition to abortion and gay marriage will always fill in the bubble next to the "R" candidate each time.
This would stand to reason. As the Indiana GOP Chair noted, the Democrats may be able to get away with liberal candidates in coastal states, but Indiana is neither Vermont nor Oregon, and it's not even Illinois---which went strongly for Kerry and might have "local" folks vote for Obama, who won his Senate seat 70-27 over Alan Keyes in 2004.
Still, while those in the know are confident, they're also chary.
Dan Burton, congressman from the reliably Republican 5th district just north of Indy, states: "I am confident that Indiana will remain a Red State in the upcoming elections, but we aren't taking any chances. Governor Daniels and all of our Republican candidates, me included, are working very hard to win in 2008."
And even Dowd showed caution, when he noted: "I don't think it will affect the presidential results in the state, but the state is certainly trending blue on the congressional side. We have gone from two GOP senators and 6 or 7 GOP representatives to 1 GOP senator and 4 GOP representatives."
But Dowd's bottom line is "I suppose Sen. Evan Bayh being on the ticket as a VP candidate could impact this, but if I were handicapping 2008, I would put Indiana in the GOP's column."
Three of the four lndiana Democratic politicians I contacted for this piece did not return e-mails or phone calls. I did get a cursory response from the Press Secretary for Congressman Brad Ellsworth of Indiana's 8th District; however, she declined to comment after probing me for more information on the "scope" of my article.
Her exact words were, "Congressman Ellsworth is focused on representing his constituents, the people of the 8th District. Not on politics."
End of conversation.
Distancing themselves from the media is perhaps telling though, considering at least one Indiana Democrat congressman received major financial support from moveon.org. As the Boston Globe's Jeff Jacoby recently noted, the left is rather reticent to distance themselves from the anti-military fringe of America when campaign funding is at stake.
It's doubtful the folks in Indiana, many of whom are veterans, will put up with that kind of nonsense, though. Surely a small percentage --like those who live near me and scoff at the 4th of July celebrations I enjoy in the War Memorial Plaza replete with country music and army displays from the American Legion--side with the left, but most will not tolerate such rhetoric.
Therefore, while Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois make the Upper Midwest look like a map of the Northwest, Indiana is not likely to even become the Ohio of 2008. Look for the Hoosier State to again be colored red quickly on Election Night.
Ari Kaufman currently resides in Indianapolis where he is a military historian for the State of Indiana's War Memorials and an Associate Fellow at the Sagamore Institute. A former Los Angeles schoolteacher, he is the author of %%AMAZON=0595445306 Reclamation: Saving our schools starts from within%%.
https://pjmedia.com/blog/this_is_the_heartland/
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The Origins of the International Order in Southeast Asia
An undergraduate course offered by the School of Culture History and Language.
Code ASIA3030
Offered by School of Culture History and Language
Course subject Asian Studies
Areas of interest Non Language Asian Studies, History, International Relations
Offered in See Future Offerings
The Origins of the International Order in Southeast Asia (ASIA3030)
This course will trace the emergence of the international order in Southeast Asia. It will examine the different types of polity that have been established in the region, and how they defined relations with their neighbours and with the more distant civilizations of China, India and the Muslim world. The course will examine the series of transformations in Southeast Asia's 'international' system which European colonial powers brought about, and will consider Southeast Asia's influence on the emergence of the global international relations system. Particular attention will be given to the dynamic of decolonization – to the transformation of political identities and the assumptions about state identity and international relations which shaped the present configuration of the region. The course will conclude with a consideration of the making of the post-colonial state system in Southeast Asia, including the creation of the ASEAN regional architecture and attempts to build a regional security community.
In assuming a historical perspective, the course will suggest ways in which the heritage of ideas about community – and relations between communities – continues to shadow 'international relations' in the region today.
This course will develop students' understanding of Southeast Asian nations' relations with their neighbours, broaden their understanding of the historical situation underlying the present day system and the contribution of decolonisation to current-day international relations. An understanding of the historical and cultural processes operating in the region is vital to the analysis of current developments, and therefore a valuable component in the training of specialists in security studies and international relations. The course will encourage the development of students' critical thinking, analytical skills and essay writing skills.
Course topics will include: People without states, states without borders; patterns of cultural transfer; the political/religious system of the 'empire' of Srivijaya; the 'tribute' system; Islamic models of international order; the European struggle for hegemony, and the place of Southeast Asia in international law; hegemony, 'native states' and the construction of modern colonialism; creating colonial states and the creation of ethnicity in the modern system; the Japanese alternative; claiming independence and the making of nation states; Cold-War alliances, the emergence of ASEAN and the modern international order of Southeast Asia.
Assessment for undergrad students is: a 3000 word research project due on date to be decided in consultations at first class (40%); course attendance and participation (15%); reflection papers (15%); and a final exam (30%).
The course will be taught in four intensive modules and will include a special research component.
Fri 22 Feb 5-7
Fri 1 Mar 5-8
Sat 2 Mar 10-1, 2-5
Fri 15 Mar 5-8
Sat 16 Mar 10-1, 2-5
Fri 19 Apr 5-8
Sat 20 Apr10-1, 2-5
Sat 27 Apr 10-1, 2-5
To enrol in this course you must have successfully completed 84 Units of courses.
9639 24 Jul 2017 31 Jul 2017 31 Aug 2017 27 Oct 2017 In Person N/A
10009 23 Jul 2018 30 Jul 2018 31 Aug 2018 26 Oct 2018 In Person N/A
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ANTH2026
Medicine, Healing and the Body
An undergraduate course offered by the School of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Code ANTH2026
Offered by School of Archaeology and Anthropology
Course subject Anthropology
Areas of interest Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, Medicine, Health
Medicine, Healing and the Body (ANTH2026)
The course provides an introduction to the field of medical anthropology. It includes the application of different forms of social and cultural analysis to the study of health, illness, and healing. Examples of medical systems and medical practices are drawn from a range of cultures. In the first part of the course the scope of medical anthropology will be covered and different approaches to the understanding of the body discussed, including the social and cultural construction of illness and illness categories, healers and their roles, the foundations of efficacy in healing, and the place of individual and social agency in health and illness. In the second half of the course health and human rights, pharmaceuticals and ethics of medical research and organ trafficking will be the centre of the discussion.
The course provides a critical understanding of health care systems and political economy of health, illness and healing with a specific focus on the context in which health inequalities are experienced, how they are historically constructed and why they are maintained in the current realities. We will use case studies from across the world to explore the historical, environmental, biosocial, political economic and socio-cultural factors that influence individual and collective therapy management, local healing practices, national health care, and medical research and health policies in their local, national and international context, and to analyse fundamental medical anthropological concepts and theories and to critically analyse academic writing.
Discuss the relevance of anthropological concepts for studying health and healing.
Identify key features of anthropological approaches to health and healing.
Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different anthropological approaches to health and healing.
Formulate anthropological areas of inquiry and questions to be applied to issues of health and healing.
Recognize differences and similarities in various healing systems.
Work collaboratively to communicate the social significance of important medical and health issues.
Demonstrate skills in critical reading, thinking, writing, and public presentation.
In class written reflections, 10 x 200 words (20%) LO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7
Presentation, 10 min (10%) LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Essay: 2,500 words (20%) LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Group Project: Poster, 1000 words (50%) LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of combined lecture and tutorials; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
To enrol in this course you must have completed 12 units of 1000 level courses or with permission of the Course Convener. You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed ANTH6026.
Baer, Hans A., Merrill Singer, and Ida Susser, 2013. Medical Anthropology and the World System: Critical Perspectives, Third Edition. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Good, Byron J., 1994. Medicine, Rationality, and Experience: An Anthropological Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lock, Margaret, and Vinh-Kim Nguyen, 2010. An Anthropology of Biomedicine. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Sargent, C.F., and T.M. Johnson, 1996. Medical Anthropology: Contemporary Theory and Method, Revised Edition. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Biological Anthropology
Health, Medicine and the Body
9260 22 Jul 2019 29 Jul 2019 31 Aug 2019 25 Oct 2019 In Person View
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One Year After the Net Neutrality Repeal: the FCC Has Abdicated Its Role Protecting Consumers and Competition
Posted on December 14, 2018 by Gigi Sohn
Every promise made by broadband providers and every reason cited by the FCC in its decision to eliminate the net neutrality rules has proven false in the past year, writes Gigi Sohn. Nevertheless, there is cause for optimism: “There will be net neutrality in this country within the next several years.”
Gigi Sohn. Photo by Joel Sage on Flickr [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Today (December 14th) is the one-year anniversary of the FCC’s decision to repeal the net neutrality rules that had been in place since 2015. During the past year, there hasn’t been even one reason underlying that decision that has come true. In fact, the opposite is the case.
Prior to the net neutrality repeal, broadband providers argued that they would deploy their networks to more people, especially in underserved areas, that prices were going to go down and that there would be no blocking, no throttling, and no discrimination against or in favor of any particular Internet traffic.
The latter, in particular, turned out to be false: In September, researchers at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst published a study showing that all four mobile carriers throttle video services like Netflix and YouTube for no particular reason, other than, perhaps, to force consumers to a more expensive tier of service. The repeal of net neutrality has directly helped a company like AT&T, which now has DirectTV and the Time Warner properties, to favor its own video services and content. As 4K video becomes more prevalent, this is going to happen more and more. As long as your broadband provider tells you that this is what they’re going to do, you don’t really have any recourse.
Broadband companies also claimed that they would invest more in their networks once the burden of net neutrality regulations were lifted. Yet both Charter and Verizon recently said that they’re going to invest less. Why is that? Because investment has little if anything to do with regulation. It has to do with the level of competition, with the economic environment, taxes, and other factors. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai recently publicly praised a report by USTelecom, the broadband industry’s trade group, that showed investment skyrocketed between 2015 and 2017. Well, guess what? That’s when net neutrality rules were in place, since the repeal didn’t become effective until the second of half of 2018. All that goes to show that net neutrality wasn’t bad for investment, as broadband providers claimed.
Not telling the truth, of course, is not necessarily the province of only cable and broadband companies, but those companies have a particular history of making many promises they don’t keep. However, this is a two-way street: Broadband companies may not keep their promises, but it’s the regulators that don’t hold them to account.
Which is what’s most significant about the net neutrality repeal: In its decision to eliminate the 2015 rules, the FCC made it clear that it was abdicating its role protecting consumers and competition, leaving consumers who believe that they’ve been subjected to a net neutrality violation with nowhere to go.
A good example of this is what happened to the Santa Clara County fire department which, as firefighters were battling the Mendocino Complex fire in August—the largest fire in California’s history at the time—had its broadband throttled by Verizon. The fire department was forced to negotiate with Verizon for eight months before it finally decided to give up and pay more than double what it was paying Verizon before. That was because there was no agency it could go to that would hold Verizon accountable. What was most telling about this was that while the story became national news, I didn’t see one statement either from the FTC or the FCC saying, “If you’d only called us, if you only filed a complaint, we could’ve taken care of it.” So when your broadband provider decides one day to triple the price for your broadband service, who are you going to call? Nobody. Short of lying about the services they deliver, broadband providers can basically do whatever they want.
Moreover, as the recent federal attempts to stop California and Vermont from enforcing their own net neutrality laws show, even when the federal government abdicates its regulatory authority, it tells the states that they can’t protect consumers either. Having washed its hands of its regulatory responsibilities, the FCC is now turning around and, with the full power of the White House behind it, telling states they can’t step in to fill the void. What’s incredible about the Vermont case is that broadband providers are saying that Vermont doesn’t even have the ability to decide whether the broadband providers that the government contracts with should abide by the 2015 net neutrality rules. That, to me, is even more outrageous.
The irony here is that when we tried to preempt states from blocking municipal broadband from being built while I was at the FCC— there are about 19 states that have laws against municipal broadband systems either being built or expanding—Chairman Pai opposed it. And yet his FCC has preempted states and localities from making their own decisions about where 5G antennas are placed. There’s absolutely no consistency here. The only consistent thread that binds together Chairman Pai’s decisions is that they all help the largest broadband providers.
Over the past year, we’ve also seen that the abdication of accountability and of authority by the FCC trickles down into issues that go beyond the blocking or throttling of content. The rural broadband digital divide, for instance, is not getting resolved, and that is a failure of the FCC and the federal government not providing adequate resources.
All this is why when people talk about future net neutrality legislation, I remind them that the fight really isn’t over the blocking/throttling/paid prioritization so much as it is over whether there will be accountability, whether there will be an agency with the authority to look at these instances and determine whether or not they are anti-consumer or anticompetitive. If Congress adopts rules but doesn’t give the FCC the authority to enforce them, they’re not worth a damn.
I’m optimistic, because Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of net neutrality. Every poll that’s been done by both conservative, liberal, and neutral pollsters has shown 85 percent support for net neutrality. While opponents of net neutrality argue that people don’t really understand what net neutrality is when they respond to such polls, recent polls have been very, very specific. At a certain point it becomes very, very hard to ignore that kind of sentiment.
For this reason, I think there will be net neutrality rules in this country within the next several years. The question is how it will be reinstated: whether through a court decision, Congressional action, or through elections followed by a new FCC. There’s a case challenging the repeal of net neutrality in the courts that will be argued on February 1st, and if supporters of net neutrality win that case, the FCC will have to reinstate the 2015 rules along with the authority on which they were based.
Another way to reinstate net neutrality is for Congress to act. Despite some differences, there’s an overall consensus among Democratic and Republican legislators that blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization are bad. The fight is going to be over authority and accountability—or, to put it more accurately: over who enforces the rules.
While net neutrality won’t be a priority for Republicans, it will no doubt be high on the agenda for Democrats heading into 2020, with every single Democrat running for the party’s nomination in 2020 likely to pledge to reinstate the rules if elected.
There are those who say that people are sick of net neutrality and that they have moved on, but I don’t see that happening. As somebody who’s been doing this work for 30 years, it amazes me how net neutrality has become a national issue. Americans understand that broadband is critically important to full participation in society, in civic life, in the economy and in the culture. And they are tired of the lack of competition and high prices for broadband, if they can get broadband at all. Most of all, they want to control their Internet experience, and they know that the only way to guarantee this is for net neutrality to be reinstated.
Gigi Sohn is a distinguished fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, a Benton Senior Fellow and a former counselor to then FCC chairman Tom Wheeler. She is also the co-Founder and former CEO of Public Knowledge.
Disclaimer: The ProMarket blog is dedicated to discussing how competition tends to be subverted by special interests. The posts represent the opinions of their writers, not necessarily those of the University of Chicago, the Booth School of Business, or its faculty. For more information, please visit ProMarket Blog Policy.
Will Repeal of Net Neutrality Accelerate the Trend in Media Consolidation? The History of Cable Suggests “Yes” “US Regulators Have Essentially Become Do-Nothing Institutions” Facebook, Extreme Inequality, and Globalization: ProMarket’s Top Stories of 2018
Antitrust and Competition / Regulatory Capture
« The Inequality Paradox: Rising Inequalities Nationally, Diminishing Inequality Worldwide
Editors’ Briefing: This Week in Political Economy (December 9-16) »
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Post January 27, 2012 The Supplemental Poverty Measure: A Better Measure for Poverty in America?
Research Supplemental Poverty Measure
An Alternative Measure of Poverty
In 2011, the Census Bureau issued a paper that laid groundwork for developing a new Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) for the United States.
This paper illustrate differences between the official measure of poverty and a poverty measure that takes account of in-kind benefits received by families and nondiscretionary expenses that they must pay.
The SPM also employs a new poverty threshold that is updated with information on expenses for food, clothing, shelter, and utilities that families face.
The reports on the Supplemental Poverty Measure provide national-level data for 2009 to 2014. Tables compare the number and percentage of people in poverty using the official and SPM for various demographic and socio-economic groups.
Frequency and Timespan: Annual data for 2009 to 2014
Geographic Level of Coverage: National with some regional breakdowns
Publications and tables are available online
Short, Kathleen, The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-241 (PDF), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2011.
Short, Kathleen, The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2011, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-244 (PDF), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2012
Short, Kathleen, The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2013, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-251 (PDF), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2014. Accessed 10/17/2014
Short, Kathleen, The Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2014, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-254 (PDF), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2015. Accessed 11/12/2015
FAQ February 9, 2012 Sign up for e-news What is the current poverty rate in the United States? The Supplemental Poverty Measure: A Better Measure for Poverty in America? California Poverty Measure Infographic
How is poverty measured in the United States?
The two federal poverty measures in the U.S.
Each year, the U.S. Census Bureau counts people in poverty with two measures. Both the official and supplemental poverty measures are based on estimates of the level of income needed to cover basic needs. Those who live in households with earnings below those incomes are considered to be in poverty.
Pod November 5, 2013
The Supplemental Poverty Measure: A Better Measure for Poverty in America?
Policy Brief: A looming question today is whether the official measure still provides an accurate picture of the poor in America.
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Listen to Kanye West and Travi$ Scott's "Piss On Your Grave"
Next week, Travi$ Scott’s long-awaited debut album, Rodeo, will finally be released. Over the weekend, the album’s most anticipated track—“Piss On Your Grave” featuring GOOD Music boss Kanye West—leaked. You can listen to it below:
Originally a collaboration between Kanye and Paul McCartney, “Piss On Your Grave” seems to have been passed down to Scott. (This version of the song does not feature McCartney.) This isn’t the first time Mr. West has given away to another artist a song he worked with McCartney: Earlier this year he let Rihanna have “FourFiveSeconds”.
Kanye WestTravi$ ScottRodeo
Kanye West's Album is "Coming Very Soon", Says Travis Scott
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25th Anniversary of the murder of Sean McParland
By Relatives for Justice
Sunday 24th February 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of the murder of Sean McParland.
A retired coal merchant, Sean was happily married to his wife Philomena, and was father to three daughters, Sinead, Aine, and Orla and his son Aidan.
Sean was shot at the home of his daughter Sinead and her husband Michael on the 17th February 1994 by UVF/RUC agents Mark Haddock and Gary Haggarty, whilst babysitting their four children, Michael, Christopher, Connor and Seaneen. He died in hospital one week later as a result of his injuries.
Sinead and Michael had moved to Skegoniel shortly before the attack. With their four young children, they spent time renovating and redecorating the new family home. In early January 1994, a piece of paper with the families address and details of who lived at the property was found by the police. The person who had this document was later charged and pleaded guilty to having information of use to terrorists.
Sinead recalls being advised of the threat by the RUC:
“The police told us that my family were under a death threat. They did not offer us any assistance other than telling us we were under threat. My husband went to speak to a CID officer at Antrim Road Police station. The officer was drunk when Michael spoke with him and treated the whole thing as a joke. He said we should check under our car but to ‘take it with a pinch of salt’. We were worried and felt that our safety was under threat and didn’t know what to do about it.”
Sean McParland was a good, kind man who was never the intended target of this attack. He had recently been released from hospital and was recovering from an operation for throat cancer. Thursday nights were Michael’s regular night off work, and most of the time the family would have been together at home. On the night of the attack, a friend of Michael’a had given him two tickets to a motor vehicle show at the Kings Hall and the couple decided to use them as a way of breaking up some of the tension they had been living with since learning of the death threat.
“Our decision to go was a spur of the moment thing and we asked my father to babysit. He enjoyed spending time with the grand kids and was happy to help.”
Sean McParland was watching a Disney film with his grandchildren when they heard a knock at the door. The eldest child, Michael went to the door and called out to see who it was. Relatives for Justice attended at court with the family, where Haggarty admitted that he replied “is Micky there? It’s your daddy’s friend.” When young Michael opened the door, Haggarty placed the gun at his head. As the four children ran off screaming, Haggarty described how Sean McParland ran at him from the dark in the living room, and how he shot Sean in the neck. Haggarty explained that Mr McParland had tried to grab the gun and point it upwards but stumbled. Haggarty tried to fire again, but the gun had jammed. At that point Mark Haddock entered the property with a shot gun and fired two shots.
Through Nuala O’Loans Operation Ballast report, the family came to learn that the police were advised by an informant that another informant had been involved in an attempt to attack the Monaghan family the day before Sean McParland was murdered. Through the guilty plea and sentencing of Gary Haggarty, we now know that this was Mark Haddock and that the two gunmen in this case were RUC informants Mark Haddock and Gary Haggarty. Other police/ UVF informants were involved in the targeting of the family and the setting up of the attack in the weeks leading up to it.
Sinead says:
“It seemed incredible to me when I first learned of this that the police did not do more to protect us, such as advising us to leave our home or offering us extra security. I now know that the police were colluding with the UVF and that this affected my family along with multiple other families.”
Michael adds:
“After going to the Motor show, we decided to go out for a few drinks. It was still early enough in the evening. We made our way towards home so that we could leave the car and go to the pub for a while. We stopped at a nearby shop to get the kids some sweets and a few beers for Sinead’s father. I remember thinking that it was a quiet night, with not many police about. As we were about to drive towards home, a police car came flying up the road past us. I knew it was our house which had been attacked.”
The couple arrived home to find the house cordoned off, and the police refusing to let them through. They watched Sean McParland, who was still alive, being taken from the house and placed in the ambulance. The couples nine-year-old son was being told to climb in the back of the ambulance with his grandfather. Sinead and Michael managed to push through the police presence and get to the children.
A week after the attack Sean died in hospital as a result of the injuries he had received.
The impact of the attack on the family, particularly Sinead and Michael’s children has been immense.
Sean’s widow, Philomena developed dementia quite quickly after Sean’s death. Sinead attributes this to the loneliness she experienced after the loss of Sean.
The murder of Sean McParland, and the obstacles placed in the way of his families’ pursuit for truth and accountability reveals how defective our current policing and justice system is for victims of the conflict.
The McParland/Monaghan family have engaged repeatedly and consistently with the Police Ombudsman, the Historical Enquiries Team, the PSNI, the PPS as well as the civil and criminal courts. Whilst each process has revealed some information, it has not provided the family with the accountability they need to recover from the events of the last 25 years nor have they been given the full truth of what took place.
It is 12 years since Nuala O’Loans report revealed the role of state agents and state employees in the murder of Mr McParland, and ten years since Gary Haggarty agreed to become an assisting offender. Yet Haggarty remains the only person to have accepted guilt in this case.
The family continue to wait on the PPS, who are reconsidering if they have sufficient evidence to prosecute his RUC Special Branch Handlers, those who enabled and resourced his killing of Sean McParland and numerous other victims and prevented investigation by other officers within the RUC CID.
Last week’s revelations that information had been withheld from the Police Ombudsman in a series of cases by the PSNI has further undermined any confidence the family and Relatives for Justice may have had in this protracted and thus far fruitless investigation. It was in relation to the cases concerning Mount Vernon UVF that the Police Ombudsman was first refused access to information, prompting the Ombudsman’s judicial review challenge. RFJ and the victims we work with look forward to much needed scrutiny around how the PSNI deal with disclosure in these cases.
Sinead states:
“We want justice for my father and other families who have suffered what we have suffered. The British government and the Police cannot get away with setting people up to be murdered. We want the truth of who was responsible for the attack to come to light. The two gunmen were paid informers. Who encouraged, helped and authorized them to carry out the attack? These people should also be brought to justice. No police men have been charged for anything in relation to the attack upon my family. It is time the families get the truth and justice that they have been seeking.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family over the coming days as they gather to remember Sean McParland, a father, husband and grandfather, 25 years after his tragic death.
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Research Matters
St. Augustine, Thanksgiving here first En Español
November 22, 2013 Andrea Elyse Messer Leave a comment
St. Augustine Lighthouse
Thanksgiving is coming. A holiday enjoyed by nearly everyone in the country and perhaps my favorite secular holiday. And yes, unlike in other places, Thanksgiving in the U.S. is secular although everyone of every faith celebrates in their own way. A truly diverse holiday.
The first Thanksgiving celebrated in 1621 in Plymouth Plantation is usually what we think of when we think of the origins of the holiday, but is that true? How Northern European centric are we being with that celebration?
A few weeks back I was in Gainesville, Florida, for a meeting and had the opportunity to go to St. Augustine with an archaeologist as a guide — at least for part of the day. St. Augustine, founded by the Spanish crown in 1565 as a military installation, is still the oldest European-based settlement in the U.S. When the Spanish landed, they immediately fortified an area, offloaded their ships and had a mass of thanksgiving and a feast. The first Thanksgiving. Probably, but not important really. The settlement site was attacked, burned down a number of times and rebuilt, and while it moved from Spanish to English to Spanish to English hands, there were always people in the area.
What is important is that nearly everyone outside of Florida who is not an American history teacher of some kind thinks of the Plymouth colony, or Jamestown settlement. The first European child born in what would become the U.S. was not Virginia Dare, but Martín de Argūelles, born in 1566. St. Augustine was also an unusual place in that while it had slaves, they weren’t all from Africa and there were many African freemen as well. Why? Because if you pledged allegiance to the Spanish crown and converted to Catholicism you could be a resident and protected. Slavery, as ugly as it is, was of a different sort. A Spanish slave could buy his or her freedom and many did.
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, St. Augustine, FL
Macapplethorpe
Some of the early 17th century town still exists and has been conserved. The 17th century fort, the oldest in the continental U.S., still stands on the water’s edge facing the bay. The chapel, living areas and the “necessary” are still there.
These men and women, whether Spanish soldiers, their wives, native Americans from the Saturiwa or Africans undoubtedly spoke Spanish as their common language. They attended church together, and while excluding other faiths, they embraced other differences.
It is only because England won the wars against Spain and France and Florida was a prize passed back and forth that St. Augustine is not what we look to at Thanksgiving. I suppose it is a case of to the victors go not only the spoils but the place in history.
Archaeologically, we know a lot about the St. Augustine settlement and its original location in what is now Fountain of Youth Park. A new exhibit, “First Colony: Our Spanish Origins,” curated by Kathleen Deagan of the University of Florida at the Florida Museum of Natural History, opened last week and we had a preview at Old Colony House in St. Augustine, where the exhibit will remain until 2016. Eventually, this exhibit will travel across the country, bringing the Spanish origins of many of our citizens to light.
archaeologyJamestownPlymouthslavesSpanishSt. AugustineThanksgiving
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It is with immense pride that I write the foreword to this historic book – Hlanganani Basebenzi – a brief summary of the South African working-class history. It is a beautiful and historic book, which we are publishing to commemorate COSATU’s twenty years of struggle and sacrifice from 1985 to 2005. It traces the history from the time when diamonds were first discovered in Kimberley until to today’s struggles and events.
— Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of COSATU
Page count: 80 pages
Imagery: Full colour and black and white photographs
Cost: R100
Genre: Politics / Cultural History
Publication date: November 2005
In Durban, on 1 December 1985, a giant was born: the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
Today, our federation has become the standard-bearer for South Africa’s workers. Here, we take time to recall our history, to reassess our ideas, and to reaffirm our commitment to defend the working class.
The story of COSATU is, above all, the story of our country’s working class. It tells a long, hard story, spread over hundreds of years of colonial and capitalist oppression and exploitation. It tells a story of pain and resistance, of victory and joy.
Our working class was forged in the fires of restrictions tied to colour and race, bound by harsh lines of gender oppression, and twisted by brutal demands for profit for a few and the barest survival for most. Families and villagers were forced off their lands and into labour. Men and women planted sugar in Natal, grew grapes in the Cape, dug diamonds in Kimberley and mined gold on the Rand. They sweated on railroads and docks and over machines in factories. Some taught in schools and tended the sick in hospitals.
Our struggle today – our experiences and our beliefs, our demands, our strategies and tactics — has been nourished in this hard red soil. This accessible publication is written in layman’s language so as to give readers of all ages a solid grasp of COSATU’S history. Numerous full colour and black and white photographs complement the story.
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So Near, But So Far
Politics No Responses »
The election result is in, and the Tories have failed; specifically they failed to increase their majority and indeed no longer constitute a majority. Yet the alternatives have failed too.
The likelihood is that the Tories will form the next government propped up by the reactionary Unionists from Northern Ireland. We can crow over May not getting her increased majority, but she is still in number 10. Which means more years of Tory misrule.
So what went wrong?
Well we could argue that factors such as different attitudes to Brexit, doubt over the Labour leader’s leadership, etc. But there are two big factors.
Firstly the media lies by the Tory press (which seems to be pretty much most of them). Whilst the press is owned by a clique of super-rich Tory supporters, the good news is that the newsprint industry is slowly fading into irrelevance – no doubt helped by their ridiculous bias. And tasteless journalism – the sort of which led to the Sun being boycotted in Liverpool.
Secondly, and perhaps the biggest aspect is that a large segment of the working class has bought into the big Tory lie – that they support the ordinary working family and small businesses. In reality Tories support the super rich with their tax cuts, and don’t give a damn about the working class. The real working class.
Which is not what most people think of when they hear that phrase; it is not just the horned handed agricultural labourer and the worn out factory worker, but it also includes office workers, lawyers, “knowledge workers”, etc. It is everyone who works for a living, Somehow workers in the Tory heartlands are fooled into thinking that the Tories are on their side.
What the Tory alternatives need to do is to persuade these deluded workers that voting Tory helps only the super-rich, and not by painting themselves a fetching shade of blue (as New Labour did).
Posted by Mike Meredith at 11:53 Tagged with: DUP, election, Hung Parliament, Labour, Tory
Hung Parliament: An Undemocratic Coalition Of The Defeated ?
Uncategorized No Responses »
There are those who claim that the possibility of the Tories and the Liberals combining into a coalition, or worse Labour and the Liberals combining into a coalition is undemocratic because it would not be what the public has voted for.
Perhaps, but it is no less democratic than a parliament with a clear majority. We do not have right to select the Prime Minister, just our representative in parliament. We expect our representative to vote for (actually technically it’s not vote against) the leader of his or her party. It is interesting to note that there is nothing in our system that allows for MPs changing parties – if you voted for a Labour party candidate, he gets elected and then immediately joins the Tory party, there is nothing to be done – your representative has been chosen even if you do not agree with his defection!
In reality, it is the elected MPs who decide who the Prime Minister is to be. What effectively happens is that the Queen (or King) selects a candidate Prime Minister. Although the Queen could pick whatever MP she wants as Prime Minister, in practice she selects the obvious choice – basically the leader of the majority party (or coalition). The Prime Minister then takes a “Queen’s Speech” to parliament and the MPs either vote in favour, or against – in which case the Prime Minister basically isn’t accepted by parliament so has to resign and force another election.
The key worry of those who claim that we could end up with an undemocratic result is with the possibility of a Labour-Liberal coalition – a “coalition of the defeated” – forming the next government. Is this fair ?
If you put add together the Labour, Liberal and nationalist MPs, they more than outnumber the Tory MPs, so even under our current electoral system, the hypothetical Labour-Liberal coalition is actually more representative of the will of the people than a Tory government.
After all, all the major parties have lost this election – Labour, Liberals, and Tories. The Tories have the largest number of MPs but not a majority. They cannot claim to have won this election any more than Labour can, because under our system “winning” is effectively having more than 326 MPs. And they do not.
If we end up with any coalition, it will be a coalition of the defeated. And yes the possible Tory-Liberal coalition is just as much a coalition of the defeated as a Labour-Liberal coalition would be.
Posted by Mike Meredith at 17:23 Tagged with: Election 2010, electoral reform, Hung Parliament, Labour, Liberal, Tory, UK
UK Election 2010 – A “Hung” Parliament
So after some 36 years, we have a “hung” parliament again with no party in overall control. There’s a joke in there somewhere to do with hanging politicians from lampposts, but I cannot quite see how to fit it in. Except to say that the politicians should sort out some sort of consensus government in a fairly short order.
The overall effect of the way that the public voted is that we effectively voted for a coalition government – no single party obtained a majority so the only stable government will be a coalition government. There are people going around saying that only the Tories have the moral right to form a government because they are the single largest party (on just 35% of the popular vote!); those that believe that misunderstand that we are in a “balanced parliament” situation where it is the largest coalition that has the votes to form a government.
Without second guessing the results of the negotiations, there are some obvious possibilities.
Conservatives On Their Own As Minority Government
This is the option that could quite easily see the Conservatives in the electoral wilderness for another generation. Everyone can see that the only sensible option for a stable government would be to form a coalition to ensure a relatively stable majority. Opting to go it alone, would indicate that the Conservatives are unwilling or unable to share power with any other party despite it being in the best interests of the country.
A minority government of this kind is likely to be so unpopular with both the other politicians and the public that it would be unlikely to last for very long and quite possibly would result in the Tories being pushed to third or fourth place in the polls at the next election.
Frankly it does not seem very likely – I would expect that if the Liberals cannot get a good deal with the Conservatives, they will go across the road to Labour.
Con-Lib Pact
This combination seems a little unlikely to be honest – a coalition between unrepentant reactionaries and progressives ? The discussions are going on as I write this, and it is quite possible that some sort of agreement could result in such a coalition government. But there is a fundamental conflict between the two parties – Liberals are very interested in electoral reform, and the Conservatives are very much in favour of the current system which has seen them form the majority of governments in the 20th century.
If such a coalition forms, I see it as only lasting until electoral reform has taken place … or when the Liberals realise that the Tories promises on electoral reform were just a big con. It is also likely to be a coalition with a considerable level of bad feeling – whatever the leaders might feel, the ordinary MPs and ordinary supporters just are not going to like it very much.
Lib-Lab Pact
These two parties are almost natural allies in forming a coalition government as both are progressive parties. And the resulting coalition government is likely to be more stable than a Lib-Con coalition. There are those who would say that that such a coalition would be ignoring the will of the people who have voted Gordon Brown out.
Well, they would have a point if Labour were attempting to form a minority government, but that is not what this is about. Between them, Labour and Liberal have more than 50% of the popular vote, so can quite legitimately claim that as a coalition they have a more legitimate claim on government than the Conservatives alone who have just 35% of the popular vote.
The question would be, would the Liberals go back on their word not to work with Gordon Brown, or would Labour ditch Gordon Brown and elect a new leader to work with the Liberals ? It would certainly make some kind of sense for Gordon Brown to go as a sort of symbol of the end of the Labour government. After all, whilst nobody has “won” in the old fashioned sense of getting an overall majority, it is certainly the case that Labour has lost it’s overall majority.
But the biggest problem with a Lib-Lab pact is that it would have to be a “rainbow” coalition of essentially everyone who does not want to see the Tories back in charge. This adds up to around 329 MPs including the nationalist MPs from Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (but ignoring Sinn Feinn who do not take up their seats). Whilst the nationalist MPs may not work with Labour on their own in their respected countries, they very well may support a rainbow coalition as the best way to prevent the Tories from getting in.
Con-Lab Coalition
Well it makes sense numerically, but can anyone really see this one being a realistic possibility ? Not likely.
It is fun to contemplate what may happen, but the only real answer to all the speculation is to wait and see what happens. There is an interesting possibility of electoral reform, which may very well be finally accomplished – if the Liberals stick to their guns and insist on it as a precondition for their membership of a coalition government.
And indeed it could well the that insistence that breaks any coalition between the Liberals and the Conservatives. Various comments leaked by the Conservatives indicate that they at least do not believe in electoral reform, or believe how important electoral reform is to those who believe it is vital.
If we end up with a coalition government (or a less formal arrangement that amounts to the same thing), we will end up with a government much more like governments in countries with less unfair and far more sensible voting systems. We will end up with a government much less likely to resort to extremist policies and a government much more likely to reflect the collective will of the people.
Posted by Mike Meredith at 11:03 Tagged with: Hung Parliament, Labour, Liberal, sinn feinn, UK
Hung Parliament? Good or Bad ?
There is a suspicion that the elections in the UK just might result in a hung parliament where no party has an overall majority. In other words no party has more MPs than all the other parties put together. In such a situation, a government formed from the largest party tends to be quite nervous as it can be thrown out by its enemies if they all manage to agree.
The preferred option is for a coalition to form out of two or more parties who can swing (if all their MPs obey the party whip) an overall majority.
However in either case, the government is not as stable as it would otherwise be. Hung parliaments usually have a poor reputation because they typically do not last very long and spend more time arguing amongst themselves rather than actually doing anything constructive.
At least in the UK. In Europe, hung parliaments are common enough that coalition government is the norm rather than the exception.
The Tories – after the first “presidential” TV debate where Nick Clegg was surprisingly effective – are suddenly banging on about how dangerous hung parliaments can be. Ignoring those scum-sucking lying politicians for the moment (at least as far as we can), are hung parliaments actually good or bad ?
Well the truth is that they do not happen enough in the UK for us to know. We do know that hung parliaments in Europe are quite common and that it does not appear to be a complete catastrophe there. Of course there will be those who point at countries like Italy and ask whether we want a government as unstable as they have. But I will also point at Italy’s economy and say that it doesn’t seem to have done much harm – Italy is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of GDP.
It is entirely possible that a hung parliament in the UK will cause a momentary loss of confidence by the financial markets, although those that panic are eventually going to be counter-balanced by those with cooler heads that realise that the UK is not going to go bust just because it has a potentially unstable government. It is likely that the economic effect of a certain cloud of volcanic ash will have a greater effect than a day or two of instability in the economic markets.
If we can avoid being distracted by the probably relatively minor economic problems of a hung parliament, we can look at more interesting aspects of one.
This will be an opportunity to get a government which does not let either of the old major parties (Labour and Tory) have everything their own way. Of course a coalition government will have one or other comprising the largest part, but another party – most likely the Liberals – will have a big say.
The likely result of such a hung parliament is significant electoral reform because the smaller parties are more interested in it than the old school parties who do quite well out of our archaic and undemocratic electoral system. Sure you hear of Tory and Labour plans for electoral reform, but what they plan is tinkering around the edges, and the Tory plans revolve around making the political system cheaper with the effect of making our current system even less democratic than it is at the moment.
If the thought of a hung parliament is currently making you consider one of the big two parties, perhaps you should reconsider – a hung parliament is not quite as bad as the politicians of the big two will have you believe, and the increased chance of genuine electoral reform is worth taking that risk.
Posted by Mike Meredith at 13:10 Tagged with: Hung Parliament, Labour, Liberal, Tory, UK, UK Election
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Julian Assange to Fight U.S. Extradition
Julian Assange pledged to fight extradition to the U.S. during a hearing Thursday, a move that will likely cause a lengthy legal battle to ensue.
Assange has been accused of conspiring to hack Pentagon computers to leak confidential documents regarding the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in 2010, for which he faces up to five years of prison.
On Wednesday, Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in a British prison for jumping bail in 2012 by seeking asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in order to avoid separate extradition charges to Sweden for allegations of rape.
Extradition Hearing
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said he will fight extradition to the United States in a hearing Thursday, opening up the possibility of a complicated legal process that experts believe could take years.
“I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many, many people,” Assange told the Westminster Magistrates Court through VideoLink from prison.
During the short hearing, Judge Michael Snow told Assange he could consent to being extradited, but he refused. If he were to consent, Assange would lose his right to appeal. However, according to Snow, surrendering to extradition would speed up the proceedings and could result in an early resolution of his case.
Snow scheduled additional hearings for May 30 and June 12, telling Assange that his lawyers would receive the relevant paperwork from the U.S. after the extradition request is served. Snow also said he believed that the case will take “many months.”
The Case Against Assange
Ben Brandon, the lawyer for the U.S. government, outlined the charges against Assange related to what the U.S. Department of Justice has called “one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.”
The U.S. has charged Assange with conspiring with former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010 to hack into a Department of Defense computer network and access thousands of confidential documents and communications on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Those documents were then published by WikiLeaks in 2010 and 2011. Assange faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for his involvement in the leak.
Manning has already served time in prison for violations of the Espionage Act and other offenses related to giving classified Pentagon materials to WikiLeaks.
The U.S. indictment is not the only charge that Assange is dealing with.
Just one day prior, Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail in London in 2012. Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden for rape allegations, which he has denied. Assange worried that if he were extradited to Sweden, they would then extradite him to the U.S.
Assange remained at the Ecuadorian embassy until his asylum was revoked and he was arrested by British authorities in early April. He appeared in court and was found guilty of skipping bail the same day.
During his bail hearing Wednesday, Assange claimed that he was functionally imprisoned in the embassy, and thus should not be required to serve time in prison. Judge Deborah Taylor, who oversaw the case, did not buy this argument.
“It’s difficult to envisage a more serious example of this offense,” Judge Taylor said, according to reports. “By hiding in the embassy you deliberately put yourself out of reach, while remaining in the U.K.”
To make matters even more complicated, Swedish prosecutors are considering the possibility of resuming the investigation into the allegations against Assange. This move could require British officials to deal with two competing extradition requests.
Support for Assange
Throughout this whole ordeal, supporters of Assange have remained fervent in their actions.
A small group of his supports congregated outside the courtroom on Thursday to protest his extradition to the U.S. and demand his release. WikiLeaks’ editor in chief Kristinn Hrafnsson has also condemned the extradition charges against Assange.
Protesters block the road outside the court #julianassange #protest #demonstrations #london #journalist pic.twitter.com/3OPlDNfpwX
— Abigail Riem (@AbigailRiem) May 2, 2019
“What is at stake there could be a question of life or death for Mr. Assange,” Hrafnsson told reporters. “It is also a question of life and death for a major journalistic principle.”
Hrafnsson also criticized the state of Assange’s living conditions in Belmarsh Prison where he is being held.
“For the last weeks since he was arrested, he has spent 23 out of 24 hours a day in his cell most of the time,” Hrafnsson claimed. “That is what we call in general terms solitary confinement. That applies to most of the prisoners in that appalling facility. It is unacceptable that a publisher is spending time in that prison.”
This sentiment was echoed by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD). In a statement made Friday, WGAD said that they are “deeply concerned” about “disproportionate sentence” given to Assange.
#UnitedKingdom: UN expert group on Arbitrary Detention is deeply concerned about course of action against #JulianAssange including the disproportionate sentence imposed.
ℹ️ https://t.co/8ngVQaRJY4 pic.twitter.com/VBHjl0lzZH
— UN Special Procedures (@UN_SPExperts) May 3, 2019
The group argued that Assange’s human rights were being violated by his imprisonment in “a high-security prison, as if he were convicted for a serious criminal offense,” and concluded that the British government should release Assange and dismiss the charges against him.
See what others are saying: (The Guardian) (NPR) (The New York Times)
Related Topics:BritianChelsea ManningFeaturedHuman RightsJournalismJulian AssangeKristinn HrafnssonUnited NationsUnited StatesWikiLeaks
Court Rules Discrimination “Necessary” for Female Runners With High Testosterone
Roma in America: Why Europe’s Most Discriminated Group Is Coming To The US…
Maria Sosyan
There is a thriving international community of women who claim to have supernatural abilities. Abilities like possessing the power to see the future, cast spells, and lift curses. One of the largest witch communities in the world exists in Romania. There, these women are commonly referred to as “vrajitoare,” or witches. Most of these witches belong to an ethnic minority known as Roma, or Romani.
For centuries, Roma people have been stigmatized, discriminated against, and in some cases, even feared. But while this may be the case abroad, in the United States, their mysticism and craft appear to be welcomed. This is one of the reasons why the most well known among the vrajitoare, Mihaela Minca, recently brought her business overseas to California.
Watch the video for the full story.
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Tag: personal-memoir
Introducing Inez A. Lasso, author of A Singing Journey
“Over the years, I have been encouraged to share my life story with others to inspire them to believe in their ability to follow their dreams. However, I needed a book to do this and finding Outskirts Press proved to be the best publishing choice I could make. Outskirts Press provided me with the professional, beautiful book that I envisioned. All their employees are outstanding and know what it takes to make my dream come true. I sincerely thank them all.”
Inez A. Lasso wanted to make a difference in the world so she went to college and became a lawyer. Approx. 1971 – 1977 -worked as Legal Assistant -U.S. Attorney’s Office, Albuquerque, N.M.; September 1984- U.S. Dept. of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. -Position: Staff Attorney -Served as appellate attorney representing the Director, Office of Workers’ Compensation. November 1990 – October 1992 U.S. Dept. of Justice -Special Assistant (Legal Counsel) to Assistant Attorney General, Jimmy Gurule. Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Primary responsibility for authorship of Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 and the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990. October 1992 -Director, Office for Civil Rights Enforcement, OCR. I Developed proactive approach to enforcement of Title VI of Civil Rights Act, after twenty years of inaction -ensuring compliance with civil rights law by recipients of federal funding,
A Woman at 40 years decides that she will become a lawyer and fight for women’s rights, but first, she had to go to college…My name is Inez A. Lasso. I was born in 1937 in the South Bronx of NYC, the youngest of four children. My mother, a Singing Contest Winner in her youth, filled our lives with music, singing with the radio as she cared for us. She turned the poverty of the Bronx into a happy home for us and singing and songwriting into a lifelong passion for me. I had the opportunity to join a religious organization, the “Young Christian Workers” as a Lay Missionary in Bogota, Colombia. I tell of the work I did to form new groups and of the young people I met who were enthusiastic about the movement and hoped to have a better life. I met my future husband in Colombia, and he came to New York where we got married on June 16, 1961. We lived in Jackson Heights, N.Y. and had 2 children, Elena and Diana. We then moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico as a better place to raise them. Our third daughter, Julie was born in Albuquerque. I always worked as a legal secretary while the girls were growing up but decided when I turned Forty that I wanted to have a job that made a difference in the world – I wanted to be a Lawyer who fought for the rights of women who felt powerless…but I had never been to college… So I enrolled in the University of Albuquerque and received my Bachelor of Business Administration; May 16, 1981, my Masters Certificate; from The Antioch School of Law for Equal Opportunity Law on February 15, 1983…and my Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico on May 16, 1984. I divorced my first husband in 1985 after 22 years of marriage. I tell of my life as a Student and my life as an Attorney at Law and, in retirement, as an Administrative Hearing Officer, A/KA The Judge. I tell of my Second Life with New Husband after I moved to D.C. to work as a lawyer with the Dept. of Labor. He is a blind bluegrass musician and I was able to join him as a harmony singer in his band in weekend gigs. We were married for 12 years and remain friends. I wrote many songs during our marriage which we recorded together. Although I have travelled many roads from New York City to Colombia, S.A. to Albuquerque, N.M. to Nashville, TN to Napa, CA, my companion has always been a lifetime of songwriting. My life story has taken many unexpected turns and exciting challenges as well as marvelous blessings. The treasure I hold closest is the love of my three daughters who stand behind me through all my life choices.
June 24, 2019 June 24, 2019 christian-missionary, follow-dreams-what-you-love, marketing-a-self-published-book, outskirts press, personal-memoir, romance, self-publishing-authors, woman-goes-to-law-schoolLeave a comment
Introducing Ian Hume, author of From the Edge of Empire
“I found working with Outskirts Press to be a completely rewarding experience. The company has a wide range of publisher packages from which to choose and a sophisticated array of tools to help get the job done. I found them indispensable in organizing my materials and making the final proof corrections. The process was outstanding and I was thrilled with the quality of the outcome in all respects.”
Zimbabwe born, Ian Hume retired from the World Bank in 1994. Since then he has continued to work for the Bank, and others, as a consultant and has sat on Boards of Directors of various companies. He lives with his wife, Meriel, in the Peninsula Golf and Country Club near Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.
An Eyewitness account of a life’s journey through the Winds of Change in Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and the United States. When Ian Hume, a young Rhodesian Army captain, decided in 1963 not to fight the oncoming war over majority rule, he left the army and the country to study in Cape Town, his future unknown. There he married, became involved in student anti-Apartheid politics and won a Beit Fellowship to Oxford. With a Doctorate from Oxford he was recruited to the World Bank. After various interesting assignments he became an expert on Eastern Europe. In 1975 he was invited back home to help prepare Rhodesia’s transition to Zimbabwe. He finds himself living through the very war he earlier tried to avoid. He lost many friends. Returning to the Bank in 1978, he returns to work on Eastern Europe, becoming responsible for giving assistance to Hungary and Poland. As the Resident Representative in Warsaw after the fall of communism, he experiences the hot-house of Polish reforms, turbulence and, ultimately, success. By contrast, and much to his regret, the transition in his native Zimbabwe leads, ultimately, to devastation and catastrophe. In this eloquent memoir, a testament to the value of education and the power of family, Ian explains how the major transitions through which he lived were separate but ironically linked. As a proud American he offers his grandchildren (four sons) a worldview—a moral equilibrium or resting point in the debate—to harmonize their vexed heritage with today’s divided America. In a message that’s more relevant than ever before, he exhorts them not to make the mistakes that tore his homeland apart: beware the herd mentality; always think for yourself.
October 23, 2018 October 23, 2018 Bush-War, collapse-of-communism, eyewitness-to-strife-eastern-europe-africa, marketing-a-book, Motivational-Inspirational, outskirts press, personal-memoir, self-publishing-authorsLeave a comment
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Dates Set for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
August 8th, 2016 | By Imogen Lloyd Webber
Broadway's spring season is shaping up oh so sweetly! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, led by two-time Tony winner Christian Borle (after Falsettos), will begin performances on March 28, 2017 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Directed by Jack O’Brien and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse, the reworked transfer of London's hit tuner is set to officially open on April 23.
Featuring a book by David Greig with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the musical is based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Willy Wonka, world famous inventor of the Everlasting Gobstopper, has just made an astonishing announcement. His marvelous—and mysterious—factory is opening its gates…to a lucky few. That includes young Charlie Bucket, whose life definitely needs sweetening. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing, life- changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination. Get ready for chocolate waterfalls, exquisitely nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas.
Dahl's book was first adapted to the big screen in 1971 under the title Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder. In 2005, Tim Burton directed a remake using the novel's original title, with Johnny Depp playing Wonka.
The West End staging officially opened at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on July 25, 2013, starring Tony and Olivier winner Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka and helmed by Sam Mendes. It is set to shutter on January 7, 2017.
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What Is Identity Politics? | 2016 Election | Political Economy & Intersectionality | Teachable Signs Articles
Academic Articles and Chapters
Mary Louise Adams, “There’s No Place Like Home: On the Place of Identity in Feminist Politics,” Feminist Review, no. 31 (1989): 22–33.
Norma Alarcón, “The Theoretical Subjects of ‘This Bridge Called My Back’ and Anglo-American Feminism,” in Criticism in the Borderlands. Studies in Chicano Literature, Culture, and Ideology, ed. Héctor Calderon and José David Saldívar (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1991), 28–42.
Linda Martín Alcoff, “Cultural Feminism versus Post-Structuralism: The Identity Crisis in Feminist Theory,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 13, no. 3 (1988): 405–36.
Seyla Benhabib, “Sexual Difference and Collective Identities: The New Global Constellation,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 24, no. 2 (1999): 335–61.
Maggie Berg, “Luce Irigaray’s ‘Contradictions’: Poststructuralism and Feminism,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 17, no. 1 (1991): 50–70.
Anne Emanuelle Berger, “Paradoxes of Visibility In/And Contemporary Identity Politics,” in The Queer Turn in Feminism: Identities, Sexualities, and the Theater of Gender, trans. Catherine Porter (New York: Fordham University Press, 2014), 83–106.
Susan Bickford, “Anti-Anti-Identity Politics: Feminism, Democracy, and the Complexities of Citizenship,” Hypatia 12, no. 4 (1997): 111–31.
Susan Bordo, “Feminism, Postmodernism, and Gender-Scepticism,” in Feminism/Postmodernism, ed. Linda Nicholson (New York: Routledge, 1990), 133–76.
Sumi K. Cho, “Essential Politics,” Harvard Latino Law Review 2 (1997): 433–56.
Lisa Duggan, “Queering the State,” Social Text, no. 39 (1994): 1–14.
Jane Flax, “Postmodernism and Gender Relations in Feminist Theory,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 12, no. 4 (1987): 621–43.
Richard Thompson Ford, “What’s Queer about Race?,” South Atlantic Quarterly 106, no. 3 (2007): 477–84.
Nancy Fraser and Linda Nicholson, “Social Criticism without Philosophy: An Encounter between Feminism and Postmodernism,” in Feminism/Postmodernism, by Linda Nicholson (New York: Routledge, 1990), 19–38.
Joshua Gamson, “Must Identity Movements Self-Destruct? A Queer Dilemma,” Social Problems 42, no. 3 (1995): 390–407.
Elisa Glick, “Sex Positive: Feminism, Queer Theory, and the Politics of Transgression,” Feminist Review 64, no. 1 (2000): 19–45.
Janet E. Halley, “‘Like Race’ Arguments,” in What’s Left of Theory: New Work on the Politics of Literary Theory, ed. Judith Butler, John Guillory, and Kendall Thomas (New York: Routledge, 2002), 40–74.
Donna Haraway, “A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late 20th Century,” in The International Handbook of Virtual Learning Environments, ed. Joel Weiss et al. (Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2006), 117–58.
Nancy Hartsock, “Postmodernism and Political Change: Issues for Feminist Theory,” Cultural Critique, no. 14 (1989): 15–33.
Susan Hekman, “Beyond Identity: Feminism, Identity and Identity Politics,” Feminist Theory 1, no. 3 (2000): 289–308.
Cressida J. Heyes, “Feminist Solidarity after Queer Theory: The Case of Transgender,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 28, no. 4 (2003): 1093–1120.
Theresa Man Ling Lee, “Feminism, Postmodernism, and the Politics of Representation,” Women & Politics 22, no. 3 (2001): 35–57.
Eric Lott, “After Identity, Politics: The Return of Universalism,” New Literary History 31, no. 4 (2000): 665–80.
Lois McNay, “Feminism and Post-Identity Politics: The Problem of Agency,” Constellations 17, no. 4 (2010): 512–25.
Michael Millner, “Post Post-Identity,” American Quarterly 57, no. 2 (2005): 541–54.
Chantal Mouffe, “Feminism, Citizenship, and Radical Democratic Politics,” in Social Postmodernism: Beyond Identity Politics, ed. Linda Nicholson and Steven Seidman (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 315–31.
Loreen N. Olson et al., “‘I’m All for Equal Rights, but Don’t Call Me a Feminist’: Identity Dilemmas in Young Adults’ Discursive Representations of Being a Feminist,” Women’s Studies in Communication 31, no. 1 (2008): 104–132.
Pauline Park, “GenderPAC, the Transgender Rights Movement and the Perils of a Post-Identity Politics Paradigm,” Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law 4 (2003 2002): 747–66.
Damien W. Riggs, “On Accountability: Towards a White Middle-Class Queer ‘Post Identity Politics Identity Politics,’” Ethnicities 10, no. 3 (2010): 344–57.
Chela Sandoval, “U.S. Third World Feminism: The Theory and Method of Oppositional Consciousness in the Postmodern World,” Genders 10, no. 1 (1991): 1–24.
Joan W. Scott, “Deconstructing Equality-versus-Difference: Or, the Uses of Poststructuralist Theory for Feminism,” Feminist Studies 14, no. 1 (1988): 33–50.
Steven Seidman, “Identity Politics in a Gay ‘Postmodern’ Culture: Some Historical and Conceptual Notes,” in In Fear of a Queer Planet, ed. Michael Warner (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota., 1993), 105–44.
Christine Di Stefano, “Dilemmas of Difference: Feminism, Modernity, and Postmodernism,” Women & Politics 8, no. 3–4 (1988): 1–24.
Francisco Valdes, “Latina/O Ethnicities, Critical Race Theory, and Post-Identity Politics in Postmodern Legal Culture: From Practices to Possibilities,” La Raza Law Journal 9, no. 1 (1996): 1–32.
Joan C. Williams, “Dissolving the Sameness/Difference Debate: A Post-Modern Path beyond Essentialism in Feminist and Critical Race Theory,” Duke Law Journal 1991, no. 2 (1991): 296–323.
Linda M. G. Zerilli, “This Universalism Which Is Not One,” Diacritics 28, no. 2 (1998): 3–20.
New York Magazine, The Cut
Katy Steinmetz, "The Transgender Tipping Point," Time Magazine, May 29, 2014.
Mey, "Laverne Cox is Amazing on the Cover of Time, Time’s Story Inside Not So Much," Autostraddle, May 30, 2014.
Laurie Penny, "What the 'Transgender Tipping Point' Really Means," The New Statesman, June 29, 2014.
Arlene Stein, “Trans Like Us,” Public Books, March 20, 2017.
Chase Strangio, "The Politics of My Trans Identity," Stand with Gavin, December 5, 2016.
Amy Allen, The Politics of Our Selves: Power, Autonomy, and Gender in Contemporary Critical Theory (New York: Columbia University Press, 2007).
Seyla Benhabib, Situating the Self: Gender, Community, and Postmodernism in Contemporary Ethics (New York: Routledge, 1992).
Wendy Brown, States of Injury: Power and Freedom in Late Modernity. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995).
Judith Butler and Joan W. Scott, eds., Feminists Theorize the Political, 1st Edition (New York: Routledge, 1992).
Judith Butler, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, 1st edition (New York: Routledge, 2006).
Hannah McCann, "Judith Butler Explained with Cats," BinaryThis, May 23, 2013.
Caroline Dick, The Perils of Identity: Group Rights and the Politics of Intragroup Difference (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2012).
Inderpal Grewal and Caren Kaplan, Scattered Hegemonies: Postmodernity and Transnational Feminist Practices (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1994).
Moya Lloyd, Beyond Identity Politics: Feminism, Power and Politics (London: Sage, 2005).
Susan Lurie, Unsettled Subjects: Restoring Feminist Politics to Poststructuralist Critique (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1997).
Paula M. L. Moya and Michael R. Hames-García, Reclaiming Identity: Realist Theory and the Predicament of Postmodernism (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000).
Linda Nicholson and Steven Seidman, Social Postmodernism: Beyond Identity Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995).
Linda Nicholson, ed., Feminism/Postmodernism (New York: Routledge, 2013).
Shane Phelan, Identity Politics: Lesbian Feminism and the Limits of Community (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1989).
Shane Phelan, Getting Specific: Postmodern Lesbian Politics (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1994).
Denise Riley, “Am I That Name?”: Feminism and the Category of “Women” in History (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1988).
Joan W. Scott, Gender and the Politics of History (New York: Columbia University Press, 1988).
Sherry Turkle, Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
Linda M. G. Zerilli, Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005).
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Posted on 2017 June 28 2017 August 18 by SilicaBrands
Silica in SilicaHorse, what does it do to your horse?
Many of the main complaints in horses are related to hooves and joints. This is usually due to a shortage of silicon (e.g., hoofwall seperation, rupture in the horn wall) or a consequence of an inflammation caused by bacteria / fungi (e.g., shrush, white line desease). The following is related to the effect of SilicaHorse (silicon) and SilicaHorse Anti-rotstraal (anti-thrush and bacteria). Later, for the more interested reader, more detailed attention is paid to the mineral silicon and the effect of silicon on the body of humans and animals.
Silicon and hooves
The hooves of a horse grow about 0.9 cm a month. With an average length of 9 – 11 cm, the growth of a hoof takes about 1 year. Hooves consist of the protein keratin. Keratin absorbs all nutrients and holds moisture and fat in the hoof. It ensures the resilience and firmness of the hoof. A malfunction of keratin synthesis reduces the growth rate and hooves have a tendency of splitting. Silicon gives protection to the structure forming protein keratin.
Silicon and joints/bones
Wear of joints is caused by a degeneration of the articular cartilage. The balance between the build-up and breakdown of the cartilage is disturbed. This is due to a combination of joint damage and normal wear and tear. Sometimes the cartilage wear is so strong that the bone is also affected. The older a person or animal becomes, the greater the risk of joint wear. The elasticity of the cartilage is essential because it protects the bones from the light shocks caused by movements and facilitates the movements of one bone (end) over the other. The onset of osteoarthritis can be attributed to aging, recurrent injury and inadequate nutrition.
To renew the cartilage continually, there is one element of essential importance: silicon. The older the person and / or animal becomes, the more difficult it becomes to absorb silicon in the body and on top of that, in modern nutrition there is very little absorbable silicon. Silicon is essential for the production of collagen fibers that also form the cartilage. A shortage of silicon also means a shortage of collagen and that is precisely the glue that must keep the molecules of our cartilage together.
The build up of more connective tissue (more collagen) causes that ligaments, membranes and tendons become stronger as well as the bones, due to greater bone density. Furthermore, the connective tissue protein is essential for bone flexibility.
SilicaHorse is supplied in 500 ml bottles. The dosage is 1.5 ml per 100 kilograms horse weight. A bottle will normally do for a 2 months treatment and leads to visible results within that period.
Hooves and bacteria/fungi
Bacteria and fungi are only notice when the hooves stink. At thrush, the bacteria first touch the middle radius and the radial grooves on the side. In the White Line Disease, it is a combination of fungi and bacteria that penetrate into the white line through a rupture or other damage. Because of its strong antibacterial activity, SilicaHorse Anti-rotstraal is a highly adequate remedy for both disorders. Anti-rotstraal is environmentally and animal friendly and has results within one week.
Silicon more in detail
The first part of this essay is about the mineral silicon in general. Later it describes more the effect on horses and especially the effects on joints.
The Silicon mineral
Silicon (chemical symbol: Si; English term: silicon) is the second most abundant element on earth. The earth’s crust consists of 27.7% of silicon. This is considerably more than carbon, which forms only part of 0.0018% of the crust. The most common silicon compound is SiO2 (silicon dioxide or
silica). The salts of silicic acid are silicates. Silicates hydrolyze in a aqueous environment to oligomeric forms of silicic acid.
Only the small molecular forms of silica are biologically absorbable. This applies for plants, animals and humans. Especially the mono-,di- and tri (oligomeric) silicic acid is biologically easily digestible. In the remainder of the information below, silicon refers to oligomeric silicic acid.
Plankton as example
A compelling example of the importance of silicon to the plant kingdom is providing by plankton. For example, 40% of the phytoplankton is oligomer silicic acid dependent. The parasite requires an active silicon metabolism to remain alive. And without silicon, a big part of the phytoplankton, which provide food within the ocean, would be lost.
Also, phytoplankton accounts for 40% of the oxygen production on the earth, so it must be concluded that without silicon anyway no life on earth can possible exists.
Silicon in humans and animals
The first signs of a shortage of silicon are usually found in the skin, hair (read fur in horses) and nails (read hooves of horses). Skin and hair lose their strength and elasticity and nails become brittle and crumbly. These symptoms often occur at an elderly age, because the silicon concentration in the blood decreases as years are increasing. The replacement of silicon by supplementing negate this effect and hair, skin and nails will improve visibly.
A more serious phenomenon is that also, in particular, as the result of a silicon deficiency, aging is also accompanied with osteoarthritis..
Osteoarthritis and joints
Joint deterioration is caused by a degeneration of the articular cartilage. The balance between the build-up and degradation of the cartilage is disrupted.
This is a result of a combination of joint damage and normal wear. Sometimes the cartilage wear is so strong that even the bone is affected. The older a person or animal is, the greater the risk the joints are wearing.
Rigid and stiff
Older people and animals are often rigid and stiff in the joints, especially when they get up in the morning. One of the causes is that the soft cartilage that locates at the end of the bone, is affected
Cartilage is the soft elastic layer in the joints that is visible by eating chicken. It is a rubber-like, slightly translucent substance.
The body is always changing. Musculoskeletal and joint function determine to a large extent the freedom of movement. Problems with musculoskeletal may severely limit this function.
The elasticity of the cartilage is essential to protect bones against light shocks due to and caused by movements and it facilitates the movement of two bone ends.
Articular cartilage is an unique tissue in the body, because it does not contain blood vessels and nerves. As a result of that, the supply of nutrients is often insufficient.
When cartilage is placed under a microscope than it resembles a sponge. If the joint is at rest, the cartilage is filled with liquid. If it gets a shock or it is under pressure, the fluid then disappears from the cartilage, as if a sponge, filled with water, is squeezed.
In a healthy process, when the pressure decreases, the liquid flows back into the cartilage, however if this is not occurring, there could be at a chronic overload, producing strong free radicals. These free radicals oxidize large cartilage molecules in the synovial fluid, thereby decreasing the sponge-effect; the liquid disappears little by little.
The spongy tissue is dry and brittle and loses its elasticity. The recurrent shocks and frictions affecting the cartilage becoming more dry and over time disappear. The bone ends are no longer protected and the bone itself is affected and starts to deform.
The result is pain, which causes that fewer physical activity may be carried out and physical activity is just necessary to keep the joints supple.
This results in a downward spiral of degeneration (aging and wear).
There may be other symptoms such as inflammation, deformations, etc.
The mainstream medical approach is to prescribe various pain medications and/or anti-inflammatory drugs, and also as a result of all kinds of side effects of these drugs, creating a kind of “roller coaster” of drugs. Good for the pharmacy but not good for humans and /or animals.
The current medical view is that osteoarthritis is irreversible (not curable) and that all one can do is to delay its development.
The misconception of osteoarthritis being irreversible!
The main component of cartilage is water. The remainder consists of the connective tissue collagen fiber (adhesive) and glycoproteins (sugar proteins) which are primarily composed of polysaccharides (multiple sugars).
These are large molecules that are composed of sugars and proteins, forming the tissue in which the liquid circulates
Cartilage is formed by the chondrocytes (cartilage cells) to ensure that sufficient cartilage is available and that the cartilage is purified from the old collagen and glycoproteins.
The onset of osteoarthritis
can be attributed to aging, recurring injury and nutrition.
For renewing the cartilage, one element is constantly essential: silicon!
The older a human and/or animal is, the more difficult it becomes to get silicon into the body. If this is combined with the modern diet with low absorbable silicon, the problem is there!
As result of aging, a specific acid is produced less and less. This acid is responsible for the body absorption level of silicon. This also results ultimately in a shortage of silicon.
Creation of collagen fibers
Silicon is essential for the creation of collagen fibers which form the cartilage. Thus, a shortage of silicon, means also a shortage of collagen and that is precisely the glue substance that keeps together the molecules of our cartilage.
Silicon stimulates the production of new bone cells and slows down the bone disintegration.
Moreover, silicon gives a boost to the calcium and vitamin D metabolism.
This also means that fractures heal better and faster.
The build-up of more connective tissue (more collagen) has the effect that components of the system that enables humans to move, become stronger, and also the bones become stronger (larger bone density) . Also the connective tissue protein is essential for the flexibility of the bone.
The effect of silicon has a positive effect on nails. Needless to say, what nails are for humans, hooves are for horses. Hooves consist of the building protein keratin. Keratin absorbs all nutrients and holds moisture and fat in the hoof. It ensures the resilience and firmness of the hoof. In the event of a disorder of keratin synthesis, it decreases the growth rate and exhibits maturity, stripes and hooves tend to end up in hoof wall separation. Silicon protects structural proteins such as elastin (in the blood vessels), collagen (in the skin and in joints) and keratin (in the hooves). Silicon is one of the most present minerals in the hooves. Thin brittle hooves are often a symptom of silicon deficiency. Some symptoms of a lack of silicon are weak hooves (which immediately result in various disorders). Hoof problems often indicate a shortage of silicon.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the amount of bone tissue and in generally also
the consistency of it, is reduced in such a manner that already a small load result in skeletal deformation. One of the key factors that determines whether someone will have osteoporotic fractures at a higher age, is the maximum bone mass that was formed between the twentieth and thirtieth year.
After reaching the bone mass peak, bone mass remains stable for several years, but after a period of time, bone loss will occur. The majority of the measures to prevent osteoporosis, should therefore take place in the first thirty years of a life (for horses, the first seven years).
Apart from genetic (inherited) factors, bone mass is also determined by physical activity and nutrition. Besides calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc, copper and silicon play a significant role. Adequate calcium in the diet is also very important.
For the absorption of calcium, silicon plays a major role. Silicon functions so to speak as a transport medium in the body, therefore the calcium is better absorbed and permeated throughout the body. A similar effect, we see in the administration of a silicon-containing foliar fertilizer in, for example, in apple cultivation. The effect is that more calcium gets into the apple, with all related positive consequences.
The relationship between oligomeric silicic acid and other minerals
Silicon has interactions with various other minerals, such as calcium, magnesium,
boron, phosphate, zinc and copper. Nearly all related data are derived from animal studies.
Emmerick et al (1990) demonstrated that the supplementation of additional silicon resulted in
an increase in copper and copper-related effects.
Najda et al (1992) noticed in respect of copper similar results.
Also, they noticed a higher iron concentration by the supplementation of extra silicon, while zinc concentration dropped. A year later, they found that the supplementation of additional meta silicate resulted in a decrease of the magnesium concentration and a higher silicon level in the serum.
In an article Calcomme et al (1997) show that the supplementation of biologically absorbable (stabilized) silicic acid results in a moderate increase of phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg). More important is the calcium increase, which was proportional to the increased silicon concentration in the serum.
Seaborn and Nielsen demonstrated in rats, that a deficient silicon diet resulted in a decrease in bone minerals, including calcium, copper, zinc, potassium and phosphorus.
McCrady (2003) demonstrated in rats that silicon supplementation does increase the calcium-, phosphorus-, and magnesium concentration in the vertebrae and the skull.
Silicon and Alzheimer’s
A high silicon supplementation can reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Although silicon is not known that it has a direct effect on the functioning of the brains, it appears that silicon binds aluminum and is responsible for aluminum leaving the body by urinating. Aluminum is a highly toxic metal that plays a role in development of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Silicon prevents the accumulation of aluminum.
Interesting to this aspect was the participation of more than 7,500 French women (75 years and older) in a study, where at the beginning of the study, the amount of silicon which was consumed via drinking water, was measured for each participant. Women who consumed less silicon-containing water, were found to perform worse in the context of their cognitive function, compared to women taking drinking water with a higher silicon concentration.
A subgroup of the population was followed for a period of seven years. Thereby it was proven that the intake of the amount of silicon was determining the risk degree of getting Alzheimer’s disease.
In years 2005 up to 2009, the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the safety, toxicity and permissible quantities of silicon at human applications. From this study, it was clear that silicon in the form of silicates and silicic acid can be fully assessed as safe. Silicon also appeared not to be included in any doping list for humans. It is safe to assume that this is also applicable for horses.
Silicon and Equine Bone Health
Prevention and treatment of skeletal injuries in performance horses is an on-going struggle for horse owners and trainers. Lameness tends to be one of the primary causes for horses athletic performance either declining or never reaching their potential. Reducing the injury rate of horses is not only a major animal welfare issue; but also it represents a substantial economic concern. With these points in mind, it is understandable for horse owners and trainers to be continually searching for ways to keep their horses sound.
The implementation of proper training techniques is an important way to reduce injuries, which, of course, is much more complicated than one may think. Contrary to popular belief, for example, there are many advantages to training young horses that are still skeletally immature. While the young horse is growing, the skeletal tissue has the greatest capacity to strengthen. Though not commonly recognized as such, bone is a very dynamic tissue that constantly changes to accommodate forces placed upon it. When one increases the load upon bone, it remodels itself to become stronger particularly if it is given sufficient time to respond to the forces without being overloaded. In contrast, when load is reduced on bone, it responds by becoming weaker. These facts point out the inherent problems with stalling of young horses without giving them sufficient exercise.
Young horses
The question arises as to the proper intensity and amount of training to give horses so that their bones are strengthened without being damaged. Through scientific studies, we are gradually finding answers to determine how much exercise is needed to optimize skeletal strength, but our understanding of these aspects of equine physiology will require on-going research.
Proper training
Since there are many questions remaining as to what are effective injury reducing training programs, owners and trainers have been adopting other ways to deal with the problems of equine lameness. The fields of equine physiology and nutrition are providing solutions through creation of scientifically formulated diets for the purposes of not only providing required sustenance, but also for their prophylactic benefits generally through manipulated bone health. Bioavailable silicon, for example, is a scientifically discovered essential nutrient that studies indicate has promising benefits when added to the equine diet.
Silicon in the environment
Silicon is the second most common element of the Earth crust, which is found throughout the environment; it is, for instance, a major constituent of sand (Carlisle, 1972). Silicon dioxide (SiO2) in the quartz crystals of sand cannot be absorbed by the horse (it is not bioavailable), which renders it useless as a nutritional aid.
Plants, however, use silicon to provide rigidity and structure to some of their cell walls, from which horses are able to obtain small amounts in their normal diet of forage and grain. It should be noted, however, that processing of commercial horse feeds appears to reduce silicons availability from these sources.
Despite its ubiquitous nature, surprisingly little is known about the nutritional importance of silicon in the diet of mammalian species. That being said, the American Institute of Nutrition recently reformulated their published formulas of purified diets for experimental rodents, and made the decision to include silicon as a required nutrient (Reeves, 1997). This change was brought about as a result of research demonstrating that it can interact with other nutrients for apparent beneficial effects (Nielsen, 1991).
Silicon in bone and connective tissue
Most people think of bone as being made primarily from the minerals calcium and phosphorus. Much more, of course, goes into bone than just these two minerals. To begin with, bone is constantly undergoing changes as it removes old or damaged components and replaces them with new healthy elements. Silicon plays a role in the development of new bone, and it is involved with the calcification process. Interestingly, in the early stages of calcification, silicon and calcium content are low but both increase as mineralization progresses (Carlisle, 1970). As bone becomes fully mature, however, silicon content decreases while calcium remains high.
The exact role has to be determined,
Though its exact role has yet to be determined, silicon would appear to be exceptionally critical in the young, growing animal when the skeleton is undergoing rapid development. Support for the theory that silicon is involved in an early stage of bone formation is founded upon studies in which chicks had defective bone growth after being fed a silicon-deficient diet (Carlisle, 1980a).
While being involved in the mineralization process of bone, silicon also appears to play a major role in the formation of the collagen matrix of bone and cartilage (Carlisle, 1982). This matrix is necessary to prevent these tissues from becoming brittle and susceptible to damage. When silicon is deficient in the diet, the formation of the matrix appears to be limited; potentially resulting in even greater problems than if it is deficient in the mineralization process. In tissue cultures of bone and cartilage, bone growth induced by silicon appears to be mainly due to an increase in collagen content. The formation of glycosaminoglycans, the major polymeric molecule of the bone matrix, has also been shown to require silicon. Again, when chicks were fed a silicon-deficient diet, collagen content in the frontal bones was reduced (Carlisle, 1980b). Additionally, the amount of articular cartilage was reduced compared to chicks that were supplemented with silicon (Carlisle, 1980b). At the molecular level, silicon has been shown to be involved with mucopolysaccharide synthesis in the formation of articular cartilage and connective tissue, and to be an integral component of the mucopolysaccaride-protein complex and collagen of connective tissues (Carlisle, 1974).
Complementary silicon and horse owners
Though the National Research Council (1989) has not specified a specific requirement for silicon in horses, benefits have been demonstrated by feeding a bioavailable silicon source. As part of a large, double blinded FDA-controlled study, dramatic decreases in injury rates were reported in race-trained Quarter Horses fed a supplemental silicon source.The control group of horses not receiving supplemental silicon had more horses experience injuries and had to be removed from training than horses that were able to complete the study. All of the three treatment groups, those receiving the silicon source at a low, medium and high dosages, had more horses complete the study without injury than were injured. Furthermore, horses supplemented with the medium and high doses of silicon were able to train and race nearly twice the distance before experiencing an injury than did the control group. Interestingly, the medium treatment group even had faster race times than did the control group at the middle race distance. It is unlikely that the addition of sodium zeolite A made these horses faster, but rather, it is probably that the faster horses of the medium treatment (supplemented) group were better able to withstand the rigors of racing, remain on the study, and increase the average speed of the whole group. By contrast, it is likely the faster horses (the ones placing more load upon their skeleton) in the control group were injured and removed from the study leaving only the slower horses.
More studies
More studies were needed to try and determine what was causing the decreased injury rates. At Michigan State University, recent studies demonstrated an increase in the concentration of a marker of bone formation in broodmares during the first 45 days after supplementation began when the mares foaled (Lang et al., 2001b). There was also a decrease in the concentrations of a marker of bone resorption by day 45 in yearlings after the beginning of supplementation (Lang et al., 2001a). At least in the mature animal, bone formation and resorption tend to be equal. Hence, the amount of bone present tends to remain relatively constant. If either bone formation increases or bone resorption decreases, researchers typically assume the result to be positive in regards to bone health.
Benefits of silicon to humans have also been shown. Increased femoral density in osteoporotic women receiving absorbable silicon for four months has been reported (Eisinger and Clairet, 1993). The National Osteoporosis Society recently funded a large randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine if orthosilicic acid is a treatment for osteoporosis after a pilot study demonstrated silicon supplementation of osteoporotic postmenopausal women increased spinal bone mineral density by 3% (National Osteoporosis Society Web-site, 2001). The exact mechanism for enhanced bone metabolism, however, still needs to be determined.
Sodium Zeolite A as a Silicon Source
(Sodium Zeolite is not the source for the cristobaliet of SilicaHorse)Silicon is a normal part of the equine diet as it can be found in the grain and forage that horses consume. In the environment, however, silicon is naturally found as silica (SiO2). If silica is hydrated, oligomeric silicic acid) is formed. These silicon acids are well absorbable, opposite to the silicon which is present in nature.
How big is the difference in practice?
How big of a difference can this make? A recent study looked at two groups of calves that were fed a standard milk formula, but one group received supplemental oligomeric silicic acid. At seven weeks, the calves’ daily silicon intake from food for the control was 360 mg and the other group received only 17.5 mg from oligomeric silicic acid. However, by the end of the study, the silicon concentrations in the blood of the calves treated with oligomeric silicic acid were 70 percent higher than the control, indicating a much better absorption rate. Interestingly, skin collagen was also bigger in the other group, providing more support to the premise that silicon is necessary for collagen synthesis.
Once silicon derivatives are converted to silicic acid in the body, silicon can be absorbed through the small intestine. Sodium zeolite A is a sodium aluminium silicate that breaks down in the stomach into oligo silicic acid. While other zeolites tend to polymerize, resulting in each silicon atom adjoined to at least one other silicon atom, SZA is a silicate where each silicon atom adjoins to aluminium atoms.
Too much of aluminium
The accompanying aluminium is alleged to lower the pH, which is necessary to keep it in the form of oligomeric silicic acid and prevent it from polymerizing (this applies also for the process of producing SilicaHorse). If the silicon polymerizes, it can no longer be absorbed. Though there are concerns over excess dietary aluminium, (this applies not for SilicaHorse, because sodium zeolite is not the source for SilicaHorse) the horses on the racing study were started on SZA at six months of age and maintained on it through the completion of racing as two-year-olds with only beneficial results being noted as the result of supplementation.
Will feeding of silicon eliminate all injuries during a training program? Obviously the answer is no. Although the research that has been done thus far has clearly demonstrated a large decrease in the number of horses injured while being fed this substance, we will continue to investigate the role that silicon plays in the health of bone and cartilage. At this time, we can conclude however that although proper training and good nutrition are still needed, supplementing horses with bioavailable silicon appears to be a promising method in the prevention of injuries to equine athletes.
Source: Department of Animal Science, Michagan State University
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In defense of clicktivism: Why #BringBackOurGirls didn’t fail
Danielle Wiener-Bronner
One year ago today, 276 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram. Fifty-seven of the girls managed to escape, and 219 remain missing.
The story of stolen schoolgirls made international headlines last year, thanks in part to the proliferation of an online campaign, Bring Back Our Girls. The movement, carried by a #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, went viral, drawing in support from U.S. leaders and celebrities:
Back in October, there was a glimmer of hope for those fighting for the girls' release. Boko Haram reportedly agreed to a ceasefire with the Nigerian military, and said it would finally free the girls. That never happened.
Since then, Boko Haram has continued to wreak havoc in the country. UNICEF reported this week that 800,000 Nigerian children have been forced out of their homes to escape Boko Haram’s violence. The dismal stats put the schoolgirls' story into somber context: not only have they remained in the hands of the terrorist organization, but their experiences are common. Said UNICEF’s Manuel Fointaine in a statement: “The abduction of more than 200 girls in Chibok is only one of endless tragedies being replicated on an epic scale across Nigeria and the region."
It’s hard not to see the girls' continued disappearance, plus UNICEF’s report, as a sign that the #BringBackOurGirls campaign has failed. Indeed, Ramaa Mosley, a filmmaker, activist, and one of the organizers of Bring Back Our Girls USA, told Fusion in a phone interview that she’s disappointed. “When I first started, I thought that the girls would be rescued within days… I was very hopeful.” But, she added, she’s satisfied with the online effort. “The campaign has been robust, there isn’t a day that’s gone by that we haven’t all been working together to bring this to the media’s attention. My disappointment is with the Nigerian government, but also with world leaders.”
Though it might seem that international attention for #BringBackOurGirls ebbed months ago, BBOG organizers across the globe have continued to advocate for the girls’ release. “I have worked every day to help people take action toward the girls being rescued. I now work on a daily basis with all of the Nigerian leaders of the movement.”
In some ways, the campaign achieved what it set out to do. “I think that the online effort has been a tool to bring a large group of people into this story. And to telegraph the message as far and as wide as possible. That’s the purpose of social media," said Mosley.
And the group’s effort continues. “Our focus right now is really raising the awareness, once again, about the girls and the kidnapping. We have been organizing marches and rallies globally,” Mosely said. They’re also preparing papers for Nigeria’s new incoming government. “Right now the BBOG group has been working on a document which will be given to the new government and world leaders, with demands and solutions regarding the girls who were kidnapped and the IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons] across northern Nigeria.”
The online campaign succeeded in shedding light on an incident that otherwise may have gone unnoticed. Consider the lack of a hashtag over the deaths of 142 students Kenyan students, or 132 schoolchildren in Pakistan. The incidents have been reported upon, but haven’t tugged on international heartstrings in the way the missing girls have.
The movement, rather than a failure, is a demonstration that awareness only goes so far. To expect international outrage alone to yield results shifts the mantle of responsibility from the government to the people. “It’s heartbreaking that it’s been a year now, and the girls are not home. It’s very upsetting to myself and to all of the leaders that the government of Nigeria has been so lackadaisical about the response,” said Mosley.
Still, she is hopeful that one day the girls will come home. “I do believe it’s possible because we have recent accounts from people who have seen a very large number of the girls together, and know for sure they are the Chibok girls. We want them brought home and rescued.” And until then, the movement continues.
Danielle Wiener-Bronner is a news reporter.
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lux65
Andrea Osvart
Apr. 25th, 1979
Andrea Osvart's Main TV Roles
Andrea Osvart (born April 25, 1979) in Budapest. She had lived in the countryside of Hungary until 1996 when she won the second place of the national "Look of the Year Competition" which drove her to move to Budapest.
After an excellent graduation in an Italian and Hungarian bilingual high school, she spent another 5 years studying Italian culture, literature and language at the Arts Department of the Eötvös Lóránd University. She gained her double degree in 2005 as an Italian Major. Her ruling passion has been dancing since she was 13.
Osvart maintained herself and helped her not well-heeled family in the country by modeling for several years. She did at least 30 TV commercials in a few years and had the luck to be selected for a small role in Spy Game (2001) movie in which she played with 'Robert Redford' and with 'Brad Pitt'. It was the period when she realized she wanted to focus her energies on transmitting emotions among people and chose the acting career.
Beside working and studying, she attended one year at the 'Földessy Margit' Acting School in Budapest, whereupon she was admitted in the biennial International Acting School-Rome, in Italy and she quit modeling.
Osvart has been living in Rome since 2003 studying and working as an actress. Speaks and acts perfectly in English, Italian and Hungarian. Beside numerous acting workshops, she also has attended a screen-writing course at the Schilling-Moharos Screenwriter School in Hungary. Osvart also studied German for twelve years and French for one year. Her filmography continues to grow by 3-5 films each year.
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Karine Vanasse
Nov. 24th, 1983
Drummondville, Québec, Canada
Karine Vanasse's Main TV Roles
Margaux LeM…
Colette Val…
Lise Delorm
Karine Vanasse (born November 24, 1983) is a French Canadian actress. Vanasse is the daughter of council worker Conrad Vanasse and Renée Gamache, who was her manager at the beginning of her career.
From as young as 9 years old, Vanasse expressed her desire to become a singer or an actress one day. That desire became an ambition when she appeared in Quebec's teen show Club des 100 watts after winning a "lip sync" competition. It was then, with the help of her mother, that she began to audition and take part in TV commercials as well as playing minor and supporting roles in French Canadian TV movies.
In 1998, Vanasse was approached by what is now known as the Motion International production company to co-host the once-popular Québécois children's science show, Les Petits Debrouillards, in an attempt to re-brand its "comeback" with a new, friendlier image. It was during her time on this show that she was spotted and hired by producer Lorraine Richard and director Léa Pool to play the role of Hanna in her first big break Emporte-moi (1999), a film telling the story of a teenager trying to find her identity in a tormented family environment. The film was presented in 40 festivals, shown across 20 countries. Her performance was highly acclaimed both nationally and internationally and earned her the title of best actress at the Jutra Award Gala, in Quebec.
Vanasse then moved on to play Lucie (Zac's Benoit Langlais) love interest) in the controversial Quebec TV series 2 frères (1999). Her character, Lucie, became much more prominent and realistic in 2000–2001 and the debate stirred by the realistic and violent reality revealed led her to become, together with Langlais, a spokesperson for the government-funded TV program Parler, c'est grandir, a broadcast aimed at youngsters from unstable backgrounds.
Her teen roles began to stick and at the risk of becoming typecast she took on the main role for the feature film Du pic au coeur (2001), a trendy production by Céline Baril on the intricacies of today's youngsters' love lives. In the spring of 2001, Vanasse applied for the ITHAKA program and took a six-month break in Greece to devote her time to travelling and academic work.
After this break, she broke from the rebellious teenager typecasting by playing Donalda in Charles Binamé's film, Séraphin: un homme et son péché (2002), with actor Roy Dupuis. She was cast as an FLQ terrorist in the 2006 miniseries October 1970 on CBC's English network. Vanasse has also appeared in various Canadian theatrical productions in both French and English.
Vanasse was a producer and cast member of the 2009 film Polytechnique which portrays the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal. She won the Genie Award for Best Actress for her performance. She provides the voice of Wendy in the Quebec dubbed version of South Park which is scheduled for broadcast on V from September 2009
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Kissinger Joins Annenberg-Dreier Commission Advisory Board
Beijing, August 2, 2013–Henry Kissinger, the distinguished former U.S. Secretary of State, has joined the advisory board of The Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands. Kissinger’s appointment was announced in Beijing by David Dreier, chairman of The Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands.
Dr. Kissinger is one of America’s greatest diplomats. He was the architect of policies that restored U.S. relations with China, and paved the way for what is emerging as a century of unprecedented opportunity for nations throughout the Greater Pacific,” said Dreier. “His vision and skill helped shape the world we live in. He will be an inspiration and reference point as the Commission works, in very specific ways, to advance exchanges across the Pacific. I am very grateful for Dr. Kissinger’s support of the Commission and its goals.”
The Annenberg-Dreier Commission was launched earlier this year at Sunnylands, the Rancho Mirage, California estate of the late Walter and Lee Annenberg that hosted the historic June 2013 summit meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama. Its mission is to improve the human condition by promoting the free flow of goods, services, capital, information, ideas, and people throughout the Greater Pacific.
One of the Commission’s most important priorities is advancing strong, productive, and respectful ties between the United States and China.
“Our nations, on opposite sides of the Pacific, are destined to be the two most important countries in the world in the 21st century,” Dreier added. “How we interact with each other, and with our other key partners throughout the Trans-Pacific, will be of critical importance to the stability, prosperity, and security of the world. Our partnership and competition can be good for us, and the world. We share a growing range of strategic interests spanning issues as diverse as climate change, equitable growth, food and energy security, nonproliferation, and development of an updated rules-based approach to international trade and investment.”
The Annenberg-Dreier Commission advisory board is comprised of distinguished public servants and diplomats. It is co-chaired by Jon Huntsman, former U.S. Ambassador to China and Utah governor and Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, III, former White House Chief of Staff to President Clinton. Other advisory board members include former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former World Bank president Robert Zoellick.
Dreier noted that board members share a modern vision of a “prosperous, open, and stable Pacific, where all our societies can thrive.” For a full list of Advisory Board members see the Commission’s web site.
Dreier, the longtime member of Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives and chairman of its powerful Rules Committee, is traveling in China to meet with senior academic, business, and government leaders and advance the work of the Commission. On July 29 he met at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing with the Charge d’Affaires and senior staff to brief them as well.
The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, which operates The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating entity. The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands hosts high-level retreats that address serious issues facing the nation and the world. In addition, Sunnylands offers programs through Sunnylands Center & Gardens to educate the public about the history of Sunnylands, its architecture, art collections, cultural significance, and sustainable practices. Sunnylands Center & Gardens is open to the public and admission is free. Tours of the Sunnylands estate require tickets and are available on a limited basis.
Contact: Mary Perry, 760-202-2267
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Justia › US Law › US Case Law › US Supreme Court › Volume 45 › Hardeman v. Anderson
Hardeman v. Anderson, 45 U.S. 640 (1846)
Hardeman v. Anderson, 45 U.S. 4 How. 640 640 (1846)
Hardeman v. Anderson
45 U.S. (4 How.) 640
After a case has been docketed and dismissed under the forty-third rule of court, and the plaintiff in error sues out another writ of error, this Court will, when the case appears to require it, order a supersedeas to stay all proceedings pending the second writ of error.
The supersedeas is issued under the fourteenth section of the Act of 24 September, 1783.
At the preceding term of this Court, namely, on 28 February, 1845, Mr. Howard, on behalf of the defendant in error, moved for leave to file a certificate that a writ of error had been sued out, and for an order to docket and dismiss the case under the forty-third rule of Court.
This order was accordingly passed, and at the close of the term, no record having been filed by the plaintiffs in error, the case was dismissed.
At the present term, Mr. Crittenden, counsel for the plaintiffs in error, filed the following affidavit, namely:
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Southern District of Mississippi."
"This day William Hardeman personally appeared before me, commissioner &c., for taking affidavits in civil cases &c., and made oath, that some time during the last summer, and many months
Page 45 U. S. 641
previous to the session of the present term of the Supreme Court of the United States, he applied to the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of Mississippi to know what he should do in relation to the record in the case of Edward Anderson against the said Hardeman and others, on a writ of error from said circuit court, and the said clerk then told this affiant that he would prepare and send up to the Supreme Court of the United States the transcript of the record in said cause, and that all affiant would have to do would be to procure sureties for costs of suit in the Supreme Court. Trusting to this, and fully believing that said transcript would be duly sent up by the clerk to the Supreme Court, this affiant applied to Daniel W. Dickenson, a member of Congress, and amply solvent, to become his surety for the costs of the Supreme Court, which he promised to do. The said Dickenson was taken sick, and, as he informed affiant, had written to Joseph H. Peyton and Mr. Rayner, members of Congress, to become the sureties for costs. Affiant has been informed this day for the first time, by his counsel in the circuit court, that the transcript of said record had not been forwarded by the clerk as aforesaid. Affiant sends the same accompanying this affidavit, and prays that said record be filed and the case docketed, and if said suit be dismissed, that the same be set aside, the record filed, and the case docketed."
"WILL. HARDEMAN"
"Sworn to and subscribed before me on 26 February, A.D. 1845."
"THOS. SHACKELFORD"
"United States commissioner of Affidavits &c."
"for the Southern District of Mississippi"
Mr. Crittenden thereupon submitted the following motion, viz.:
"HARDEMAN ET AL. v. ANDERSON"
"This case was depending before this Court at its last term, upon writ of error operating as a supersedeas, and was then dismissed because the record was not filed. The cause of the failure to file is accounted for and explained in the affidavit now submitted to the Court. The affidavit was received here within a few days after the close of the last term, and too late, of course, to make the intended motion to set aside the dismission. Since then, the plaintiffs have sued out another writ of error, and executed another bond &c., but this not operating per se as a supersedeas, the plaintiffs are exposed to execution on the judgment below; they therefore move the Court for a supersedeas,"
&c.
This motion was sustained by Mr. Crittenden, who contended that the plaintiffs in error had used all reasonable exertion to have the record brought up in time, and referred to the case of Stockton v. Bishop, 2 How. 74.
Mr. Howard opposed the motion. It did not appear that all reasonable exertion had been used by the party. The judgment appealed from was given in May, 1840, and the case was not docketed and dismissed until February, 1845. In the meantime, the plaintiff in error appears to have relied upon the clerk of the court below to send the record up. The effort to obtain security for costs was very faint. If such reasons are allowed to be sufficient to reinstate a case after dismissal under the rule, the rule itself may as well be abolished. Certainly, a court which passes a rule has power to relax it, whenever a proper occasion shall offer. But this motion does not apply to a case which has been dismissed. It is not to reinstate that case, but it is to call forth the power of the court in another case, upon another writ of error. The act of Congress divides appeals into two classes, giving to them very different rights. Where the party is diligent and prosecutes his writ of error without delay, the law gives a supersedeas. But if he is dilatory, the law is reluctant to deprive him of the benefit of an appeal, but subjects him to the risk of an execution. Thus the rights of creditor and debtor are both protected. But in order to prevent a vexatious and lingering suit and to supply an omission in the act, a rule of court compels the appellant to prosecute his suit under the penalty of dismissal by an application from the appellee. The appellant has his choice either to prosecute his appeal with or without the benefit of a supersedeas, and the act of Congress has made a clear distinction between these two modes. But the present motion is to take a case out of one of these classes and put it in the other.
The case of Stockton v. Bishop does not apply, because every step required by the act of Congress was taken in that case; and this Court not only can, but ought to, protect cases which are in regular progress towards it, according to all the forms of law.
ERROR TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
MR. JUSTICE McLEAN delivered the opinion of the Court, directing the following order to be passed.
"WM. AND D. HARDEMAN AND WM. P. PERKINS, PLAINTIFFS IN ERROR v. EDWARD ANDERSON."
On consideration of the motion made in this cause on a prior day of the present term of this Court, to-wit, on Friday the 9th instant, by Mr. Crittenden, of counsel for the plaintiffs in error, for a writ of supersedeas to stay execution on the judgment below in this cause, and of the arguments of counsel thereupon had, as well against as in support of the motion, it is the opinion of this Court that a supersedeas should be allowed, under the general powers conferred upon this Court by the fourteenth section of the act of 24 September, 1789, leaving the question, whether a writ of error will lie to the judgment in this case, an open one. Whereupon
it is now here considered and ordered by this Court, that a writ of supersedeas be and the same is hereby awarded, commanding the judges of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of Mississippi to stay any execution or proceedings on the judgment of the said circuit court in this case pending this writ of error, and also command the marshal of the United States for the said district that from every and all proceedings on execution or in any wise molesting the said plaintiffs in error on account of the said judgment, he entirely surcease, the same being superseded.
26 January, 1846.
"Supersedeas"
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, sct.: "
"The President of the United States of America to the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of Mississippi, and to the Marshal of the United States for the said district, Greeting: "
"Whereas lately, in the said circuit court before you, the said judges, or some of you, in a cause lately pending in said court between Edward Anderson, plaintiff, and William Hardeman and D. Hardeman, defendants, a judgment was rendered by the said circuit court, at the May term, 1839, of said court, in favor of the said plaintiff, and against the said defendants, for the sum of $8,293.45, with interest thereon at the rate of eight percentum per annum, together with costs and charges of suit, on which judgment an execution of fieri facias issued, and was levied by the marshal of said district on certain property of said defendants, which property was left in the hands of the defendants upon their executing a forthcoming bond, with one W. P. Perkins as security, and which forthcoming bond was returned by the said marshal to the said circuit court at the next November term thereof, A.D. 1839, 'Forfeited,' having thereby, according to the laws of Mississippi, the force and effect of a judgment against the said defendants and the said security for the aforesaid debt, interest, and costs, and upon which last-mentioned judgment an execution of fieri facias was issued against the goods and chattels, lands and tenements, of the said William Hardeman, D. Hardeman, and W. P. Perkins, for the amount of the said judgment, interest, and costs, as aforesaid, as also for the sum of $133.81 additional costs subsequently accruing; upon which execution, the aforesaid marshal returned that he had received thereon '$9,125 in Union money, or post notes of the Union Bank,' which said return of the marshal last aforesaid the said circuit court, at a subsequent term, to-wit, on 20 May, A.D. 1840, set aside, and awarded an alias fieri facias on the judgment last aforesaid. Whereupon, the said Wm. Hardeman,
D. Hardeman, and W. P. Perkins sued out a writ of error in due form of law and in proper time, and filed their bond in error, with sufficient security approved by one of the judges of the said circuit court, so as to operate per se as a supersedeas, and which said writ of error was abated and quashed by the order of this Court on 28 February, A.D. 1845, by virtue of the forty-third rule of court, in consequence of the failure of the aforesaid plaintiffs in error to file a transcript of the record of the case with the clerk of this Court, and to have their case docketed, in compliance with the rules of court. Whereupon, the aforesaid plaintiffs in error sued out another writ of error in due form of law, filed their bond in error in a sum double the amount of the aforesaid judgment, with sufficient security approved by one of the judges of the aforesaid circuit court, and a citation having been regularly taken out, served upon the defendant in error, and duly returned, as by the inspection of the transcript of the record of the said circuit court, which was brought into the Supreme Court of the United States by virtue of said writ of error, agreeably to the act of Congress in such case made and provided, fully and at large appears. And whereas, in the present term of December, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-five, it is made to appear, on affidavit to the said Supreme Court of the United States, that the failure of the aforesaid plaintiffs in error to file the transcript of the record and docket the writ of error first aforesaid mentioned, and which operated per se as a supersedeas, was not owing to any neglect or fault on their part, but wholly attributable to the neglect of the clerk of the said circuit court to make out in due time, and as requested by the said plaintiffs in error, a transcript of the record, as alleged in said affidavit, and that in consequence thereof they are exposed to an execution on the aforesaid judgment. It is thereupon now here ordered by this Court, that a writ of supersedeas be, and the same is, hereby awarded, to be directed to the aforesaid marshal, commanding and enjoining him and his deputies to stay any and all proceedings upon any execution which may have been issued on the aforesaid judgment of the said circuit court in said case, and which has or may come to his hands, and that he return any such execution with the writ of supersedeas to the said circuit court, and that the judges of the said circuit court cause any such writ of execution to be stayed, and to stay any execution or further proceedings of every kind and character on the judgment of the said circuit court in this case, pending the aforesaid writ of error in this Court."
"You, therefore, the Marshal of the United States for the Southern District of Mississippi, are hereby commanded, that from every and all proceedings on any execution on the aforesaid judgment, or in any wise molesting the said defendants on the account aforesaid, you entirely surcease, as being superseded, and that you
do forthwith return any such execution in your hands, together with this supersedeas, to the said circuit court, as you will answer the contrary at your peril. And you, the judges of the said circuit court, are hereby commanded to stay any execution which may have issued as aforesaid, and to stay any execution or further proceedings on the aforesaid judgment of the said circuit court in this case, pending the writ of error last aforesaid in this Court."
"Witness the Honorable ROGER B. TANEY, Chief Justice of said Supreme Court, this 27 January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six."
"WM. THOS. CARROLL"
"Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States"
45 U.S. 640
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Bangladesh: Two Independence Movements
Sheikh Mujib and his daughter, Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh Independence War Archives, https://www.flickr.com/photos/liberationwarbangladesh/31326840020/in/photolist
March 12, 2018: This article, the last that Howard and Teresita Schaffer wrote together, is adapted from a study commissioned by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C., to be published as part of a book called Independence Movements and their Aftermath: Self-Determination and the Struggle for Success. It is carried here by permission of CSIS. It summarizes Bangladesh’s two independence movements: the end of British rule in 1947, and liberation from Pakistan in 1971. It concludes that of the three biggest problems they confronted, Bangladesh’s early leaders succeeded beyond expectations in creating a unified and disciplined army and a dynamic economy, but the country is still struggling to craft a governing consensus.
Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 shocked the world with its violence and the callousness of U.S. policy, inspired a unique Beatles concert, and became a feature in a major shift in relations among the United States, China, the Soviet Union, and India. But the Bangladesh movement did not arise in a vacuum. Instead it grew out of the fragmented geographic, ethnic, and power structure left behind from its first independence movement when the subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan in 1947.
After independence, Bangladesh was expected to be a “basket case.” Relatively successful economically, its political trajectory has been more volatile, albeit more promising than other countries studied for this project. However, many issues that shaped the Bangladesh movement – the second of the country’s two independence movements – still stalk Bangladeshi politics four decades after its bloody creation.
The First Independence Movement: Creating Pakistan
In the wake of the Second World War, the British concluded that they would have to “Quit India.” They aspired to leave behind a united subcontinent, long a jewel in their imperial crown. But by spring, 1947, political realities on the ground forced the British to accept demands of the subcontinent’s sizeable Muslim minority for a separate independent homeland to be called Pakistan. The hastily carried out Partition that followed in August 1947 was accompanied by widespread violence, murder, and an unprecedented number of refugees.[1]
The Partition settlement worked out between the British government and contending Indian political forces was designed to place the bulk of imperial India’s Muslim population in Pakistan. Since the major Muslim-majority areas were situated at opposite ends of the subcontinent, this led to the creation of a Pakistan that awkwardly comprised two wings, separated by a thousand miles of Indian territory.[2]
Two-Winged Pakistan: A Country Fragile from the Start
Issues that ultimately led to the demise of a united Pakistan arose in the new country’s earliest days. One of the most immediate was the question of Pakistan’s national language. Another was composition of the armed forces, which included very few Bengalis. What little industry and commerce existed in Pakistan was mostly in the west and held in non-Bengali hands. Although Pakistan’s ruling Muslim League included some prominent Bengali politicians, they were overshadowed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the venerated “Great Leader” (Quaid-e-Azam) who dominated the government, the party and all aspects of Pakistani national life until his untimely death in September 1948.
The Language Issue: Controversies over the designation of a national language have bedeviled many emerging countries, notably those of the multilingual former British possessions in South Asia. In East Pakistan, Bengali pride in the Bangla language had an unusually important political dimension. Culture, rather than competition for jobs, was the most contentious aspect of this divisive issue.
Jinnah was adamant about one national language for Pakistan and rejected Bengali demands for equal status for Urdu and Bangla. After his death, the language issue sparked lengthy, acrimonious debates in the Constituent Assembly, the parliamentary body charged with framing a constitution for the new country. In early 1952, students demanding equal status for Bangla rioted in the streets of Dhaka. Several were killed by police. The date of what Bangladeshis consider the students’ martyrdom, “Ekushay,” (for the 21st of February), is an annual remembrance still observed with great solemnity in Bangladesh.
In September 1954, the Constituent Assembly finally designated two official languages for Pakistan – Urdu and Bangla. But the bitter debate leading up to this compromise had damaged Pakistan’s fragile unity and birthed a strong cultural movement in East Pakistan that significantly contributed to the growth of Bengali nationalism.
The Military: The ethnic composition of the Pakistani armed forces reflected the long-standing British practice of recruiting Indians exclusively from the so-called “martial races.” Since their disloyalty to the Raj during the 1857 Mutiny, Bengalis – both Muslim and Hindu – were largely excluded. As a result, the Pakistani military mostly comprised officers and other ranks drawn from the Punjabi and Pashtun ethnic groups and from Urdu-speaking families of Northern India. Bengalis were virtually excluded from senior positions.
The military and their West Pakistani civilian allies dominated Pakistan’s governing institutions, determining security, foreign, and economic policies. That resulted in Pakistan’s 1954 alignment with the U.S.-led Western bloc in the global confrontation between the “Free World” and the forces of international Communism. This support was more popular in West Pakistan than in the East. Bengalis were increasingly convinced that Western compatriots were profiting more from the alliance than they were.
East Pakistanis were also troubled by the military leaders’ strategy in the event of another war with India. The military argued the only effective way to defend East Pakistan would be to attack India from the West, stationing only a small force in the East. Understandably, this strategy did not allay East Pakistanis’ concerns that their wing could easily be overrun by vastly superior Indian forces.
Economic Grievances: Another major concern for East Pakistanis was the widespread conviction that most of the economic assistance from the United States and its allies ended up in the Western Wing. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in East Pakistan was about 20 percent higher than the West in 1960, when Pakistan’s treaty relations with the United States were fully in place. But by 1970, the East lagged 20 percent behind the West in GDP. More than half of its GDP came from agriculture throughout the 1960s. By contrast, agricultural production in the West had fallen as industrial production surged.[3]
First Stirrings of the Independence Movement
East Pakistanis increasingly believed they were victims of deliberate and unfair discrimination by their more privileged West Wing compatriots. They relied on political organization and legal change as their methods for demanding a more equitable role in national affairs. They found an early opportunity in the March 1954 election for the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly.
This provincial election pitted the incumbent Muslim League against a newly organized United Front of disparate opposition leaders and parties. The strongest of these parties was the Awami (People’s) Muslim League, soon to be renamed the Awami League and opened to Hindu and other non-Muslim members. Its leader, veteran politician Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy,[4] chose the charismatic, up-and-coming young Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as one of his principal lieutenants. When Suhrawardy died in 1963, Sheikh Mujib, as he was widely called, became party leader. Eight years later he led Bangladesh to independence.
Conducted under universal suffrage but with separate balloting for Muslim and non-Muslim voters, the provincial election resulted in an upset landslide victory for the United Front. It won 223 of the 237 Muslim seats to the Muslim League’s seven, and also enjoyed substantial support among the provincial assembly’s considerable Hindu membership. Awami Leaguers won the bulk of the United Front seats. Successful candidates of its ally the Krishak Sramik Party (KSP), led by veteran politician Fazlul Haq, made up the second largest group. Despite the Awami League’s stronger performance at the polls, Haq became chief minister.[5]
The United Front platform demanded provincial autonomy except in defense, foreign affairs, and currency. It called for: recognition of Bangla as a national language and its use in instruction at all levels; the creation of a directly elected constituent assembly; agricultural reforms; the ending of restrictions on trade with and travel to India; freedom of trade in jute; and withdrawal of provisions permitting political arrests and detentions.[6] Most of these demands were, of course, largely or totally unacceptable to the West Pakistani generals, senior civil servants, and politicians who dominated the central government in Karachi.
This establishment was unwilling to tolerate a United Front government in Dhaka or dissidence from Bengalis and others at the national level. The United Front enjoyed only a brief, troubled life. Severe rioting at East Pakistani jute mills between Bengali and non-Bengali workers and accusations that Haq was collaborating with the Indians led the central government to dismiss him and his provincial government before any of the United Front’s major demands could be satisfied or addressed. The assembly was suspended, then dissolved a few months later. The East Pakistani government came to be led by a succession of political groupings that reflected both the instability of alignments in the assembly and frequent intervention by the central government.[7]
General Ayub Khan Takes Charge
Mohammad Ayub Khan, a former commander of the Pakistan Army and defense minister in civilian-led governments in the 1950s, declared martial law in October 1958.[8] Ayub would rule Pakistan as president for the next 11 years. The pro-West Pakistan biases of earlier governments continued to dominate his approach. He relied on an inner circle drawn from West Pakistani military and civil service elite. West Pakistanis approved of Ayub’s anti-corruption measures, the rapid economic growth he generated, and his establishment of Pakistan as a poster child for economic development and political stability among Third World countries.
By contrast, sentiment in East Pakistan was much less positive. Bengalis had only limited roles in running the country, sensed they were falling behind the West in economic development, and felt largely neglected by the aid-giving world. With the deaths in the 1960s of Suhrawardy and Fazlul Haq, they also lost two of their most respected leaders.
Ayub did, however, make several decisions that pleased Bengalis. Most importantly, in his final years as president, he significantly increased recruitment of East Pakistanis into commissioned ranks of the armed forces and senior civil service. He also boosted East Pakistan’s industrial and agricultural development, though it continued to lag behind the West.
Ayub’s Decline and Fall
Ayub’s seemingly invulnerable position declined in the mid-1960s. His reputation as a statesman and military leader was badly damaged after the short war with India to win control over Kashmir ended in stalemate. He also suffered from the changing perception in West Pakistan of his government’s economic performance. Resentment grew towards the beneficiaries of the new wealth, seen in today’s terms as “crony capitalists.”[9]
As support for Ayub weakened, frustrated Bengalis took action. At a conference of opposition party leaders from East and West Pakistan in Lahore in February 1966, Sheikh Mujib, then president of the Awami League, radically changed the focus of Bengali demands. He and others representing East Pakistan concluded that the West Pakistani establishment’s domination of the national government meant that sharing power was no longer a feasible way for the Bengalis to attain their political and economic objectives.
The Six Point Program that Sheikh Mujib set out exceeded the limited autonomy the United Front had proposed in its 1964 provincial election campaign. It called for two sovereign autonomous states; limiting the power of the federal government; new currency provisions; autonomous taxation and revenue collection; a new foreign exchange arrangement; and the establishment of an East Pakistani armed force.
Not surprisingly, President Ayub called the Six Point program a scheme for East Pakistan’s secession and threatened force to block its adoption. Sheikh Mujib and other Awami Leaguers were jailed, leading to province-wide demonstrations and clashes in which students played a leading role.[10] Facing mounting turbulence, Ayub invited opposition leaders from both wings, including the recently released Sheikh Mujib, to a Round Table Conference. Held in February and March 1969, the bitterly divided conference ultimately failed when President Ayub declared that fundamental constitutional questions could be decided only by elected representatives.[11]
Soon afterwards, Ayub announced his resignation as president. The 1962 constitution he had promulgated was abrogated, the National Assembly was dissolved, and martial law proclaimed. Ayub handed over the presidency to General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, the Army’s commander-in-chief.
The End of United Pakistan
Yahya Khan was the last president of Pakistan as delineated in the 1947 Partition of India. His three years in power ended with his resignation after Pakistan’s military defeat by India in 1971 and the emergence of an independent Bangladesh. He was a man of limited ability and unsteady character who proved unable to deal with the enormous problems Pakistan faced. Nonetheless, he received strong support from the administration of President Richard Nixon.
Yahya got off to a promising start. He pledged early elections for a national assembly that would be required to draft a new constitution within 120 days of the balloting. The new president also issued an important decree stipulating that provincial representation in the newly chosen body would be allocated on the basis of population. For the first time, East Pakistan would choose a majority of the members of a national Pakistani assembly.
In East Pakistan, the Awami League’s battle cry in the campaign was the Six Point Program. Sheikh Mujib’s party’s strong appeal there was boosted by widespread resentment at the central government’s failure to deal adequately and promptly with the devastating impact of the worst cyclone and tidal wave in Eastern Bengal in living memory.[12] When polling took place starting in early December, 1970, the Awami League swept the East, winning 160 of the province’s 162 National Assembly seats. Results were less decisive in the West, where Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party won 81 of 138 seats. Importantly, the Awami League won no seats in the West, nor did the PPP win any in the East.
The outcome surprised Yahya and his military commanders. They were troubled by the Awami League’s sweep in East Pakistan and all that implied for the division of power between the East and West and the military’s parochial interests. A series of talks involving Yahya, Sheikh Mujib, and Bhutto followed the elections, but made no progress in resolving the deadlock on the establishment of a civilian-led, constitutional government. Under pressure from Bhutto and military colleagues, Yahya postponed indefinitely the inaugural session of the National Assembly scheduled for Dhaka March 1, 1971. At the same time, he sent military reinforcements to East Pakistan and prepared diplomatic groundwork for an eventual crackdown there.[13]
The postponement sine die of the National Assembly triggered an Awami League-directed shutdown of all normal activity in East Pakistan. Violence flared and hundreds were killed. Sheikh Mujib continued to urge restraint, but also began to speak of a “struggle for independence” in speeches to supporters in Dhaka.
The deadlock was broken on March 25 when the Awami League was banned, all political activity proscribed, and a brutal crackdown implemented. The reinforced Pakistan Army killed thousands of Bengali civilians. Sheikh Mujib and his principal associates were arrested a few days later. Bhutto, fully supporting Yahya’s action, told the press, “By the Grace of God, Pakistan has at last been saved.”[14] He was wrong. Instead, the military action led to a nine-month civil war and, in December 1971, to the liberation of East Pakistan and its emergence as independent Bangladesh.
The International Tapestry
The development of the Bangladesh movement grew out of the structure of the Pakistan state as first created and how united Pakistan was governed. Unhappiness in East Pakistan fueled calls for separation. Pakistan and Bangladesh found themselves at the confluence of two international forces: Cold War politics, specifically Henry Kissinger’s China diplomacy; and India’s response to Pakistan’s fragility. The Cold War connection added drama and international significance to the events surrounding Bangladesh independence and India’s intervention proved to be decisive.
The Cold War dimension: Secretary of State Kissinger’s determination to pursue a dramatic reversal of major power relationships was the driving force behind the United States’ pro-Pakistan policy. For some time, the United States had explored an opening to China, hoping to secure Chinese cooperation against the Soviet Union. Pakistan was one of two countries being considered as possible intermediaries. Kissinger would not countenance any policy moves distasteful to Pakistan lest they interfere with his larger strategic aims. In October 1970, before the crackdown in East Bengal, President Nixon asked for Pakistan’s assistance.[15] In July 1971, Kissinger, with the help of Yahya’s government, made a secret visit to China. Soon after Kissinger returned to Washington, his visit to Beijing was announced, along with the news that Nixon planned to visit China. Pakistan’s role in brokering the U.S. opening to China became publicly known.
Evidence of increasingly close U.S.-Pakistan ties set off alarms in New Delhi. On August 9, 1971, India signed a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union.[16] Such a pact had apparently been under discussion for six years.[17] But Washington’s pro-Pakistan policy provided an important argument for this clear deviation from India’s traditional posture of non-alignment, shaping an environment where India decided to intervene in the Bangladesh war.
Indian and Pakistani diplomacy: Indian and Pakistani diplomacy intensified in August, 1971. The Awami League, with its principal leaders in jail in Pakistan, had formed a provisional government. Close ties were established with the Indian government, which provided offices in Calcutta and assigned a liaison officer from the Ministry of External Affairs. Indian diplomats hoped to heal splits and ease tensions within the pro-Bangladesh movement. India also had begun training pro-independence guerrillas.
India’s policy toward Pakistan hardened, largely confined to diplomacy. Pakistan also made overtures to Bangladesh movement leaders, working through George Griffin, an official at the U.S. Consulate General in Calcutta. Pakistan sought a face-saving arrangement but refused to release Sheikh Mujib from jail or to grant Bangladesh independence – both non-starters in light of the violence of Pakistan’s crackdown a few months earlier.[18]
Refugees, most of them Hindu, began pouring into India, estimated at 7 million by July 1971. By October, India felt that time was running out. India had always sought to maintain regional primacy. Washington was still in Pakistan’s corner. Concerned about a preemptive U.S. gambit, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi preferred to make the first move. Once convinced that her military could achieve a decisive and quick victory, she had them prepare in earnest. Government and public opinion solidly backed her. By November, India was providing sanctuary to Awami League paramilitaries conducting operations against the Pakistan army. With intervention looming, India and pro-Bangladesh forces created a joint command. In the end, Pakistan’s decision to attack three airfields in Indian Punjab on December 3 triggered India’s full-scale intervention.[19]
Last minute diplomacy: The most dramatic U.S. moves came after India’s intervention. On December 3, the United States cut off economic aid to India and dispatched the aircraft carrier Enterprise to provide a show of force in the Indian Ocean. The U.N. Security Council got involved. A U.S.-sponsored resolution calling for a cessation of hostilities was vetoed by the Soviet Union, supporting India. The General Assembly eventually approved a ceasefire resolution by a huge majority.
Kissinger made two moves. On Nixon’s direct instructions, he attempted an unsuccessful bid to induce Soviet pressure on India to pull back. The other came on December 10, when Kissinger told the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations that “if the People’s Republic were to consider the situation on the Indian subcontinent a threat to its security… [the United States] would oppose efforts of others to interfere with the People’s Republic.” The United States, in other words, was prepared to act as China’s quasi-ally. The Chinese, however, showed no interest.[20] Next the Pakistani governor of East Pakistan made a last-ditch effort to obtain a ceasefire and to install a Bangladesh government without a formal surrender from the Pakistan Army. In the end, an independent Bangladesh was inevitable.
Maneuvering among the United States, India, China, and the Soviet Union influenced the foreign policy of these nations and impacted their ties with Bangladesh. In particular, U.S. policies toward events that reshaped the politics of the Indian subcontinent were driven almost entirely by extra-regional issues.[21]
The End of the War: On December 15, 1971, the Indian army entered Dhaka. The next day, General Niazi, commander of the Pakistan army forces, approached the U.S. Consulate General in Dhaka to ask its help in communicating a ceasefire proposal to his Indian counterparts. Once again, Pakistanis tried to accomplish this without use of the word “surrender.” – in vain.[22] From India’s intervention to the surrender took only 13 days.
Establishing the New State
Sheikh Mujib and other senior Awami League leaders were released from prison in Pakistan starting December 28, 1971. Sheikh Mujib returned to a victorious Bangladesh on January 10.[23] He had been an iconic rebel leader, exemplified by his oft-used title, “Bangabandhu,” or Friend of Bengal. Now, he needed to create a state, establish authority, and reinvigorate the economy.
Laying the Groundwork: The first steps in establishing national institutions occurred immediately after the brutal Pakistan army crackdown. Just before his arrest, Sheikh Mujib had begun a state-in-waiting.[24] In mid-April, 1971, the leaders still at liberty announced the formation of a provisional government and swore in a roster of office-holders – Sheikh Mujib as president in absentia, Syed Nazrul Islam as acting president, and Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister. They also published a Declaration of Independence that Mujib issued the day after the massacre. Provisional government leaders put Colonel Osmany, a Bengali officer retired from the Pakistan Army, in charge of military affairs. He set up an organizational structure and regional commands for the military personnel who had left the Pakistan army.[25]
In the nine months between the crackdown and the end of the war, many Bengali foreign service officers assigned to Pakistani missions abroad left their posts. Most were permitted to stay in their host countries.[26] The provisional government – and after the surrender, the new government – used these people to make contact with other governments. Some wound up playing a major role in independent Bangladesh. The most senior Bengali in the embassy in Washington, the economist A.M.A. Muhith, went on to senior positions, and at this writing is finance minister in Sheikh Hasina’s government.[27]
Many civil servants who had run the East Pakistan government came from the West. The few Bengali civil servants physically in Bangladesh, who were disproportionately junior in rank, remained in place. Bengali civil servants stationed in West Pakistan, like their military counterparts, were not repatriated to Bangladesh until after 1973. Besides these structural problems, East Bengal had only had a provincial government in the pre-independence period. Civil servants were suddenly faced with larger responsibilities that came with running a sovereign state – but with far fewer resources than most states enjoy.
Writing a Constitution: Much energy of the Bangladesh movement focused on dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s constitutional arrangements, so a constitution for the new country loomed large for post-independence leaders. Writing the constitution was entrusted to lawyers trained, like so many in the subcontinental elite, in Britain. Soon after Sheikh Mujib’s return, provisional authorities constituted those who had been elected to the ill-fated National Assembly in 1970 as a Constituent Assembly. To provide interim governing rules, they also proclaimed a provisional constitutional instrument and established a Supreme Court.
The constitution adopted on the first anniversary of Pakistan’s surrender – December 16, 1972 – created a parliamentary system, with the prime minister as the chief executive and a unicameral legislature. Drafters struggled to avoid mistakes they felt Pakistan’s constitution had made, detailing principles often left implicit. The constitution made significant use of symbolism: besides the date, the drafters made a major effort to find a lawyer capable of writing the document in Bangla.[28]
Separating from Pakistan, joining the world: Transitioning from surrender to peace was the subject of negotiations between India and Pakistan, culminating in a conference at Simla in the summer of 1972.[29] The Simla Agreement is best remembered for providing “rules of the road” for India-Pakistan relations. It mandated India’s release of 93,000 Pakistan troops who were in the East when the war ended and taken to India as prisoners of war. Simla also created a framework for Pakistan’s return to Bangladesh of interned Bengalis who had been in the Pakistani civil service or military.[30]
These exchanges of personnel were delayed by the larger drama of settling Bangladesh’s place in international institutions and dividing assets and liabilities between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The first breakthrough came in February 1974. With a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) fast approaching, a delegation of Islamic ministers travelled to Dhaka, seeking to broker an agreement between these two Muslim states. When the delegation went on to Lahore the next day, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Bhutto announced his recognition of Bangladesh, thus removing the major obstacle to personnel exchanges, which took place over the next year.[31]
Pakistani recognition also accelerated the process of separating Bangladeshi and Pakistani international debt. Bangladesh had joined the International Monetary Fund and World Bank after the Simla conference in August 1972. This brought access to desperately needed aid resources while the World Bank provided a formula for separating the debt. Its application to join the United Nations, previously vetoed by China, finally gained approval in October 1974.[32] Pakistan and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations and trade in January, 1976.
Governing Independent Bangladesh: Sheikh Mujib’s Turbulent Rule and Bloody End
Sheikh Mujib was an extraordinary leader of the Bangladesh movement. He gave millions of his countrymen hope, leadership, and unity. Yet he was burdened by high expectations his political leadership created in the Bangladeshi public. He spoke of “four pillars” of Bangladesh: nationalism, socialism, secularism and democracy. He was not the first iconic leader, however, to discover that governing a country beset by desperate problems is a different and more arduous challenge. Sheikh Mujib’s tenure as head of a new government was extraordinarily volatile because of an agricultural sector far from feeding the country, few foreign exchange earning assets, a desperate shortage of human and financial resources, fractious politics, divisions in the army, and the continuing presence of armed activists.
On March 26, 1972 – exactly one year after the bloody crackdown on Dhaka that marked the official birth of Bangladesh – the government decided to nationalize the property of Pakistanis who had returned to West Pakistan, as well as Bengali-owned industrial assets over a certain size, the first step in a hoped for socialist transformation.[33]
In the elections of 1973, the Awami League once again won nearly all of the 300 seats in parliament and 73 percent of the votes. The economy, however, remained a disaster. The middle class, once the backbone of the Awami League, and donors, that the government depended on for funding, pushed back. Spreading law and order problems led Sheikh Mujib to declare a state of emergency in December 1974. He changed the Constitution to increase his authority. The Fourth Amendment, passed overwhelmingly in January 1975, declared him president, and instituted a one-party state. He also created the personal security group, Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini.[34]
On August 15, 1975, a group led by four army officers assassinated Sheikh Mujib and almost his entire family. Only his two daughters, both in Europe at the time, survived. One, Sheikh Hasina, has served three times as Prime Minister. Accounts of his assassination focused more on personal factors than on the institutional problems of the army. Two of the officers involved had recently been separated from the army and had personal scores to settle.[35]
The Zia Years: Economic Success, Military Crackdown, a Bloody End
The few months that followed Sheikh Mujib’s assassination were chaotic. Another coup in early November, again led by an army officer, killed four of Sheikh Mujib’s closest associates in Dhaka Central Jail. A few days later, the officer who had led the first coup was killed in a counter-coup. Soon afterward, Chief Justice A.S.M. Sayem was appointed president and chief martial law administrator. The army chief of staff, General Ziaur Rahman, soon emerged as the next power figure and became president after Sayem’s resignation for ill health in 1977.
Over an extended period, generals ruled Bangladesh. Zia’s rule began with martial law and he put down coup attempts in 1976 and 1977. Elected president in 1978, he then founded his own party, now one of the two major contending parties in Bangladeshi democratic politics. Zia’s party won a two-thirds majority in 1979 elections.
Three issues marked Zia’s time in power and represented significant departures from Sheikh Mujib’s era. First, he softened the emphasis on secularism that had represented one of Mujib’s “pillars.” He incorporated into his party former members of the Muslim League – the founding party of Pakistan, regarded as traitorous by freedom parties. [36]
Second, Zia devoted enormous energy, indeed ruthlessness, to restoring discipline in the armed forces. Developing a unified army was one of the central tasks that consumed the early Bangladeshi governments.
Finally, Zia made major changes in Bangladeshi economic policy, including relaxing restrictions on private investment and reversing much of the Mujib-era nationalization. This led to a resurgence of the economy which would have astonished anyone familiar with pre-independence years.
In 1981, Zia too was assassinated, again by army officers. As with Sheikh Mujib, the ringleader had a history of tensions with Zia. The immediate succession to Zia followed the constitutional order. But within about a year, Gen. H. M. Ershad had taken over, again in a coup. Ershad left office in 1990, forced out by a popular movement spearheaded by Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Sheikh Mujib, and by Begum Khaleda Zia, widow of General Zia. For a decade and a half, these two women, representing two political dynasties of Bangladesh, alternated in power, with elections widely praised for fairness. Between elections, the political situation remained highly polarized.
Sheikh Hasina, elected in 2008, was able to secure reelection in 2014 in a controversial election, the first time since 1990 that a civilian political leader had served two successive terms. The opposition declined to take part in the 2014 election; this means that she wields power with no significant counterweight. Bangladesh under her leadership has continued to do well economically – far better than anyone expected at its birth.
Three Central Challenges: Army, Economy, and Governance
Those who have governed Bangladesh faced many difficulties in launching a new nation. Three stand out: creating a disciplined and unified army; enabling a desperately poor economy to support one of the densest populations on earth; and governance, including in particular forging a governing consensus. Broadly speaking, the country met the first two quite successfully. The governing consensus, however, remains elusive.
The Army: Bangladesh had three types of armed organizations at independence. The first two comprised Bengalis who had been in the Pakistan Army. Within days after the March 25, 1971, army crackdown, five Bengali battalions based in East Pakistan left the Pakistan army and joined the rebellion. The East Pakistan Rifles, a paramilitary formation with members dispersed around the country, followed quickly. All joined independence forces as units, including Bengali officers and enlisted troops. They formed the nucleus of the forces organized by Colonel, later General, Osmany. They are referred to as Freedom Fighters or, in Bangla, Mukti Bahini.
A second ex-Pakistan Army group consisted of Bengali military officers and troops who were stationed in West Pakistan when the crackdown took place. They were interned and brought back to Bangladesh between 1973 and 1975. They were known in Bangladesh as Repatriates.
Integrating these two groups after independence took more than three decades. In consideration of their role in achieving independence, Freedom Fighters were granted two years back-dated seniority, with the result that some repatriated officers were suddenly junior to those they had previously outranked. Freedom Fighters were suspicious of the more numerous Repatriates, and the latter did not always share the strong personal loyalty to Mujib that most of the Freedom Fighters espoused. Repatriates, on the other hand, resented the prominence given the Freedom Fighters.[37]
The third set of armed groups were guerrilla organizations that had taken part in the liberation war. Some were civilian volunteers with minimal training who were not integrated into the regular army, though a few volunteered. These included young people with radical political views sharply at variance with those who had served in the military. The latter had little patience with talk of “a revolutionary army.”
Other guerrillas had been more professionally trained by India in the run-up to the war. Mujib recognized these forces could be a threat to his authority. A week after his return to Bangladesh, he called on the Freedom Fighters outside the regular defense forces to surrender arms. He presided over a ceremony in which perhaps the most powerful Mukti Bahini leader, Kader “Tiger” Siddiqui, surrendered arms to the new government.
The army was where classic “insider/outsider” problems simmered and flared. Freedom Fighters led the army for a decade after independence. General Zia carried out a discipline campaign that led to the execution of hundreds of military officers. He also integrated the Jatiyo Rakkhi Bahini into the army. In his stewardship of the army, he leaned more heavily on Repatriates.[38] General Ershad, who took power in a 1982 military coup and was the first Repatriate to head the army, came down hard on the Freedom Fighters.[39] Mutinies and other problems traceable to the different groups in the army continued for four decades.
The army has played an important role in politics at various times, especially through its involvement in the interim government of 2007-2008 and its role in the unsuccessful effort to banish the two principal political leaders, Sheikh Hasina and Begum Zia, from political life.
The Economic Surprise: The immediate impact of independence was an economic disaster. In 1972, its first year of independence, newly independent Bangladesh saw a 13 percent drop in its GDP, a 10 percent fall in agricultural production, and a 46 percent reduction in industrial production. Agricultural land had been pillaged and burned. The transportation network suffered vast destruction.[40] The new government’s decision to take over most of the country’s industrial assets deepened the economic trough.
The big surprise was how successfully the economy turned around. A few years after independence, aid resources began to flow in much greater quantity. The World Bank began lending to Bangladesh in 1973, although about two-thirds of the new money was allocated to reconstruction of war and cyclone damage.[41] What really fueled the resurgence were the growth of a vibrant and effective NGO sector and the rise of the textile industry.
The NGO story predates Bangladeshi independence. East Pakistan had a lively NGO scene. Its best-known institution was the Academy of Rural Development in Comilla, in eastern Bangladesh, launched in 1959 and headed by the charismatic Akhtar Hameed Khan, who hailed from the far northwest of West Pakistan. He developed a model for using cooperatives as an economic development tool and was widely believed to be one inspiration for the microcredit model, used with considerable success by several path-breaking NGOs.[42] The oldest of these, BRAC, founded by Sir Fazle Hassan Abed in 1972, now claims the title of the world’s largest NGO. Grameen Bank, founded by Muhammad Yunus, is also internationally renowned. The success of these NGOs owed a great deal to successive Bangladeshi governments’ decision to adopt policies that provided space to bear fruit, not just in microcredit, but also in tremendously successful programs for literacy and family planning. Many benefited from foreign funding.
The decision of the post-Mujib governments to reverse much of the earlier nationalization policy set the stage for the extraordinary success of the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh. Zia, before becoming president, was under considerable pressure from aid donors to ease conditions for private investment – both domestic and foreign. As early as December 1975, the government eliminated the ceiling on individual private investments and removed a number of industries from the category reserved for the public sector. Further legislative changes were enacted over the next few years.[43]
The private sector responded. The first ready-made garment factory to register was a South Korean-Bangladeshi joint venture, Daewoo-Desh. By 1983, 21 factories had been registered. By this time, the industry was overwhelmingly home-grown. Joint ventures were greatly outnumbered by Bangladeshi investments. Labor in these plants was entirely Bangladeshi, consisting largely of women who were the first female wage-earners in their families.
Export figures illustrate the impact of this surging industry on the Bangladeshi economy. By 1993, ready-made garments accounted for 52 percent of Bangladeshi exports.
Growth of Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments Industry, 1982-93[44]
Year Gross Exports % of Total Exports
$M
1981/2 7.0 1.1
1982/3 10.8 1.6
1984/5 116.0 12.8
1989/90 609.0 40.0
1991/2 1064.0 53.4
Bangladeshi GDP has continued to grow. The country also has achieved another goal no one expected: it is able to feed itself and even to export rice most years. National leaders have begun speaking about Bangladesh as a “middle income country,” and young people think of themselves as part of the next cyber-generation.
Struggling with governance: History still shapes politics in Bangladesh. Many issues that led to the breakup of the two-wing Pakistan are still part of the fabric of the country. Some, such as the language issue, are rallying points for Bangladeshis. Ideological divisions that roiled the Bangladesh movement at independence, such as the argument over whether Bangladesh should seek a socialist revolution or a revolutionary army, have eased.
The first decade of independence left a legacy of deep political polarization. The two principal political parties, Sheikh Mujib’s Awami League, which brought the country to birth, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), created by Zia seven years later, have carried on a bitter contest for power over three decades. Both continue to be led and dominated by members of the founders’ families. Both are prepared to use every means available to retain their power.
Politics is a winner-take-all affair in Bangladesh. Both parties have ensured that positions of power remain firmly in the hands of their sympathizers. In the early years, Bangladesh was often at the bottom of the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index – perceived as corrupt more often and in more ways than any other country covered.[45]
The tradition of polarized politics goes back to Bangladesh’s first independence struggle – the partition of British India. One of Bangladesh’s most respected political scientists told the authors that Bangladesh’s politicians got their start in British days as opponents of the established order, opponents who had no chance of taking power. This same brand of hopeless opposition was typical of many Bengali political activists during the days of united Pakistan. The result was an environment in which purity is prized and compromise is a dirty word.[46] That persists to this day.
The country was founded with an ethos of secularism. Though Zia was the first leader to call Bangladesh an Islamic republic, he departed little from the overall ethos of tolerance and secularism. The BNP’s tactical alliance with some Islamist parties brought the issue of Islamic extremism into the already overheated political arena and also played into the politics of history. The July 2016 attack on a popular café in a Dhaka neighborhood, carried out by young Bangladeshis professing adherence to the Islamic State, was a shock to the government and to many Bangladeshis, demonstrating that Islamic extremism now has some Bangladeshi roots.
Polarization is likely to remain strong. Over the past two decades, areas of agreement among Bangladeshis have dwindled. Yet there remains wide acceptance of the push for literacy and empowerment that built the NGO movement; family planning, one of the country’s early successes, maintains support across the board; and entrepreneurship which benefits country and its economy is vibrant. Still to be determined is whether personalities involved in these efforts can work together on common goals while avoiding controversy. Americans today should have some sympathy for the difficulty of operating in this environment, but in this respect, the early dreams of Bangladesh have become harder to achieve.
Howard and Teresita Schaffer
[1] Although these tragic developments attracted world attention, the degree of coverage in that pre-television, pre-social media world was much more limited than it would have been later (and was, we shall see, a quarter century afterwards during the war for Bangladesh independence). There was no outcry for outside humanitarian relief, let alone for the intervention of foreign powers. Partition and its immediate aftermath were considered a “British show” for London and the emerging South Asian successor states to deal with on their own. Nor did the events figure in the Cold War confrontation between the Communist and non-Communist powers that was then in its earliest stages. This would change over time, especially when the confrontation between India and Pakistan over the disputed princely state of Kashmir attracted the diplomatic attention of Washington and Moscow.
[2] Coined in the early 1930s, the term “Pakistan” was based on an acronym derived from Punjab, Afghania (the Northwest Frontier Province), Kashmir, Sindh, and the “stan” of Baluchistan. Significantly, the acronym did not include any reference to Bengal or other parts of eastern India. In its original form, which was accepted by the Muslim League at its session in Lahore in 1940, the so-called “Pakistan Resolution” stated that if the condition of Muslims in the provinces of India ruled by the Indian National Congress did not improve, India should be divided into Muslim and non-Muslim areas with two independent sovereign Muslim-majority states carved out of the rest of India in the northwest and the east. It did not call for a single, united Pakistan, nor indeed did it include the term “Pakistan.” In 1946, the resolution was rescinded and reissued as a call for a single Pakistan state. For a detailed study of this important historic background to the formation of Pakistan, see Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting (Boulder and London, 1984), 25-27.
[3] Economic statistics in this paragraph are taken from the World Bank data base, website of the World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=BD-PK.
[4] Suhrawardy had been Muslim League premier (chief minister) of the Bengal Province of British India in the pre-Partition years before Jinnah ousted him for supporting a failed last ditch effort by Bengali Hindu and Muslim political leaders to set up a sovereign, independent single United Bengal outside both India and Pakistan. He had subsequently remained behind in Calcutta for several years after Partition before moving to East Pakistan.
[5] Haq’s party’s name means Farmer and Worker Party. Suhrawardy briefly served as a member of Haq’s provincial government before becoming prime minister of Pakistan.
[6] Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting, (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 41-42.
[7] Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting, (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 43.
[8] Initially, Iskandar Mirza, Pakistan’s president, and Ayub were co-leaders of the martial law administration. But within three weeks Ayub, doubting Mirza’s loyalty, packed him off to London ending what would probably have been an unworkable duumvirate.
[9] The list was compiled in 1968 by Dr. Mahbub ul Haq, then chief economist at the Planning Commission of Pakistan. According to Haq, these twenty-two families controlled 66% of Pakistan’s industrial assets and 87 percent of its banking assets. Almost all of the twenty-two families were based in West Pakistan or had West Pakistani origins.
[10] Agartala, where the conspiracy was allegedly hatched, is a town in northeastern India close to the international border. In February 1960, the Pakistan government withdrew all charges against Mujib and others. He was rapturously welcomed by huge crowds in Dhaka. For a detailed personal account of how the trial played out, see Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice (Dhaka: University Press Limited, 2013), chapter 4.
[11] Aside from the issue of provincial autonomy, the conference also grappled (unsuccessfully) with the long contentious issue of the administration of West Pakistan. This matter pitted the Punjabis, who favored a “One Unit” arrangement that they would dominate, against representatives of the smaller ethnic groups—Sindhis, Pashtuns, and Baluchis — whose provinces had been amalgamated into a unified Punjabi-dominated West Pakistan province in the 1950s over their strong objection.
[12] An estimated quarter million died in the storm. Sheikh Mujib declared that the destruction and its aftermath had brought into sharp focus “the basic truth that every Bengali has felt in his bones, that we have been treated so long as a colony and a market.” Asked by a foreign correspondent if his statement could be read as a call for independence, Mujib replied “No, not yet.” (Quoted in Srinath Raghavan, 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2013), 32.
[13] As India had closed its airspace to traffic between the two wings of Pakistan, the planes had to refuel in Sri Lanka en route.
[14] Articles in Dawn and the Pakistan Times, both March 27,1971, quoted in Raghavan, op. cit, 51
[15] Gary J. Bass, The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide, (New York: Alfred A.Knopf, 2013), 103.
[16] Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, http://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/5139/Treaty+of+.
[17] J. N. Dixit, India-Pakistan in War and Peace, (New Delhi : Books Today, 2002), 176.
[18] George G. B. Griffin, Interview, ADST Oral History project, (April 30, 2002), http://www.adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Griffin,%20George%20G.B.toc.pdf, 34-58; Dixit, J. N., India-Pakistan in War and Peace, (New Delhi : Books Today, 2002), 188 ff.
[19] Gary J. Bass, The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide, (New York: Alfred A.Knopf, 2013), 205-235; Dixit, J. N., India-Pakistan in War and Peace, (New Delhi : Books Today, 2002), 199-204.
[20]Gary J. Bass, The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide, (New York: Alfred A.Knopf, 2013), 302-303; Srinath Raghavan, 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013), 205, 240-256.
[21] Srinath Raghavan, 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013), 252-255.
[23] For a moving account of their imprisonment, release, and intermediate stops in London and Delhi, see Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice, (Dhaka: University Press Ltd., 2013), 105-122. Kamal Hossain, a close associate of Mujib, was imprisoned and in solitary confinement for eight months. He later became Mujib’s foreign minister and remained active in Awami League politics until the mid-1990s.
[24] Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice, (Dhaka: University Press Ltd., 2013), 134. Zia was the first to declare an independent state with himself as head, on March 27, a statement that he corrected the next day, stating that the new state was operating under the guidance of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. See text on the web site of the party he founded, the BNP, at http://en.bnpbangladesh.com/2016/05/28/life-of-shahid-president-ziaur-rahman/.
[25] Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice, (Dhaka: University Press Ltd., 2013), 134-5; Bangladesh Defence web site, “History of Bangladesh Army,” http://www.defencebd.com/2010/11/history-of-bangladesh-army.html. The provisional government was often referred to as a “government in exile” because it also enjoyed facilities in India.
[26] Despite the strong U.S. pro-Pakistan policy, the United States did accommodate the Bengali diplomats in Washington who left the Pakistan embassy. The State Department assigned an officer to maintain liaison with them, Craig Baxter, selected in part because he was a South Asia expert but was not then working in the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs. This kept the effort at a safe distance from the White House.
[27] Muhith, in an interview with one of the authors, made clear that he considered this period one of the most important of his life.
[28] Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice, (Dhaka: University Press Ltd., 2013), 135-156. He was one of the authors of the constitution.
[29] Simla Agreement, July 2, 1972, web site of Ministry of External Affairs, India, http://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?19005/Simla+Agreement+July+2+1972.
[30] Srinath Raghavan, 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013), 270.
[31] T.S. Cheema, Pakistan Bangladesh Relations, (Unistar Books, Bangladesh, 2013), 72-73
[32] The People’s Republic of China was only admitted to the United Nations on October 25, 1971.
[33] Stanley A.Kochanek, Patron-Client Politics and Business in Bangladesh, (New Delhi: Sage, 1993), 75-88.
[34] Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting, (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984) 57-59.
[35] Craig Baxter, Bangladesh: A New Nation in an Old Setting, (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 59; Franda, Marcus, Bangladesh: The First Decade, New Delhi: South Asian Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1982, pp. 53-63.
[36] Marcus Franda, Bangladesh: The First Decade, (New Delhi: South Asian Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1982), 223, 306-316.
[37] Kamal Hossain gives the number of these ex-Pakistan Army freedom fighters as 25,000 (op. cit., 126). Much larger figures, ranging from 51-120,000, are cited in “Freedom Fighters,” in Genocide Bangladesh, web site of a Freedom Fighters’ organization, http://www.genocidebangladesh.org/freedom-fighters/ , though this source appears to combine ex-army personnel and guerrillas. Bangladesh Defence web site, “History of Bangladesh Army,” http://www.defencebd.com/2010/11/history-of-bangladesh-army.html cites a figure of 28,000 for the repatriates. Shamsher Chowdhury believes the relative size of the Freedom Fighter group was smaller. See also Ziaur Rahman’s party biography, http://en.bnpbangladesh.com/2016/05/28/life-of-shahid-president-ziaur-rahman/.
[38] Marcus Franda, Bangladesh: The First Decade, (New Delhi: South Asian Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1982), 276. Franda claims that Zia himself admitted to 406 executions (p. 306). See also Global Security.org, “Bangladesh Army History.” http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/bangladesh/army-history-3.htm claims over 1000.
[39] Global Security.org, “Bangladesh Army History,” http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/bangladesh/army-history-3.htm; Bangladesh Defence web site, “History of Bangladesh Army,” http://www.defencebd.com/2010/11/history-of-bangladesh-army.html.
[40] World Bank database, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD?locations=BD.
[41] World Bank annual report (1973), http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/875971468739482465/pdf/multi-page.pdf, 126, 131.
[42] “About the Founder,” Web site of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development Comilla, http://www.bard.gov.bd/About_the_Founder.php. Ironically, Akhtar Hameed went back to Pakistan after Bangladeshi independence, and tried out his cooperative model in a poor neighborhood in Karachi – only to fall afoul of the governmental and religious authorities. He was revered in Bangladesh, especially in Comilla, until and beyond his death in 1999, in contrast to the low profile he had in Pakistan.
[43] Stanley A. Kochanek, Patron-Client Politics and Business in Bangladesh, (New Delhi: Sage, 1993), 91.
[44] BGMEA and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, cited in World Bank (1995), 77
[45] Website of Transparency International, https://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview.
[46] Najma Chowdhury, Professor of Political Science (retired), Dhaka University, conversations with authors.
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The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun
by George Dimitri Sawa
© Copyright - George Dimitri Sawa / George Dimitri Sawa (775020852228)
17th-century instrumental pieces from the Ottoman court, Egyptian Sufi sacred dances, and early 20th-century Egyptian Dances performed on an early 20th-century qanun (psaltery) without levers and traditional percussion instruments. JUNO 2009 NOMINEE.
Genre: World: Belly Dancing
1. Dulab Huzam
2. Raqset el-Hawanem
3. A Tribute to Mohammad Ali Street Composers
4. Peshrev Rast Sherif
5. Egyptian Sufi Sacred Dances
6. Peshrev Rast Qadim
7. Dakhlet el-'Awalem
8. Peshrev Rast
9. Raqsa Suznak
10. Khamsa Sa'idi
George Sawa was born in Alexandria, Egypt. He studied voice, theory, and qanun at the Higher Institute of Arabic Music, where his qanun teachers were Muhammad al-Sa‘douni (a student of Mustapha Bey Reda), Milad Mansour (a student of ‘Abdel-Hamid al-Addabi), Amin Fahmi and Mustapha Kamel. After immigrating to Canada, he studied ethnomusicology at the University of Toronto, and obtained his doctorate in historical Arabic musicology at the Department of Middle East and Islamic Studies. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses on medieval, modern, and religious music of the Middle East at the University of Toronto and at York University, where he recently held the Noor Visiting Professorhip.
George is the author of Music Performance Practice in the Early Abbasid Era, 132-320 AH/750-932 AD (Pontifical Institute for Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, 1989; rpt. by The Institute of Mediaeval Music, Ottawa, 2004). His second book, Theories of Rhythms in Arabic Writings, 750-950 AD (Institute of Mediaeval Music) is forthcoming. He has published many articles on Arabic music in refereed journals and encyclopedias, and is frequently invited to give papers, presentations, lectures and concerts in the Middle East, North America, and Europe. He has recorded with Maureen Forrester, Raffi, Bram Morrisson and R. Murray Schafer. He composed two chants for R. Murray Schafer’s The Litany of Ra (1983) and also performed in its Canadian and Dutch productions. George has been the musical director for several productions of the Toronto based Arabesque Dance Academy. He is the recipient of many Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grants, a Canada Research Fellowship, and Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council grants. In 2005 he received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Egyptian Ministry of Culture for his research in Arabic music history, and has most recently been honored with the award of excellence in the Arts and Culture category by the Canadian Arab Federation.
Raymond B. Sarweh was born in Damascus, Syria, into a well known family of professional musicians. He studied percussion with ‘Abdel-Men‘em Isma‘il, and theory with his brothers Selim and Emile Sarweh, obtaining his Arabic music degree from the Damascus Conservatory of Music. Before immigrating to Canada, he performed in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, with many famous Arab singers and dancers. After coming to Canada, he created the first professional Arabic music band in Toronto and performed extensively in many Canadian cities, as well as in the USA and Latin America. Acknowledged as a virtuoso tambourine performer, as well as a singer, lutenist and composer, Raymond has performed with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at many Toronto venues including the Royal Ontario Museum, CBC, Harbourfront, and the Music Garden.
Suzanne Meyers Sawa was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She holds a degree in piano performance from Wittenberg University in Ohio, and Masters degrees in both musicology and library science from the University of Toronto, where she is currently Assistant Librarian at the Faculty of Music Library. She has studied classical Arabic at the University of Toronto, and Arabic percussion in Egypt and also with Raymond Sarweh in Toronto. A member of the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble since the early 1980’s, Suzanne has also performed in the Canadian and Dutch productions of R. Murray Schafer’s The Litany of RA. She has given numerous papers on Arabic music at international conferences, and has published on Arabic women musicians in the early Islamic period, for both The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music and The Encyclopedia of Islam (third edition). She is presently at work on a book of annotated translations (from medieval Arabic sources) of stories about women musicians.
Muhammad A Hassan
There is nothing like the Qanun, to make you feel, as it was in the beginning of one's life. George Sawa is a National Treasure of Canada. He obviously has gone to considerable effort to preserve and refine the unique sounds of the classical music of the original modern age of the 11th century Middle East and yet advance it through the ages so it resonates for us all today with equal power and grace. Thanks Prof Sawa
george sawa
Comments from Dancers and Dance Instructors
“I am still dancing to your CD. I love it. Each time I listen to it, I find new nuances in the music. It is fantastic and I would recommend it to any dancer.” (Bozenka, Florida, USA, winner of the prestigious title Miss America Of The Bellydance in 2000, and Golden Crown Winner of the Ahlan Wa Sahlan Dance Festival in Egypt in 2006).
“Your CD is wonderful, all dancers and music lovers should have a copy of it.” (Habeeba Hobeika, a native of Alexandria, Egypt, dancer and director of Habeeba’s Dance Studio and Egyptian Dance Ensemble, Toronto, Ontario, Canada).
“It is wonderful to finally have your musical eloquence on a CD for all to enjoy. Your contagious love of music shines through in every track.” (Yasmina Ramzy, Director, Arabesque Dance Company).
“I received the cd.....and I absolutely LOVE it! Thank you sooo much. I am so happy that you are sharing this wonderful music with the world. Somehow you were blessed with an unfair amount of talent!” (Marilou Calce, Arabesque Dance Company, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
“I want to compliment you on your CD, it is lovely music, and I'm so glad you put it together, complete with information about the pieces.” (Ranya Renee, dancer, New York).
“The music on this CD brings me to a different level, calms my mind and soul, and creates wide free space inside me for new ideas to come in.” (Saida of Poland, winner of the 2008 Stockholm Belly Dance Festival).
“I wish I can find the right words to describe this amazing CD! I went through many emotions while I was listening to certain tracks like Raqset el-Hawanem. It took me back to my days living in Egypt when I was a little girl. Of course the Qanun playing is superb. The track I know I will dance to is The Tribute to Mohammad Ali Street Composers. I felt this track from very deep within me. I almost felt like crying. I also like the Khamsa Sa‘idi track because I am always partial to real Upper Egyptian music. Another track I also love is Raqsa Suznak. Track Peshrev Rast makes me want to just relax and chill out! Sometimes I think may be I like this old traditional music because of my age, then again I remember how Amir (the Egyptian dancer) reacted to your playing. It makes me realize that this music is timeless and appealing to all ages.” (Nervine Kerbes, Egyptian dancer and instructor, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada).
“I love your CD by the way! I listened to it last night….the music is so beautiful to me! I may be younger, but I have always loved the older more traditional Arabic music, as opposed to the modern/pop music. I do like some of the modern stuff, but there is something very organic, rich and pure about the music on your CD. I am very glad that you have put this CD together.” (Serena Kerbes, Egyptian dancer, Calgary, Alberta).
“I love your music very much George. You are a wonderful artist.” (Mayyadah, dancer and instructor, Pforzheim, Germany).
“It is wonderful, George. I look forward to seeing you in person to shake the golden hands that made this CD.” (Momo Kadous, Egyptian dancer and instructor, Frankfurt, Germany).
“I listen to this CD all day. It is more than excellent and takes me back to the old days. It is very educational, and we need more CDs.” (Mohamed Sadek, Egyptian drummer and dance instructor, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada).
Comments from Musicians and Historians
“What a lovely selection of pieces from various traditions. This old qanun is so resonant, and your beautiful technique makes it sing. Suzanne’s and Raymond’s percussion is so tight and precise it is altogether a pleasure. We need more.” (Prof. Abraham Marcus, University of Texas, Austin).
“You have produced a wonderful CD! It can indeed serve as an introduction to Ottoman and Egyptian music and their differences in the modal and rhythmic systems. Your qanun, George, has a beautiful sound, and Suzanne has a real Egyptian, not to say Gipsy, temper. The recording is excellent and the booklet gives sufficient and precise information for laymen and interested professionals. Thus the CD has equally an artistic and pedagogical value which is rare on the musical market. We can only congratulate you on this exemplary recording and are glad to have it and can profit from it.” (Dr. Eckhard Nerbauer, Institute for the History of Arabic and Islamic Sciences, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany).
“The fascination of the ‘Thousand and One Nights’ is in this dazzling performance, a magic carpet ride from beginning to end.” (R. Murray Schafer, Canadian composer).
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Label: DECCA
Artist: Michael Ball & Alfie Boe
1. Les Miserables Suite
2. Somewhere
3. Music Of The Night
4. Anthem
5. Speak Softly Love
6. Tell Me It's Not True
7. Incurably Romantic
8. Stairway To Paradise
9. Wonderful World / Over The Rainbow
10. For Once In My Life
11. A Thousand Years
12. When You Wish Upon A Star
13. You'll Never Walk Alone
14. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Two of the greatest voices in the world, the nations leading musical theater star, Michael Ball and the nations favorite tenor, Alfie Boe, are joining forces for the first time, to record a brand new album as well as take to the stage for a unique UK headline Tour. Entitled, Together, the album is to be released on Decca Records on 4th November 2016, and will feature repertoire from the greatest Broadway shows as well as classic songs both Alfie and Michael have always wanted to record.
Having first met 10 years ago, performing together in Kismet at the London Coliseum, the stars became lifelong friends. That same year, Michael Ball made history as the first musical theater star to be given a solo concert at the Royal Albert Halls BBC Proms, and asked Alfie Boe to join him to perform at the classical music festival.
This instant personal connection and professional mutual admiration makes for the perfect pairing and, to the delight of their hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe, is finally realized with this compelling collaboration.
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News & Politics x February 23, 2017
Journalistic Censorship in China Is Struggling to Silence Social Media
Despite routinely interrogating dissident writers, the government is losing its ability to control the message.
By Jessie Yang, The University of Hong Kong
Chinese Censorship Faces Its Toughest Challenge
In China, citizens’ freedom of speech is under constant monitor by authorities.
Although the news media is highly developed, their affiliations with the government make it difficult to exercise their power as the fourth pillar of democracy. Journalists are constantly exploring different measures to expose corruption of the government to the public, but it’s not uncommon for officials to “invite them for tea,” which is a term in Chinese indicating interrogation.
Recently, some journalists critical of social issues have “disappeared” without leaving any message behind. Some suggest that the Chinese government is responsible for their disappearance, and if you examine the cases carefully, it becomes apparent that the missing journalists all have one thing in common—political dissidence.
Recent Cases of Missing Journalists
Last year, an active journalist in China, Jia Jia, who was prominent in petitioning against President Xi, went missing on his plane to Hong Kong. Jia had a strong political stance, and he commented frequently on social and political issues. Prior to his disappearance, his name showed up in the Chinese media “Wujie,” and the sensitive article detailed criticisms of the central government’s conducting a “personal cult.”
Why the Chinese Government Doesn’t Want You to Know About Shen Yun
After his release, the server was immediately cut. It was after several days that government officials released Jia Jia, and he soon after leveled down on his sharp commentaries.
Image via AVO News
Chinese president Xi has embarked on an unprecedented effort to clamp down on the internet and censor opinions that do not reflect those of Communist party leaders, including imposing tougher penalties for what the government calls “spreading rumors” through social media, which leads others to suspect the level of free speech that exists in China.
In fact, Jia Jia is not the only journalist who has been interrogated in recent years. Another journalist, Li Xin, a dissident writer who refused to be an informant for the Ministry of State Security, went missing on his way to Thailand. Although the “Bangkok Post” reported that the government and police were not aware of the incident, a month later, his wife received a call that he was “volunteering” and assisting the government in investigation.
“I know this is [the Chinese government] speaking,” his wife said in a tearful conversation with CNN. “It completely contradicts what Li Xin would like to say.”
While Jia Jia and Li Xin remained silent after their releases, journalist Wen Tao, who was missing along with famous artist Ai Weiwei, both spoke about their experience.
Just hours after Ai Weiwei was detained at the Beijing airport, five plainclothes officers took away Wen Tao.
“I was beaten and they dragged me into a black car. I stayed in a room without curtains for three months. It was three months later when they released me,” Tao said.
Image via NPR
Ai Wei Wei, instead of staying quiet, created a series of artworks about his life in prison as a way of critiquing the central government. As the artist was cruelly denied his freedom by nearby guards, peepholes offered a glimpse at the humiliation on display. Ai’s vitriol against the Communist Party has made him a polarizing figure in the Chinese art world.
All three cases of missing journalists follow similar patterns, as the government simply deprives their freedom of speech in order to maintain “harmony” in society. Human rights are constantly under question, and even though Chinese journalism struggles to take different measures, the complex political environment still means uncertainty in regard to the future of Chinese media.
Introducing Gua Sha, the Newest, Trendiest, Eastern Medicinal Practice
A Chance for Journalism in China
In order to better understand the nature of Chinese journalism, it is necessary to understand its development. Since 1976, when China adopted “socialism with Chinese characteristics” to satisfy material aspirations of the people, the media also drifted from being a mouthpiece for the government to making profit to sustain business.
While the government cut down on sponsorship, media agencies began to gain power to choose personnel and manage their own finances. The opportunity gave media agencies in China a new space for expression. Increased press autonomy diversified the news content, but it does not mean that news media are free of government control.
Journalists are often under scrutiny, from applying self-censorship to ending up in prison.
For the sake of combating the strict regulation, more and more investigative journalists have emerged, forming a bottom-up approach to better assess public perception of government policies.
Moreover, diverging interests open up space to pursue investigative reporting without prior official sanction; however, as the previous examples of missing journalists prove, the media still can’t fully exercise their power to monitor the government.
Meet Mallory Carnes, Emory’s Viola-Toting Globetrotter
As a result, in recent years, there has been a rise in citizen journalism, which is when ordinary citizens take up an active role to collect and report news, documenting social issues instantly in order to break through government control.
On July 23, 2011, two high-speed trains crashed into each other and caused serious casualties in China. Before the news was released by “Xinhua,” a major news agency in China, citizen journalists and photographers quickly responded to the incident and spread photos and news on “Weibo,” which accumulated more than two million related tweets in a month. The eyewitnesses also served as evidence to criticize and monitor the government’s actions in the crisis, and the public were further mobilized by social media to provide immediate assistance to the victims.
Citizen journalism has expanded the role of social media to provide a platform that allows for instant response to social issues in order to mobilize the public. When only certain news is published, and dissenting journalists are banned from their publications, social media offers an alternative in news reporting to air the hidden stories.
The nature of social media brings certain political and social issues into discussions, and further challenges the existing problems and regulations. As a result, journalists in China, both citizen and professional, are continuing to explore different platforms to foster discussion and exert influence as whistle-blowers, exposing evidence of corruption and misconduct by their government.
The FCC has Voted to Repeal Net Neutrality, So Now What?
What ‘Civilized’ People Could Learn From ‘Primitive’ Life
Is Censorship in the Wake of the Las Vegas Shooting Helping?
Does China Hold the Cure for Bullying?
In Changing His Mind on NATO, Trump Shakes Up International Relations
Why the Syrian Missile Strike May Mean War in North Korea
A Brief History of YouTube Shooting Itself in the Foot
News & Politics /// Spring Break
My Spring Break in Cuba
The Hong Kong Protests: An American Teen’s Perspective
The ‘Story of Yanxi Palace’ Is Officially the Most Googled Show of 2018
Hate Speech on ‘Fallout 76’ Has Helped Polarize the Censorship Debate
To Combat Toxicity, Game Developers Are Censoring Users — Should They?
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Superiorpapers.com > Should Human Cloning be allowed?
Should Human Cloning be allowed?
Cloning is the production of a group of genetically identical organisms from a single individual. Cloning is widely used in horti-culture to produce plants with desirable traits; plants produced from cuttings or by grafting are examples of clones. Cloning also occurs in nature in organisms that reproduce asexually. Cloning in higher animals was first performed with frogs and salamanders, in the 1960’s. By the early 1980’s, it was being used with mammals, particularly livestock and laboratory mice. Cloning in mammals is performed under a high-powered microscope using microsurgical instruments.
The first step involves extracting the nucleus from a body cell of an embryo; the embryo is selected from a pregnant female who has previously borne offspring with desirable traits. The nucleus is inserted into a newly fertilized egg cell whose own nucleus has been removed. The fertilized egg with its new nucleus is placed in a culture dish for several days, until it develops into an embryo. The embryo is then inserted into the womb of another female (the surrogate mother), who eventually bears the offspring (Kass, 1998).
By taking a number of cells from the same donor embryo and using a number of surrogate mothers, it is possible to produce a large group of identical offspring. The cloning technique can also be used to create identical twins, doubling the number of offspring that any particular female can produce at one time. This study presents the arguments on both sides of cloning whether should it be legalized or not. II. Background The human body contains 100 trillion cells. Inside most cells is a nucleus that contains a complete set of the body’s blueprints.
Those blueprints are twisted into 46 packets called chromosomes. Unravel a chromosome, and you get the long, thread-like molecule called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Within the DNA are the blueprints—called genes—for making proteins. The DNA molecule has a twisted, ladder-shaped structure (the famous double helix). The genetic code can be read in the rungs of the ladder. The code is spelled out by four chemicals: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cystosine (C), A pairs with T, and G pairs with C to form the rungs of the ladder. A small fragment of DNA is cut out of a chromosome.
That fragment is cloned to create millions of copies. The cloned fragments are divided into four special solutions, in which they begin to replicate (Baird, 2002). Each solution contains a chemical “fixer” that stops the process when a particular letter is reached. A color dye is used to stain the fragments. The partially reproduced fragments are dropped into gel-filled capillaries inside a sequencing machine: An electric charge pulls the fragments down the capillaries: bigger molecules move more slowly than small ones, sorting by size.
The sequence is read automatically by a laser as the colored fragments come out the end of the capillaries. Once the segments have been read, a computer puts them together by finding overlaps and matching adjacent pieces. This is complicated by the fact that similar sequences occur many times in many places (Coleman, 2002). Armed with the full sequence, scientists look for genes, which make up only about three percent of the genome. Once these are identified, researchers can figure out which ones make proteins that can cause disease or protect health. A. Playing Gods These things will not happen in a blink of an eye.
It will still take a generation, perhaps more, before all “secrets” can be revealed to human knowledge. In plain language, what the scientists Celera Genomics have done is sequence about 97% of the genome, and the remaining 150 million or so chemical letter—or base pairs—won’t be deciphered anytime soon (Robertson, 1994). At the course of this revelation, how do we see the balance of thoughts in a scale? Up to where is the boundary of ethics? A would-be mother of a “genetically-enhanced” child would argue, “Why would it be unethical to provide my child with the best possible chance for a healthy life?
Why can’t I give my child protective genes that other children get naturally? ” Yet the question of discrimination still persists. Would not rich people take advantage of what their wealth could give them? What would happen to Third World people who cannot afford to “enhance” their genes? Would not this mean survival of the “rich? ” III. Discussion The root word clone means “twig” in Greek. It denotes the practice of cutting a plant stuck in the soil in which the cut “twig” portion is able to grow into a new plant of the same genetic composition.
As is known in nonsexual reproduction, a clone is an identical duplicate. Cloning is thus understood as a technological process whereby multiple copies of genetically identical organisms or cells or individual genes are produced. Cloning is done by transplanting blasticepts from one embryo into an empty zona pellucida, or nuclei from the cells of one individual into enucleated oocytes (Hopkins, 1998). It has been nearly half a century since American biophysicist James Watson announced their discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic code.
And many incredible things haves happened since then. The human genome project was launched about a decade ago, an effort so complex and so broad in scope that only government had the financial and bureaucratic resources to pull it off-yet with such huge potential payoffs that virtually no resources should be spared. Today, private research centers and pharmaceutical companies have joined the bandwagon. They stand to make incalculable billions of dollars by turning genome research into new treatments for dizzying array of diseases.
And the companies that mange to get the information first and lock up what they find with patents—will profit the most. By the time the project would be completed, around the year 2003, science would at last have access to the “book of life”—the precise biochemical code for each of the 100,000 or so genes that largely determine every physical characteristic, in the human body (Hopkins, 1998). Once researchers knew that, they would be able to figure out exactly how each gene functions and, more importantly, how it malfunctions to trigger deadly illness.
Cloning Vectors for Antiretroviral Resistance Testing
Gender and the Human Body
The largest human
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Opportunity Across America Back-to-School Bus Tour
Join OCTAE this week as we hit the road for the Opportunity Across America Tour—the final back-to-school bus tour of the Obama Administration.
2016 Opportunity Bus Tour
The tour kicks off in Washington, DC and continues across six states to highlight and celebrate the progress that we’ve made as a nation in education over the past seven years.
From rural towns to big cities, educators, schools, families, and communities share a belief that a quality education can expand opportunity and ensure our nation’s fundamental promise: that with hard work and determination, each of us can fulfill our great potential.
Working together, we can ensure that all students have access to an education that helps them achieve their dreams; that all students encounter school as a safe, nurturing, and joyful place to learn and grow; and that teachers are supported and lifted up in the vital work they do each day. Together, we can give every student and family the opportunity to succeed.
That’s what the Opportunity Across America Tour is all about. We hope you’ll follow along the journey and visit the OCTAE blog everyday to read about the programs, students and communities we meet throughout the week.
Join @usedgov on the tour and tell us what opportunity means to you by tagging your Tweet and Facebook post with #OpportunityTour
Monday – Capital City Public Charter School, Washington, D.C.
Today, on the first day of the 2016 Bus Tour: 8 Years of Expanding Opportunity Across America, Acting Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin visited Capital City Public Charter School to emphasize the Administration’s commitment to Computer Science for All and recognize the significant accomplishments of Capital City, its faculty, and its students. Capital City is an outstanding example of a school committed to the Administration’s efforts to ensure that all students reap the fruits of the new technologies and hands-on learning that are transforming public education.
Johan Uvin and OCTAE staff are led on a tour by students of the Capital City Public Charter School.
Capital City Public Charter School continues to demonstrate the ability to educate its students at a high level of success. Since its first graduating class in 2012, 100 percent of Capital City’s graduating seniors have been accepted to college! Of these graduates, seven were POSSE scholars, two were Trachtenberg Scholars, and one was a Milken Scholar.
Capital City was one of ten CTE Makeover Challenge winners in 2016, earning a $20,000 cash prize and almost $35,000 in equipment and software to help Capital City continue to provide high-quality, robust career and technical education experiences through “making” and computer science and enable students to succeed in the twenty-first century.
We were led by students on a tour of the winning makerspace and Johan Uvin led a roundtable discussion with students and faculty who shared their vision for “making” as well as work-based learning experiences with local public and private partnerships.
Johan Uvin is flanked by two students of Capital City Public Charter School during the roundtable session.
These are just some of the accomplishments that led First Lady Michelle Obama to say: “Every young person in this country should have a team of teachers, counselors, and school leaders pushing them and supporting them like you [students] all have here at Capital City” during her visit in 2014.
Tuesday – West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Paducah, Kentucky
Students demonstrate their projects to Deputy Assistant Secretary Ford during her visit to WKCTC.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Kim R. Ford visited the state of Kentucky beginning the day at West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) in Paducah, Kentucky where she toured the Allied Health and the Emerging Technology buildings, while professors and students shared their experiences at WKCTC. Students talked about the integral role career coaches play in their academic success. The coaches support students with mandatory college paperwork, establishing educational and career goals, and other requests. It is this type of mentorship that helps sustain WKCTC’s 48 percent graduation/transfer rate, a rate eight points higher than the national average.
The visit ended with a roundtable discussion on college affordability efforts, student support systems on and off campus, innovation in postsecondary education, and strategic work-based learning partnerships in the community. Reflecting on the visit Deputy Assistant Secretary Ford said, “The level of innovation at WKCTC and the overall excitement from students and staff were very impressive. This was an incredibly exciting and informative visit.”
Student Jason McGregory describes his skills to Deputy Assistant Secretary Kim Ford.
The day continued with a visit to Graves County Restricted Custody Center (GCRCC) in Mayfield, KY, a male correctional facility where the adult correctional education classes and the Skilled Craft Training Center is administered by WKCTC. Deputy Assistant Secretary Ford got an inside look at GCRCC and its unique commitment to ensure that all incarcerated individuals hold a basic education. If individuals come to GCRCC without a high school diploma, GCRCC requires them to work towards their General Education Development (GED) certificate during their time there. Additionally, the program leverages technology and the Internet to advance student outcomes in adult basic education and English as a second language and increase the employability of incarcerated individuals when they reintegrate into society.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Ford heard from students on how the classes at GCRCC are helping them prepare for their future by exploring ideas and increasing their competencies in new technology. More than 10 community leaders joined the tour and expressed their view of adult correctional education programs as a larger effort to assist incarcerated individuals develop the skills needed for reintegration into society, not just as residents, but as leaders equipped to succeed. “It is great to see incarcerated individuals be given the opportunity to not only gain their GED, but also remain connected with technology while having the potential of their future contributions to our communities and their families be recognized by instructors and correctional facility staff,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Ford.
Local television station WPSD featured the visit in their evening newscast. You can view their story here.
Thursday – Eastside Promise Neighborhood, San Antonio, Texas
Acting Assistant Secretary, Johan Uvin, and Chief of Staff, Carmen Drummond, visited the Eastside Promise Neighborhood (EPN) in San Antonio, Texas, a 2011 recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods five year implementation grant. The vision of the program is that all children and youth growing up in Promise Neighborhoods have access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and successfully transition to college and a career.
Acting Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin watches as Bowden Elementary School 5th grade Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students work on a knee brace. The students were from left, Sariya Jackson, Jade Cavazos, Jade White, and Cithaly Cerna.
The EPN’s school and community-based programs led by United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County are helping to reinforce the idea that children do well when their parents do well. Specifically, their Dual Generation Program offers families and parents access to job-readiness programs, support to further their education and family literacy workshops. Additionally, EPN supports San Antonio Independent School District initiatives that aim to increase STEM instruction in the six EPN schools. During the visit Assistant Secretary Uvin visited classrooms implementing STEM curriculum where students talked about their projects and the fun they have learning engineering.
Director of the Eastside Promise Neighborhood Tony Leverett, left, gives a tour of the Ella Austin Child Care Center to Acting Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin
The visit included an insightful round table discussion with EPN partners and San Antonio stakeholders. The group discussed the achievements seen at the EPN schools by creating cradle-to-career solutions of both educational programs and family and community supports, and how to maintain this momentum far into the future. Assistant Secretary Uvin congratulated the EPN and community partners by saying, “It is wonderful to learn about the great collaboration San Antonio has achieved with the mayor’s office, the school system and local philanthropic organizations. I look forward to seeing these partnerships sustain the great programming at EPN schools.”
After the EPN visit, Assistant Secretary Uvin met with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and toured the Health Magnet Program at Fox Tech High School. Fox Tech students talked about the projects and work-based learning opportunities offered by the magnet program. Assistant Secretary Uvin also participated in a roundtable conversation with the Chamber and other community partners where he learned how the Chamber is integrating a friendly business climate through work-based learning models for students, teacher pipeline structures for future educators, and career navigating programs for the community.
The visit was featured in the San Antonio Express-News and a television newscast.
Friday – Performance Partnership Pilot, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Acting Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin shares remarks with students and staff of the Greenville Superintendent’s Academy
On the last day of the #OpportunityTour, Acting Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin and Deputy Under Secretary Kim Hunter Reed visited Greenville Superintendent’s Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to highlight the Administration’s commitment to make significant improvements for disconnected youth in educational, employment, and other key outcomes. The Baton Rouge Performance Partnership Pilot (P3) for Disconnected Youth program is a collaborative effort between the city and school district that focuses on disconnected youth ages 14-24 by offering catered programming at two schools in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS).
During the visit, Acting Assistant Secretary Uvin and Deputy Under Secretary Reed engaged students in a dialogue during a roundtable discussion about the services that the P3 program will provide and how it will address the needs of youth living in Baton Rouge. Students talked about their dreams and aspirations, but also about the obstacles to success they had to overcome. Other important issues discussed were the impact of the flooding, the recent unrest over racial issues and challenges with law enforcement, and the need to find solutions to end the gun violence and killings. Students made several suggestions to the Mayor and Superintendent to improve their schools and community.
The day ended with a community partnership roundtable where Deputy Under Secretary Reed led a broader discussion on current issues in her hometown of Baton Rouge, including many of the concerns the students raised. Ms. Gail Grover from the Mayor’s Office and Student Ambassador Benjamin Jenkins helped facilitate the discussions during the student and community roundtables.
Reflecting on the visit Acting Assistant Secretary Uvin said, “The students care so deeply about their community and called on all adults in the room to help find solutions to end violence in the community and expand education opportunities.” The U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office, has formed a group to share information and coordinate a response to issues related to the Louisiana flooding.
Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire
Also on Friday, Deputy Assistant Secretary Kim R. Ford and Senior Policy Advisor David Soo visited College for America at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), a leader in competency based education, distance learning, and employer engagement.
SNHU is also one of 44 institutions selected by the Department for the Federal Student Aid Dual Enrollment Pell Experiment. This three-year experiment will allow students taking college-credit courses to access Federal Pell Grants as early as high school. These programs can improve academic outcomes, lower costs and increase access to colleges and universities, especially for low-income students. Through the experiment, SNHU will offer its competency-based Associate of Arts in General Studies and will partner with several high schools.
Research consistently has shown that individuals with college degrees are more likely to live healthier lives, be more civically engaged in their communities, have good-paying jobs, and experience greater job security. SNHU and College for America are helping make more Americans enter and complete college by offering a wide range of degrees at an affordable price.
During the visit, Deputy Assistant Ford toured the traditional campus, which serves 3,000 students, and their online center serving 70,000 students across the country. College for America collaborates with over 100 businesses, nonprofits and governments to offer accredited associate and bachelor degrees that students earn online by mastering competencies through real-world projects.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Kim R. Ford and Senior Policy Advisor David Soo held a roundtable discussion on the College for America at Southern New Hampshire University
In the morning, a group of SNHU student ambassadors joined Deputy Assistant Ford for coffee and talked about why they chose to attend the traditional campus. Later in the day, Deputy Assistant Ford met with College for America students and learned how the competency-based programs are helping them gain college credits or workforce training to complete a degree at their own pace.
During a roundtable discussion with University and College administrators Deputy Assistant Ford said, “It is great to see how the innovative models at SNHU, such as online and competency-based programs, provide traditional and non-traditional students the opportunity to complete a college degree at a fraction of the typical cost. These models are allowing thousands of Americans the ability to pursue a college degree for the first time, as well as also complete a degree they might have started years before.”
OCTAE concludes its series of visits on the Opportunity Across America Tour—the seventh and final back-to-school bus tour of the Obama Administration that celebrated progress in education in communities and states across the country.
Heidi Silver-Pacuilla
Carol Aguirre
Office of the Assistant Secretary, OCTAE
Adult Education, Career and Technical Education, Community College, Home
Back-to-School Bus Tour, cte, EdPrizes, high school, Makers, Makerspaces, social media, STEM, technology
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Dr. Martin King's BMT Research Group
Think and Do The Extraordinary The Campaign for NC State Think and Do The Extraordinary The Campaign for NC State
MOTIVATION FOR OUR RESEARCH
MEDICAL TEXTILES FOR HEALTHCARE
IMPLANTABLE AND SURGICAL BIOTEXTILES
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MEDICAL TEXTILES AT NC STATE UNIVERSITY
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Martin W. King
Ph.D., Gýnie biologique (Biomedical engineering), 1992 Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
F.I.T.S., Fellowship, 1991 Institute of Textile Science, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
A.U.M.I.S.T., Polymer & Fibre Science, 1970 University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology, Manchester, U.K.
B.Sc. (1st class) Polymer Technology, 1966 University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K.
Bhavya Singhi
Ph.D. Candidate, Fiber & Polymer Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
M.S., Textile Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
B.Tech., Fibers and Textile Processing, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India
Harshini Ramakrishna
Ph.D. Candidate, Fiber & Polymer Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 2015-Present
M.S., Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 2013-2015
B.Tech., Textile Technology, Anna University, Chennai, India, 2009-2013
Jiyang Chen
M.S., Textile Engineering, College of Textile, North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC, 2013-2015
B.S., Textile Engineering Donghua University, Shanghai, China, 2010-2013
Radhika Vaid
Ph.D. Candidate, Fiber & Polymer Science, North Carolina State University, NC, U.S.
M.S., Fiber, Science and Technology, IIT Delhi, India
B.S., Textile Engineering, Jawahar Lal Govt. Engg. College, H.P, India
Tushar Bambharoliya
Ph.D. Candidate, Fiber & Polymer Science, North Carolina State University, U.S., 2015-Present
Master of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Gujarat, India, 2011
Bachelor of Pharmacy, Maliba Pharmacy College, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India, 2009
Runqian Zhang
M.S., Textile Chemistry, North Carolina State University, NC, 2015-present
B.S., Textile Chemistry, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, 2012-2016
Huan Liu
M.S., Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 2017-present
B.S., Textile Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, 2014-2018
Yihan Huang
M.S., Textile Engineering, North Carolina State University, NC, 2015-Present
Fan Zhang
B.E., Textile Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China, 2012-2016
Oversea Exchange, Advance Fibro Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan, 2015
Jingmei Wang
M.S., Biomedical Textiles, North Carolina State University, NC, 2016-Present
B.S., Biomedical Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, China, 2013-2017
Monica Deshpande
B.Tech., Textile Technology, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai, India, 2012-2015
Diploma in Textile Manufacture, Government Polytechnic, Nagpur, India, 2008-2012
DaXian Zha
Fan Zhao
Nicholas Rinz
Textile Engineering, Chemistry & Science
NC State Library Stories
BMT Group Meeting!
Wilson College of Textiles Career Fair!
AATCC Technical Meeting!
NCSU Graduate Research Poster Symposium
Congratulations to Fan Zhang!!
BMT’s Journey to the SFB Annual Meeting!!
Congratulations to Dr. Hui Cong!!
Dr. Martin King's BioMedical Textiles Research Group
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skyticket Travel Guide
skyticket >
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Sightseeing >
Brunei Darussalam：A Haven for Bountiful Wildlife
Photo by hkhtt hj
Brunei Darussalam is a country situated at the top of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Being an Islamic country, Brunei is home to several beautiful mosques found across the state, along with a number of stunning works of architecture. In this article, we've listed ten tourists attractions in Brunei perfect for sightseeing.
Brunei Darussalam：A Haven for Bountiful Wildlife:table of contents
1. Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
2. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
3. Kampong Ayer
4. Kg Kianggeh Open Air Market (Bandar Seri Begawan)
5. Istana Nurul Iman
6. Billionth Barrel Monument
7. Malay Technology Museum
8. Brunei Museum
9. Masjid kampong Pandan
10. Gadong Night Market
Photo by Peera_stockfoto/shutterstock
Known to be the largest mosque in the country of Brunei, the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is a mosque situated in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Built on a 20-acre land, the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque was constructed starting 1988 under the leadership of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the present Sultan of Brunei. Being a large structure, the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque can accommodate around 5,000 devotees. It is also recognized as one of the two national mosques in the country, the other being the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. When sightseeing in the mosque, visitors will most likely recognize its 29 golden domes and four minarets.
Name：Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
Address：Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Photo by kenary820/shutterstock
Also located in Bandar Seri Begawan is Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, regarded as one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia Pacific. It is one of the two national mosques in Brunei, the other being the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque. Named after Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, the mosque serves as a place of worship for the Islamic community in Brunei. The mosque's most prominent feature is its golden dome which can be recognizable from anywhere in the city. Besides being a place of worship, the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is also a popular sightseeing attraction and a historic site.
Name：Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
Address：Jalan McArthur, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8711, Brunei
Photo by Adwo/shutterstock
Kampong Ayer is a water village situated over Brunei Bay in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital city of Brunei. Around 39,000 people live in houses built on stilts above the body of water, making Kampong Ayer the largest water village in the world. Around 42 clusters of villages linked together by wooden walkways makeup Kampong Ayer. Aside from the houses where the inhabitants live, there are also several public and private structures built in the water village. They include schools, restaurants, shops, mosques, and even a hospital. For those who wish to go sightseeing in Kampong Ayer, you have to take a water taxi from the city proper to water village.
Name：Kampong Ayer
Kg Kianggeh Open Air Market is a local market situated in the city of Bandar Seri Begawan. Several locals flock the open market where they buy daily necessities such as vegetables and fruits for their dishes, and clothing. Aside from the fresh commodities, street foods are also sold in the Kg Kianggeh Open Air Market. Tourists who are sightseeing at the place can experience tasting local cuisine and lifestyle. Several of the merchandise sold in the said open-air market are sold at a much cheaper price, making it ideal for locals to go shopping at the place.
Name：Kg Kianggeh Open Air Market
Address：Jalan Sungai Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8111, Brunei Darussalam
Photo by commons.wikimedia.org
Istana Nurul Iman is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei. Otherwise known as the Light of Faith Palace, Istana Nurul Iman situated on the banks of the Brunei River. Being the seat of the government of Brunei, Istana Nurul Iman often at the center of every royal even set by the state. Completed in 1984, the palace is regarded as the largest residential palace in the world because of its vast floor area. Fascinating features of the palace include more than 1,700 bedrooms and a banquet hall which can accommodate up to 5,000 guests. Being a private residence of the Sultan, the palace is not open for sightseeing except during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Name：Istana Nurul Iman
Address：Jln Menteri Besar, Bandar Seri Begawan BA2112, Brunei
The Billionth Barrel Monument is a monument located in Seria, Brunei. Built in 1991, the monument pays tribute to the production of the billionth barrel of crude oil which was produced in the oil field in Seria. Being a country which generates revenues from oil, the production of such barrel is seen as a great accomplishment and something which the locals can relate to. The historic landmark is characterized by six large pillars converging at the top. A golden symbol is placed on top of the monument. If you wish to go sightseeing at the monument, you need to travel around one hour from the city.
Name：Billionth Barrel Monument
Address：Seria, Brunei
The Malay Technology Museum is a museum situated in Bandar Seri Begawan. It features several artifacts pertaining to the history and culture of the Brunei. The building where the museum is not placed was donated by the Royal Dutch/ Shell Group of Companies. The museum is divided into three exhibition rooms. The first hall is the Water Village Traditional House Gallery which displays how houses in Kampong Ayer during the 19th and 20th century. The second hall, the Water Village Traditional Technology Gallery shows several industries and handicrafts which are produced by the locals in Kampong Ayer. The third hall, Inland Traditional Technology Gallery, exhibits indigenous technologies of the locals. When sightseeing in Brunei, be sure to stop by Malay Technology Museum.
Name：Malay Technology Museum
Address：Simpang 482, Kampung Kota Batu, Brunei
located at Kota Batu, Brunei Museum is the national museum of Brunei which features historic artifacts and Islamic art. The Brunei Museum is the largest museum in Brunei. The building of the museum contains an intricate design which is adapted from the Malay art. There are several galleries at Brunei Museum including a natural history gallery, a history gallery, and an Islamic art gallery, among others. Established in 1965, the Brunei Museum was transferred to its new location in 1972 where it stay at present. When sightseeing around the museum, you will surely learn a lot about the culture and history of Brunei.
Name：Brunei Museum
Address：Kampung Kota Batu, Brunei
The Masjid Kampong Pandan Mosque is a mosque situated in Kuala Belait, Brunei. It is a nice, quiet mosque where Muslims can go and worship. Its architecture is a marvel; the mosque gets more beautiful when it is lit after sunset. The mosque is surrounded by grassy patches of land, houses, and a lagoon. The mosque is air-conditioned, and it includes a two-story flooring to accommodate the devotees. There is not much to see in Kuala Belait, but the Masjid Kampong Pandan Mosque should be given top priority when sightseeing in the town.
Name：Masjid Kampong Pandan Mosque
Address：Kuala Belait, Brunei
Photo by IQRemix
The Gadong Night Market is a popular night attraction in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. Opening daily from around 4pm, the night market is a haven of local cuisine cooked and served by the locals. The dishes vary from regular cuisines such as chicken wings and grilled fish to native dishes such as fried kuey teow to traditional kueh melayu. The best part of every food is that everything is served hot. Aside from food stalls, there are several goods sold at the night market including clothes and accessories, vegetables and fruits, and a lot more. The Gadong Night Market is not usually crowded so tasting local cuisine and sightseeing can be easy.
Name：Gadong Night Market
Address：Simpang 37, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Related Site：http://www.pasarpelbagaibarangan.com.bn/SitePages/Home.aspx
Exploring Brunei gives us a glimpse of the rich spiritual devotion that the locals have through their mosques. Yet sightseeing every attraction allows you to get acquainted with the history of the country. Furthermore, experiencing local lifestyle through its markets is also a great idea when in Brunei. With a lot of attractions and things to do in Brunei, your stay will surely be fun and exciting.
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Why the Rise of the U.S. City Is Good for Our Kids
June 29, 201212:54 PM
Cities now have a big opportunity to create better, more integrated schools.
Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images for Bing
Will Oremus asks whether it is “a good thing” that, for the first time since the 1920s, American cities are now growing faster than suburbs.
When it comes to educational equity, the answer is yes.
The white flight of the mid-20th century was motivated, in part, by the desire of middle-class white parents to segregate their children in suburban, predominantly white schools. Tiny suburban towns often maintained their own independent school districts, and in many regions of the country, actively resisted cooperation with schools in nearby cities or even more diverse suburbs. The result has been the steady racial and socioeconomic resegregation of American public education, particularly in the North, where segregation was de facto, not de jure, and federal Courts declined to intervene.
We know school segregation is a major social crisis because—despite the good performance of some high-poverty schools—poor children tend to have better academic outcomes when they attend school alongside middle class students.There is also some evidence that highly effective teachers prefer working in integrated schools.And it is my own strongly held belief that all children benefit from exposure to other children whose backgrounds are different from their own.
With more middle and upper-income young families now showing a predilection for urban living, city school districts have a wonderful opportunity to create more integrated schools. There are several ways they can do this:
1. By purposefully drawing school enrollment boundaries to encompass both high-income and low-income housing stock. My small Brooklyn neighborhood of Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill contains multimillion dollar, single-family brownstones, as well as a large housing project. Yet only one of the local elementary schools is truly diverse while the other two—both in easy walking distance—are segregated.
2. By asking charter schools to embrace diversity as part of their mission statements, and recruit students from across all races and classes, instead of focusing solely on poor children.
3. By creating magnet schools that draw students from across the city, and that do not require high test scores for enrollment. (Chris Hayes’ new book, Twilight of the Elites, is eloquent on the problem of frantic, expensive test-prep contributing to urban school segregation.)
4. And by attacking residential segregation head-on, in part through the sort of housing policies that Slate’s Matt Yglesias proposes in his book, The Rent is Too Damn High.
Sadly, no American governor or big city mayor I know of has committed to school integration as a central, clearly articulated facet of his or her education reform agenda. In part, this is because so many middle and upper class parents still feel skittish about sending their children to school with poor kids, and so “school choice” policies have evolved, in many cities, as a way to de facto segregate the children of the creative class. If we continue down this road, we simply won’t be taking advantage of the social, civic, and academic upsides of our rapidly diversifying cities. That would be a national shame.
Cities Education
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Halal investment tool for Muslims lands a $5 million seed round
Taylor Hatmaker @tayhatmaker / 2 years
For religious Muslims looking to get started with investing, the options are limited. Average Muslim investors can’t afford the kind of nuanced advice that a high end financial advisor can provide, but they can’t just throw money at a random fund that might not be Sharia-compliant either.
Wahed CEO Junaid Wahedna believes there’s a better way — and with a new $5 million seed round he intends to prove it.
“It’s just a market that a lot of people are scared to enter,” Wahedna said in an interview with TechCrunch. He wants to adapt the robo-advisor model of finance services like Betterment to serve Muslims looking to build a halal portfolio. Like other algorithmic and digital investment resources, Wahed cuts out the middle man and many of the associated fees, opening up investment opportunities for clients who aren’t starting with massive wealth. Wahed’s minimum investment is $500, making it friendly to first-time investors.
“Religious muslims have certain rules they have to abide by,” Wahedna explains. That includes prohibitions against making money from certain forms of interest as well as forbidding investments in alcohol and firearms. Those concerns can lead to some not very strategic investment choices. “What a lot of muslims do is either keep the money in cash or put it in real estate,” Wahedna noted.
He tells the cautionary tale of a Bangladeshi cab driver he met who illustrates the potential pitfalls for religious Muslim investors. The man had moved to the U.S. with $100,000 and asked his imam what he should do with it. “He didn’t want to keep it in the bank and he didn’t know what to do. The leader of the mosque told him Apple stock was Sharia compliant… so he put all of his savings in Apple stock.”
Worse yet, “people literally keep their money in cash and forgo the interest,” Wahedna said. “They lose out over time, just because of their religion. There shouldn’t be a cost of being Muslim.”
And given the global Muslim population, he doesn’t believe that Wahed is a niche product at all. During Wahed’s 1,000-plus user beta, the team received interest from more than 30 U.S. states and countries around the world. And because Islam’s ethical guidelines at times have so much overlap with other religions, he even had Christian leaders inquiring about the product.
As the company explains:
“The Wahed approach to ethical investing in the digital age utilizes a human review panel to screen certain stocks, commodities and other investment types that are not socially responsible or Shariah compliant, before automating algorithm-based investments. Clients will receive a recommended optimised and diversified portfolio based on their own risk tolerance. Using Wahed, American Muslims can now digitally automate long-term, halal investments into securities such as Sukuks and gold, while managing their halal portfolios at a low cost.”
With the $5 million in funding, Wahedna looks to scale up. “There’s a huge amount of products we can offer, from mortgages to debit cards,” he said. “It’s not just one product.” Along with pushing out its app in the next two or three months, the debit card idea is Wahed’s next major step. “People need somewhere to keep their cash, not just invest it,” Wahedna said.
Wahed’s seed round came from a mix of investors, including Afkar Holdings Managing Partner Khalid Al Jassim, former JPMorgan Chase Managing Director John Elkhair and former McKinsey & Company partner Nasr-Eddine Benaissa.
For now, Wahed will focus on serving religious Muslims in the U.S., a community with plenty of wealth to invest. “This is just a completely ignored market,” Wahedna said. “We want to really show we can compete with the best.”
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Television-live.com Watch Live TV Online
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Category: Entertainment / Kids
Phone Number: +1 818-460-7477
Address: Burbank, California, United States
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Freeform is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the Disney–ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. The channel primarily consists of TV series and films geared towards teenagers and young adults – with some programming skewing towards young women – in the 14-34 age range, a target demographic designated by the channel as "becomers" while some programming featured on Freeform (primarily consisting of movies) is secondarily geared towards a family audience. Its programming includes contemporary off-network syndicated reruns and original series, feature films and made-for-TV original movies, and some religious programming.
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Here’s Your Ultimate Guide To The Wild World Of Whiskey
By Emily Abrams ‧ ‧ Eat /
Clear liquor might give you less of a hangover the following morning, but there’s no doubt that amber-colored spirits have a true cult following thanks to their darker, spicier, full-bodied flavor profiles. Whiskey and its subcategories bourbon, rye and scotch belong together in this section of bar shelves. However, while they all have a similar maple syrup-like appearance, their tastes can widely vary. Here’s your ultimate guide to this family of spirits, helping you navigate the bar like you know what you’re talking about and identify your personal liquor of choice.
The spelling of whiskey (or whisky) varies depending on who’s talking about it. Scots will spell it without an “e” and the Irish include it. Regardless, all whiskey is made from fermented grain mash and typically aged in wooden casks that are made of charred white oak. Under the wide umbrella of whiskey falls bourbon, rye and scotch.
Some of the more common brands of bourbon you’ll easily find at your local watering hole include Booker’s, Evan Williams, Jim Beam, Knob Creek and Wild Turkey. Bourbon is an American whiskey that’s barrel-aged and distilled. For it to be considered bourbon, the mash has to be at least 51 percent corn, it has to be aged in new charred white oak barrels and it has to be made in the United States. The term “bourbon” comes from Kentucky and how people there referred to the liquor in the 1870s. About two-thirds of the $1.6 billion spent in the United States on distilled spirits exports each year comes from this corn-based spirit. Bourbon usually has an ABV of around 40 percent.
Rye (a type of grass grown as a grain and a crop that’s closely related to barley and wheat) can refer to two different types of related whiskey. It can be either American rye whiskey or Canadian whiskey. In the United States, rye whiskey by law has to be made with 51 percent rye along with corn and malted barley. The rye-based spirit can’t have a proof higher than 160 (80 percent ABV) and it’s aged in charred, new oak barrels. Rye is a spicy, grainy and hard-edged version of bourbon. Some common brands you’ll probably recognize are Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Straight Kentucky Rye Whiskey, Sazerac Rye Whiskey and Bulleit Rye.
Scotch is a malt whiskey or grain whiskey that’s made in Scotland (where it’s spelled without the extra “e”). Scotch is divided into five categories: single malt, single grain, blended malt, blended grain and blended. Scotch has to be aged in oak barrels for at least three years and is made from malted barley only. Distillers turn the starch into sugar before it’s fermented, giving it a smooth and distinct flavor. Sometimes peat is used to give this kind of whiskey a smoky flavor as well. And the oak casks for scotch don’t have to be new — it’s okay if they previously housed other spirits or wine.
Scotch tends to be on the more expensive side when compared to other whiskeys, and it typically has an ABV in the 40 to 50 percent range. When it comes to popular brands, you might recognize J&B or Dewar’s .
The barrel, geography and mash might vary, but behind the bar, these dark spirits tend to look the same. However, the next time you go out, you’ll be able to spot the differences. Way to go, expert.
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ريف حماة
Hama – Great Mosque
حماة – جامع الكبير
Great Mosque of Hama (جامع حماة الكبير) is the most impressive religious site in the city, despite being almost entirely reconstructed after the 1982 conflict. Dating back to the 7th century, the mosque was converted from a Byzantine church under Abu Aabideh Bin al-Jarah (أبو عبيدة بن الجراح) during the Umayyad period. That 6th century church was converted from an even earlier Roman temple, originally …
Hama – Qasr al-Azem
حماة – قصر العظم
One of the most attractive residential buildings in Syria is Qasr al-Azem (قصر العظم) of Hama (حماة). It was constructed in 1740 as the residence of Assad Basha al-Azem (أسعد باشا العظم), an Ottoman governor of the city. Only three years later he was promoted to governor of Damascus (دمشق), where he built the more well-known palace of the same name. While the building was …
Hama – al-Nuri Mosque
حماة – جامع النوري
al-Nuri Mosque (جامع النوري) was constructed in 1163 during the reign of Nur al-Din Mahmoud Zenki (نور الدين محمود زنكي). Acknowledging the important role that Hama (حماة) played in establishing his rule over both Aleppo (حلب) and Damascus (دمشق), Nur al-Din (نور الدين) endowed the city this mosque. He also had several monuments damaged in a 1157 earthquake rebuilt. The mosque was expanded during the …
Hama – Mosques
حماة – الجوامع
The city of Hama (حماة) has several historic mosques worth visiting in addition to the famed Great Mosque of Hama (جامع حماة الكبير) and the al-Nuri Mosque (جامع النوري), both covered separately. Numerous other mosques can be found surrounding the remains of the former citadel. Most of these buildings were constructed during the late Seljuq and early Mamluk periods on a relatively modest scale. The …
Hama – Old Houses
حماة – البيوت القديمة
Much of the historic center of Hama (حماة) was destroyed by armed conflict in 1982. The Syrian government launched a major offensive against the city, then a stronghold of the Muslim Brotherhood, in February of that year. Subsequent reconstruction of the city largely ignored its architectural heritage, much of which was replaced by modern development. Only a small area of the old city has survived, …
Qalaat Sheizar
قلعة شيزر
Qalaat Sheizar (قلعة شيزر) is an impressive Arab castle located to the north of Hama (حماة) overlooking a vital river crossing point on the Orontes. Here the river, after rushing around a bend through a confined gorge to the east, returns to the more leisurely pace of the plains. The settlement apparently has classical origins, with local legends recorded by Diodorus Siculus (first century BC) claiming its foundation …
Qalaat Abu Qubeis
قلعة آبو قبيس
Among Syrians, Abu Qubeis (آبو قبيس) is one of the most popular sites in the region around Hama (حماة). To foreign visitors, however, it is largely unknown. Locals come here mostly for the natural scenery: the village of Abu Qubeis (آبو قبيس) is located in a mountain river valley, surrounded by pine forests. Particularly in summer, this small Alawite village is full of locals picnicking along the river. …
Qalaat Mirza
قلعة ميرزا
One of the most dramatically situated castles in the whole of Syria, the Crusader castle of Qalaat Mirza (قلعة ميرزا) – sometimes referred to as Qalaat Barziyeh (قلعة برزية) – is well worth a detour for those who have a passion for fortifications. Located in the far northwest of the Hama Region (ريف حماة) on a rocky crag on the steep side of Jebel Ansariyeh, the castle is described by …
Masyaf
مصياف
Masyaf (مصياف) is a predominantly Ismaili town about 45 kilometers west of Hama (حماة). The primary attraction of Masyaf (مصياف) is the Ismaili castle, one of the best preserved in Syria. The town itself is also a pleasant place to explore, with an old section of town and a scenic location at the foothills of the coastal mountain range. The castle can easily be combined …
Deir al-Salib
دير الصليب
The remains of two Byzantine churches are located on opposite ends of this small Alawite village near Masyaf (مصياف). The western church, the first as you approach Deir al-Salib (دير الصليب), is in a far greater state of preservation and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. It is very lightly decorated, but the scale is impressive and the setting is beautiful, particularly …
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The Crime Report (https://thecrimereport.org/2019/05/17/louisiana-wins-cautious-praise-for-first-steps-in-reducing-solitary-confinement/)
Louisiana Wins Cautious Praise for ‘First Steps’ in Reducing Solitary Confinement
By TCR Staff | May 17, 2019
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Photo by Shannon O'Toole via Flickr
Louisiana corrections authorities have taken the “first steps” to reform a system that places more individuals into solitary confinement than anywhere else in the nation, according to a report from the Vera Institute of Justice.
Vera researchers, who have been working with the Louisiana Department of Corrections (LADOC) since 2017 as part of the institute’s “Safe Alternatives to Segregation” initiative, reported that reforms are underway in several facilities to “reduce reliance on administrative segregation and extended lockdown, and [to] set limits of lengths of stay” in solitary confinement.
Such measures represented the “first steps towards revising the department’s policies to decrease reliance on indeterminate segregation sanctions in response to rule violations,” the report said.
“These initial steps…signal that possibilities for bolder and more impactful changes in Louisiana are on the horizon.”
But the 109-page report made clear that there was a lot more to do. In a series of grim findings, researchers determined that:
Some 17.4 percent of incarcerated individuals in the state were housed in administrative segregation, which is the formal term for solitary confinement and other forms of physical isolation—amounting to 3.9 times the national average—between 2015-2016;
African Americans were sent to solitary at a greater rate than whites, and more than one-third of those housed had a mental health diagnosis;
Between 12 percent and 15 percent of Louisiana’s female incarcerated population were women, who were sanctioned with solitary at a higher rate than men; and
Young adults aged 18-25 represented 12 per cent of all inmates placed in segregation cells, although they comprised just 6.6 per cent of the population in LADOC facilities.
One of the main drivers of the high numbers of individuals in solitary in Louisiana was the routine use of administrative segregation to punish “nonviolent and minor rule violations,” the report said.
Aside from changing the “disciplinary matrix” governing why and when prisoners are punished, a key long-term recommendation by the researchers was to phase out administrative segregation units altogether and replace them with “supportive settings tailored to the needs of different groups of incarcerated people,” the report said.
“For example cellblocks could be renovated and redesigned to support the creation of new housing units for people who require protective custody or do not feel safe.”
But the report also made clear that although the state correctional leadership was committed to the change, as part of what it called a “blossoming” of justice reforms in Louisiana, there was significant resistance on the part of rank-and-file correctional officers to ending solitary confinement.
Focus groups with security staff at every facility showed that most guards “viewed segregation as a tool for maintaining order,” and voiced “strong opposition to any ideas related to segregation reduction or improving living conditions in cellblocks.”
“In fact, line officers expressed strong beliefs that living conditions and privileges in these settings should be as minimal as possible,” the report said.
That was in stark contrast to the views of inmates, who provided a long list of complaints ranging from lack of air conditioning to the psychological trauma of being confined in tiny cells about the size of a parking space for long periods of time.
“You’re going to get claustrophobic,” said one. “You’re either going to start talking to yourself (or) you’re going to get anxiety attacks….It gets that way because humans were not meant to be in a cage.
“It’s bad enough you’re locked up, but when you put a person in a box…mentally it messes with me.”
The report praised some of LADOC’s recent measures since 2018, such as closing the notorious “Camp J” at the Angola prison, which housed more than 450 people on any given day in administrative segregation; and a pilot project to reduce the use of solitary at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center.
Authorities were also developing a plan to mitigate the use of isolation among people on death row.
Although Louisiana stood out among the nation’s prison systems for its excessive use of solitary, it continued to be a “debilitative practice” in many other states, said Vera in a press release accompanying the report.
“The practice of housing someone in a cell for 22 hours a day with minimal human interaction or stimulation is used as a tool of punishment for approximately 61,000 incarcerated people on any given day,” said Vera.
“As in all other areas of the justice system, black and brown people are overwhelmingly harmed, as are those who already have mental health needs.”
Vera’s Safe Alternatives to Segregation project has partnered with 16 state and local departments of corrections to develop reform models with a view to ending solitary in its current form across the U.S.
In Washington State, for example, authorities have been undertaking reforms since 2011, including scrapping the use of solitary as a form of protective custody, and developing a “transition pod” that can safely help individuals integrate with the general prison population after administrative segregation.
“Ending solitary confinement is a critical step in the work to address mass incarceration,” said Vera project director Sara Sullivan.
“Our practical obligation—to reduce recidivism and make prisons, jails and communities safer—is as urgent as our moral obligation to honor the human dignity of all people.”
The complete Vera report on Louisiana can be downloaded here.
Can Prisons Find Alternatives to Solitary?
A pilot program in Virginia led to a reduction in the number of individuals held in restrictive housing between 2016 and 2018, and offers some lessons in how correctional authorities can re-think the use of solitary confinement for inmates, according to a Vera Institute study.
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Trump prepares to travel to Houston
President Donald Trump on Monday prepared to visit Texas to view the federal government’s response to Harvey’s devastating flooding as his administration vowed to help the millions of residents dealing with the catastrophic storm.
Harvey represented the first major natural disaster of Trump’s presidency, and it viewed by some as a test of his competency to handle such a situation.
Vice President Mike Pence said in a series of radio interviews on Monday that the Trump administration would “be there for the long haul to help rebuild Texas and all the affected areas from Hurricane Harvey.”
Sponsored: Popular shampoo brand may cause Alzheimer’s (which one?)
“The president has been continuously engaged in this. We’ve all been deeply concerned by the impact of this storm,” Pence told KTRH radio in Houston. “We’re saddened by the loss of life and the president is anxious to come to the region.”
Pence said Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Cabinet officials would visit Tuesday.
Trump spent most of the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, and convened his Cabinet by telephone during the weekend. He tweeted on Sunday a promise of a Texas visit “as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption” — later announced by the White House as Tuesday. Details on the president’s itinerary were not yet immediately available.
But by traveling to the region just days after Harvey made landfall, the president raised questions among his critics on whether his presence would complicate efforts by emergency responders to help Texans still in need.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican and Trump ally, however, loaded heavy praise on the president and the federal government, describing it as an “A-plus” effort.
“I’ve got to tell you, I give FEMA a grade of A+, all the way from the president down,” Abbott said. “I’ve spoken to the president several times, to his Cabinet members, such as secretary of homeland security, such as the administrator of FEMA, such as Tom Price, the secretary of health and human services.”
The devastating storm has dumped more than two feet of rain, sending thousands of people in Houston to rooftops for rescue and prompting a warning from Federal Emergency Management Agency director Brock Long of a “landmark event” that could require years to get damaged areas back on track.
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Harvey made landfall along the Gulf Coast on Friday night as a Category 4 storm near Corpus Christi, and moved northeast along the Texas coast over Houston. Abbott said he expected heavy rain “for days to come.”
The governor commended Trump for being “extremely professional, very helpful” in moving quickly to grant his request Friday for an immediate disaster declaration, which triggers additional federal assistance to aggrieved areas.
Abbott said the focus was on rescue in the Houston area, citing multiple high-level vehicles sent in late Saturday night that were being manned by the National Guard, but that boats and helicopters will be available all across east Texas for swift water rescue. Still, in many areas, Houston officials were reporting flooding so widespread that rescuers were getting too many calls to respond to each one and had to prioritize life-and-death situations.
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In his tweets, Trump praised Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long for “doing a great job” and touted the “great coordination between agencies at all levels of government.” He also tweeted Sunday morning about his Cabinet meeting to address Harvey. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, is currently without a secretary.
“Major rescue operations underway!” he wrote.
The Trump administration efforts seek to offer a contrast to President George W. Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in August 2005 and left more than 1,500 dead. The mismanaged response of Bush’s FEMA administrator, Michael Brown, to that hurricane, as well as Bush’s praise of Brown for doing a “heck of a job” in the immediate days after, dogged Bush for the rest of his presidency.
Abbott spoke on ABC’s “This Week” and “Fox News Sunday,” and Long appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
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A Night in Ferguson: Rubber Bullets, Tear Gas, and a Jail Cell
Ryan Devereaux
Late Monday evening, after many of the major media outlets covering the protests in Ferguson, Mo., had left the streets to broadcast from their set-ups near the police command center, heavily armed officers raced through suburban streets in armored vehicles, chasing demonstrators, launching tear gas on otherwise quiet residential lanes, and shooting at journalists.
Their efforts resulted in one of the largest nightly arrest totals since protests began 10 days ago over the killing of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. At approximately 2 a.m. local time, Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson announced at a press conference that 31 people had been arrested over the course of the night (NBC News later reported that, according to jail records, the actual total was more than double that). I was unable to attend or report on Johnson’s press conference because I was one of those people.
At roughly midnight, protesters and journalists were gathered on W. Florissant Ave., which has been ground zero for the ongoing protests. After laying down a heavy cloud of tear gas, police officials began announcing over loudspeakers that they intended to clear the area, citing a “public safety issue.” When some reporters pressed for clarification, multiple senior officers referred to “shots fired,” though they offered no specifics. The cable news crews on the street broke their gear down and left, as did just about everybody else.
Lukas Hermsmeier, a German reporter for Bild, and I got into the rental car we were sharing and decided to make our way to the so-called “command center” authorities have set up for journalists in the parking lot of a nearby Target. After picking up a stranded journalist and giving him a ride to his car, we found ourselves looking for a quick route to the command center that didn’t require driving along the contested W. Florissant. As we worked our way through the neighborhood’s side streets, we noted that a small contingent of protesters had returned.
Crossing W. Florissant, I heard a police officer announce over a loudspeaker: “This is your final warning.” My first instinct was to pull the car over and document whatever was about to happen. In protests, the most severe instances of violence or unlawful arrest often occur after the cameras are gone. We parked the car and got out.
There were roughly two dozen rowdy protesters gathered in the middle of W. Florissant, and along its east side. They had their own megaphone, which they were using to taunt the police. It was clear that some had been drinking. One of them lit a barrel of garbage on fire. A pair of streets signs had been pulled from the ground. At least one threw a glass bottle, which landed far from the officers roughly a block and a half down the road.
On the other side of W. Florissant, meanwhile, a separate group of protesters had gathered, all wearing matching T-shirts. They were clearly displeased with the behavior of their counterparts on the other side of the road. One particularly vocal young woman from this group stepped out into the street to retrieve the signs they had pulled out of the ground and left in the road. I crossed W. Florissant to see if I could interview her.
We were on the sidewalk chatting when the police began firing tear gas canisters in our direction. The woman and her friends began hustling to safety, away from W. Florissant and away from our rental car. I followed her, continuing to ask questions as we hurried onto Gage Dr., which runs parallel to W. Florissant. The young woman and her friends decided it was unsafe, hopped in a car, and took off.
<a href="https://firstlook.org/wp-uploads/sites/1/2014/08/Devereaux659.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-3615" alt="The author being transferred to a police van at the Ferguson command center early this morning. Photo: David Carson/St Louis Post Dispatch/Polaris" src="https://firstlook.org/wp-uploads/sites/1/2014/08/Devereaux659.jpg" width="659" height="440" /></a> The author being transferred to a police van at the Ferguson command center early this morning. Photo: David Carson/St Louis Post Dispatch/Polaris
Hermsmeier and I were stuck. The police had begun moving up W. Florissant in their armored vehicles. They continued shooting off gas canisters. In between short lulls, the remaining rowdy protesters would dart out from the shadows to egg the police on. I wanted to know what the police were firing at people so I looked for evidence. I found a smoking, hot canister and took a photo of it during a break in the firing.
The road, and seemingly the entire subdivision, was quickly filling with smoke. Armored vehicles would speed up to our area, occasionally shooting tear gas as they went, and we would take cover behind anything that could stop a metal canister from slamming into our skulls.
The situation did not look or feel good. Hermsmeier and I had a wide street filled with tear gas and armored vehicles between us and our ride home. The police began turning off W. Florissant and opening fire with gas canisters at unseen targets in the dense residential area. At one point, one of the canisters appeared to start a small fire in the driveway of a home.
We decided our best bet was to walk north on Gage Dr. in hopes of getting beyond the wall of gas and finding a safe route to our car. We didn’t make it far. Between the gaps in the houses we could see the armored vehicles quickly moving up and down W. Florissant, parallel to us. Two turns and the police would find us off that main road and, potentially, shoot at us. We took cover behind a large tree in case the firing started again.
It was then that one of the armored vehicles entered the neighborhood once more, this time ahead of us, slowly moving in the direction we were walking. With their high-powered lights scanning the neighborhood, the only option we had was to announce ourselves as members of the press and hope they wouldn’t shoot. We stepped out of the shadows, our hands in the air, and began yelling, “Press!” and “Journalists!” and “We’re media!” over and over. An officer on top of the vehicle turned his light on us. After a pause, he beckoned us forward. We continued walking, our hands still in the air, still shouting that we were journalists.
With rifles trained on us, we turned right on Highmunt Dr., in the direction of W. Florissant and toward another police vehicle, which had more guns pointed at us. As we made our way forward, I heard a pop and felt a stinging in my lower back. I jumped up instinctively, and realized that the officers behind us, the ones who had asked us to move forward, had shot us with what I believe were rubber bullets. I was hit once and Hermsmeier was hit twice.
The shooting left a mean bruise, but all the guns trained on us provided an ample distraction from the sting. We were frightened. The police, who made no verbal commands that we had heard, had clearly demonstrated their willingness to shoot us. With several similarly armed and approaching officers directly in front of us, we dove behind a car, expecting more shooting. The police came upon us with their guns pointed directly at us. We continued repeating that we were journalists. They pulled us out from behind the car, walked us to their armored vehicles, and zip-tied our hands behind our backs.
The police loaded us a vehicle known as a Bearcat and drove us to the command center. We were sitting across from a massive man in a gas mask who looked more like a sci-fi video game character than a police officer. He asked us what we were doing out when police had told people to leave. We replied that we were doing our jobs.
It was at the command center, a suburban parking lot awash in neon light and men in camouflage, that we learned we were going to jail. No one read us our rights. I was later informed that we–along with just about everyone else in our jail cell–were arrested for “refusal to disperse.”
When we got to the jail, an officer took all my belongings and placed them in a bag, and told me that I was free to make my one phone call. When I told her that my lawyer’s phone number was in my wallet, she replied that it was too late (pro tip: write your lawyer’s phone number in Sharpie on your arm). The only way my editor learned that I had been arrested was because David Carson, a photographer with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (who took the photographs in this post), happened to be embedded with the tactical team that arrested us. While we were at the command center, I asked him to post news of our arrests to his Twitter feed. (Thanks, David.)
We were jailed with a cross-section of the Ferguson protesters. Most of our cellmates were African American and from Ferguson or surrounding areas, though there were also some white men in the mix, too. There were three recently discharged veterans in our group and one active duty service member. I don’t know how many—if any—of the men I was in jail with had participated in the violent, destructive protesting that I saw. But far from being the hardened criminals some might paint them as, these young men—most of whom had never met before last night—offered support for each other. They were kind to one another.
There was a lot of humor in the group as well, though it was all colored by a below-the-surface recognition that, for a certain portion of the men, time spent in jail cells is an unavoidable fact of life. One of our cellmates, a young African American veteran who had been picked up protesting, was stuck in jail for a mandatory 72 hours due to an outstanding warrant from an illegal lane change. Ferguson relies heavily on court fees to generate revenue, and traffic stops are a key component.
Hermsmeier and I got out of jail this morning. None of the other people who are still there, as far as I know, work for well-funded, high-profile media organizations. Few are white. The concerns these men raised—and the intensity that they have for this moment in Ferguson—runs very deep. Several cited the disproportionate number of traffic stops of young men of color as a specific problem. On a more fundamental level, their grievances centered on a perceived lack of respect from the police sworn to protect their communities, a sense that anything could be done to them and nothing would be done in response. One young African American man from the area positively beamed at being arrested for a cause; he likened it to going to jail with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Not a single one of these men, through our hours of conversations, expressed any desire to let up. This will not end soon.
Ryan Devereaux[email protected]theintercept.com@rdevro
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The Life Sciences Law Review - Edition 7
Francisca Paulouro
Inês Caldas de Almeida
Vieira de Almeida
The life sciences sector in Portugal is heavily regulated, with the legal framework applicable both to medicines and medical devices closely following the EU regulatory framework. Nevertheless, in some areas national legislation goes beyond what is provided in the relevant directives; this is particularly noticeable, for example, in matters related to promotion, wholesale distribution and clinical trials. Pricing and reimbursement are exclusively dealt with at national level, as they are outside the scope of EU legislation, with the exception of transparency measures and procedural requirements set out in the Transparency Directive.2
The National Authority of Medicines and Health Products, IP (Infarmed), is the national regulatory agency for medicines and medical devices. In addition to its competence for technical health regulation, Infarmed's powers also cover pricing, reimbursement and market access. Price approval of prescription products, including products for hospital use, is also attributed to this agency. Infarmed plays a significant role in relation to reimbursement and market access of medicines, as it is the entity responsible for conducting the relevant procedures and proposing decisions to the Minister of Health.
II THE REGULATORY REGIME
The Medicines Act3 consolidates in a single legal act the regime applicable to, among other things, the marketing authorisation, manufacture, import, export, marketing, labelling, promotion and pharmacovigilance of medicines; it transposes into Portuguese Law several directives, including Directive 2001/83/EC,4 as amended (the Directive).
Medical devices, in turn, are governed by the Medical Devices Act,5 which, further to transposing several directives related to the manufacture, marketing and vigilance of medical devices (including Directive 93/42/EEC,6 as amended), establishes the regime applicable to promotion. With regard to promotion, the Medical Devices Act closely follows the regime set out for medicines. In early 2017, Decree-Law No. 5/20177 introduced general principles applicable to the promotion of medicines and medical devices, and further implemented specific rules for scientific, educational and promotional events that take place in National Health Service entities.
i Classification
The definitions of a medicinal product for human use and of a medical device are identical to those arising from EU legislation, with the distinction between them being made on the basis of the intended use and the mechanism through which this is achieved. As is the case under the Directive, where any doubt arises, the classification as a medicinal product prevails.
ii Non-clinical studies
Directive 2010/63/EU8 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes was transposed into Portuguese law in August 2013.9 This regime follows closely the one set out in Directive 2010/63/EU, thus establishing several requirements applicable to the use of animals for scientific or educational purposes, namely in what concerns the accommodation, care and use of animals in procedures; the origin, breeding, marking and killing of animals; licensing of breeders, suppliers and users; and the procedures for evaluation and authorisation of scientific or educational projects.
In addition, and similarly to what happens at EU level, the testing of finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals is prohibited, with the same applying to the marketing thereof if animal testing was conducted for cosmetic purposes.
iii Clinical trials
In April 2014, a new legal regime for clinical research was approved,10 consolidating in one legal act the provisions applicable to clinical studies, whether interventional or not, and covering medicines, medical devices and cosmetics. The regime encompasses the provisions of Directive 2001/20/EC11 regarding the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use and the provisions of Directive 2007/47/EC12 on clinical investigation with medical devices.
All clinical studies are subject to a prior favourable opinion from the competent ethics committee. In addition, interventional clinical trials with medicines depend on authorisation from Infarmed, with the same applying to interventional studies with Class III medical devices, implantable medical devices and long-term invasive devices falling within Classes IIa or IIb. For the remaining classes of medical devices, interventional studies depend only on the favourable opinion from the ethics committee and on notification to Infarmed. The conduct of clinical interventional studies with cosmetics should also be notified in advance to Infarmed, with the sponsor being entitled to initiate the study should Infarmed not issue an unfavourable decision within 30 days of the notification.
Both the sponsor and the investigator are jointly and severally liable, regardless of fault, for material and non-material damage suffered by subjects – liability that must be covered by insurance. Should an interventional study be at stake, there is a legal presumption that damage that affects the health of subjects during the study and for a one-year period following its term (which may be extended by the ethics committee) is caused by the study. This reverses the general rule on burden of proof, subject to which whosoever alleges damage should demonstrate the causal relationship between the damage and the act (in this case, the study).
iv Named-patient and compassionate-use procedures
Similar to what happens under EU legislation, the general rule is that medicines can only be marketed following the granting of a marketing authorisation. In exceptional circumstances, however, Infarmed may authorise the use of non-approved medicines, such as when the product is, subject to a clinical assessment, considered indispensable for the treatment of a given pathology and there is no therapeutic alternative among authorised products.
Within the context of interventional clinical studies, following the conclusion of a study, the sponsor is under an obligation to supply the investigational medicinal product or device under clinical investigation for free until its marketing should the investigator consider that continuation of its use by the former participant is indispensable and that there are no therapeutic alternatives with an equivalent degree of safety and efficacy.
v Pre-market clearance
The Medicines Act reflects EU rules in this regard and thus medicines can only be placed on the market following the granting of a marketing authorisation – Infarmed being the competent authority for authorising medicines that follow national procedures.
The marketing in Portugal of medical devices bearing a CE mark does not require any authorisation from Infarmed. Nonetheless, Infarmed must be notified of all medical devices marketed by a given entity prior to its commercialisation.
vi Regulatory incentives
The Medicines Act reflects the regime established in the Directive regarding regulatory data protection and market exclusivity. Generic applications cannot be submitted for a period of eight years following the first authorisation in the European Union. After this eight-year period has elapsed, the generic cannot be launched on the market for an additional two years. This period may be extended for one supplementary year should the innovator, within the data exclusivity period of eight years, obtain a marketing authorisation for one or more indications of significant clinical benefit.
Patent linkage is not permitted. The Medicines Act expressly provides that marketing authorisation applications cannot be dismissed on the grounds of the potential existence of industrial property rights of the reference product. A similar rule exists for pricing and reimbursement decisions.
There are no special provisions to encourage the development or market launch of innovative products. On the other hand, special provisions to encourage the sale of generics exist in a variety of areas; for example, generics benefit from a simplified regime regarding pricing and reimbursement, and prescription is mandatorily made by active substance once a generic is launched in the market, the rule being that of generic substitution, save in very limited circumstances expressly provided for by law.
vii Post-approval controls
Pharmacovigilance rules applicable to medicinal products were modified in 2013 with the transposition into Portuguese law of Directive 2010/84/EU and Directive 2012/26/EU.13 In the same year, the provisions of Directive 2011/62/EU14 regarding prevention of entry into the supply chain of falsified medicinal products were also transposed, with the Medicines Act currently closely following EU legislation on these matters, such as the placing of safety devices on the packaging of certain medicinal products, to identify and authenticate them. Detailed rules for these safety devices were to be adopted through Delegated Regulation 2016/161,15 including a repository system containing information on the safety features. These rules were to be implemented by marketing authorisation holders up until 9 February 2019. In 2018, the Medicines Act was amended, to adapt local legislation to Delegated Regulation 2016/161.
A similar regime applies regarding medical devices, with the vigilance requirements stemming from the relevant directives. In addition, a pharmacovigilance system has been implemented that is similar to the system applicable to medicines.
viii Manufacturing controls
In line with the Directive, the manufacture of medicinal products is subject to prior authorisation by Infarmed, even if products are intended for export. An authorisation will only be granted if the applicant has adequate premises that comply with the applicable legislation and with the European Commission Guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practice (in 2018, the Medicines Act was amended to transpose Directive 2017/1572)16 and has a qualified person permanently and continuously at its disposal. The qualified person, who is responsible for all manufacturing activities performed, must be a pharmacist registered with the Portuguese Order of Pharmacists.
Any change to the manufacturing authorisation requires prior authorisation by Infarmed.
In 2013, the Medicines Act was amended, transposing Directive 2011/62/EU and thus requiring that the manufacturers of active substances established in Portugal register their activity with Infarmed.
The manufacture of medical devices, as well as the assembling, packaging, processing, fully refurbishing, labelling or assigning to them a purpose different from that of its original intended use, among others, is subject to prior notification to Infarmed. The engagement in these activities is dependent on the applicant having adequate premises and equipment with capacity to ensure the manufacture, storage and conservation of medical devices and a technician responsible to ensure the quality of the activities performed.
In addition, and in line with what is set out in EU directives, manufacturers or their authorised representatives placing medical devices on the Portuguese market should notify Infarmed, providing in the notification the required level of information depending on the classification or nature of the device concerned.
ix Advertising and promotion
The regime applicable to the advertising of medicines closely follows the regime set out in the Directive. The major differences relate to the definition of advertising, to the scope of the prohibition on granting benefits to healthcare professionals and to the prohibition on granting any kind of benefit to patients, matters in respect of which the Medicines Act goes beyond what is established in the Directive.
The definition of advertising is broader than that set out in the Directive, advertising being considered, under the Medicines Act, as any kind of information, canvassing activity or inducement that has as its object or effect the promotion of the prescription, dispensation, sale, purchase or consumption of medicines. Contrary to what is foreseen in the Directive, Portuguese law does not require that the conduct be designed to promote a given product for it to qualify as advertising. It suffices that the conduct at issue has that effect.
Second, the Medicines Act extends the scope of the prohibition on pharmaceutical companies granting gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind to healthcare professionals to also include bonuses – a notion that is associated with the granting of discounts in kind, such as free products. The broadening of this prohibition is particularly relevant to the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies, being hardly in line with the EU legal framework and with the principle that promotion rules do not apply to measures or trade practices related to prices, margins and discounts – provided for in both the Directive and the Medicines Act.
Finally, pharmaceutical companies are prevented from granting any kind of benefit to patients. Similarly to what happens in relation to healthcare professionals, companies cannot grant or promise to grant, directly or indirectly, gifts, prizes, bonuses, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind to patients.
Although companies are under an obligation to provide Infarmed with a summary description of all advertising materials, no prior-approval requirement exists. In addition, companies must notify Infarmed in advance of the sponsorship of any congress, symposium or event of an educational or promotional nature.
The regime applicable to advertising and promotion of medical devices is very similar to that applicable to medicines. There is, however, no prohibition on granting gifts or benefits to the public. The advertising of medical devices, the use of which requires the intervention of healthcare professionals, such as implantable medical devices, cannot be promoted to the public.
Medical device companies are also required to notify Infarmed in advance of the sponsorship of any congress, symposium or event of an educational or promotional nature.
x Distributors and wholesalers
Wholesale distribution of medicines is subject to prior authorisation from Infarmed, the only exception being for holders of manufacturing authorisations in relation to the products covered by those authorisations (similarly to what happens under the Directive).
The granting of such an authorisation is dependent on the applicant having adequate equipment and premises, located in Portugal, to ensure proper conservation and distribution of medicines and a technical director, who must ensure, effectively and permanently, the quality of the activities carried out in the distribution premises. The technical director must be a pharmacist registered with the Portuguese Order of Pharmacists and personally fulfil his or her responsibilities in the wholesale premises. Until 2013, the technical director had to exercise the functions of this role exclusively and could not perform those functions for more than one company, even if the wholesale distribution premises were the same. Currently a technical director may cumulate functions within the same wholesale premises, up to a limit of five wholesale distribution authorisations. In 2015, a new regulation on good distribution practices applicable to the wholesale distribution of medicines17 was approved, closely following Commission Guideline 2013/C 343/01.18
In addition, wholesalers are under a legal obligation to have medicines permanently available in sufficient quantity and variety to ensure the appropriate and continued supply of medicinal products with a view to guaranteeing the satisfaction of patients' needs. The minimum quantities of products that wholesalers must keep at all times to comply with this public service obligation were set out in a regulation issued by Infarmed.
In 2013, to address shortages of medicinal products on the Portuguese market, mainly resulting from parallel exports to other EU Member States, the Medicines Act was amended, granting Infarmed powers to list the medicines of which it requires notification prior to exportation (within and outside the European Union). In 2015, Infarmed published a regulation setting out the terms applicable to the notification and to the medicines covered (a list that has been regularly updated), and wholesalers are currently under an obligation to notify in advance all sales of medicines included on this list made to countries outside Portugal. In addition, marketing authorisation holders, wholesalers and pharmacies must notify Infarmed, once a month, of the quantities of certain listed medicinal products that are sold, dispensed, exported or subject to intra-community commerce. The compatibility of this regime with principles of EU law has always been far from clear. In 2016, the European Commission initiated a procedure against Portugal, determining, in its reasoned opinion, that Portugal should suppress unjustified and disproportionate notification obligations because they constitute an obstacle to the free movement of goods within the European Union. To comply with the terms of the reasoned opinion, Infarmed revised its rules in 2017.19 Although the regime of prior notification was maintained, clear and transparent criteria for the inclusion of medicines on the list in question, and for the list's revision, were implemented. Finally, Infarmed has the power to prevent the exportation of medicines – be it inside or outside the European Union – on the grounds of protection of public health or to ensure patient access to a given medicinal product.
The regime governing the brokering of medicinal products under the Medicines Act follows closely that of Directive 2011/62/EU,20 thus engagement in the activity of brokering does not require prior authorisation from Infarmed; neither is it dependent on the existence of premises or a permanent address in Portugal. Persons brokering medicines with a permanent address in Portugal must register their activity with Infarmed.
The engagement in the activity of wholesale distribution of medical devices, although not subject to express authorisation from Infarmed, must be notified in advance to that authority, and is only permitted if (as is the case for medicines) the applicant has adequate premises and equipment with capacity to ensure good storage, conservation and distribution of medical devices and a responsible technical director is appointed to the wholesale premises to ensure the quality of the activities performed. In contrast to the regime applicable to medicines, the technical director does not have to be a pharmacist but must have an adequate technical qualification to ensure the quality of the distribution activity, as well as adequate knowledge of the legislation and regulations applicable to medical devices. Also, differently from the regime applicable to medicines, the wholesale premises do not have to be located in Portugal. Nonetheless, should the premises be located abroad, the applicant must comply with the Portuguese legal provisions applicable to the wholesale distribution of medical devices. In 2016, good distribution practices applicable to the wholesale distribution of medical devices were approved (although initially legally set out in 2009).21 This regime is extremely demanding and, in many aspects, follows the good distribution practices for medicines.
xi Classification of products
The criteria laid down in the Medicines Act for classifying a medicine for medical prescription are very similar to those set out in the Directive.
The classification has related consequences for the regime applicable to advertising, pricing, reimbursement and point of sale or dispensing. Only non-prescription products may be promoted to the general public, which is the same under the Directive. In addition, while there is no price control for non-prescription drugs (unless these are reimbursed – the general rule, however, is that non-prescription products are not subject to reimbursement), prescription products have their maximum sale prices approved, regardless of whether they are reimbursed or not. Finally, whereas the dispensing of prescription drugs is restricted to pharmacies – unless subject to restricted medical prescription, in which case they can only be dispensed or administered in hospitals – over-the-counter products (OTCs) may be sold at points of sale duly authorised by Infarmed.
xii Imports and exports
In line with the regime laid down in the Directive, the importation of medicines is subject to prior authorisation from Infarmed, with requirements very similar to those applicable to the manufacture of medicines (see Section II.viii). The importation of active substances is also subject to registration with Infarmed. The export of medicinal products does not require any authorisation from Infarmed, nor does it require registration with Infarmed.
As regards medical devices, there are no additional requirements related to imports and exports other than those applicable to the manufacture, placing on the market and wholesale distribution, analysed above.
xiii Controlled substances
The manufacture, use, marketing, distribution, importation, exportation and possession of narcotics and psychotropic substances are subject to a specific regime. Narcotics and psychotropic substances are divided into several categories, each identifying the relevant substances. Infarmed is the entity responsible for authorising engagement in these activities in relation to certain categories of substances. Specific requirements also exist for prescribing, dispensing and keeping records when such substances are included in medicinal products.
Further to constituting a misdemeanour punishable with a fine, engagement in any of the above-mentioned activities without the relevant authorisation may be considered a criminal offence.
In addition, the use of cannabis-based medicines, preparations and substances for medicinal purposes, was authorised under Law No. 33/2018,22 which came into force on 1 August 2018. 'Cannabis-based medicines, preparations and substances' are defined as the leaves, flowers and fruits of the cannabis plant, as well as oil and other standard extracts or preparations obtained from the plant.
Physicians are only allowed to prescribe cannabis-based products if conventional treatments with authorised medicines are not having the expected effects or they are generating relevant adverse effects; also, cannabis-based products can only be prescribed for use in indications authorised by Infarmed.
Law No. 33/2018 further indicates that these products must be prescribed by a physician, pursuant to a special medical prescription, which must be approved by the Ministry of Health. The prescription must mention the names of the physician and the patient, and it must identify the cannabis-based medicine, preparation or substance, as well as the relevant quantity, dosage and form of administration.
Since they are considered medicinal products, they will, generally, require a marketing authorisation from Infarmed before being placed on the market.
Cannabis-based products can only be sold in pharmacies. The buyer is required to provide identification, or evidence of being the legal guardian of the patient, together with the prescription. Each prescription can only be used once (i.e., the law does not provide for a renewable prescription, or for a prescription that can be used several times).
xiv Enforcement
Infarmed is entrusted with the supervision and enforcement of regulatory provisions applicable to medicines and medical devices.
A breach of these provisions is considered a misdemeanour punishable with a fine calculated according to the infringer's annual turnover, or a fine of a predetermined fixed amount (whichever is lower). In addition to this penalty, a breach of the provisions of the Medicines Act, including advertising, may also give rise to ancillary sanctions to be applied by Infarmed, such as a prohibition on exercising the activity, exclusion from participation in public tenders and the suspension of any authorisations and permits – all up to a maximum of two years.
Should the infringement of promotion rules be at stake, both regarding medicines and medical devices, Infarmed may order that the condemnatory decision be published in the media as well as the suspension of advertising of the product concerned for a period of up to two years. Medicinal products may further be delisted as a result of infringement of promotion rules.
III PRICING AND REIMBURSEMENT
On 1 June 2015, Decree-Law No. 97/2015 was published, creating the System of Assessment of Health Technologies (SiNATS). In creating SiNATS, this single Decree-Law consolidated the provisions applicable to pricing, reimbursement and prior evaluation procedures, and introduced three main changes:
clear reinforcement of the powers of public authorities – with the state being granted the capacity to unilaterally and in an almost unlimited manner amend and terminate contractual agreements executed with the pharmaceutical industry;
an unprecedented concentration of powers within Infarmed; and
flexibility on applicable rules, considering that several matters are referred to governmental and Infarmed regulations, thus facilitating the swift change of provisions.
Several decrees have been approved since the entry into force of SiNATS, establishing the regime regarding specific matters, such as the procedure for reimbursement and prior evaluation,23 and the rules and procedures applicable to the setting and revision of prices of medicines subject to medical prescription and reimbursed OTCs, as well as corresponding marketing margins.24
Notwithstanding the importance of SiNATS, the essential features of the previous regimes remain untouched. For example, the rules on pricing and reimbursement of medicines continue to differ, essentially depending on the classification of the product for dispensing purposes.
Medicines subject to medical prescription but not a restricted medical prescription, and generally sold in street pharmacies, have to undergo a price approval procedure before Infarmed prior to being launched on the market. In this context, a maximum sale price is approved, which, in the case of branded products, is determined by reference to the price applied in three reference countries. This price is subject to annual revision in accordance with the same criteria.
Approval of reimbursement is within the competence of the Minister of Health and will only be granted should the therapeutic added value and economic advantage of the product be demonstrated.
Another striking feature of SiNATS lies in the increased importance of the execution of agreements between Infarmed and the marketing authorisation holders, although the execution of such agreements is still not legally mandatory – save in the case of hospital products. These agreements typically set a maximum sale value for the product, which, once exceeded, will determine a payback by the marketing authorisation holder to the National Health Service equivalent to the amount of public expenditure in excess of the limit. Other types of agreements are now expressly provided for under SiNATS, such as risk-sharing arrangements. SiNATS also approved specific rules for the reimbursement of similar biological medicines conditioning the approval thereto to its price not exceeding 80 per cent of the price of the reference biological medicine.
A 'reference price' system exists in the context of reimbursement. Until a generic is launched on the market, the percentage of state reimbursement, ranging from 15 per cent to 90 per cent, save in exceptional circumstances provided for in specific regulations, applies to the sale price of the product. The placing on the market of a generic, however, gives rise to the creation of a 'homogenous group', composed of branded or innovative medicines and generics with the same active substance, dosage, method of administration and pharmaceutical form, and to the approval of the corresponding reference price – equivalent to the average of the retail sale price of the five lowest-priced products included in the group. Following approval of the reference price, the maximum amount of state reimbursement for products included in the relevant group will be determined by applying the applicable reimbursement percentage to the price.
Similarly, before they can be sold to National Health Service hospitals, medicines subject to medical prescription have to undergo an evaluation procedure, in the context of which the applicable maximum sale prices are approved by the Ministry of Health, or Infarmed, should this competence be delegated. Until the approval of SiNATS, this regime only existed for medicines subject to restricted medical prescription. Note, however, that if the medicine is already subject to reimbursement, it is exempt from this procedure – unless otherwise decided by the Ministry of Health, or Infarmed, should this competence be delegated.
As with reimbursement, the therapeutic added value and economic advantage of the product under evaluation must be demonstrated within this procedure for a favourable decision to be issued. That decision further implies the execution of an agreement between Infarmed and the marketing authorisation holder. Just as we have seen in the context of reimbursement, these agreements also usually establish a maximum sale value for the product and, if this amount is exceeded, the difference should be refunded by the marketing authorisation holder.
Prior to the approval of SiNATS in 2015, the applicable rule regarding medical devices was that the relevant sales price was either free or arose from public procurement procedures, whenever applicable, with the exception of test strips, needles, syringes and lancets destined for persons with diabetes that were subject to a price control and reimbursement regime.
Since then, reimbursement regimes have been set for pressurised inhalers,25 medical devices for ostomates26 and medical devices for patients with urinary incontinence and urinary retention.27
As a result of SiNATS, the medical devices sector may evolve from a state of relative commercial freedom, in which only the prices of these products were controlled, to one of high regulation. In fact, SiNATS sets out the possibility of administratively determining the sale prices of medical devices and of approving their reimbursement, as well as requiring these products to undergo a prior evaluation procedure, similar to the existing procedure for medicines being considered for use or purchase by National Health Service hospitals. In practice, this general legal framework has rarely been enforced and the medical devices sector continues to be poorly regulated. In September 2017, significant changes were made to SiNATS.28 Homogeneous groups were created for similar biological medicinal products and a maximum price was enacted for the sale of these products to National Health Service hospitals.
Infarmed's powers regarding reimbursement have been strengthened. Not only can it modify the terms of reimbursement, but it can also now promote, on its own initiative and at any time, the evaluation or re-evaluation of reimbursement when public health reasons require it.
The rule that medicines covered by the prior evaluation procedure can only be purchased by National Health Service hospitals on an exceptional basis (namely when the patient suffers from a life-threatening disease or risks severe complications and there is no therapeutic alternative), following a specific request from the hospital concerned and prior authorisation from Infarmed, was reiterated and reinforced. This matter was further developed in a regulation approved by Infarmed regarding early access programmes.29 Subject to this regulation, and in line with what is set out in the law, prior to obtaining a favourable decision within the context of a prior evaluation procedure, medicines should be supplied to National Health Service hospitals free of charge. Supply free of charge is subject to a maximum period, determined by reference to the legal deadline for the procedure.
IV ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL REMEDIES
Final decisions from Infarmed in the context of regulatory, pricing and reimbursement matters are subject to judicial review by administrative courts. The decisions are immediately effective, with the initiation of legal action per se not suspending the effects thereto. Matters of a technical nature are not reviewed by administrative courts, except in cases of manifest error, and administrative courts do not issue technical judgments.
In addition, decisions issued by Infarmed within the context of misdemeanour proceedings initiated for a breach of regulatory provisions are subject to appeal before the judicial courts.
V FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PRESCRIBERS AND PAYERS
The Medicines Act transposed into Portuguese law the provisions of the Directive on the promotion of medicinal products, including interactions with healthcare professionals. The rule is, therefore, that pharmaceutical companies cannot offer or promise to offer, directly or indirectly, gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind to healthcare professionals, unless they are inexpensive and relevant to the practice of medicine or pharmacy. For several years there was no legal indication as to what should be considered inexpensive. This state of affairs changed in 2013 when for the first time a decree was published that set the inexpensive limit – as had been foreseen in the Pharmaceutical Industry Association Code of Ethics. Since then, this amount has been increased and is currently set at €60.30
In addition, transparency obligations were enacted in 2013, requiring pharmaceutical companies to notify Infarmed of any payment or offer in excess of €60 made to any individual or legal entity, such as healthcare professionals, medical or scientific associations, patient associations and healthcare institutions. The recipient is also required to validate this notification and the absence of a validation, or a rejection, will be taken to indicate that the notification is correct. This information is publicly available on Infarmed's website.
Similar rules exist in the context of medical devices. The principle that no offer can be made to healthcare professionals unless of insignificant value and relevant to the healthcare professional's practice dates back to 2009 and, as from 2017, is subject to the exact same limit as that provided in relation to the promotion of medicinal products: €60.31 Also in 2017, the transparency obligations that apply in the medicines sector were implemented for medical devices. Currently, pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies are subject to the exact same transparency rules.
In early 2014, a specific conflict-of-interest regime for the health sector was approved. The regime prevents, among other things, members of commissions, working groups, juries and National Health Service consultants whose role involves the market access of products (e.g., involvement in pricing and reimbursement procedures, in pharmacoeconomic assessments, in the approval of therapeutic guidelines and purchase procedures) from performing functions, either regularly or occasionally, for payment by pharmaceutical companies. A breach of these rules constitutes a misdemeanour punishable with a fine. In addition, in the event of such a breach, the opinions issued or decisions adopted by the commissions, working groups, juries and consultants do not produce any legal effects and any decisions adopted by decision-making bodies based on the same are considered null and void.
In addition, as from 2017,32 National Health Service establishments and services are prohibited from receiving direct or indirect financial benefits or benefits in kind from pharmaceutical and medical device companies, unless it can be demonstrated that receiving these benefits does not compromise the establishment or service's exemption or impartiality, and prior authorisation from the Ministry of Health is obtained. Furthermore, educational or scientific events with promotional purposes or sponsored by pharmaceutical or medical device companies cannot take place in National Health Service establishments and services.
VI SPECIAL LIABILITY OR COMPENSATION SYSTEMS
With the exception of damages arising from harm suffered by subjects in clinical studies (see Section II.iii), there is no specific compensation or liability regime applicable to damages arising from harm caused by the use of medicines or medical devices. Product liability claims are therefore subject to the general legal regime concerning liability for defective products.
VII TRANSACTIONAL AND COMPETITION ISSUES
The Portuguese Competition Law33 prohibits agreements, concerted practices and decisions by associations of undertakings, as well as abuses of a dominant position, capable of preventing, distorting or restricting competition in the Portuguese market. Competition rules apply to pharmaceutical companies whenever possible, despite these companies being subject to strict regulation in matters such as market access, distribution and pricing.
On June 2017, the Lisbon Court of Appeal confirmed the decision by the Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) fining the National Association of Pharmacies (ANF) and three undertakings of the same group for an abuse of dominant position in the form of a margin squeeze in the market for the sale of studies based on pharmacies' commercial data; however, the Court of Appeal reduced the amounts of the fines significantly.
The case dates from 2015, when the PCA concluded an investigation into the market for the sale of pharmacies' commercial data, a market in which the ANF group is dominant. The PCA decided that, between 2010 and 2013, the prices charged by the ANF group for the sale of pharmacies' commercial data (the upstream market), when compared to the prices charged by the same group for the sale of market studies based on those data (the downstream market), did not allow an equally efficient competitor active in the downstream market to achieve an adequate margin to cover its production costs. The PCA found that this behaviour had affected not only ANF's competitors, which were unable to enter or compete in the downstream market, but also consumers purchasing such studies, namely pharmaceutical laboratories.
When the decision was first challenged, the Competition, Regulation and Supervision Court (TCRS) upheld the PCA decision but reduced the fines to a total of €6.89 million on the understanding that only the turnover related to the markets in which the abuse of dominance took place should be considered for the purpose of calculating fines. On 14 June 2017, the Lisbon Court of Appeal rendered a final judgment in this case, confirming the existence of an abuse, but dismissing the finding that the holding company (Farminveste SGPS) was also liable for the infringement. Since that company had the highest turnover, the fine initially imposed by the PCA was substantially reduced, to a mere €815,000 (a reduction of 92 per cent of the fine imposed by the PCA).
In September 2017, the TCRS confirmed a PCA decision to close an investigation into pharmaceutical companies that had unilaterally decided to refuse to supply a new wholesaler. The TCRS decision established that:
a distinction could be established between the relevant market for the medicine and the relevant market for the wholesale distribution of the medicine;
if a company holds a dominant position, a refusal to deal may be justified by objective reasons related to legitimate commercial interests of the supplier;
a refusal to supply a (potentially) new counterparty to ensure the stability of the existing distribution network may be treated differently from a termination of an existing commercial relationship;
d a refusal to deal may also be considered a discrimination; and
the effects of the refusal to deal on consumer welfare may be disregarded as long as the wholesale distribution market remains competitive.
During 2018, the PCA continued to engage in a nationwide awareness campaign on the need to fight bid rigging, with a focus on awarding authorities. As a result, an increased number of investigations launched by the PCA may be expected, namely regarding the conditions under which public hospitals are supplied.
VIII CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
Public policy continues to be driven by a desire to contain public expenditure on pharmaceuticals. The National Strategy for Medicines and Health Products, approved by the government in October 2016 for the period 2016–2020, is consistent with this purpose. The stated priorities for this period include the systematic re-evaluation of reimbursed medicines, the issuance of therapeutic recommendations, the introduction of changes to the price-referencing system when generics or biosimilars exist, and an increase in the quota of generics and biosimilars. The recently approved Major Planning Options for 201934 establish as priorities the continuity of the policies on price revision of medicines, re-evaluation of reimbursed medicines and the increase in the quota of biosimilars and generics. As regards the quota of biosimilars and generics, the State Budget Law for 2019 provides that the government should take further measures to encourage the use of generics with a view to increasing their market share to the level of 30 per cent.
Finally, the approval in 2018 of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has the potential to be a game changer in certain therapeutic areas. The full extent of the changes that this will produce is unknown as yet and will very much depend on the upcoming implementing regulation.
1 Francisca Paulouro is an of counsel and Inês Caldas de Almeida a senior associate at Vieira de Almeida.
2 Council Directive of 21 December 1988 relating to the transparency of measures regulating the pricing of medicinal products for human use and their inclusion in the scope of national health insurance systems.
3 Decree-Law No. 176/2006 of 30 August 2006, as amended.
4 Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use.
5 Decree-Law No. 145/2009 of 17 June 2009, as amended.
6 Council Directive 93/42/EEC of 14 June 1993 concerning medical devices.
7 Decree-Law No. 5/2017 of 6 January 2017.
8 Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010.
9 Decree-Law No. 113/2013 of 7 August 2013.
10 Law No. 21/2014 of 16 April 2014.
11 Directive 2001/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 April 2001 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use.
12 Directive 2007/47/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007, amending Council Directive 90/385/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to active implantable medical devices, Council Directive 93/42/EEC concerning medical devices and Directive 98/8/EC concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market.
13 Directive 2010/84/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 and Directive 2012/26/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012.
14 Directive 2011/62/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011.
15 Commission Delegated Regulation 2016/161 of the European Commission, of 2 October 2015.
16 Directive 2017/1572 of the European Commission of 15 September 2017.
17 Infarmed Resolution No. 047/CD/2015 of 19 March 2015.
18 Commission Guideline 2013/C 343 of 5 November 2013.
19 Infarmed Resolution No. 524/2017 of 14 June 2017.
21 Ministerial Order No. 256/2016 of 28 September 2016.
22 Law No. 33/2018 of July 18.
23 Decree No. 195-A/2015 of 30 July 2015 as amended.
24 Decree No. 195-C/2015 of 30 July 2015 as amended.
25 Ministerial Order No. 246/2015 of 14 August.
26 Ministerial Order No. 284/2016 of 4 November.
27 Ministerial Order No. 92-E/2017, of 3 March.
28 Decree-Law No. 115/2017 of 7 September 2017.
29 Infarmed Resolution No. 80/CD/2017 of 24 October 2017.
30 Order No. 1542/2017 of 31 January 2017.
32 Decree-Law No. 5/2017 of 6 January 2017.
33 Law No. 19/2012 of 8 May 2012.
34 Law No. 70/2018, of 31 December 2018.
International Harmonisation
Latin America Overview
Other chapters on Portugal
The Complex Commercial Litigation Law Review
The Consumer Finance Law Review
The Corporate Tax Planning Law Review
The Environment and Climate Change Law Review
The Executive Remuneration Review
The Foreign Investment Regulation Review
The Franchise Law Review
The Government Procurement Review
The Initial Public Offerings Law Review
The Insurance Disputes Law Review
The Oil and Gas Law Review
The Private Competition Enforcement Review
The Professional Negligence Law Review
The Sports Law Review
The Third Party Litigation Funding Law Review
The Trademarks Law Review
All titles on Portugal
The Privacy, Data Protection and Cybersecurity Law Review Edition 5
Editor Alan Charles Raul
2018 has been a watershed year for the privacy field. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been the main attraction. Companies subject to the GDPR have expended and will continue to expend enormous efforts and funds to understand and diagram their data-processing operations. Now that the GDPR has gone live, as of 25 May 2018, it remains to be seen how the Member State data protection authorities will deploy their significant new penalty authority to enforce substantially more stringent standards. Will US tech companies continue to bear the brunt of EU enforcement wrath, or will the DPAs scrutinise inwards as well?
The Consumer Finance Law Review Edition 3
Editors Richard Fischer, Obrea Poindexter and Jeremy Mandell
Morrison & Foerster
Consumer choice for financial products and services is proliferating across global markets. The ability to reach consumers at any time on their mobile phones, tablets or other devices has helped attract substantial capital investment in consumer financial services. This survey of consumer finance law describes the legal and regulatory approaches taken in the jurisdictions covered. Each chapter addresses the key characteristics of, and current climate within, a particular jurisdiction. Although payments, lending and deposits are the focus of this survey, other financial products and services are discussed where relevant.
The Trademarks Law Review Edition 2
Editor Jonathan Clegg
Cleveland Scott York
This second edition of The Trademarks Law Review seeks to build on the foundations laid in the first edition. The overall objectives remain the same: first, to provide an annual snapshot of trademark law across a broad range of jurisdictions, summarising key legal provisions and also examining recent developments and trends from the courts, and second, to identify areas of expected legal activity and legislative change going forward.
The Virtual Currency Regulation Review Edition 1
Michael S Sackheim
Nathan A Howell
The Virtual Currency Regulation Review is intended to provide a practical, business-focused analysis of recent legal and regulatory changes and developments, and of their effects, and to look forward at expected trends in the area of virtual currencies on a country-by-country basis. We are still very much in the early days of the virtual currency revolution. No one can truthfully claim to know what the future holds for virtual currencies, but as it does not appear to be a passing fad, we have endeavoured to provide as much useful information as practicable concerning the regulation of virtual currency
The Franchise Law Review Edition 6
Editor Mark Abell
This book provides an introduction to the basic elements of international franchising and an overview of the way that it is regulated in 37 jurisdictions. It seeks to provide the reader with a high-level understanding of the challenges involved in international franchising in the first section, and then, in the second section, explains how these basic themes are reflected in the regulatory environment within each of the countries covered.
The Intellectual Property and Antitrust Review Edition 3
Editor Thomas Vinje
Clifford Chance LLP
Intellectual property is taking a more and more central position in the global economy, and this is true not only in highly developed economies, but also in emerging ones. China and India, to take just two examples, are moving rapidly up the value chain and now have world-class technology companies for which intellectual property protection is crucial.
The Patent Litigation Law Review Edition 2
Editor Trevor Cook
The Patent Litigation Law Review does not only summarise patent litigation procedures. The respective contributors to it, as leading practitioners in each of their jurisdictions, also focus on recent developments in substantive patent law as demonstrated by the most important recent court decisions in their respective jurisdictions, meaning that this Review also provides insight into the current controversies that affect patent law generally.
The e-Discovery and Information Governance Law Review Edition 1
Editor Tess Blair
Morgan Lewis & Bockius (Philadelphia)
Virtually unheard of 20 years ago, increasing data volumes and ever-changing technologies have resulted in e-discovery and information governance exploding onto the legal scene. Corporations face a wide array of overlapping and competing e-discovery and information governance laws and regulations, impacting the use, retention and disposition of electronically stored information (ESI). This first edition of The e-Discovery and Information Governance Law Review provides a general overview of e-discovery and information governance obligations in key jurisdictions around the world.
The Financial Technology Law Review Edition 2
Editor Thomas A Frick
We are delighted to present the second edition of The Financial Technology Law Review. The authors of this publication are from the most widely respected law firms in their jurisdictions. They each have a proven record of experience in the field of fintech; they know both the law and how it is applied. We hope that you will find their experience invaluable and enlightening when dealing with any of the varied issues fintech raises in the legal and regulatory field.
The Intellectual Property Review Edition 7
Editor Dominick A Conde
Venable Fitzpatrick
To aid practitioners who are navigating this ever-changing landscape of global intellectual property, we now present the seventh edition of The Intellectual Property Review.
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Supreme CourtFormer Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' Body to Lie in Repose at Supreme Court
ImmigrationAn Unintended Consequence of Trump's Repeated Threats of Raids: More Immigrants Know Their Rights
COMPARECARDS
SpaceNeil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin Were Supposed to Nap After Landing on the Moon, But They Couldn't Wait to Walk
Corporal Brian Knight. David Guttenfelder, July 3, 2009. Helmand province, Afghanistan."In 2009, I joined the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, 1st Battalion 5th Marines on an operation into a district called Nawa in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The Marines said that it was the biggest air assault since the Vietnam War. We were inserted by helicopter in the middle of the night and went on foot for days through the desert carrying everything on our backs. Resupplies were sling loaded into open terrain by helicopter every three days. It was one of the roughest, hottest trips I experienced during the decade I spent covering the war in Afghanistan. This was July 3 at the end of the day. It was well over 100 degrees. The Marines had been walking since early morning and some guys had already been evacuated by helicopter for heat stroke and broken ankles. We passed by a few others lying in stretchers on the dirt road with IVs in their arms while medics and fellow marines poured water on their bare chests. Everyone still had more to travel and a river to cross. When they arrived they would still need to dig trenches so they could sleep under the ground for protection from Taliban mortor attacks. They were promised a resupply of water. Every fifty meters or so men would stop and stoop at the waste, trying to rest under these heavy packs and body armor. Cpl. Brian Knight had it the worst. He was one of the guys on the mortar team so on top of the water, food, usual combat kit and ammo, he also had to carry rockets, the mortar base plate, and more. He was only 21 years old and small. I think he told me that he weighed 140 pounds. His huge pack weighed the same. The next morning was the 4th of July. So many others back home in the USA were grilling burgers and drinking cold beer by the lake that day. These guys woke up at first light, after sleeping in holes in the ground that looked like graves, hoping only some drinking water would arrive. I think about all of the guys I met over the years in Afghanistan and Iraq. I’d been living abroad my whole adult life and so these guys were the few Americans of their generation I’d ever really known. On Sept. 11, 2001, Brian Knight may have been in 7th or 8th grade."David Guttenfelder—AP
Corporal Brian Knight. David Guttenfelder, July 3, 2009. Helmand province, Afghanistan."In 2009, I joined the 2nd Marin
David Guttenfelder—AP
The Images That Moved Them Most: Photographers on America's Veterans
Phil Bicker
On Veterans Day, TIME explores the profound effects of war—both on those who serve, and the people who support them.
LightBox asked 26 documentary photographers who have covered conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to describe which of their own photographs of veterans had a deep impact on their lives or moved them in a significant way.
Their testimonies are part of TIME's veterans project. Find out more about it on the #TIMEvets page here.
Phil Bicker is a Senior Photo Editor at TIME
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Europe, Middle East and Africa Edition
South Pacific Edition
Charles Coates—Getty Images
Racing’s omnivorous champion
You could tell Lewis Hamilton was special from the very start of his Formula One career. Here was someone who was given, at the age of 22, one of the best cars anyone could ever have, and a year later he had won his first world championship.
Today he is at the highest echelon of the sport. If he were to retire tomorrow, he would still be among the very best champions who have ever lived. And I think he’s just getting started. The sky is the limit for him.
What makes Lewis different is his attitude. He exudes confidence, but he is serene. I would have loved to race against him, because it would have been a great challenge. It doesn’t seem like anything can rattle him, and that really plays on your mind as a competitor.
The most fascinating thing about Lewis is his life outside the sport. He’s curious: he has spent a lot of time learning about different cultures, and his own background has helped broaden our sport’s appeal. Me, I raced on six continents, and I can describe a lot of airports. But one day Lewis is at a fashion show in China, and the next he’s cuddling with tigers in Mexico. I’m not sure I could have done all that and kept focused. But he does, and he is.
Andretti won 111 races over five decades, including the Formula One world championship
Tap to read full story
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Library Highlights: Entertainment & the Law
Dealmaking in the Film & Television Industry: From Negotiations to Final Contracts
Mark Litwak
KF4290 .L58 2009
From the Publisher: Dealmaking—the popular, award-winning “self-defense” book for everyone working in the film and television industry—is now updated to include the latest legal rulings and entertainment technology developments. Addressing a general, non-attorney readership, it is a fascinating, highly accessible guide to current entertainment law’s peculiarities, “creative” practices, and practical applications.
The Miracle Case: Film Censorship and the Supreme Court
Laura Wittern-Keller and Raymond J. Haberski Jr.
From the Publisher: It was only a forty-minute foreign film, but it sparked a legal confrontation that has left its mark on America for more than half a century. Roberto Rossellini’s Il Miracolo (The Miracle) is deceptively simple: a demented peasant woman is seduced by a stranger she believes to be Saint Joseph, is socially ostracized for becoming pregnant out of wedlock, but is finally redeemed through motherhood. Although initially approved by state censors for screening in New York, the film was attacked as sacrilegious by the Catholic establishment, which convinced state officials to revoke distributor Joseph Burstyn’s license. In response, Burstyn fought back through the courts and won.
Laura Wittern-Keller and Raymond Haberski show how the Supreme Court’s unanimous 1952 ruling in Burstyn’s favor sparked a chain of litigation that eventually brought filmmaking under the protective umbrella of the First Amendment, overturning its long-outdated decision in Mutual v. Ohio (1915).
. . . More than the inside story of one case, this book explores the unique place that the movies occupy in American culture and the way that culture continues to be shaped by anxiety over the social power of movies. The Burstyn decision weakened the ability of state censorship boards and the Catholic Church to influence the types of films Americans were allowed to see. Consequently, the case signaled the rise of a new era in which films would be more mature and more controversial than ever before. Focusing on this single most important case in the jurisprudence surrounding motion picture expression, Wittern-Keller and Haberski add a significant new dimension to the story of cinema, censorship, and the history of First Amendment protections.
Music and Copyright
Ronald S. Rosen
KF3035 .R67 2008
From the Publisher: The highly topical area of copyright law, as applied to music, is widely misunderstood by lawyers, business people, and – perhaps most seriously – the federal judiciary. More than ever, there is a need to understand music infringement issues within the context of copyright litigation. In Music and Copyright, Ron Rosen provides readers with a practical and strategic roadmap to the music infringement litigation process, beginning with the client’s claim or defense and continuing through the selection and use of trial experts, discovery, motion practice, and trial.
Renowned for his expertise and career-long commitment to entertainment, intellectual property, and commercial litigation, Ron Rosen has condensed his experience into an essential guide for anyone involved in music-infringement litigation. Packed with elucidating examples from the author’s own practice, Music and Copyright navigates the often thorny terrain between notions of the legal and the musical providing practical advice, case studies, forms, and commentary along the way.
Entertainment Law & Business: A Guide to the Law and Business Practices of the Entertainment Industry
Jay Shanker, David E. Guinn, and Harold Orenstein
From the Publisher: Entertainment Law and Business is a handy resource for both the experienced and novice practitioner. It provides a broad survey of the entire industry and creative rights laws. It includes incisive summaries of all of the important areas of creative rights law: copyrights, the protection of ideas, trademark, publicity and privacy, and the major international treaties. It also provides an overview of all the major fields of entertainment (and related fields of interest for entertainment practitioners) along with illustrative agreements.
This is not an esoteric academic treatise. The book aims to aid the practitioner in the practical aspects of entertainment. Hence, the authors have attempted to highlight the key features of the major agreements in each field. They provide insights not only into what the individual provisions of the agreement attempts to regulate, but also the concerns that lie behind those provisions. They point to the types of negotiating strategies important in each agreement, passing on their experience to the practitioner.
Freedom of the Screen: Legal Challenges to State Film Censorship, 1915-1981
Laura Wittern-Keller
PN1995.62 .W58 2008
From the Publisher: At the turn of the twentieth century, the proliferation of movies attracted not only the attention of audiences across America but also the apprehensive eyes of government officials and special interest groups concerned about the messages disseminated by the silver screen. Between 1907 and 1926, seven states-New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Kansas, Maryland, and Massachusetts-and more than one hundred cities authorized censors to suppress all images and messages considered inappropriate for American audiences […].
[S]ome industry outsiders, independent distributors who believed that movies deserved the free speech protections of the First Amendment, brought legal challenges to censorship at the state and local levels. Freedom of the Screen chronicles both the evolution of judicial attitudes toward film restriction and the plight of the individuals who fought for the right to deliver provocative and relevant movies to American audiences. As the fight against censorship progressed case by case through state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, legal authorities and the public responded, growing increasingly sympathetic toward artistic freedom. Because a small, unorganized group of independent film distributors and exhibitors in midtwentieth-century America fought back against what they believed was the unconstitutional prior restraint of motion pictures, film after 1965 was able to follow a new path, maturing into an artistic medium for the communication of ideas, however controversial. Government censors would no longer control the content of America’s movie screens.
Music, Money, and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business
Jeffrey Brabec & Todd Brabec
R673 ML3790 .B72 2008
From the Publisher: Songwriting, licensing, contracts, film & tv, composing, the internet, Broadway, recording and music publishing is a business. This book tells you how the business works… What you must know to succeed… and how much money you can make. The Brabecs, are former recording artists, entertainment lawyers, and legal services attorneys.
Posted in Copyright Law, Entertainment Law, Library Highlights
Library Highlights: Law & Economics
The Economic Approach to Law
Thomas J. Miceli
K487.E3 M528 2009
From the Publisher: [This book] provides an introductory treatment of law and economics, revealing how economic principles explain the structure of the law, and how they can help make the law more efficient. To that end, the author focuses on unifying themes in the field—rather than exhaustively covering legal topics—and thus provides a more analytical treatment of the subject. The second edition includes current research into the economics of common law areas, such as torts, contracts, and property law. The revised text also offers a new chapter that explores how economics can be applied to anti-trust law, as well as added material on intellectual property. This edition features an expanded suite of exercises and problems at the end of each chapter to encourage students to “do” law and economics.
Theoretical Foundations of Law and Economics
edited by Mark D. White
K487.E3 T48 2009
From the Publisher: The economic approach to law, or ‘law and economics’, is by far the most successful application of basic economic principles to another scholarly field, but most of the critical appraisal of the field has been scattered among law reviews and economics journals. Theoretical Foundations of Law and Economics is the first original, book-length examination of the methodology and philosophy of law and economics, featuring new essays written by leading legal scholars, philosophers, and economists. The contributors take issue with many of the key tenets of the economic approach to law, such as its assumption of rational behavior, its reliance on market analogies, and its adoption of efficiency as the primary goal of legal decision-making. They discuss the relevance of economics to the law in general, as well as to substantive areas of the law, such as contracts, torts, and crime.
The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008
HB3716 .K77 2009
From the Publisher: Our newest Nobel Prize-winning economist shows how today’s crisis parallels the events that caused the Great Depression—and explains what it will take to avoid catastrophe. In 1999, in The Return of Depression Economics, Paul Krugman surveyed the economic crises that had swept across Asia and Latin America, and pointed out that those crises were a warning for all of us: like diseases that have become resistant to antibiotics, the economic maladies that caused the Great Depression were making a comeback. In the years that followed, as Wall Street boomed and financial wheeler-dealers made vast profits, the international crises of the 1990s faded from memory. But now depression economics has come to America: when the great housing bubble of the mid-2000s burst, the U.S. financial system proved as vulnerable as those of developing countries caught up in earlier crises and a replay of the 1930s seems all too possible.
In this new, greatly updated edition of [this book], Krugman shows how the failure of regulation to keep pace with an increasingly out-of-control financial system set the United States, and the world as a whole, up for the greatest financial crisis since the 1930s. He also lays out the steps that must be taken to contain the crisis, and turn around a world economy sliding into a deep recession. Brilliantly crafted in Krugman’s trademark style–lucid, lively, and supremely informed–this new edition of The Return of Depression Economics will become an instant cornerstone of the debate over how to respond to the crisis.
Capacitas: Contract Law and the Institutional Preconditions of a Market Economy
edited by Simon Deakin and Alain Supiot
K840 .C36 2009
From the Publisher: One of the principal tasks for legal research at the beginning of the 21st century is to reconstruct the understanding of the relationship between the legal system and the market order. After almost three decades of deregulation driven by a belief in the self-equilibrating properties of the market, the financial crisis of 2008 has reminded everyone of the fundamental truth that markets have legal and institutional foundations, without which they cannot effectively function. The chapters in the present volume are the result of work by a group of legal scholars which began in the mid-2000s, at a time when the shortcomings of deregulatory policies were becoming clear in a number of contexts. The chapters address the question of how the language of contract law describes or conceptualises the market order and the relationship of the law to it. The perspectives taken are, in turn, historical, comparative, and contextspecific.
The focus of the book is on a foundational idea, the concept of capacitas, which signifies a status conferred upon citizens for the purpose of enabling them to participate in the economic life of the polity. In modern legal systems, ‘capacity’ is the principal juridical mechanism by which individuals and entities are empowered to enter into legally binding agreements and, more generally, to arrange their affairs using the instruments of private law. Legal capacity is thereby the gateway to involvement in the operations of a market economy.
Meltdown: A Free-market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts will Make Things Worse
HB3722 .W66 2009
From the Publisher: The media tells us that “deregulation” and “unfettered free markets” have wrecked our economy and will continue to make things worse without a heavy dose of federal regulation. But the real blame lies elsewhere. In Meltdown, bestselling author Thomas E. Woods Jr. unearths the real causes behind the collapse of housing values and the stock market—and it turns out the culprits reside more in Washington than on Wall Street. And the trillions of dollars in federal bailouts? Our politicians’ ham-handed attempts to fix the problems they themselves created will only make things much worse. Woods, a senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute and winner of the 2006 Templeton Enterprise Award, busts the media myths and government spin. He explains how government intervention in the economy—from the Democratic hobby horse called Fannie Mae to affirmative action programs like the Community Redevelopment Act—actually caused the housing bubble. Most important, Woods, author of the New York Times bestseller The Politically Incorrect Guide™ to American History, traces this most recent boom-and-bust—and all such booms and busts of the past century—back to one of the most revered government institutions of all: the Federal Reserve System, which allows busy-body bureaucrats and ambitious politicians to pull the strings of our financial sector and manipulate the value of the very money we use. Meltdown also provides a timely history lesson to counter the current clamor for a new New Deal. The Great Depression, Woods demonstrates, was only as deep and as long as it was because of the government interventions by Herbert Hoover (no free-market capitalist, despite what your high school history teacher may have taught you) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (no savior of the American economy, in spite of what the mainstream media says). If you want to understand what caused the financial meltdown—and why none of the big-government solutions being tried today will work—Meltdown explains it all.
Posted in Economic Crisis, Law & Economics, Library Highlights
Adjudicating Climate Change: State, National, and International Approaches
edited by William C.G. Burns, Hari M. Osofsky
K3593 .A93 2009 (New Book Shelf)
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The Confluence of Public and Private International Law: Justice, Pluralism and Subsidiarity in the International Constitutional Ordering of Private Law
Alex Mills
Evidence before the International Court of Justice
Anna Riddell and Brendan Plant
KZ6287 .R53 2009
Frederick William Maitland and the History of English Law
James R. Cameron
KD626 .C35 1961
Global Standards–Local Action: 15 Years Vienna World Conference on Human Rights: Conference Proceedings of the International Expert Conference held in Vienna on 28 and 29 August 2008
edited by Wolfgang Bendek et al.
K3239.8 .G56 2009
Human Rights as Indivisible Rights: The Protection of Socio-economic Demands under the European Convention on Human Rights
Ida Elisabeth Koch
KJC5132 .K63 2009
International Children’s Rights
Sara Dillon
K639 .D555 2010
Justifying International Acts
Lea Brilmayer
KZ3110.B75 A33 1989
Means to an End: U.S. Interest in the International Criminal Court
Lee Feinstein, Tod Lindberg
KZ6311 .F45 2009
The Protection of Ambient Air in International and European Law
edited by Harry Post
K3593 .P75 2009
Public Law and Democracy in the United Kingdom and the United States of America
P.P. Craig
K3150 .C73 1990
The Treatment of Prisoners under International Law
Nigel Rodley with Matt Pollard
K5519 .R63 2009
U.S. Customs: A Practitioner’s Guide to Principles, Processes, and Procedures
editors, Michael D. Sherman, J. Steven Jarreau, John B. Brew
KF6694 .U15 2009 (New Book Shelf)
Posted in Center for Global Legal Studies, Children & the Law, Customs Law, Environmental Law, European Union Law, Evidence, International Human Rights Law, International Law, International Trade, International Tribunals, Legal History, Politics, Recent Acquisitions, United Kingdom
Tagged Frederick William Maitland, International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court
Bill of Rights Day
Bill of Rights Day first became a federal day of observance on November 27th, 1941 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated December 15th as a “day to be remembered and observed by those institutions of a democratic people which owe their very existence to the guarantees of the Bill of Rights.” On that day in 1791, the first Congress of the United States ratified the Bill of Rights, a document which spelled out some of the essential freedoms and rights of individual citizens of the United States as the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution.
Come by the Library lobby to check out our display of Library books and videos highlighting the importance of our Bill of Rights.
Posted in Constitutional Law, Legal History, Library Displays
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Veterans clinic files rulemaking petition on access for veterans with ‘bad-paper’ discharges
More than 125,000 veterans who have served since 9/11 are denied access to basic services like health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a report by the Veterans Legal Clinic at the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. The report, “Underserved,” presents new findings about how the VA’s regulations exclude hundreds of thousands of veterans with “bad-paper” discharges, contrary to the text and intent of the 1944 G.I. Bill of Rights, which established the current VA eligibility standard. The clinic issued the report on behalf of two veterans advocacy organizations, Swords to Plowshares and the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP).
“Congress meant for the VA to provide basic services to nearly all the men and women who served in uniform,” said Dana Montalto, an attorney and Liman Fellow in the Veterans Legal Clinic. “Yet, the VA’s regulations have operated to exclude more and more veterans from getting the care and support that they deserve.”
The Clinic found that 6.5 percent of veterans who have served since 9/11 are excluded from the VA — twice the rate for Vietnam era veterans and nearly four times the rate for World War II era veterans. Many of those veterans have mental or physical injuries because of their service, and many served in combat or other hardship conditions, but nevertheless cannot get health care, disability compensation, or other supportive services because of the VA’s regulations.
Clinical Professor Dan Nagin
“Since the Veterans Legal Clinic opened our doors in 2012, we have heard from scores of veterans who wrongfully or unjustly received less-than-honorable discharges,” said Clinical Professor Dan Nagin, who directs the Veterans Legal Clinic. “There exists a dearth of legal resources for these veterans, and our students have represented many in correcting their discharges and gaining access to the basic services that they deserve.”
Students in the clinic have represented an Iraq War veteran who was less-than-honorably discharged for one-time drug use on the night that he attempted to commit suicide, a post-9/11 veteran who was wrongfully discharged on the basis of an incorrect diagnosis of personality disorder, and a veteran discharged for his sexual orientation under the now-repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
The clinic has been able to continue to expand its work in this area since the arrival of fellow Dana Montalto in 2014. In addition to providing representation to more veterans, she has established the Veterans Justice Pro Bono Partnership, which trains and supports private attorneys to represent veterans in discharge-upgrade petitions. Montalto has also spearheaded systemic reform initiatives, including writing the report “Underserved”.
Other key findings of the report:
3 out of 4 veterans with bad-paper discharge who served in combat and have post-traumatic stress disorder are denied recognition as “veterans” by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
There are wide disparities in eligibility rates among the VA Regional Offices and among Veterans Law Judges at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
Marine Corps veterans are nearly 10 times more likely to be excluded from the VA as Air Force veterans.
Based on these findings, the Veterans Legal Clinic filed a Petition for Rulemaking on behalf of Swords to Plowshares and NVLSP, with Latham & Watkins LLP. The petition asks the VA to adopt new regulations that accord with Congress’s law and sound policy. The proposed regulations would comply with the statutory standard by denying benefits only to those veterans who received or should have received a dishonorable discharge, and by taking into consideration whether positive or mitigating factors, such as combat service, hardship, or mental health conditions, outweigh any misconduct. The petition further asks the VA to cease requiring pre-eligibility reviews for most veterans who were administratively discharged so that veterans in need can quickly obtain health care and supportive services.
In response to the clinic’s report, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson told the New York Times, “Where we can better advocate for and serve veterans within the law and regulation, we will look to do so as much as possible.” He added, “I believe the report provides us, as a department, an opportunity to do a thorough review, take a fresh look this issue and make changes to help veterans.”
The VA recently informed the petitioners that it will initiate rulemaking proceedings to update and clarify its regulations. “We appreciate the VA’s positive response to the petition,” said Montalto. “We look forward to continuing to work with the VA in the coming months to develop regulations that better serve our veterans.”
According to Nagin, “This report grows out of our individual representation and has the potential to impact hundreds of thousands veterans across the country. The VA’s adoption of the Petition for Rulemaking’s proposed regulations would help to ensure that no veterans are denied the care and support that our nation owes them.”
Topics: Civil Rights, Human Rights, Public Service, Family, Gender & Children, Health Law & Policy
People: Daniel Nagin
Clinics: Veterans Legal Clinic (WilmerHale Legal Services Center)
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus delivers Disabled American Veterans Distinguished Lecture at Harvard Law School
HLS Veterans Legal Clinic lands victories for veterans
Court decision in appeal argued by HLS clinical students will benefit thousands of disabled vets
Clinic awarded $1M for veterans’ advocacy
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29 August, 2014 31 January, 2017 by stalinsmoustache, posted in marxism, Stalin
Domenico Losurdo’s well-reasoned and elaborately researched book, Stalin: The History and Critique of a Black Legend, has not as yet been translated into English. Originally published in Italian in 2008, it has been translated into French, Spanish and German.[1] Since I am most comfortable with French, I set out to read the 500+ page book – as bed-time reading.
But first, let me set the context for Losurdo’s philosophical project, which has been admirably outlined in a translation of a piece by Stefano Azzará.[2] This project has a few main features. First, he has developed a systematic criticism of liberalism’s bloody, particularist, racist and supremacist origins.[3] In this ‘counter-history’, he argues that bourgeois democracy is by no means a natural outcome of liberalism, but rather the result of a continued struggle of the excluded from the limited realm of liberalism. Further, and as part of his wider project, he has also explored the dialectical tension between universal claims and the limited particularisms from which they arise. In this light, he has explored the tensions and qualitative leaps in the German tradition of idealist philosophy, with a particular focus on Kant and Hegel. Third, he applies this criticism to the Marxist tradition, which ran into significant trouble through its wildly universalist and utopian claims and the unexpected limitations that emerged during the constructions of socialism after the revolution. Although he draws on Gramsci to argue for Marxism as a patient and pragmatic project in which everything will not be achieved in rush, he tellingly sees the example of China as an excellent example of what he means. Putting aside any pre-established blueprints for socialism, or indeed the ‘utopia-state of exception spiral’, it realises the gradual nature of the project. Not afraid to face the power of capitalism, as well as its many problems, it simultaneously – in a massive and sustained ‘New Economic Project’ that defies all orthodoxies – proceeds to construct a socialist constitutional state that is working towards a socialist market for the production and redistribution of wealth. Here is, then, Italy’s leading philosopher in the Marxist tradition vouching for a China that may well reconfigure and refound the Marxist tradition.
By now, Losurdo’s controversial and provoking theses should begin to be a little clearer. The Stalin book is yet another instance of his ability to take on unexpected and supposedly ‘dangerous’ topics and thoroughly recast one’s understanding. Is not Stalin, after all, the epitome of the paranoid dictator ruling by his personal whim and destroying millions of lives in the process? Is he not the mirror-image of Hitler and thereby a travesty of the Marxist tradition, as so many Marxists would have us believe? For Losurdo, this is an extraordinary caricature, so he sets out to explore how and why it developed and then to demolish it. This entails a complete reset of the mindset that unthinkingly condemns Stalin before any sustained analysis.
The book has eight chapters that are simultaneously philosophical and historical. Given the fact that it is not available in English, I outline the arguments of each chapter.
Introduction: The Turning Point in the History of Stalin.
This covers the period from the worldwide admiration and appreciation of Stalin’s pivotal role in the defeat of Hitler to the moment when Khrushchev’s ‘secret report’ was delivered. For the rest of the book, he juxtaposes these two images in constantly changing formats. One appreciates Stalin for what he actually did; the other condemns him for what he supposedly did.
How to Send a God to Hell: The Khrushchev Report.
This chapter is a detailed criticism of the ‘secret report’, given by Khrushchev after Stalin’s death. This is a useful complement to Grover Furr’s Khrushchev Lied,[4] with a focus on the politically motivated distortions by Khrushchev, who depicted Stalin as a ‘capricious and degenerate human monster’, and created the myths of Stalin’s abject reactions to Hitler’s attack, his anti-semitism, the cultivation of his own personality cult and much more.
Bolshevik Ideological Conflict in Relation to the Civil War.
This is a more philosophical chapter, dealing with what Losurdo calls the ‘dialectic of Saturn’. By this he means the pattern of conflict and struggle in which the way the Bolsheviks came to power continued to influence their dealings in power: ‘the history of Bolshevism turns itself against soviet power’. This revolutionary struggle continued, in relation to external and especially internal opponents. And so the means for resolving such a struggle became – internally – both purges and plots to overthrow the government. The Trotsky-Bukharin-Kamenev plot was therefore part of the internal logic of revolutionary power and very real. In this way may we understand the Red Terror, which is one aspect of what Losurdo calls three civil wars: the one against the international counterrevolution via the White armies; the second against the rich peasants (kulaks) during the collectivisation drive; the third against the internal plot of Trotsky and others.
Between the Twentieth Century and the Longue Durée, Between the History of Marxism and the History of Russia: The Origins of ‘Stalinism’.
Again philosophical, this chapter argues for two main points. The first is that Russia was undergoing a long ‘time of troubles’ from the late nineteenth century. The state was gradually collapsing, social institutions were disintegrating and the economy was in free-fall. Continuous warfare played a role, from the Russo-Japanese War to the First World War. In this light, the major achievement of the communists was to reconstruct the state. Not just any state, but a strong socialist state. Needless to say, this required immense energy and not a little brilliance. At the centre was Stalin. Second, Losurdo develops his argument for the problematic nature of the communist universal. Bred out of the particularities of the Russian revolution and its situation, it developed an ‘ideal socialism’ that is still to come and to which one strives. This in turn produced the perpetual state of exception under which the Soviet Union found itself. For Losurdo, Stalin may have at times been subject to this universal ideal, but less so than others like Trotsky and Kautsky, who criticised Stalin for not living up to the ideal. Instead, Stalin’s various strategies, such as continuing the New Economic Project for a while, the collectivisation project, the restoration of the soviets, and the efforts to foster socialist democracy indicate a significant degree of practical concerns.
The Complex and Contradictory Course of the Stalin Era.
As the title suggests, Losurdo continues his philosophical analysis of contradictions, now focusing on: socialist democracy and the Red Terror; bureaucracy and the ‘furious faith’ of the new socialist order; planned economy and the extraordinary flexibility of worker initiatives (so much so that the workers would have been regarded as unruly and undisciplined in capitalist industries); and the role of a ‘developmental dictatorship’ in contrast to totalitarianism. Of particular interest in this chapter is the systematic refutation of the alignment between Soviet Gulags and the Nazi ‘concentration camps’, in which the former sought to produce restored citizens, while the latter simply sought to destroy ‘sub-humans’. Here Losurdo begins a theme that becomes stronger as the book progresses, namely, that fascism is much closer to the liberal powers such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Much more is said on this connection.
Repression of History and Construction of Mythology: Stalin and Hitler as Twin Monsters.
A long chapter, where Losurdo now begins to show how the ‘black legend’ of Stalin developed. A central feature, thanks to Hannah Arendt, is what Losurdo calls the reductio ad Hitlerum. Two key items are supposed to show the ‘elective affinity’ between Stalin and Hitler: the so-called ‘Holodomor’, the Ukrainian holocaust that is supposed to be similar to the Nazi holocaust, and Stalin’s anti-semitism. Here he shows that the Holodomor is a piece of historical fiction (developed above all by the old Cold War warrior, Robert Conquest) and that the famine was the result of the United Kingdom’s Russian Goods (Import Prohibition) Act 1933. On anti-semitism he spends a good deal of time, after which it is perfectly clear that Stalin was anything but. Stalin repeatedly condemned anti-semitism in no uncertain terms, to the point of being – one of the few in the world at the time – an enthusiastic supporter of the state of Israel. Even more, the establishment of the ‘affirmative action empire’ in the Soviet Union ensured that Jews, among many other ethnic groups, were protected and fostered under the law, so much so that a significant number held posts in the government apparatus. Also in this chapter is a further development of the close connections between Hitler and ‘Western liberalism’, especially in terms of anti-semitism. Churchill in particular was a bigoted racist and white supremacist, and Roosevelt was also sympathetic. Indeed, they and others contrived to turn, through ‘appeasement’, Hitler’s attention eastward, with the aim of using Hitler to destroy the USSR.
Psychopathology, Morality and History in Reading the Stalin Era.
This chapter carries on the arguments of the previous chapter, especially in relation to the reductio ad Hitlerum, where Arendt once again comes in for some sustained criticism. It also deals with the common portrayal of Stalin’s paranoia, showing that the continued threats to the USSR – such as systemic sabotage and bombing of key industrial sites, spying, fostering coups, and simple economic sanctions – were hardly the products of a suspicious mind.
The Image of Stalin Between History and Mythology.
This brief chapter continues to trace the way the myth of a brutal dictator developed. Not only is he interested in the polarisation of Stalin, but also in the contradictions of the myth as it has been perpetrated and repeated since the initial work of Trotsky, Khrushchev and Arendt. But this is not the first time such diabolisation had happened in relation to revolutions. Losurdo closes the chapter by showing how it also took place in relation to the French Revolution – especially The Terror and in relation to Robespierre – of the late eighteenth century.
Diabolisation and Hagiography in Reading the Contemporary World.
Losurdo closes by showing how the process of diabolisation continues in relation to more recent communist revolutions: China, Cambodia, Haiti. Here the ideological warfare is coupled with brutal repressions, especially in Haiti, which was not large enough to resist the invasion of counterrevolutionary forces. China, however, was able to withstand the consistent raids and bombings that the United States undertook through its air bases on Taiwan, although it did suffer through what may be called an ‘economic atom bomb’. The economic blockade of China was specifically designed to leave China – already with a destroyed economy from the Japanese invasion and a long revolutionary civil war – far behind economically. The cost was in millions of lives from starvation. Not without satisfaction does Losurdo note that China is overcoming the strenuous effects of the United States and its allies. In the end, however, the main purpose of this chapter is to focus on a favoured theme: the continued bloodthirstiness of ‘Western liberal’ powers.
What are we to make of Losurdo’s argument?
I was less taken with his efforts to show how close Nazism is to Western liberalism. This is a theme he has developed elsewhere, and while the points are often well made, they at times tended to dominate his argument. To counter a false image of Stalin by pointing out that the accusers were really the guilty ones is not always the best move to make. However, Losurdo does offer some real strengths in his work, relating to Stalin at war (although others have already this argument for Stalin’s vital role), the reality of plots and threats to the government (in relation to purges and the Red Terror), the rebuilding of a strong state, Stalin’s consistent opposition to anti-semitism, and the ridiculousness of the image of Stalin of as a paranoid dictator ruling by means of his capricious bloodlust. The complex task of unpicking the contradictions and fabrications of the ‘black legend’ is very well done, particularly via close analysis of Trotsky, Khrushchev, Arendt and Robert Conquest’s dreadful works. And I found his analysis of the dangers of an ideal, romanticised and universal communism very insightful.
However, I would have liked to see a more sustained analysis of the veneration of Stalin, apart from showing a longer history of such veneration in Russian history (Kerensky is offered as one of the more extreme examples of self-propelled adulation). Here the veneration of Lenin was more important, since Lenin’s heritage was the focus of struggles between Stalin and his opponents. I missed an examination of the social and economic role of such veneration, particularly in relation to economic and extra-economic compulsion. Further, while I would have liked to see more of an exploration of Stalin’s faults along with his virtues, this is perhaps not the place for such an analysis. Instead, Losurdo’s brave book has another task: to counter a strong and long tradition of the diabolisation of Stalin on the Left. Perhaps a careful analysis of Stalin’s real (and not mythical) faults and virtues is a task for the future.
[1] Italian: Stalin. Storia e critica di una leggenda nera (2008); French: Staline: Histoire et critique d’une légende noire (2009); Spanish: Stalin: historia y crítica de una leyenda negra (2011); German: Stalin: Geschichte und Kritik einer schwarzen Legende (2013).
[2] It may be found in a solitary blog post: http://domenicolosurdopresentazazing.blogspot.com.au.
[3] This book has been translated into English as Liberalism: A Counter-History (Verso 2011).
[4] Grover Furr, Khrushchev Lied (Erythros, 2011).
Tagged book review, Domenico Losurdo, reading Stalin
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18 thoughts on “Losurdo on Stalin: A Review”
Nick Wright says:
Reblogged this on 21centurymanifesto.
fahrenheit451bookstore says:
Reblogged this on Fahrenheit 451 Used Books and commented:
Left Wing Books, Blogs, Video’s at fah451bks.wordpress.com
redtommo says:
Hi Roland,
Are there any other Stalin ‘revisionism’ books you can recommend? In English though please!
P.s (Presently reading ‘Criticism of earth’ and its awesome! Have the rest to follow!)
Are there any other Stalin ‘revisionism’ type books you can recommend? Only in English please!
(P.s presently reading ‘Criticism of earth’ and its awesome! Got the rest to follow.)
stalinsmoustache says:
Phases of revisionism have been taking place since the 1960s, but of the latest wave, the following are useful to varying degrees:
Mawdsley, E. 2005. Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War 1941-1945. London: Bloomsbury.
Glantz, D., and J. House. 1995. When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler. Lawrence: UP of Kansas.
Roberts, G. 2006. Stalin’s Wars: From World War to Cold War, 1939-1953. New Haven: Yale UP.
Gorlizki, Y., and O. Khlevniuk. Cold Peace: Stalin and the Soviet Ruling Circle, 1945-1953. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Khlevniuk, O. 2009. Master of the House: Stalin and His Inner Circle. Trans. N. Seligman Favorov. New Haven: Yale U P.
Thurston, R., and B. Bonwetsch, eds. 2000. The People’s War: Responses to World War II in the Soviet Union. Urbana: U of Illinois P.
Furr, G. 2011. Khrushchev Lied. Kettering: Erythros.
Martens, L. 1996 [1994]. Another View of Stalin. Antwerp: EPO.
Plus a heap of Russian works. The debate rages there.
It’s worth reading this slightly hostile interview with his grandson:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2923188/Stalin-no-bloodthirsty-cannibal-Putin-lacks-brains-Grandson-Soviet-tyrant-defends-tyrant-s-reputation-rambling-rant.html
Great thanks,
Pedro Mota says:
15 May, 2015 at 10:07 am
Reblogged this on A Matéria Humana-Human Matter(s) .
Pingback: Losurdo on Stalin: A Review | A Matéria Humana – Human Matter's – Pedro Mota
Pauline Fraser says:
Dear Roland, I have just read your review: ‘Losurdo on Stalin’, republished in Communist Review, No 76, summer 2015. It made a fascinating read. One area that either the author or yourself doesn’t seem to have touched on, are the Moscow show trials, including those of former volunteers from the Soviet Union and Soviet advisers to the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War.
Can you, or other blog readers, throw any light on this please? If it’s not touched on by Losurdo, perhaps you could point myself and other readers in the direction of other works on the revisionism of Stalin’s legacy that cover this period. Incidentally, the use of the word ‘revisionism’ in this context is totally new to me, having previously been applied to right-wing revisions of history.
22 October, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Grover Furr’s book, Khrushchev Lied, is an interesting, if somewhat controversial, read. Yes, it is interesting to see ‘revisionism’ used in this way. There are about three waves of revisionism in relation to Stalin. The first was in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s, then in foreign scholarship in the 1980s-1990s, and now with various works under way.
Hatuxka (@Hatuxka) says:
Re; The lack of much on the Trials of the late 30s: Trotsky’s “Amalgams”
Trotsky’s Lies, The Moscow Trials As Evidence, The Dewey Commission.
Trotsky’s Conspiracies of the 1930s, Volume One http://erythrospress.com/store/trotskys-amalgams.html
published last fall: Leon Trotsky’s Collaboration with Germany and Japan:
Trotsky’s Conspiracies of the 1930s, Volume Two http://erythrospress.com/store/trotskys-conspiracies.html
Pingback: Losurdo on Stalin: A Review | Matéria Humana - Pedro Mota
Pingback: Revisionism revisited: Ernst Nolte and Domenico Losurdo on the age of extremes | The Charnel-House
solerso says:
Their is scientific evidence historically concurrent with the famine event of 1932-33 that its root cause was crop failure due to crop diseases (mold and fungus) caused by abnormally wet weather in 1932 and to a lesser extent in 1933, though the, somewhat larger crops of 33′ were effected due to contamination in the soil, in grain storage etc.,
Pingback: Hypocrite or Marxist? Why does the Left largely continue to ignore Stalin? | STALIN'S MOUSTACHE
This book needs to be translated into English right away. – PC
Janice Briggs says:
Unmentioned is Merleau-Ponty’s book “Humanism and Terror” which does deal with the show trials. And it was written close to the period, since written in 1947. Though after the discovery of the Gulag he distanced himself somewhat, this comes after this book was written.
Pingback: Petition for Verso to publish English translation of Losurdo’s Stalin book | STALIN'S MOUSTACHE
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Energy. Environment. Economy.
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August 29, 2017 | 4:34 PM
Trump’s EPA cuts threaten water quality in Delaware River Basin, report says
Jon Hurdle
Jon is an experienced journalist who has covered a wide range of general and business-news stories for national and local media in the U.S. and his native U.K. As a former Reuters reporter, he spent several years covering the early stages of Pennsylvania’s natural gas fracking boom and was one of the first national reporters to write about the effects of gas development on rural communities. Jon trained as a general news reporter with a British newspaper chain and later worked for several business-news organizations including Bloomberg News and Market News International, covering topics including economics, bonds, currencies and monetary policy. Since 2011, he has been a freelance writer, contributing Philadelphia-area news to The New York Times; covering economics for Market News, and writing stories on the environment and other subjects for a number of local outlets including StateImpact. He has written two travel guidebooks to the European Alps; lived in Australia, Switzerland, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and visited many countries including Ethiopia, Peru, Taiwan, and New Zealand. Outside of work hours, Jon can be found running, birding, cooking, and, when weather permits, gardening in the back yard of a Philadelphia row home where he lives with his partner, Kate.
Jon Hurdle / StateImpact PA
The Schuylkill River with the Fairmount Waterworks in the foreground. A new report says proposed EPA cuts will hurt water quality in the Delaware River Basin.
Water quality in the Delaware River Basin would be impaired if the Trump administration’s proposed deep cuts in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s budget become law, according to a report released on Tuesday.
The report from the environmental group PennEnvironment said the EPA has played a critical role in the Delaware River’s improved health in recent decades, but that progress would be imperiled if the agency is unable to continue its work in cleaning up pollution, enforcing environmental laws, and working with state and local agencies to maintain water quality.
Water-related programs run directly by the EPA would be cut by 34 percent in the coming fiscal year, under the plan unveiled by the administration in March. Many federal grants to state governments would be reduced by around a third, and funding for research and development would be cut by almost half as part of an overall 31 percent cut to the agency’s budget.
The four Delaware Basin states – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware – would lose some $14 million in grants for the control of pollution from “non-point” sources such as agricultural runoff, and about $3.3 million in funding for the protection of drinking water sources, the report estimated.
The Packer Avenue Marine Terminal on the Delaware River in Philadelphia.
Even if Congress scales back the cuts, they would still have “profound negative impacts” on the EPA’s ability to curb pollution from sources such as factories, sewage treatment plants, and farms, the report said.
As Congress prepares to debate the cuts, the 20-page document was launched at a news conference by state and city lawmakers plus local officials and nonprofits at a site overlooking the Schuylkill River, part of the Delaware Basin near Philadelphia.
Congressman Dwight Evans, a Philadelphia Democrat, said he is opposing the cuts because of the importance of clean water to the region.
“Water is not something that is Democratic-Republican or liberal-conservative,” Evans said. “It is extremely important to our wellbeing. I’m here to send a message to the Trump administration in fighting against the spending reductions in the EPA.”
He said water quality would be affected in the City of Philadelphia if the cuts become law, and he argued that other agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection do not have the capacity to compensate for the loss of EPA services.
“It would be shifting the burden on the local governments, and I don’t think that can happen,” Evans said. “Though the President has proposed this, that’s not strictly the way it’s going to happen. We in Congress have an obligation to deal with this, and we will fight against these cuts.”
U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, a Republican who represents parts of Philadelphia’s western and northern suburbs, has expressed “significant concern” about the EPA cuts and other aspects of the President’s budget, said his spokesman, John Elizandro.
Another Republican Congressman, Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania’s Sixth District, has stated his opposition to the proposed budget cuts to environmental protection and other areas. In March, Rep. Costello said the EPA cuts were “unacceptable”.
EPA’s Philadelphia-based region 3 also did not respond to a request for comment on the report. But the head of the union that represents the region’s EPA workers said the cuts would mean some work currently done by EPA would simply end because states don’t have funds to take it over. “If we can’t give them the money, states don’t have the money to do it themselves” said Gary Morton, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3631.
Among the agencies that could be hit by the proposed funding cut is the Delaware River Basin Commission, which regulates water supply and quality on behalf of the four basin states. The DRBC’s former executive director, Carol Collier, said it has already been forced to cut staff and may now have to make further reductions.
“Without the EPA grants, they will not be able to do the monitoring that’s necessary,” she said.
The loss of funding would mean a decline in water quality rather than just a halt to recent improvements, Collier said. New development in the Upper Delaware, for instance, could result in more pollutants entering the river unchecked if there are no inspectors to monitor them.
“There’s lots of additional impacts that may occur without the federal funding that in turn supports not only the EPA doing work but states doing work, and DRBC doing work,” said Collier, who is now Senior Advisor for Watershed Policy and Management at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
Kate Schmidt, a spokeswoman for DRBC, said it receives EPA funding for a water pollution control program, and works “very closely” with staff from two EPA regions, but it’s not yet clear how the proposed cuts would affect it.
The report, titled “Rough Waters Ahead,” said the Delaware River was heavily polluted during the 1950s but has become more fishable, swimmable, and drinkable in recent decades because of the efforts of EPA, state and local agencies, and environmental nonprofits.
For example, pollution by the cancer-causing chemicals PCBs in the river dropped 71 percent from 2005 to 2013 because of efforts by EPA and state agencies, while a 500,000-ton pile of the highly toxic dioxin near Wilmington, DE was remediated by DuPont after an agreement with EPA and environmental officials in Delaware.
Continued improvements would be slowed or halted if the EPA cuts are implemented, the report said.
“America can’t go back to the bad old days,” it said. “We need a strong EPA with sufficient resources to support local cleanup efforts.”
In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s environment secretary, Patrick McDonnell, has written to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, expressing concern about the proposed cuts, said Neil Shader, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection.
“The DEP is aware of the threats to water quality, both in the Delaware River basin and across the Commonwealth, that would result from the proposed cuts to the EPA,” Shader said.
McDonnell wrote to Pruitt in March saying the potential 30 percent cut in federal funding for DEP to comply with federal environmental laws would have “an immediate and devastating effect” on Pennsylvania’s ability to protect air and water quality.
In Philadelphia, the city’s water utility, Philadelphia Water Department, said the EPA plays a critical role in ensuring water quality in the city through regulatory enforcement, environmental restoration, public health research and education. PWD said in a statement that the federal agency needs to work closely with local utilities and environmental officials to maintain water quality, and that the relationship “will no doubt be challenging due to potential declines in federal funding.”
The expected cut in federal funding may also raise pressure on private sources to maintain water quality.
Disclosure note: The William Penn Foundation, which funds StateImpact, also provided funds for the PennEnvironment report.
This story has been updated with comments from U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, and with Carol Collier’s current title.
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Pennsylvania to increase fees for shale gas wells
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Statutes > Mississippi > Title-49 > 15 > 49-15-63
§ 49-15-63. Penalties.
(1) (a) Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter or any ordinance duly adopted by the commission, unless otherwise specifically provided for herein, shall, on conviction, be fined not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), for the first offense, unless the first offense is committed during a closed season, in which case the fine shall be not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00); and not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), for the second offense when such offense is committed within a period of three (3) years from the first offense; and not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) nor more than Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00), or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days for any third or subsequent offense when such offense is committed within a period of three (3) years from the first offense.
(b) In addition, upon conviction of such third or subsequent offense, it shall be the duty of the court to revoke the license of the convicted party and of the boat or vessel used in such offense, and no further license shall be issued to such person and for said boat to engage in catching or taking of any seafoods from the waters of the State of Mississippi for a period of one (1) year following such conviction. Forfeiture of any equipment or nets used in a second or subsequent offense may be instituted pursuant to Sections 49-15-201 through 49-15-207. If the person in possession of or using the nets in the violation is not the owner or licensee of the nets, the department shall notify the owner or licensee of the nets. The nets shall be subject to forfeiture unless the nets were stolen and prosecution for the theft is initiated. Equipment as used in this section shall not mean boats or vessels.
(c) Any person convicted and sentenced under this section for a second or subsequent offense shall not be considered for reduction of sentence.
(d) Except as provided under subsection (5) of Section 49-15-45, any fines collected under this section shall be paid into the Seafood Fund.
(e) In addition to any other penalties, the commission may suspend the license of any person convicted of a violation of this chapter and may suspend the license of any vessel used in the violation for a period not to exceed five (5) days for the first offense. For a second offense, the commission may suspend the license of such person and vessel for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days.
(2) For any violation of this chapter, the individual registered as the captain shall be subject to the penalties provided in this chapter, if that individual is aboard the vessel. If that individual is not aboard the vessel, the individual designated as the alternate captain under Section 49-15-46 or substitute captain under Section 49-15-64.5 shall be subject to the penalties provided in this chapter. If no individual is designated under Section 49-15-46 or Section 49-15-64.5, the person, firm or corporation owning the vessel shall be subject to the penalties provided for boat captains.
(3) All citations issued to boat operators for not possessing the boat's registration card shall be dismissed, along with all related court costs, upon the presentment of the boat's proper registration card to the court or magistrate holding the trial or hearing.
Sources: Codes, 1942, § 6047-13; Laws, 1960, ch. 173, § 13; Laws, 1980, ch. 365; Laws, 1988, ch. 388, § 1; Laws, 1993, ch. 532, § 2; Laws, 1993, ch. 521, § 2; Laws, 1994, ch. 578, § 22; Laws, 1997, ch. 601, § 1; Laws, 1999, ch. 519, § 7; Laws, 2003, ch. 380, § 1; Laws, 2004, ch. 333, § 2; Laws, 2006, ch. 306, § 2, eff from and after passage (approved Feb. 14, 2006.)
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Editors' ChoiceBONE
Break a Bone
Wei Wong
Science Signaling, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Science Signaling 10 Apr 2012:
Vol. 5, Issue 219, pp. ec104
Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble antioxidant that is predominantly biologically available as α-tocopherol. Vitamin E supplements are frequently consumed because of their reported beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system (see Roodman); however, different studies have shown beneficial or deleterious effects on bone homeostasis. Ttpa−/− mice are a genetic model for vitamin E deficiency because they lack α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP), a liver protein that helps to recycle α-tocopherol from plasma. Fujita et al. found that, compared with wild-type mice, Ttpa−/− mice had greater bone mass because of lower bone resorption, rather than increased bone formation. Treatment of bone marrow cells from wild-type mice with α-tocopherol increased their differentiation into osteoclasts (cells that mediate bone resorption) without affecting their differentiation into osteoblasts (cells that mediate bone formation). α-tocopherol promoted osteoclast fusion (which occurs late in osteoclast maturation), an effect that was mediated by increased expression of the gene encoding dendritic-cell–specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), a receptor that is required for osteoclast fusion, rather than the antioxidant properties of α-tocopherol. Treatment of bone marrow cells with α-tocopherol activated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38α and its upstream kinases mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 3 and 6 (MKK3/6). p38α phosphorylated and activated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which is required for osteoclast development and bound to the promoter of the gene encoding DC-STAMP. Wild-type mice that received α-tocopherol at concentrations comparable to those in human dietary supplements showed decreased bone mass, which correlated with increased bone resorption and osteoclast size. Thus, individuals who consume vitamin E supplements could be at increased risk for bone loss.
K. Fujita, M. Iwasaki, H. Ochi, T. Fukuda, C. Ma, T. Miyamoto, K. Takitani, T. Negishi-Koga, S. Sunamura, T. Kodama, H. Takayanagi, H. Tamai, S. Kato, H. Arai, K. Shinomiya, H. Itoh, A. Okawa, S. Takeda, Vitamin E decreases bone mass by stimulating osteoclast fusion. Nat. Med. 18, 589–594 (2012). [Online Journal]
G. D. Roodman, Vitamin E: Good for the heart, bad for the bones? Nat. Med. 18, 491–492 (2012). [Online Journal]
You are going to email the following Break a Bone
By Wei Wong
Science Signaling 10 Apr 2012 : ec104
Vitamin E supplementation may cause decreased bone mass.
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This Thing Is Neat
Kimi ni Todoke and Getting On With It, Already
On 2 December, 2018 1 December, 2018 By Data_ErrorIn Anime
Kimi ni Todoke is available on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
While I just recently wrote about how certain anime can have some miserable pacing issues – and why I don’t always consider that to be a flat problem – there’s definitely more than one way in which a series’ complete lack of urgency can actually work in its favor.
It can be thematic, for instance. Certain elements of our lives develop slowly and awkwardly, like how young people find themselves, deepen their relationships, and grow their social confidence. It stands to reason that a story focusing on these elements should likewise be drawn-out and cautious in its plotting.
Enter the near-entirety of Shoujo series.
Next to the highly visible long-form shonen shows and The Entmoot, shoujo probably has the next-most-infamous reputation for taking a long, long time to say or do anything to change its status quo – and that’s not entirely unearned.
“You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish.”
Shojo romance shows adapted from manga in particular get bit harder than just about anything else in the anime space by having to keep pace with their source material. Unlike other adaptation, most of which can feasibly take regular breaks in order to let their source material get back ahead – I’m looking at you here, My Hero Academia, and I appreciate you – even the manga itself for shoujo series can get stuck in a holding pattern much of the time. The will-they-or-won’t-they element of budding relationships is a huge part of the draw to many series, after all; take a definitive step in one direction or the other, and you’ll change the fundamental relationship that readers come to the series for, and thus you risk losing that appeal for portions of your audience.
This isnt’ to dismiss the existing shoujo series that do allow their central relationships evolve and shift over time – Horimiya and Kokoro Connect are lovely, not-exclusively-romantic examples, and many others like the much-beloved CLANNAD benefit from their source material being of definite length withone or more complete romantic arcs – but unfortunately those are rather in the minority.
Most of the shoujo romance genre is populated with material much more like Kimi ni Todoke, a delightful and saccharine-sweet series that nonetheless seems petrified to let its protagonists do anything more risqué than holding hands.
My apologies for including such indecent content on this family-friendly site.
To wit, Kimi ni Todoke’s multi-season, 39-episode anime covers about the first 44 chapters of the source manga. Its main couple won’t go so far as exchanging their first honest-to-goodness kiss for around another 30 chapters after that, about another whole 26-episode season that’s unlikely to ever get made.
But I still wouldn’t make the assertion that working at the relative pace of a slug is always the worst thing, nor even the least accurate. While some people surely have an easier time than others, it stands that an awful lot of high-school-age people are apprehensive about personal relationships past a certain depth, even in places where the social norm lands more on the friendly and open side. It’s functionally impossible to judge whether that effect is any more or less prominent in the cultural context of the series (e.g. modern-day Japan), but they sure do play up that hesitation to the Nth degree – and what would any drama be if it wasn’t playing things up?
It’s quite similar in a way to recent favorite Terrace House, which moves broadly at the same pace that people do in real life (which is to say, usually not much on a week-by-week basis). To wit, Terrace House dedicates more than a full episode length to the emotional betrayal and subsequent fallout an instance of housemates eating someone else’s food from the communal fridge without permission. Granted, there’s a whole mess of other baggage that comes through in that moment, but still, the idea stands: these dramas, either pre-constructed or not, can really linger and squeeze a lot of value out of small-scale incidents.
Not unlike how accidentally breaking your side-view mirror is probably a much bigger deal inside your head than it is to any outside observer, despite it totally being a breach of your self-confidence and meaning extra repair work and leaving your car looking miserable in the meantime and this definitely not being a thing I have done recently.
In the end, that’s what these emotional, character-driven shows are trying to do, right? They get us in the headspace of these characters and let us feel how their emotional and social lives develop – even and especially when that means doing so in real time. It’s much harder to empathize with a character when you’re only getting the CliffsNotes edition of their life, after all, and shoujo series in particular need the viewer’s empathy to truly thrive.
And when we reframe the series like this, we start to see other milestones than first-second-third base (those “bases” in anime terms being “first-name basis”, “hand-holding”, and “smooches”), which is something that Kimi ni Todoke in particular is chock-full of.
The main one, of course, is the story of Sawako’s personal growth, which is delightfully intertwined with the show’s romantic hook without explicitly relying on it in any way. For those who haven’t seen or read Kimi ni Todoke, she starts out as mostly the butt of some friendly jokes about her resemblance to the ghost-girl in The Ring; nothing malevolent or close to bullying, but still not exactly a paragon of popularity. Her slowly learning to be more relaxed around other people, engage in bi-directional friendships, and generally take better advantage of her social opportunities gives the series a lot of footholds that provide concrete story progression running parallel to her relationship with male lead and wholesome boy Kazehaya, though without changing the fundamental interactions between the two.
A show like this always benefits from a balance between multiple focus characters, too – and, wouldn’t you know it, Kimi ni Todoke is right on point. The cast of named characters is on the small side – no more than six recurring characters really matter here – but each of them adds to the central story in different ways without directly affecting it. Everything we see of wing-woman Ayane’s personal life reinforces her role as a pillar of support and maturity, fellow wing-woman Chizuru and Kazehaya’s friend Ryu have their own open-ended arc that helps to normalize how slow and uncomfortable the central romance is within the context of a similar uneasy relationship, and rival Kurumi represents a distinct clash of values with the rest of the cast that further illustrates why most of these characters gel so well together.
None of these directly move the romantic plot forward in any way (hence why it takes the manga ten books to get the main couple together and another seven to pucker up), but each distinctly informs how the audience sees the relationship between the two leads, deepens the support structure around the two, and makes their social circle better-realized. And in the end, even if the show doesn’t quite reach the same ending that a lot of dramas will settle at, I still felt a lot more connected to these two awkward kids than I did other shows and movies where the characters actually do end up in a solid and well-definied relationship. Because there’s more to these characters than just the end result of their will-they-or-won’t-they dance.
It’s not about the destination, but the journey taken to get there.
Which is good, because it’s going to take them quite a long time to get there, bless their hearts.
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2 thoughts on “Kimi ni Todoke and Getting On With It, Already”
Tessa - Narratess
I also think that Japan’s conservative stance on intimacy has something to do with the slow pacing. Some 30 year old (male and female) never had their first kiss, because it’s a big deal. I really felt that in Kiki no Todoke and didn’t mind it.
3 December, 2018 at 01:59 Reply
Pingback: In Case You Missed It – 100 Word Anime
This Thing is Neat is a biweekly blog about the concepts and ideas that manifest in modern media.
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You are here: Home / Archives for Stimulus
Florida Senate: The 27-Second Handshake
FL-Sen: The 27-second handshake
by Markos Moulitsas
Fri Jan 29, 2010 at 11:20:09 AM PST
Poor Charlie Crist. His popularity as Florida government may be largely intact, but he’s headed for a massive defeat in the Republican Senate primary. And not massive as in “cash-flush governor gets defeated by little-known cash-strapped upstart”, but massive as in “double-digit blowout”.
Among the ammunition being used against him is this picture, from when Crist endorsed Obama’s stimulus package early last year:
Crist was in a tough spot — ignore the president’s visit, and be accused of political cowardice. The president is visiting bearing several billion in stimulus funds that Crist requested. Greet the president, and fuel the Rubio insurgency.
Of course, making it a 27-second handshake makes it that much more delicious for Crist’s right-wing tormentors. What, did Obama grab him in a vice-like grip and refuse to let go? It would be hilarious if he did.
There is a way for Crist to avoid all this heartache, of course. Switch parties. He’s dead as a Republican. Florida is too expensive for a serious independent run. Become a Democrat, and he has a fighting chance of ever serving in the Senate.
Race tracker wiki: FL-Sen
Filed Under: Barack Obama, GOP, Senate Races Tagged With: ama, Crist, Florida, GOP, Kos, Polling, Stimulus
Ben Bernanke on A.I.G. March 15, 2009 [video]
Filed Under: AIG, Alan Greenspan, Banking Crisis, Ben Bernanke, Business Week, CNBC, Credit Default Swaps, Deep Capture, Derivatives, Federal Reserve, Financial Instryments, Hank Paulson, Hedge Funds, Jim Cramer, Joe Nocera, Lehman, Maria Bartiromo, Mortgage Crisis, Patrick Byrne, Phantom Stocks, Rick Santelli, Short Selling, Stimulus Tagged With: AIG, Bernanke+60 Minutes, Citi, Credit Default Swaps, deep Capture, Federal Reserve, Gradient Analytics, Greenspan, Leverage, Mortgage Crisis, Paulson, Stimulus
Real Time With Bill Maher | Opening Monologue | February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Academy Awards, bailout, Banking, Barack Obama, Bill Maher, Comedy, Politics, Real Time, Religulous, Ron Paul, Wall Street Tagged With: bailout, Banking, Democrats, GOP, Keynesian, Maher, Obama, Politics, Rael Time, Ron Paul, Socialism, Stimulus, Wall Street
Stimulus: How to Know If It’s Working
Consumer confidence and job creation may be slow to emerge and hard to measure, but boosts in umemployment benefits and food stamps will be fast acting
By Moira Herbst
At his first prime-time press conference, President Obama was asked a central question about the $800 billion-plus economic stimulus package: How will Americans know if it’s working? “My initial measure of success is creating or saving 4 million jobs,” Obama answered.
That was on Feb. 9, a day before the Senate passed an $838 billion version of the bill by a vote of 61-37, following the Jan. 28 passage of an $819 billion version in the House. The House and Senate have begun negotiations to reconcile the measures, which Obama would like to sign into law by Feb. 16, the federal Presidents’ Day holiday. When people have a job, Obama explained, they purchase and invest, allowing companies to do the same and, in turn, to hire more workers as business expands.
Indicators of Success
Yet while job creation is arguably the most important goal of the stimulus package, other parts of the bill will have a much more immediate and visible impact. Food stamp increases and extensions of unemployment benefits will be among the first noticeable effects of the package. Tax credit payments for individuals and families would follow, along with other tax breaks and incentives. Rising consumer confidence and lower unemployment will be far more gradual, and aren’t likely to surface until late 2009 at the earliest.
There’s an understanding among many economists that the sooner a government intervenes in an economic crisis, the more effective it tends to be in getting the economy back on track. That doesn’t mean that precise measurement of success is easy, however. “The problem is, we don’t know what trajectory the economy would take without the stimulus package,” says J. Bradford DeLong, an economics professor at the University of California-Berkeley. “We can’t enter a Star Trek -like divided universe in which we compare what’s happening with the stimulus versus without it. It’s hard to precisely judge its impact.”
DeLong says that looking at interest rates will provide a clearer idea of whether the stimulus plan is working. “If interest rates stay extremely low, the plan is definitely working,” he says. “If Treasury interest rates do start to rise by more than normal levels, then we worry that [the spending] is crowding out private economic activity and discouraging investment.” Specifically, he says that if medium- to long-term Treasury bond interest rates climb two or three percentage points higher in the next year and inflation sets in, the stimulus package is not having its intended effect.
Swift Help for the Neediest
Of course, how one benefits from the stimulus package depends on several factors, including income, professional skills, and where you live. “What you’ll see [in benefit] and when you see it depends on who you are,” says Steve Ellis, vice-president at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a taxpayer advocacy group. “If you are living hand-to-mouth, you should have greater access to food stamps and other assistance right away. If you’re employed and not doing as well but hanging on, you won’t see much change unless a [federally funded] construction project starts up nearby. For them, the government hand will be less visible and less direct.”
Direct assistance for the poor and unemployed, considered as among the most effective stimulus measures, will be the first to take effect. Both the House and Senate bills offer an additional $20.2 billion to extend emergency unemployment benefits for more than 3 million people whose state benefits are set to run out after March. They also offer an extra $25 a week in jobless benefits to millions of workers through the end of the year; the current average weekly benefit is $293.
The packages also would give $7 billion to states that adopt reforms that make it easier for part-time workers, low-wage earners, and women to qualify for benefits. The proposals vary in the amounts by which they would increase food stamp benefits and additional medical assistance for low-income, unemployed workers under Medicaid, but both include spending for these items. An additional $17 billion in the stimulus bills would boost the maximum Pell Grant for higher education by $400 per applicant and provide other financial aid. Along with extended benefits, the unemployed may start to see shorter lines at the unemployment office. Both stimulus bills give states $500 million to help process unemployment applications, which have been overwhelming state systems across the country.
Tax Credits and State Aid
Working and middle-income Americans will benefit from the $82.1 billion in tax credit payments the plans offer. The House plan would give individuals earning up to $75,000 a year a tax credit of $500 and couples earning up to $150,000 a year a tax credit of $1,000. (The Senate bill lowers the income cap to $70,000 for individuals and $140,000 for couples, which critics say would reduce the stimulus effect.) Taxpayers can receive this credit either by claiming a credit on their 2009 and 2010 tax returns or by reducing their withholding from their paychecks. Other tax incentives to encourage auto and home purchases, included in the Senate bill, would be experienced by consumers at the time of purchase.
Later this year, the effects of other spending will become more visible. The bills offer states tens of billions in “state stabilization” money, to fund grants for education and to patch holes that have emerged in many state budgets. (The House bill sets aside $79 billion in state stabilization funds, the Senate bill cuts that to $39 billion.) Another $3 billion is earmarked for state and local law enforcement.
In the meantime, the stimulus plans are expected to create or save jobs in various sectors of the economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the House version of the bill would create between 1.3 million and 3.9 million jobs by the end of 2010. While police officers and teachers might feel the effect immediately, other workers would find jobs later this year on such projects as modernizing electrical grids, building highways, and weatherizing federal buildings.
Metrics May Prove Elusive
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys.com (MCO), says that if the package works according to Washington’s plan, unemployment insurance claims should start to drop in the summer and continue through the fall. He warns, however, that the unemployment rate will be slower to fall because layoffs will offset some of the gains. Some economists say that even as the unemployment rate does begin to fall, it will be hard to measure what would have happened without the economic stimulus plan.
The stimulus is likely to provoke heated “Did it work?” debates for years to come among politicians, economists, and the public. “We are throwing a rock into our nation’s economic pond, and the ripple effects will spread throughout the economy,” says Ellis of the taxpayer group. Still, he says the impact might be more muted than many would hope: the annual U.S. gross domestic product is $13 trillion, while the stimulus package is about $900 billion over several years. Says Ellis: “It’s a big rock, but it’s a very big pond.”
Herbst is a reporter for BusinessWeek in New York.
Filed Under: Barack Obama, D.C. Groupthink, Economic Stimulus, Economy. Capitol Hill, GOP, Jobs, Media Misinformation, Politics Tagged With: Boehner, Collins, Dushku, Economy, GOP, Grassley, Jobs, Kantor, Lewis, Nelson, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Stimulus
Banks Keeping Mum on TARP Bailout Funds; Only Morgan Stanley Coming Clean
Morgan Stanley Is One Bank That Cites a Loan From TARP Money
Other Financial Banks Including Goldman Sachs and CitiGroup Keep Mum on How They Are Using TARP Cash
By CHARLES HERMAN, DAN ARNALL, LAUREN PEARLE and ZUNAIRA ZAKI
Banks that were rescued with billions of dollars in public funds have, in most cases, refused to provide specifics about how they have used or intend to use the money.
ABC News asked 16 of the banks that have received money from the Treasury Department’s $700 billion Trouble Asset Relief Program the same two questions: How has your financial institution used the money, and how much has your financial institution allocated to bonuses and incentives this year?
To read the banks’ responses, click here.
Goldman Sachs reported Tuesday that it paid $10.93 billion in compensation for the year, which includes salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and benefits. That is down 46 percent from a year ago. Goldman Sachs received $10 billion from the Treasury.
“Bonuses across Goldman Sachs will be down significantly this year,” a bank representative told ABC News. The spokesman refused to disclose the size of the bonus pool or how much of the compensation fund of $10.93 billion was planned for bonuses.
“We do not break down the components of compensation; however, most of that number was not bonuses,” he said. Goldman Sachs added, “TARP money is not being paid to employee compensation. It’s been and will continue to be used to facilitate client activity in the capital markets.”
Goldman Sachs has pointed out that seven of its senior executives were forgoing bonuses this year. The company also reported Tuesday that it lost $2.1 billion in the last quarter.
“It looks like Goldman Sachs is treating this as business as usual,” said compensation expert James Reda. “They are taking our taxpayer money. They should be able to account for that money.
“What’s missing from this report is the exact amount of bonuses that were paid,” said Reda. He later added, “They’re hiding the ball.”
Fred Cannon, chief equity strategist with Keefe Bruyette and & Woods, an investment bank that specializes exclusively in financial services, said, “It is difficult to say what the TARP funds are directly used for. In terms of compensation, while TARP funds may not directly pay for compensation, the funds do provide additional overall cash to the companies.”
When pressed for what the TARP money was being used for, Goldman Sachs replied that it is spent to “facilitate client activity in the capital markets.”
Only One Bank Cited a Loan It Made
Of the 16 banks that were contacted by ABC News and asked how they were spending the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, only one bank pointed to a specific loan that it made with the cash. That was a $17 billion loan that Morgan Stanley made to Verizon Wireless.
Morgan Stanley, which received $10 billion from TARP, released its quarterly finances today. The bank announced a dramatic and larger-than-predicted $2.37 billion quarterly loss but an overall year-end profit of $1.59 billion. That was down 49 percent from last year. The bank’s stock price dropped 72 percent this year.
In response to an ABC News email request, Morgan Stanley public information officer Mark Lake confirmed that bonuses are down “approximately 50 percent.”
Besides the Verizon loan cited by Morgan Stanley, the banks declined to detail how they were using the federal funds.
“Tarp money doesn’t go into bonuses,” Lake said, in an email to ABC News.
Wells Fargo said that of the $25 billion it received, it “cannot provide any foward-looking guidance on lending for this quarter [and] Intend[s] to use the Capital Purchase Program funds to make more loans to credit-worthy customers.”
More typical was the generic response by the Bank of New York Mellon, which said of the fortune it had banked in public moneys: “Using the $3 billion to provide liquidity to the credit markets.”
Congress and fiscal watchdogs have been frustrated and upset that the banks do not have to account for the way they are spending these publicly financed bonanzas.
The U.S. Treasury has spent or committed $335 billion of the $700 billion in the TARP fund in an attempt to get banks back in the lending business and to unfreeze the nation’s credit markets.
Last week Congress was angered to learn that giant insurance company American Insurance Group, which received $150 billion in TARP cash to stay afloat, was paying more than $100 million in “retention bonuses” to 168 employees.
That revelation prompted Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., to complain, “It’s absolutely and incredibly wrong that we don’t have more transparency.”
All the Banks That Got TARP Cash Indicate They Are Paying Bonuses
While several banks said that its top executives would skip bonuses this year or its compensation pool was smaller this year than in past years, all indicated that some end-of-year compensation was in the works.
When asked how much the banks were paying out in bonuses and whether TARP funds would be used to finance them, most of the banks did not make such a declaration.
“Incentive compensation not yet allocated,” was as far as JP Morgan Chase, which received $25 billion from TARP, would go.
Bank of America, which got $15 billion from TARP, said only, “Have reduced the incentive targets by more than half. Final awards have not been determined.”
State Street Bank ruled out using TARP to reward its top officers.
“Will not use any of the proceeds from the TARP Capital Purchase Program to fund our bonus pool or executive compensation,” the bank insisted.
Cannon said the banks are being very conservative with their money.
After reviewing the statements the banks provided to ABC News he said, “The banks are expressing good intention in line with the good intention of the program. However, the answers from the bank belie the current challenge; the economy is deteriorating rapidly and making good loans, with strong underwriting into an economy that is falling apart is very difficult.”
ABC News’ MaryKate Burke contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures
Filed Under: ABC, AIG, Banking, Finance, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, TARP, Treasury, Verizon, Wall Street Tagged With: bailout, Banks, Finance, Stimulus, TARP, Treasury, Wall Street
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Category: My Home, My Choice
Under this campaign, we call for recognition of equal citizenship of people with mental disabilities, including their right to make decisions about their own lives. Too often, people with mental disabilities are labelled as “incompetent” or are denied the right to decide by punitive guardianship systems. They may be denied the right to vote, to marry, to manage their own money, and even to decide where to live. Instead of systems based on restriction and control, we push governments to provide support to people to make their own decision – so that they can be the authors of their own lives.
The faces of mental health in Uganda
Today, Mental Health Uganda (MHU) and Validity release a new film documenting the lives and experiences of people with mental health issues across the country. Entitled “The faces of mental health in Uganda“, the film vividly depicts the social isolation and human rights violations faced by people with mental… Read More
Zambia High Court Calls for Review of Mental Health Law
Lusaka Zambia – On 17 November, Zambian disability activists from the Mental Health Users Network of Zambia (MHUNZA) and Disability Rights Watch (DRW) held a press conference on the outcome of decision of the Zambian High Court concerning the constitutionality of the 1949 Mental Disorders Act. In a Petition brought by three… Read More
Innovating European lawyers to advance the rights of children with disabilities
Children with mental disabilities, including those with intellectual and psycho-social (mental health) disabilities are perhaps one of the most marginalised groups in the European Union, frequently overlooked by policy-makers, lawyers, judges and broader society. Through research, Validity (formerly MDAC) and our partners have found that children with disabilities experience multiple… Read More
Preventing Child Abuse in Institutions
Robert Martin, CRPD Committee Member, talks institutionalistion, ill-treatment and human rights. Earlier this month, Validity (formerly MDAC) published a first-of-its-kind monitoring methodology for identifying and preventing abuse of children with mental disabilities in institutions – the CHARM Toolkit. The Toolkit was the product of a two-year, EC-funded project carried out… Read More
Hungary: Statement on the NGO Law
Validity (formerly MDAC) expresses its unequivocal opposition to legislation passed this month in Hungary which undermines the rule of law, freedom of association and respect for fundamental rights of independent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in this country. The law, which directly affects Validity and many other human rights organisations operating… Read More
Straightjackets and Seclusion
Validity (formerly MDAC) is today calling for the immediate closure of state-run institutions for people with disabilities in Hungary after an investigation of one large scale institution discovered children and adults who had been tortured and abused, including being tied to beds and restrained with makeshift straitjackets. One three-year-old was… Read More
Uganda: People with Psychosocial Disabilities Demand, “End the Abuse!”
Joint statement by the Pan African Network of People with Psychosocial Disabilities (PANSUP), Mental Health Uganda and the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (now Validity). Last week Validity (formerly MDAC) was in Uganda and produced this 5-minute video, which is being shown in Geneva today to members… Read More
A tribute to Rusi Stanev
We would like to share a few words on hearing the news that our dear client, collaborator, friend and hero Rusi Stanev has died, at the age of 61. Our hearts go out to people whose lives were touched by Rusi, to the Bulgarian disability rights movement, and to our… Read More
Zambia Must Close Abusive Institutions, says UN Expert
Ms. Catalina Devandas, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Disabilities has welcomed greater respect for the rights of people with disabilities in Zambia since 2010, but says the country must go further and abolish abusive practices against people with mental disabilities. In her report to the UN Human… Read More
Slovakia: UN says stop putting people in cages and get them out of institutions
The UN Human Rights Committee has recommended that the Slovakian Government abolish cage beds and restraints in psychiatric institutions and speed up the evacuation of people with disabilities out of institutions and into the community. More than 40,000 people with disabilities live in Slovakia’s social care and… Read More
Moldova: Psychiatrist guilty of raping multiple women with disabilities
Today in Bălți, Moldova, a psychiatrist was found guilty of several counts of rape that he committed during the course of a decade against 16 women under his care in a 400-bed social care institution. Dr. Florea Stanislav was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. Ana (not her real name) recounted… Read More
Russia: For first time Russia admits overcrowding and injustice in psychiatric hospital
After six years of litigation at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Russian Government has admitted violations of our client, Rafael Usmanov’s rights. He was detained in an overcrowded secure psychiatric hospital and denied any opportunity of having his detention reviewed. It is the first psychiatric… Read More
Validity is an international non-governmental organisation which uses the law to secure equality, inclusion and justice for people with mental disabilities worldwide. Formerly known as the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC). Registered as a Foundation in Hungary (No. 8689: Validity Alapítvány – Központ a Mentális Sérültek Jogaiért) and as a charity in the UK (No. 1124016: Mental Disability Advocacy Centre UK). Validity proudly receives income from a number of international sources.
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Read Next: Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy Talk Stand-Up, Stardom and Reuniting for 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee'
Netflix Nabs ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ from NBC
By Andrew Wallenstein
Andrew Wallenstein
Co-Editor-in-Chief @https://twitter.com/awallenstein FOLLOW
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Listen: Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch Spots an Opening in the Global Streaming Market
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Just days after ordering a fourth season of “Longmire” from A&E, Netflix is plucking yet another series from the hands of network TV.
This time it’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” an NBC comedy from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock that will now move over to the streaming service as part of a two-season order set to premiere in all Netflix territories next March.
“Kimmy,” which stars “The Office” alum Ellie Kemper as a woman who starts her life over after escaping a doomsday cult, is produced by Universal TV. NBC was intending to put “Kimmy” on its schedule sometime in the midseason.
“When the opportunity arose for Tina Fey and Robert Carlock to premiere their new show on Netflix with a two-season commitment, we decided this was the best possible scenario to launch this captivating new series,” said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt.
“The very construct of — its offbeat premise, hilarious and rich characters and serialized storytelling — make it a perfect Netflix comedy series,” said Cindy Holland, VP of original content at Netflix.
Earlier this week, Netflix added to the three seasons of “Longmire” it already licenses from A&E by ordering a fourth season even after its original cable home canceled the series. Other series that began on network TV before continuing on Netflix include drama “The Killing,” which originated on AMC.
The two-season order is becoming a more common move by Netflix, which made waves in 2011 when the series made an unprecedented two-season order of the original drama series “House of Cards.” Earlier this year, Netflix ordered two seasons of “Love,” a comedy from executive producer Judd Apatow.
Although NBC has been struggling in comedy for years, and half-hour sitcoms are something of a dying breed on its schedule, the net had hoped to make some inroads with the genre this season.
Last May the Peacock announced that it would air seven new half-hours during the 2014-15 season, but that number has been trimmed to five with the move of “Kimmy Schmidt” to Netflix and the decision in October not to go forward with midseason Krysten Ritter laffer “Mission Control,” which had originally been given a six-episode order.
“A to Z” and “Bad Judge” are still on the air but have been canceled, while “Marry Me” is delivering decent numbers by virtue of airing behind “The Voice.”
That leaves for midseason the Ellen DeGeneres-produced “One Big Happy” and Craig Robinson teacher comedy “Mr. Robinson.”
NBC also has the final season of “Parks and Recreation” set to air this spring.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly suggested this project was set up at, and passed over, by Fox. Fox passed on a different Fey production.
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A crew member of DC Universe show “Titans” died following an incident during rehearsal at a special effects facility Thursday. The stunt, which involved a car, went awry when a piece of the car broke off unexpectedly and struck a special effects coordinator. Production has been shut down. “We are heartbroken and devastated by the [...]
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The cast of “SpongeBob SquarePants” paid tribute to the late Stephen Hillenburg during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday. “SpongeBob to me represents Steve in a really profound way,” said Bill Fagerbakke, who voices Patrick Star. “The nature of that character is what the whole show is built on and so it’s kind [...]
NBC is bringing together two of its biggest stars in Ted Danson and Tina Fey for a new comedy. The network has issued a straight to series order for a comedy in which will star Danson as a wealthy businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles for all the wrong reasons. Once Danson’s character [...]
Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy Talk Stand-Up, Stardom and Reuniting for 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee'
In July 1976, Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy were rising comics, launching their stand-up careers at the Comic Strip in New York City. In fact, the two started at the famed comedy club the same week. “[Seinfeld] was always the funniest. He had his show down, he was polished, he had it all down before [...]
Held down by a lack of soundstage space, total on-location filming in greater Los Angeles declined 3.9% in the second quarter to 8,632 shoot days, permitting agency FilmLA reported Thursday. “Although our latest report reveals a decline in filming on location, local production facilities tell us that they are operating at capacity,” said FilmLA president [...]
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I had coffee with my school bully
‘Let’s face it, if we were both at school now, you would probably be bullying me’
Emily Allen
Walking down the street, back home after finishing another year at university, it felt good to be back. Wandering and thinking of nothing in particular, I only became aware of the girl walking towards me as she stopped directly in front of me. “Emily”, she said.
Standing rooted to the pavement, a feeling coursed through me the likes of which I hadn’t felt for years. More precisely, since I’d left high school. The girl in front of me was one I had left school hoping I would never see again, although with any speck of self-doubt or insecurity I had felt since then, I would always see my face in her mind’s eye.
“Oh Katie. Hi”. Then because I couldn’t resist it, I added: “Do you still remember me?”, my gaze locked with hers.
“Of course I do”, she said, but the smile on her face was so different to the cruel jeering smirk I remembered. “But you seem so different!”
She wasn’t the first person to have told me this, but somehow it seemed more truthful coming from her. For a few minutes we chatted awkwardly, like strangers, nothing of real substance as we avoided the elephant in the room. As puzzling as it was, wondering why I felt so strange, I suddenly realised; I wasn’t scared of her anymore. We weren’t in the high school classroom anymore, but were young women in the real world. With this realisation came a different feeling in my stomach; one of elation, of freedom. “Katie”, I said. “Do you want to get coffee?”
We headed towards a local Costa and grabbed two window seats. Settling down with our respective steaming mugs, we caught up – we chatted about my university, internships and boyfriend. With Katie there was less to say, and she merely mentioned her job as a secretary and her parents. As I spoke, she watched me with a curious expression before saying: “I meant it, Emily. You’re so different now. When I think of how you used to be at school…” Her voice tailed off. We had arrived at the taboo subject.
I could remember it as clearly as though it were yesterday. A constant for so long at school. There was the false playing up to my naivety to pretend they liked me: “Emily, come and sit at our table, we all want you here…you look so nice today! We just have to get a photo together…Let’s give you a make-over!”. As well as the more standard: “You’re ugly you know. And weird. You do know no-one likes you and they’re all talking the piss, right? You should probably go to a different school, you’re like the joke here”.
Me and my best friend, not my bully
Looking at her now, I almost struggled to make the connection between the girl sitting in front of me, and the one who had made my life a misery at school. Gone were the flashy clothes, make-up and hair extensions; she was dressed modestly without an ounce of make-up and with her hair scraped off her face. “Yes. Best days of my life”, I said, and watched her look away, embarrassed. “I don’t know why I…why we did it”, she confessed. “I suppose you were just different and not like us. But ‘in’ and ‘out’ are never fixed. If I had been kind to you and not teased you, I would have been ‘one’ of the out crowd too. Just like that.”
“So you had to resort to wearing me down until I had barely a shred of self-esteem or confidence left?”, I asked. “It was the only way to stay with the ‘in’ crowd”, she repeated, reeling off a list of girls’ names who I remembered as being clones of Katie, in fashion as well as personality. “By taking the piss out of somebody else.”
Katie was describing it as a high-school survival of the fittest, but it made sense. “If I could wind the clock back I would never do it”, she continued. “Looking at you now, I can’t believe you were ever bullied”. She gestured at my blazer, skinny jeans and heels. “You’ve got good dress sense”, she smiled. “And you’re really pretty. Prettier than you were at school. Successful, too.” The weak smile with which she delivered this sentence almost suggested defeat. “Let’s face it, if we were both at school now, you would probably be bullying me.”
That really made me think. “No”, I said slowly. “No I don’t think I would. I’ve been on the receiving end of those sorts of comments, experienced the shunning. I could never willingly put someone else through that. If I hadn’t, if I’d been one of your lot from the beginning, I can only hope I would have had the strength not to be the bully you were.”
Katie nodded. “You’ve done so much since then, I’m jealous.”
“Well if anything I have to thank you”, I said with a wry smile. “If you hadn’t made my school days so hellish, I wouldn’t have worked so hard and done as well as I did.”
“You deserve it then”, Katie said, taking a sip of coffee. “But I want to ask you to forgive me for what I did”. I looked directly at her, and simultaneously saw the nasty teenager who had mocked and teased me mercilessly and the kind and pragmatic young woman she was now. It wasn’t even a different lifetime; it was the same one we were in now. And a bit of me will always be that girl, teased at school, but all the better for it now. I no longer held any animosity towards her.
“I forgive you”, I said truthfully, as we moved towards the door and outside on the street, and her smile spoke more than any words could.
We found old pictures of Love Island’s Molly-Mae and she is UNRECOGNISABLE
Her transformation is wild
Razor burns, ingrown hairs and Jolen: All the struggles of being hairy af
By disappointed girls
Firstly, it’s expensive
This is what the cast of Love Island Australia Season 1 are up to now
Lucy Woodham
Josh and Amelia are still together!!
What to do when your friend gets too high
Eirian Jane Prosser
Apparently chewing peppercorns works
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Colorado Experience
Ludlow Massacre
Season 1 Episode 107 | 28m 21s
One of the most significant events in the struggle for labor laws in America played out in Las Animas County in the Spring of 1914. With the control of much of Colorado’s coal mines in the hands of just a few companies, miners grew increasingly intolerant of low wages and dangerous working conditions. Over the next few months, tensions escalated as the striking miners ransacked several mines.
Season 1 Episode 107
The Denver Public Library
The Bessemer Historical Society & CF&I; Archives
Season 6 Season 5 Season 4 Season 3 Season 2 Season 1
Spencer & Julie Penrose
Delve into the affluent life of Colorado Springs’ pioneering couple.
S1 Ep205 | 26m 53s
Amache 1-Hour Special
Over 7500 Japanese Americans were interned in the Granada War Relocation Center.
The Original Coloradans
Discover The Ute Nation, original residents of Colorado, and their impact on the state.
Bent's Fort
Bent’s Fort was a great western hub of commercial and cultural exchange.
Colorado Philanthropy
From its beginning, Colorado has demonstrated a legacy of giving and philanthropy.
Flying in World War II was only the start of Annabelle Craft Moss’s inspirational life.
Lawyers and historians unravel the unintended consequences of the state's constitution.
The Boettchers
The rags-to-riches story of one of Colorado’s most pioneering and philanthropic families.
Examine the bloody history of Colorado coal miners’ struggle for workers’ rights.
Pueblo Border Wars
Pueblo has long been the battleground for competing countries and interests.
The boom and bust of a homesteading community on Colorado’s eastern plains.
S1 Ep103 | 27m 9s
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Justice League The Movie - SUPERMAN 1/10 Scale ARTFX+ Statue 19cm KotSV216
KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! * Product Information Kotobukiya's next ARTFX+ statue lineup is from none other than the Justice League movie! Superman stands at 1/10 scale with magnets in the feet for display stability on the included base. Although in the 1/10 scale, Superman is sculpted in precise detail only possible with Kotobukiya's craftsmanship. Superman is precisely replicated from the face of the actor to the texture and color of his costume. Display alone or alongside other ARTFX+ Justice League members! ARTFX+ Statues are fun-to-assemble pre-painted snap-fit kits that can be easily put together in seconds without glue or modeling skill. *Please note! The order quantity may be allocated ---------------- License Information Justice League is an American superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is intended to be the fifth installment in the DC Extended Universe. The film is directed by Zack Snyder, with a screenplay by Chris Terrio, from a story by Snyder and Terrio, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, Ciarįn Hinds, and J. K. Simmons. In Justice League, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team consisting of Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. ---------------- Character Information A Kryptonian survivor and journalist for the Daily Planet with superhuman abilities who seemingly died after the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. On February 5, 2016, Cavill announced on social media that he had already started exercising for the film in advance of principal photography. --------------- WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
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GLOBAL TREASURES: South Korea (Jongmyo)
SHOW Works
Global Treasures: Jongmyo
Ullman, Frank - Television Director
Scarson, Peter O. - Producer
Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1269
Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.
This idyllic sanctuary of Chongmyo (or Jongmyo) in the heart of the South Korean capital of Seoul, is a place of peaceful meditation, and for almost the entire year the ancient shrine is deserted, its buildings and courtyards silent, little indicating the unique importance of this sacred building.
Jongmyo was built in 1395 as an ancestral shrine in order to commemorate the spirits of the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.
Great festivities once took place in Jongmyo, and today the sanctuary often fills with life. Each first Sunday in May is set aside for a regal ceremony of ancestral worship. It is then that the shrines and their ancestral plates become the centre of dignified festivities.
As in days of old, in the Hall of Eternal Peace the deceased Korean monarchs of the Joseon Dynasty are entertained with music and sacrifices.
Although the Joseon Dynasty hasn't ruled here for more than a century, the traditions and rituals of Jongmyo continue to play an important role in the cultural life of the Korean people.
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PCMag UK | Reviews | Consumer Electronics | Digital Cameras | Lenses | Review
Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f2.8 PRO
By Jim Fisher Nov 10, 2014
Editor Rating: Outstanding (5.0)
Edge-to-edge sharpness throughout zoom range. No distortion. Protected from cold, dust, and splashes. Excellent close focus capability. Innovative collapsible hood. Manual focus clutch system. Includes tripod collar.
Pricey. Lack of optical stabilization an issue for Panasonic Micro Four Thirds shooters.
The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f2.8 PRO is the perfect telezoom for Olympus Micro Four Thirds shooters, even though Panasonic owners will be turned off by its lack of in-lens stabilization.
The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f2.8 PRO ($1,499.99) is a serious lens. It covers a longer telephoto zoom range then the standard pro 70-200mm zooms when paired with a Micro Four Thirds camera, and is incredibly sharp from edge-to-edge throughout the entirety of its range, even at f/2.8. You don't see that type of image quality every day, and there's even a dedicated 1.4x teleconverter available for purchase if you need a longer reach. The 40-150mm lives up to its PRO moniker, running circles around the budget-friendly M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 R in every conceivable way save for size. It's because of this that we're not only bestowing Editors' Choice accolades on this top-end telezoom, but we're going as far to give it a 5-star rating. Those don't come often, but there are a lot of reasons that this lens is deserving.
The 40-150mm is huge when compared with other lenses designed for the Micro Four Thirds system, but fairly compact when you hold it against similar f/2.8 telezooms for full-frame SLRs. It measures 6.3 by 3.1 inches (HD), weighs in at just under 2 pounds, and uses large 72mm front filters. The lens is sealed against dust and moisture and is rated for use in freezing temperatures, which makes it an ideal companion for the similarly sealed OM-D E-M5 and OM-D E-M1 cameras.
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Construction is excellent; the metal barrel is cool to the touch. There's no optical stabilization in the lens, as Olympus builds that feature into its camera bodies. With the exception of the GX7, Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras lack in-body stabilization. Owners of high-end bodies like the GH4 may want to consider a Panasonic telezoom with in-lens stabilization, like the Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 ASPH. instead.
Olympus includes a removable tripod collar. There are markings on the barrel to set it in portrait or landscape orientation. There's an L-Fn button on the lens; its function can be configured via the camera body, but by default it halts the autofocus system, so you can hold it down when you've locked focus on a subject and are waiting to capture the perfect shot. The focus ring is large, with a textured finish, and turns smoothly. A manual focus ring sits in front of it, and controls the focus behavior. When it's pushed forward the 40-150mm is set to autofocus; you just have to pull it back to switch to manual focus. The focus throw is not extremely long—it takes about a quarter-turn to go from the minimum distance to infinity—but the tactile feel of the focus ring is, like other Olympus lenses that support this focus clutch mechanism, excellent.
Lens hoods are normally not worth writing about, but Olympus really nailed it when it comes to the hood here. Instead of mounting the plastic hood at its base, the front of the hood locks on to the front of the lens. Extending it is simply a matter of pushing it forward until it locks into place with a click. To collapse it, a quick twist of a control ring while pulling it back is all that's required. The collapsible design comes in handy in a couple of ways. You won't have to remove and reverse the hood to size down the lens before stowing it in your bag, which saves some time and occasional issues with properly lining up a bayonet mount system. Less obvious is the benefits when using the lens with a circular polarizing filter; to adjust the polarizer you simply need to retract the hood, and when you've turned the filter to suit your needs you can either shoot away with the hood retracted, or push the hood forward to block stray light.
The 40-150mm covers a field of view that's roughly equivalent to an 80-300mm zoom on a full-frame system, with a constant f/2.8 aperture. Depth-of-field control isn't as great as an 80-300mm—at its maximum zoom the amount of background blur you can induce is equivalent to a 150mm f/2.8 on a full-frame camera. But it's still easy to capture images with a shallow depth of field, especially when focusing close. And that's one area where this telezoom shines. It can focus to 0.7-meter (2.3 feet), which delivers a 1:2.3 magnification at its maximum zoom. Even though Olympus doesn't call this a macro lens, that puts in the macro category in my book. And, if you pair it with the dedicated M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 you can still focus that close with a tighter field of view, so magnification is about 1:1.7 life size. The E-M1 can hunt for focus when working that close, especially if it has a hard time finding a point of contrast, but in general the focus speed of the lens is very quick—the only issues I had with hunting back and forth involved the focus point being set on a low-contrast area of the frame, but that's true of any contrast-detect AF system.
See How We Test Digital Cameras
I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the 40-150mm when paired with the 16-megpaixel OM-D E-M1. At 40mm f/2.8 the lens is exceptionally sharp. It scores 2,357 lines per picture height on a center-weighted sharpness test, and even the outer edges of the frame are 100 lines better than the 1,800 lines we like to see in a photo. Stopping down to f/4 improves the average score to 2,414 lines, with edges that show about 2,000 lines, and at the lens peaks at f/5.6 (2,453 lines average, 2,100 lines at the edges). There's a very slight loss of crispness at f/8 (2,446 lines) due to diffraction.
The lens is even better at 70mm f/2.8. It shows 2,411 lines on the center-weighted test, with edges that are just shy of 2,200 lines—that's very even detail across the frame. There's only a modest improvement gained by stopping down; the lens peaks at 2,503 lines at f/8. At 100mm performance is just as good wide open, and even crisper when stopped down; the lens peaks at 2,557 lines at f/5.6.
When you zoom all the way in to 150mm there's a slight dip in sharpness at f/2.8, but the lens still manages 1,975 lines with even performance across the frame. At f/4 it imporves to 2,190 lines, and peaks at 2,365 lines at f/5.6. There is no noticeable distortion throughout the entirety of the zoom range. Simply put, even though this lens doesn't cover a full-frame sensor like the pricier EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM for Canon SLRs, its performance is on the same level.
We don't hand 5-star ratings out haphazardly. The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f2.8 PRO earns our highest recommendation and Editors' Choice award because it's an amazing lens without any real flaws. Panasonic shooters would love to have a version that's optically stabilized, but the 5-axis in-body system that Olympus puts in its flagship Micro Four Thirds cameras is pretty fantastic in its own right, and you'll want to pair it with a mirrorless camera that is weather-sealed to the same specifications as the lens if you plan on shooting in inclement weather. The OM-D E-M1 fits that bill perfectly, especially since it has a deep handgrip that balances well with a larger lens. Olympus shooters who want a telezoom needn't look further than this one, and Panasonic owners who want a long zoom lens may find it worthwhile to add an Olympus camera to their Micro Four Thirds arsenal.
Olympus M.Zuiko ED ...
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Jim Fisher Senior Analyst, Digital Cameras
Senior digital camera analyst for the PCMag consumer electronics reviews team, Jim Fisher is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he concentrated on documentary video production. Jim's interest in photography really took off when he borrowed his father's Hasselblad 500C and light meter in 2007.
He honed his writing skills at retailer B&H Photo, where he wrote thousands upon thousands of product descriptions, blog posts, and reviews. Since then he's shot with hundreds of camera models, ranging from pocket point-and-shoots to medium format digital cameras. And he's reviewed almost all of them. When he's not testing cameras and gear for PCMag, he's likely out and about shooting with ... See Full Bio
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Direct Toxicity Assessment
Drinking Water - Other Toxicological Studies
Endocrine Disrupters - Drinking Water
Endocrine Disrupters - Waste Waters and Sludge
GWRC
Assessment of the Performance of Wastewater Treatment Works in Removing Oestrogenic Substances
Reference: 10/TX/04/17
ISBN: 1 84057 562 X
The National Demonstration Programme(NDP) has been established to further an understanding of how current and advanced treatment processes used at wastewater treatment works affect the concentration of certain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). This project has undertaken the co-ordination of the NDP investigations, the establishment of quality control procedures for data collection and the interpretation and reporting of the results obtained. The study has shown that, where adequate receiving water dilution is available, EDC removal by conventional nitrifying treatment processes is sufficient to meet tentative predicted no-effect concentrations for the substances of concern. Where adequate dilution is not available, more advanced tratment may be required but this would result in significant additional cost and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Of the three advanced treatment processes investigated (oxidation using ozone or chlorine dioxide, or adsorption using granular activated carbon), the most cost effective was found to be ozone at a dose of 1 mg/l.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals National Demonstration Programme: Assessment of the Performance of WwTW in Removing Oestrogenic Substances
The feminisation of wild fish (termed 'intersex') has been associated with elevated concentrations of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in some wastewater treatment works (WwTW) effluents. To further an understanding of how current WwTW processes affect treated effluent EDC concentration, a National Demonstration Programme (NDP), managed by UKWIR, has been undertaken collaboratively by all 10 water and sewerage companies in England and Wales and the Environment Agency.
The NDP consists of two elements; the investigation of new or advances treatment processes aimed at achieving high standards of EDC removal; and the investigation of EDC removal by extensive monitoring at fourteen wastewater treatment works.
This project has been concerned with providing technical and logistical support to the monitoring of the fourteen sites. The report contains an extensive body of robust data regarding the occurrence, treatment and release of EDCs from conventional WwTW.
Endocrine Disrupters: A Review of the Science Underpinning the ED Research Programme
There is increasing evidence of a causal link between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and aquatic effects, particularly on individual fish. However, there are few data to substantiate any population-level effects on aquatic communities. This review investigates the effects of wastewaters discharges on aquatic ecosystems, with a focus on fish populations.
There is good evidence that both natural and anthropogenic EDCs occur in the environment at concentrations sufficient to promote effects in individual fish. However, not all fish species react in the same way and not all wastewaters produce the same response. Evidence is emerging of reproductive effects in severely intersexed fish, which usually form a very small proportion of the total population. This may explain why there is no clear evidence of population-level effects in fish populations in the UK.
The possibility of both acute localised effects of EDCs on aquatic communities and chronic effects over the longer term should not be discounted. Impacts on the individual are recognised, although the significance for wider populations remains to be determined. Further field-based experiments are recommended to provide evidence from which to formulate appropriate policy and practical responses.
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Gay Methodist Preacher and Boyfriend Attacked in Atlanta
Rev. Josh Noblitt (St. Mark UMC photo)
Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia – A gay United Methodist minister and his boyfriend were attacked and robbed on July 2 at at picnic in the park. Rev. Josh Noblitt, 32, Social Justice Minister at St. Mark United Methodist Church, and Trent Williams, 25, were just finishing up their picnic and had started playing cards when six young men approached the couple asking if they were gay. Jarvis Johnson, 19, Sam Johnson, 18 and four other males between the ages of 13-17 allegedly began threatening them at that point, saying “Y’all gay? We ought to beat y’all for that.” Then three members of the gang physically attacked Noblitt and Williams, demanding money. One of them wielded a large stick, according to The Examiner. Noblitt and Williams proved not to be the easy marks their robbers expect two gay men to be. Williams, Noblitt’s partner, knew karate and kicked the assailants in the face. Thwarted, the attackers fled, and Rev. Noblitt called 911 to report the attack. Then, “out of nowhere,” as Noblitt said to the GA Voice, 8 to 10 youths rushed up to surround the pair. At one point, one of the assailants pressed a loaded pistol to Rev. Noblitt’s head. Hearing sirens, the gang broke off the attack and attempted to escape. When Atlanta Police arrived on the scene, they found some of the youths hiding behind a building, and six suspects were rounded up. The two adults were arrested and are being held in the Fulton County Jail Atlanta PD sources say that the suspects were also involved in a series of robberies in and around the park. As the minister said to the GA Voice, “Sometimes we live in a bubble, but right here in Midtown a hate crime can happen.” Rev. Noblitt, an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church, has wrestled with the meaning of what happened to him and his lover in the park. In an open letter to the St. Mark congregation read to worshippers on July 11, he said, “Over this past week, I have spent a lot of that time thinking about the young men I encountered in the park, and I am sure they have thought a lot about me. I wonder how people so young could have found themselves in a position to make the decision to assault and rob people that they perceived to be gay and not think through the harm that it would cause to us, to the community and to themselves.” Noblitt went on to say, “Do they really hate me and people like me? Or do they merely think that we are easy targets? What led them to ask us if we were gay and then to conclude without even waiting for a response that we should be beaten for that? Would they still have approached us if we had been a man and a woman? Would they still have approached us if we were two men of the same race? Where did they even get these ideas in the first place?” The full text of the open letter may be seen here. What amounted to be a very close call for the couple could easily have taken a lethal turn. Rev. Noblitt continues to rely on his faith to make sense of the assault, and to put his life back together again, as the young African American men face the legal system. It is not clear whether this attack will be investigated as a hate crime.
July 24, 2010 Posted by unfinishedlives | African Americans, Anglo Americans, Anti-LGBT hate crime, Beatings and battery, Bludgeoning, gay men, Georgia, gun violence, harassment, Hate Crimes, Heterosexism and homophobia, Law and Order, Perpetrators of Hate Crime, Social Justice Advocacy, St. Mark United Methodist Church Atlanta | African Americans, Anglo Americans, Anti-LGBT hate crime, Beatings and battery, Bludgeoning, gay men, Georgia, gun violence, harassment, Hate Crimes, Heterosexism and homophobia, Law and Order, perpetrators, Social Justice Advocacy, St. Mark United Methodist Church Atlanta | 7 Comments
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Defense Department Releases Indexes to Joint Chiefs of Staff Filing System
tags: Documents, FOIA, index, joint chiefs of staff, MDR
…Now all we have to do is MDR them.
Researchers interested in modern U.S. military history will benefit from FOIA releases by the Department of Defense on the record-keeping system of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-level organization in the U.S. military command system. In response to a FOIA request by the National Security Archive, the Pentagon declassified a master index to the policy papers of the JCS as of July 1975: JCS Series Numbers and Subject Index. The National Security Archive published these indexes for the first time today. Created during World War II, when the JCS was established, the index assigned a four digit number to each topic. As time passed the system was fine-tuned and re-organized, as new subjects appeared, such as the Single Integrated Operational Plan (JCS 2056) or the Freedom of Information Act (JCS 3531). Moreover, enduring topics such as “Exercises: Command Post Exercises (CPX); Maneuvers” received new numbers (for example JCS 2518).
Also in response to a National Security Archive request, the Pentagon released the index to the filing system used by the Joint Staff, which assists the JCS Chairman in providing direction for the activities of the armed services. Beginning in the late 1960s, if not earlier, the Joint Staff created a new indexing system to get better intellectual control over its paperwork. That system remains in place, although the Joint Staff refined it over the years to allow for the coverage of new topics. What the Defense Department released is the “Joint Records Classification Manual (JCRM),” which is organized topically and numerically. Each subject gets a number; for example, “383” covers documents relating to “Unconventional Warfare and Unconventional Warfare Forces,” while “604” covers material on “communications with world leaders.” As may be noted, each “subjective category” only uses some of the numerical possibilities in order to allow for inclusion of new topics.
Researchers on U.S. military policy can use the Joint Staff and JCS policy paper indexing systems to help formulate their FOIA requests. Moreover, as Joint Staff files from the late 1960s and 1970s become available in Record Group 218 (Joint Chiefs of Staff) at the National Archives, researchers will be able to use these indexes to identify the files that are relevant to their interests. Unfortunately, most Joint Staff files remain classified, but the index makes the subject matter of the files more explicable so that more precise declassification requests can be framed.
Document 1: Joint Chiefs of Staff: JCS Series Numbers and Subject Index, SM-407-75, July 1975, Confidential
Document 2: Joint Records Classification Manual (JRCM) Major Subjective Categories. [Numerical breakdown of topics, with numbers assigned to each category. This is the three digit filing system that was in effect during 1966-1975.]
Document 3: Joint Records Classification Manual (JRCM) [Alphabetical listing of subjects with assigned numbers. This is the three digit filing system that was in effect during 1966-1975.]
from → Collections, Documents, News
← Document Friday: El Diario Militar; The Death Squad Diary
FRINFORMSUM: 5/8/12 →
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Reblogged this on NonviolentConflict.
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Danny & The Juniors
Home/ Danny & The Juniors
Oct 12, 2018 webteamArtists1950s, 1960s, D, doo wop, pop, rock
Danny & The Juniors began singing together in the early 1950’s. The four Philadelphia youngsters — Frank Maffei, Danny Rapp, Joe Terranova and Dave White — were only 13 and 14 years old and known as The Juvenairs. Big fans of the local rhythm and blues radio stations. it was there they they heard the first stirrings of a new music soon to become known as Rock ‘n Roll. They knew this was something they wanted to be a part of and began to perform the new music as well as their own original material at school dances, local clubs and restaurants.
As record companies began a frenzied quest for young people who could perform the new genre, the Juvenaires were soon discovered and transformed into Danny & The Juniors. When their own original song “At The Hop”was recorded, they were on their way — straight to the top.
A monster hit on 5 continents, “At The Hop” reached #1 on pop, country and rhythm and blues charts. Today it stands as the #23 all-time biggest record according to The Billboard Magazine List Of #1 Hits.
In the face of parental opposition and critic’s prediction that rock ‘n’ roll was a passing fad, their next hit, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here To Stay”, became a veritable anthem and self-fulfilling prophecy.
Early in 1958 Dick Clark presented Danny And The Juniors with a gold record for “At The Hop” on American Bandstand, the first of many awards and accolades they would receive over their career, including Best New Group of 1957 and continuing to the present. More recently they have been awarded the prestigious Philadelphia Music Alliance Achievement Award.
Danny And The Juniors have toured with many early legends and founders of American Rock In Roll including Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Platters in the famous Alan Freed Big Beat Show. They have appeared on American Bandstand almost 50 time, as well many other TV shows.
They have traveled millions of miles and entertained millions of people in all fifty states, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia and feel privileged to be able to continue to do so.
Dave White left the group in the 1960s to concentrate on writing and production and composed a number of hits including “You Don’t Own Me” for Leslie Gore and “Like A Baby” for Len Barry.
In their fifth decade as performers, Danny & The Juniors appear at conventions, theatres, clubs, casinos, fairs and festivals. Their wholesome, fun-loving stage show is embellished with comedy, impressions, bright costumes and audience participation, and is regarded as one of the best in the business.
Book Danny & The Juniors
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Egypt-focussed Assassin’s Creed Could Skip 2016
By Mat Growcott
There’s finally something good we can say about Assassin’s Creed Unity – it’s launch was so bad that it may have made Ubisoft reconsider the franchise’s yearly release schedule.
According to Kotaku, multiple unnamed inside sources at Ubisoft have confirmed that the next major game in the Assassin’s Creed series will be released at some point in 2017. That would make 2016 the first year there hasn’t been a new game since 2008.
This seems to be backed up by a developer who supposedly leaked information to 4chan earlier this week.
That doesn’t mean that there won’t be enough Assassin’s Creed to get your teeth into this year. The Chronicles spin-off will return this month and next, and the film is currently scheduled for release in December.
On top of that, rumours of some kind of Assassin’s Creed collection hit the web late last year when Ubisoft registered a domain.
So while a new numbered game might not make an appearance, there’s no doubt that fans will be able to part with their pennies if they choose to do so.
Kotaku’s sources have also managed to leak what they claim are some basic details for the 2017 instalment.
Codenamed ‘Empire’, the new title will be set in ancient Egypt. It is supposedly the first in a new character trilogy.
Like all unsourced rumours, it’s best to take the information with a pinch of salt. Different people have different levels of access and things can change at the drop of a hat. Even so, the pressures of a yearly release schedule have been well documented when it comes to Ubisoft’s long-running franchise, and it’s a surprise this change wasn’t made around the time that 3 was released.
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Cannabis Companies Crossing Fingers For 280E In Tax Vote
Thread starter Ron Strider
280e businesses cannabis federal tax
Ron Strider
When a U.S. Congressman recently told me that getting rid of Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code "would amount to a tax cut for pot growers," I was caught off guard by his twisted interpretation of this tax policy.
It was a huge reminder of how much more work organizations like the New Federalism Fund, of which I am a proud member, have left to do in our efforts to secure fair tax policy for the legal cannabis industry. Widespread misconceptions persist even at the highest levels of our government, with many continuing to regard our industry as an easy way to strike it rich in the new American "green rush." But the truth is, there are still major hurdles that make it particularly hard for businesses to actually profit in the new marijuana sector.
Section 280E, which prevents state-legal marijuana companies from deducting otherwise ordinary business expenses from their total income, is one of the biggest obstacles cannabis entrepreneurs run up against. To many, this may seem like a mere inconvenience or minor setback. But I can assure you, it is not.
While most companies in the U.S. pay a standard corporate tax rate of 35 percent, cannabis businesses, thanks to 280E, often face effective tax burdens of 70 percent or more.
But there is hope on the horizon. Just this week, Sen. Cory Gardner's press secretary said the senator "plans to file an amendment" to the sweeping Senate tax overhaul bill that would reform 280E so it no longer applies to marijuana businesses operating in accordance with state and local laws, according to a Forbes report.
Gardner, a Colorado Republican, also cosponsored a standalone bill to reform this tax measure earlier this month.
"Our current tax code puts thousands of legal marijuana businesses throughout Colorado at a disadvantage by treating them differently than other businesses across the state," Gardner said in a press release. "Coloradans made their voices heard in 2012 when they legalized marijuana and it's time for the federal government to allow Colorado businesses to compete."
What is 280E and why does it matter?
The heart of Section 280E centers around how federal tax law deals with businesses that are associated with "trafficking" substances that are listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Controlled Substance Act. Since cannabis remains listed as a Schedule I substance at the federal level, the Internal Revenue Service applies Section 280E to most state-legal marijuana companies, preventing them from deducting normal business expenses from their total income.
The measure was originally passed in response to a 1982 U.S. Tax Court case in which a cocaine dealer successfully defended tax deductions relating to his illegal drug business. Congress enacted 280E to prevent other drug dealers from following suit and trying to deduct business expenses relating to their illegal activities.
Although it stems from the case of someone who was operating clearly outside the bounds of all state and federal laws, the IRS has subsequently determined Section 280E also applies to licensed, regulated marijuana businesses acting in full compliance with state cannabis laws and federal guidelines.
Most businesses in the United States are only required to pay taxes on their taxable income, which is calculated by subtracting business expenses from total income. But cannabis businesses can only deduct the cost of goods sold on their taxes — that is, the direct costs of the materials used in creating goods along with the direct labor costs used to produce those goods.
We cannot deduct operating expenses like payroll, rent, electricity, and advertising, or the high costs of obtaining a state marijuana license. Together, these non-deductible costs account for a substantial portion of the total costs associated with running a business.
As a result, state-legal marijuana companies are taxed at roughly double the rate of businesses in other sectors. Our tax burden is downright prohibitive, and it has nothing to do with the original intent of 280E to penalize illegal drug dealers.
280E undermines fundamental American values
On a very basic level, federal taxes represent a contract of sorts between private entities and the U.S. government. We pay taxes so that our government can collect the money it needs to fund vital services and programs that help citizens fulfill the classic American ideals of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
For corporate entities, tax contributions help ensure a system of law and order exists in which they can confidently conduct legitimate business operations. But the federal tax contributions of state-legal cannabis companies often serve the opposite purpose, hobbling an industry seeking to legitimize itself, rather than giving it basic survival tools afforded to every other legal industry.
The federal government collects disproportionately large amounts of tax money from an industry it still won't recognize in full, then turns around and uses that money to enforce policies that further stifle the industry's growth. This double-whammy is a gross manipulation of the basic principles on which the American tax system was built.
Despite numerous federal memos and other directives explicitly giving state-legal cannabis businesses the ability to operate, the IRS still treats us like we're convicted criminals undeserving of fair and equitable tax laws.
It should be noted that Section 280E also penalizes states that have made the thoughtful decision to have cannabis sold by regulated businesses instead of criminals. By over-taxing these state-licensed businesses, the provision literally takes tens of millions of dollars out of state and local economies and gives it to the federal government.
Cannabis companies have created tens of thousands of new jobs in this country, and it's time for federal tax policies to start acknowledging the very real contributions this industry is making toward the overall health of the American labor economy. The legal marijuana industry generated nearly $7 billion in sales in 2016, and market reports project that number to reach $50 billion by 2026.
While getting rid of 280E won't erase every legal obstacle cannabis businesses face, it would at least set their tax burdens on equal footing with other legal industries. And that notion of equal footing is key. Cannabis businesses aren't asking for tax breaks or special treatment, they're just asking for the same financial opportunities given to every other legitimate business in this country. What could be more American than creating an equitable tax environment for all?
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cannabis Companies Crossing Fingers For 280E In Tax Vote
Author: Andy Williams
Website: Homepage
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Tag Archives: funerals
Customarily
By Annagrammatica on December 14, 2008 | 2 Comments
There was a madness about Mardi Gras… — the music, the masks, the mayhem all crashing together into a desperate sort of celebration … that was both gleefully innocent and rawly sexual. He doubted [that] the majority of the tourists who flocked… [to New Orleans] for the event understood or cared about the purpose of it. —Nora Roberts, Midnight Bayou
Carnival in Rio: Mangueira Samba School Parade (photo by Felipe Ferreira)
Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, the three-day period preceding the beginning of Lent, the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday (some traditions … [consider] Carnival … [to be the] time between Epiphany… [Twelfth Night] and Ash Wednesday). The entire three-day period [before Ash Wednesday] has come to be known in many areas as Mardi Gras.—Wikipedia
Chapter 9: Rituals and Celebrations
Part 2: Rituals and Traditions and Festivals and Customs and Celebrations and Ceremonies and Habits… Oh, My!
Every weekday morning, when I was in high school, I woke, at precisely a quarter to six, to the crisp click of my dad’s Zippo lighter, signaling the first cigarette of the day, the beginning of his morning ritual, through which he moved, brisk but unhurried, with a precision that made timepieces unnecessary.
Dad would smoke his cigarette, don his terry-cloth robe, fetch the newspaper from the front porch and take it into the downstairs half-bath… from which he would emerge, 11.37 minutes later, to climb the stairs and take his shower in the upstairs bathroom. The shower water shutting off was my cue to get up, brush my teeth, wash my face, put on my clothes (this often involved a couple of trips to the clothes drier in the basement and sometimes a hasty ironing job), find my books and my homework, experience a moment of anxiety about the homework left undone, and skip breakfast if I wanted to be ready when Dad left for his downtown office, so that I wouldn’t have to take the city bus to school and could maybe finish my homework in Dad’s car.
Living poetically: an orderly life
Dad’s morning routine illustrates one of the great benefits of ritual and an essential ingredient in living poetically: maintaining order. If one is going to live poetically, then one must be efficient whenever possible, thus allowing oneself the liberty of being artistically inefficient at predictable times.
This is a lesson I was slow to learn, which is why, when I was working full time at an 8-to-5 job, my daughter, Marian, usually ate her cereal in the car on the way to day care.
For purposes of this lesson, I’m going to fudge the boundaries of words such as ritual, custom, festival, celebration, ceremony, and tradition. Sometimes the words can be used interchangeably, sometimes not.
It is the custom (and the law), for example, in the U.S. to drive on the right side of the road and to GO when the stoplight turns green. Some over-the-road truck drivers customarily flick their headlights to let passing cars know that it’s safe to return to the right lane. Back when most highways were only two lanes wide, it was customary to tap on the horn as a signal to the car in front of you that you were about to pass it.
These are practical customs, adopted to make driving safe and efficient. You could, I suppose, consider them traditions, but they are hardly rituals or ceremonies or celebrations. The custom of driving on the right side of the road quickly becomes a habit — something you do automatically, without thinking. Imagine the chaos if every morning, when you got into your car to go to work, you (and the rest of the drivers in your community) had to make up your mind as to which side of the street you wanted to drive on and what to do if you encountered a green stoplight.
On the other hand, it is customary and traditional for children to wear costumes and go trick-or-treating on Halloween. Few children, however, are aware that Halloween
…has roots in the Christian holy day of All Saints and the… ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain… — a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, …sometimes regarded as the “Celtic New Year.” Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient Celtic pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the living and the deceased dissolved, and the dead became dangerous for the living by causing… sickness or [damaging]… crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, into which the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to copy the evil spirits, [to hide from them], or to placate them. —Wikipedia
As was often the case when a civilization became “Christianized,” missionaries finessed Christian holidays into traditional pagan celebrations. The name Halloween is a shortened form of All Hallows’ Eve (or All Hallows’ Even), because it falls on the eve of All Hallows’ Day, now called All Saints’ Day, which in Christian theology commemorates those who have died and, presumably, gone to Heaven.
As Halloween symbols, skeletons and jack-o’-lanterns have ancient meaning as well, but, for most kids, Halloween is just an excuse to dress up, get together with friends, and eat a lot of candy. Without being aware of it, they are participating in an ancient and multilayered ritual.
Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama, 2006
Worldwide, the carnivals that precede the forty-day sacrificial season of Lent traditionally comprise several days of extravagance and self-indulgence — in sharp contrast to the ensuing (partial) fast, which is meant to
…[prepare] the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. —Wikipedia
The official wedding portrait of Princess Grace and Prince Ranier III of Monaco
Associated with weddings are rituals, celebrations, ceremonies, and customs, all rolled into one series of traditions — from bachelor parties and bridal showers to Catholic masses and chivarees. During the wedding, the bride is supposed to wear “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” (often a garter), though nobody remembers why.
According to Wikipedia, “exchanging rings may be the oldest and most universal symbol of marriage, but the origins are unclear. The ring’s circular shape represents perfection and never-ending love.”
Why rituals matter
Rituals and ceremonies often mark transitions — seasonal, cultural, and individual. Weddings, baptisms (if you believe that baptism is necessary for salvation), wakes and funerals, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, quinceañeras, even “divorce parties” are ways of delineating a change in status… of indicating unequivocally that before the ceremony things were one way and after the ceremony they are another way.
An 1883 print depicting an Irish wake
I had always thought that wakes and “viewings” of the deceased were unnecessary and even macabre, until my mother died without warning in 1974. At the age of 62, she had a massive stroke at home; Dad rode to the hospital with her in the ambulance, while my sister, Pipi, and I followed in my car. The three of us sat in a waiting room, watching television as Richard Nixon announced that he would resign the presidency the next day, August 9. Periodically, some medical person would appear with an increasingly gloomy “update” on Mom’s condition. We were finally allowed to see her, though she was practically unidentifiable behind flanks of machines and forests of tubes.
Late in the evening, the machines and tubes were removed, Mom was declared dead, and we were asked if we wanted to see her again. Our unanimous reaction was, “Ugh,” whereupon her body was donated to the Nebraska Anatomical Board, a sort of clearinghouse for cadavers that would be used for medical research. We held a memorial service, but of course there was no viewing, no cemetery burial, not even an urn for her ashes.
Tulips (Floriade canberra); photo by John O'Neill
Well, it was a mistake, at least on my part. Somewhere in my psyche there was persistent denial: I had not seen her dead, therefore it was possible that she was not dead. I had this recurring dream that she had gone to Japan and would be back any day. During my waking hours, I experienced depression, panic attacks, even hallucinations.
I spent a lot of time with Dad in the home he and Mom had shared, helping with laundry and sewing buttons on his shirts. I watched Mom’s tulips and perennial herbs cleave the thawing earth in the spring. I don’t think I actually “went on with my life,” as they say, until Marian and I moved to the Washington, DC, area almost a year and a half later.
When Dad died, eleven years after we lost Mom, I was not about to make the same mistake. He had been ill for some time, and his death was not unexpected, but I arrived at the hospital (in response to a nurse’s phone call) minutes after he died. When I entered his room, held his cold hand, kissed his ashen face, I felt an enormous sense of relief. “He’s not here,” I thought. “This isn’t Dad. He’s gone away.”
Rituals and celebrations connect us with each other, nudging families and communities together. Researchers have found that “social” people, who regularly spend time with their families and friends, are happier and live longer than people who are comparatively isolated, even by choice.
A Campbell family picnic in Des Moines, c. 1946
When I was growing up, none of our relatives lived in Omaha, and, as the youngest of my generation on my dad’s side, I found our rare family get-togethers tedious in the extreme. As an adult, though, I discovered to my surprise that my older cousins were funny and interesting, even though it was usually a funeral that brought us together. We have had two non-funeral-related family reunions in the last twenty years, and both have been delightful, with copious sincere expressions of regret that we don’t see each other more often. If one of the other Campbells were to plan a reunion and send me an invitation, I would eagerly attend. But, however fine a time we have at our reunions, we return to our comfort zones and follow the path of least resistance, and to date no additional reunions have been planned, which is a pity.
Truthfully, now… would you give your mother flowers or take her out for a champagne brunch if there were no such thing as Mother’s Day or if we, as a culture, didn’t traditionally celebrate birthdays?
Rituals connect us with our history and our ancestors. I have heard of Jews, descendants of those who fled one of the numerous European Inquisitions, growing up in Mexico and the American Southwest, practicing customs such as ritual handwashing and candle-lighting without knowing that such traditions were relics of their ancestors’ “Jewishness.” These are people who had no idea that they were descended from Jews… but their rituals outlasted their theology. (See Hidden Heritage: The Legacy of the Crypto-Jews , by Janet Liebman Jacobs)
Rituals, traditions, and customs lend structure to our days, weeks, months, and years. As mentioned above, a lot of things just aren’t worth the effort that would be needed to continually make decisions about them.
Take the Christmas tree. The custom of cutting down an evergreen tree, taking it home, hauling it into the house, setting its trunk in a bucket of water, and decorating it with garish balls and beads, probably originated in pre-Christian times as a reminder that living things can thrive even in the dead of winter. The modern tradition, in which the trees became associated with Christmas, seems to have originated in northern Europe some five hundred years ago.
Christmas-tree ornament (photo by Kris De Curtis)
If you decorate your house for Christmas, you probably have a Christmas tree. It might be a fir tree of some sort, or something that has been assembled in a factory to resemble a fir tree. You probably have your own family ritual that determines how and when the tree should be decorated. You might have been horrified, after you got married, to learn that your spouse’s family has one of those aluminum-foil-type trees and hangs only pink satin ornaments on it. Perhaps there were arguments about when the gifts should be opened: on Christmas eve or Christmas morning.
You could flout tradition and bring in a small sycamore tree, or maybe a palm. You could hang your ornaments and stockings on a coat rack, or you could pound a bunch of nails into the wall and drape tinsel across them. It would be odd but certainly not illegal. But why bother, when stores and parking lots are crammed with pines and spruces, and when you have a collection of beautiful Christmas-tree ornaments, some of which are family heirlooms?
Rituals of all kinds are exceedingly tenacious. When I was growing up, we opened the presents under the tree — those that came from distant aunts and uncles, and those that we gave to each other — on Christmas eve. My sister, Pipi, as the eldest of the three of us kids, got to hand out the gifts, and we opened them one at a time, in an orderly way. We wouldn’t have dreamed of opening a gift while someone else was opening hers.
The presents from Santa Claus — filled stockings and wrapped boxes beneath them — were, naturally, opened on Christmas morning in a sort of frenzied free-for-all — except that everyone had to be there. My brother, John, and I would roust Pipi and Mom and Dad out of bed so that Christmas Day could begin.
John and I insisted on maintaining this ritual even when we were in high school and Pipi was in college. To this very day, I’m uncomfortable opening a gift — any gift — while someone else in the room is opening one… unless its Christmas morning, which is, as mentioned, exempt from the one-gift-at-a-time rule.
Rituals revisited
Kids in Halloween costumes (photo by Charles Nguyen)
Some traditions have become totally severed from their origins. We no longer dress up at Halloween in order to protect ourselves from evil spirits, nor does Halloween have any religious significance except, perhaps, to Satanists. But we continue to observe Halloween for valid social and cultural reasons.
The tradition of hazing originated as a test of manhood — a rite-of-passage ceremony associated with an organization or a society. While it might have been a useful way, at one time, to “separate the men from the boys” in preparation for battles or hunting expeditions, hazing has, among some groups, degenerated into a sadistic display of boorishness.
Prepare a three-column table. In the first column, list the most important customs and traditions you observe. In the second column, summarize the origins of those customs and traditions. In the third column, indicate the relevance they have for you today.
Please e-mail your assignment to Mary@LifeIsPoetry.net. I will not grade your work, but I will comment on it and return it to you.
Next: Advent — What Are You Waiting For?
Aztec Mask of Xiuhtecuhtli, c. 1500 (photo by David Monniaux)
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Posted in: art, communication, creative process, e-course, Father's Day, free e-course, history of the English language, metaphor, online poetry course, personal develoopment, poetry, poetry writing, self-actualization, self-discovery, self-help, spiritual growth, spirituality, thankfulness, Uncategorized, what is truth, writing | Tagged: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints, an orderly life, Ash Wednesday, baptism, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, benefits of rituals, Carnival, celebrations, Celtic festivals, Celtic New Year, ceremonies, chivarees, Christian-pagan holidays, Christmas customs, Christmas decorations, Christmas rituals, Christmas traditions, Christmas tree origin, coming-of-age ceremonies, conversion to Christianity, costumes, crypto-Jews, customs, Easter, evil spirits, exchange of wedding rings, family reunions, Fat Tuesday, festivals, funerals, habits, Haloween, harvest celebration, hazing, hidden Jews, Irish wake, Lent, Mardi Gras, masks, Mother's Day, New Orleans, origins, Passion of Christ, Rio, rituals, Samhain, Santa Claus, something blue, something borrowed, something new, something old, traditions, traffic rules and customs, transitions, trick-or-treating, viewings, wedding customs
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Queensland lockout laws: Premier Palaszczuk's proposed legislation unlikely to win support of Billy Gordon
By Chris O'Brien
Posted February 15, 2016 14:10:58
Photo: Billy Gordon said he did not think the Government's lockout laws would save lives. (ABC News: George Roberts)
Related Story: Police Commissioner believes alcohol-fuelled violence is part of Australia's culture
Related Story: Early nightclub lockout laws at risk of defeat in Queensland Parliament
Map: Townsville 4810
The Queensland Government will have to rely on the two Katter MPs to pass its liquor laws this week, with independent Member for Cook Billy Gordon maintaining his opposition to the proposals.
The Opposition has vowed to vote against the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Bill.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is due to meet Mr Gordon and the KAP this afternoon, but the Cook MP said he was unlikely to support the earlier closing times.
Mr Gordon said today he would listen to Ms Palaszczuk, but that his position was substantially unchanged.
"I haven't seen anything or heard anything from the Government that's changed my mind," he said.
"As an independent in this Parliament, I've committed to listening to all sides of an issue and that's what I'll do.
I just don't think this legislation is the panacea that the Government spruiks it to be.
Billy Gordon, independent Cook MP
"I'll give the Premier the courtesy, as she deserves, to hear her story."
The laws would impose a last drinks time of 2:00am across the state, except in prescribed Safe Night Precincts where alcohol could be served until 3:00am, but with a 1:00am lockout.
Mr Gordon did not think the lockout laws would have protected recent victims of one-punch attacks such as Cole Miller.
"I'm not quite sure if this legislation was in place six or 12 months ago it would have saved anyone from harm," he said.
"I just don't think this legislation is the panacea that the Government spruiks it to be.
"I'm of the majority of Queenslanders that don't want this type of violence on our streets, but I don't want to pass legislation into law that I don't think deals with the issue."
Mr Gordon said he was not "championing" the hospitality industry.
"There's been a lot of people saying that I'm all about the industry but that's not the case at all," he said.
"This is about me saying, 'look, you wouldn't want to send your child out into the ocean in a leaky boat, and this policy is a leaky boat'."
Mr Gordon, a former Labor MP, also rejected any suggestion that the minority government would be grateful for his support.
"I don't think this is the issue I want to horse trade on."
Topics: state-parliament, alcohol, hospitality, food-and-beverage, beverages, townsville-4810, brisbane-4000
Contact Chris O'Brien
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President & CEO, ReShape Medical
Mr. Thompson has spent over 40 years in the medical device industry. Prior to joining ReShape Medical®, he served as the Founder, President, and CEO of Luminous Medical Inc, an innovative in-line glucose monitoring company based in Carlsbad, California. Prior to Luminous Medical, Mr. Thompson spent over ten years building Aradigm Corporation, a drug delivery company. He joined Aradigm in 1994 as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board after 13 years at LifeScan, A Johnson & Johnson Company. Mr. Thompson co-founded LifeScan as a venture backed start-up in 1981. After the acquisition by Johnson & Johnson, he became President of LifeScan in 1991 while building the company to worldwide leadership in its field. Mr. Thompson is currently a member of the board at Intuity Medical Inc. Mr. Thompson holds a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine, and an MBA from California Lutheran University.
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Manager (association football)
Head coach of an association football team
This article is about real life association football managers. For the video game, see Football Manager.
This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Manager" association football – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Alex Ferguson winner of the most English Manager of the Year awards, all won during his tenure as manager of Manchester United. As of 2015 he is the UEFA Coaching Ambassador.
In association football, a manager is an occupation of head coach in the United Kingdom responsible for running a football club or a national team. Outside the British Isles and across most of Europe, a title of head coach or coach is predominant.
A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in association football and professional baseball. In other sports such as Australian rules football, the head coach is generally termed a senior coach.
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic off the north-western coast of continental Europe that consist of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and over six thousand smaller isles. They have a total area of about 315,159 km2 and a combined population of almost 72 million, and include two sovereign states, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The islands of Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey, and Sark, and their neighbouring smaller islands, are sometimes also taken to be part of the British Isles, even though, as islands off the coast of France, they do not form part of the archipelago.
European and North American managers
The manager's responsibilities in a professional football club usually include (but are not limited to) the following:
Selecting the team of players for matches, and their formation.
Planning the strategy, and instructing the players on the pitch.
Motivating players before and during a match.
Delegating duties to the first team coach and the coaching and medical staff.
Scouting for young but talented players for eventual training in the youth academy or the reserves, and encouraging their development and improvement.
Buying and selling players in the transfer market, including loans.
Facing the media in pre-match and post-match interviews.
In association football, the formation describes how the players in a team generally position themselves on the pitch. Association football is a fluid and fast-moving game, and a player's position in a formation does not define their role as rigidly as for, for instance, a rugby player, nor are there episodes in play where players must expressly line up in formation. Nevertheless, a player's position in a formation generally defines whether a player has a mostly defensive or attacking role, and whether they tend to play towards one side of the pitch or centrally.
The coaching staff is a group of non-athletes tied to a sports team. It is led by a head coach, and consists of at least one assistant coach, together with other members such as doctors, massage therapists, trainers, and equipment managers, fitness trainer, nutritionist, biomechanist, physiotherapist, etc.
A training ground is an area where professional association football teams prepare for matches, with activities primarily concentrating on skills and fitness. They also sometimes form part of a club's youth system, as clubs consider it important to have good facilities to aid the development of young players.
Some of the above responsibilities are shared with the director of football or sporting director, and are at times delegated to an assistant manager or club coach.
A director of football is a senior management figure at an association football team most commonly in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and causes much debate in the sports media.
A sporting director, or director of sport, is an executive management position in a body concerned with sport. The role is best known as a manager role at continental European football clubs, which are usually "sports clubs" offering many types of sports. While the coach takes care of the team in daily work, the manager or sporting director takes care of hiring the team. The sporting director is, in many cases, a member of the executive board and therefore an executive director.
Additionally, depending on the club, some minor[ citation needed ] responsibilities include:
Marketing the club, most especially for ticket admission, sponsorship and merchandising.
Growing turnover and keeping the club profitable.
These responsibilities are more common among managers of small clubs.
The title of manager is almost exclusively used in British football. [2] In the majority of European countries where professional football is played, the person responsible for the direction of a team is awarded the position of coach or "trainer". For instance, despite the general equivalence in responsibilities, Bobby Robson was referred to as the manager of England, while Joachim Löw was described as the head coach of Germany (Germany also has a team manager role that is subordinate to the head coach and that is filled by Oliver Bierhoff).
Association football is organised on a separate basis in each of the four constituent countries that make up the United Kingdom (UK), with each having a national football association responsible for the overall management of football within their respective country. There is no United Kingdom national football team. Football has been the most popular sport in the UK since the 1860s. Rugby union, rugby league and cricket are other popular sports.
In sports, a coach is a person involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople. A coach may also be a teacher.
Sir Robert William Robson was an English footballer and football manager. His career included periods playing for and later managing the England national team and being a UEFA Cup-winning manager at Ipswich Town F.C.
The responsibilities of a European football manager or head coach tend to be divided up in North American professional sports, where the teams usually have a separate general manager and head coach (known as a field manager in baseball), although occasionally a person may fill both these roles. While the first team coach in football is usually an assistant to the manager who actually holds the real power, the American-style general manager and head coach have clearly distinct areas of responsibilities. For example, a typical European football manager would have the final say on in-game decisions (including player line-ups), and off-the-field and roster management decisions (including contract negotiations). In American sports, these duties would be handled separately by the head coach and general manager, respectively.
In baseball, the field manager is the equivalent of a head coach who is responsible for overseeing and making final decisions on all aspects of on-field team strategy, lineup selection, training and instruction. Managers are typically assisted by a staff of assistant coaches whose responsibilities are specialized. Field managers are typically not involved in off-field personnel decisions or long-term club planning, responsibilities that are instead held by a team's general manager.
List of football managers with most games
Caretaker manager
Player-manager
League Managers Association for managers in England
List of managers and coaches who have qualified for the UEFA Pro Licence
Futebol Clube do Porto, MHIH, OM, commonly known as FC Porto or simply Porto, is a Portuguese sports club based in Porto. It is best known for the professional football team playing in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football
A referee or simply ref is the person of authority in a variety of sports who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on-the-fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known, in addition to referee, by a variety of other titles as well, including umpire, judge, arbiter, arbitrator, linesman, commissaire, timekeeper, touch judge or Technical Official.
In association footballing terms, a caretaker manager is somebody who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed, or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is suspended, ill or unable to attend to their usual duties. Caretaker managers are normally appointed at short notice from within the club, usually the assistant manager, a senior coach, or an experienced player. In other sports, the term "interim manager" is more commonly used.
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association (DBU), the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU. Denmark's home ground is Parken Stadium in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen, and their head coach is Åge Hareide.
A general manager is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of the firm's marketing and sales functions as well as the day-to-day operations of the business. Frequently, the general manager is responsible for effective planning, delegating, coordinating, staffing, organizing, and decision making to attain desirable profit making results for an organization.
The team captain of an association football team, sometimes known as the skipper, is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team: it is often one of the older/or more experienced members of the squad, or a player that can heavily influence a game or have good leadership qualities. The team captain is usually identified by the wearing of an armband.
Srečko Katanec[ˈsretʃkɔ kaˈtanɛts](listen) is a Slovenian football manager and a former player capped for Yugoslavia and Slovenia national teams, currently managing Iraq.
Thomas Burns was a Scottish professional football player and manager. He is best known for his long association with Celtic, where he was a player, manager and coach.
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21(s), is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team.
A player-coach is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the squad and also play on the team.
Ulrich "Uli" Stielike is a German former footballer who is the head coach of Tianjin Teda FC of China's Super League. Usually a central midfielder or sweeper, Stielike was well known for his stamina and footballing intelligence. Stielike is one of a small handful of players to have played in all 3 European club finals, the FIFA World Cup Final and the UEFA European Championship Final.
In association football, an assistant referee is an official empowered with assisting the referee in enforcing the Laws of the Game during a match. Although assistants are not required under the Laws, at most organised levels of football the match officiating crew consists of the referee and at least two assistant referees. The responsibilities of the various assistant referees are listed in Law 6, "The Other Match Officials". In the current Laws the term "assistant referee" technically refers only to the two officials who generally patrol the touchlines, with the wider range of assistants to the referee given other titles.
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game. Beyond the manager, more than a half dozen coaches may assist the manager in running the team. Essentially, baseball coaches are analogous to assistant coaches in other sports, as the baseball manager is to the head coach.
The 2014 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, the 59th season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 22nd season since it was renamed from the European Champion Clubs' Cup to the UEFA Champions League.
Albert Stuivenberg is a Dutch football coach and former player who is currently the assistant manager of the Wales national team. Stuivenberg played professionally for SC Telstar and HFC Haarlem, before suffering a serious injury and moving into coaching with Feyenoord, RWD Molenbeek, Al Jazira Club, the Netherlands under-17 and under-21 national teams and Genk.
Martinus Richardus Maria "Martin" Sturkenboom is a Dutch entrepreneur, former chairman of professional football club FC Utrecht, interim general manager of AFC Ajax and internationally active as delegate of UEFA and FIFA.
↑ Europe's top coaches convene in Nyon. UEFA website. 2 September 2015
↑ "Manager or Coach?". Football Italia. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
The unsackables: Europe's longest-serving coaches. UEFA. 21 May 2016
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Amnesty International Urges Yemen to Reject Amnesty Law for President Saleh and Aides
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150, [email protected]
(New York) — Amnesty International has urged the Yemeni parliament to reject a draft law granting President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his aides immunity from prosecution, after Yemen's cabinet approved the controversial bill on Sunday.
The draft law, which the country's parliament is expected to ratify in the coming days, grants President Saleh and anyone who has worked under him amnesty for any crimes committed during his 33-year rule.
An additional clause in the bill means it will be impossible to repeal the law once it is passed.
"This is even worse than we feared. Granting President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his allies immunity from prosecution rules out any form of accountability for gross human rights violations that have taken place in Yemen over decades," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's interim director for the Middle East and North Africa.
"This is a smack in the face for justice, made all the more glaring by the fact that protesters have been calling for an end to impunity since mass protests began in early 2011," said Luther. "The Yemeni parliament ought to reject this outright."
"Instead, the parliament should endorse the recommendation made by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and by Amnesty International that an independent international investigation is conducted into continuing human rights violations."
The draft law, which grants President Saleh and anyone who has worked under him immunity in exchange for leaving office, has angered protesters, who have called for the leader and others to be put on trial.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says the bill — if passed into law — would violate Yemen's international human rights obligations.
Since early 2011, more than 200 people have been killed and thousands injured as security forces and armed Saleh supporters attempted to quell mostly peaceful pro-reform protests in the capital Sana'a and elsewhere. Hundreds more have been killed in armed clashes.
Under international law, including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Yemen is obliged to investigate and prosecute anyone suspected of such crimes where there is sufficient admissible evidence.
Under a power-transfer agreement signed in November, Ali Abdullah Saleh handed over some presidential powers to Vice-President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
A member of the opposition was appointed to head a government of national reconciliation, with ministerial posts divided up among political parties as per the agreement. The new government will remain in power for an interim period of two years.
Ali Saleh will retain the title of president until the elections, which are expected to take place in February.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
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Randy the Rooster
A farmer has 200 hens, but no rooster, and he wants chicks. So, he goes down the road to the next farmer and asks if he has a rooster which he would sell.
The other farmer says, "Yeah, I've got this great rooster, named Randy. He'll service every chicken you got, no problem."
Well, Randy the rooster costs a lot of money, but the farmer decides he'd be worth it. So, he buys Randy. The farmer takes Randy home and sets him down in the barnyard first giving the rooster a pep talk, "Randy, I want you to pace yourself now. You've got a lot of chickens to service here, and you cost me a lot of money. Consequently, I'll need you to do a good job. So, take your time and have some fun," the farmer said, with a chuckle.
Randy seemed to understand, so the farmer points toward the hen house, and Randy took off like a shot. -WHAM!- Randy nails every hen in the hen house - three or four times, and the farmer is really shocked. After that the farmer hears a commotion in the duck pen, sure enough, Randy is in there. Later, the farmer sees Randy after a flock of geese, down by the lake. Once again - WHAM! He gets all the geese! By sunset he sees Randy out in the fields chasing quail and pheasants. The farmer is distraught - worried that his expensive rooster won't even last 24 hours. Sure enough, the farmer goes to bed and wakes up the next day, to find Randy dead as a doorknob - stone cold in the middle of the yard. Buzzards are circling overhead. The farmer, saddened by the loss of such a colorful - and expensive animal, shakes his head and says, "Oh, Randy, I told you to pace yourself. I tried to get you to slow down, now look what you've done to yourself."
Randy opens one eye, nods toward the buzzards circling in the sky and says, "Shhh, they're getting closer."
CATEGORY Farmer Jokes
Don Dante
Donna Lorraine
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US: Ahmadinejad is elected leader
White House acknowledges re-election of Iranian president after disputed poll.
Opposition candidates claimed that Ahmadinejad's
re-election was rigged [AFP]
Barack Obama, the US president, has so far been careful not to make strong comments on the legitimacy of the June 12 vote.
However, Washington has condemned Tehran for its use of violence against opposition demonstrators who were questioning the veracity of the poll result.
Dozens of people are thought to have been killed and about 2,000 detained during the unrest.
Scholar detained
On Tuesday, Washington called for the release of Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar, who has been put on trial with about 100 other defendants over his alleged role in the post-election violence.
"We are deeply concerned of reports that Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakhsh was recently charged by an Iranian court without the benefit of a lawyer," Robert Wood, the deputy spokesman for US state department, said.
"Given that the charges facing Mr Tajbakhsh are without foundation, we call on Iran's leadership to release Mr Tajbakhsh without delay."
Obama and the leaders of France, Britain and Germany have refused to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his re-election.
"In view of the circumstances of the controversial re-election, the chancellor will not, as usual, write the normal letter of congratulation," a German government spokesman said.
The British government has said it will send its ambassador to Ahmadinejad's swearing-in on Tuesday, but would also refuse to formally
"The prime minister will not be writing to congratulate Mr Ahmadinejad," a spokesman for Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, said.
The Iranian government has insisted that the election was free and fair and has accused Britain and the United States of stoking the post-election demonstrations, a charge those countries have denied.
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Australia to curb citizens from joining IS
Proposals include increasing surveillance and suspending passports of Australians intending to join Islamic State group.
Australia says its adopting new measures to prevent its citizens from travelling to Syria and Iraq to join groups like the Islamic State group.
Proposals targeting foreign fighters in Syria include the confiscation of passports and allowing security services to increase monitoring of communications online.
More than 150 Australians are believed to be fighting with the Islamic State group.
Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas reports from Sydney.
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After fifteen years of leading youth and family ministry, singer/songwriter Peder Eide has become decidedly desperate. While Peder’s passion for the life-changing power of God has always been evident in his music and his life, his mission has become more intense over the past few years. And today, he is finding a boldness to speak out against what he sees as a complacent Christianity permeating the culture.
“We need less spectators to point out the fire and more firemen to run into the building,” says Peder. “We’ve got to stop talking about how we can change the world and just do it. God took a risk by loving us. We need to do the same.”
Indeed, the songs on his new CD, Rescue, convey a sense of urgency about children, family and learning to love the least among us. Though Peder has been a proud and successful partner with Compassion International over the years, he and his wife, Sherri, have literally put their family on the front lines. In 2004, the couple adopted a little girl, Makenzie, from Korea to add to their three biological children and in 2008, they went to Ethiopia to bring Teshome home. Adoption has changed the Eide family tree from a blond-haired brood to a multi-cultural kaleidoscope of kids, and made a spiritual impact in ways Peder never thought possible.
The title song of the new CD is a no-holds-barred plea for people to “Come to the Rescue” of children in need. Likewise, the song “We Are Not Orphans” reminds the listener that God’s adoption process is still alive and well today. But the song also stirred intense personal emotions in Peder as he came to the realization that his childhood trauma had affected his understanding, or misunderstanding, of God.
“I was fourteen years old when my mom died,” he says. “My oldest son is now that same age and I look at him and think of how very young I was to lose someone so integral in my life. When I became a dad to kids who started their lives as orphans, I began to understand that I had learned to be a survivor at an early age, which led me to have an orphan spirit. Trusting people never came easy to me and it still doesn’t. When you have that orphan spirit, it’s like having a crack in your cup. God keeps pouring His love into the cup, but it is always leaking. It never fills to overflowing. The crack represents fear; fear of something. The crack in my own life was fear of abandonment and of being invaluable.
“But loving Makenzie and Teshome has brought alive the Scripture in Ephesians 1 that says God takes great pleasure in adopting us. I can honestly understand God’s love on a whole new level. I love all my kids as favorites and I’ve come to believe that I am God’s favorite. I’m His favorite one. In Zechariah 3:17, the Bible says He sings over us. Think of that --He sings over me. That kind of love is pretty ridiculous.”
The songs on Rescue will surely enhance Peder’s original Taste Worship events which arm families with practical tools to transform their lives into living worship lifestyles, drawing them closer to God while growing closer to each other. This event has become a popular outreach for churches who wish to strengthen the family unit and reignite a passion for parents to become the spiritual leaders in their households. The song “That’s What Family Does” could easily be the theme song for Taste Worship as it invites families to: “lean into the love, lift each other up, cheer each other on, we do it all because that’s what family does.”
While Rescue follows a definitive pattern with its lyrics, the music is an assortment of country-influenced pop with penetrating ballads (“Take What I Have”), praise & worship favorites (“You Are Good”), and even a thoughtful interpretation of the old hymn “This is My Father’s World.” But the heart of the project is in its urgent petition for Christians to act on their faith in tangible ways.
“The word ‘Adoption’ in the Bible literally means being ‘placed as a son or daughter’ in the home and presence of the father,” says Peder. “There are times in my life that I realize I have gone into His courtyard, but didn’t feel worthy to go into His house. When the prodigal son finally went home, his dad didn’t run outside and demand an apology or tell him, ‘Oh, we are sooo going to talk about this later.’ He went out and gave him a pair of shoes. Servants didn’t wear shoes; only sons wore shoes. He was welcoming his son back to the family with no strings attached. And that’s the tender heart of God’s fatherly love for us.”
Once again, matching his walk with his talk, Peder is donating a portion of the proceeds from the Rescue CD to help the Highly Vulnerable Children’s Fund via Compassion International. The fund specifically helps children who have severely ill parents, been orphaned, or who are especially at risk for abuse and exploitation. Peder’s great passion for helping the most helpless is having a trickle-down effect in the lives of his own children. His daughter, Allison, recently announced she wanted to start sponsoring a second child in addition to the one she sponsors from Honduras.
“While I was proud of her for wanting to do it, she knew she would have to pay the monthly support on her own,” says Peder. “She had found a little Ethiopian girl who was the same age as her (11), and she was determined to find the additional monthly funds to do it. The very next day, we had a friend call us and ask Allison to babysit. She said for some reason God had very distinctly brought Allison to mind when her need for a sitter came up. It is amazing how God took my daughter’s desire and turned it into a reality so quickly.”
The song “Nothing More Nothing Less Nothing Else” probably encapsulates Peder’s heart cry for his ministry and his life.
“I’m not going to apologize if I make people feel uncomfortable,” he says. “Our generation needs to become reacquainted with Jesus and one of the best ways to do that is to spend time with and invest in the poor, the ailing, and the outcast among us. That’s how we all start out in life, but when we enter into God’s grace, we become His adopted sons and daughters. And He rescues us from our sins, our fears and our deepest sorrows. Makenzie and Teshome are Eides now. They are MY kids. No one can take them away from me. They will be Eides until they die. And I plan on singing over them all my life.”
Preview "Rescue" CD
Click here to listen to the entire "Rescue" CD. For a physical review copy, email us!
Just the Facts about Peder Eide
Top 10 national radio single, “Roll the Stone Away” from Taste & SeeCD
Perfect Surprise Christmas CD selected as holiday favorite by USA Today
Festivals & Events:
Sonshine (MN), Kingdom Bound (NY), Lifest (WI), Unity Fest (MI), Power of One (WI), Spirit West Coast (CA), National Lutheran Youth Gatherings, Lifelight (SD)
TV Appearances:
The 700 Club on CBN, At Home Live on FamilyNet, The Harvest Show/Live from Studio B on Lesea, Focus 4 on Cornerstone TV,
Celebration show on Daystar Network
Shared the stage with:
MercyMe, Third Day, TobyMac Geoff Moore, Hawk Nelson, as well as speakers like the late Mike Yaconelli, Tony Campolo, Ken Davis, Bob Lenz, Duffy Robbins, Efrem Smith, among others.
Other notables:
Peder has been involved with groups such as the Youth Ministry Network, Compassion International, Youth Unlimited, Navigators, Youth for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Youth Encounter, and a variety of denominational events. He has played at major venues such as Georgia Dome, Target Center, Navy Pier, Thompson-Boiling Arena, and the Hearnes Center. In 2000, the Minnesota Jaycees named Peder one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans.”
Critical Acclaim:
“It is remarkable and inspiring to see such great music flow out of the independent artist community…” --CCM Magazine
“…a relative unknown has released [an album] on par with most signed Christian artists.” --ChristianityToday.com
“One of the big needs in today’s generation is to worship - tototally worship God. When you worship with Peder Eide, you’ll be doing just that - heartfelt praise and worship to our Lord.” --Rebecca St. James, award-winning artist
“Peder came to “Studio B” and gathered the audience close for a musical ride that was refreshing for the cameras to capture. He genuinely communicated his songs in a fashion that captivated the viewer.” Dave Tucker, Senior Producer, LeSEA Broadcasting
"...playful yet spiritually challenging...Peder Eide puts the fun back into contemporary Christian music." -- Plugged In magazine (Focus On The Family)
"...rocking, energetic, spiritual, fun, danceable, uplifting...Genius..." -- MusicNewsNashville.com
"...an effective worship leader...straightforward and relevant messages..." -- Christian Retailing
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What the fish in Alaska's oceans are eating -- and what that can tell us
Author: Molly Dischner
Ever wonder what eats the salmon that don't make it back to Bristol Bay? Or what fish are cannibals?
A new database released online in late March by the National Marine Fisheries Service offers a glimpse into fish diets, based on decades of study of their stomach contents. It ranges from commonly known species like halibut, Pacific cod and pollock, to lesser-known fish, like sculpins, snailfish and even alligatorfish. Herring and salmon also make an appearance, although they aren't the focus.
Kerim Aydin, a supervisory fisheries biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, said the database includes collections that have been in the works since the 1980s, and is largely focused on commercial groundfish species.
"We've collected hundreds of thousands of fish for the region, both the Bering Sea generally and Bristol Bay," Aydin said. "The new database has that information in a very raw form, fish by fish, but we also have summaries each year of which fish was eating which other fish and what other things they were eating."
That information can help researchers better understand the connectivity of the food web, and learn more about how a given species is doing.
Information about halibuts' stomach contents has helped provide information about what might be happening to the stock.
"Both cod and halibut are very similar," Aydin said. "When they're smaller, maybe about 10 or 15 inches long, they're primarily on the bottom and they're eating stuff on the bottom. Crabs, starfish."
As they grow, they start eating more pollock. But when there were fewer pollock out in the ocean, the halibut seemed to have less to eat.
"In the last couple years … we've seen more pollock again being consumed by halibut," Aydin said. "It's a bit too early to say if in the next few years this is going to lead to improved conditions, but the signs are positive."
So what does eat salmon? Due to how and when the data is collected, that's actually one of the lesser-known questions.
"It's interesting that salmon don't show up a lot in our data," Aydin said. "There's a couple reasons for that. One of the reasons is a lot of our samples are in the later summer when salmon smolts aren't so much out there in the system. But the other thing is, there really tends to be a separation in the ecosystem between salmon that are up on the surface, and they're getting eaten by all kinds of things, birds and mammals, but the fish that we see them in are down at the bottom."
Aydin said there is another interesting detail of salmon life in the database: they, like many fish, eat juvenile pollock.
"When the salmon smolts are out there, they're eating a lot of the tiny pollock," he said.
Pollock are one of the species with a relative abundance of data, collected during summer trawl surveys and also by fisheries observers in the winters.
"There's a lot of cannibalism that goes on in that species," Aydin said. "It happens more in the Bering Sea than in the Gulf of Alaska because of the way the juveniles and adults overlap. And it's also something that varies in different years. In fact, cannibalism isn't necessarily the best way for a species to survive."
But that varies from year to year. In cold years, plankton is fatter and has more nutritional value. Pollock eat more of that, and less of the juveniles.
"But when it gets really hot out there, the zooplankton don't do as well, and there end up being a lot of hungry little fish, a lot of hungry little pollock, and those hungry little pollock end up getting eaten by the big pollock in those warm years," he said.
Beyond just enabling access to data and providing interesting information to the public, Aydin said the agency is hoping that making the information available will help the agency tease more ideas out of it, too, with other scientists looking at it.
"A lot of these species seemed to be linked in the way they move through the ecosystem," he said. "You can look back 30 years and say these cycles are happening, and it gives us a window on when conditions will be good, when conditions will be poor."
This story first appeared in The Bristol Bay Times/Dutch Harbor Fisherman and is republished here with permission.
Molly Dischner
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Cranach the Elder Venus Masterpiece Gifted To National Gallery
20 February 2019 / Art Categories Announcement, Art News / Art Tags Lucas Cranach the Elder, National Gallery, Venus and Cupid / / / / /
Visitors to the National Gallery are in for a treat as they will be able to view a new acquisition by one of the Renaissance’s most significant figures. Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553)
Venus and Cupid (1529) painted in the early 16th century, will be displayed in Room 4 and is an essential addition to the National Gallery’s impressive collection of paintings by an artist widely regarded as a master of the German Renaissance.
Venus and Cupid (1529) by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553)
The painting has been generously gifted to the National Gallery from the Drue Heinz Charitable Trust following the death last year of Mrs Heinz, a committed and renowned patron of the arts in the United States and Britain.
The painting depicts two mythological figures and is one of a series that Cranach produced during the 1520s and 30s, including the National Gallery’s own Cupid complaining to Venus (about 1525). One of the characteristics that define Cranach’s career is his practice of producing a range of works based on similar subject matter. With this new acquisition, Gallery visitors will now be able to see the small variations made over time between two of Cranach’s Venus and Cupid works and understand how a much sought-after Renaissance artist organised his workshop to produce pictures on popular subjects.
The painting, in Cranach’s distinctive, mature style, depicts Venus unclothed, except for a transparent veil she holds in her left hand, alongside Cupid in a landscape setting. In a notable change from the National Gallery’s other version – which was most likely created first – the wings of Cupid are now red and match the broad-brimmed red velvet hat worn by Venus.
As court painter to successive Electors of Saxony, Cranach was working in Wittenberg, considered to be the centre of the Protestant Reformation which he embraced, and even painted several portraits of his friend Martin Luther. With this acquisition, visitors can continue to experience the effect this movement had on art, as the demand for overtly religious painting in parts of Europe decreased and instead gave rise to a focus on Classical mythology.
A plaque found on the tree in the painting, referencing a Greek poem, explains that Cupid, after stealing a honeycomb, has been stung by a bee. Offering the moral lesson that pleasure is brief but pain can be enduring, this would have been familiar to many at the time as the prominent Lutheran Philip Melanchthon – another friend of Cranach at Wittenberg – was producing Latin variants of the poem. Furthering the religious context, the headdress of Venus carries an inscription in German that reads ‘all is vanity’ – a reference to the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament.
Curator of Early Netherlandish, German, and British Paintings Susan Foister said: “This exquisite small painting shows off Cranach’s characteristic combination of moral purpose with painterly delight in the representation of the female nude set in an idyllic landscape.”
The public are now able to view Venus and Cupid, which has only been on UK public display once since the 1950s, due to the legacy donation by Mrs Drue Heinz. The painting, which had previously been in the Cook Collection since at least 1915, was first acquired by the Heinz family in 1964, and it subsequently passed to Mrs Heinz who most generously chose to leave the painting to the nation.
National Gallery Director, Dr Gabriele Finaldi, said: “Venus and Cupid is a significant addition to the Gallery’s representation of Cranach, one of the most impressive and prolific painters of the Renaissance in Germany. We are grateful to Mrs Heinz and her charitable trust for this generous gift to the nation.”
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) was one of the leading German painters and printmakers of the early 16th century. As court painter of the Elector of Saxony, the patron of Luther, Cranach is remembered as the chief artist of the Reformation. He painted altarpieces, Lutheran subject pictures and portraits, as well as mythological decorative works and nudes. Cranach was named after his native town of Kronach in Upper Franconia. He was probably trained there by his father, Hans. Around 1500 or earlier he travelled through Bavaria to Vienna, where he was briefly active. Early works exemplify the Danube school (see also Altdorfer) in their poetic use of landscape. In 1505 he entered the service of the Electors of Saxony at Wittenberg, becoming a town councillor there in 1519 and burgomaster in 1537 and 1540. In 1550 he was with the Elector John Frederick who was held prisoner in Augsburg. He retired in 1552 to Weimar, leaving his sons, Hans and Lucas the Younger, to carry on his workshop.
Image: Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553) Venus and Cupid, 1529 Oil on wood 38.1 × 23.5 cm The National Gallery, London. A gift from the Drue Heinz Charitable Trust, 2018 © Photo: The National Gallery, London.
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Business, In Other News
After demonetisation, 50 lakh lost jobs over 2 years: Report
Published : Apr 17, 2019, 12:25 pm IST
Updated : Apr 17, 2019, 3:28 pm IST
The overall unemployment rate was pegged at around 6 per cent in 2017-2018, as per leaked NSSO report.
A government report which was leaked in January this year also recorded that the unemployment rate in India rose to a 45-year high in 2017-2018.
Mumbai: As per a report released on Tuesday by the Centre for Sustainable Employment, Azim Premji University, almost 50 lakh people lost their employment between 2018 and 2019 after November 8, 2016, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes would not be considered as legal tender.
As per the report, the beginning of the decline in employment rate coincides with the government’s note ban in 2016 but no "causal link" can be built up based on the information, says the report titled ‘State of Working India 2019’.
The employment losses are higher when women are taken under consideration. The women workforce participation has also lowered, the report said.
According to the report, "Whether or not this decline was caused by demonetisation, it is definitely a cause for concern and calls for urgent policy intervention,"
The overall unemployment rate was pegged at around 6 per cent in 2017-2018, according to the National Sample Survey Office's (NSSO) Periodic Labour Force Survey, held between 2017 and 2018.
But NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said the report was "not verified" and the "veracity of the data was not known".
The report said unemployment has largely been driven by higher-educated men in both urban and rural areas, those in the age group of 20 to 24.
"Clearly, there is a large differential impact by level of education. This is consistent with the idea that the informal sector, where we can expect the share of less educated men to be higher, was hit hardest by demonetisation as well as the introduction of GST," the report noted.
Tags: jobs, unemployment, demonetisation, narendra modi
Location: India, Maharashtra, Mumbai (Bombay)
EU clears Vodafone's USD 22 billion deal to expand in Europe
BSE, Haryana government sign pact to facilitate MSMEs raise capital
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Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (392)
Pre Columbian, South American
Ancient World (299)
Byzantine, Egyptian, European Medieval, Greek, Near Eastern, Roman
Indian Subcontinent, Japanese
Featured Items (15)
X-Large/Rare Egyptian Faience Aryballos with Lotus Pedal: Ex Christies
Mint Quality Greek Apulian Menzies Painter Lidded Mug: Ex Waltz
Byzantine Art
Etruscan Art
Near Eastern Art
European Ancient Art
European Medieval Art
European Antiques
Colonial Antiques
Antique Maps and Prints
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Beautiful & Esoteric Greek Terracotta of a Nude Aphrodite: Ex M&M
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Greek : Pre AD 1000 item #1388722
This beautiful piece is a Greek terracotta of a nude Aphrodite, and dates to the Hellenistic Period, circa 2nd-1st century B.C. This piece is approximately 5.75 inches high, and is mounted on a custom steel and Plexiglas stand. On the stand it is approximately 8 inches high. This esoteric piece was mold made, and was finished with detailed sculpting. This piece is a nude Aphrodite that is portrayed emerging from her bath, and this beautiful piece was modeled after the renowned 4th century B.C. masterpiece known as the Cnidian Aphrodite by Praxiteles, who in portraying the goddess as she emerges from her bath, epitomized the ancient ideal of feminine sensuality. Kozloff and Mitten commented in "The Gods delight, The Human Figure in Classical Bronze, p. 106", that the universal attraction of this pose can be summarized in the psychology of the experience from that of the viewer, in that: "the viewer became, in essence, a voyeur, allowed to behold something that was at once enticing and forbidden." Kozloff further elaborates: "from each point of view, a special aspect of her beauty is stressed; the face from the left, the buttocks from the back, the breasts from the right, and the pelvis from the front. Her gestures are decorous, and her pose is convincingly self-protective." The Aphrodite offered here is also seen crouched down while looking away to see if she was seen emerging from her bath. Her hair is also pulled back into a bun, which is also very detailed. Her nude body is also perfectly molded, and there are few Hellenistic Greek terracottas that are completely nude, as most are draped to some degree. This piece is also intact and is complete, save for sections of her missing arms and her lower extremities. Overall, this esoteric piece is of a type that is seldom seen on the market, and displays exceptional artistic style. Ex: Munzen and Medaillen AG, Basel, Switzerland, circa 1960's. Ex: Private German collection, circa 2000's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Rare Greek Bronze Coin of Amphaxitis with Herakles Bust
This rare coin is a Greek bronze (22mm) that was minted in the ancient Greek city of Amphaxitis, and dates to the Hellenistic Period, circa 196-168 B.C. This piece is graded VF+/EF-, weighs 7.5 gms, and is one of the few best quality examples that have been recorded. This piece shows on the Obverse: The bearded bust of Herakles facing right, with his club seen behind his head, within a dotted border; and the Reverse: The club of Herakles, with the name of the city in Greek lettering seen above and below, all within an olive wreath. This piece also has a nice thick and even dark green/blue patina, and is a superb example for this rare issue. Amphaxitis was a Greek trading city which was approximately 50 kilometers north of the modern city of Thessaloniki. This city facilitated trade between the Greeks on the coast of Macedonia, and the Thraco-Macedonian tribes on the interior. The city was subsequently settled by veterans of the army of Alexander the Great. Sear 1376. BMC 5.1,2. Ex: Harlan J. Berk collection, circa 1980's. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
X-Rare Esoteric Nazca Ceremonial Heart Vessel: Ex Sackler Foundation
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Americas : Pre Columbian : Pottery : Pre AD 1000 item #1088689
This extremely rare piece is an attractive canteen type vessel that has been classified as Nazca culture, circa 500-600 A.D. This piece is approximately 7 inches high by 8.75 inches wide, has a small raised opening, and is heart shaped. This piece also stands by itself, as it has a flat bottom, and is very easy to handle with both hands due to it's "V-shaped" design. This esoteric "V-shaped" piece has a beautiful and even dark red glaze, and may have been designed to represent a human heart. In addition, this piece has a small extended central top spout, which somewhat resembles a blood vessel for a heart. This piece also has two lug handles, seen on each side of the vessel, and these handles were made in order to suspend the vessel. The suspension of this vessel acted as an aid for one in the careful pouring of a liquid, and as such, this vessel was probably created for ceremonial use. It is also possible that, given the heart shape, the handle design, and the dark red color of this esoteric piece, the liquid contained within this vessel may have been human blood which was used for ceremony. This piece was also lavishly published with a full page color photo in "Art of the Andes, Pre-Columbian Sculptured and Painted Ceramics from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections" by Paul Clifford and Elizabeth Benson, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and The AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, Washington D.C. publishers, 1983, no. 143. (See attached photo.) The following description of this piece is seen in the above publication on page 268: "The widest area of this kidney-shaped canteen is at the top. Its short spout has a thickened rim, and loop handles are attached to the sides just below the shoulder. The entire vessel is painted with a red slip. Such a vessel shape does not appear in any of the literature, but there is a similar piece in a New York collection known to the author. (The following is a footnote relative to the New York example: "Seen while on loan to the Duke University Museum.") The surface color and finish are comparable to the Nazca panpipes in Number 142 (See attached photo.), and the bottle is therefore included with the Nazca material, although actual provenance is not known. The minimum age indicated in the thermoluminescence analysis indicates that the piece was fired in antiquity, but does not provide any basis of dating beyond that minimum age. Further technical measurements, such as trace element analysis of the clay and analysis of the slip with which the vessel was painted may, in the future, provide a method for establishing provenance, if comparisons can be made with similar analysis of other objects". (The following is a footnote regarding the two thermoluminescence (TL) tests that were performed on this piece by the Sackler Foundation: "OX-TL reference no. 381f1, 02/08/83 and 05/26/83 estimates that the sample tested has a minimum age of 470 years according to results of two TL tests, one to analyze fading.") The bottom of the piece has an inventory no. N-110, and there are two minute holes which indicate where the two above TL tests were taken. This intact piece is also in mint condition, and has an even glaze that is a brilliant deep red color. This extremely rare piece is also one of the top esoteric vessels, if not the most esoteric vessel offered by the Sackler Foundation. This piece is extremely rare, and so much so, it has also been labeled as "Teotino culture" by some pre-Columbian experts. In addition, this piece has been published as "Nazca (?) culture" by the Sakler Foundation, and has had extensive academic research and testing by their pre-Columbian academics, including Elizabeth Benson and Paul Clifford. The description of this published piece offered here, therefore follows the Sakler academic description as: Nasca (?), Peru, South Coast. Ex: Arthur M. Sackler collection, circa 1970's, accession no. N-110. Published: "Art of the Andes", (As noted above), 1983, no. 143. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Mint Quality Greek Illyrian Helmet with Superb Patina: Ex Guttmann
This mint quality Greek Illyrian helmet dates circa 6th century B.C., and is approximately 12 inches high, from the top of the crest box to the tip of the cheek pieces, and it is a full size example. This beautiful piece has been classified in "Antike Helm", Lipperheide and Antikenmuseums Collections, Mainz, Germany, 1988, pp. 59-64, as being "Type II, Var.B". This piece is in flawless, mint condition, and has no repair/restoration, and is one of the best examples on the global market. This piece has slightly elongated cheek pieces, a detailed punched decorative dotted band that runs around the outer perimeter edge, and a well-defined crest box. This piece was hand beaten from one sheet of bronze, and the crest box was added into the construction of the helmet, not only to define an attachment area for the crest which was likely made from bird quills, but also to give extra strength to the main body of the piece. The added crest box also was designed to protect the warrior from overhead blows. There is also a slightly extended neck guard which is finely made as well. This exceptional example also has some very minor horizontal scraps and nicks which is also an indication that this piece was in battle. This piece has a compact and attractive design, and is one of the top examples for the type. In addition, this piece has an exceptional dark green patina with dark blue highlights which lends this piece a great deal of eye appeal. The patina seen on this attractive piece is also in "as found" condition, and this helmet has not been over cleaned as most examples. This piece also comes with a custom metal display stand. Ex Axel Guttmann collection, Inventory no. 517, Berlin, Germany, circa 1980's. Ex: Private Dallas, Texas collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Intact & Powerful Early Moche Seated Dignitary
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Americas : Pre Columbian : Pre AD 1000 item #1384532
This powerful piece is an early Moche seated dignitary that dates circa 300-100 B.C., and is approximately 7.2 inches high. This piece is intact with no repair/restoration, and has a light brown and dark red glaze. This powerful looking piece is a seated dignitary seen with hands placed on the knees with feet crossed below, wearing an incised cap, and has a furrowed face with large eyes and a grinning mouth. The eyes and mouth have a deep recessed design that was likely once inlaid with mother of pearl or shell, and the face conveys a sacred, but powerful image. The back side of this vessel has a raised stirrup handle that has a dark red glaze, along with the back side of the head. This piece also has a flat bottom, and some spotty dark black mineral deposits and attractive dark brown burnishing. (Another analogous example of this piece was offered in Lempertz Pre-Columbian Art, Jan. 2010, Brussels, no. 104. 4500-6500 Euro estimates.) Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Roman Bronze Portrait Bust of a Young Caracalla: Ex Sotheby's
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Roman : Bronze : Pre AD 1000 item #665966
This Roman bronze portrait bust dates circa 2nd century A.D., and is approximately 3 inches high. This powerful piece is the terminal end for a leg that served as a table support for a folding tripod. These Roman bronze tripods were portable and moved with the Roman armies and/or wealthy families. This piece had a L-shaped hook at the back that supported a caldron that was at the center of the tripod. This piece is in the form of a portrait bust, and likely depicts the young Roman emperor Caracalla. This portrait bust also has an attribute relative to Herakles, as the figure is seen wearing a lion's skin cloak. The face has a short cropped beard, a rounded nose, and a wide forehead which are prominent features of Caracalla. The head is slightly turned to the right, as are many Roman marble portrait busts during this period. The hair is seen as thick rounded curls which may indicate a wig, as Caracalla was known to have worn a golden haired wig that was arranged in the German style. Caracalla was born in 188 A.D., and in 213 A.D. as emperor, he left Rome for Germany and defeated the Alamanni on the upper Rhine River. Caracalla often wore a flowing Gallic cloak which gave him his nickname, and the bust seen here shows a lion's skin cloak that is not only an attribute of Herakles, but is also an attribute of Alexander the Great. After Caracalla's victories in Germany, he planned an invasion of the Parthian east, and in 214 A.D., he mustered a great army for this oriental expedition, including a phalanx of sixteen thousand men, clothed and equipped like the Macedonians of old. Caracalla liked to see himself as a new Alexander the Great, and this may explain the lion's skin cloak seen on this piece. Caracalla met his end in 216 A.D., near Edessa in Media, and was stabbed to death by supporters of Macrinus. This piece is likely a portrait of Caracalla for the reasons noted above, and there is a strong possibility that this stylized image is an image of Caracalla as seen in the guise of Alexander the Great. (The portraiture of Alexander the Great is noteworthy for the wide range of styles that were employed to portray his unique physiognomy. The treatment of the hair, for example, can be long and wavy, while others emphasize the cowlick seen above the forehead which is known as the "anastole". This "anastole" can also be seen on the piece offered here, with the hair raising up as a curl from the center of the forehead. For several examples of this hair style see F. Antonovich, "Les Metamorphoses divines d'Alexander", Paris, 1996.) This portrait bust is also analogous to the marble bust of Caracalla that is seen in the Staatliche Museen in Berlin, Germany. (See "The Art of Rome" by Bernard Andreae, Abrams Pub., New York, 1977, no. 551.) This marble bust dates circa 212 A.D., and was created on the occasion of Caracalla becoming sole ruler. This marble bust also has large hair curls and bare arms/upper chest, as also seen in the bronze portrait bust offered here. This piece has a superb dark green patina with spotty dark red highlights, and sits on a custom display stand. Ex: New York private collection, circa 1980's. Ex: Sotheby's Antiquities New York, Dec. 2006, no. 122. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Cute & Intact Colima Standing Warrior Whistle with Shield
This cute piece is a Colima standing warrior that dates circa 150 B.C.-250 A.D. This piece is approximately 5.5 inches high and is intact, with no apparent repair and/or restoration. This piece is a light red/orange terracotta, and has some minute dark black spotty dendrite deposits. This piece is also a whistle, with an opening at the top and at the back of the hollowed head. The whistle is well made, and makes quite a sharp high-pitched tone. This piece was likely ceremonial, and may have been part of a group ceremony. This type of piece is also known as a "protector" type piece, and is thought to protect the deceased in the afterlife. The standing warrior seen here is nude, and is seen holding the full body length shield with both hands. The shield is leaning against the upper body of the warrior, and only the upper half of his face/head is seen peeking above the upper end of the shield. The design of the curved shield protects a great deal of his body, and it is probable that this stance illustrates the type of warfare that was conducted by the ancient Colima. It is unknown if he is part of a shield wall with many warriors, as was the case of the phalanx formation that was deployed by the ancient Greeks, or if he is simply depicted as an individual warrior in combat. The warrior is also seen wearing a turkey tail feather crest/helmet, and this makes him seem larger than life and more imposing. (A turkey whistle with analogous designed tail feathers, as the crest design seen here, is seen in "Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico" by Michael Kan, Los Angeles County Art Museum, 1989, no.169.) An interesting piece that has a high degree of eye appeal. Ex: Yvette Arnold collection, Dallas, Texas, circa 1970's. Ex: Private Fl. collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
X-Rare & Intact Massive Greek Iron Sarissa Spear Head
This massive and extremely rare piece is a Greek iron sarissa spear head that dates to the Hellenistic period, circa 4th century B.C., and is approximately 22.5 inches long by 2 inches wide at the blades mid point. This piece is intact, and is in superb condition with a hardened earthen over glaze which has helped to preserve this extremely rare iron weapon. The metal seen on this piece is for the most part very compact with very little flaking, and is in very stable and solid condition. The condition of this piece is remarkable, given the fact that it is made from iron, and not bronze. This piece is all the more remarkable, in that it has survived intact after sustaining substantial battle damage. This battle damage can be seen with the two bends in the blade, and a small part of the end of the shank which was moved out from the blow to the piece. The blow to the piece traveled from the tip end to the shank, and did not shatter the weapon, as the blow appears to have been on the side of the blade, thus causing the two bends in the blade and the small section at the end of the shank to move out and expand. This piece was likely carried by an infrantryman, and was fitted to a wooded shaft about 12-15 feet long. This heavy lance was carried with two hands, and is known as a "sarissa". This type of weapon was also developed by Philip II, who was the father of Alexander the Great, and was king of Macedonia circa 359-336 B.C. His military genius transformed his army with many innovative weapons and battle tactics, and the weapon offered here was one such weapon. The finest weapons during the Hellenistic period were iron, rather than bronze, and were forged and hand beaten into shape. These iron weapons were extremely sharp and durable, and iron swords from this period could easily take off a mans arm at the shoulder, and penetrate bronze shields. The fact that the piece offered here did not shatter during battle proves that this piece was hammered again, and again, to give it strength and durability. (For the Hellenistic Greek weapon types see "Greece and Rome at War", by Peter Connolly, United Kingdom, 1998.) This piece is extremely rare and is seldom seen in this condition on today's market. This piece comes with a custom metal stand and stands upright. Ex: Private German collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Lustrous and Mint Quality Greek Attic Black-glazed Squat Lekythos
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Greek : Pottery : Pre AD 1000 item #1242856
This attractive piece is a Greek Attic black-glazed lekythos that dates circa mid 5th century B.C. This piece is in mint condition, with no repair/restoration, and is approximately 3.25 inches high by 3.25 inches in diameter. This piece is near gem quality, as the lustrous deep black glaze is nearly flawless, and the surface of this piece has an even deep black color with a thin multi-colored iridescent patina. This piece also has a beautiful esoteric design, with a gadrooned body with a pattern of incised grooves in the handle zone, and a small rouletted molding at the junction of the shoulder and the flared neck. This piece also has a small flat foot, and a black dotted circle underneath on the bottom. The overall design of this piece also has a geometric esthetic, as the height is equal to the diameter. The flared neck was also designed for greater control pouring the liquid that was held within, and this was likely a precious oil, and the short neck design also made pouring liquid from this vessel very precise as well. Another analogous vessel of this type was offered in Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, June 2002, no. 243. ($3,000.00-$5,000.00 estimates, approximately 3.5 inches high. See attached photo.) An additional analogous vessel was sold at Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, Dec. 2006, no. 134. ($2,500.00-$3,500.00 estimates, $3,750.00 realized.) This type of Greek Attic black-glaze ceramic is scarce in this exceptional condition, and is rarely seen on the market. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1970's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Scarce & Intact Chancay Black-On-Red Canteen Vessel with God Spout
This piece is a Chancay canteen type vessel that dates circa 1100-1400 A.D. This piece is approximately 11.8 inches high, by 9 inches wide, by 4.5 inches thick through the main body of the vessel. This piece is a scarce "black-on-red" Chancay canteen vessel, as the majority of Chancay vessels are "black-on-cream" type vessels, and tend to be rather thin walled. The piece offered here is very durable, as it has thick walls, although it was a mold-made type vessel. This piece has attractive black geometric patterns seen on a red background on both sides of the vessel, and a raised rounded spout at the top, that also has the face and head of a god built into the spout. The face of the god appears to have tattoos, and has a very prominent nose. The handles of the vessel also double as arms, and there appears to be black painted hands seen at the top of each handle where it meets the spout. The god seen here may depict a Chancay "water-god", as this culture existed in a very arid region in ancient Peru. This intact piece is also in superb condition, with no repair and/or restoration, and has vibrant colors. This piece also sits on a custom Plexiglas display stand. Ex: Private Austrian collection, circa 1980's-2000's. (Note this piece has additional documentation for the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Flawless & Powerful Chimu Blackware Feline Aryballos
This piece is a Chimu blackware feline aryballos that dates circa 1100-1400 A.D. This piece is approximately 7 inches high, by 5.5 inches wide from ear to ear, and is in flawless intact condition with no repair and/or restoration. This mold made ceramic has a nice deep even black glaze over the entire outer surface, and some spotty white calcite deposits. The black glaze also has some thicker added glaze that forms some linear designs of the feline, and one such design appears to be cat whiskers. This piece has a powerful feline bust that is formed from the main body of the vessel, and the face appears to be snarling at the viewer with a toothy open mouth. This feline likely represents a jaguar, and this vessel is also a "protector" type vessel. The ears are also seen extended from each side, and there is a raised spout seen rising up from the center of the vessel, which defines this vessel type as an "aryballos". This type of vessel was also subsequently produced by the Chimu/Inka, and was their most common vessel type. The ears also have a hole centered within, and this vessel was also likely a "suspension" type vessel, and this along with the raised spout, easily controlled the flow of a liquid such as "chicha". This piece also has a slightly rounded bottom, and easily stands by itself. A ring base is also included. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's-2000's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Mint Quality Greek Late Bronze Age Period Ossuary Lidded Vessel
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Greek : Pottery : Pre AD 1000 item #997403
This piece is a Greek lidded vessel that dates to the Late Bronze Age period, circa 12th-11th century B.C. This piece is approximately 8.5 inches high by 7.5 inches in diameter, and is intact in mint condition. This piece has attractive spotty white calcite deposits with some root marking, and a light brown earthen over glaze. This piece is a light red terracotta, and the lid fits perfectly into place. This piece also has Mycenaean artistic style, as seen with the two looped handles, peaked lid with knob grip, and the rounded shape of the main body. (For many Mycenaean vessels see "Mycenae and the Mycenaean Age" by George Mylonas, Princeton University Press, 1966.) This type of vessel also served as a burial urn, and held the cremated remains of the deceased. This type of vessel was then placed in a cist grave with lined stones, or within an enclosure of piled rocks, and the entire tomb was then covered with a mound of dirt. This type of burial was common throughout the ancient Greek world during the Bronze Age. The vessel offered here is intact, and is scarce in this condition. Ex: J. Malter collection, Los Angeles. CA. Ex: Private CA. collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Intact Daunian Askos with Attractive Geometric Designs
This piece is an intact and attractive Daunian askos that dates to the 4th century B.C. This piece is approximately 10 inches long, by 8.3 inches high, by 9 inches wide through the center of the vessel. This intact piece has no repair/restoration, is in mint "as found" condition, and in addition, it is also a thick-walled ceramic which lends this vessel a great deal of durability. This piece was likely used to hold a liquid such as wine, and was designed for pouring, with the strap handle seen at the top, and the elongated neck at one end of the vessel. There is also an interesting "wavy-line" symbol seen on the piece which may be a representation for water. This piece also has a decorative raised "duck-tail" element at the other end of the vessel, and the entire vessel was likely designed to resemble a sitting duck. This piece also has attractive light brown geometric "line designs" that run around the vessel, and ceramics attributed to the Daunian culture, that was centered in northern Apulia in southern Italy, also resemble earlier Etruscan "Duck-askoi". The piece offered here also has some spotty light tan mineral deposits, along with some attractive root marking. This piece is also slightly larger than what is normally seen, and is a nice example for the type. For a comparable piece see "The Art of South Italy: Vases from Magna Graecia", Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 1983, no. 147. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Complete & Cute Zapotec Green Serpentine Seated Monkey Pendant
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Americas : Pre Columbian : Stone : Pre AD 1000 item #1224537
This cute little piece is a pendant from the Zapotec culture that dates circa 200 B.C.-200 A.D. (Monte Alban II period). This piece has earlier Mezcala artistic influence, and a myriad of small monkey/squirrel pendants of this type were produced as early as 300 B.C. in western Mexico by the Mezcala culture. This complete piece is approximately 1.9 inches high by 2 inches long, and stands upright on its own, which also points to the skill of the artist, as most of these examples do not stand on their own. This piece is carved from an attractive green serpentine (green diorite) which has several light brown and white inclusions, and some minute stress cracks within the stone. This piece has Zapotec artistic style as seen with the extended thin lips, Roman style nose, and incised line work on the upper head. This piece is also a "transformation" type piece, as the seated monkey has humanoid anthropomorphic facial features. This piece also has a small bow-drilled suspension hole seen between the back and raised tail, and this piece likely served as a "protector" type pendant. This piece has bow-drilled eyes, and were likely inlaid with a colored stone. There are heavy white calcite and black mineral deposits seen within the two eyes, and the small suspension hole. In addition, there is some dark brown mineralization seen deep within some of the minute stress cracks of the stone. There is also a light brown patina seen on the outer surface, and some traces of red cinnabar seen on the low relief areas of the piece. A lively piece with a great deal of eye appeal with an exceptional patina, and is a scarce type. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1970's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) This piece also sits on a custom black/Plexiglas stand. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Mint Quality Greek Hellenistic Two-Part Red Ware Pyxis
This flawless piece is a Greek red ware pyxis that dates to the Hellenistic period, circa 4th-early 3rd century B.C. This piece is approximately 3.85 inches in diameter at the lid and lower base, and 4 inches high. This flawless piece is in mint quality condition, and has no repair and/or restoration. Two-part Greek vessels of this type are scarce to rare in this mint condition, as the lid and base have thin edges that extend away from the main body of the piece. The lid fits very close to the supporting lower base, and lifts easily on and off the base. The lid also has a roundel seen at the top that may have had a bone, metal, or stone insert with a carved image. A nearly identical vessel of the same size with a terracotta image of a goddess, seen within the roundel at the top, was offered by Royal Athena Galleries, New York, Vol. XXVI, no. 118. ($5,000.00 estimate. See attached photo.) The piece offered here also has some spotty light brown earthen, and minute black mineral deposits. A scarce vessel in this mint condition. Ex: Charles Ede collection, London, circa 1990's. Ex: Private New York collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Intact & Powerful Moche Seated Prisoner with Rope Tie: Ex Sotheby's
This piece is a Moche seated prisoner that dates circa 200-500 A.D., and is approximately 12 inches high. This piece is intact with no repair and/or restoration, and has some minute spotty black mineral deposits. This piece also has a tan and brownish orange glaze. This piece is a seated prisoner that has a coiled rope around his neck, and has his hands bound at the back with rope ties. This prisoner is completely nude, save for his wearing a turban with a raised crescent ornament, and behind the raised crescent ornament, there is an open spout. The crescent ornament may also be a symbol of rank, and this prisoner may represent an important captive. The Moche also engaged in ritual combat in order to capture prisoners for sacrifice to their gods, and the seated prisoner seen here is portrayed while awaiting his fate. This may also explain the apparent forlorn expression that is seen on his face. This piece has nice eye appeal, and is an interesting example with the raised crescent turban. For the type see: Christopher Donnan, "Moche Art of Peru", University of California, Los Angeles, 1978. Ex: Sotheby's Pre-Columbian Art, New York, May 1993, no. 191. Ex: Private Kansas collection, circa 1990's-2000's. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Mint Quality Roman Dark Aubergine Glass Jar with Zigzag Trailing
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Roman : Glass : Pre AD 1000 item #1338146
This attractive flawless Roman glass vessel is an aubergine colored jar that dates circa 4th-5th century A.D., and is approximately 2.25 inches high. This piece is in mint condition, with no minute cracks and/or chips. The color is very attractive, and has a deep dark brown/purple color with some light spotty silvered patina both on the inside and outside surfaces. The deep dark brown color is also very desirable, as most Roman glass pieces of this color are much lighter in color. There is also some spotty minute root marking and a multi-colored iridescence seen on various sections of the piece. This piece also has a zigzag trailing decoration (six times up and down) that is seen running around the piece, and connects on the upper shoulder and the outer lip of the vessel. The lip of the vessel also has a rounded trailing piece that runs around the upper lip. This pleasing piece also has four evenly-spaced indented sides, in addition to an indented bottom. These indentations made this piece easier to handle, and allowed the vessel to sit upright. Roman glass vessels of this type with a deep dark brown/purple coloration are also scarce on the market. Another analogous vessel of the same type and size was offered in Chrisite's Antiquities, New York, April 2016, no. 108. ($1,500.00-$2,000.00 estimates, $1.375.00 realized. Note: This vessel is also the more common dark green color. See attached photo.) For the type see John Hayes, "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum", Toronto, 1975, no. 417. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, circa 1990's. Ex: Private New York collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Complete Roman Gold Earring with Hemispherical Shield Emblem
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Roman : Pre AD 1000 item #1357255
This Roman gold earring is a complete example, and dates circa 2nd-3rd century A.D. This attractive piece is approximately .45 inches in diameter for the hoop, and the facing shield emblem is approximately .38 inches in diameter. This piece weighs 1.1 grams, and is solid gold and is not plated. The facing hemispherical shield emblem seen on this piece is not completely smooth as most examples, as it has hand beaten sculpted lines that run through the shield. The clasp has been tied off as it was worn everyday by the owner in antiquity, but with some adjustments, this piece can easily be worn today. This piece is solid and is very durable as well. A nice intact example that is complete, with no repair and/or restoration. For the type see: Ruseva-Prokoska L., "Roman Jewelry, A Collection of National Archaeological Museum", Sofia, Bulgaria, 1991, nos. 30-35. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Superb and Scarce Greek Mycenaean "Cruciform" Bronze Dagger
This superb piece is a Greek Mycenaean bronze dagger that dates to the LH III Period, circa 1400-1190 B.C. This complete example is approximately 4.9 inches long, by 1.3 inches wide at the lower tang shoulder, and has no repair/restoration. In addition, this piece has a beautiful dark green patina with some minute and spotty dark brown mineral deposits. This piece is also classified as being the "Cruciform Type, Variant A", and has a flat blade without a midrib, slightly beveled edges, and an elliptical cross section. There is also a rounded lower tang shoulder, and the blade gradually moves down to a point. The design of the flat blade without a midrib, also allowed for an area on the blade that provided for the design of inlayed scenes that were made of precious materials such as gold and silver. Daggers such as the example offered here are scarce to rare, as most weapons with this design are much larger short swords. This piece also has two pin support holes, and one pin is still seen inserted into the piece. Many of these examples were also excavated at Mycenae, and the piece offered here was made during the height of Mycenaean expansion. A nice complete piece not often seen on the market. (For the type see "The Greek Age of Bronze", at www.salimbeti.com/micenei/weapons1.htm. A photo of a line drawing for the type from page 50 is attached.) Ex: Private German collection, circa 1990's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
X-Rare Near Eastern & Egyptian Bronze Slashing Sword
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Near Eastern : Pre AD 1000 item #1359731
This extremely rare weapon is a bronze slashing sword that dates circa 1800-1200 B.C. This remarkable piece is approximately 21.4 inches long, by 2.25 inches wide at the point where the blade meets the shank of the weapon. This piece was hand forged into one piece from bronze, and is a thick and heavy bronze weapon. This powerful weapon also has a blade that slightly graduates in width from the shank to the blunt end, and this blade section of the weapon is slightly curved. The straight rectangle shaped "extended shaft" is also very durable, and is approximately .5 inches wide at the shank, by .25 inches thick. This weapon's "extended shaft" also slightly graduates in size, mostly with the width, from the shank to the end of the handle. The cutting edge of the blade is also only on one side, as the blunt end is flat, along with the top side of the blade. Overall, this weapon is very finely made for the period, and has subtle dimensions of construction which makes it a very special and specialized work of ancient arms. This weapon was designed to slash through an enemy with one sweeping motion, and an extended "wooden shaft handle" would have allowed this weapon to be held with one or two hands. This design also allowed this weapon to likely be able to penetrate heavy armor such as a helmet or a breastplate, as the "extended shaft" attached to an extended "wooden shaft handle" would allow one to generate a tremendous amount of force. This weapon may also have been designed for use from a chariot or horseback, as the owner would be able to slash in a downwards motion, which would have generated even more force than a horizontal slash. This weapon may also be of a type that was used in the battle of Kadesh, circa 1274 B.C., which was the largest chariot battle ever fought in antiquity, and involved perhaps 5,000-6,000 war chariots. This battle pitted the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II against the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II, and many types of weapons were created by both sides for this conflict. This piece has an attractive dark green patina with some red highlights, and some spotty light to dark green mineralization. This piece is also intact, has no repair/restoration, and has an ever so slight bend at the shank which may indicate that this piece was in battle. This weapon is extremely rare, is a highly specialized work of ancient arms, and is one of the most devastating weapons from antiquity. A custom display stand is also included. Ex: Private Austrian collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Roman Bronze Armor Belt Fitting Plaque with Dionysus
This attractive piece is a Roman armor "belt fitting" plaque that dates circa 3rd-4th century A.D. This piece is approximately 2.5 inches wide, by 2.4 inches high, and is a complete example of a Roman bronze "belt fitting" plaque type segment, which was a component of a Roman belt. This Roman bronze "belt fitting" plaque was prominently displayed on a Roman legionnaire with a frontal view, and Roman bronze "belt fitting" plaques of this type usually portrayed heroic scenes that illustrate several Roman gods and goddesses. The back side of this piece has four round studs that attached this piece to a thick leather backing, which also served as the inner layer of the belt. The right side of this piece has two round elongated hooks that likely fit into a pin, and/or into another segment of the entire belt. The belt that held this plaque was a large and wide example, and may also have wrapped around the torso of a legionnaire in order to secure a "scale-armor" mail type shirt. In addition, this belt may also have supported a "gladius" or "spatha" sword and scabbard, and this type of Roman belt was known as a "cingulum", which was generally worn around the waist and best represented the Roman military soldier in the 3rd century A.D. (For the type, see Peter Connolly, "Greece and Rome at War", Macdonald Phoebus Ltd, UK, 1981, pp. 260-261.) This scarce piece shows a standing nude Dionysus, otherwise known to the Romans as Bacchus, who is seen leaning right, and is holding a "thyrsus" in his left hand, and pouring a wine offering into the ground from an oinochoe in his right hand. There is also what appears to be a panther seen below, and ivy tendrils are seen to the right as well. The military symbolism of this piece is apparent, as the "thyrsus" was not only a beneficent wand of Bacchus, but was also a weapon that was used to destroy those who opposed his cult and the freedoms he represents. It is quite possible that an individual, or a Roman soldier, who wore this piece was also a member of this cult. This piece has a nice dark green patina with some spotty dark brown highlights, along with some minute dark black mineral deposits. This piece is an exceptional "belt fitting" plaque, and is scarce on the market. This piece also hangs on a custom Plexiglas stand and can easily be removed. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, circa 1990's. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Three Superb Roman Bronze Coins of Gratian
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Roman : Coins : Pre AD 1000 item #1150976
This is a group of three (3) late Roman bronze coins that were minted by the emperor Gratian. These coins were minted circa 367-383 A.D., and are all AE 3 (17 mm) and grade EF to Superb. Coins A,B. and C (left to right) all show the pearl-diademed and draped bust of Gratian facing right on the obverse. The reverse shows - Coin A: Gratian advancing right, dragging captive and holding labarum, GLORIARO-MANORVM left and right, H right field. (Sear no. 4142.) Coin B: Victory advancing left, SECVRITAS-REIPVBLICAE left and right. (Sear no. 4143.) Coin C: Gratian advancing right, dragging captive and holding labarum, GLORIARO-MANORVM left and right, H left field, Star and P right field (Sear no. 4142.) All three of these detailed coins are slightly different with different symbols, and are all minted in the Siscia mint (Sisak, former Yugoslavia), as indicated by the SIS as seen below the ground line on the reverse of all three coins. All three coins have a beautiful glossy dark green patina, and have exceptional line designed detail. (A coin with a EF grade, Gratian dragging a captive reverse type, sold in Gorny & Mosch, March 2012, for $106.00.) Ex: Harlan J. Berk, circa 1980's. I certify that these coins are authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Superb Greek Silver Triobol of Achaian League with Zeus Bust
This pleasing Greek coin is a Superb grade (EF+/EF), Achaian League silver triobol/hemidrachm, that dates circa 196-146 B.C. This superbly graded piece is well centered, is approximately 18 mm wide, and weighs 2.49 grams. This coin shows the bearded bust of Zeus facing right (Obv.) within a dotted border, and the Achaian League monogram (Rev.) within a wreath, with a club of Herakles above, and minute lettering (IY) seen to the left. This coin has exceptional artistic style, as the bust of Zeus has very fine detail with realistic features. This coin may also have been minted in Argos, which was one of the many cities that comprised the Achaian league in the northern and central Peloponnese. The League was also the foremost state in Greece after the eclipse of Macedonian power, and in 146 B.C., the League declared war on Rome, which resulted in the complete destruction of the League and the sack of Corinth, it's chief city. The coin offered here is rare in this grade, as most examples are Very Fine (VF) in condition. Ex: Frank Kovaks collection, San Francisco, CA., circa 1980's. References: Sear 2984. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Flawless and Esoteric Greek Hellenistic Period Olpe: Ex Bonhams
This flawless piece is an intact Greek olpe vessel that dates circa 4th century B.C. This piece is approximately 6.5 inches high by 3.25 inches in diameter. This esoteric piece has an attractive tan earthern glaze and is made from a light red clay. This piece has nice "as found" deposits, a flat bottom, and a single strap handle. The large open and round mouth was also designed to pour liquid very rapidly, which lends this vessel very well as a table vessel. Vessels of this type were widely produced in the ancient Greek world, and this vessel shape was also produced in bronze. In fact, our research reveals that bronze vessels of this type seem to be more common than the terracotta vessels of this type, and in addition, this type of terracotta vessel seen in this mint condition is scarce, as most examples have some degree of repair/restoration. This piece probably was used for everyday use and may also been a votive example, and the latter case is probably the case here, as this piece has no apparent wear from use. This piece probaly was used for water and/or wine. A nice example seldom seen in this condition. Ex: Bonhams Antiquities, London, April 2004, no. 343. Ex: Private Ill. collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Beautiful Greco-Roman Hellenistic Gold Pendant/Brooch with Agate
This beautiful Greco-Roman Hellenistic gold pendant/brooch dates circa 1st century B.C.-2nd century A.D. This complete piece is approximately 1.35 inches wide, by 1.45 inches high, by .2 inches deep, and is a complete and intact example. This detailed piece has two rows of "cut-out" designs seen in the gold bezel, along with a solid inner circular bezel band that frames a dark orange/red agate. This large agate stone is also translucent, and changes color depending on the light. The backside of this piece has a frame that wraps and encloses the agate, and firmly holds it into place within the piece. There are also four round hoops evenly spaced and attached to this backside frame, and this allows this piece to be suspended several ways, and provides one with an option to add suspended pearls or other decorative elements. This may have the case in antiquity, and/or this piece may have been part of a larger necklace as well. This piece is very solid and can easily be worn today, and a hard case gift box is included. Ex: H. Konopisky collection, Freiburg, Germany, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Detailed & Esoteric Greek Terracotta of a Kore: Ex M&M
This detailed and esoteric piece is a Greek terracotta of a Kore, and dates to the 6th-5th century B.C. This piece is approximately 3 inches high, and is mounted on a custom steel and Plexiglas display stand. On the stand it is approximately 5 inches high. This piece was mold made, as it has a flat backside, and is a light orange terracotta. This piece depicts a Greek Kore, whose name means "maiden", and this goddess was responsible for good fortune and the change of the seasons with the "rebirth" of spring, and she was also known as "Persephone". Kore was also a fertility goddess, and is seen here holding her breasts. The face also has a slight smile, almond eyes, and a square chin which are also artistic style hallmarks for the period. This piece also has incised detailing that defines the hands, eyes, and hair locks. The face has a very esoteric look, and this piece has superb artistic style for the period. Ex: Munzen and Medaillen AG, Basel, Switzerland, circa 1960's. Ex: Private German collection, circa 2000's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Roman Silvered Bronze Seal Ring with Young Woman (Octavia Minor?)
This scarce and mint quality Roman ring dates circa mid 1st century B.C., and is approximately ring size 6 to 6.5. This piece is bronze, and has a traces of silver gilt that was highly polished. This piece is of superb to mint condition, and has a nice dark brown/green patina with some silvered highlights. The flat face has deep carving, and this seal ring produces an impressed image that is seen in high relief. This impressed image is seen facing right when the ring is pressed into a material such as wax or a soft clay, and the image has very sharp detail which is the bust of a young woman. This image closely resembles that of a young Octavia Minor, who was the sister of Octavian/Augustus and the third wife of Marcus Antonius, whom she married afer the death of her first husband, Caius Marcellus, in 40 B.C. She was also instumental in bringing about the treaty of Tarentum in 37 B.C., when Antonius and Octavian agreed to renew the Triumvirate. She was essentially a noble, loyal, and kindly woman who even looked after her step-children in Rome even after Antonius had formally divorced her. The wearer of this ring likely was a supporter of the imperial family of Octavian/Augustus, and was also likely a young woman. The portrait bust seen here has very analogous features to the known portraits of Octavia Minor, and this includes hair that is seen rolled into a bun at the back, and is seen rolled on each side of the head. There is also a hair curl seen hanging down in front of the ear, and there is a small mouth with an aquiline type nose. The portraits of Octavia Minor also closely resemble those of Livia, Octavian/Augustus wife, whose earliest coiffures were the same as hers. (For a discription of the portrait type see "Roman Historical Portraits" by J.M.C. Toynbee, Thames and Hudson Pub., London, 1978, pp. 48-50.) It's quite possible that the young woman seen on this superb Roman ring may also have been created to represent both of the Imperial ladies noted above, and in turn, represented support for the Imperial family. This scarce to rare ring can be worn today, as it is very solid, and it is a very fine example of a Roman jewelry piece from the early Imperial period. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.). I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Flawless Greek Apulian Xenon-ware Kylix with Red Swan Tondo
This flawless piece is a Greek Apulian Xenon-ware kylix that dates circa mid 4th century B.C. This lovely little piece is approximately 7.75 inches wide from handle to handle, by 2 inches high, and is in mint quality condition with no repair/restoration. This piece has been attributed to the "Red Swan Group" and it is classified as being "Xenon-ware", which is a sub group of "Greek Apulian" ceramics. This piece has a lustrous black glaze with dark orange painted decorative elements, and features a "high footed base ring". The decorative elements include a red swan facing left, within a "double circular tondo", along with two "three dotted" symbols and a single "ivy leaf" symbol. These symbols are commonly seen on Apulian type ceramics, and may signify the artist in one particular workshop and/or the workshop itself. There are also two laurel wreaths seen on the piece, with one on the inner surface that frames the inner "double circular tondo", and another on the outer surface that runs around the piece. The two handles attached to the piece are upturned, and have some minute stress cracks which is normal for a ceramic of this type, and have no visual repair/restoration. The surfaces have some minute cracking which is also normal, and some spotty white calcite deposits seen mostly in the low relief sections of the vessel. The surface also has a preservative wax, which lends this attractive piece it's glossy appearance as well. Overall, an exceptional piece and a high quality example. (An analogous example of the same quality and size was sold by Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, June 1994, no. 396. $1,000.00-$1,500.00 estimates. See attached photo.) For the type see Margaret Mayo, "The Art of South Italy, Vases from Magna Graecia", Richmond, Virginia, 1982, no. 160. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Superb & Complete Late Roman/Byzantine Bronze Ring with Cross
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Byzantine : Pre AD 1000 item #1246608
This superb bronze ring is late Roman/Byzantine type, circa 4th-5th century A.D., and is approximately ring size 8.5, and is .3 inches wide at the flat face. This piece is solid bronze, and is in superb condition, with only some minute smooth wear on the inner surface. The outer surfaces have great detail, with decorative floral line design on each side of the ring leading up to the flat, square central face. The central face has a Byzantine type cross seen within a "four dotted circular pattern" design. The Byzantine cross appears to be hidden within this "four dotted circular pattern" design, and perhaps this was the intention of the ring maker, as during the period that this ring was made, the so-called Christian cult was becoming more widespread within the Roman Empire. This ring was likely made for a young man or woman, and has a perfectly round diameter. This piece has a beautiful dark green patina, with some light brown mineral deposits seen mostly on the inner surface and the low relief sections of the outer surface. The low relief sections of the outer surface also define the designs seen on this ring. Several rings of this type can be seen in "Die Welt Von Byzanz", by H. Wamser, Theiss Pub., 2004, nos. 667-674. (See attached photo.) A small ring stand also comes with this piece, and this ring can easily be worn today. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, circa 1980's. Ex: Private New York collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Two Matching Ordos Bronze Animal Wolf (?) Plaques with Prey
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Near Eastern : Metalwork : Pre AD 1000 item #1247108
These two superb bronze plaques are attributed to the Ordos culture, and date circa 5th-3rd century B.C. These two pieces are approximately 4.25 inches long by 2.3 inches high, and have an attractive dark brown/black patina with gold gilt and dark red highlights. There is also some minute root marking seen mostly on the back side of each piece, and there is some dark green mineralization seen in sections of each piece as well. Both pieces have very little wear, were likely votive, and were both cast from the lost-wax process, while the wax model was formed in a two-piece mold. These pieces were made as a matching pair, and were possibly attached to a wooden sarcophagus, a burial garment, or the most likely, a leather belt. This type of piece is usually found in pairs, which may also tie in with the "master of the animals" cult that was associated with many cultures in the ancient Near East circa 1000-100 B.C. These plaques are attributed to the Ordos culture, which was located in modern day Eastern Mongolia and Southern Siberia. Most Ordos bronzes of this type can also be associated with the Xiongnu, who were a Mongolian steppes nomadic tribe that had to contend with the Chinese during the Han period. The term "Ordos bronzes" has been applied rather indiscriminately to all "animal style" objects found in the vast northern border areas with China, irrespective of place of discovery or dating. What is known is that the two plaques offered here stylistically match other examples found in Eastern Mongolia and Southern Siberia. For the type see "Nomadic Art of the Eastern Eurasian Steppes: The Eugene V. Thaw and Other New York Collections", Yale University Press, 2002. The pieces offered here show a standing animal which resembles a wolf, which is seen devouring it's prey, which appears to be a horned ibex. The horned ibex is seen with it's head in the mouth of the wolf, and it's curved horn is seen on the ground, as head of the ibex is seen turned around with a twisted elongated neck. In addition, the ibex may be a young baby animal, which may also explain the size difference between both the ibex and the wolf, but in reality, the ibex portrayed on these plaques may be an adult animal, and the carnivorous wolf may have been designed in an oversized manner to portray a more powerful creature. The wolf may also represent a "spirit animal" and may not be a wolf, but rather a creature that somewhat resembles a wolf or a feline. The creature portrayed here has a curled tail like a feline, and an elongated snout like a wolf, and the creature seen here may be a combination of both animals. The ibex head can also be best seen with the entire piece being viewed upside down, which is a convention of art that is common to the Ordos culture. (See attached close up photo.) This piece also has an attachment hook seen in the top center of the wolf's back, a small hole seen in the tip of the tail, and another hole designed within the ibex horn and front leg. These were the three points as to how this piece could have been attached to a leather belt with leather ties. These plaques have a very powerful image, and may have served as a "power type" piece for the wearer. Additional pieces of this type can be seen in "Treasures of the Eurasian Steppes" by Ariadne Galleries, New York, 1998. The pieces offered here are in superb to mint condition, have a high degree of eye appeal, and are better examples of this type that are normally seen. These pieces also are attached within an attractive black wooden framed shadow box, and can easily be removed. Ex: Private United Kingdom collection, circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
This beautiful and vibrant piece is a Greek Apulian lidded mug that dates circa 330 B.C. This piece has been attributed to the Menzies painter, and is approximately 7.5 inches high with the lid. This beautiful piece is also known as a kothon, and this type of vessel normally has a knobbed lid and extended neck, as seen with the piece offered here. This piece is mint quality, with no repair/restoration, and has very vibrant white, yellow, red, and black colors. This piece has a rounded knobbed handle at the top center of the lid, and there are two female heads seen at the top, along with a detailed acanthus pattern between. These female heads are known as a "lady of fashion" portrait, and is thought by many academics to represent Demeter and/or Persephone. To the Greeks the fertility of the ground was closely associated with death, and the seed-corn was buried in the dark during the summer months before the autumnal sowing. The return of life and burial is symbolized in the myth of Persephone's abduction and return, and gave rise to the ritual of the Eleusinian Mysteries, in which the worshippers believed that the restoration of the goddess to the upper world promised the faithful their own resurrection from death. This lidded vessel also probably held a burial offering such as grain, or a product that could have been used by the deceased in the afterlife. This attractive vessel also has a winged Eros that is seen in motion to the right, and is seen holding a box and a tambourine. There is also an ivy leaf pattern seen on the neck of the vessel, along with additional decorative floral elements seen on the main body of the vessel. Overall, this vessel is highly decorated, with many design patterns that cover the entire main body of the vessel, and as such, has been attributed by A.D. Trendall as Type VIII. This piece also has a single "Herakles-knot" type designed handle, and is an exceptional example for the type. This beautiful piece is also from the Michael Waltz collection, and another slightly smaller lidded mug from this same collection is seen with Royal Athena Galleries, New York, no. GMZ02, $4,750.00 estimate. (Another analogous example of nearly the same size is seen in Christies Antiquities, New York, Dec. 2011, no.138. $3,000.00-$5,000.00 estimates, $5,250.00 realized.) The piece offered here is one of the finest examples offered on the market, and is scarce in this mint condition. Ex: Michael Waltz collection, circa 1970's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser, including EU Export and US Customs Import documentation.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Powerful Luristan Bronze Panther Head Finial with Open Mouth
This powerful piece is a bronze Luristan panther head finial piece that dates circa 1000-650 B.C., and is approximately 2 inches high. This complete piece is the terminal end for a finial that may have been part of a staff, or a section of a horse or wagon fitting. The panther head image seen here is very powerful, and has an open roaring mouth, a flat front nose, and rounded ears seen at the back of the head. This type of piece was also a "protector" type piece, and was integrated with the "Master of the Animals Cult" that was prevalent with this culture. This piece is a solid cast example, and is rather heavy, as there is no hollow core. This piece also has a lovely dark green patina with some spotty dark red highlights, along with some minute white calcite deposits. Overall, a nice example with an exceptional patina which is also an excellent mark of authenticity. This piece is also solidly mounted on a custom display stand. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA., circa 1980's. Ex: Private CA. Collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Intact and X-Large Boeotian Glossy Blackware "Type D" Kantharos
This attractive Greek ceramic is a Boeotian black-gloss kantharos, and dates circa 450-425 B.C. This piece is approximately 8 inches high, by 10 inches wide from handle to handle, and is extra large in size for the type and gracefully proportioned. This piece has a great deal of eye appeal, as it also has a rich deep loustrous black glaze seen over the entire piece, save the bottom of the vessel that has a reddish-tan reserve. The interior of the vessel also has an even deep black glaze, and this is an indication that this vessel was specifically made to hold a liquid, such as wine. This piece is catagorized as being a "Type D", and is the largest type for the period, and is amoung the largest Boeotian black-glazed kantharos cups. (For the type see: "Black Glaze Pottery from Rhitsona in Boeotia", by P.N. Ure, Oxford University Press, 1913, Pl. XIII.) This type of kantharos is also known as a "Sessile" type kantharos, which is characterized by it's lack of a raised stemmed base and a small torus disk foot. The form of this vessel is wheel made from a very fine reddish-tan colored clay, and the bowl and base was made as one single piece, with the large arching strap handles applied separately before firing. Small "spurs" project from the lower part of the handles, and they are likely "finger-grips". Flat bars connect the upper part of the handles to the main body of the vessel, and this creates a volute-like profile. The body of the cup has a thin flared upper rim, and a large torus ring foot with a flat base. The shape of this piece was made and used throughout ancient Greece, and the main areas of production for these black-glazed vessels was Attica and the region of Boeotia just northeast of the Gulf of Corinth. The reddish color of the fabric of this vessel also suggests that it may be of Attic manufacture, and/or is a product of an Athenian potter working in Boeotia using Attic source material. (This theory was also put forth by P.N. Ure in the work noted above, p.12, and he comments on the Boeotian black glazed vessels from the Fifth Century: "Such vessels as these and those of the Teisias Group suggest Boeotia occupied one of the very foremost positions in connection with the black glaze industry of this period. Wheather it was as producer or mearly as a purchaser is another question".) This type of vessel offered here is also seen on "Attic red-figure" ceramics that portray Dionysaic drinking scenes that often show satyrs dancing with a cup of this type. It may be that this type of cup was produced more for drinking ceremonies, rather than for funeral purposes which seems to be the case for smaller black-glazed vessels of this type. This attractive piece is intact, has no repair/restoration, and is in it's natural mint to superb "as found" condition. This piece has some nice minute root marking, and some heavy and spotty white calcite deposits seen in various sections of the vessel. An attractive large vessel for the type, and as such, is scarce on the market. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, circa 1990's. Ex: Private New York collection. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Complete & Rare Parthian Near Eastern Bronze Leaping Lion Handle
This lively piece is a Parthian/Near Eastern bronze leaping lion handle, and dates circa 150 B.C.-225 A.D. This piece is approximately 3.8 inches long, by 3.8 inches high, as seen on it's custom display stand. This piece is also complete, with no repair and/or restoration, and was cast as one solid piece. The lively lion seen here has his head turned to the right, and appears to look back at the individual who can easily hold this piece firmly with one hand. The lion is also seen with his mouth open, and appears to be roaring at the viewer. The lion is also seen leaping, and his two front paws were designed to fit over the rim of a vessel, as there is also a groove under the paws. This piece is a rare example, and is likely Parthian, as the artistic style of this piece is very analogous to other works of art attributed to this culture. (For another analogous example attributed to the Parthian period that is of the exact size and type, see: "Ancient Bronzes, Ceramics, and Seals. The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection of Ancient Near Eastern, Central Asiatic, and European Art.", Los Angeles County Museum of Art Pub., 1981, no. 659. See attached photos.) This piece also has a beautiful dark brown and green patina, and is mounted on a custom marble display stand. Ex: Harlan J. Berk collection, Chicago, Ill., circa 1980's. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Appealing Egyptian Wooden Mummy Mask: Ex Sotheby's - Pankow Coll.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Ancient World : Egyptian : Pre AD 1000 item #1103081
This appealing piece is an Egyptian polychrome wooden face mask that dates Third Intermediate Period, circa 1075-715 B.C. This piece is approximately 7.75 inches high, and is a near complete facial section of a wooden sarcophagus mask/lid. This piece has red outlined lips, and red and blue details which are painted over a golden yellow ground that covers the carved wooden surface. There are two dowel holes which were used to attach this esoteric facial section to the main body of the sarcophagus mask/lid. This piece also has some minute spotty black mineral deposits, and the condition of the carved wooden fabric is exceptional. This piece was carved in a very esoteric manner, as seen with the detailed lips and raised eyes. This piece has a great deal of eye appeal, and fits on a custom black plexiglas and marble stand. Ex: Sotheby's Antiquities, London, Feb. 1979, no. 273. Ex: Private New York collection. Ex: Sotheby's Antiquities, "The Charles Pankow Collection of Egyptian Art", Dec. 2004, no. 148. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
Superb to Mint State Quality Greek Gold Stater of Alexander the Great
This superb to mint quality coin is a Greek gold stater of Alexander the Great, circa 323-320 B.C., and grades EF+/FDC (Extremely Fine+/Mint State). This beautiful coin also weighs 8.6 gms, and is perfectly centered. This coin was minted in Miletos, and was struck under Philoxenos, who was a general of Alexander the Great. The obverse (Obv.) of this coin features the helmeted head of Athena facing right, and is wearing a Corinthian helmet with a coiled serpent. There are also flowing locks of hair seen on the cheek and neck, which is also a unique feature of this obverse die and coin type. The reverse (Rev.) has a finely detailed and exceptional standing Nike holding a victory wreath in her extended right hand, and a stylis in the left hand. The Nike seen here is also one of the best examples seen on a coin of this type, as one can see the minute facial details that are not normally seen. There is also a (Delta H) monogram in the left field. (Another example of this type and grade was offered by Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Auction 72, no. 4047. $2,500.00-$3,000.00 estimates, $5,000.00 realized.) References: Price 2078; SNG Ashmolean 2774. Ex: Harlan J. Berk, Chicago, Ill., circa 1980's. Ex: Private CA. collection, circa 2000's. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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What’s was talked about in Davos and how it affects Ukraine
My thoughts: Andrey Dovbenko
This year, Ukraine attempted to adjust the optics through which our country is looked at in the world. During the annual meeting of the International Economic Forum in Davos, Ukraine House, organised by Ukrainian IT companies and associations, worked under the motto “Creativity. Innovation. Capabilities”.
For four days, by way of unofficial Ukrainian representation, dozens of discussions on global issues took place, with world experts and even the legendary robot Sofia taking part. In hot pursuit, I too tried to understand how the Ukrainian agenda jived with the main Davos-2018 program in the sphere of new technologies.
Cybersecurity and ethics
Davos gathered what seemed like a record number of technology companies and initiatives this year. In the panel discussions of the main program, representatives of IBM and Google participated, and alongside Trump’s speech, an informal meeting was arranged by TechCrunch – America’s largest technology media holding.
World leaders spoke not only about technologies themselves, but also about the risks and dangers that could lead to their development. The British government, for example, has begun financing a special advisory centre on the ethical use of artificial intelligence. The founder of Chinese corporation Alibaba, Jack Ma, noted that, “each technological revolution makes the world unbalanced”, and with new technologies one must be more and more careful. At the same time, the head of Google, Sundar Pichai, is sure that our high-tech future has many more benefits than risks. He even compared the importance of developing artificial intelligence with the invention of electricity.
For Ukraine, a more urgent topic is cybersecurity. On the thematic discussion “Cyberwar without rules”, within the framework of the main program of the forum, threats to democracy and the general struggle against cyberterrorism were discussed, among more mundane topics. For example, Jean Yang, a scientist from Carnegie Mellon University, stressed that it is everyone’s duty to protect himself. And organisations that still use Windows XP with its huge security hole need to think about this. Relating to the vulnerability of operating systems, we will not tell Yang that, until recently, some of our own officials were still using the mail.ru system.
Crypto currencies and Blockchain
Great attention was paid to fintech (the emerging financial services sector), where a discussion panel was held at Ukraine House on 24 January. The topic – where might the next cryptohaven turn up. Some would really like the answer to be Ukraine. But I can’t be so optimistic. To date, the most favourable infrastructure for the development of the crypto industry has developed in Switzerland, namely the city of Zug, 140 km from Davos. The capital of the canton of the same name was already nicknamed Crypto Valley, and in January of last year, a government-sponsored Crypto Valley association was created, aimed at creating a block-and-cryptosystem.
Switzerland has everything necessary to successfully achieve such an ambitious goal: political and economic stability, a flexible tax system, serious scientific institutions, investor loyalty legislation. However, not everyone shares the idea that the move to becoming a paradise for the crypto industry is a good. Nobel Prize winner in economics Joseph Stiglitz repeated his opinion in Davos, saying that Bitcoin is worth nothing except when it comes to money laundering and tax evasion. Well, where there are crypto-enthusiasts, there will also be crypto-sceptics.
The future of technology
Without exception, experts associate the future of technology with artificial intelligence. The abbreviation AI is constantly on the lips of politicians, CEOs of technological giants, as well as supporters of innovations in education.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced the launch of an innovative fund worth €10 billion to support new technologies, including artificial intelligence. In the UAE, since October last year, there has been a minister for AI affairs, who was also present in Davos.
Head of the world’s largest CRM-platform Salesforce, Mark Benioff, said that among the company’s executive directors is Einstein – an aspect of their artificial intelligence technology, which participates in meetings of the directors every Monday. In addition, on the panel discussion about Blockchain held at Ukraine House, was the robot Sofia Hanson, the main humanoid in SingularityNET.
The results of the study conducted by the World Economic Forum, PwC, and Stanford University, show the AI potential for solving all manner of environmental problems, such as global warming, water and air pollution, and combating natural disasters.
Research on the development and implementation of artificial intelligence is now occupied in the best minds of mankind. I am glad that Ukraine was represented at the World Economic Forum this year by including innovators – people not of politics, but of technology. Their agenda was in full accord with the global themes touched upon at the meeting. The main thing is that in reality, one of the informal slogans of the forum is achieved: “What happens in Davos, should not stay in Davos.”
Copyright 2019 Vanda All Rights Reserved.
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Johnny Christ about Brooks Wackerman style: "The Stage was heavily influenced by that"
Johnny Christ was recently interviewed by KLAQ 95.5 FM, you can read some excerpts below.
Asked how new Avenged Sevenfold drummer Brooks Wackerman's playing style influenced the sound of the band's latest album, "The Stage", Christ said: "Well, it was heavily influenced by that, to be honest. From the beginning of talking with Brooks, and before we even really started putting the pen to the paper, we knew that we wanted his… we wanted to let him go, we wanted his raw sound. We knew what he was capable of and his feel on everything, and we loved the way that just the natural-sounding drums sound. Not a lot of hard rock bands are just letting it all be — they're adding a lot of samples on things, or effects or whatever — and we just wanted the drums to be raw so you could really hear what Brooks Wackerman is capable of."
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Latest convictions from Blackpool's court - Monday, October 15, 2018
Digital reporter
Here is the latest round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school
Blackpool Magistrates Court
A father refused to send his teenager daughter to school after informing the pupil welfare officer she was being bullied there.
The father told the officer the last straw was when his daughter had been attacked on the way back from school and suffered two black eyes.
He was found guilty of knowingly failing to ensure a child’s regularly attendance at school after a trial in his absence.
He was given an absolute discharge by District Judge Jane Goodwin.
Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council’s education department, said the case concerned the fathers 14-year-old daughter’s attendance at Blackpool’s Aspire Academy, which stood at 37.7 percent with 64 unauthorised absences between April 23 and July 6 this year.
The school’s pupil welfare officer said the parents told him their daughter had been the victim of bullying at the school and they wanted her to move schools.
The bullying allegation was said to have been investigated and the school agreed to her having a managed move to another school.
The parents then said their daughter had been attacked and injured on the way back from school and she would not be returning there.
Allan Cobain, defending, said the daughter was so upset by the bullying that they took her to the doctor, who said the girl was in a toxic situation and should not be at that school.
The parents believed the school was doing nothing about the bullying.
They had attended the school on numerous occasions, tried to see the head and left numerous messages.
READ MORE: Friday's round-up of cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court
Ryan Broxup, 44, theft
A man stuffed so many bags of stolen coins into his pockets his shorts fell down.
Ryan Broxup was trying to sneak out of a shop after stealing £190 in coins from a back office.
He was confronted by staff who heard coins jingling as 44-year-old Broxup of Reads Avenue,Blackpool,walked past them.
Broxup admitted theft of the coins and £300 in notes from the resort’s Costcutters store on Ribble Road.
Pam Smith,prosecuting, told Blackpool Magistrates that Broxup went into the shop and suddenly disappeared.
When he re appeared his shorts fell to the floor.
“This was due to the amount of money stuffed in the pockets,” said the prosecutor.
Broxup was sent for sentence to Crown Court.He was remanded in custody in the meantime.
Matthew Jones, 32, failing to comply with a court order
A man breached a suspended prison sentence order made for an offence of assaulting a police officer because he had an infected finger. Matthew Jones, 32, of North Promenade, St Annes, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a court order.
He had an extra 10 hours unpaid work added to his sentence and was ordered to pay £60 costs.
Cheryl Crawford, prosecuting for the probation service, said Jones had previously been sentenced to eight weeks, suspended for 12 months with 120 hours unpaid work for the community for assaulting a police officer.
He was inducted on August 1 and should have attended his first payback work session on August 4 but failed to do so. He also missed the second payback work appointment he was given on August 18.
Jones had phoned his probation officer to say he had an infected finger and was going to a walk-in medical centre, but he did not prove the required evidence for this.
So far he had done just one hour of the payback work and had 119 hours to go.
James Curtis, 34, drink-driving
Pier ride worker James Curtis estimated he was eight-out-of-ten on a scale of drunkeness when he got behind the wheel of his car at 4am.
Curtis, 34, of Crystal Road, South Shore, had downed between 15 and 20 drinks with friends- some of the drinks were spirits.
Curtis was spotted driving by police and arrested but when he was taken to Blackpool police station he refused to give a breath sample as required by the law.
Curtis admitted the refusal and was banned from the roads for 18 months.He must undertake 120 hours unpaid work and do 10 rehabilitation days.
The court heard from his lawyer Howard Green that Curtis felt he had been roughly treated by the police when he was arrested and that was why he failed to co-operate.”
“He has been completely honest and knows he was over the limit,” said Mr Green.
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Alex Speier
How the Nathan Eovaldi signing helps clarify the Red Sox’ future
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,December 11, 2018, 10:49 a.m.
Both David Price and Nathan Eovaldi are signed through the 2022 season. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)
At a time when the Red Sox face increasing complexity regarding their future, Nathan Eovaldi offered the club an enticing application of Occam’s razor, an instance where the simplest solution emerged as the right one.
While the Red Sox will return much of their 2018 World Series-winning team, they are trying to chart a course not just for 2019 but beyond. Chris Sale and Rick Porcello are eligible for free agency after the coming season, as are Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez (who has the first of three opt-outs in his five-year deal after 2019). Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. are eligible for free agency after 2020.
The Red Sox face difficult negotiations with many of those players. There are no guarantees that they will be able to retain any of them.
The opportunity to re-sign Eovaldi thus represented a bird in hand, with the team able to retain a pitcher who in three months after his trade to the Red Sox showed premium stuff, outstanding makeup, and the ability to handle pitching in Boston (and at Fenway Park). He proved his ability to dominate against top lineups.
On top of that, Eovaldi signaled a willingness to sign for known terms, a four-year, $68 million deal. In this case, the Red Sox looked at all of those elements and reached a conclusion: Don’t overthink it.
Eovaldi represents a good fit who not only rounds out the rotation for 2019, but also helps alleviate some of the questions that exist beyond that.
“It’s part of the equation, very important,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “We know that there’s a lot of question marks about [the] long-term contract status of part of the members of our club; it’s going to be a juggling act over the next several years. We know we’re not going to be able to sign everybody, but the more stability that’s out there, the better off we are.”
Dombrowski noted that with Eovaldi, David Price, and Eduardo Rodriguez, the Red Sox have at least three rotation spots accounted for in 2020.
“We hope we have five of them,” he added, alluding to the interest in retaining Sale and Porcello.
But doing so might not be possible. After all, lefthander Patrick Corbin — coming off a 2018 season (11-7, 3.15 ERA, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings in a career-high 200 innings) that departed from a more modest career line (56-54, 3.91, 8.5 strikeouts per nine) — just commanded a six-year, $140 million deal on the open market. If Sale (about three months older than Corbin) is healthy and performs anywhere near his perennial Cy Young-caliber standards in 2019, he’ll blow well past that, and possibly beyond the $200 million marks surpassed by Price, Clayton Kershaw, and Max Scherzer.
A few hours after the news conference to announce Eovaldi’s return, Dombrowski held another media session in the Red Sox suite at the Winter Meetings. He reiterated the difficulty that the Red Sox face in trying to retain members of the championship core.
“I do caution, and the one thing I keep talking about, is that it’s just from a financial perspective and rule perspective, it’s not going to be possible to keep everybody that we have,” he said. “You have to realize that if anybody is signed long term now, it may have an effect on some other things that you may do later on.”
In the team’s eyes, Eovaldi represented an opportunity to strike something of a balancing act, offering greater roster stability while also not proving so prohibitively expensive that he’ll hamstring the efforts to retain other players — at least not the big fish of future offseasons.
There was a zero-sum calculation with Eovaldi, but it came at the expense not of players such as Sale, Bogaerts, Martinez, and Betts, but of Craig Kimbrel. Much as the Red Sox decided at the trade deadline that they preferred Eovaldi to relief options such as Zach Britton, they prioritized the righthanded starter over the top-end closer market.
“We prefer that move than go in the direction of putting that money in let’s say finding a closer,” said Dombrowski. “It doesn’t mean we can’t still do some things in that regard, but [Eovaldi] was really our priority.”
Eovaldi is now part of the team’s future. That status is valued by the decision-makers, who are trying both to give the team a chance to mount a title defense in 2019 and to sustain a competitive roster beyond next season.
Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com.
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West Palm Beach, Florida Accident Sends One Bicyclist to the Hospital
A West Palm Beach, Florida accident sent a bicyclist to the hospital Tuesday afternoon, news sources report. A vehicle pulling out of a restaurant parking lot reportedly struck the bicyclist. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries following the crash; information regarding the victim’s or the driver’s identity was not immediately available. Police are currently conducting an investigation to determine the exact detail of the accident. It remains to be seen whether the victim will file for damages.
According to reports, the accident occurred on Belvedere Road near the intersection of Lake Avenue. Belvedere Road is a four-lane street separated by yellow lines with side parking available on both sides of the street. There are also a number of businesses located on the street, including a BP gas station and a Taco Bell. It is unclear how road conditions that day may have affected the driver’s ability to spot the bicyclist.
Reports say the accident occurred around 12:00 Tuesday afternoon on Belvedere Road. Police officials say the bicyclist was heading west, and a vehicle pulling out of the Taco Bell struck the bicyclist. A witness on the scene described the accident to reporters. “[The bicyclist] came flying down and he landed pretty good on the pavement,” the witness said. “He was bleeding from his head, he had knee replacement recently and he landed on his knee, so he was pretty hurt.”
Paramedics arrived on the scene and rushed the bicyclist to St. Mary’s Medical Center. While reports were unable to provide the exact extent of the victim’s injuries, doctors say he will survive. Police are now investigating the accident. It is unclear whether they plan to file charges against the driver, or whether the bicyclist will file for damages.
Unfortunately, bicycle accidents are a common occurrence in Palm Beach County. Records show that 364 bicyclists were injured in traffic accidents in Palm Beach County in 2010; four of them died. Miami-Dade County held the record for the most injured bicyclists in 2010, with a reported 626 injuries.
In other accident-related news, four people were injured in Miami when a car crashed into a street light pole, reports say. The driver sustained critical injuries in the crash and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Three other victims also sustained injury and were taken to the hospital as well. Information regarding the victims’ identity was not available following the crash. Police are currently conducting an investigating to determine the cause of the accident.
According to reports, the incident occurred at the intersection of 79th Street and Northwest Seventh Avenue. A vehicle apparently crashed into a red light pole at the intersection, though it is not yet clear why. Fire rescue teams arrived on the scene and found the badly damage car wrapped almost completely around the pole. Paramedics rushed the driver and three other victims to the Jackson Memorial Hospital. The driver sustained critical injuries. The extent of the three other victims’ injuries was not immediately known following the crash.
Sources: 3.5.13 West Palm Beach Bicyclist Collision.pdf, 3.5.13 Miami Collision.pdf
Posted in: Injury
Updated: June 26, 2015 12:51 pm
Massive Gas Explosion Destroys South Florida Shopping Mall, Over 20 Injuries Reported July 12, 2019
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Clevedon Removals
Weston-super-Mare Removals
Bristol Removals
Bath Removals
Portishead Removals
Nailsea Removals
Just eight miles south-west of Bristol City centre is the thriving town of Nailsea. It is located in prime Bristol commuter belt territory and boasts all the usual local amenities of popular residential towns, including an excellent transport infrastructure, with Bristol International Airport just five miles away.
Just 35-minutes away from Nailsea (in Bristol) is the family-owned removals and storage company Britannia Lanes of Bristol. They have over 40 years’ experience and have offices throughout the South West so, if you are moving to or from Nailsea, or anywhere in this beautiful corner of the UK, get in touch with Britannia Lanes of Bristol today.
Moving to Nailsea
For those looking to retire, Nailsea has seen a recent rise in development of properties for those entering their golden years. Much of Nailsea’s property, in general, was developed in the middle of the 20th century, aside from a core of period properties, with homes in Grade I listed Nailsea Court particularly sought after.
Family properties, from terraces to detached, tend to be the big seller in Nailsea. These properties vary between £230,000 and £450,000 dependant on location, number of bedrooms, and the condition of the property. Rental properties in Nailsea, of this nature, will fetch anywhere between £900 pcm and £1600 pcm.
Flats and terraced homes with two bedrooms vary between £500 pcm and £800 pcm, or £145,000 and £220,000 if you intend on buying.
Schools in Nailsea
Nailsea is home to seven primary schools and two secondary schools. Parents are spoilt for choice, with latest Ofsted reports from all the schools ranking them as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. Grove Junior, Hannah Moore Infant and Kingshill Church School are all ‘good’. St Francis School, West Leigh Infant, Golden Valley Primary, and Blackwell CofE Junior School are all ‘outstanding’.
Nailsea School is one of the two secondary facilities in the town, and is also home to a sixth form. The school is an academy and received ‘good’ from Ofsted in its latest inspection. The other secondary school, also with sixth form, is Backwell School. It has gained popularity due to its reputation for academic excellence and is ‘outstanding’ in the eyes of Ofsted.
Transport Links Nailsea
Those living in Nailsea will be blessed by just a five-mile drive to Junction 20 of the M5 which spans Exeter to Birmingham. Nailsea is mostly surrounded by B roads, but the A370 which runs through the neighbouring village of Blackwell is an important route.
Between the two locations is Nailsea and Blackwell railway station. The two-platform station has regular services to Bristol Parkway, Weston-Super-Mare, Cardiff Central, Taunton, and London Paddington.
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It's Official! Andy Karl Will Headline Groundhog Day on Broadway, Start Date Set
by Broadway.com Staff • Oct 19, 2016
Andy Karl in 'Groundhog Day'
(Photo: Manuel Harlan)
Andy Karl is coming back to Broadway! Andy Karl is coming back to Broadway! Andy Karl is coming back to Broadway! After London critics and audiences repeatedly fell for the two-time Tony nominee as he headlined Groundhog Day at the Old Vic, it is now confirmed that Karl will lead the production when it lands at the August Wilson Theatre. The previously reported much-buzzed about stage adaptation of the 1993 film is set to begin previews on March 16, 2017 and officially open on April 17 at the venue.
Karl received Tony nods for his two most recent Broadway performances: On the Twentieth Century and Rocky. His additional Main Stem credits include The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Jersey Boys, 9 to 5, Legally Blonde and Wicked. He recently appeared on Law & Order: SVU as Sergeant Mike Dodds, playing son to his former On the Twentieth Century co-star Peter Gallagher.
Directed by Matthew Warchus, the musical features a score by Matilda scribe Tim Minchin and a book by Danny Rubin (who co-wrote the original film). No word yet on further casting; Karl played Phil in London opposite Carlyss Peer as Rita.
Groundhog Day follows TV weather man Phil (played by Bill Murray in the film), who reluctantly goes to cover the story of Punxsutawney Phil for the third year in a row. Making no effort to hide his frustration, he covers the story and moves on, expecting his job to be finished. However, he awakes the "following" day and discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and the fun happens again and again and again. He soon realizes he must take advantage of it in order to secure the love of a coworker.
Jersey Boys is scheduled to close at the August Wilson on January 15, 2017.
Andy Karl
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Jesse Scott
Michael Bublé makes us all swoom Friday evening at the BB&T Center.
Evaan Kehraj
Jesse Scott | February 14, 2019 | 9:03am
Fun fact: Michael Bublé probably doesn’t love LaCroix sparkling water — primarily because he recently did a commercial with Bubly sparkling water. Aside from promoting thirst-quenching beverages, the Canadian-bred crooner released his tenth studio album, Love, in 2018. The first single off the album, “When I Fall in Love,” is a winner and you will... love it. Okay, enough love mentions. Enjoy the show. 8 p.m. on Friday at the BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; thebbtcenter.com. Sold out.
Where should you park your hungry self on Friday evening? Oakland Park. Taste of Oakland Park is back for another evening of yummy grub from some of the town’s finest establishments. Enjoy bits from the likes of Salimar Ceviche Bar, Jupiter Donuts, Farm to Fork and Viva Tokyo. Beer peeps including Funky Buddha, Big Dog Station and Stout will be on-site to help you wash down all the deliciousness. 6 p.m. on Friday at Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N. Dixie Hwy., Oakland Park; eventbrite.com. Tickets $15 in advance and free for children 12 and under.
Joe Bonamassa rocks out at the Broward Center on Friday.
The people that legendary guitarist Joe Bonamassa has jammed with reads like a who’s-who of rock and blues history. Eric Clapton. Buddy Guy. B.B. King. Steve Winwood. And, the list goes on and on. Okay, so he won’t be accompanied by any of these famous folks during his stint in Fort Lauderdale, but his mad solo skills will keep you entertained for hours. In 2018, he released his thirteenth studio album, Redemption. Take a listen before hearing some of the goodness live. 8 p.m. on Friday at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $83.96 to $187.74.
A shirtless comedian is coming. That’s right — Bert Kreischer, in all of his bare-chested glory, is embarking on a world tour and making a pit stop at Parker Playhouse, where he’ll undoubtedly be the life of the party Saturday evening. As a primer, his Secret Time Netflix special aired in August and is totally worth a watch. Or ten. 7 p.m. on Saturday at Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale; ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $35.50.
Why spend entirely too much dough on watching the next mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-view, when you can watch it live? MMA Action Fight League owns the Hard Rock Event Center space on Saturday evening with War at the Rock. Nearly ten fights are scheduled for the action-packed evening, headlined by Coral Springs native Michel “El Capo” Quinones versus Havana-bred Yosdenis Cedeno. 7 p.m. on Saturday at Hard Rock Event Center, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $40 to $70.
Yonder Mountain String Band brings the bluegrass on Saturday.
The Netherlands is home to lots of fun things. And then we have a Nederland, Colorado here in the U.S. that birthed the Yonder Mountain String Band. Now decades removed from its Nederland days, the band is playing some of the biggest festivals on Planet Earth. But we are oh-so-lucky to have them playing an intimate show at Fort Lauderdale’s Culture Room on Saturday evening. You won’t want to miss the bluegrass jams. 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; cultureroom.net. Tickets cost $29.50 to $60.
Beer and fitness are coming together. Now that is our type of workout. Saltwater Brewery and Orangetheory Fitness Delray Beach are hosting another 5K on Sunday afternoon starting at the brewery. All participants get a five-ounce pour of beer and all proceeds from the event will go to nonprofit, The Cleo Group. If you’re hungry post-run, Pigsty BBQ will have the meats. 4 p.m. on Sunday at Saltwater Brewery, 1701 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; facebook.com. Admission costs $5.
Star Wars fans: It is your time to shine. It’s promising to be one of the most epic Star Wars trivia nights ever at Copper Blues on Monday evening. To set the mood, Star Wars will be playing on all TVs and there will be character-inspired cocktails. In addition to winning trivia, you’ll want to come in costume, too. In total, between the trivia and costumes, more than $1,000 in prizes will be given away. May the force be with you. 7 p.m. on Monday at Copper Blues, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach; electrostub.com. $30 total entry for four players, which includes four complimentary Due South beers.
Calling all history nerds (or people who just want to know more about Fort Lauderdale history)! The Historic Stranahan House Museum has a monthly History Happy Hour featuring wine, cheese, and a new topic each month. This month’s event will focus on African American history in Fort Lauderdale. We’ll cheers to that. 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Historic Stranahan House Museum, 335 SE Sixth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; stanahanhouse.givezooks.com. Admission costs $20 for non-members.
Sarah Brightman's heavenly hymns head to the Hard Rock Event Center on Wednesday.
You know who’s an angel? Sarah Brightman. A) She always dresses so heavenly, with her flowing brunette air. B) She sings her classical tunes in basically every language. And, C) She’s landing her angelic self at the Hard Rock Event Center on Wednesday evening. The England native released her first album in five years in November, titled Hymn; which clearly makes her that much more of an angel. 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Hard Rock Event Center, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; ticketmaster.com. Tickets cost $54 to $500.
Jesse Scott is a freelance writer for Miami New Times covering culture and entertainment. He moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2016 and previously resided in (and played ungodly amounts of roulette in) Sin City. He is a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and has covered entertainment for his hometown newspaper, the Free Lance-Star, for more than 15 years.
Twitter: @jesseRscott
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Actionable Research on Sustainability
Friday Jun 3, 2011
Our Research team tracks emerging trends and solutions central to building sustainable business. We aim to help business leaders stay ahead of the curve and shape future-oriented decisions on a wide range of challenges, from energy management, to sustainable consumption, to human rights.
We produce our research with two key business audiences in mind: executives responsible for shaping corporate strategy and practitioners in charge of implementation. Over the past three years, our output has grown considerably, and so, too, have the ways we convey our findings. Like many organizations, we have expanded the media through which we deliver our research, relying on traditional channels like reports, events, the BSR Insight, and external publications in the field of sustainability. In 2010, we also expanded our influence through the addition of social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Youku (a Chinese video-sharing site), allowing us to reach new audiences with our research.
Research in 2010
In 2010, we focused on climate and energy, ecosystem services, human rights, and sustainable consumption.
In addition to offering insight on emerging trends and solutions, BSR’s Research efforts focus on applied learning designed to promote and accelerate innovative efforts across our member company network, the wider business community, and the public. We achieve this by marrying lessons learned through project work with research and analysis that allows for wider adoption of good practices.
Our climate and energy initiative provides one example of how this works. After working on Walmart’s supply chain energy-efficiency program in China, we produced a research guide showing companies how to replicate Walmart’s work with their own Chinese suppliers. Based on that research, we launched our Energy Efficiency Partnership (EEP) initiative, which brings BSR member companies together with major suppliers to improve energy management. The group has three objectives:
Create a platform to share investments and think collectively about emerging issues.
Train suppliers in the Guangdong and Shanghai regions on energy management.
Collect effective energy information for reporting to sponsoring companies.
Initially comprising 10 companies and nearly 80 suppliers in the consumer products; ICT; and food, beverage, and agriculture industries, EEP trained suppliers to develop energy-management plans and introduced them to local energy-service companies to help them pinpoint opportunities for improvement. As a result, suppliers started more than 100 projects that will help them conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2011, we will broaden EEP participation and develop tools for bringing energy-efficiency innovations to scale.
Also in 2011, we will focus on a new initiative related to sustainability futures—identifying the key trends that shape business success in the industries with which we work. We will also explore the business opportunities in making sustainable consumption a reality, and we will build on our previous work looking at how the world is responding to sustainability challenges and the implications for the future of business.
Sorry, no related articles have been published, yet.
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Bettercoal: Improving Performance in the Coal Supply Chain
In the next 25 to 50 years, despite efforts to shift to lower-carbon energy sources, increasing demand from large emerging economies means that coal will continue to be critical to meet energy needs. And, increasingly, future production is likely to be based in countries such as Mongolia, Mozambique, and parts of Indonesia that, to date, have had modest coal mining operations.
In spite of this, there is currently no agreed-upon global standard for coal mining; performance varies widely across the world; and there are significant ethical, social, and environmental risks and impacts associated with coal mining.
To fill this gap, several major energy utilities—DONG Energy, EDF, Enel, E.ON, GDF Suez, RWE, and Vattenfall—worked with BSR as the lead facilitator to form Bettercoal, the first global, multi-company initiative aimed at improving conditions at the mine level. Bettercoal will seek to fulfill its mission by conducting independent mine assessments, facilitating industry best practice sharing, and offering support to develop resources and capabilities at the mine level.
Since the beginning of 2011, BSR has supported the founding members with both group facilitation and content expertise on a range of issues, including ethical, social, and environmental risks and impacts in mining.
Using our deep experience building collaborative initiatives, we have engaged civil society and companies in the coal supply chain to help create a coal-mining code for social, environmental, and ethical performance; draft the articles of association; incorporate the entity; define its operating principles; manage antitrust issues; and hire an executive director. BSR also worked with third-party service providers to develop the infrastructure and tools to support Bettercoal.
In the first year, BSR has successfully assisted in the launch of Bettercoal, and we will continue to support the organization as the Bettercoal Code and assessment tools proceed through a multiphase, public consultation process that will reach individuals and community-based organizations in key coal-producing countries. (Information about this will be available at www.bettercoal.org.)
In the future, Bettercoal will focus on increasing the uptake of the initiative by suppliers and stakeholders.
Through the development of Bettercoal, we learned two important lessons about collaborating with several independent companies to establish a new entity:
Involving relevant staff from each of the founding companies in different activities was a highly effective way to imbed the work in the organizations and ensure that the project had necessary resources. For instance, the project communications departments were involved in developing the communications strategy, sustainability experts helped develop the code, and compliance officers established the operating model.
To ensure trust among companies—a fundamental part of maintaining both momentum and our schedule—we needed to ensure that we developed and had consensus on our mission from the outset.
#Energy and Extractives
In Search of Justice: Pathways to Remedy at the Porgera Gold Mine
Margaret Jungk, Former Managing Director, Human Rights, BSR; Ouida Chichester, Associate Director, BSR; Chris Fletcher, Former Associate, BSR
Steps to Create Your Company’s Renewable Energy Strategy
Denielle Harrison, Manager, BSR
To create your renewable energy strategy, you must identify your company’s motivations, adopt supporting goals and commitments, and identify available internal resources.
Next-Generation Private-Sector Collaboration for Sustainable Development: Q&A with Neste
Cecile Oger, Director, BSR; Laura Uhlmann, Associate, BSR
We spoke with Neste's sustainability manager about multistakeholder collaboration and its role at the company.
10 Human Rights Priorities for the Extractives Sector
BSR Staff
A primer on the most relevant, urgent, and probable human rights impacts for the extractives sector and opportunities for positive impact
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NFL draft | Ohio State's Nick Bosa selected second overall by 49ers
Bill Rabinowitz The Columbus Dispatch @brdispatch
Apr 25, 2019 at 8:31 PM Apr 25, 2019 at 8:41 PM
Nick Bosa never shied away from comparisons with his older brother, Joey.
He followed his path from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ohio State and wore the same No. 97.
Joey set the NFL draft bar high when he was taken the third overall pick in 2016. Nick surpassed it Thursday night when the San Francisco 49ers took the defensive end with the second overall pick.
The selection caps a rollercoaster year for Bosa. He was regarded as the top defensive player in college football entering last season and he was on his way to living up to that billing. He had four sacks and a forced fumble in his first three games, but in that third game he suffered a bilateral core muscle tear against TCU.
The injury required surgery and a months-long recovery. When it became clear that a return to the Buckeyes was unrealistic, Bosa decided to leave Ohio State and prepare for the draft.
He pronounced himself healed at the NFL combine two months ago. His injury is considered one that’s unlikely to recur.
With the injury issue receded, Bosa is regarded as close to a can’t-miss prospect as there is in the draft. He combines strength, speed and technique as a pass-rusher and is also stout run defender.
>> From earlier: NFL combine | Fully recovered, Ohio State’s Nick Bosa sets sights on pros
He comes by it naturally. First-round picks run in the Bosa family. In addition to his brother, their father, John, was taken with the 16th pick of the 1987 draft by Miami. A year later, the Dolphins also used the 16th selection to take the Bosas’ uncle, former Buckeye Eric Kumerow.
The elder Bosa and Kumerow had disappointing NFL careers, but Joey Bosa was the defensive rookie of the year and is regarded as one of the NFL’s top defensive linemen.
Nick Bosa had 17½ sacks and 29 tackles for loss in only 30 career games as a Buckeye.
brabinowitz@dispatch.com
@brdispatch
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New AI-based algorithm solves Rubik's Cube puzzle faster than humans
Partial Lunar Eclipse 2019: What it is and when you can watch it in India
How drawing map of the Moon for Apollo became a national priority
In pictures: Launch of India's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 put off
Last-minute moon mission glitch sets India back in global space race
Experts say Chandrayaan-2 delay was pre-emptive, mission not a failure
Less support from women in space exploration? Time to change perception
Space travel was a dream for artists long before Armstrong stepped on moon
Launch of India's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 put off due to technical snag
Key things to know about Chandrayaan 2: From mission aim to landing site
You are here: Home » Current Affairs » News » Science and Technology
Reality or studio shoot? Why moon landing conspiracy theories still exist
CBI raids offices of Indira Jaising, Anand Grover's NGO Lawyers Collective
Why moon landings footage would have been impossible to fake in 1969
Moon landings footage would have been impossible to fake - a film expert explains why
Howard Berry | The Conversation Last Updated at July 11, 2019 09:28 IST
https://mybs.in/2X7Z5aV
Representative Image (Photo Shutterstock)
Shadows on the Moon: A tale of ephemeral beauty, humans and hubris
Space ethics? Five questions for how we choose to use the moon
50 yrs of moon landing: When the world paused to watch Armstrong's moonwalk
Would your phone be powerful enough to get you to the moon like Apollo did?
It's been half a century since the magnificent Apollo 11 moon landing, yet many people still don’t believe it actually happened. Conspiracy theories about the event dating back to the 1970s are in fact more popular than ever. A common theory is that film director Stanley Kubrick helped NASA fake the historic footage of its six successful moon landings.
But would it really have been possible to do that with the technology available at the time? I’m not a space travel expert, an engineer or a scientist. I am a filmmaker and lecturer in film post-production, and – while I can’t say how we landed on the moon in 1969 – I can say with some certainty that the footage would have been impossible to fake.
Here are some of the most common beliefs and questions – and why they don’t hold up.
‘The moon landings were filmed in a TV studio.’
There are two different ways of capturing moving images. One is film, actual strips of photographic material onto which a series of images are exposed. Another is video, which is an electronic method of recording onto various mediums, such as moving magnetic tape. With video, you can also broadcast to a television receiver. A standard motion picture film records images at 24 frames per second, while broadcast television is typically either 25 or 30 frames, depending on where you are in the world.
If we go along with the idea that the moon landings were taped in a TV studio, then we would expect them to be 30 frames per second video, which was the television standard at the time. However, we know that video from the first moon landing was recorded at ten frames per second in SSTV (Slow Scan television) with a special camera.
To the moon and beyond is a new podcast series from The Conversation marking the 50th anniversary of the moon landings. Listen and subscribe here.
‘They used the Apollo special camera in a studio and then slowed down the footage to make it look like there was less gravity.’
Some people may contend that when you look at people moving in slow motion, they appear to be in a low gravity environment. Slowing down film requires more frames than usual, so you start with a camera capable of capturing more frames in a second than a normal one – this is called overcranking. When this is played back at the normal frame rate, this footage plays back for longer. If you can’t overcrank your camera, but you record at a normal frame rate, you can instead artificially slow down the footage, but you need a way to store the frames and generate new extra frames to slow it down.
Apollo Lunar Television Camera, as it was mounted on the side of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module when it telecasted Armstrong’s ‘One small step’. NASA
At the time of the broadcast, magnetic disk recorders capable of storing slow motion footage could only capture 30 seconds in total, for a playback of 90 seconds of slow motion video. To capture 143 minutes in slow motion, you’d need to record and store 47 minutes of live action, which simply wasn’t possible.
‘They could have had an advanced storage recorder to create slow motion footage. Everyone knows NASA gets the tech before the public.’
Well, maybe they did have a super secret extra storage recorder – but one almost 3,000 times more advanced? Doubtful.
‘They shot it on film and slowed down the film instead. You can have as much film as you like to do this. Then they converted the film to be shown on TV.’
That’s a bit of logic at last! But shooting it on film would require thousands of feet of film. A typical reel of 35mm film – at 24 frames per minutes second – lasts 11 minutes and is 1,000 foot long. If we apply this to 12 frames per second film (as close to ten as we can get with standard film) running for 143 minutes (this is how long the Apollo 11 footage lasts), you would need six and a half reels.
These would then need to be put together. The splicing joins, transfer of negatives and printing – and potentially grains, specks of dust, hairs or scratches – would instantly give the game away. There are none of these artefacts present, which means it wasn’t shot on film.
When you take into account that the subsequent Apollo landings were shot at 30 frames per second, then to fake those would be three times harder. So the Apollo 11 mission would have been the easy one.
‘But the flag is blowing in the wind, and there’s no wind on the moon. The wind is clearly from a cooling fan inside the studio. Or it was filmed in the desert.’
It isn’t. After the flag is let go, it settles gently and then doesn’t move at all in the remaining footage. Also, how much wind is there inside a TV studio?
There’s wind in the desert, I’ll accept that. But in July, the desert is also very hot and you can normally see heat waves present in footage recorded in hot places. There are no heat waves on the moon landing footage, so it wasn’t filmed in the desert. And the flag still isn’t moving anyway.
MORE ON THE MOON AND BEYOND Join us as we delve into the last 50 years of space exploration and the 50 years to come. From Neil Armstrong’s historic first step onto the lunar surface to present-day plans to use the moon as a launchpad to Mars, hear from academic experts who’ve dedicated their lives to studying the wonders of space.
‘The lighting in the footage clearly comes from a spotlight. The shadows look weird.’
Yes, it’s a spotlight – a spotlight, 93m miles away. It’s called the sun. Look at the shadows in the footage. If the light source were a nearby spotlight, the shadows would originate from a central point. But because the source is so far away, the shadows are parallel in most places rather than diverging from a single point. That said, the sun isn’t the only source of illumination – light is reflected from the ground too. That can cause some shadows to not appear parallel. It also means we can see objects that are in the shadow.
Stanley Kubrick. Instituto María Auxiliadora Neuquén/Flickr, CC BY-SA
‘Well, we all know Stanley Kubrick filmed it.’
Stanley Kubrick could have been asked to fake the moon landings. But as he was such a perfectionist, he would have insisted on shooting it on location. And it’s well documented he didn’t like to fly, so that about wraps that one up… Next?
‘It’s possible to recreate dinosaurs from mosquitoes the way they did in Jurassic Park, but the government is keeping it a secret.’
Howard Berry, Head of Post-Production and Programme Leader for MA Film and Television Production, University of Hertfordshire
Read our full coverage on moon
First Published: Thu, July 11 2019. 09:17 IST
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Business Schools in New Jersey
(found 51 schools)
New Jersey offers over 50 schools with business programs. Degrees at every level are plentiful, and majors and specializations include finance, forensic accounting, global business, and much more. If you are studying management or operations and you are a minority student, you may be eligible for the ABA Diversity Scholarship.
Originally founded in 1978, The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) is the oldest statewide women business owners' organization in the United States. Below we interview Mary Adelman, President of NJAWBO. In this interview, Ms. Adelman discusses why tech savvy students shouldn't forget about communication skills along with the importance of internships and networking.
Business Degree Programs in New Jersey
Listed below are all of the colleges and universities in New Jersey that offer business degree programs. If you want to narrow it down a bit more, you can browse our listings of specific types of business degree programs in New Jersey:
Full list of Accounting degree programs in New Jersey >
Marketing degree programs in New Jersey >
State of New Jersey's Marketing Industry
New Jersey's economic fortunes are tied partly to those of its neighbor, New York. The Wall Street debacle didn't help, and its key financial services and pharmaceutical industries appear to be consolidating. In a 2012 report, Chase Bank predicted the state would continue to recover, but slowly.
That being said, New Jersey has been leading the pack in job creation, according to Rutgers' Economic Advisory Service. Thanks to its East Coast location, it is the largest chemical producing state in the nation and was home to 21 Fortune 500 companies in 2012. With the Big Apple just over the border, the Garden State's marketing industry has always been strong and disproportionately large.
Advertising agencies abound in this fertile ground. Up-and-comers who appear on Inc.'s Top 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2012 include WebiMax, Pearl Media and Teknicks. WebiMax's revenue went from $123,000 in 2008 to $7.1 million in 2011.
Job Prospects for New Jersey Marketing Graduates
Job prospects for New Jersey marketing graduates look pretty good. New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) has predicted jobs for market research analysts and PR specialists will both grow by 15% from 2008-2018.
Managers may have more competition. Though New Jersey made room for 8,000 marketing managers in 2011 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), giving it the fifth-highest employment in the U.S., job growth is only expected to increase 2% by 2018 (DLWD). Even so, you stand a good chance of being amply rewarded if you are hired. The annual median salary for New Jersey marketing managers in 2011 was a whopping $134,300 (BLS).
Budding marketers can look for opportunities with leviathans such as Medco Health Solutions, Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Financial and Merck, or they can aim for outstanding up-and-comers. There are over 150 New Jersey businesses on Inc.'s Top 5000 list
New Jersey Schools for Marketing
There are twenty accredited marketing schools in New Jersey, some just a stone's throw away from Philadelphia and Manhattan. If you're just starting your search, take a look at:
1. Rutgers University - Newark and New Brunswick (http://business.rutgers.edu/marketing)
The Business School at Rutgers has developed a Bachelor of Science with a major in marketing, two marketing MBAs (one with a concentration in pure marketing and one focusing on marketing research insights and analytics) and a doctorate in marketing science.
Ranked #63 in "Best Business Schools" by U.S. News & World Report in 2013, Rutgers provides students with consulting, mentoring, internships and case-study competitions.
2. Rider University (http://www.rider.edu/cba)
Rider offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with a major in marketing and advertising, an MBA, and an online BSBA with a major in general business.
The College of Business Administration works with a number of partners in the business community and develops opportunities for teams of faculty-supervised students to provide confidential consulting.
Professional Marketing Organizations in New Jersey
Situated as it is at the crossroads of the tri-state area, New Jersey is brimming with marketing organizations. To expand their networking and education opportunities, many marketers also belong to New York clubs.
BMA NJ (http://www.bma-nj.org/): Business Marketing Association - New Jersey
NJ Ad Club (http://www.njadclub.org/): New Jersey Advertising Club
NJ AMA (http://njama.org/): New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association
NJCAMA http://njcama.org/): New Jersey Communications, Advertising and Marketing Association
In addition to serving the industrial manufacturing and distribution needs of the businesses that call New Jersey home, the state also serves as a major industrial center for New York City and Pennsylvania based companies. The state’s industrial base creates a unique environment for growing businesses in both New Jersey and neighboring states.
Thomas Edison established his personal research facility in Menlo Park forming the foundation of a legacy that lives on today in New Jersey’s booming technology industry. Corporate research labs working in telecommunications and biotechnology have turned the region around Princeton into a tech Mecca that supports high paying jobs in business administration, accounting, marketing, HR management, finance and more.
The Jersey Shore is one of the most iconic tourist destinations in the U.S. and is responsible for an estimated $2 billion in revenue every year. However, that is just one small part of New Jersey’s $38 billion annual tourism industry, the largest contributor to the state’s 2014 GSP (Gross State Product) of $465.5 billion.
However, while it might be a huge money maker for the state, the tourism industry pales in comparison to technology companies as an employer. Small New Jersey firms alone employ 137,000 people in the professional scientific and technological services industry, compared to 60,000 employed in accommodation, entertainment, and recreation services. Nearly 333 million people are employed in New Jersey-based private technology firms over all, making it the second largest industry in the state based on employment according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The only industry that employs more people is the health care and social assistance industry, which is overall the largest industry for employment in the U.S. according to the SBA.
New Jersey’s Contribution to International Trade and Commerce
Bayonne sits at the terminus of pipelines originating in Texas and Oklahoma, making New Jersey one of the most important states for oil refining in the U.S. This, coupled with the success of New Jersey’s technology companies has helped New Jersey to make a huge impact on international trade.
New Jersey exports $37 billion in goods to foreign markets every year, supporting high-paying jobs for international business specialists, logistics and distribution managers and more. Finished goods and raw materials leaving New Jersey and bound for foreign markets around the world account for approximately 2.6 percent of all international exports from the United States. The largest of these are:
Petroleum - $2.8 billion
Jewelry and Precious Metals -$ 1.06 billion
Palladium - $885 million
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that over 60 percent of New Jersey’s other exports are service exports related to the output of technology companies based in the state.
The Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University was named by The Princeton Review as one of "The Best 296 Business Schools." The school offers a number of approaches for earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA), including a traditional MBA (an on-campus program with an international focus) and a part-time MBA, called the Saturday MBA@FDU. This latter blends on-campus classes every other Saturday with online studies. The college's offerings are rounded out by the fast track MBA program, which requires an intense 15 months of study, and the MBA for Executives, tailored for mid-level professionals with high leadership potential. All of these programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Seton Hall is home to the Stillman School of Business, an AACSB-accredited institution that ranks among The Princeton Review's best business schools. Their primary MBA offering is the Streamlined MBA, which can be completed in as few as 42 hours, versus the more common 60 hours. Most MBA candidates work full time and balance studying with a busy schedule. You can specialize in accounting, finance, information technology management, international business, general management, marketing, supply chain management or sports management. The school also offers dual degree programs that combine a Juris Doctor, Master of Science in Nursing or a master's degree in diplomacy and international relations with an MBA.
Rutgers University Newark & New Brunswick
Rutgers' Business School offers an intense, hands-on program with an entrepreneurial and collaborative focus. Students work on real-world projects with their professors, classmates and an active network of alumni. The school hosts a strong recruiting program with top global companies in the area, and ranks in the top 30 MBA programs nationwide in terms of employment prospects. You can pursue a traditional MBA full time on campus or opt for the Flex MBA, which allows you to study part time with a choice of an extended or customized concentration. The Executive MBA at Rutgers is designed for ambitious professionals looking to ramp up their careers. The program is internationally recognized and earns top rankings for curriculum, network and return on investment.
Thomas Edison State College
This state institution offers a rigorous online MBA program that can be pursued at a faster rate for completion within 18 months. The flexible format runs in eight-week cycles, combining live participation in virtual class sessions with online course work. The program is geared toward working adults who do not want to interrupt their careers for an on-campus program. In addition to courses in general management, the school offers concentrations in finance, data analytics, marketing and health care management. Many of the students in the program bring significant work experience to their studies and are able to satisfy prerequisite requirements by earning credits for what they already know.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology's School of Management MBA program has a 48 hour curriculum that focuses on today's technology-driven business environment. Students examine leading trends in the changing business world while avoiding fads. You can study full time on campus, or take advantage of part-time evening and weekend classes and distance learning options. Available concentrations include management information systems, marketing and finance. The program is AACSB accredited and was named a top 10 research center of management of technology by the journal Product Innovation Management.
Top MBA Programs in New Jersey
Atlantic Cape Community College (Mays Landing, NJ)
Bergen Community College (Paramus, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, E-Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management, Nonprofit Management, Real Estate
Berkeley College (West Paterson, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources Management, International Business, Marketing, Nonprofit Management
Bloomfield College (Bloomfield, NJ)
Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, MACC Degree
Accounting, Administration, Human Resources Management, International Business, Marketing
Brookdale Community College (Lincroft, NJ)
Burlington County College (Pemberton, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Agribusiness, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, IT Management, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management
Caldwell College (Caldwell, NJ)
Camden County College (Blackwood, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management, Real Estate
Centenary College (Hackettstown, NJ)
Masters Degree, MBA Degree
College of Saint Elizabeth (Morristown, NJ)
Bachelors Degree, Certificate, Masters Degree
Accounting, Administration, Human Resources Management, IT Management, Marketing
County College of Morris (Randolph, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Agribusiness, Hospitality Management, Marketing
Cumberland County College (Vineland, NJ)
DeVry University (North Brunswick, NJ)
Dover Business College (Clifton, NJ)
Essex County College (Newark, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, IT Management
Fairleigh Dickinson University (Madison, NJ / Teaneck, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, Human Resources Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing
Felician College (Lodi, NJ)
Georgian Court University (Lakewood, NJ)
Gloucester County College (Sewell, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, IT Management, Marketing, Real Estate
Hudson County Community College (Jersey City, NJ)
Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management
Kean University (Union, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Marketing, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration
Keyskills Learning (Clifton, NJ)
Accounting, Entrepreneurship, IT Management
Mercer County Community College (West Windsor, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, Marketing
Monmouth University (West Long Branch, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Human Resources Management, International Business, Marketing, Real Estate
Montclair State University (Montclair, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, International Business, Marketing, Real Estate
New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ)
Ocean County College (Toms River, NJ)
Passaic County Community College (Paterson, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing, Public Administration
Performance Training (Toms River, NJ)
Pillar College (Zarephath, NJ)
Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
Certificate, Masters Degree
Ramapo College of New Jersey (Mahwah, NJ)
Raritan Valley Community College (Branchburg, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Hospitality Management, International Business, Marketing
Rider University (Lawrenceville, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing
Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ)
Rutgers Camden (Camden, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, E-Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, Human Resources Management, International Business, Marketing
Rutgers The State University of New Jersey-Newark (Newark, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Human Resources Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing
Rutgers University - New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ)
Bachelors Degree, Certificate, Doctoral Degree, Masters Degree, MACC Degree
Saint Peter's College (Jersey City, NJ)
Associate Degree, Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, MACC Degree, MBA Degree
Salem Community College (Carneys Point, NJ)
Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, IT Management, International Business, Marketing, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management, Nonprofit Management
Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ)
Bachelors Degree, Certificate, Doctoral Degree, Masters Degree, MBA Degree
Administration, Human Resources Management, IT Management
Sussex County Community College (Newton, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, E-Commerce, Hospitality Management, IT Management, Marketing
The College of New Jersey (Ewing, NJ)
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (Pomona, NJ)
Thomas Edison State College (Trenton, NJ)
Associate Degree, Bachelors Degree, Certificate, Masters Degree
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, Human Resources Management, IT Management, International Business, Marketing, Public Administration, Real Estate
Union County College (Cranford, NJ)
Accounting, Advertising, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management
University of Phoenix (Jersey City, NJ)
Accounting, Administration, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality Management, Human Resources Management, IT Management, Marketing, Music/Entertainment/Sports Management, Public Administration
Warren County Community College (Washington, NJ)
William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ)
What's Wrong With a Business Degree?
Five Interview Horror Stories to Make You Feel Better About Your Last Job Interview!
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New Jersey Begins First Legal Gay Marriage Ceremonies
By Nuzha Nuseibeh
Kena Betancur/Getty Images News/Getty Images
At 12:01 Monday morning, New Jersey became the 14th state to allow gay marriage, and same-sex couples began to have their long-awaited ceremonies. Nine couples were married by Newark Mayor (and soon-to-be Senator) Cory Booker just after midnight at Newark's city hall — but the rush wasn't just about excitement. Unlike other states to have recently legalized gay marriage, this milestone was expected to be temporary, thanks to Governor Chris Christie's push to appeal the court's September ruling. But on Monday morning, Christie asked Attorney General John Hoffman to withdraw the state’s appeal of a ruling, ensuring gay marriage will continue in New Jersey.
Booker, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last week, performed the marriage ceremonies for the first time in his career Monday, saying, “I’ve refused to preside over any kind of wedding in seven years as mayor. If I couldn’t treat every citizen equally, I just wasn’t going to do it. It would be an affront to the principles I believe in.”
“I wouldn’t be where I am if people before me didn’t stand up for the same principles and ideals about how we’re all supposed to be equal in this country under the law,” he added.
Governor Christie's administration released this statement Monday morning:
Although the governor strongly disagrees with the court substituting its judgment for the constitutional process of the elected branches or a vote of the people, the court has now spoken clearly as to their view of the New Jersey Constitution and, therefore, same-sex marriage is the law..The governor will do his constitutional duty and ensure his administration enforces the law as dictated by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
It's a huge turnaround from last month, when a state court's ruling to allow same-sex marriage was quickly appealed by Christie, who was hoping to delay the implementation date, and buy more time to overturn the legislation completely. On Friday, the state Supreme Court rejected Gov. Chris Christie’s request, announcing instead that it would allow gay marriage.
“The state has advanced a number or arguments, but none of them overcome this reality: Same-sex couples who cannot marry are not treated equally under the law today. The harm to them is real, not abstract or speculative,” Chief Justice Stuart Rabner of New Jersey’s Supreme Court wrote on Friday.
As far as we're concerned, anyone who even tries to appeal this decision should have to answer to Mr. Soprano himself.
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Queensland Premier: stop women like Teresa being brutally murdered by ex-partners
Narelle O'Brien started this petition to Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk and
My sister-in-law, Teresa Bradford, was murdered by her ex husband whilst her kids slept in the next room. Despite a previous attempt to kill her and a history of mental health issues - he was released on bail to find her, kill her, then kill himself.
But right now in Queensland, mentally ill killers are being granted bail - and more women like Teresa could be killed every day. No ankle bracelet was implemented and would have saved her life if it was.
After the first near-fatal attack on Teresa, he was arrested, detained then released. No mental health check was done. No ankle bracelet or proper monitoring. He walked straight out of prison to plan his final, deadly attack. No one listened to pleas to get him professional help or stop his release.
If he’d been assessed by a professional before being granted bail, they would have seen he was mentally unwell. They would have realised that his release would put lives at risk. If there was an Ankle bracelet fitted Teresa would be here today.
Teresa told me she lived in fear of her life just days before she was killed - she knew him better than anyone. But Queensland’s broken system shunted her pleas, now she’s gone.
Please help us, the family of Teresa Bradford, to stop the next death to domestic violence in Queensland. Sign & share our petition for “Teresa’s Law’ to ensure compulsory mental health checks for Domestic violence perpetrators before bail. And Ankle bracelets to be funded and implemented. while also having the exclusion zone set around victim regardless of location.
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An obsession with profit and shareholders led the comics icon to bankruptcy and scandal in the 1990s. Inside the Storm looks at how Marvel came back from the brink.
An obsession with profit and shareholders led the comics icon to bankruptcy and scandal in the 1990s. Here's how Marvel came back from its darkest hour.
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By Derrick A Paulo
19 Nov 2017 11:55AM (Updated: 19 Nov 2017 12:04PM )
NEW YORK: From Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor to the X-Men, Marvel's iconic pop culture superheroes all have had pivotal moments when they were brought to their knees, seemingly beyond all hope of salvation.
So it was too with with the comic book giant - which went from the pinnacle of the industry in the 1970s and 1980s, to bankruptcy, scandal, talent defections and all-out war among its investors in the 1990s.
Its hubris? An obsession with profit over what the Marvel empire had come to be loved for: Telling stories that served its fans. And like all good yarns, this one had its villain.
"The owners of Marvel became progressively less knowledgeable about and less interested in the comic books," said Mr Sean Howe, author of Marvel Comics: The Untold Story.
"They weren't in it for the long haul. They wanted to make as much money as they could make right now right here, and damn the consequences," as former sales director Lou Bank put it.
The story of how the New York-based company reinvented itself in its darkest hour, and fought its way back to the top of the entertainment world with a risky gamble on movie blockbusters, is told in the new season of Inside the Storm: Back from the Brink - a series about legacy companies that have rebuilt themselves from near collapse.
SUPERHEROES WITH PROBLEMS
The tale of the company that, as former group editor Danny Fingeroth put it, "revolutionised the superhero comic", began as a pulp fiction publisher known as Timely in the late 1930s, when the superheroes people know today were born.
Its rival DC Comics started out well ahead in the game. "Marvel was always the second-place company. Superman and Batman at DC Comics were the industry standard, and Marvel was sort of the scrappy other player,” said Mr Howe.
Timely found success when the United States entered the Second World War, and the publisher's creation Captain America struck a chord with soldiers and their families. But the golden age of comics was followed by a movement against gore in comic books, and by the 1960s Marvel - as Timely had become - struggled to stay afloat.
Once again, the company found inspiration from DC Comics, which had thrown together its most popular characters into a single group: The Justice League, which became a surprise hit (and a film now showing in cinemas).
Marvel’s response was the Fantastic Four, heroes who had not only superpowers, but also problems readers could relate to - which broke with superhero conventions of the day.
What set Marvel apart, said Mr Fingeroth, who wrote and edited some of the company’s stories from 1977 to 1995, was that the comics "gave you a depth of characterisation where people could work together but not like each other, or like each other but be angry at each other, or quit the team. As far as comic books (go), that was fairly unprecedented.”
In 1962, Marvel strayed further from comic conventions when it ushered in the rise of the teenage superhero with Spider-Man, who became the most popular comic hero since Superman.
Marvel’s biggest innovation, however, was just round the corner.
TOP (UNDER)DOG
As more superheroes emerged, they began to interact and cross over into each other’s stories. The interwoven storylines became known as the Marvel Universe. And it was not the only thing editor-in-chief Stan Lee and his collaborators forged.
In periodic updates, he gave readers a glimpse into the workings of the Marvel office, featuring writers, artists and even secretaries. “You had a sense that you knew the people behind the stories,” Mr Howe said about the fan impact.
Stan Lee, the creative genius behind Marvel.
Within a few years, Marvel was selling 50 million copies a year, with its superheroes becoming stars on animated television shows. It became the world’s top comic company - yet somehow retained its underdog status, which some saw as a good thing.
Mr Bank said: “DC Comics was Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman, and everybody knew those characters. But … we were like the struggling company.
We had Spider-Man and the Hulk and these guys who had problems, and so even though we had the best-selling comics, we were still the underdog… It felt as if we were all fighting the good fight.
But that changed as the industry boomed worldwide in the 1980s, when Marvel attracted the interest of businessman Ronald Perelman, who bought it for US$82.5 million (S$112 million) in 1989.
NEW OWNER, HIGHER PRICES
“He was a corporate raider. He was somebody who had no emotional connection to the comics,” said Mr Howe.
Mr Bank remembers the first time he saw the new owner, who “looked as if he owned the world, being toured through the offices by a young woman dressed as Spider-Woman”.
"To me, that's who Ron Perelman will always be: This guy who owns the world and who can make young women dress up in spandex," he said.
Millionaire financier Ronald Perelman bought Marvel in 1989.
Mr Perelman's entrance came amid a period where comic books had evolved from more than just cheap, disposable entertainment, to valuable investments and collectibles. Speculators and collectors could make thousands off a vintage issue - one that cost US$400 in the 1970s for instance, could be exponentially more valuable at US$5,000 in the 1980s.
To drive growth by appealing to collectors, Mr Perelman first set out to raise the price of comics by appealing to collectors through, for example, glow-in-the-dark covers, foil covers and hologram covers.
Mr Bank recalled: “Adding a glow-in-the-dark cover caused us to take that same 32-page comic book that we sold for US$1.50 and instead make it US$2.95. And the short-term consequence was that we would sell four times as many copies.”
Initially, the strategy worked. Over the next couple of years, Marvel's revenues and profits grew. In 1991, the company went public and its market value ballooned to US$3 billion.
“But the mood at Marvel changed significantly after the initial public offering,” said Mr Bank.
A WARNING IGNORED
With shareholders expecting bigger returns, the pressure for profits intensified, and the marketing team began to dictate the content.
Marvel supervillain Wilson Fisk.
Artists and writers were told to engineer more crossover stories featuring its best-selling superheroes. Plots also began to intertwine, so readers had to buy all related issues to make sense of them.
“All (we) had to do was put those (best-selling) characters into a low-selling comic, and suddenly (we) sold more copies because people wanted to maintain their complete Spider-Man collection or their complete Wolverine collection,” said Mr Bank.
But at some point, the guy who collects every appearance of Wolverine can no longer afford to. At some point, you chase the guy away by trying to take too much of his money.
As production increased, the quality of content began to suffer, and fans fell away.
But Marvel’s sales were still soaring because, unlike news-stands, specialty comic shops could not return unsold copies for a refund. If the issues did not sell, retailers had to shoulder the cost. The result was that the company could not tell how many comics were actually being sold - and unsold copies were piling up in shop basements.
When news of problems got to Mr Bank, he sent out field representatives to survey comic shops across the US. They found that every time Marvel sold its special editions, subsequent issues saw a 20 per cent decline in sales. Readers were getting tired of expensive, gimmicky comics marketed mainly to collectors and speculators.
Alarmed, Mr Bank sent a memo to Marvel’s senior management. But, he recalled, “the reaction … was silence”.
The company continued to publish enhanced covers and began to include trading cards to encourage collectors, alienating more of its readers. “It just seemed absolutely absurd to me,” said Mr Bank, who saw the coming downfall of Marvel.
Former Marvel sales director Lou Bank.
IMPLOSION AND CRISIS
In 1992, the company received a huge blow: Many of its top creative talents, demoralised by the infighting between the marketing and editorial teams, left to join its rivals and to form their own publishing houses.
As readers followed their favourite artists to the new labels, Marvel's market share continued to drop. A year later, when speculators and collectors realised that the value of comics had been inflated, the industry imploded.
Publisher sales plunged, and many comic shops in the US closed down. It was no different in Singapore. Mr Bill Teoh, whose comic shop opened in 1987, was one of the few to survive but not without taking a hit. As he recalled,
$50,000 worth of comics were incinerated. It was a lot. I had to hire a truck to carry those to the incinerator.
Back in the US, Mr Perelman was using Marvel to go on a shopping spree that included not only trading card manufacturers but also a sticker company and a toy retailer, driving it into debts of more than US$600 million.
All the while, the company was moving further away from its core: Comics.
The reiteration of Spider-Man for the new millennium.
By 1995, Marvel was in crisis. Some 275 jobs were cut, or around 40 per cent of its comic business. The next year, its losses hit US$464 million, and its stock price collapsed to around US$2, from more than US$35 a share in 1993.
The company needed cash to keep running and repay its debts. But in a disagreement with bondholders over its future, Mr Perelman declared bankruptcy to facilitate his reorganisation plans without their consent. In doing so, he dragged Marvel’s reputation through the mud in a series of court battles.
Recalled Mr Howe: “There was something so absurd and grotesque about these cold-hearted men suing each other to have custody of something that, emotionally, a lot of comic readers thought belonged to them"
In the end, Mr Perelman was ousted from control of the company. But Marvel was still broke, surviving on a US$200 million loan that had to be repaid soon. It needed a superhero of its own to save the day.
Enter Mr Peter Cuneo as its chief executive officer in 1999. He was known as a turnaround king, having guided six businesses, such as consumer product brands Clairol and Black & Decker, through tough times.
But hiring him to rescue Marvel was a risk. He knew nothing about the comic industry.
“I wasn’t particularly a comic book fan. I wasn't particularly immersed at all in the comic book world or the comic book community, so I had to learn that,” he said.
Mr Peter Cuneo was known as the 'turnaround king'.
With the company in disarray, its stock falling to as low as 96 cents a share and, at one point, with barely US$3 million in the bank, there was intense pressure on him, especially to get the cash it needed.
So for US$26 million, Marvel first sold its trading card companies, at a fraction of the US$436 million Mr Perelman had spent on them.
While searching for other ways to settle the company’s remaining debt, Mr Cuneo also had to start reviving its comics and getting its readership back. To reinvigorate its stories, he turned to some of the creatives who had left Marvel.
“A lot of (them) felt that they had been mistreated, frankly, by the company. Obviously, we wanted to get the best back, and so that's what I was doing: Basically, courting people,” he said. He instigated a change in atmosphere, giving his artists the freedom to work so that they felt “needed and rewarded”.
He also tasked comic fan Bill Jemas, the former sports and entertainment vice-president of The Madison Square Garden Company, with reviving Marvel’s superhero comics.
At the time, the company was publishing 50-odd monthly titles filled with plots threading back to the 1960s, which made it difficult to woo new readers and get them emotionally attached to the characters.
So Mr Jemas started a new series of comics that retold the stories of Marvel’s major characters with story upgrades for the new millennium. By the early 2000s, the company had reclaimed its lead in the industry.
WATCH: Fall and rise of an empire (4:40)
A NEW DIRECTION
Meanwhile, Mr Cuneo and his team had thought of another way to solve Marvel’s cash problems and repay its loans.
Focusing on its most valuable asset, its library of comic characters, the company began licensing them for toys, clothes, school supplies and video games. This business model did not require Marvel to put up much capital, Mr Cuneo noted.
But to generate more revenue, its characters needed to appeal to a wider market beyond comic fans. So Marvel turned to Hollywood.
The company’s previous deals with studios had had limited success, partly owing to the limits of technology and partly because Marvel had no creative control over the films - for example, the 1986 disaster that was Howard the Duck.
This time, the company decided to tightly control how its films were made, from commissioning the scripts to hiring the directors to finding the right cast, and then partnering with the studios to produce and distribute the films.
Marvel was moving in a new direction: Towards dealing in intellectual property instead of selling products.
“We had to look at our characters as talent, and we had to treat them as if they were living people, but we had to also run them like brands,” said Mr Cuneo.
The hope was that a successful film would transform Marvel’s other businesses in toys, video games, school products, et cetera.
BLOCKBUSTER HITS
This stage of Marvel’s evolution had its beginnings with X-Men, released in 2000 to critical acclaim. The firm grossed nearly US$300 million worldwide.
Suddenly, superheroes were all the rage, and adaptations like Spider-Man, the Hulk and Daredevil soon went into production. After seven years of decline, Marvel was able to nurse its balance sheet back to health.
Jennifer Lawrence at the premiere of X-Men Apocalypse in central London. (AFP)
But its future was still uncertain. While its licensed films had been a success, it was not getting the full profits from Hollywood. When the first two Spider-Man films made a combined US$3 billion worldwide from box office, DVD and TV sales, the company received an estimated US$62 million only, as it had sold the character rights to Sony.
The idea that Marvel should produce its own films and keep all of the profits began to circulate in the office. It was a bold plan, but not everyone agreed it was a good one.
The company had never produced a film itself and a flop could cost millions. “The idea of us taking some financial risk on films wasn’t initially particularly popular with some of our investors,” said Mr Cuneo.
But what I think that people on the outside didn't understand is that we had been apprenticing on 12 films. We had learned how to make hits.
In 2005, the company’s board gave Marvel Studios the green light.
To finance its films, the company struck a deal with Merrill Lynch, offering the wealth management firm the movie rights to 10 of its characters, including The Avengers, as collateral for a US$525 million cash reservoir to make 10 films.
As Marvel Studios went ahead with its first film, Iron Man, it took another risk by casting Robert Downey Jr, better known for his drug and alcohol habits at the time than his acting talent.
The 2008 film was a success of course, largely owing to the actor’s take on the superhero. And in the post-credit scene, the studio set up The Avengers film that was coming.
Thus the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born.
From Ironman the movie.
Realising the potential in Marvel’s library of superheroes, Disney bought the company for US$4 billion in 2009. With Disney’s global reach, the tie-up catapulted Marvel’s characters to stardom. To date, its films have grossed over US$12 billion worldwide - making it the biggest film franchise in history.
TAKING ON MANGA AND ASIA
Marvel’s turnaround was helped by its popularity in Asia, where a new battle is brewing for the entertainment giant.
With the heart of its business, the comic industry, now in decline, it is looking to expand in the region. This means its superheroes must take on the girls of manga, which will not be easy.
“Manga is … very different to superheroes in the fact that a lot of the characters are very young, the arts side is very unique and the story types are very different to Western comics,” said Association of Comic Artists (Singapore) president Jerry Hinds.
“And manga, generally speaking, in Asia, is much more popular.”
To compete, the company knows it must build a stronger connection with Asian readers. Its newly minted editor-in-chief C B Cebulski said: “Marvel always had Asian characters, but truth be told, they’ve always been a little bit stereotypical.
They were created by writers based mainly in the West, and if it was a Japanese character, it was based on a ninja or a samurai or a geisha. If it was a Chinese character, it was always kung fu.
Not only has the company been looking for Asian artists – like Singaporean illustrator Gary Choo, who freelances for Marvel – to bring in more authenticity, it also has new characters that are starting to reflect its diverse fanbase.
Marvel's first Muslim superheroine to headlines her own comic as the latest Ms Marvel.
Take, for example, its first Muslim superheroine, a Pakistani-American teenager, to headline her own comic as the latest Ms Marvel. Singaporean illustrator Jerry Teo : “It's great because right now they're getting fans to understand that there's a bigger picture.”
So although films and licensing deals are now Marvel’s main business, it continues to develop its comics for a more global audience, based on a tradition of storytelling.
"I think any good story appeals to anyone, anywhere," said Mr Hinds. "Marvel has a wealth of characters that have never been explored... that should they get that right, they will be here for many, many years to come."
The new season of Inside the Storm: Back from the Brink tells the stories of how industry giants Marvel, Olympus, Philips and Nissan rebuilt themselves from near collapse. Watch the series online first at this link. Or catch episodes on Channel NewsAsia every Wednesday at 8pm SG/HK.
Source: CNA/yv
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